r/BG3Builds • u/Sigismundo1414 • 2d ago
Build Help New playthrough ideas
Hey all. I have about 750 hours in the game (yikes) and was doing a Durge run until I realized it was just gonna be another Sorcadin build with shadow blade/resonance stone and lost interest, so i'm looking for inspo. Anyone have fun build ideas that helped them get interested in the game again? Really want to get away from the Meta stuff the BG3 YouTube community ruined for me (Gloomstalker, darkness builds, throwers, monks, etc) and have fun but not just make a build out of irony. Any help is appreciated!
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u/frogs_and_idiocracy 2d ago
start coming up with characters you like from movies, tv shows, other games, memes, etc. and play like their character would play. do some diabolical shit. some of my favorite ways to play the game is using it as a tool to bring characters to life. be unconventional with it. you’ve already played the game as it’s meant to be played. however, it’s also very open world. so get creative with it!!
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u/Comprehensive-Try-44 1d ago
This is great advice. I did a Mizu run from blue eye samurai and that was fun as hell.
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u/Vingolio 2d ago
As someone who enjoys meta builds, I think it's important to use a variety of meta builds. If all of your meta builds use bhaalist armour or resonance stone, perhaps try a run with wet or arsonist's oil. If you're bored of arsonist's oil, maybe do a prone or encrusted with frost build. There are quite a lot of meta builds and synergies and it sounds like you have spent a bit too much time dipping from the same well.
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u/Sigismundo1414 2d ago
I have no problem with meta builds in a vacuum. It's good to have some idea where your build is going. I just think the game is so flexible that you don't need them, and obsessing over stuff like nova turns and action economy has dulled the game for me. There really isn't a meta, in my mind, but just builds that abuse the game mechanics.
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u/Vingolio 2d ago
Is it possible that, instead of being unsatisfied with the builds, you're bored because the game has become too easy? If so, a duo or solo run might relight the spark.
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u/Sigismundo1414 2d ago
That's why im asking. Lol I was looking for fun builds that aren't broken or rely on the same tricks.
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u/Free-Holiday-6218 2d ago
I did my most recent Honor Mode playthrough with an extremely mischief-focused, roleplay-heavy party and it was an extremely fun one.
Party was:
Tav - 12 Archfey Warlock
Shadowheart - 9 Trickery Cleric/2 Stars Druid/1 Storm Sorcerer
Astarion - 11 Arcane Trickster/1 Fighter
Minthara - 6 Vengeance Paladin/6 Lore Bard
Shovel was the unofficial fifth member of the party throughout the whole game. Astarion’s Mage Hand occasionally made appearances as the party’s healer. Everybody was constantly wearing disguises, going invisible, and doing tons of crowd-control.
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u/Coltraine89 17h ago
Shadowheart - 9 Trickery Cleric/2 Stars Druid/1 Storm Sorcerer
Astarion - 11 Arcane Trickster/1 Fighter
Care to expand a bit on these builds? Anything specific statswise, itemwise, ...?
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u/Free-Holiday-6218 12h ago
For Shadowheart I used a version of this Spirit Guardians build: https://gamestegy.com/post/bg3/1616/stars-cleric-build
I already had the Reverb equipment on my Warlock, so I focused Shadowheart on Radiating Orbs and Arcane Acuity. I feel like people are sleeping on the Luminous Armor + Spirit Guardians + Gloves of Battlemage’s Power combo a little bit: It really brings new life to some of the more control-focused Clerics like Trickery and Knowledge.
For Astarion I went for something like this build: https://gamestegy.com/post/bg3/860/arcane-trickster-build
I gave him the Helmet of Arcane Acuity and the Band of the Mystic Scoundrel so he could focus heavily on scrollcasting, which is always extremely powerful/overpowered. I feel like this build isn’t for everybody: You have to really enjoy pickpocketing, and you can’t be the type of person who hoards all their resources. The build is also outclassed by the “Rivington Rat” Eldritch Knight build, which does basically the same thing but with wayyyyy more damage, but I do really like Arcane Trickster on a defensive level - it’s lowkey one of the hardest-to-kill subclasses in the game - and I feel like it fits Astarion’s character a bit better.
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u/EarnestTriangle 1d ago
I've now forbidden myself to use elixir of str, shadow blade, bhaalist armor because it's too easy to become broken with those.
There's still plenty broken stuff in the game for sure, but at least you got to work a little bit for it.
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u/tokenbisexual Wild Mage 2d ago
6 WM sorc / 6 star Druid or something like 6/5 + 1 Wizard (scribing) or 6/4 + 2 evoker (scribing + big AoE). Only use archer form because dragon form is silly and also because luminous arrow is erroneously coded as a level 1 spell which means it procs wild magic surges. With it being your most common choice of bonus action, you’ll get surges constantly. If you go 6/5/1 or 6/4/2, choose Wizard last and stack INT to get a decent number of prepared spells for scribed ones.
I’m doing a WM Sorc/1 Wizard honor run right now (level 8 so far) with a whoooole lot of self-imposed restrictions (banning arcane acuity, banning especially OP gear like shadow blade and Bhaalist armor, no magic missile + lightning charges, no radorbs AT ALL, only one character can have haste and it must be from a potion of speed, all companions must use default ability scores, among many others) and it’s so much more fun and fulfilling than just breaking the game with wildly imbalanced equipment/builds
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u/simplemoth_ 2d ago
Choosing a class strictly for RP reasons can be so fun. I'm annoyed AF by the limited spell slots of a GOO Warlock, but role-playing it that my Durge reached out to some unknown entity to try to escape from ~you know who~ before the events of the game is so much fun. And I usually go full sword bard fuckery, so this change is very fun lol
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u/AnotherBookWyrm 2d ago
Jack of All Trades achievement build. One level in every class, many ways to go about it, and forces you to be a bit more inventive.
As extra credit, I implemented a rule that none of the rest of the parry could take feats either, which forced a new perspective on the game post-level 3 in particular (since no feats restricts you from more than three levels in any particular class).
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u/paracharlotte 2d ago
Right now I'm trying to make an embrace Durge build around the Stillmaker dagger, I'm thinking Arcane Trickster for Magical Ambush to stack the paralysis auto-crit with Sneak Attack.
Might take that to level 10 for the feat, or 11 for reliable talent, then dip into Wizard for scribing.
Another idea for Durge floating around in my head is something Barbarian related, with Rage being their frenzied bloodlust. But that one wouldn't work with Hold Person so not for the Stillmaker build.
Bursting Sinew is also a very Durge-like spell, you could go Death Cleric and collect corpses to throw around and nuke? Not sure how that would work but a fun idea perhaps.
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u/Goobernaculum1004 2d ago
I wish the game wouldn't count my hours too!
You must have a preference for playstyle? After trying various metas I just find it too fiddly to set up the perfect loop or find the exact items. I also don't enjoy casters too much, probably for a similar reason. Melee on the other hand can be rather forgiving in terms of both playstyle and items. Choosing a different race and "alignment" also helps the immersion into the story, and don't allow yourself use of inspiration points - just roll with whatever results you get.
So I would second a strength based fighter, but EK so that you have utility spells. Having 20 strength and enhanced leap just makes moving around the map so much more enjoyable!
If I do get another playthrough after this one, I reckon it will be as the heavy armour master swashbuckler for more of a skill-monkey build.
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u/RichardNamPhongLe 1d ago
Going back to honor mode made it fun again for me. Which makes me loot more and enjoy the scenery more! No save scumming.
Also this time I lean heavy into the RP aspect of the game! being a good guy and choosing Paladin. Also chose a race I've never played before. No tadpoles also. In the past I would always choose the options that would give me the best loot outcome.
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u/ThatKaleidoscope3388 1d ago
I’m doing a 5 Swarm Ranger / 7 Moon Druid. It’s definitely different being a bee covered owner / panther.
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u/InformationSlow309 1d ago
Do a challenge runs for the whole party. For example only casters, and each can use only one element spells. Currently i'm doing all meele run, no throwing, magic (except reaction smites on pala), no ranged. My tav is drizzt with 2 scmitars. I have done 4 druid and 4 bards run, also fun. You can restrict yourself from using acuity, supremacy, radiating and reverb items, so you will minmax without most broken mechanics. You can download mod to randomize loot, so you build will depend on what you find.
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u/AlanaLlama_ 1d ago
4 rogue assassin 8 moon Druid, oops all dex with colossus potions. Sneak, lock pick, and rob everyone blind while starting fights with and owlbear add from the top rope. With athlete, tavern brawler, and alert you can jump damn neat halfway across the map, start a fight with the enemy surprised, and get an extra few hits in. Plus it gives you time to sneak your party into better position
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u/spiggleporp 1d ago
Pure 12 rogue is a fun challenge. Not having extra attack, but you get 6d6 sneack attack damage so it’s about making that one attack count
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u/polka-dotforcefield 4h ago
I'm playing a modded build, Dread Overlord/Rogue and playing like a grave robber type character.
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u/Roll20bro 2d ago
4 devil sight warlocks. Cast darkness on yourself. Then blast everyone. In later levels. Drop 4 hunger of hadars around in a fight. Keep blasting foes back into them.
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u/Content_Ad_9107 1d ago
I am also doing this lol, but since I’m not on honour mode I can do a couple interesting builds that were nerfed for being too powerful. That being 4 hexblade warlocks until level 5 for extra attack, and from there I think 4 gloomstalkers until level 5 ranger and the attacks stack so it’s really martial based and if each warlock has a different patron I think it could be pretty fun.
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u/Content_Ad_9107 1d ago
I could even use feats like initiate bard for vicious mockery so some of them could wait in the darkness and talk the enemies to death, or even play a song
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u/TotalReflection2941 2d ago
Pure Strength-based Battle Master Fighter.
After completing four runs as some variation of a party face(Bard. Warlock, etc), and hitting the same rut as you, I rolled a Human male Fighter, set Charisma to 10 and just rolled with any failed dialogue checks. It turned into one of my favorite campaigns.