D&D fans and novices alike are eagerly anticipating the newest installment to the Baldur’s Gate franchise, Baldur’s Gate 3. D&D players will be happy to find that the game is filled to the brim with battle mechanics, character creation, and gameplay features that are deeply rooted in the tabletop game. But what about the players without tabletop gaming backgrounds? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered with this beginner’s guide!
Baldur’s Gate 3 is undoubtedly steeped in Dungeons & Dragons lore, which may be slightly intimidating for players who lack a D&D background. But once we break down the basics, the game will be surprisingly accessible to non-D&D players.
The game uses the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition rules, and it’s recommended to at least familiarize oneself with the core mechanics presented in the system’s Player’s Handbook. Principal among them is the character creation system, which Baldur’s Gate 3 faithfully reproduces. Players will be able to customize their characters with races and classes from the Dungeons & Dragons universe, such as Elves, Orcs, Fighters, and Clerics. Experienced D&D players can choose a pre-generated build to quickly jump into game-play.
Once the character has been created, the game progresses just like a tabletop game. Characters will take turns to roll dice to determine how successful their actions are, the same way that this is done in pen and paper games. Even death is handled traditionally; if a character’s HP drops to zero, they will remain at death’s door until another character can cast revive spells, much like in a normal game of D&D. What makes Baldur’s Gate 3 accessible to newer players is its range of difficulty settings. Players can customize the game to their own experience level.
Of course, the game adds its own twist to the classic rules. Baldur’s Gate 3 features some unique quests and scenarios, as well as a system called “Rest”, which has characters immediately regain Hit Points and other resources after a short rest. Newcomers to the system will find that these tweaks to the game help level the playing field.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is something of a gateway for non-D&D players; the game has been designed with newcomers in mind, while still providing enough involved complexity for experienced D&D players to sink their teeth into. Newcomers to the system may find the learning curve a bit steep, but Baldur’s Gate 3 can serve as an excellent entry point for anyone looking to immerse themselves in Dungeons & Dragons.
Hey Subscribe to our newsletter for more articles like this directly to your email.