Master the Art of Destruction: Unleashing the Ultimate Acid Spells in Baldur's Gate 3

Highlights

Acid spells in Baldur's Gate 3 offer variety to spellcasters, but are underrepresented compared to other damage types.

Acid spells possess the ability to decrease the armor class of creatures and yield distinctive effects when tactically employed. Spells such as Chromatic Orb and Melf's Acid Arrow offer versatility and significant damage potential, making them highly valuable additions to a spellcaster's arsenal.

Acid spells in Baldur's Gate 3 are often overlooked, but they provide a range of options for spellcasters. Whether through ranged attacks, weapon enhancements, or area-of-effect spells, acid can be a valuable addition to a spellcaster's repertoire.

In addition to dealing green damage, acid also has a unique effect on creatures standing in acid pools. When coated in acid, a creature's armor class is reduced by two. Though acid spells in Baldur's Gate 3 are limited, there are standout spells that are definitely worth preparing.

5 Acid Splash

Unsurprisingly, Acid Splash is considered one of the weaker acid spells. It struggles to measure up to more powerful damage-dealing cantrips like Fire Bolt and Eldritch Blast. The primary advantage of choosing Acid Splash, however, is its ability to affect multiple creatures when they are in close proximity. Despite this benefit, Acid Splash still has significant limitations.

Firstly, its small area of effect frequently restricts players from targeting specific enemies without also harming their allies. Additionally, Acid Splash only inflicts damage on targets that fail a dexterity saving throw; if they succeed, the spell has no impact. Available to sorcerers, wizards, and eldritch knight fighters, Acid Splash is a conjuration spell with a range of eighteen meters. Nonetheless, players will typically opt for more dependable cantrips when it comes to dealing damage.

4 Chromatic Orb

Chromatic Orb, a spell from the evocation school, stands out for its versatility at the first level. It functions as a ranged spell attack, similar to Acid Splash, with a range of eighteen meters and a small area of effect measuring two meters in radius. The unique feature of Chromatic Orb is that players can select the damage type before casting it, including the option of acid. This makes it an ideal choice when facing enemies with resistance to particular damage types.

In the case of the acid version of this spell, it creates an acid surface that reduces the armor class of any creature standing on it by two. While Chromatic Orb is a useful spell in certain situations, it does have its limitations. It can be challenging to prevent allies from being caught in the crossfire, and it may not be the most effective spell for causing damage. Chromatic Orb is accessible to sorcerers, wizards, eldritch knight fighters, arcane trickster rogues, and bards with the ability to use Magical Secrets.

3 Elemental Weapon

Elemental Weapon, a spell exclusive to paladins, may not possess the same dramatic flair as others, but it doesn't require it. Paladins primarily excel in combat, supplemented by limited spellcasting abilities that enhance their martial prowess. Elemental Weapon perfectly exemplifies this concept.

This level three transmutation spell grants the paladin the ability to infuse a chosen weapon with elemental power, including acid. Similar to Chromatic Orb, this grants the weapon a versatile nature. With the imbued elemental strength, the weapon receives a +1 bonus to attack rolls and inflicts an additional 1d4 damage of the chosen type. Undoubtedly, Elemental Weapon stands as an invaluable and distinctive spell for paladins.

2 Melf's Acid Arrow

Another exclusive spell, Melf's Acid Arrow, is a highly sought-after spell limited to wizards. It stands out due to its remarkable ability to inflict substantial acid damage. This second level evocation spell has a range of eighteen meters. Notably, it inflicts significant damage upon impact, and even if the attack misses, targets still suffer half the damage. Upon successfully hitting the target, not only does it cause immediate damage, but it also inflicts additional damage at the end of the target's turn. Furthermore, the spell creates a corrosive pool of acid on the ground, reducing the armor class of anyone within it by two.

1 Hunger Of Hadar

The highest-ranking acid spell is also renowned for its cold damage. Hunger Of Hadar, a level three conjuration spell, is primarily used by warlocks, although bards can acquire it through their Magical Secrets. This potent spell not only performs well but also has an impressive visual appearance. In line with warlocks, Hunger Of Hadar summons a vast dark cloud teeming with eldritch horrors. It can cover a substantial area and functions as challenging terrain, impeding enemies' movement.

Creatures within the cloud suffer significant cold damage when their turn begins, and they may also endure substantial acid damage if they conclude their turn in the cloud and fail a dexterity saving throw. In addition to the damage and impediment, creatures within the cloud are blinded. Hunger Of Hadar is a phenomenal spell for dealing with large groups of enemies and controlling the battlefield, making it a valuable addition to any spellcaster's repertoire, provided they are willing to confront a few eldritch abominations.

Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC and will be released for PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2023. A version for Xbox Series X/S is currently in development.