Baldur’s Gate 3has been praised for its world building, scale, and attention to detail. These are undoubtedly traits that made the game as popular as it is, but there are always aspects of games that can be improved. Though this detail is a nitpick, its addition could have been a catalyst for new character interactions and lines, ambiance, and environmental changes, takingBaldur’s Gate 3to a whole new level.
Time is an importantaspect ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s storytelling. Certain character interactions can only occur at night or at camp, making rests not just important for combat, but also for story progression.
Short Rests and Long Rests in Baldur’s Gate 3
Rests inBaldur’s Gate 3largely follow the typical rest mechanics ofDungeons & Dragons5th Edition. Players are able to take two short rests before ending their “day” and can complete a long rest at camp. Short rests restore 50% of a party’s hit points, refresh any actions that require a cooldown per short rest, and restore warlocks’ spell slots.
This makes short and long rests cut and dry features. However, more story development occurs over the course oflong rests inBaldur’s Gate 3. Players must return to their camp and end their day in order for long rests to occur. While players can visit their camp during the day, some of the only nighttime interactions inBaldur’s Gate 3occur at camp. It’s surprising that this change in time isn’t visible at other points of game play, particularly with short rests.
It’s understandable that certain character interactions are mutually exclusive to camp and long rests. Taking a short rest is optional for players, whereas long rests are not. Making long rests mandatory solidifies the chances of players developing relationshipswithBaldur’s Gate 3’s companionsand unlocking more character-specific quests.
Baldur’s Gate 3shows the passage of timeduring long rests, but neglects this during short rests. Changing the lighting or environment after taking a short rest to indicate the passage of time would have not only made the game even more immersive, but could have led to more character-specific interactions.
Short Rests Could Have Led to Sunsets in Baldur’s Gate 3
It would be impossible forBaldur’s Gate 3to include its most important story beats through short rests due to the feature being optional, but short rests still could have included their own fun and exclusive scenes. For instance, considering that players can only take two short rests per day, the first short rest could lead to the lighting changing from morning to afternoon and the second could change the lighting from afternoon to dusk.Baldur’s Gate 3companionsare known to make light comments while traveling around Faerun, even outside of player dialogue and cutscenes. These time changes would have been the perfect reason to add even more of these lines while also making the game feel even more immersive.
Short Rest Exclusives
When it comes to exclusive events or features that could occur during these specific time periods, perhapsLarian could have made specificBG3herbsavailable at certain times of the day or made vendors change their wares per time period rather than refreshing them daily. Not only would this justify the new immersive element, but these changes could make or break a player’s inventory.
Additionally, maybe some side quests could have been time period exclusive or the time of day could have given players buffs or disadvantages for certain battles. For example, taking on thegoblins in Act 1could have been more difficult if players decided to charge in at dusk rather than in the morning.
These are just a few of the ways that shifting time between short rests could have madeBaldur’s Gate 3feel even more immersive. Though fans shouldn’t hold their breath for a big feature like this so long post-launch,Baldur’s Gate 3remains one of the most captivating role-playing games in recent memory.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
