Turn-based combat is a staple of Dungeons & Dragons but for those Baldur’s Gate 3 fans who prefer something a little faster, this new mod should be perfect. While it’s almost always necessary in a table-top format where it’s important that players don’t constantly speak over one another, turn-based combat is a divisive system in video games. When handled correctly, it’s tactical and rewarding but when executed poorly, it’s slow and tedious; While Baldur’s Gate 3 falls into the former camp, it’s undoubtedly missing the pace of something like Dragon Age.
Per PC Gamer, Baldur’s Gate 3 modder tinybike is building a mod that transforms the game’s turn-based combat into a real-time system that allows players to access all their usual skills without the restriction of a turn order.
Much like Bioware’s Dragon Age franchise, attacks are made by selecting an option, immediately executing it, and then waiting for the cooldown to expire, meaning strategy is needed to eliminate faster foes or tankier bosses. The mod is still in development and tinybike insists that it’s still very rough but the potential on display is undeniable.
Some Players Don’t Enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3’s Combat
It Can Be A Lot To Take In
Larian Studios has earned plenty of deserved praise for taking the Dungeons & Dragons rule set and making it more accessible for players coming to Baldur’s Gate 3 without years of tabletop experience. Having said that, the very nature of combat in D&D is complicated as it relies on unique modifiers, damage numbers, and chances to hit, making a newcomer’s first few encounters daunting. Turn-based combat may help them learn thanks to the slower pace but using a more recognizable combat style could also be beneficial.
The “real-time with pause” combat system is often associated with massive role-playing games so using the mod could make battles easier to understand. Aside from Dragon Age, other Bioware titles like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect have also used “RTWP.” It may not solve the issue of complicated ability descriptions but at the very least it could feel more familiar for those struggling to see how it should work in practice.
Even if players don’t warm to Baldur’s Gate 3’s combat, there’s no denying the game’s popularity. Battling enemies is a large part of the experience but the characters, story, and exploration have all helped it become one of, if not the, best RPGs of all time. Larian Studios may not return for a fourth game, but fans can only look on in excitement as the developer begins its next major project.
Source: PC Gamer, tinybikes/YouTube