The Unmissable Dungeons and Dragons Abilities That Should Be in Baldur’s Gate 3's Combat

Highlights

Baldur's Gate 3 presents a distinctive and invigorating combat system that draws heavily from Dungeons and Dragons. By incorporating elements such as dice rolls, spell slots, and adhering to D&D's combat rules, the game offers a formidable and tactical battle experience.

The omission of two crucial combat features by Larian Studios is rather perplexing - the ability for players to ready actions or prepare dodges on their turn. This limitation hinders players' capacity to anticipate their adversaries' next moves and adds a strategic element that is sorely missed. Although the combat system in Baldur's Gate 3 effectively emulates D&D and provides a faster-paced gameplay than tabletop sessions, the absence of dodging and readying actions from the original D&D is evident. Including these abilities would undoubtedly elevate the combat experience and impart a greater sense of realism.

The combat in Baldur's Gate 3 sets itself apart from other RPGs on the market by drawing heavily from Dungeons and Dragons. Nearly every element of its core gameplay loop is directly influenced by the mechanics of D&D, resulting in an exceptional RPG experience. To succeed, players must rely on dice rolls, spell slots, and adhere to the rules of D&D's combat. This creates a highly challenging and strategic battle system, but something crucial is missing.

Although Baldur's Gate 3 faithfully replicates most of the key features of Dungeons and Dragons, Larian Studios has opted to exclude two vital combat elements. Players are unable to ready actions or prepare dodges during their turn, which is an unexpected omission. While the focus of combat should be on dealing damage or supporting allies, players should also have the ability to prepare for their enemy's next move. By implementing these features, not only would players have more options, but it could also introduce an additional layer of strategy to the already demanding battle system in Baldur's Gate 3.

Baldur's Gate 3 Players Cannot Ready Actions

Baldur's Gate 3's combat system closely resembles the mechanics found in Dungeons and Dragons. Each battle commences with an initiative roll, transitioning the game into a turn-based mode. During their turn, players have the option to move, perform an action, and utilize a bonus action. Actions may involve bolstering allies, inflicting damage upon opponents, or setting traps. Magic users can tap into their available spell slots to cast spells, while classes with companions have full control over them. Once players have completed their actions, the next player takes their turn, continuing until the battle concludes.

Fans of Dungeons and Dragons can now expect a familiar and well-executed combat system within the video game. Larian Studios has managed to enhance the pace and engagement of combat, which traditionally tends to be the slowest aspect of tabletop gameplay. What might typically consume an hour during a live session now demands less than half the time, resulting in a remarkable improvement. Nonetheless, Larian's attempt to streamline the experience has led to the omission of crucial elements found in the original Dungeons and Dragons version.

Although some classes in Baldur's Gate possess abilities that aid them in avoiding attacks, the dodge action is absent from the game. In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, the dodge action enables players to ready themselves to evade any incoming attack. By utilizing this action, attackers visible to players are at a disadvantage when making attack rolls against them, while players can make Dexterity saving throws with advantage. This action proves invaluable when players anticipate a potentially lethal attack, and it adds an element of realism to combat.

Furthermore, Dungeons and Dragons allows players to ready actions that activate once specific conditions are met. The ability to ready actions provides players with a tactical advantage over their opponents, requiring them to meet certain criteria to initiate a prepared attack. For instance, players can strategically prepare an attack for when an enemy moves to a specific location or when an ally separates from a group of enemies. This readiness mechanic operates similarly to a reaction, but with heightened strategic significance, further enhancing the realism of combat.

Larian omitted dodging and readying actions in Baldur's Gate 3, despite their significant role in Dungeons and Dragons. The game's combat would have been enhanced if these abilities were included. Fans hope that future D&D games or Baldur's Gate 3 updates reintroduce these crucial abilities, as they are greatly missed. Baldur's Gate 3 is currently accessible on PC, with a PS5 release on September 6 and an Xbox launch to come.