Baldur's Gate III - Spoiler Edition (please read updated OP)

Yeah I have that one. I appreciate the modder's efforts but it was the gameplay that bogged me down. I found it easier to run away from Imoen after the ambush then head straight to the Basilisk area and farm up to level 4 with Korax. The game goes by a lot smoother from there.

Low level BG1 is what I like the most out of that game (well level 2 onward, level 1 is...harsh). I get bored once I reach (the intended) level cap and I usually reach it long before I get access to Baldur's Gate.

I wonder if BG3 will feel similar or even if the game will stop at a lower level than 20 (the max in 5e).

The one at the Friendly Arm, I'm pretty sure you are supposed to get the guards to help considering how many there are outside near the area. It's like very convient... I actually hate fear more might I add, especially with nobody in the party to cast resist/remove fear.

Saying that, he's a way too high CR for a place you are supposed to go to at like level 1, level 2 at best, but then BioWare went full "don't care about CR and encounter level" with the game, probably because they knew people would just cheese their way to victory. *Raise hand* I did solo the game with a fighter/wizard/thief Elf so...

That's something I fear Larian will do too, just those 3 intellect devourers near where you start at level 1 and without a full party is over the top. A single one of them is a CR 2, i.e. meant to be a challenge for a party of 4 all at level 2. Even in their nerfed state (a bit less health, didn't use their special abilities), 3 was way too much for two level 1 characters (unless you cheese the fight with an explosion).

And Larian kinda said combat is too slow so lets change the action economy and give everyone more attacks per round (by moving things that are attacks to the bonus action category and turning some bonus action into no-cost ones it seems), but they just had to stop putting so many bodies in fights to speed combat. Screwing with the rules wasn't needed.

D&D isn't about fighting armies by yourself and 5e action economy and bounded accuracy makes it a suicide. I can see Larian (well any RPG developer really) ignoring bounded accuracy too, as video games have been the total opposite of it in term of design for decades.

I saw another interview with a senior gameplay design today and it appears the "can avoid all the fights" is indeed accurate. They are designing all the encounters so there is a way to avoid the battles...if you succeed at the persuasion check (although I suspect some might require stealth instead or just plain avoiding the optional area).

Swen talked about that in an interview. Right now the 5 announced origins are class locked (and subclass locked at least for Wyll and Shadowheart), but they might allow them to multiclass (I don't think the feature is actually in right now) and the not yet announced origins (as their will be more) might not be class locked.

Heh, I'm going to be running Descent Into Avernus for my D&D group in the near future...

I'll take back all of what I said previously about BG1 being excruciating. Beamdog made a lot of good changes to the ai scripting and UI. Also this series and channel is amazing. This guy knows BG inside out.

I'll say yes, especially if you don't want to deal with mods to get BG2 races/class/kits into BG1.

Beamdog's new characters are intrusive and annoying but they do provide additional content and items. I'd pass on the Siege Of Dragonspear expansion.

IAMA thread if anyone has questions to ask: www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/fhk1u3/im_swen_vincke_creative_director_at_larian/

I'm sure someone will do a pretty transcript once it's all done.

edit:
Seeing how some people are posting 50+ questions in a single post, I don't think anyone needs to go there to add more. 

The best question and answer
Q:Will Noober, or one of his relatives be in the game?
A:Hey ya. Would you really want them to be?

Compiled answers from nice person

I suspect some people will be pissed at the level cap of 10, but most 5e modules cap at level 10 unless they are a sequel then they cap at level 15 usually. 

Then someone asked if it included all the subclasses/archetypes from the PHB and the answer is yes.