Unleashing the Epic: Conquering Baldur's Gate 3's Ultimate Boss Challenges

Baldur's Gate 3 features formidable enemies that will put players' skills to the test. The combat system draws inspiration from Dungeons and Dragons, presenting a turn-based strategy game filled with swords and magic. During each turn, players can take an action, bonus action, and movement in any sequence.

Although strategy may not be crucial on the easier 'Explorer' difficulty, certain adversaries require careful consideration. In these cases, players are advised to take a long rest, gather potions and items, and engage their minds in order to overcome these challenging foes.

10 Dror Ragzlin

The hobgoblin chieftain presents the first substantial challenge for players in their journey. Despite previous encounters with formidable foes like gnolls, the 'Paladins of Tyr', or goblin leaders Minthara and Priestess Gut, Ragzlin takes the game to a new level.

One reason for this heightened difficulty is Ragzlin's extensive group of allies, unlike any encountered so far. Although players may gain an advantage by stealthily eliminating some of his support, Ragzlin remains a formidable opponent. His barbarian rage can swiftly deplete the health of even the sturdiest characters, including Halsin in bear form. Moreover, his capacity to repel characters becomes especially lethal when he fights alongside a large pit of menacing spiders.

9 Malus Thorm

Although Ketheric Thorm is the main antagonist in Act Two, his boss fight often gets overshadowed by his relatives. The extended Thorm family poses some of the toughest challenges in Act Two. Among them, Malus is considered the least difficult, possibly because defeating him is a necessary step in breaking the shadow curse. However, this shouldn't undermine the level of difficulty he presents.

With the aid of his twisted nurses, Malus has the ability to inflict significant damage. Typically, ranged characters have the advantage when it comes to countering Malus. By utilizing the elevated positions in the House of Healing, they can effectively pick off Malus and his nurses from a distance. It is also important to note that, like the rest of the extended Thorm family, Malus can be defeated without engaging in the boss fight.

8 Grym

The Grym, a legendary guardian of the Adamantine Forge, is without a doubt the most formidable boss in act one, possibly even the most challenging. Grym inflicts incredibly high damage, possesses a vast pool of health, and is resistant to all forms of damage. Initially, it may appear invincible, but Grym becomes highly vulnerable to bludgeoning attacks once it becomes superheated from standing in the lava pool surrounding the forge.

Although it would still be difficult to gradually diminish its health using only bludgeoning attacks, the battle becomes somewhat easier once players discover that activating the central hammer on the anvil inflicts significant damage to Grym. To lure Grym towards the anvil, players can manipulate its 'Threat Assessment' system, causing it to target the last character that attacked it.

7 Ansur

The battle against Ansur, the undead dragon in act three, can be incredibly challenging for a variety of reasons. Ansur, being a dragon, possesses a significant amount of health and is capable of inflicting substantial damage, particularly with its lightning-breath attack. However, players must also be prepared for unique mechanics that they may not expect or know how to counter.

Ansur possesses the ability to 'hoard energy,' rendering it resistant to any form of damage. Once this phase concludes, Ansur will unleash a devastating Stormheart Nova, capable of wiping out unsuspecting players. However, thanks to a recent update, players now have the opportunity to effectively seek shelter behind rocks, thus avoiding any harm caused by this attack.

6 Thisobald Thorm

Thisobald, a member of the Thorm family, is a repulsive and bloated barkeep. Initially friendly, he can quickly become aggressive and poses a formidable challenge in combat. Throughout most of the fight, he remains in a numb state, granting him immunity to various types of damage.

However, when attacked with fire, radiant, acid, cold, lightning, poison, or necrotic damage, he retaliates with a reflux attack, spraying the characters with his regurgitated substances. This phase of the battle is arduous, but eventually Thorm succumbs to the "blacked out" condition, becoming more susceptible to attacks and vulnerable to the damage types that were once ineffective against him.

5 Sarevok

In act three of Baldur's Gate 3, the notorious antagonist Sarevok Anchev returns. Known for being a formidable Bhaalspawn, it should come as no surprise that the battle against him is extremely challenging.

Assisted by a ruthless tribunal of Bhaal cultists, this fight can prove to be a daunting task even for the most well-prepared party. If players are able to successfully persuade Sarevok to ally with them as an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal, they can receive assistance from Valeria the hollyphant during the battle. However, it is important to note that she can easily be defeated in the midst of the conflict.

4 Gerringothe Thorm

Gerringothe, the final and most challenging boss of Act Two's Thorm, is a formidable opponent found at the Reithwin Tollhouse. Her appearance is shocking due to her gold-armored and twisted demeanor. She is known for her incredible stamina and ability to inflict significant damage on unprepared parties. The key to defeating her lies in careful preparation and understanding.

A notable aspect of Gerringothe's combat style is her ability to deal amplified damage to characters based on the amount of gold they have. Therefore, it is advisable to leave any accumulated wealth at the campsite for this battle. Additionally, players should make use of the scattered gold piles around the tollhouse, as Gerringothe can utilize them for her Coin Halberd or Combustible Coins abilities. Lastly, players should prioritize eliminating the Visages that join the fight, as each one increases Gerringothe's HP by 100.

3 Auntie Ethel

The notorious Auntie Ethel, a green hag, awaits players in two encounters throughout the game: once in Act One and again in Act Three. Both battles pose a considerable challenge, but the Act Three confrontation with Ethel proves to be particularly daunting. In this instance, Ethel has devoured the missing child, Vanra, leaving players with two options: either employ the secret recipe of the hag survivors to induce Ethel to regurgitate the child, or subdue her using non-lethal tactics.

Nevertheless, incapacitating Ethel is no simple task. Players must eliminate all the mushrooms that bolster Ethel's health each turn, in addition to navigating the difficulties posed by her enchanted minions and her talent for unleashing frustrating area-of-effect spells.

2 Cazador

When players encounter the vampire lord, Cazador, they quickly understand why Astarion had to escape. Defeating Cazador poses a great challenge even for well-prepared parties. To increase their chances in this battle, players should aim to have control over the initiative and leverage as much support as possible.

Although Cazador gains power from his vampire spawn as long as they remain alive and the ritual circle remains free from party members or summons, players might be better off directing their efforts towards Cazador himself. Additionally, it is important to note that since Astarion is likely to be part of the combat, he can be temporarily freed from the ritual condition imposed by Cazador. However, it is highly probable that Cazador will relentlessly target Astarion and return him to that state repeatedly.

1 Raphael

Raphael, the captivating antagonist in Baldur's Gate 3, reigns as the mastermind behind one of the most notorious battles in the game. This encounter has left an indelible mark for various reasons, such as Raphael's charismatic demeanor, his impressive musical performance, and notably, the immense challenge it poses. With a symbolically thematic health pool of 666, Raphael boasts the highest vitality in the game, alongside a range of devastating moves capable of decimating an entire party.

Fortunately, players can thwart Raphael's most formidable maneuvers by obliterating the Soul Pillars. While it is essential not to overlook the grandeur of this confrontation, caution should be exercised. The game serves as a stern reminder for players to adequately prepare themselves before embarking on this formidable boss battle.

Baldur's Gate 3

Platform(s) PC, Stadia, macOS, PS5Released August 3, 2023Developer(s) Larian StudiosPublisher(s) Larian StudiosGenre(s) RPG