Baldur's Gate 3: Master 10 Essential Coatings for the Ultimate Adventure

Highlights

Dipping weapons in surfaces in Baldur's Gate 3 can enhance damage output with +1d4 damage.

Special oils can enhance weapons, resulting in debuffs for spellcasters and inflicting poison damage gradually. Utilizing Oil of Accuracy grants a +2 bonus to attack rolls, increasing the likelihood of hitting opponents and making it suitable for a range of characters.

While Magic Items provide unique effects to weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3, ordinary armaments can still compete with their enchanted counterparts. Utilizing the Dip Bonus Action, characters can enhance their weapons by dipping them into surfaces, resulting in coated blades or arrows that add an additional +1d4 damage of the associated type.

However, the act of Dipping is not limited to environmental surfaces, and players do not need to create them in order to gain certain damage bonuses. With the appropriate Coating, players can amplify their weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 by gaining special benefits beyond a simple damage increase.

10 Oil Of Diminution

Unlocked by extracting Sylvan Stone

Essence of Sylvan Stone, Any Suspension

Shoving may not seem very effective when it comes to defeating enemies in Baldur's Gate 3, except for one handy trick - pushing them off cliffs and ledges. This strategy can unexpectedly make boss battles much easier. However, it's important to note that many bosses have high Strength stats, making it more difficult to successfully Shove them than players might anticipate.

But fear not! The solution lies in the Oil of Diminution. By using this item, Shoving becomes a much simpler task. When the target is hit with the oil, they must make a Constitution Save. Failure results in Disadvantage on Strength Checks and a -1d4 penalty to all their melee attack damage. Even if players are still unable to Shove their target despite the Disadvantage, the creature in question will still endure reduced melee damage.

9 Wizardsbane Oil

Unlocked by extracting Gremishka Tail

Essence of Gremishka Tail, Any Suspension

Regardless of the potency of a mage's spell in Baldur's Gate 3, their attack power is rendered useless if enemies succeed in their Saves. The Wizardsbane Oil, however, eliminates spellcasters' effectiveness entirely. Applying this oil to a weapon imposes a -3 debuff on targets' Spell Attack Rolls and Spell Save DC, significantly increasing the likelihood of missed attacks and allowing players to evade enemy strikes.

Furthermore, the Wizardsbane Oil hinders targets' ability to maintain Concentration, making it particularly effective against multi-specialized Bards who can serve as efficient mage-killers. Although the effects of this oil only last for two turns, characters with high attack stats can consistently inflict this debuff on troublesome spellcasters before they have a chance to retaliate.

8 Basic Poison

Unlocked by extracting Bonecap

Vitriol of Bonecap, Any Ashes

Basic Poison, a coating commonly found in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay, is essential for inflicting consistent damage over time. When applied to a weapon, it forces targets to make a CON Save or become Poisoned.

The amount of damage inflicted on Poisoned targets varies based on their Poison Resistance, but Basic Poison will continuously apply this effect as long as the coating remains active. This makes it particularly useful for classes that have multiple attack options, like Thief Rogues with their Extra Bonus Attack, or Fighters with their Action Surges.

7 Serpent Fang Toxin

Unlocked by extracting Venomous Fang

Suspension of Snake Venom, Any Vitriol

Players who are enjoying their playthroughs of Baldur's Gate 3 may find that relying solely on damage-over-time to defeat opponents isn't always effective. This is because the damage inflicted may not be enough to deliver a killing blow. Serpent Fang Toxin addresses this issue by providing players with extra damage per attack.

When applied as a Coating, the Serpent Fang Toxin adds an additional 1d6 Poison Damage to weapons that successfully hit their target. This boost is similar to a Sneak Attack for the Rogue, making it a valuable and lethal addition to an assassin's arsenal.

6 Thisobald’s Brewed-Up Bellyglummer

Unlocked by extracting Corpse Rose, reading Research Notes (The Waning Moon)

Salts of Corpse Rose, Any Suspension

Thisobald's Brewed-Up Bellyglummer is considered the ultimate Poison-based Coating in Baldur's Gate 3 combat. It is widely regarded as one of the most effective methods for consistently inflicting Poison Damage upon enemies due to its considerable power. Essentially, when foes are struck, they must pass a demanding DC 17 Constitution Save or risk experiencing 1d6 Poison Damage each turn.

Despite the straightforward nature of this Coating, defeating the challenging DC 17 Constitution Save can prove difficult, particularly since not all creatures prioritize CON as one of their key attributes. Additionally, even in situations involving multiple attacks, utilizing a weapon with this Coating can continually apply the status effect.

5 Malice

Unlocked by extracting Lolth’s Candle

Vitriol of Lolth’s Candle, Any Ashes

In the mysterious Underdark, the Spider Queen Lolth reigns supreme. Her crystalline Lolth's Candles are often mistaken for ordinary lanterns, luring unsuspecting adventurers to their untimely demise. In Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay, players who possess their own Lolth's Candles gain access to Malice, an enhanced version of Basic Poison.

Upon use, Malice not only inflicts Poison on its targets but also forces them to make a Constitution Save or risk succumbing to its effects. Additionally, this potent poison also blinds the target, significantly impairing their ability to fight back, regardless of their strength. Strategic players can exploit this vulnerability further by utilizing certain Feats that grant access to even deadlier attacks.

4 Drow Poison

Unlocked by extracting Swarming Toadstool

Essence of Swarming Toadstool, Any Salt

The Drow Poison, a modified version of Basic Poison, offers players a tactical advantage in combat in Baldur's Gate 3. While both poisons cause enemies to be poisoned upon contact, the Drow Poison has an additional effect - it causes affected enemies to fall asleep. This makes the Drow Poison particularly valuable for Rogues, as it not only grants Advantage to attacks against sleeping targets but also ensures critical hits, even without the use of Illithid Powers.

3 Oil Of Accuracy

Unlocked by extracting Daggerroot

Ashes of Daggerroot, Any Salt

Rolling is a key element in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay. It doesn't matter how strong a character is or how powerful their weapons are if they cannot penetrate their opponent's Armor Class. While players can occasionally rely on buffs to enhance their combat performance, using Oil of Accuracy can greatly increase the chances of hitting enemies.

When applied, Oil of Accuracy provides a +2 bonus to all Attack Rolls. The simplicity of this buff makes it useful in nearly every situation, especially for spellcasters like Wizards or long-ranged Rangers who primarily rely on their weapons as a last resort. Additionally, Oil of Accuracy can greatly empower multi-attackers such as Rogues and Fighters, making it easier for them to land successful hits.

2 Oil Of Bane

Unlocked by extracting Putrefied Tumour

Vitriol of Putrefied Tumour, Any Sublimate

In Baldur’s Gate 3 encounters, sometimes the most effective strategy for defeating an opponent is not to rely on dealing massive damage, but rather to prevent them from landing successful hits. This is where Oil of Bane comes into play. By making a Charisma Save, this coating can impose the Baned status on foes.

Once activated, the Baned status will impose a penalty of -3 on Attack Rolls and Saves for the victim. The reduction in Attack Rolls alone can significantly decrease the chances of opponents successfully hitting player characters. Moreover, the added penalty to Saves can provide multiclass spellcasters with the motivation to unleash their more powerful attacks while this effect is active.

1 Oil Of Sharpness

Obtained from Arron in the Emerald Grove, the Oil of Sharpness is a reliable choice for players who rely on their melee juggernauts to deal significant DPS in their Baldur's Gate 3 battles. Its appearance and benefits may resemble those of the Oil of Accuracy, but the slight adjustments to its buffs have a noticeable impact on the wielder's overall performance.

When used on a Piercing or Slashing weapon, the Oil of Sharpness enhances both Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls by +3. While this may not appear significant at first, a 3-point increase in Damage may be enough to defeat an enemy with a single hit when using potent Versatile Weapons. Additionally, the +3 bonus to Attack Rolls can greatly benefit multi-attacking classes like Rogues and Fighters, resulting in high DPS.

Baldur's Gate 3 is presently accessible on PC, with a scheduled release for MacOS and PS5 on September 6, 2023.