5 Beginner Tips for Baldur’s Gate 3

In a game as huge as Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s easy to get lost or for some be overwhelmed. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game with nearly infinite possibilities. So I am going to go over 5 beginner tips to help you navigate more smoothly. So let’s get into it!

Make Use of Your Environment

Using the environment is one of the most important things I’ve learned in my multiple playthroughs. Baldurs Gate 3’s combat encourages creative use of the environment. You should usually take the high ground whenever possible to gain an advantage on ranged attacks or spells. This will also provide a much better vision of the battlefield. Some of the pretty common things you can do are push enemies off cliffs, use barrels and explosives to deal extra damage, or cast spells to manipulate your surroundings.

Nothing like using a grease spell and then casting a fire spell to set things ablaze. Fire and Poison zones are very useful, but you have to learn which enemies turn out to be immune. Or you can end up like me where I cast “Cloudkill” in front of me to prevent enemies from getting to me. Then turned out they were immune and I had to run through my spell and take damage to get to them.

Make sure to keep your eyes open for interactive objects. Look out for items like crates, traps, or environmental hazards (water, fire, oil) that you can use to your advantage. For example, oil barrels can be ignited for extra damage. There was a time I shot down a chandelier that fell on some goblins dealing a decent amount of damage, then it ignited the grease on the ground. So we got see see a bunch of goblins essentially almost defeated with one move.

Save Often (In Multiple Slots)

This next tip I don’t believe is exclusive to Baldur’s Gate 3. I think it is always vital to consistently save whether you are playing some JRPG or this game. Baldur’s Gate 3 is based on Dungeons & Dragons rules and that means there are a lot of dice rolls to determine outcomes of certain things. This is where randomness and chance play a big role, especially in combat and dialogue checks. You never know when you are just having a normal conversation and go to pass a dialogue check like persuasion, intimidation, or something like that and roll too low. This could result in a fight or an outcome you didn’t want.

Always save regularly, especially before battles, difficult skill checks, or when trying something risky. I haven’t failed much, but it is very possible. I have come across many checks I’ve had to roll for which have required a 30 or higher. Sometimes I have even needed to roll 20 specifically on the dice without bonuses just to pass something. Make sure to use multiple save slots so that you can revert to an earlier point if something goes wrong.

I went into a fight one time where I convinced someone to kill their allies before we fought. Then afterward I realized I wanted more experience from the fight so I loaded an earlier save, so I could fight a few more enemies to get a little more experience. Also, make sure not to forget game has a quicksave feature. I recommend using it frequently!

Experiment with Classes and Abilities

In previous articles, I have written about the top 5 best classes and the top 5 best builds. Even with that said don’t be afraid to experiment and find out which classes and abilities you like the most, and what works the best for you. Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a variety of classes with different playstyles, so feel free to experiment before committing to something. Some classes do excel in certain areas, but you may find using a mix of ranged, melee, or magic more fitting to your play style.

Don’t hesitate to try multiple classes during character creation to see what feels best for you. You can respec your character later in the game by visiting a certain NPC named Withers in your camp. So don’t worry if you feel like you’ve made a mistake in your build. This gives you the flexibility to try different abilities and playstyles, allowing you to find out what is best for you.

Talk to Everyone and Explore Everything

Conversations are critical in Baldur’s Gate 3. There are many quests, hidden secrets, and bonuses that can be found simply by talking to NPCs. I recommend always exploring dialogue options because the characters in your party might have additional insights or special responses based on their backgrounds or class abilities. Also sometimes certain dialogue options can affect whether your allies approve or disapprove of certain things. Don’t forget to explore the environment thoroughly.

Loot chests, search for hidden areas, and use perception checks to find secrets. Many hidden items or shortcuts can change how you approach battles or quests. Even after I thought I had opened every part of a map, I still ended up finding something new. Whether I found another quest, a random NPC, or even a secret door I didn’t notice earlier. You never know what you will find and I’ll tell you that “jump” is an amazing exploring ability. Don’t be afraid to poke around every corner of a map!

Manage Your Resting (Long and Short Rests)

One thing you might be surprised that can be important is managing your resting in Baldur’s Gate 3. Sometimes if you long rest too many times you may mess up certain quests that may be timed. Don’t be afraid to take short rests which you can do up to twice before having to long rest again. Short Rests do allow you to recover some hit points and abilities without expending too many resources.

They will prove very useful when in a dungeon or area that doesn’t allow you to long rest. When it comes to “Long Rests” just try to use them wisely. Long Rests fully restore your party’s health, spell slots, and other abilities but require supplies. A full Long Rest will require “40 Camp Supplies” so try to balance using long rests with exploring to avoid burning through resources too quickly. So make sure to keep track of your health, spell slots, and abilities.

If your party is low on resources, consider resting before diving into more difficult areas or encounters. You can always buy more supplies from merchants that sell them. They are also more abundant later in the game. I’ve never had any issues with supplies, but I could see where it’s possible.

Final Thoughts on Top 5 Beginner Tips for Baldur’s Gate 3

I’m currently over 4 days of total playtime in multiple playthroughs of Baldure’s Gate 3. I’ve been through and discovered multiple things in my time with the game. If you asked me to give someone who was new tips for the game, these are what I give them. These tips will help you ease into the game’s mechanics and give you a solid foundation to explore and experiment with the rich world of Baldur’s Gate 3. If you have any other tips or thoughts for new players venturing into the game let me know.