Baldur’s Gate 3’s upcoming deluge of recent subclasses is virtually as thrilling as all of the solely new video games we’re about to get in February, and we’re beginning to get experiences trickling in from loose-lipped Patch 8 stress testers about how these new subclasses work in motion. One factor that actually stands out to me among the many r/BG3builds scuttlebut is the whole 180 Eldritch Knights have made.
The beforehand “simply okay” Fighter subclass is trying to be fully overpowered if Patch 8 goes stay as at present structured, however there’s cause to consider the interplay making them go loopy will likely be nerfed earlier than the patch’s full launch. This new hotness principally depends on pre-existing mechanics, with the precise implementation of a brand new spell being what throws issues into disarray:
- Booming Blade, a beloved cantrip from D&D 5E tabletop that provides a debuff and, finally, flat injury to a melee assault, new in Patch 8.
- Fighter’s Improved Extra Attack, granting three weapon assaults in a single spherical at stage 11.
- Eldritch Knight’s War Magic, which helps you to assault with a bonus motion after casting a cantrip.
In tabletop, Booming Blade makes use of up your total motion for a spherical to solid, even if in case you have Extra Attack or its upgraded variation. In the BG3 Patch 8 stress take a look at although, you can Extra Attack with Booming Blade, which may even set off Eldritch Knight’s War Magic. At greater ranges, Booming Blade’s BG3 incarnation does at the very least 1d8 thunder injury based on a screenshot from consumer _Veni_Vidi_Vigo—if tabletop development holds, that must be as much as 2d8 injury by the top of the sport.
That means Eldritch Knights get the equal of Paladin’s first stage Divine Smite with out expending any sources, whereas additionally getting a crispy 4 assaults per spherical earlier than including in results like Haste—that is a stage of assaults per spherical normally reserved for particular twin wielding builds.
This will surely be a enjoyable construct to run, nevertheless it simply appears approach too good, like “homebrew cheat mod” good. As it stands at present, Eldritch Knight can be a tank and injury vendor that fully outclasses every part else within the recreation, with no sacrifice, drawbacks, planning, or tools restrictions. Add in a one stage dip of the brand new Hexblade subclass and also you’re additionally an efficient get together face too. PCG employees author Harvey Randall and I each agree this does not appear to be working as supposed, and plenty of fellow traveler BG3 construct sickos on the subreddit have made related arguments.
Ideally, Booming Blade can be a full-round, no Extra Attack motion like most different spells within the recreation, slicing again the Eldritch Knight’s War Magic barrage to a extra smart two assaults. In tabletop, the brand new Bladesinging subclass is ready to solid a single cantrip per spherical rather than an Extra Attack, and that is a mechanic I would not thoughts seeing applied alongside a common Booming Blade-Extra Attack nerf—the Bladesinger can be restricted to 1 Booming Blade and one assault per spherical, much like a nerfed Eldritch Knight, and this might add some zest and synergies to an attention-grabbing, however not overwhelmingly highly effective subclass.
In the bottom recreation, Eldritch Knight is a wonderfully high-quality, alternative stage subclass. There are higher methods to construct a spellsword, whereas the Fighter’s different subclasses largely outclass it. The notable exception is that Eldritch Knights can kind the premise of fine throwing weapon builds, because of their Weapon Bond capability making any thrown weapon return to them.
Even within the “worst case state of affairs” although, an unbalanced uber construct in a singleplayer recreation is not the top of the world—it will simply require slightly further self-discipline for gamers to not optimize the enjoyable and selection out of Baldur’s Gate 3. Whatever occurs, I nonetheless cannot watch for BG3 Patch 8, and there is a ton of different sicko builds I’m itching to attempt.
