Actions

This article is about the game mechanic. For the resource, see Resources.

Actions are things a creature can do on their turn in Baldur's Gate 3. Actions are generally taken in order to deal damage or inflict harmful conditions, but they can also be taken to heal or aid allies.

A special form of action – known as a reaction – can be used as a response to certain triggers, including on the turns of other creatures.

Taking actions usually requires the acting creature to expend one of three resources:

Action Bonus Action Reaction

Overview

Actions are categorised by their source:

Common actions

Common actions are actions available to all creatures.

Class actions

Class actions are actions available through features, such as those gained from classes or equipment.

Racial actions

Racial actions are actions available through racial features, and are exclusively gained from race.

Weapon actions

Weapon actions are actions available through equipping weapons.

Spells

Spells are cast by casters and by other creatures through the use of scrolls.

Situational actions

Situational actions unlock as a result of another ability, feature, or condition. It remains at the side of the character's hotbar until the conditions creating it expire. One such example is Forced Manoeuvre as a result of Manoeuvring Attack (Melee).

Resources

Creatures take actions in turn-based mode by expending one of two resources: Action or Bonus action.

Additionally, some actions require both of the two resources to be expended.

An additional resource – Reactions – are used to take an action at any time during combat, but only for particular conditions such as the  Opportunity Attack which a creature can make when an enemy moves out of their melee range.

All creatures have 1 charge of each of the three resources that recharges at the beginning of each turn, but additional charges can be gained from various sources.

Exceptions

Additional actions

Abilities that allow a creature to take an additional action per turn – such as  Action Surge – do not consume the resource they provide.

Free attacks

Classes that have the  Extra Attack feature can make an additional attack on their turn after taking an Attack action, without spending another Action resource.

Reactions

Figure 1 - Active Reactions

Reactions are actions taken in response to a trigger, and can be taken even when triggered during another creature's turn. Some of these actions require the acting creature to expend a Reaction, whereas other "reactions" do not. Those that do not are player abilities which use the reaction mechanic to modify an action, such as adding damage to an attack ( Divine Smite/ Sneak Attack) or attempting to change a miss into a hit with  Reckless Attack.These abilities might consume a different resource, have limited use, or have a drawback.

The Reactions tab

Figure 2 - Reactions Tab

Reactions are managed for each character through the Reactions tab, located on the spellbook page of a character sheet. The tab can also be accessed immediately by pressing on one of the active reactions on the hotbar, or by pressing a hotkey (default: L).

Reactions can be set to be taken automatically, or the game can be set to prompt the player first.

If taking the reaction expends any resources, they are listed under the reaction's name.

Limitations

Creatures that are  Dazed,  Prone,  Stunned,  Incapacitated or  Surprised cannot take reactions.

Some spells – such as  Shocking Grasp and  Arms of Hadar – inflict specific conditions that prevent targeted creatures from taking reactions. However, these conditions do not prevent those creatures from taking reactions which do not consume the Reaction resource.

Examples of reactions

Spells

•  Hellish Rebuke
•  Counterspell
•  Shield

Class actions

•  Cutting Words
•  Deflect Missiles
•  Destructive Wrath
•  Entropic Ward
•  Fungal Infestation
•  Giant Killer
•  Githyanki Parry
•  Halo of Spores
•  Luck of the Far Realms
•  Misty Escape
•  Riposte
•  Slow Fall
•  Supreme Githyanki Parry
•  Tenacity (Weapon Action)
•  Warding Flare
•  Wrath of the Storm

Lists of common actions

Actions

•  Dash
•  Disengage
•  Help
•  Improvised Melee Weapon
•  Main Hand Attack
•  Ranged Attack
•  Throw
•  Unarmed Strike
•  Perform

Bonus Actions

•  Dip
•  Jump
•  Off-Hand Attack (Melee)
•  Off-Hand Attack (Ranged)
•  Shove

Reaction

•  Opportunity Attack

See also

• Category:Bonus actions, a category of all bonus actions.