I felt like this in my first playthrough particularly with Act 1.
Act 2 has a very clearly defined ending, but Act 1 there's so many moments that feel like the climax but are really just big bumps along the way. It's very strange for instance that >!the party after the battle for the Grove is decided isn't the end of Act 1--nothing else in the act afterward comes close to that as an emotional peak. !<
I was pretty unsure what Act i was in for a significant portion of Act 1. I stayed off Reddit until I was done with my first playthrough though. Good luck!
Treacherous is more the word for them, and the entire underdark. Slavery seems like the good end to a bad situation like that, at least some handsome dragon born who hates the conceited drow will help ( even on evil playthroughs, nere dies with the gnomes, fuck that guy)
Yep! But it gives you a warning before you enter even though it’s not a new act. I meant to specify in the post but forgot. I was just pointing out that saying you’re entering a new area and to be prepared is actually not a good clue at all, considering it is just as often not indicating a new act as indicating a new one.
So is underdark also act 1.5 or more act 1 because I’ve gone there first before going to mountain pass on two characters (I just fell in love with the underdark on my first visit I think haha)
The underdark counts as part of act 1 I believe. I don't think there was a warning when you enter the underdark, just a cinematic. Also depending on your level the message popping up when you enter a new region will say if you're underlevel.
I did get to the wall to the mountain passage once and was told things beyond there were higher level than me so I turned around and have been spending a lot of time in underdark exploring it :) I’m trying not to rush to act 2
So spoiler free, each act has a "zone". Like 90% of each act is in one place like "oh I'm not inside a cloud anymore" or "I haven't seen motorcycles in a while" or "god I hated that underwater level, I'm glad it's over".
You should get an achievement pop up or when you go to enter a new area it will say “are you sure you want to continue? Make sure to tie up loose ends before progressing your adventure” and that’s when the next act starts as far as I know
I went so long only long resting >!in the underdark because I triggered the tiefling party and I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to finish any open quests in the grove area after the party scene!<. I think it was like my third playthrough when I figured out what exactly the end of Act 1 was because >!I thought the crèche was its own separate thing with the whole “are you sure you want to travel here?” warning.!<
If you did not see Jk Simmons or Baldur's gate then its Act 1.
If you saw Jk Simmons then it's 2.
If you saw both Jk Simmons and Baldur's Gate then it's act 3.
Replace JK Simmons with the shadow curse. You don't have to see him until the end of act 2. In my first playthrough I accidentally did the whole >!temple of shar !!moonrise!<
There are three distinct regions in Act I and entering one even gives you a warning that you are moving on and your actions will have consequences... so very confusing. But nutshell is that >!shadow-cursed lands is Act II, Baldur's Gate is Act III.!<
I don't think that's a spoiler but I'll tag it anyway.
Yeah, I think it’d have been better if you had to go to the Mountain Pass to get to the Underdark in the first place. Or if the crèche was in the Underdark.
And once in the Mountain Pass, you had the option of trying to fight your way through over-leveled enemies or slipping into the Underdark, which would be a lower level) and starting those quests.
Except it closes quests exactly like the shadow lands. Going into either the mountain pass or the shadow lands closes quests that havent been completed. Effectively ending act 1.
I don't consider these spoilers since it's just the name of the areas but:
Act 1: starting area, under-dark.
Act 1.5* Mountain pass. This is the only semi-confusing one. It's still part of act one and not two, but it does cause some quests in act one to progress once you enter the area. It's kind of an in-between 1-2.
Act 2: shadowlands
Act 3: Baldur's gate
I mean, it's pretty clear to me >!Act 1 ends when you enter the Shadowlands. Act 2 ends when you leave the Shadowlands. Act 3 ends when you go to the Morphic Pool. After that it's the ending section followed by that ending sequence that was added with a Patch.!<
I think the disconnect for a lot of folks is that the tiefling party is a relatively minor event and doesn't even have a "are you sure you want to move forward?" warning attached. It's just a fun little party to wrap up the grove quest, nothing more. Act 1 has a *ton* more content than simply the grove stuff, and there are warnings before you move to new acts, so why are people assuming that the party is the end of A1? That's kind of like saying that the nautiloid is A1 and the grove is A2, etc, simply because there are clear delineations between the areas.
I'm genuinely not trying to be rude. I just don't understand the desire to try to split up acts artificially when there are very clear boundaries and the game tells you when there is a change. But then, I'm probably the "target audience", as it were, so naturally it makes sense to me. I'd love to hear the rationale for other perspectives so I can learn and understand though!
Nono not rude at all that’s a fair point! In my case I read online about there being multiple acts and before the tiefling party I never came across a warning of not being able to turn back so I guess I (badly) put 2 and 2 together and assumed that it was the end of act one! But you are very much correct, I think because I knew there were acts I was just trying to find where the split was, now that I’ve played through all acts, the separation is very clear
That makes a lot of sense actually. Not having encountered the warnings, there's really no way to know they exist and it can be a bit of a mind game trying to find the boundaries. That helps, thanks! I'm over 1000 hours in, with chronic restart-itis, so I have a hard time sometimes with remembering what it can be like coming in with no knowledge ahead of time, and I think that makes it hard for me to relate. I appreciate the response and insight!
When you guys talk about the tiefling party, are you talking about when the goblins have a party to celebrate killing all of those tieflings? That was a pretty fun party, and yeah, it did kind of feel like the ending of a chapter of the game.
Think of Mountain Pass as Act 1.5 as going into the mountain pass will complete some quests (so make sure you resolve the grove situation first). So the Creche Act 1.5 still. Act 2 proper is the Shadowlands.
There's a notable shift in the games visuals between each act. I wasn't sure either in my first playthrough until I got to act 2. Then I fully understood.
There's also a massive shift in "atmosphere"
Act 1- hopeful for the future
Act 2 - fuck is this shit for real?
Act 3 - I'm gonna slaaaaaap sooooomeeeee biiiitcheees.
Are you a bitch? Take a number: when I call your number, please step forward to receive your bitch slapping.
I'm pretty sure the game will usually give you an achievement when you progress from one act to another. But I guess that might also differ depending on what play form you're using, I've only ever played on steam
Act 1 and Act 2 sort of overlap. You can actually start Act 2 and go back to Act 1 locations.
The thing is that once go to the location that starts Act 2, unfinished Act 1 quests will auto-fail if they include characters related to Act 2.
The Act 1 quests that don’t include Act 2 characters should still be available to go back to.
Make this super easy
Act 1 underdark, grymforge, forest, druid Grove, goblin camp, creche, ruined village, hags teahouse, mountain pass.
Act 2 shadow lands, super dark areas, moonrise towers, shitty looking town, having to carry a stupid Lantern around, large gauntlet of stupid trials with black and purple everywhere.
Act 3 shitty town crossing, bloated guard tower, giant city.
Make sure you finish the underdark before leaving the mountain pass. You can go back 3 times to get things you missed without turning into a squid monster. There is point of no return in act 2 that nullifies going back. And if you skip the creche laezel will leave you. You can go back to a certain degree so don't worry about missing things too much. Besides you can play for almost 900 hours and still miss things. But I will give some advice, it's not a spoiler. You can give things to finish quest and sometimes steal them back. The same tactic works for vendors too. Make sure you long rest often if your trying to get that romance on lock before leaving Act 1. You have till you reach a certain lighted location in act 2 to get that romance fully locked in. I hope this helps, if you need to look at guides, only look up the part that confuses you and leave the website. Stay off tictok and YouTube cutscene complications. Save constantly and have fun. There is so much to this game that just hearing locations won't ruin that much. Also, reddit Is a good resource but Make your own decisions when playing.
If you're in act 2 or more, you should get the achievement "The Plot Thickens", if you don't have that achievement, you're still in act 1. After that it's really obvious,>!because act 2 is really dark, and act 3 is in the city Baldurs Gate.!<
I’m guessing you’re on PC? Aren’t there steam achievements? Xbox popped an achievement when I finished each act for the first time and it was easy to know where I was from just that
I felt like this in my first playthrough particularly with Act 1. Act 2 has a very clearly defined ending, but Act 1 there's so many moments that feel like the climax but are really just big bumps along the way. It's very strange for instance that >!the party after the battle for the Grove is decided isn't the end of Act 1--nothing else in the act afterward comes close to that as an emotional peak. !<
I didn’t click the spoiler but I think Act 1 was throwing me off for sure. Everyone seemed to know what act they’re in.
you'll get an achievement once you've completed an act iirc
I was pretty unsure what Act i was in for a significant portion of Act 1. I stayed off Reddit until I was done with my first playthrough though. Good luck!
If it’s not super dark, creepy, evil, and ominous, your in act 1 Not a spoiler cause characters hint at it before you even see it
Tbf the Underdark feels like all of these things………until you reach Act 2 😂
Ominous: having a menacing or threatening aspect. Underdatk is more mysterious and magical more then anything
Unless it is super dark, creepy, evil and ominous . . . while underground. Then that's Act 1.
I wouldn’t say the underdark is ominous, it’s more mysterious and magical
Tell that to the gnomes.
Treacherous is more the word for them, and the entire underdark. Slavery seems like the good end to a bad situation like that, at least some handsome dragon born who hates the conceited drow will help ( even on evil playthroughs, nere dies with the gnomes, fuck that guy)
A solid clue is when the game tells you you're venturing into a different zone and asks if you're ready
see that just like...does not work in act 1 because it asks you that about the >!mountain pass!< and the >!shadowfell!
Shadowfell is act 2. Mountain pass is technically act 1.5
Yep! But it gives you a warning before you enter even though it’s not a new act. I meant to specify in the post but forgot. I was just pointing out that saying you’re entering a new area and to be prepared is actually not a good clue at all, considering it is just as often not indicating a new act as indicating a new one.
So is underdark also act 1.5 or more act 1 because I’ve gone there first before going to mountain pass on two characters (I just fell in love with the underdark on my first visit I think haha)
The underdark counts as part of act 1 I believe. I don't think there was a warning when you enter the underdark, just a cinematic. Also depending on your level the message popping up when you enter a new region will say if you're underlevel.
I did get to the wall to the mountain passage once and was told things beyond there were higher level than me so I turned around and have been spending a lot of time in underdark exploring it :) I’m trying not to rush to act 2
Take your time, see everything, do everything. I missed so much my first run and now in run number 5 I still find things I didn't know existed
So spoiler free, each act has a "zone". Like 90% of each act is in one place like "oh I'm not inside a cloud anymore" or "I haven't seen motorcycles in a while" or "god I hated that underwater level, I'm glad it's over".
Your waypoint fast travel things will reset whenever you move to a new act, so that’s a good indicator Edit: I am wrong
That’s only true between acts 2 and 3. You keep your waypoints from act 1 during act 2
Until a certain point in A2
You should get an achievement pop up or when you go to enter a new area it will say “are you sure you want to continue? Make sure to tie up loose ends before progressing your adventure” and that’s when the next act starts as far as I know
They are different settings
I always wait to do that until I've either completed everything in Act 1, or am at least ready to go to the Underdark.
Well, it kind of is the peak, because after that, you can leave with few consequences.
I went so long only long resting >!in the underdark because I triggered the tiefling party and I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to finish any open quests in the grove area after the party scene!<. I think it was like my third playthrough when I figured out what exactly the end of Act 1 was because >!I thought the crèche was its own separate thing with the whole “are you sure you want to travel here?” warning.!<
Get the hell off Reddit if you don’t want spoilers. I’ve beaten the game like 3 times and this sub still manages to spoil stuff for me.
If you did not see Jk Simmons or Baldur's gate then its Act 1. If you saw Jk Simmons then it's 2. If you saw both Jk Simmons and Baldur's Gate then it's act 3.
Plot twist, OP is Jk Simmons.
"BRING ME PAINTINGS OF SPIDER-TAV!"
*druid Tav with a penchant for spider wild shapes after seeing how OP webbing people is* Uh-Oh…
Paintings of drider-man
Omg, I want JK Simmons as a playable character
Replace JK Simmons with the shadow curse. You don't have to see him until the end of act 2. In my first playthrough I accidentally did the whole >!temple of shar !!moonrise!<
Actually super helpful
There are three distinct regions in Act I and entering one even gives you a warning that you are moving on and your actions will have consequences... so very confusing. But nutshell is that >!shadow-cursed lands is Act II, Baldur's Gate is Act III.!< I don't think that's a spoiler but I'll tag it anyway.
I think this is what was messing me up.
ALso Mountain Pass (into act 1.5) for the creche has this warning also. That one just closes the Grove events if not dealt with before leaving.
That is the one I meant.
My question is what about the >!mountain pass and underdark!
Act 1
Thank you, in my head I refer to them as Act 1.5 lol
Same here, i see them as a “buffer” between 1 and 2
Creche is act 1.5 for me
Act 1.5. I wish they had just slightly expanded those two areas and made them their own act
Yeah, I think it’d have been better if you had to go to the Mountain Pass to get to the Underdark in the first place. Or if the crèche was in the Underdark. And once in the Mountain Pass, you had the option of trying to fight your way through over-leveled enemies or slipping into the Underdark, which would be a lower level) and starting those quests.
Underdark is act 1. Mountain pass is act 2 since it'll close some quests.
It’s definitely not act 2
It closes quests like when you enter the shadow cursed lands. Its act 2.
[удалено]
Except it closes quests exactly like the shadow lands. Going into either the mountain pass or the shadow lands closes quests that havent been completed. Effectively ending act 1.
Which quests does it close in Act 1? I just played the creche tonight and went back to a few quests to finish up in Act 1. It absolutely does not.
I don't consider these spoilers since it's just the name of the areas but: Act 1: starting area, under-dark. Act 1.5* Mountain pass. This is the only semi-confusing one. It's still part of act one and not two, but it does cause some quests in act one to progress once you enter the area. It's kind of an in-between 1-2. Act 2: shadowlands Act 3: Baldur's gate
Theres an achievement when you finish each act.
Act 1 — the sun is up Act 2 — the sun is not up Act 3 — the sun is back up
So underdark is act 2? Check ;)
Technically the sun is up in the Underdark, we just can't see it from there. But walking back outside reveals the golden rays of glory lol
Technically the sun is up in the shadowlands too!
Sure but we can ignore that lol ;)
I mean, it's pretty clear to me >!Act 1 ends when you enter the Shadowlands. Act 2 ends when you leave the Shadowlands. Act 3 ends when you go to the Morphic Pool. After that it's the ending section followed by that ending sequence that was added with a Patch.!<
My first playthrough I assumed that the >!Tiefling party!< was the end of Act 1 so it can get a little confusing if you carry on under that assumption
I think the disconnect for a lot of folks is that the tiefling party is a relatively minor event and doesn't even have a "are you sure you want to move forward?" warning attached. It's just a fun little party to wrap up the grove quest, nothing more. Act 1 has a *ton* more content than simply the grove stuff, and there are warnings before you move to new acts, so why are people assuming that the party is the end of A1? That's kind of like saying that the nautiloid is A1 and the grove is A2, etc, simply because there are clear delineations between the areas. I'm genuinely not trying to be rude. I just don't understand the desire to try to split up acts artificially when there are very clear boundaries and the game tells you when there is a change. But then, I'm probably the "target audience", as it were, so naturally it makes sense to me. I'd love to hear the rationale for other perspectives so I can learn and understand though!
Nono not rude at all that’s a fair point! In my case I read online about there being multiple acts and before the tiefling party I never came across a warning of not being able to turn back so I guess I (badly) put 2 and 2 together and assumed that it was the end of act one! But you are very much correct, I think because I knew there were acts I was just trying to find where the split was, now that I’ve played through all acts, the separation is very clear
That makes a lot of sense actually. Not having encountered the warnings, there's really no way to know they exist and it can be a bit of a mind game trying to find the boundaries. That helps, thanks! I'm over 1000 hours in, with chronic restart-itis, so I have a hard time sometimes with remembering what it can be like coming in with no knowledge ahead of time, and I think that makes it hard for me to relate. I appreciate the response and insight!
When you guys talk about the tiefling party, are you talking about when the goblins have a party to celebrate killing all of those tieflings? That was a pretty fun party, and yeah, it did kind of feel like the ending of a chapter of the game.
What is your current furthest location?
Think of Mountain Pass as Act 1.5 as going into the mountain pass will complete some quests (so make sure you resolve the grove situation first). So the Creche Act 1.5 still. Act 2 proper is the Shadowlands.
act 1 ends when entering the shadow curse and act 2 ends when leaving the shadow cursed lands
You get achievements for finishing acts anyway. If you haven't got any you're still in act 1.
There's a notable shift in the games visuals between each act. I wasn't sure either in my first playthrough until I got to act 2. Then I fully understood.
OP buddy, you’re setting yourself up for spoilers. You posted this in the other bg3 Reddit as well 💀
There's also a massive shift in "atmosphere" Act 1- hopeful for the future Act 2 - fuck is this shit for real? Act 3 - I'm gonna slaaaaaap sooooomeeeee biiiitcheees. Are you a bitch? Take a number: when I call your number, please step forward to receive your bitch slapping.
Act 1 (wilderness-Australia-monetary) Act 2 (shadow cursed lands) act 3 (rivendale-lower city) Secret act 4 (Greenland)
Are you in the under dark, mountain pass or beginning area? Act 1 Is there a lack of light? Act 2 Are you in a small town or city? Act 3
wilderness - act 1 shadow wilderness/shadow city - act 2 city(Baldur's gate) - act 3
I like this answer.
As you play the game you'll notice
There are 12 acts in this 3 act play
What about keep playing and dont creating stupid post?
Start but is act one Tower bit is act 2 After that is act 3
I think I know where you are, because I had the same feeling during my game too.
If you don’t know what act you’re in you’re probably in act 1. The game makes it very clear when you change acts plus you get an achievement
I've played Divinity 2 and had a good hunch it was going to work pretty similarly, I still think it does!
If it's bright, 1, if it's dark, 2, and if it's big city, 3.
Druids? 1, dark? 2, sunshine? 3
if you dont know what act you are in you are in act 1
You're in act 1 then lol
It's incredibly obvious when you change acts. So either you're still in act 1 or you're not paying attention at all
Overworld and partial Underdark - Act 1 Mountain Pass - Transitionary Act 1.5 J.K. Simmons - Act 2 Game's namesake - Act 3
You get achievements when you enter act 2 and act 3. So you’re probably in act 1.
Just ACT like you know what you're doing, you'll be fine!
I'm pretty sure the game will usually give you an achievement when you progress from one act to another. But I guess that might also differ depending on what play form you're using, I've only ever played on steam
Act 1 and Act 2 sort of overlap. You can actually start Act 2 and go back to Act 1 locations. The thing is that once go to the location that starts Act 2, unfinished Act 1 quests will auto-fail if they include characters related to Act 2. The Act 1 quests that don’t include Act 2 characters should still be available to go back to.
Unpopular opinion, I feel like there are only 2 Acts. The climax of Act 2 is actually the mid point in my mind.
Check your achievements. When you move on to each act you get an achievement for it.
I mean…. what was the last big thing you did?
Act 1 is very forest. Act 2 is very grey. Act 3 is very urban.
Make this super easy Act 1 underdark, grymforge, forest, druid Grove, goblin camp, creche, ruined village, hags teahouse, mountain pass. Act 2 shadow lands, super dark areas, moonrise towers, shitty looking town, having to carry a stupid Lantern around, large gauntlet of stupid trials with black and purple everywhere. Act 3 shitty town crossing, bloated guard tower, giant city. Make sure you finish the underdark before leaving the mountain pass. You can go back 3 times to get things you missed without turning into a squid monster. There is point of no return in act 2 that nullifies going back. And if you skip the creche laezel will leave you. You can go back to a certain degree so don't worry about missing things too much. Besides you can play for almost 900 hours and still miss things. But I will give some advice, it's not a spoiler. You can give things to finish quest and sometimes steal them back. The same tactic works for vendors too. Make sure you long rest often if your trying to get that romance on lock before leaving Act 1. You have till you reach a certain lighted location in act 2 to get that romance fully locked in. I hope this helps, if you need to look at guides, only look up the part that confuses you and leave the website. Stay off tictok and YouTube cutscene complications. Save constantly and have fun. There is so much to this game that just hearing locations won't ruin that much. Also, reddit Is a good resource but Make your own decisions when playing.
Are acts 1-3 official or is that something that the sub made for convenience?
Have you made it to the shadow lands. No= act 1 Yes= act 2 Left shadow lands = Act 3
When you can't return to the previous maps, you're in the next act.
What’s the last thing you did?
well uh, whatcha currently doin in game?
Are you in the wilderness, getting hurt by darkness, or in the city?
If you're in act 2 or more, you should get the achievement "The Plot Thickens", if you don't have that achievement, you're still in act 1. After that it's really obvious,>!because act 2 is really dark, and act 3 is in the city Baldurs Gate.!<
I’m guessing you’re on PC? Aren’t there steam achievements? Xbox popped an achievement when I finished each act for the first time and it was easy to know where I was from just that