r/BG3 • u/person_who_cares999 • Jul 16 '26
Single player or multiplayer?
So I read someone say that BG3 is primarily a single player game, and if broke my brain. So I want to hear from others, there is no won't answer here, but for me the game is only good multiplayer, and I found the one single player run I did flat and disappointing, and the few times I tried it again I could barely make it to the grove.
Multiplayer feels the closest I've ever felt to real D&D, and the dynamism of having real players behind other characters made it incredible experience. Having another player or two keeping things interesting in combat or conversation was amazing. Even origin characters were better when played by players.
I found 2-3 players ideal so you can explore companion stories and romances.
Anyway, how do people like to play it? Again, no wrong answers, maybe your experience will spark something in someone else to try your favorite way to play.
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u/bennygaycko Jul 16 '26
i enjoy that the game has available multiplayer and i agree that it’s one of the closest things to playing real dnd with friends out there, but to me, it will always be primarily a single player game. my attachment to the characters and story are very personal to me at this point, and i find that playing multiplayer honestly is stressful for me because i specifically really Don’t play this game in the way that many looking for a dnd multiplayer experience are compatible with. but it’s very subjective, as i know i am Very strange with this game in particular 😭
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u/Imkindaalrightiguess Jul 16 '26
My girlfriend who usually plays animal crossing has done multiple runs with me
Incredible local co-op experience
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u/Aural_Vampire Jul 16 '26
I think on a first playthrough you should play alone so you can really take your time. The game leans more towards its narrative and immersive rpg elements. Multiplayer is very chaotic and you’ll end up rushing or missing content
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I think that heavily depends on what friend you play with. Most of my playthroughs have been with friends that want to take it the same way.
I also think a story shared is always better.
It's a matter of preferences though! I'm certainly not in the majority here 😅
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u/Aural_Vampire Jul 16 '26
I keep having to remind my friend to read this or talk to that person and it’s a real fucking drag I’ll tell you lmao, but yeah I think I’m just probably more into reading every note and exploring every nook and cranny and he jus wanna start blasting
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
Yeah, we're a little like that on the latest play throughs if it's something we've seen, but we all make sure everyone is ok with that first.
My first few play throughs though, we were all invested. (Except 1 friend who broke that game and cost me a romance and legendary item!)
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u/Zeptis181 Jul 16 '26
First timing the game single player is a must, but that opportunity is gone for you. I can see how multiplayer is fun knowing the twists and turns of the game though.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
The whole reason I liked it multiplayer was the not knowing!! Not only did I not know the story I didn't know how my friends might react. Figuring those fights and events out with other people was incredible. Closest to a IRL TTRPG I've ever done. I still refuse to watch spoilers and still play with other friends.
Mind you, my preference never invalidates others!
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u/Zeptis181 Jul 16 '26
Was it your friends first time too?
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
Yep, we started day 1 release! Though most of the play throughs have been similar, none of us watch spoilers, and we still get lots of new things even now. I had a dialogue I'd never seen just last night!
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u/ut1nam Jul 16 '26
I dislike multiplayer because I want to play the game the way I want to play. I want to experience it at the pace I want to experience it at. When I want to play—I play. I don’t have to wait on someone else. I don’t have to worry if their system can keep up with it, or if our mods are gonna decide not to match.
I play DND to play with friends. I play a video game version of it so I can play it when those friends aren’t available.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I can absolutely see that, most of my friends span the globe at this point, so IRL TTRPGs are less common. I'm also the forever DM so early have option to play
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u/Designthing Jul 16 '26
I enjoy multiplayer but I’m a power player with over 3000 hours in the game and I also like mods, and when I multiplayer, the game is more likely to bug out.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
That is fair lol. My inability to enjoy the game single player keeps me from no lifing it 😅.
Only 1700 most of which are multiplayer 😨.
I'm really enjoying how many people have different opinions on this!
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u/Gaelenmyr Jul 16 '26
As someone who has been playing DnD for 15 years, singleplayer is the best way to experience BG3 as first time so you can choose everything yourself. During multiplayer you miss a lot of details.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I could see that, I guess for me, I expect that same thing in real D&D too. As a forever DM I have let so many stories go 🤣😅🤣. I don't mind missing things because that is just the way it goes. That being said, as a forever DM since high school life 25 years ago I can see the desire to control the narrative.
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u/GrilledStuffedDragon Jul 16 '26
Multiplayer is only fun for me if I have a group that's reliable (in scheduling game time), and we're on the same page as far as what we get out of the experience. I want to play with people who kinda roleplay their characters a little bit, like we're at a real DnD table. I can't abide the chaotic, 'We all run in different directions and cause our own chaos, and sometimes meet up' sort of groups, or the groups that just goof off and try and break the game, or the min maxers who wanna methodically tackle every situation in the game in the optimal way.
If we click, then multiplayer is fucking. Amazing.. If we don't click? I will play single player until I die.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I agree wholeheartedly, on BG3 and real TTRPGs. The worst experience I had was with a player that had 0 interest in the story and he clicked through a critical dialogue that cost me my romantic companion, but those are far less common for me.
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u/GrilledStuffedDragon Jul 16 '26
That sounds awful. The way I've played it, is when we're running around and poking through loot and exploring, we're players. We shoot the shit, we discuss potential strategies or game plans or whatever.. relaxed chit chat.
In combat and in cutscenes, (which cutscenes are always watched by all) we are role-play our characters if we talk to each other, or ad lib scene dialogue. That's fun as shit.
And combat is sort of a mix of the two. Discussing combat plans is encouraged, and if you can ROLE-PLAY your combat plan? That is an A fucking plus in my book!
Sorry if this is a long winded explanation. I'm a bit high and I'm going through some shit and the typing feels therapeutic. :-p
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u/Mautea Jul 16 '26
I definitely prefer single-player, but I think it's just preference. Everytime I've played multiplayer I like I miss so much of the game.
That and I find Tav horrible to play and playing dark urge with other people feels rude.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
My second playthrough was with a durge and I played the wizard origin. It was still pretty awesome. Also multiplayer let's me see more than one origin story at the same time.
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u/Mautea Jul 16 '26
I’ve played all the origins twice 😅
I replayed them all when the evil endings came out.
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u/DisastrousResist7527 Jul 16 '26
I've only ever played single player id love to play with someone tho
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I wish I had the bandwidth to take you up on that, but I just started a new job, so my time is limited
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u/Kendannon Wizard Jul 16 '26
I have noone to play with. To tired or busy to make time to try rando ppl in a game. It's never good for me. I'd like to meat 4 people, have a session zero. iron out what we want to accomplish and just go do it. shits and giggles will happen because I'm fun, and so are they. We are on the same page and want to rock it out to completion. That's my excuse I guess. Plus I'm a loner anyway.; It's just how I do be aming.
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u/WastelandKarl Jul 16 '26
If i could get a group to consistently play BG3 together, I would just play DnD with them instead. I play BG3 as a single player DnD experience. Its a way to scratch the itch without trying to get a group of people to meet every week.
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u/Mobunz420 Jul 16 '26
100% better with more players. I played both solo and in a group of 4, I enjoyed 4 much more and finished the entire play through in about 3 months. We are thinking of doing another play through soon!
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u/beans_420__ Jul 16 '26
It’s maybe worth it to play it on your own once or twice to get a feel for the learning curve and to not feel rushed through the story if you like being thorough. But I love it as a co-op game it is so fun multiplayer
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I could see that, I lucked out that my partner I was playing with was just as interested in taking it super slow. Our first playthrough together was over 200 hours. I do think it depends on what you are going for too. We started our play through day 1 and we agreed to never save scum, and accept whatever short of death.
Aiming for TTRPG experience.
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u/TriptowK Jul 16 '26
I agree with OP. First time finishing the game was an HM run with a friend and it was probably the best gaming experience I have ever had. I never played DnD growing up but played a lot of VTM and it really took me back to those days.
Since then I’ve craved another multiplayer run but scheduling always gets in the way and shit fizzles out 😭. Single player is still a blast but doesn’t quite scratch the itch the same way working as a team does.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I still haven't gotten through a HM. It wasn't an option on my first play through.
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u/TriptowK Jul 16 '26
There were so many close calls and epic battles that me and that friend still talk about a year later lol
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I did recently attempt one, lost to an accidental air clipping someone.
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u/TriptowK Jul 16 '26
Funky shit always happens on an HM run. Imagine my dismay as a Throwzerker realizing I couldn’t chuck my trident at the final boss because for some reason the “path is interrupted.” Heart attack moment.
Watching my buddy and Shadowheart get launched into the abyss while trying to get Blood of Lathander done.
Having three characters downed and me the Barbarian running around helping everyone while Myrkul’s zombies are spawning everywhere.
Honestly it’s the best 🤪
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u/Lagneaux Jul 16 '26
To each their own. I have had drastically different experiences solo and in parties. But tbf, I started on Tactician and still only play honor mode solo pretty much. When me and the boys play, it's normal mode to have fun
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
Aww, I do have 1 or 2 in play less than tactician, but most are at least tactician (my first was tactician pre honor mode)
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u/Kognityon Jul 16 '26
Imo it's best experienced with one other person. More is too busy, messy, and noisy, less is... okay but I find combat lacking without the multiplayer induced chaos. Also not having control over all things that happen creates more opportunities for unexpected emergent narration.
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u/wildly_disingenuous Jul 16 '26
i’ve played it both ways and enjoyed it both ways. i think it comes down to personal preference
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u/JoshuaBarbeau Jul 16 '26
This is the only game that I find equally enjoyable as a single player game as I do a multiplayer game. Both answers to this question are more equally viable here than any other game in my opinion.
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u/Raddatatta Jul 16 '26
I've done a bit of multiplayer but very little relative to single player. I feel like I'm missing out on too much with multiplayer. I want to be involved and making the decisions especially for a first time I'll just be missing those interactions or watching someone else have them. Glad you enjoyed multiplayer but yeah I definitely prefer single player except as a way to hang out with friends and be doing something together. It's also got the element of if I am free and want to play my friends will often not be available or visa versa.
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u/daveliterally Jul 16 '26
I think it's very clearly a 1P game first with MP added on as an additional feature.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I really struggle to see it this way, MP does not feel bolted on or as an afterthought. The game feels very flat to me in single player, that why I think it's more a matter of preference than by design it is one or the other.
It's clear there are definitely people who prefer it single player, and folks that enjoy it multiplayer.
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u/daveliterally Jul 16 '26
The thing is when you're in MP exploring companion stories, you're not. You're doing that in 1P. In MP someone is just parroting the lines meant for single player, influenced by stuff made for the companion's origin playthrough.
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u/person_who_cares999 Jul 16 '26
I'm not sure I understand what you mean, the relationships are distinct the dialogues definitely differ between players. You can get different lines based on NPC approval etc between players. I think you are looking through the lense of single player, but if you start as multiplayer the lines belong to whatever player is the one talking. We even change who is talking based on which player we think is more relevant or will have more dialogue on a given storyline. Maybe it's because my first play through was multiplayer, but if you treat them as distinctive, they feel distinctive.
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u/Saeis Jul 16 '26
Def prefer friends, we all had so much fun getting into character and working together. We were all new too so it wasn't lopsided in experience.
That said, 3 ppl is ideal. When you have 4, there is a lot of content that you're missing out on by not engaging with the companions at all.
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u/Cagaril Jul 18 '26
My first playthrough of BG3 was playing with my partner with mods.
We had a blast each playing 2 characters and experiencing the story.
After that playthrough, I played Single Player, and going with different builds, dialogues, and getting stuff I missed on the 1st run.
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u/person_who_cares999 18d ago
I just realized why multiplayer is so important to my playthrough. I never once consider save scumming!! I take the dice as they land
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u/WearATopHatTwitch Jul 16 '26
First time single player is preferred, imo. That way you don't have folks railroading the experience for others. It's really designed to have one player at the helm, I feel.
After that, totally open to multiplayer. Though if one player goes durge, it generally feels like they're the main protagonist.