D&D 5e rule changes

This page and related pages summarize rule changes from the implementation of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition (D&D 5e) rules to Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). The rule changes described on this page and related pages are written with the assumption the reader understands the relevant D&D 5e rule. These pages will not explain what the D&D 5e rule is, only what the changed or altered BG3 rule is. These pages also include many features and abilities found in BG3 that are unchanged from D&D 5e to allow a D&D 5e player to quickly see what all the options are and whether or not they have changes, rather than only the items with changes which would then require a new BG3 player to conduct further research to find what is present from D&D 5e that is unchanged. If the BG3 rule aligns with a OneD&D rule or other playtest material from D&D 5e then that is considered a rule change from D&D 5e for the purposes of these pages.

There will be rapid changes to these pages at BG3's launch, so leaving relevant changelog comments with any edits or corrections is highly encouraged to assist returning readers in finding changes quickly.

Fundamental Changes

• The level cap is 12.
• There is a weighted dice setting in the game called Karmic Dice which as of EA Patch 9 is enabled by default. Check your game settings to disable this option if desired.
• Characters must use 27 point buy. There is no rolling for ability scores.
• All races have the +2/+1 flexible ability score from Tasha's. The +1/+1/+1 option does not exist, and you cannot use the base racial features such as a half elves +2 Cha/+1/+1 or the human's +1 to all. Races such as half-elf and human are granted additional features to make up for the negative impacts these changes have. The details (unconfirmed) are discussed on the D&D 5e Race Changes page. There is no word on compensating Mountain Dwarves which are also likely affected by this.
• Multiclassing ignores ability score requirements.
• You are able to respec your characters when you meet an NPC made available early in Act 1 of the game. At a minimum you can respec your starting class, subclass (when applicable) ability scores, spells (when applicable), and skill proficiencies. It is not possible to change a character's race.
  • If you change an origin companion or traditional companion's starting class (or subclass when applicable), the world will still react to them as though they were a member of their initial starting class.
• Hit points gained on level use the average, not a roll on the hit die.
• The party is limited to two short rests per long rest. Short rests restore each ally's hit points by an amount equal to half their maximum HP (rounded down). There is no hit die rolling.
• Long rests require camp supplies, which are food items that can be looted or purchased. In towns you will be able to rest at an inn.
• Getting a natural 1 on a skill check always results in a failure, even if modifiers would put you over the DC. Getting a natural 20 on a skill check always results in a success even if modifiers would not put you over the DC. There are no additional fumble or critical success features besides an automatic failure or pass of the check.
• Combat areas tend to have a large amount of verticality, but are rather small in horizontal size. These features are mechanically implemented by:
  • The range of spells are reduced as described in the spells page, often to 60 ft.
  • The range of ranged weapons are reduced to 60 ft, except hand crossbows which have a range of 50 ft. There is no short range vs. long range disadvantage for ranged weapons
  • Darkvision is reduced to 40 ft, and Superior Darkvision reduced to 80 ft
• When a creature is at least 10 ft above their target and makes a ranged attack then they receive a +2 bonus on the attack roll due to the high ground. When a creature is at least 10 ft below their target and makes a ranged attack they receive a -2 penalty to the attack roll due to the low ground.
• Tool and language proficiencies are not used. This includes Thieves' Tools. Thieves tools checks to pick a lock or disarm a trap use the character's sleight of hand modifier, and require a set of thieves tools or trap disarm toolkit respectively which are consumed on a failure.
• As of EA Patch 9, creatures don't have a sense of hearing and instead can only detect what they see. If you hide while not in a creature's sight cone you automatically succeed. If you try to hide while in a creature's sight cone then you automatically fail. If you are hidden and enter a creature's sight cone then you must roll for it against the creature's passive perception. This may be a straight roll, advantage, or disadvantage based on the creature's senses and the level of lighting. Some creatures with different senses such as blindsight may follow different rules
• There is an inspiration system. As a party you can have up to 4 inspiration dice which can be applied to a failed skill check. The way you gain dice is based off the background of you and your companions. If for example you or one of your companions have the charlatan background then they may gain an inspiration die for your party if they deceive their way into a fortified enemy position.
• Characters can carry a maximum 10 lbs of weight per point of Str. If the character is carrying an amount of weight equal to 7 lbs times Strength score then they are encumbered. This becomes heavily encumbered at 9 lbs × Str score.

Spellcasting

• Details on individual spell changes can be found on the D&D 5e Spell Changes page.
• Prepared spell casters can change their prepared spells at any time out of combat.
• Verbal, Somatic, and Material components are ignored. Being silenced prevents all spellcasting regardless of what the components would be in D&D 5e.
• The game does not stop a character from casting a leveled spell with both an action and a bonus action.
• Ritual casting is not in Early Access, but we know the Ritual Caster feat will be added at launch so it is possible that ritual casting is added at launch.
• Anyone can cast any Spell scroll from any class list (even if it is not their own or they do not have the spellcasting feature), and there is no Arcana check for casting higher level spells than a character has spells known.
• Spell scrolls do not have a fixed DC or attack roll bonus. They use the relevant ability modifier (varies by scroll) and proficiency bonus of the caster.

Action Economy

• A character can have one ranged weapon set equipped and one melee weapon set equipped, and are able to freely switch between them as a free action an unlimited number of times per turn. This includes starting their turn with the melee weapon equipped, switching to a crossbow for free, shooting at targets, and switching back to the melee set to allow them to make opportunity attacks. Equipping a weapon from the inventory costs an action.
• Shove is not a part of the attack action. It is a bonus action available to all characters. Shove only pushes the target back an amount that depends on the shover's strength and the target's weight. It normally does not knock them prone, unless maybe they are shoved off a high ledge.
• Falling damage only sometimes causes a creature to go prone. (verification required on mechanics to avoid going prone due to falling damage)
• Using the help action on a downed ally brings them back to 1 hitpoint and leaves them prone.
• Jumping is a bonus action which consumes 10 ft of movement speed. With a Strength score of 10 or below it allows the creature to jump 15 ft, and this increases by 5 ft for every two points in strength above 10. At 20 Str a creature may spend 10 ft of movement speed and a bonus action to jump, and can travel 35 ft effectively increasing the creature's movement speed by up to 25 feet.
• Dodge action is not present in Early Access, and does not like it will exist at launch with the exception being monk's Patient Defense feature.
• Readying an action is not implemented
• Grappling is not implemented
• Consuming a potion is a bonus action.
• If a creature as an action throw a healing potion it will break and heal all targets in a small radius.
• There are options to throw creatures which are at least one size smaller than you (not always accurately implemented). There is a minimum Strength required based off the target's weight, and you need to win a contested check using your Athletics.
• Hide is currently a bonus action for all player characters as of Early Access Patch 9. Footage from Panel from Hell 8 indicates that Hide will switch back to an action unless a feature (e.g. rogue's cunning action) gives a character the option to hide as a bonus action (verification required).
• Bonus action attack options such as offhand weapon attacks do not require a character to first take the attack action.
• Donning and doffing armor does not take time, and can be done as an action even in combat.

Equipment

• Weapons are given unique weapon action attacks depending on the weapon type. These can be used once per short rest only if the wielder is proficient with the weapon.
• There is no magic item attunement system.
• A creature can have a melee weapon set and a ranged weapon set equipped that they can toggle between freely. As of Early Access Patch 9, if you have a shield equipped in the equipped melee set but have the ranged weapon set being actively wielded then you still benefit from the AC boost the shield provides.
• Some equipment like gloves, boots, or helms may require armor proficiency to wear effectively. They don't give the character a bonus to their armor class (unless they have a magical effect that specifically says so), but may have magical effects and the character will only be able to don them effectively with the correct proficiency.
• Heavy armor does not have a Strength requirement, and therefore no movement speed penalty.
• You are unable to select starting equipment, you are given starting equipment based on your starting class.
• Crossbows currently have the loading property, but it does not restrict the usage of crossbows in any way. It is possible that they will continue to ignore loading at release (needs confirmation).
  • This allows a character to dual wield hand crossbows. It does not allow a character to wield a hand crossbow with a shield because the crossbow goes in the ranged set while the shield goes in the melee set. But as discussed above, the character gains the AC bonus of a shield equipped on your melee set even while the ranged set is actively drawn.
• Appropriate weapons have the "heavy" property added to them, but this property does not apply disadvantage to attack rolls made by small characters as of EA patch 9.
• Slings, darts, and whips are not in the game.
• The weights of various pieces of equipment have changed. For example, chain mail weighs 36lbs instead of 55lbs.

Conditions

• Blinded: In addition to the other effects, ranged attacks are limited to 15 ft range. Blinded creatures can also make opportunity attacks.
• Encumbered: A character become encumbered when they carry an amount equal to 7 times their Strength rather than 5 times. Being encumbered also halves your jump distance.
  • Heavily encumbered: A character becomes heavily encumbered at 9 times their Strength rather than 10 times. And it also prohibits them from being able to climb or jump at all.
• Frightened: Creatures which are frightened are unable to move at all (rather than being unable to move towards the source of their fear), unless the effect instead makes them "fearful" which gives them the frightened effect as well as making them flee.
• Prone: Being prone gives disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws, attacks against a prone creature have advantage out to a range of 10 ft rather than 5 ft, and ranged attacks against a prone creature do not have disadvantage. Your character cannot do anything while prone. Starting the turn while prone will cause you to automatically use half your movement and stand up. Becoming prone during your turn automatically ends your turn.
• Turned: Turned creatures will not dodge, since monks will likely be the only characters able to dodge.
• Wet: This is a new condition that prevents the character from burning (e.g. from Searing Smite) and grants resistance to fire damage, but also makes the creature vulnerable to lightning and cold damage.

Miscellaneous

• Great Weapon Fighting Style rerolls any of an attack's damage die on a 1 or 2, even if they are not a part of the weapon's physical damage.

• "Greatberries" a.k.a. Goodberries that have been buffed due to being cast by a Life Domain Cleric will only get the additional healing benefit from Disciple of Life if the same Cleric who cast the spell is also the one to consume the berry. If somebody else consumes the berry, then they will just get the normal 1d4 that a goodberry gets in BG3.

• If a character with extra attack makes a melee or ranged weapon attack first then this can be followed by a thrown weapon attack. But if you try to do a thrown weapon attack first then the game classifies this as the throw action rather than part of the attack action, so this one thrown weapon uses your entire attack action.

Class and Subclass Changes

See the D&D 5e Class Changes Page for details on changes from the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules specific to the classes and subclasses available in Baldur's Gate 3.

Race Changes

See the D&D 5e Race Changes Page for details on changes from the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules specific to the Races available in Baldur's Gate 3.

Feat Changes

See the D&D 5e Feat Changes Page for details on changes from the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules specific to the Feats available in Baldur's Gate 3.

Spell Changes

See the D&D 5e Spell Changes Page for details on changes from the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules specific to the Spells available in Baldur's Gate 3.