Highlights
Set up environmental attacks in advance by positioning barrels and hazards strategically, giving you the upper hand in combat.
Coat your weapons with hazardous substances such as fire or poison to boost your damage output and inflict additional harm on your adversaries. Employ cover tactically, utilizing the environment to your advantage, making it more challenging for enemies to approach you and requiring them to exert greater effort.
The environment is a vital factor in Baldur’s Gate 3, a tactical RPG, where positioning an oil barrel strategically can make all the difference between an easy or challenging battle. However, environmental tricks in the game extend beyond simply placing inflammable barrels near enemies.
By carefully planning and observing, players can discover various objects and interactive elements in the game world that they can utilize to their benefit. Instead of relying on their Spell Slots and resources, a well-executed combination of throwables, surfaces, and shots can swiftly eliminate enemies, catching them off guard.
10 The Art Of The Setup
One of the most commonly used strategies in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay is leveraging explosive barrels to deal significant damage to opponents with a single hit. While combat provides the ideal context for executing this tactic, it is not always necessary to initiate combat first for it to be effective.
In situations where players anticipate potential conflict, they can strategically position barrels and other environmental hazards in advance. This allows them to initiate an environmental attack as soon as, or even before, combat commences.
9 Dipping Surfaces Add Damage Versatility
In Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay, attacks typically cause varying levels of damage. However, players can amplify their damage output by utilizing additional resources. The Dip Bonus Action specifically allows players to capitalize on hazardous surfaces like fire and poison. By applying these substances to arrows for Ranged Weapons or blades for Versatile Weapons, players can increase the damage dealt in their attacks.
Moreover, players also have the ability to incorporate these environmental elements into their fights. In addition to regularly encountering sources such as torches, campfires, and braziers, players can actively create similar surfaces by dropping torches, candles, and poison vials.
8 Throw Potions For Long-Distance Heals
When players lack access to long-distance spells, they can still enhance their Baldur's Gate 3 character by utilizing ranged weapons. Additionally, if their ranged weapons prove ineffective, they have the option to impact the outcome of combat by hurling objects at enemies. Moreover, just as spells can be utilized from a distance against opponents, certain support spells can also be employed on distant allies. By extension, specific throwable items can also provide assistance to allies when struck from afar.
This particularly applies to Potions. While most Potions are typically utilized when the possessor consumes them from their inventory, they can also be thrown towards an ally in need. Furthermore, tossing a Potion towards a group of allies can result in multiple individuals being healed by a single Potion, maximizing its effectiveness.
7 Use Improvised Weapons
In D&D gameplay, the act of using an improvised weapon entails a character using whatever objects are available in their surroundings to protect themselves. This technique is typically utilized in scenarios like a rowdy tavern brawl, where a chair leg might be brandished as a weapon, or in moments of desperation when a character has been disarmed and must quickly find a replacement. In Baldur's Gate 3, the game mechanics enable characters to seize nearby improvised weapons, albeit resulting in reduced damage output.
Although this option is not commonly favored by characters who already possess conventional weapons, there are situations where players may be disarmed by skilled opponents. Instead of relying on feeble punches, employing an improvised weapon can afford players a superior advantage in close-quarters combat.
6 Shove Enemies Off High Surfaces
The Shove action in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay is extremely valuable, as it allows characters to create distance by pushing targets within melee range. However, the true utility of Shove is most apparent when used near the edges of elevated surfaces.
If successful, a character can push an enemy off the surface, causing them to fall to the ground. This not only grants allies above Advantage when attacking the falling enemy, but also potentially inflicts falling damage if the area is high enough. In some cases, the target may even fall into a chasm and meet their demise. One effective application of this tactic is against Dror Ragzlin in Act 1, as his throne is conveniently located next to a chasm.
5 Destroy Bridges, Boxes
In Baldur’s Gate 3, players will encounter various inanimate objects that can be destroyed. Walls and doors can have higher HP or be more resilient against attacks. However, players will discover that they can stack boxes together to create climbable surfaces. There are also larger destructible objects like bridges that connect different areas, despite their vulnerability.
By using the right strategy, players can dismantle bridges by cutting the connecting ropes or completely destroying their foundations. This can be particularly satisfying when opponents are standing on the bridges, as they will fall to the ground upon destruction. When crossing the bridge to Minthara's room in the Goblin Camp, players can lure the Drow Paladin to the middle of the bridge before making the final cut, causing her to plummet into oblivion.
4 Create Hazards
In most games with interactive elements, players typically have to work with limited resources. However, the gameplay in Baldur's Gate 3 provides players with the unique ability to create their own environments to cause chaos. For instance, players can freely adjust, obtain, or discard crates filled with oil and other dangerous substances near potential enemies, as long as they are not hit. During combat, players can also employ this tactic, and with minimal consequences, throw these substances at their enemies.
One scenario where this strategy can be implemented is during battles with the Goblin Leaders in Act 1. While players can engage in direct combat with True Soul Gut in her chambers, they have the option to quickly end the fight by making appropriate preparations. Collecting smoke barrels from the Goblin Camp won't raise any alarms, and strategically placing them along her path can result in a devastating explosion that True Soul Gut's Hit Points cannot withstand.
3 Get Defensive
Players in Baldur's Gate 3 who find themselves at a disadvantage in combat can opt for a more defensive approach by utilizing the environment. By cleverly using the surroundings, players can make it more challenging for opponents to land hits, thus forcing them to exert extra effort in reaching their target. This in turn prompts enemies to focus on closing the distance rather than launching attacks.
Another effective method is utilizing cover to remain out of an enemy's line of sight. This strategic approach provides players with an advantageous position, enabling them to launch effective counterattacks.
2 Use A Trail
One effective strategy commonly employed in games like Baldur’s Gate 3 involves strategically placing traps near enemies and setting them off simultaneously, resulting in widespread chaos and damage.
However, players have the opportunity to introduce more excitement by opting for a trail approach instead of a single trap. By strategically positioning flammable potions and lethal barrels a few meters apart from one another and aligning them towards the intended targets, players can impact a much larger area. This method enables the triggering of a chain reaction of explosives or deadly effects, effectively covering a significant area without requiring any additional movement from the players.
1 Lure Enemies To Traps
Players have the freedom to strategically place traps near their adversaries before initiating combat in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay. However, there is also the possibility of taking a different approach. When players have exclusive access to particular areas, they can pre-position traps before enticing enemies to venture into those specific locations.
This can be accomplished by arranging traps such as barrels and hazardous surfaces while utilizing spells like Minor Illusion to entice groups of enemies. Once the enemies begin their investigation, players can switch to turn-based mode for precise control over the situation. Once one or more enemies enter the room, players can activate their trap.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently available on PC and is slated for a September 6, 2023 release for PlayStation 5.