Summary
It’s been thought thatBaldur’s Gate 3may be the nextSkyrimin terms of shelf life, with the recent announcement of mod support exciting players because of its vast possibilities and replayability. Among the mods that essentially create a new gaming experience, a popular addition is one that increases theBaldur’s Gate 3level cap from 12 to 20.
This change reflects theDungeons and Dragonslevel maximum, which gives all classes access to extremely potent abilities and spells. To reach level 20 in the nextBaldur’s Gateinstallment would be like reaching a more truthful heroic status, although the issue with some abilities is it makes players god-like with access topowerfulD&Dspellslike Wish or True Resurrection. With such power placed in players’ hands, there are strong arguments both in favor and in opposition to this change.
Baldur’s Gate 4 Raising the Level Cap Has Pros and Cons
Reaching Higher Levels Allows Full Progression and Power
Given that any high-level cap adds more progression over the course of the game, it would naturally require added content to meet those demands, both in plot and mechanics. For instance, there is an existing mod that addslegendary items fromD&D5ein the game, and having access to a greater variety of items, especially loot taken from late-game bosses, would be incredibly fun.
Those same additions would also make the end of the game more rewarding. InBaldur’s Gate 3, some of the best armor and weapons come from Act 3 bosses, such asRaphael’s Helldusk Armor, but many players fight them at level 12, so the exciting items might not actually get much use. Raising the level cap and adding content with it would make that progression feel more natural.
Implementing High-Level D&D is a Steep Challenge
Despite the excitement of greater powers, raising theBG3level cap comes with significant hurdles. Perhaps the most obvious challenge is that high-level spells, and abilities as a whole, get insanely powerful and would be hard to balance. If players have access to a spell like Power Word Kill, for instance, they’d hardly even need to bother fighting — to say nothing of other impressive class features.
It would also be hard just to pull those things off in a game. The 9th-level spell Wish is iconic for obvious reasons, with many a pivotalD&Dmoment defined by a well-placed wish, but implementing such a loose, story-driven mechanic doesn’t have the same kick to it in a video game. Even Teleport, an exciting development for wizards, doesn’t feel rewarding whenBaldur’s Gate 3already allows fast travel and is limited by what locations developers include. The best high-level spells, let alonespells already missing fromBG3, are simply inaccessible in a game format.
Keeping the tight 12-level design ofBG3makes for a smoother combat design, in part for the sheer strength it would take to match a party beyond level 15.Monsters with a significant Challenge RatinginD&D, the only ones to match such parties, are much greater than even an enslaved Netherbrain, ranging from demon lords to ancient dragons. Balancing for high-levelD&Dis a challenge for dungeon masters as is, and mostD&Dmodules cap out at levels 11-13.
Another side effect of the balancing difficulty is that high-level combat sees both sides hitting so hard that battles might not last more than a few rounds, making the game far less enjoyable. For agame with turn-based combat, which not every player loves, the fights themselves have to go above and beyond. There’s nothing wrong with a power fantasy, but to make the story compelling, a late game that accommodates beyond level 15 would have to get creative to make encounters feel even slightly threatening.
To take on the monumental task of high-levelD&Din a video game would be grueling, but it would provide players with thrilling powers and an unforgettable story to match. For all of its rewards and challenges, raising the level cap for aBaldur’s Gate 3sequel would be quite the accomplishment for its developers — and take the franchise’s legacy to new heights.
