Summary
- Baldur's Gate 3 players can use skills strategically to dictate combat outcomes.
- Building characters with high DEX allows for initiative advantage and increased combat efficiency.
- Combine Feats with Spells and Traits can result in powerful character builds in combat.
Encounters in Baldur’s Gate 3 describe combat scenarios where the game’s exploration transitions into turn-based combat. Taken as a concept from Dungeons & Dragons, these battles can look like that of a typical turn-based RPG. However, D&D 5e’s unique action economy gives players a lot of things to do during each character’s turn.
Baldur's Gate 3: 15 Underrated Feats Players Should Get
Baldur's Gate 3 is filled with a wide array of feats. Here's a look at some that are completely underrated and players should pick up.
Before players get overwhelmed, they should remember that their characters also possess skills that can prove especially useful. Knowing when to use particular skills and spells can dictate how combat usually ends in Baldur’s Gate 3. That said, how can newcomers use the game’s combat system to secure their advantage in any fight?
Updated on March 11, 2024, by Rhenn Taguiam: With Hotfix #20 providing a slate of updates and adjustments to Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay, fans of the D&D 5e adaptation may be curious as to how these changes can impact their overall playthroughs. This is especially the case for fans who love the game's tactical combat system, especially once gamers get in the flow with their party members taking on certain roles. However, fans who want to maximize their characters' potential may want to consider using advanced combat tips such as timing ambushes, shaping characters for specific roles, choosing the right Feats, and securing special movement options.
15 Replace Team Members If Needed
Take Advantage Of The Camp's Many Companions
- Druid Halsin could be built as a tank/healer hybrid with his Wild Shape specialization, while Druid Jaheira could be customized to be a Fighter/Druid like her builds in the previous titles.
- Lae'zel as a Battle Master Fighter with Maneuvers for extra combat actions. Could be the more tactical alternative to a straightforward Barbarian like Karlach.
Players may soon realize in their Baldur's Gate 3 playthroughs that, while they can only have 4 characters in a party at a time, the game offers as many as 10 potential Companions to choose from. And while most of them have "thematic" builds built around their personalities, they're technically free for the gamers to customize based on their wishes. In turn, there's no reason to just "keep" a favorite set of Companions, especially when players can simply tailor-fit all characters to accommodate specific roles.
For instance, if players keep Companions in their starting Classes, here are some things to consider:
14 Take Advantage Of Initiative
When Boosting DEX, Boost It As Much As Possible
Just like how a traditional D&D 5e Rogue relies on Initiative and ambushes to secure high-powered Sneak Attacks, so too do characters in Baldur's Gate 3 need the element of surprise to maximize their damage numbers. After all, opponents don't get fewer actions when they're weaker, which means a 1 HP opponent can still land a lethal blow. In this regard, players of Baldur's Gate 3 may want to eliminate enemies as soon as the battle begins.
To do this, players should strive to get as high an Initiative value as possible, which is determined by a character's DEX stat. This is what makes Rogues, Rangers, and Monks viable DPS Classes, as their DEX likely puts them as some of the first characters to take their turns anyway. With this in mind, players should strive to get their DEX as high as possible, especially since DEX Mods not only dictate Initiative but also potentially one's AC (with Light and Medium Armour) and damage.
13 Choose The Right Feats For The Right Moments
Use Feats That Pave The Way For Cheese Builds
- Polearm Master extends the range of an Opportunity Attack to the minimum melee range of Polearms, whereas Sentinel allows Opportunity Attacks against foes that attack an adjacent ally or even when they Disengage.
- Tavern Brawler's STR buff with a boost to Unarmed Combat is a godsend for both the Barbarian and the Monk. Being Proficient with Improvised Weapons in particular can add better DPS potential to the Berserker Barbarian's Frenzy.
When players reach certain levels in their Classes, they can secure a Feat. In traditional D&D, this can come as a Trait, a special property, or even an Ability Score Increase for a base stat boost. Given how Feats can add to a character's overall flair, this is the more popular option for character growth. However, one of the best uses of Feats in Baldur's Gate 3's tactical gameplay is its room for cheesing builds.
Choosing the right Feats and combining them with the right Spells, Traits, or even Subclasses can pave the way for powerful characters. Examples include:
12 Get Disabling Abilities Ready
Wasting An Enemy's Turn Can Allow Bouncing Back
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Ray of Frost
(Cantrip): 1d8 Cold with Movement Speed reduction
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Command
(1st-Level Enchantment): Can compel a creature to stop their movement
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Ensnaring Strike
(1st-Level Conjuration): Summon vines that Ensnare the target, preventing movement while damaging them
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Entangle
(1st-Level Conjuration): Summon vines that slow creatures and possibly Entangle them
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Grease
(1st-Level Conjuration): Slows creatures and may make them fall Prone
Sometimes, players of Baldur's Gate 3 end up facing opponents who are just too tough to kill in a few strikes. In these instances, running can seem like the best course of action. However, a more efficient alternative in this case is to delay the enemy's advance at all costs. On top of luring enemies elsewhere, sometimes using effects and Spells to restrain their movements can give players much-needed breathing room to regroup, recuperate, and even plan a comeback.
Restraining movement in this situation means everything that delays an opponent's movement. For instance, a Spell such as Wall of Stone (5th-Level Evocation) isn't as potent in the damage area, but the blockage it causes can significantly alter the battlefield. Other useful Spells include:
11 Always Have Movement Options Ready
Get Primed To Get Out Of Harm's Way
- Dash (Bonus Action)
- Expeditious Retreat (1st-Level Transmutation): Get Dash as a Bonus Action for each turn until the Spell ends
- Enhance Leap (1st-Level Transmutation): Get 3x Jump distance
- Longstrider (1st-Level Transmutation): Get 3m more Movement Speed
- Misty Step (2nd-Level Conjuration): Teleport to an unoccupied space within vision
- Gaseous Form (3rd-Level Transmutation): Become a tiny gas cloud that won't fall and fit through small openings
- Grant Flight (3rd-Level Transmutation): Grant Fly to oneself or an ally
Ambushes and Surprise Rounds are just as common in Baldur's Gate 3 as they are in a typical Dungeons & Dragons campaign. And unlike the latter, where a Dungeon Master can surprise an exhausted party out of nowhere, players of Baldur's Gate 3 can reload a save or have the option to flee - at least, if the enemies let them. In instances where characters have to retreat, simply moving out of harm's way can give the enemies a free Attack of Opportunity. Sometimes this can get lethal, especially if it's the enemy's turn as soon as the player finishes their movement.
Baldur's Gate 3: 13 Best Legendary Weapons, Ranked
All legendary weapons in Baldur's Gate 3 offer players great power, but which of them are definitive choices to bring into the party to win the fight?
In this regard, it's better for players to always have movement options ready so their characters can leave at a moment's notice. Here are options and Utility Spells for players to consider:
10 Fight Only When Fully Rested
Get Rested Before Pursuing Encounters
Since a battle in Baldur’s Gate 3 can happen at any time (even during conversations), it's ideal for players to visit Camp after the encounter to ensure all their spent resources are replenished. That way, characters can dish out powerful attacks on the get-go or reposition without worrying about their immediate resource count.
A fully rested party can motivate players to get more creative with their approaches in combat, as there's no need to keep an injured party member close or waste unnecessary Spell Slots and Health Potions before fighting an enemy.
9 Inspect The Enemy
Inspect Whenever Possible To Abuse Weaknesses
It's true that players enjoying their Baldur’s Gate 3 experience will almost always get into fights blind, at least for the first time. However, players actually have the means to check what sort of basic stats and even Resistances that enemies, and everything else in the world, possess. To do this, gamers must right-click the interactive object they're interested in and select "Inspect."
This option reveals a window with the 3D portrait of the object they selected, much like the character examination screen. The "Inspect" feature allows players to identify what elements and attack types have Advantage (Weakness) or Disadvantage (Resistance) towards enemies and even objects.
8 Consider The Action Economy
Keep Options Open By Having Different Ways To Consume Actions
Unlike other RPGs, where a character's "turn" can be spent by either attacking or unleashing a spell, Baldur’s Gate 3 follows D&D's Action Economy, where a character can pull off an Action, a Bonus Action, and even a Reaction in a single round of combat. Players should build characters to always have an option for any of these action types to maximize their presence in battle.
For example, players can maximize a Cleric like Shadowheart by using Healing Word and Cure Wounds, potent healing Spells. However, while Cure Wounds heals more HP, it takes up an Action to cast, while Healing Word takes a Bonus Action. Shadowheart becomes more combat-efficient if she uses her Bonus Action for Healing Word, so she still has an Action open for another maneuver.
7 Establish Momentum With Actions
Set Up Actions In Advance
Many Spells and Features from D&D give Baldur's Gate 3 players a lot of room to deal more damage to enemies when used in the correct sequence. For instance, an Arcane Trickster Rogue can use True Strike (Divination Cantrip) to gain Advantage on their next Attack, practically giving them a free pass to insert a Sneak Attack in their next turn.
Baldur's Gate 3: 10 Tips From D&D To Use To Make Powerful Builds
Baldur's Gate 3 builds can take serious inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons to be good. These are the tips you should know.
However, Rogues like Astarion don't necessarily have to wait for the rest of the round to get that Sneak Attack. For instance, Shadowheart can cast Guiding Bolt (Level 1 Evocation) to deal 4d6 Radiant Damage on an enemy alongside granting Advantage to the next Attack Roll against them, making it a neat setup for Astarion.
6 Recovery Is Always A Priority
Always Keep A Method Of Healing In Case Of Emergencies
Thanks to Multiclassing, Magic Items, and certain Feats, Baldur’s Gate 3 characters have opportunities to access Spells and other skills otherwise unavailable to their build. In turn, there's no reason for characters not to have some means of recovery during combat.
On top of basic Health Potions, players should look for Magic Items and Feats (i.e. Magic Initiate) that provide access to healing Spells such as Healing Word and Cure Wounds. This way, all characters can survive combat without relying on the designated healer. Moreover, this gives the healer more creative leeway to support the rest of the team, such as using buffs or casting more damaging spells.