Rolling a dice is the core mechanic of Baldur’s Gate 3, and chance is the key to winning. The game primarily runs on a d20 rolling system, but the Karmic Dice has caused a lot of fuss in the community, with many players debating whether they should keep the feature on or not.
If you’re getting favorable dice rolls one after the other, then you have Karmic Dice to thank for. It basically makes dice rolls in the game fairer, and if you’re having a bit of bad luck with rolls, then this is something for you. But should you turn it on?
It’s best to turn Karmic Dice off, as many players have reported that turning it on makes the game harder, as it also seems to favor enemy rolls too, which is pretty much the opposite of what it’s supposed to do.
Larian Studios director of publishing Michael Douse described the Karmic Dice as a “friendly DM” that favors the player and turns the tide of battle if they keep failing rolls. Here’s what he had to say:
There’s nothing wrong with using it, as it can be useful for beginners, but it also takes a lot away from the experience as the rolls feel less random, making the game feel less like a tabletop experience as it’s generally supposed to be. It’s DnD, after all.
1. Is Karmic Dice on by default?
Karmic Dice in Baldur’s Gate 3 is turned on by default, so if players are noticing very favorable dice rolls after starting the game, that’s the Karmic Dice putting in work.
It can be turned off using the following steps:
- Access the Main Menu and click options.
- Within the Gameplay tab, go to User Options.
- Untick the Karmic Dice option, and you’re good to go.
2. Does Karmic Dice affect enemies?
Karmic Dice can increase the damage received from enemies by up to 400%. It also increases the hit chance for everyone and ultimately makes the game more difficult for the players.
This was later debunked by Larian as a bug, but they didn’t share any specifics. If you’re new to the game and need hand holding, then I suggest keeping Karmic Dice on until you get a hang of the dice rolls and the mechanics.
3. Does Karmic Dice make the game harder?
Karmic Dice makes the game harder by not only favoring the player but the enemy too, which can lead to unwanted and frustrating situations, especially in a game like this where a simple dice roll can turn the tide.
It not only increases the chance of the damage you receive, but Karmic Dice also kind of takes the joy out of the entire experience by making the combat predictable.
Making Karmic Dice an option is a great way of enforcing player agency and accessibility. Players should definitely try playing the game with and without it to see the difference, and then settle for the option that they prefer.
4. About Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate III is a role-playing video game developed and published by Larian Studios. It is the third main game in the Baldur’s Gate series, based on the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop role-playing system.
A partial game version was released in early access format for Windows, macOS, and the Stadia streaming service on 6 October 2020., followed shortly by a release on the PlayStation 5 on 6 September 2023.
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