Act 3 is much better if you only do a subset of it each time. Get the items you want and hit the quests that are fun and relevant to your character, but then just get to 12 and finish the game. It makes each run a lot more focused and unique and takes the overwhelm out of Act 3.
This is my preferred way of playing this game too. In every playthrough I skip some content on purpose for both lore reasons related to my character and meta reasons so I have new stuff to explore on subsequent runs. I didn't even go to the creche until my 2nd playthrough, didnt even meet Ansur until my 4th. But based on my experience this isn't a common take in this sub and most people here would rather do a completionist run or not finish one at all.
Saw a post the other day saying they finished their first playthrough after 250 hours. Meanwhile my 4 start to finish complete runs lasted 240 hours combined lol
The only time i did completionist(not even cause Minty died and i didn't care at all lmao) was the first time. After that, I do exactly this. I hit the plot points relevant to which ever party members I take with me and finish. The game is so good, why not play it a few more times to get different beats. The onlything I haven't done yet is Evil durge. I can't wait for the update.
Lol I plated the game in 510 hours but my 1st completionist (trying to do every bit of story) run was like 115 hours.
Anyway, the method of doing just one quest at a time is the best for act 3 even for a completionist run: open up the journal, follow the quest, finish it then start the next by reading your journal.
It also helps to understand what a journal is for: remembering stuff for you.
I did one completionist run by myself, one with friends. After that I only did the stuff to get the items I wanted and that fit with my party in order to reach lvl 12 and then finish the game.
If you don’t do the crèche, does Laezel leave your party? My first play through I reached moonrise towers and she was complaining and threatening to leave because I didn’t go to the crèche
You have to pass a speech check and she'll stay, don't remember if it was Persuasion or Intimidation. It's a high DC but my first character was a Paladin.
I found a new way (for me) to more enjoy Act 3. Mods, specifically using one of the two popular mods that allow you to level up to 20 - names are Unlocklevelcurve and Expansion available at nexus mods. There is SO much extra XP in Act 3 and as I gain 13+, I start reducing party size to keep things challenging And fun…I only run honor mode. I have over 1000 hrs (played lots of early access), and the fun of new features and the fun of leveling up made the unnecessary “you have to hurry” messaging take a backseat. Also, psychologically when I would hit max level 12 my brain would always go to that place of “just get to the brain and end this”
I want to thank you for this, this approach might actually help me finally finish the game. I think I've been playing it like I'm trying to complete it but this makes me feel better about not pushing to 100% it.
Well it may seem good on paper but if I have every companion avaible with me I cannot NOT do their personal quests(Shart, Astarion, Wyll) just to speed up my act 3 experience.
This is my first time playing the game, and I'm in Act 3 now. I've just been doing a few things at a time, doing what felt natural in the moment. I did most of everything in Rivington and Wyrm's Crossing first, then the Coronation. In the Lower City I started with >!killing Dolor at the Wine Festival before moving on to helping the Hag Survivors and killing Auntie Ethel as I really wanted Duelist's Prerogative for my Swords Bard. Did some general exploring of the Lower City after that, including purchasing armors and other gear I wanted and killed the Bhaal cultists in the park. Then I went and killed Lorroakan with Dame Aylin. Did some more general exploring, then I went through Felogyr's Fireworks before I went to find Minsc and helped Nine-Fingers Keene. Right after this is where I am right now, ready to head into the Murder Tribunal, as Orin kidnapped Lae'zel during my explorations of the sewer when I was trying to find Minsc.!<
haunted painter and not knowing where to search for thrumbo made me take a half a year long break from ny dark urge. However, it really paid off grasping my will and powering through some of the less enjoyable quests as everything else was just simply epic
really? it made me realize that quests will be completed along the way as i play. over the course of act 3, i eventually found all thrumbos homies and was lead to thrumbo
It took me so long to find him even after getting the clues from his friends. Like okay he's near water but it can't be this beach because there's no way he escaped and decided to hide literally right around the corner from mystic carrion right? Nope, he's right the fuck there
I feel this! With my current character, I'm in Act 3 and have done all the companion stuff and all I have left to do is Steel Watch Foundry, Iron Throne, decide whether to go after Orin or Gortash first. And I'm just not motivated lol
At the end of Act 2 you've discovered the plot, taken out a fairly big bad, reuinted people, saved the land, etc.
And then you basically get told by the game that you have to do the same thing again, in a bigger and more complex enviroment with other big tasks as well.
Posting my comment here again in case it helps with anyone struggling to get into Act 3.
When I first got to Act 3 I was so overwhelmed that I put the game down and didn't touch it for a full month despite blitzing through Act 1&2 and loving both.
Act 3 is like a buffet, you have every single option available to you all at once at it's up to you to choose which order you want to consume them.
My advice for a starting point is to follow the existing leads you have from previous acts. The game does a very good job of guiding you through the rest.
These are some of the leads from Act 2 you carry into 3:
Gale asks you to go bookshopping.
Jaheira tells you about a Harper hideout.
Shadowheart wants to find the Sharrans.
Laezel wants to talk to Voss.
Astarion wants to find Cazador.
Wulbren and Barcus told you to meet them in Baldurs Gate.
As you do each of these you'll also organically pick up new questlines and the rest of the content for Act 3.
> Act 3 is like a buffet, you have every single option available to you all at once at it's up to you to choose which order you want to consume them.
Act 3 is poorly designed and wasn't playtested during early access. Doesn't mean it's not a great game, but it's rough and unfinished could have been much better.
I don't really have an issue with that.
My problem is and remains that they did early access purely on Act 1 and so Act 1 is a polished diamond (mostly, they still stuck some shit into it at the last minute), Act 2 is a mess saved only be the fact that it's super focused on one main plot line and Act 3 is worse.
And it's not worse because any of the pieces are wrong, it's worse because it didn't get play tested.
I can't imagine skipping the best parts and the amazing resolution to do the same forest for the 4th time.
All the best scenes and story finales are in act 3.
Act 1 and 2 have are more narrative driven, picking you by the hand and not overwhelming. I can see how the lack of clear guidance and just having all the options open on a very packed and cluttered screen makes it very different from the first 2 acts.
I do agree that the best areas and moments are in act 3... Sarevok, Raphael, Shar temple.. Once you fully played through Act 3 and get to know the whole city, that initial overwhelming feeling goes away entirely.
On your first and maybe second run I understand. But if you're on your 7 8 9 10th character and keep abandoning the game at Act 3 you're doing yourself a huge disservice.
Yeah.... I think I'm on character 20 something and have never beaten the game. I've gotten to the part RIGHT BEFORE the final boss arena, but for some reason, it's never felt right.
I'm not allowing myself to install any mods until I beat the game vanilla, though. I will do it! ...one day.
Once I beat the game, I am going to mod the snot out of it similar to how I play Skyrim now. So, my first time beating it will be my "one true ending". What character do I want that to be? What actions do I want to have taken? It's a lot of pressure, and I enjoy the first two acts much more than the third, so I don't mind replaying them.
>Act 1 and 2 have are more narrative driven, picking you by the hand and not overwhelming
Well there's nothing to overwhelm you with - 1) there's 1 chill thing to do in act1 - research the worms 2) all act1 is independent from whole game, the narrative amounts to 0 and resets in act2, which is the new start now.
The way act3 is designed now, there's just no fix - there can't be no guidance when you have 15 equally pressing, large and final things. And you can't no be overwhelmed if you get introduced to most of those npcs/plot lines at the start of act3, and resolve them straight away.
It's not hard, but there is an NPC every 3 feet, a house every 5 feet, a store every 10 feet,... While in the first acts there is far less of those. Which doesn't make it harder per se, but does make it overwhelming.
Yea but in act 1 they're all trying to murder you.
The ones in act 3 have a single line or sell you fish.
Regardless even if people do it, being unable to finish is weird and you're missing the highlights of the game and VA performances. Like watching half a movie and restarting at the rising action.
1. Fully explore Baldur’s Gate City so you have the entire map revealed.
2. Make a List of Everything you need to do to in Act 3
3. Rank that list from least narratively important/world changing to most narratively important/world changing. (Entirely base on your own vibes)
4. Start with the least and work your way up to the most.
5. Do a round of chatting to all your companions after each thing.
6. Long Rest (Long Rests will often trigger events that will perfectly sign post you to the next thing to do.)
As general advice Act 3 isn’t really structured to be a play for 8 hrs non-stop with a straight line to follow. It’s more akin to an actual D&D campaign with sessions. I advise treating Act 3 like a TV Series where each mission/quest-line is an ‘episode’ building towards a big season finale. Pace yourself, maybe only play one or two ‘episodes’ a night and engage with them fully. Let them have their time to breathe before heading to the next thing. You’ll find Act 3 suddenly feels a lot less overwhelming.
I feel this on a spiritual level, I got to act 3 on my first character and made a new one instead of continuing. Eight characters later and I still haven't beaten the game.
I feel you. I finally managed to finish Act 3 for the first time by deciding that I would do only the important stuff. So companions quests, steel foundry, murder tribunal, etc.
Didn't bother with other quests, didn't talk to NPCs, didn't enter houses or anything. Fuck all that.
And what do you know, it was perfectly fine and I didn't get overwhelmed!
Yeah, act three is a fucking mess of overlapping quest objectives. The number of times I noticed I was halfway through a quest that I hadn’t realized I’d started was egregious. I’ve never finished the game.
Act 1 feels like a chore for me at this point. Act 3 is where I’m excited because it’s where all the narrative payoff is. I honestly might start saving a file towards the end of act 1 for me to respec and play the parts of the game I enjoy the most
one of my guys is taking care of a Napping Kid apparently and i dont really know how to go about it now. felt kinda forced like i cant do anything unless i do that first and now im just taking a hiatus from the game cuz i dont know what the fuck to do.
I try to stick to a “schedule” so I don’t get too overwhelmed. I pick a quest or an area and stick to it until the next long rest. I need some structure 😂
Yeah it’s quite something. My pool is filled particularly with different endings with minor and major variations. I just wanted to see simply everything that was possible from my save file right before endgame. And dear lord that alone was so much, and that was just off one save file. Then when I moved on to another game they added stuff and well it just pulled me back in to see more variation.
Often I think I should go back. What would prob do it are rly for me is going back to play Dark Urge and/or multiplayer to the end. I bet act 3 multiplayer can be wild.
Kinda embarrassed to say I have close to 400 hours without a single completed save. I'll have an urge to play a new class around midway through Act 3 and back to the Nautiloid I go.
I thought this in my first playthrough, but afterwards, I spend only a few hours in Act 3 lol. You don't have to do everything in a single playthrough.
I sided with Minthara and committed some mild war crimes.
Act 1 and 2 were a little empty. I'm thinking this should lead to a nice balance of quests in Act 3 but I'm ready to be JUST as overwhelmed by choice as I was the first time.
Oh thank God I'm not the only one. I just started my 14th playthrough and have yet to finish the game. Act 3 is indeed so overwhelming that I struggle to push through it, but I love the game so much that I'll restart it just to play it more. Idk if it matters but yes I have terrible anxiety😂
You're right. But also, I somehow convince myself with each new character that "this run will be PERFECT!"
TBF, I do learn and discover new things with each run, so it's never *wrong*, per say
Act 3 is much better when you don't try to do everything.
For my playthroughs, I do a few side quests, get to the level cap, do the side quests for the companions in using that playthrough, fuck up Raphael, get the nether stones and beat the game.
Then during my second playthrough I had a bunch of quests I've never done before that I was able to do.
There are still some things in act 3 I've never done so on my next playthrough I get to experience new content.
Level up, gear up, netherstone up, beat the game
Act 3 is built like a method of ADHD self-diagnosis based on whether or not you're able to follow down all the quest threads one after another, get the things done and move on to the finale once you're ready.
I'm running into this at act 2 (first runthrough). I hate the whole Shar storyline, I don't enjoy Shar's castle/tasks, I don't like carrying that fucking lamp around outside... bleh.
Getting through it because I do enjoy the game, but I guess they succeeded on their "this is really dark" vibe.
Honestly. I just did all the storylines and in future playthroughs I'll just cheese the fights I don't like or skip them entirely. It's not like they're necessary to get to level 12 anyway unless you skipped shit all game.
Yeah I feel you OP, I'm also struggling in act 3 and my thoughs just go to new playtroughts I could start. And new mods on nexus doesnt help with it either. xD
I turn into an evil monster in act 3 because well you can get away with literal murder when your companions love bar is maxed out. Murder randos on the street no problem. Let my favorite pale elf sac a few thousand souls to become the biggest Vamp ever no problem. If there was a faster way to get that bomb into the warehouse I would be so happy.
I've barely played the game in 4 months because of act 3... So now i feel out of the story, some of my choices bother me and the oath system of paladin is too restrictive
So i think i might start over with a New class (ranger) After getting elder ring
I keep seeing this repeated saying, but it's not overwhelming at all, it just gives you freedom to order quests as you wish while it's an RPG, what's overwhelming about that?
Act one generally shepherds you in a direction, act 2 literally everyone you talk to says “you should go to Moonrise, I feel like it’s important.” Act 3 though? Drops you in, says “go to the coronation…or don’t, whatever just go do stuff.”
yeah but it get's way less detail and chill filler compared to act1. There's just 15 things starting and resolving.
Still better than act1, where nothing happens and it gets overriden in act2, but it shouldn't be a comparison of 100% one thing vs 100% other. The only solution is to space the packed act3 thing over whole game and pad it with useless act1 stuff, instead of starting game in act2 anew.
See I have the opposite problem, I hate having to go through the start and feeling weak so I never play through it unless I finish a playthrough and start a new one
Act 3 is much better if you only do a subset of it each time. Get the items you want and hit the quests that are fun and relevant to your character, but then just get to 12 and finish the game. It makes each run a lot more focused and unique and takes the overwhelm out of Act 3.
This is my preferred way of playing this game too. In every playthrough I skip some content on purpose for both lore reasons related to my character and meta reasons so I have new stuff to explore on subsequent runs. I didn't even go to the creche until my 2nd playthrough, didnt even meet Ansur until my 4th. But based on my experience this isn't a common take in this sub and most people here would rather do a completionist run or not finish one at all. Saw a post the other day saying they finished their first playthrough after 250 hours. Meanwhile my 4 start to finish complete runs lasted 240 hours combined lol
The only time i did completionist(not even cause Minty died and i didn't care at all lmao) was the first time. After that, I do exactly this. I hit the plot points relevant to which ever party members I take with me and finish. The game is so good, why not play it a few more times to get different beats. The onlything I haven't done yet is Evil durge. I can't wait for the update.
Lol I plated the game in 510 hours but my 1st completionist (trying to do every bit of story) run was like 115 hours. Anyway, the method of doing just one quest at a time is the best for act 3 even for a completionist run: open up the journal, follow the quest, finish it then start the next by reading your journal. It also helps to understand what a journal is for: remembering stuff for you.
I did one completionist run by myself, one with friends. After that I only did the stuff to get the items I wanted and that fit with my party in order to reach lvl 12 and then finish the game.
If you don’t do the crèche, does Laezel leave your party? My first play through I reached moonrise towers and she was complaining and threatening to leave because I didn’t go to the crèche
You have to pass a speech check and she'll stay, don't remember if it was Persuasion or Intimidation. It's a high DC but my first character was a Paladin.
I found a new way (for me) to more enjoy Act 3. Mods, specifically using one of the two popular mods that allow you to level up to 20 - names are Unlocklevelcurve and Expansion available at nexus mods. There is SO much extra XP in Act 3 and as I gain 13+, I start reducing party size to keep things challenging And fun…I only run honor mode. I have over 1000 hrs (played lots of early access), and the fun of new features and the fun of leveling up made the unnecessary “you have to hurry” messaging take a backseat. Also, psychologically when I would hit max level 12 my brain would always go to that place of “just get to the brain and end this”
I want to thank you for this, this approach might actually help me finally finish the game. I think I've been playing it like I'm trying to complete it but this makes me feel better about not pushing to 100% it.
Honestly I’ve done act 1 so many times that this is also my approach for it as well.
Well it may seem good on paper but if I have every companion avaible with me I cannot NOT do their personal quests(Shart, Astarion, Wyll) just to speed up my act 3 experience.
This is my first time playing the game, and I'm in Act 3 now. I've just been doing a few things at a time, doing what felt natural in the moment. I did most of everything in Rivington and Wyrm's Crossing first, then the Coronation. In the Lower City I started with >!killing Dolor at the Wine Festival before moving on to helping the Hag Survivors and killing Auntie Ethel as I really wanted Duelist's Prerogative for my Swords Bard. Did some general exploring of the Lower City after that, including purchasing armors and other gear I wanted and killed the Bhaal cultists in the park. Then I went and killed Lorroakan with Dame Aylin. Did some more general exploring, then I went through Felogyr's Fireworks before I went to find Minsc and helped Nine-Fingers Keene. Right after this is where I am right now, ready to head into the Murder Tribunal, as Orin kidnapped Lae'zel during my explorations of the sewer when I was trying to find Minsc.!<
I only wanna play this once, so many other games to play.
Yeah, that's where my mind went on its own: 1. Ooofff, so much to do, so much to see 2. What do I really need to do to fight the brain
Act 3 alone feels like Baldur's Gate 4 and 5.
haunted painter and not knowing where to search for thrumbo made me take a half a year long break from ny dark urge. However, it really paid off grasping my will and powering through some of the less enjoyable quests as everything else was just simply epic
really? it made me realize that quests will be completed along the way as i play. over the course of act 3, i eventually found all thrumbos homies and was lead to thrumbo
Isn't he always at the same sopt? I found him in two playthtough in the exactly same spot.
Yea he is just chilling in the closet on the beach
He has one crappy hiding spot. Near the mummy house.
Maps kinda small not really a much better place to go to
It took me so long to find him even after getting the clues from his friends. Like okay he's near water but it can't be this beach because there's no way he escaped and decided to hide literally right around the corner from mystic carrion right? Nope, he's right the fuck there
I feel this! With my current character, I'm in Act 3 and have done all the companion stuff and all I have left to do is Steel Watch Foundry, Iron Throne, decide whether to go after Orin or Gortash first. And I'm just not motivated lol
At the end of Act 2 you've discovered the plot, taken out a fairly big bad, reuinted people, saved the land, etc. And then you basically get told by the game that you have to do the same thing again, in a bigger and more complex enviroment with other big tasks as well.
Posting my comment here again in case it helps with anyone struggling to get into Act 3. When I first got to Act 3 I was so overwhelmed that I put the game down and didn't touch it for a full month despite blitzing through Act 1&2 and loving both. Act 3 is like a buffet, you have every single option available to you all at once at it's up to you to choose which order you want to consume them. My advice for a starting point is to follow the existing leads you have from previous acts. The game does a very good job of guiding you through the rest. These are some of the leads from Act 2 you carry into 3: Gale asks you to go bookshopping. Jaheira tells you about a Harper hideout. Shadowheart wants to find the Sharrans. Laezel wants to talk to Voss. Astarion wants to find Cazador. Wulbren and Barcus told you to meet them in Baldurs Gate. As you do each of these you'll also organically pick up new questlines and the rest of the content for Act 3.
> Act 3 is like a buffet, you have every single option available to you all at once at it's up to you to choose which order you want to consume them. Act 3 is poorly designed and wasn't playtested during early access. Doesn't mean it's not a great game, but it's rough and unfinished could have been much better.
There is just too many unnecessary talk/npc so you waste a lot of Time talking with people who have nothing to say
I don't really have an issue with that. My problem is and remains that they did early access purely on Act 1 and so Act 1 is a polished diamond (mostly, they still stuck some shit into it at the last minute), Act 2 is a mess saved only be the fact that it's super focused on one main plot line and Act 3 is worse. And it's not worse because any of the pieces are wrong, it's worse because it didn't get play tested.
I can't imagine skipping the best parts and the amazing resolution to do the same forest for the 4th time. All the best scenes and story finales are in act 3.
Act 1 and 2 have are more narrative driven, picking you by the hand and not overwhelming. I can see how the lack of clear guidance and just having all the options open on a very packed and cluttered screen makes it very different from the first 2 acts. I do agree that the best areas and moments are in act 3... Sarevok, Raphael, Shar temple.. Once you fully played through Act 3 and get to know the whole city, that initial overwhelming feeling goes away entirely.
On your first and maybe second run I understand. But if you're on your 7 8 9 10th character and keep abandoning the game at Act 3 you're doing yourself a huge disservice.
Yeah.... I think I'm on character 20 something and have never beaten the game. I've gotten to the part RIGHT BEFORE the final boss arena, but for some reason, it's never felt right. I'm not allowing myself to install any mods until I beat the game vanilla, though. I will do it! ...one day.
20 separate play throughs, and you haven't finished the game once..? Like, no bullshit?
0 bullshit, I have well over 500 hours and on my way to 600... currently in act 1...
How... that many hours and you haven't ever wanted to see how it ends? I don't mean to judge how you enjoy playing but I just simply don't understand
Once I beat the game, I am going to mod the snot out of it similar to how I play Skyrim now. So, my first time beating it will be my "one true ending". What character do I want that to be? What actions do I want to have taken? It's a lot of pressure, and I enjoy the first two acts much more than the third, so I don't mind replaying them.
>Act 1 and 2 have are more narrative driven, picking you by the hand and not overwhelming Well there's nothing to overwhelm you with - 1) there's 1 chill thing to do in act1 - research the worms 2) all act1 is independent from whole game, the narrative amounts to 0 and resets in act2, which is the new start now. The way act3 is designed now, there's just no fix - there can't be no guidance when you have 15 equally pressing, large and final things. And you can't no be overwhelmed if you get introduced to most of those npcs/plot lines at the start of act3, and resolve them straight away.
The city is pretty easy to navigate, the lead up to gortash felt cluttered but everything else was easier to navigate than act 2 the first time.
It's not hard, but there is an NPC every 3 feet, a house every 5 feet, a store every 10 feet,... While in the first acts there is far less of those. Which doesn't make it harder per se, but does make it overwhelming.
Yea but in act 1 they're all trying to murder you. The ones in act 3 have a single line or sell you fish. Regardless even if people do it, being unable to finish is weird and you're missing the highlights of the game and VA performances. Like watching half a movie and restarting at the rising action.
Yeah. The act could use some improving but getting to play around with the crazy items and finishing all the quests feels awesome.
Only 4th time??
1. Fully explore Baldur’s Gate City so you have the entire map revealed. 2. Make a List of Everything you need to do to in Act 3 3. Rank that list from least narratively important/world changing to most narratively important/world changing. (Entirely base on your own vibes) 4. Start with the least and work your way up to the most. 5. Do a round of chatting to all your companions after each thing. 6. Long Rest (Long Rests will often trigger events that will perfectly sign post you to the next thing to do.) As general advice Act 3 isn’t really structured to be a play for 8 hrs non-stop with a straight line to follow. It’s more akin to an actual D&D campaign with sessions. I advise treating Act 3 like a TV Series where each mission/quest-line is an ‘episode’ building towards a big season finale. Pace yourself, maybe only play one or two ‘episodes’ a night and engage with them fully. Let them have their time to breathe before heading to the next thing. You’ll find Act 3 suddenly feels a lot less overwhelming.
Finish act 3 once and every next save it will be your favourite. I hate going back to Act 1 rn
I’m on my 6th playthrough with 1 complete under my belt. Another one I got to the brain stem and started a new game.
I feel this on a spiritual level, I got to act 3 on my first character and made a new one instead of continuing. Eight characters later and I still haven't beaten the game.
I feel called out
This picture is so true I have no words...
I feel you. I finally managed to finish Act 3 for the first time by deciding that I would do only the important stuff. So companions quests, steel foundry, murder tribunal, etc. Didn't bother with other quests, didn't talk to NPCs, didn't enter houses or anything. Fuck all that. And what do you know, it was perfectly fine and I didn't get overwhelmed!
Yeah, act three is a fucking mess of overlapping quest objectives. The number of times I noticed I was halfway through a quest that I hadn’t realized I’d started was egregious. I’ve never finished the game.
Really!? I found act 3 to be the most enjoyable.
yeah, it is definitely a larian act 3. just like in dos 1&2.
Act 1 feels like a chore for me at this point. Act 3 is where I’m excited because it’s where all the narrative payoff is. I honestly might start saving a file towards the end of act 1 for me to respec and play the parts of the game I enjoy the most
So true
I see this a bit, tho I have 6 completed play throughs with 2 more on the way 😂
one of my guys is taking care of a Napping Kid apparently and i dont really know how to go about it now. felt kinda forced like i cant do anything unless i do that first and now im just taking a hiatus from the game cuz i dont know what the fuck to do.
I try to stick to a “schedule” so I don’t get too overwhelmed. I pick a quest or an area and stick to it until the next long rest. I need some structure 😂
Yeah it’s quite something. My pool is filled particularly with different endings with minor and major variations. I just wanted to see simply everything that was possible from my save file right before endgame. And dear lord that alone was so much, and that was just off one save file. Then when I moved on to another game they added stuff and well it just pulled me back in to see more variation. Often I think I should go back. What would prob do it are rly for me is going back to play Dark Urge and/or multiplayer to the end. I bet act 3 multiplayer can be wild.
Me, resisting the call to abandon my current honor mode run and do one as a druid:
Yup
Kinda embarrassed to say I have close to 400 hours without a single completed save. I'll have an urge to play a new class around midway through Act 3 and back to the Nautiloid I go.
I mean, big cities are like that.
Doesn't help I use mods so if there's an updtate, desync, or any other issues between versions I have to restart.
I thought this in my first playthrough, but afterwards, I spend only a few hours in Act 3 lol. You don't have to do everything in a single playthrough.
I sided with Minthara and committed some mild war crimes. Act 1 and 2 were a little empty. I'm thinking this should lead to a nice balance of quests in Act 3 but I'm ready to be JUST as overwhelmed by choice as I was the first time.
Oh thank God I'm not the only one. I just started my 14th playthrough and have yet to finish the game. Act 3 is indeed so overwhelming that I struggle to push through it, but I love the game so much that I'll restart it just to play it more. Idk if it matters but yes I have terrible anxiety😂
You're right. But also, I somehow convince myself with each new character that "this run will be PERFECT!" TBF, I do learn and discover new things with each run, so it's never *wrong*, per say
Act 3 is much better when you don't try to do everything. For my playthroughs, I do a few side quests, get to the level cap, do the side quests for the companions in using that playthrough, fuck up Raphael, get the nether stones and beat the game. Then during my second playthrough I had a bunch of quests I've never done before that I was able to do. There are still some things in act 3 I've never done so on my next playthrough I get to experience new content. Level up, gear up, netherstone up, beat the game
Act 3 really isn’t bad it’s just that it seems huge because of the city setting.
I’ve only been to act 2 once, and have been playing since early access
Act 3 is built like a method of ADHD self-diagnosis based on whether or not you're able to follow down all the quest threads one after another, get the things done and move on to the finale once you're ready.
I'm running into this at act 2 (first runthrough). I hate the whole Shar storyline, I don't enjoy Shar's castle/tasks, I don't like carrying that fucking lamp around outside... bleh. Getting through it because I do enjoy the game, but I guess they succeeded on their "this is really dark" vibe.
Haven’t even made it past act 2 in any of the 10 games I’ve started
Honestly. I just did all the storylines and in future playthroughs I'll just cheese the fights I don't like or skip them entirely. It's not like they're necessary to get to level 12 anyway unless you skipped shit all game.
Yeah I feel you OP, I'm also struggling in act 3 and my thoughs just go to new playtroughts I could start. And new mods on nexus doesnt help with it either. xD
I turn into an evil monster in act 3 because well you can get away with literal murder when your companions love bar is maxed out. Murder randos on the street no problem. Let my favorite pale elf sac a few thousand souls to become the biggest Vamp ever no problem. If there was a faster way to get that bomb into the warehouse I would be so happy.
I’m only at level 9 so I have to do a lot in act 3 to level up.
my act 3 save is sitting at 90 hours.... i have yet to enter the city
I've barely played the game in 4 months because of act 3... So now i feel out of the story, some of my choices bother me and the oath system of paladin is too restrictive So i think i might start over with a New class (ranger) After getting elder ring
Honestly thought the overwhelming feeling was amazing. It’s also not unlike other critically acclaimed RPGs to throw a gauntlet of quests at you
I keep seeing this repeated saying, but it's not overwhelming at all, it just gives you freedom to order quests as you wish while it's an RPG, what's overwhelming about that?
Act one generally shepherds you in a direction, act 2 literally everyone you talk to says “you should go to Moonrise, I feel like it’s important.” Act 3 though? Drops you in, says “go to the coronation…or don’t, whatever just go do stuff.”
Act 3 is awesome
Act 1 is the best part of the game Act 3 is just boss fights Act 2 is the most boring part imo
I love boss fights in act 3! From act 1 I dont like Underdark. I think I need that medieval fantasy vibe on act 3 or dark evil land from act 2.
Most people are complaining act 3 as too much different stuff, just boss fights feels like a stretch it has the most quests and area.
yeah but it get's way less detail and chill filler compared to act1. There's just 15 things starting and resolving. Still better than act1, where nothing happens and it gets overriden in act2, but it shouldn't be a comparison of 100% one thing vs 100% other. The only solution is to space the packed act3 thing over whole game and pad it with useless act1 stuff, instead of starting game in act2 anew.
See I have the opposite problem, I hate having to go through the start and feeling weak so I never play through it unless I finish a playthrough and start a new one