Baldur’s Gate 3 is the revival of a classic series, with many new players coming into the fold. While returning players may have a grasp on certain systems that appears in previous games, there are a few new bells and whistles (and spells) you’ll want to take advantage of. This guide will break down various Baldur’s Gate 3 combat tips for beginners, and even returning fans.
Combat Tips for Beginners in Baldur’s Gate 3
Everyone will have their own unique approach to combat, with some being more straightforward than others. Below are some basic combat tips for beginners in Baldur’s Gate 3, which include some suggested spells you’ll want to take advantage of.
Spells are Your Friend
Can you cast spells? If the answer is yes, you will want to take advantage of this in every combat encounter. If the answer is no, take Gale with you. He can be recruited extremely early on, and he is a huge boon to any combat encounter. This is because he has access to quite a range of spells. And having Gale with you, even if you’re a caster yourself, means that you will be tearing through enemies, specifically if you have Magic Missile. This spell will hit 100% of the time and you can even increase the amount of Magic Missiles cast. Below are a list of spells that you will want to make use of in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Magic Missile
- Fireball
- Thunderwave
Use Bless (and other Cleric spells)
Shadowheart is a character you can recruit very early on, and since she is a Cleric you will have access to Bless, along with restorative magic. However, Bless is great in the way that it will give you a +1d4 to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws. This is great for early combat encounters. Another great spell she, and other Clerics, will have at their disposal are Spirit Guardians. This is by far one of the best spells for any offensive Cleric that gets into the thick of things, as any enemies caught within its radius take Radiant or Necrotic damage per turn and their movement speed is halved. You can also cheese this by moving an enemy in and out of the radius, which re-procs the damage.
Take Advantage of Sneak Attack
Sneak Attacks are a way great to deal loads of damage to enemies. However, positioning is key here. You cannot use a Sneak Attack, melee or ranged, if you are caught within an enemy’s vision. That said, should you be able to use either, you will deal massive amounts of damage to your target, sometimes killing them in a single hit.
Push Enemies Off of Terrain
Larian Studios has opened up how players can interact with their environments in the Baldur’s Gate 3, and one of the best combat tips for beginners is to quite literally shove enemies off terrain. Knocking them off terrain using Thunderwave, or any ability that pushes them off cliffs is great. Especially since this will instantly kill them if you succeed. The opportunity to do this dwindles quite a bit as you progress the game, but when it presents itself, you should always take advantage of it, if positioning allows.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available for PC and PlayStation 5.
