Master the Art of Battle in Baldur's Gate 3: Expert Tips and Proven Tricks!

Baldur's Gate 3 offers players a wide range of choices when it comes to combat situations. However, newcomers to this genre may not fully grasp their potential.

Navigating through Faerun is no easy task, and player characters in Baldur's Gate 3 possess similar power levels as non-player characters. Success in this game requires effort, although this can be quite challenging. To improve your chances in battles, here are essential tips to keep in mind.

1 Understand How Armor Class Works

In Baldur's Gate 3, armor sets do not decrease the damage taken by characters like in other modern RPGs. Instead, they determine the frequency of successful attacks, thereby influencing hit rates rather than altering raw damage values.

To successfully hit their target, characters need to roll a number greater than their opponent's Armor Class. Players can view the outcome of each roll by hovering their cursor over the combat log located on the lower right side of the screen during a battle.

2 Always Get High Ground

Characters receive a substantial boost of +2 to their attack rolls when they are at a higher position than their target. This significantly enhances their chances of hitting the enemy while simultaneously decreasing the enemy's accuracy against them. It is highly recommended for the ranged members of the party to consistently occupy advantageous elevated positions, while the melee fighters should engage the enemy in close combat.

To secure the high ground during battles, utilize abilities such as Jump or Misty Step. Alternatively, endeavor to position characters on higher ground before initiating a fight.

3 Seek Advantage, Avoid Disadvantage

When a character has the Advantage, they roll two dice for their attack rolls instead of just one. The game then selects the higher number to calculate the results. Conversely, if a character has the Disadvantage, the lower number is used instead of the higher one.

There are multiple ways to gain Advantage. A general rule is that when a character is affected by crowd-control status effects such as Dazed, Off-Balanced, and Entangled, all attacks against them will have the Advantage. These effects can be inflicted by certain Bonus Action moves like Pommel Strike and Vow of Enmity, so it is advisable to use these moves first before initiating a proper attack.

4 Pick Up and Place Items

During exploration, players have the ability to collect various items such as chests, crates, and barrels, and store them in their characters' inventories. These collected items can later be utilized in combat by either throwing them at enemies or by accessing the inventory screen and selecting the option to drop an item.

Explosive barrels serve the purpose of being thrown at enemies or strategically placed to create hazardous surfaces for opponents. On the other hand, wooden crates can be stacked on top of one another, providing players with an advantage of higher ground on a typically even terrain.

5 Use Stealth

Starting fights in stealth mode is the optimal approach. When characters use Hide, they can move without attracting much attention. This is particularly useful for positioning ranged characters like Astarion, enabling them to initiate a battle with a ranged Sneak Attack.

Initiating a battle will not expose any other concealed characters. Once the enemies shift their focus to the party member who attacked, the remaining hidden characters can gradually move closer while evading the enemies' line of sight. This strategy allows melee characters to land some quick attacks before officially entering turn-based combat.

6 Be Creative

Players retain the ability to engage with their surroundings even in turn-based mode, with most interactions following intuitive expectations. For instance, oil will combust upon contact with Fire Bolt or a fiery weapon, water becomes electrified when struck by lightning, and tossing a goblin off a cliff guarantees its instant demise.

Players can extinguish flames by dousing them with water, trigger darkness by shooting at light sources to compel enemies to engage in obscurity, and inflict damage on multiple targets simultaneously by shattering chandelier hinges. The realm of open combat presents countless possibilities, and players will uncover additional interactions as they progress through their adventure.

7 Run Away

Engaging in combat against an enemy even just one level above the party can result in certain death. When the opposing side has a significant advantage, the recommended action is to retreat.

Round up all party members and swiftly move them away from the enemies. This will activate the Flee Combat option located on the right side of the action bar. While running away may not be glorious, it is preferable to facing the risk of losing the entire party.

Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC, with a PS5 version coming soon.