Areas

An Area describes a space that has special effects on creatures that enter it. They can be generated by items, spells, or creature actions. Areas have properties that describe them.

Area properties

Shape

Areas have certain shapes. Areas of the same type displace each other, and each shape affects how a creature is affected by an area.

Pool

An area that exists as a flat layer on the floor. The effects of pools can be avoided by spells such as Fly. Pool-type areas include Acid Surface or Ice Surface, and can also include spells such as  Web.

Cloud

An area that exists as a cloud above the floor. They can be blown away with  Gust of Wind. Clouds include both clouds of elements such as Steam Cloud as well as some spell effects, like  Fog Cloud.

Sphere

An area that exists as a shape, often but not always an actual sphere. Spheres generally do not override each other. Some examples are  Hunger of Hadar or  Silence.

Permanence

Areas are either persistent or temporary. Persistent areas do not disappear on their own, though they can turn into other areas (such as Ice Surface melting into Water Surface. Temporary areas are usually tied to a spellcaster's Concentration, or otherwise have a set duration after which they vanish.

Surface

A surface is a particular type of area that has the following properties:

• is a pool or cloud
• persistent
• can transform into other surfaces

Many surfaces existed in Larian Studio's previous game, Divinity: Original Sin 2, and are carried over into Baldur's Gate 3.