Baldur's Gate 3 is filled to the brim with content, providing hundreds of hours of playtime. But when the campaign is over and all the d20s have been rolled, what's next? Taking on a new challenge. In this case, it's Tactician Mode. This is one of the most difficult game modes in Baldur's Gate 3, introducing several new obstacles to push even the most seasoned players to their limits.
In Tactician, enemies are smarter, using specific and thought-out strategies to catch players out. Not only this, but they have an extra 30% health, alongside several buffs. Another huge difference is that long rests cost 80 supplies instead of the typical 40, forcing players to be more careful about how they use their rests. For those who have only recently finished their first playthroughs, this all might seem a bit overwhelming. However, there are a few tips that can help adventurers get through it. For players who find themselves struggling to kickstart their Tactician playthrough, these tricks can make a world of difference.
Baldur's Gate 3: Honour Mode, Explained
A new, massive patch for Baldur's Gate 3 is now live, giving players a new epilogue and some new game modes.
8 Avoid The Avoidable Fights
When In Doubt, Talk Your Way Out
One great feature of Baldur's Gate is the ability to avoid certain fights simply through dialogue. In Act 1, there are several interactions with the Goblins (such as the ambush in the Blighted Village) where players can simply intimidate and scare them out of combat. In Act 2, the majority of the bosses in the Shadow Cursed Lands can be talked into ending their own lives without having to lift a finger. Using tadpole abilities can also help the party get out of a tight squeeze.
Avoiding fights like these can make a Tactician playthrough much easier. It only ensures that the party will live to see another day, but it saves players from having to use valuable resources resting afterward.
7 Save Scumming
It May Not Be Heroic, But It Helps
The morality of save scumming is a debated topic within the Baldur's Gate community. Some players argue that it takes the risk out of the game, knowing that one can restart if they roll poorly or don't get their desired outcome. However, that doesn't mean it will completely ruin the playthrough. For those who are simply trying to complete Tactician, save scumming can come in incredibly handy.
Saving before a roll that could avoid a brutal fight, for example, is extremely useful. Saving frequently also ensures that players don't have to spend ages getting back to certain points if they die. Don't feel guilty about constantly hitting F5 and F8. It doesn't matter how one chooses to play the game, as long as they're enjoying it.
6 Turn Off Karmic Dice
Karma Isn't Always Kind
An interesting feature of Baldur's Gate 3 is karmic dice. This is an algorithm that ensures that players aren't consistently getting too many bad or good rolls. For example, if the program notices that there are too many high rolls, it will make sure the next few rolls aren't that good. Whilst this sounds helpful in theory, many players have found that turning it off during Tactician playthroughs has helped significantly.
To turn this off, simply head to Options, Gameplay, User Options and then switch Karmic Dice off. This will mean that all dice rolls are determined by true randomness, creating a much more authentic D&D feeling.
5 The Element Of Surprise
A Crucial Extra Round Of Action
When it comes to Tactician Mode, thought-out strategies are the key to ensuring victory in fights. One of the best ways to quickly gain the upper hand is to begin combat with surprised enemies. This can be achieved by using stealth to sneak up to the desired target and launching an attack.
Baldur’s Gate 3: How To Surprise Your Enemies
This is how to best sneak up on and surprise your enemies in Baldur's Gate 3.
When surprised, the enemy will lose their entire first turn, giving players ample opportunity to deal good damage right off the bat. When the stakes are so high, the first few turns of combat are crucial. It's important to gain the upper hand in every situation possible.
4 Grab Everything
When Checking Every Barrel Finally Comes In Handy
On Tactician Difficulty, long rests cost twice as many supplies as usual. They'll cost a whopping 80 supplies instead of 40. This means that taking the time to check barrels and gather food is incredibly important. Luckily, players don't have to carry all those random wine bottles and meats around, as they can instead select the 'send to camp' option when picking them up. This will send them right to the storage chest in the camp, ready for when the battered and bruised party returns for a long-awaited nap.
It's also wise to use long rests sparingly, saving them until they're really needed and using partial rests at the right moments. The game provides an abundance of supplies for those who take the time to gather them.
3 Create A Balanced Party
Don't Skip Out On Healers
While players could get away with a fairly unbalanced party in a normal playthrough, putting together a well-thought-out team is essential for getting through Tactician mode. Though it may seem tempting to build a team that deals great damage, the importance of a good healer cannot be overstated. Long rests are limited, so it's useful to have a cheaper and more efficient way of restoring health.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Party Composition
Between the player character and the companions offered, Baldur's Gate 3 offers some incredible combinations that dominate the battlefield.
Having a balanced party isn't set in stone either. There are plenty of different compositions that will allow players to maximize their team's potential whilst also keeping their favorite companions.
2 Respec For Certain Fights
Change Those Specs, and Then Change Them Again
While many seasoned players are already aware of respeccing companions, some may not understand how useful it can be. Every companion starts out with a specific set of ability points, giving them strengths in certain areas. However, Withers gives players the ability to shift these around to make the companions significantly stronger in desired areas. New combinations can create some pretty lethal party members.
But why only do it once? Every fight has its own advantages and disadvantages, so why not shift it to favor the party? There are lots of brilliant respec presets out there. So, if a certain fight is proving too challenging, it may be worth giving Withers a visit and giving some companions a well-deserved boost.
1 Level Up
There's No Better Experience Than... Experience
Beating the game on Tactician is all about overpowering and outsmarting the enemy. There is no better way to get stronger than leveling up. During Act 1, the difference between level 3 enemies and level 4 enemies feels huge. Having a party just one level higher than the enemy could be the difference between life and death. It's vital to spend time exploring the world and completing as much as possible to gain experience.
Going to every nook and cranny of Act 1 may seem tedious, but it's worth it in the end when the party can easily wipe out hoards of foes. Taking time at the beginning of the game to level up speeds things up significantly by the time the party reaches Act 2.
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
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 EXPERIENCE
Choose 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 EPIC
Forged 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.
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG
