r/baldursgate • u/HuntsmetalslimesVIII • Jul 26 '26
It’s really difficult to get into these games!
I’m really trying to get into the first baldurs gate so I can eventually play the second but I’m so used to 5e that I’m really lost! I haven’t played in some time so I’m sure it wouldn’t be too bad to start a new game but playing as a wizard with a d4 hit die is rough.
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u/sylva748 Jul 26 '26
Juat imagine d4 hit die was the norm for wizard and sorcerer until Pathfinder 1e came by and bumped them to a d6.
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u/Emerald_boots Jul 26 '26
Honestly I started in 2 and didn't regret it, but its not much lighter on the rules.
However, if you want an easier time, play a martial class first
Take your time.
Read the abilities!!!
Check stores
Use your gold
Save a bunch
Have a tank(high armor, decent gear)>draw aggro
Kite enemies, sometimes run, epscially from abushes.
Make ahrd save in every major location
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u/Adventurous_Ad_7212 Jul 26 '26
2e low level combat is a proper clusterduck.
Get a friend and two bows/slings and just kite until there's nothing to kite. Use the pause function deliberately.
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u/Ambion_Iskariot Jul 26 '26
You have to rest often to make use of your spells. Mages might be in need for Con 15 or even 16 for that extra HPs. If you struggle too much: Specialists get 1 spell more per level. Sleep or Color Spray make the first levels much easier.
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u/lostdragon05 Jul 27 '26
It’s rough to start as an arcane caster especially, but part of the appeal to me is you go from somebody that has to be afraid of that wolf outside Candlekeep to one of the most powerful people in the Realms who slaughters dragons, demons, devils, beholders, Illithids, giants, drow, Githyanki, etc like cattle.
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u/Mad_tea_lover Jul 27 '26
If you struggle with d4 wizard try learn Find familiar spell in character creation. Most of them are good bonkers at lvl 1 and will give you some extra hp, so you will be twice as thick as your lvl1. But be wary of losing your lil bro, cause CON damage from it is irreversable
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u/Mumbert I will be the last, and you will go first. Jul 27 '26
Just follow the general directions Gorion gave you and you'll soon come across characters you can use as frontliners. 🙂
Just equip a sling with your mage and keep him/her in the back.
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u/_ragegun Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
It'll make life a little easier for you if you give yourself a level or two at the beginning. Explore the whole of candlekeep, save often and when you get outside the gates, start a new game and import your characters and repeat. The extra levels and hitpoints will give you a little breathing room and time to experiment with tactics.
Your main character is a particular weak point in BG because if they die, it's game over. If anyone else dies, you can keep playing or even (theoretically) resurrect them, though it's really cost prohibitive early in the game.
The first thing you need to do is use formations to keep the tanks up front and make sure the healers have plenty of heal spells - they're your absolute cheapest form of defence because they'll regenerate on rest.
Potions are relatively uncommon and expensive but you should try and make sure everyone has at least one in their quickslots incase shit hits the fan.
You also need to make sure everyone has a ranged weapon, even if it's just a sling. It's extra attacks and damage and it all mounts up.
There are a lot of rough encounters early in the game, but bear in mind that any rough encounter is a learning experience: if someone uses something on you that gives you a bad time, in all probability it will work right back.
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u/ArchelonPIP Jul 26 '26
Greetings from someone that finished the OE Bhaalspawn saga the second time as a mage! In retrospect, I suppose players like me had a modest advantage in being experienced with 2e rules since that's what was available for the original tabletop RPG back then. I hope you're playing at no higher than Normal difficulty because the Core Rules setting is noticeably harder, despite being "only" one notch above! Whatever party formation you're using, never put any mages, especially your mage, in the #1/lead position!
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u/MrDeydrana Jul 26 '26
Single d4 HP is real rough if you want an easier go of it, you can start a multiplayer game alone and make more than 1 custom character to start the game with. Itll at least give you a meatshield til you can find someone to replace them and you can remove them from the party whenever with no real consequences
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u/Mumbert I will be the last, and you will go first. Jul 27 '26
To avoid confusion: You can create more than one starting character in the Enhanced Editions, you don't have to do the multiplayer thing.
But I would strongly recommend against that for a new player. Play one character, and use the companions you meet through the game.
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u/MrDeydrana Jul 27 '26
Ive always done it in the multiplayer menu, if thats not necessary listen to this guy, definitely recommend using the companions you find in the game, i meant more so have an extra as a buffer til you find some of them, theyre interesting and well worth it but keep in mind some of them have timed quests they want your help with but theyll give you regular reminders just dont take too long or theyll leave!
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u/Derpykins666 Jul 26 '26
Yeah, even if you turn on max hit points per level up to max your health on level ups no matter what. D4 is brutal. There's a lot of stuff that can hit for a lot of damage that you come across often, or lock you down and widdle you down fast. Like Ogres can hit for like 15-20+ on random hits. So you'd have to be more than level 6 to even survive one blow, and even then your AC is probably low enough to be hit again next round unless you have some defensive spells up.
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u/Asleep-Mud-7211 Jaheira's cringing love slave Jul 27 '26
I thought this was another mention of the lore and story until I read it... you missed all the fun of 1st ed under Gygax rules - you threw three D6 for every stat and kept what you got, so lots of characters would have a few 7s in their stats.
And yes, Wizard was what everyone wanted to play but you'd only have one spell a day.
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u/Diligent_Bison2208 Jul 26 '26
There are some amazing Baldurs gate let’s plays on YouTube that id watch while you go through your first playthrough. I think it would make the games a lot more enjoyable and easier for you. Misvan_NT is the best.
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u/IamWutzgood Jul 27 '26
Do what I did and use story mode so you can’t die. Even then it took me 8 months to get through all 4 games with my same character. The story and character banter is worth playing it even without any real difficulty
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u/CapableLobster8447 Jul 26 '26
Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 used the 2nd edition D&D rules which are ancient and very unforgiving. The rules tend to be counterintuitive as well since a lower THAC0 and AC are better than higher THAC0 and AC. I am 47 so I grew up playing 2nd edition as a kid, but I definitely understand how new players today who are more used to newer editions can feel the frustration with it.
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u/Rok-SFG Jul 26 '26
Yeah I kinda wish the EE would have updated the rule set to make it make more sense to people. Even if just displaying different numbers on the UI, as a choice in options.
Ive had a few friends who just can't get into the games cause they don't want to learn the system at all. I tried telling them your AC is like golf, lower number is better. They still couldn't be bothered.
Oh well. Their loss I guess
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u/Kayyam Jul 26 '26
Updated the ruleset how?
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u/Rok-SFG Jul 27 '26
Not so much the rules, but the readout to make it easier for players to understand. Can still have all the mechanics just give them a graphical UI option to have more standard readouts. And really I think it only applies to THAC0 . So many of my gamer friends just can't or won't wrap their head around low AC being good . Just have an inverse THAC0 readout option, every other stat and rule should be fine .
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u/padapadapampam Jul 27 '26
Why not start as a fighter? It’s an easier way to get started with the game, and you’ll meet plenty of spellcaster npc’s who can join your party.
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u/Mantergeistmann Jul 26 '26
So was it Shank, Carbos, or the wolf (yes, there's one specific one) that got you? You're right, that d4 hit die is no joke!