Gameplay mechanics

Baldur's Gate 3 is a turn-based adventure with a wide variety of gameplay mechanics. Understanding the core mechanics can help the players navigate the challenging world of Baldurs Gate 3.

This page will give a general overview over the most important aspects, to understand certain nuances, reading linked articles might be required. Every section has a dedicated wiki page with further information.

Difficulty

There are five difficulty settings, or modes: the preset Explorer, Balanced, Tactician and Honour modes – as well Custom mode, which lets the player tweak various gameplay elements.

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  Explorer mode

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  Balanced mode

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  Tactician mode

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  Honour mode

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  Custom mode

Main article: Difficulty.

Combat mechanics

The combat mechanics in Baldurs Gate 3 evolve around each character and enemy taking turns, based on their initiative roll at the start of combat, reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition.

Turn-based System

A turn is the most basic unit of time in Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay. During combat, each creature takes a turn, usually in sequential order. When all creatures have taken their turns, a round has passed.

When two or more allied creatures are in close proximity to each other and would have otherwise taken their turn immediately after each other, they can usually take their turns at the same time.

While turns are primarily featured in combat, a turn-based mode is also available outside of combat, and automatically turns on in certain scenarios, such as when certain traps are activated.

Main article: Turn-based mode.

Turn order

The order in which creatures take their turn (the turn order) is decided by rolling for initiative, which is a 1d4 + Dex mod roll.

Main article: Initiative.

Adjacent creatures in the turn order they share their turn order position and can act interchangeably. For this matter, creatures who are summoned by the player but not controlled by the player, such as the ghouls from the Necromancy of Thay, are not considered to be on the player's side.

The maximum group size for a shared turn order position is 10 creatures.

If a creature that is attacked is unaware of their attackers at the start of combat, the first round of combat is declared a surprise round, during which only the attackers may take actions.

Main article: Surprised.

Action economy

Most creatures are able to take one Action, one Bonus Action and one Reaction per turn, but some equipment and class features give additional or free actions.

Main article: Actions.

See also: Attacks.

Actions, bonus actions and reactions are also represented as resources that are replenished at the start of a creature's turn. For example, when a creature takes an action, their action resource is used.

Resources

Most actions require the acting creature to expend one or more resources, usually at least one of the three common resources associated with actions:

Action

Recharge: turn (1 action)

Primary combat resource

Bonus action

Recharge: turn (1 bonus action)

Secondary combat resource

Reaction

Recharge: turn (1 reaction)

Used to take reactions

Main article: Resources.

Dice Rolls

Dice rolls are a central game mechanic to determine the outcome of variety of situations, such as whether a character will succeed at using a particular skill, or if an attack will land and how much damage it will do. The base dice are as follows:

• d4
• d6
• d8
• d10
• d12
•  d20

Additional modifiers can be applied, which are either bonuses which add to the result, or penalties which are subtracted from it.

Main article: Dice rolls.

Advantage

Advantage and Disadvantage only apply to  d20 rolls for Attack Rolls, Saving Throws, and Ability Check, but never to Damage Roll, greatly affect the outcome of dice rolls.

Main article: Advantage.

Attacks

Attacks are attempts by a creature at hitting a target, usually with a weapon or a spell. The outcome of an attempted attack is determined by making an attack roll against the target's AC. If successful, the attack may deal damage and/or inflict a condition.

Result =  d20 + Ability score modifier + Proficiency bonus

Main article: Attacks.

Critical Hit

Critical hits occur when a creature rolls a natural 20 on an attack roll. While initially a mechanic subject purely to the whims of luck, a number of features, abilities, and items allow the player to manipulate the odds of scoring a critical hit.

Main article: Critical hit.

NPCs

Non-player characters are characters not controlled by the player. They have pre-determined behaviours and defined ability scores, class actions, and inventories. NPCs can be divided into a number of archetypes that are not necessarily mutually exclusive, such as Traders and Bosses.

Main article: Non-player characters.

Player Character

When starting the game, the player is prompted to create their own character. The character can be fully customized or be choosen from the Origin characters.

Main article: Character creation.

Classes

A character's class in Baldur's Gate 3 is one of their primary defining features. Each class represents a different calling, and each offers a number of unique abilities, powers, and skills that influence how that character interacts with the world.

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  Barbarian

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  Bard

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  Cleric

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  Druid

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  Fighter

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  Monk

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  Paladin

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  Ranger

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  Rogue

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  Sorcerer

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  Warlock

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  Wizard

Player characters and all companions also have a background, race and can use equipment. Having levels in a class allows access to class features, which are the features that set classes apart from each other.

The Character level can be increased by gaining Experience, characters start at 0 experience and can gain up to 100,000 experience, which is the experience required to reach level 12.

Classes may also grant access to spells and feats.

Main article: Classes.

Spellcasting

While all classes are capable of casting spells, some classes are proficient in spellcasting, and automatically learn spells. These classes may cast these learned spells using spell slots.

Every class – including those without the Spellcasting feature – has a designated ability known as their spellcasting ability

 Intelligence

Fighter, Rogue, Wizard.

 Wisdom

Cleric, Druid, Monk, Ranger.

 Charisma

Barbarian, Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock.

Spells are created from the Weave, the magical energies of the multiverse. They are conjured through experience, knowledge, or innate ability, or via the use of scrolls and magical items.

Main article: Spellcasting.

Stats

Every creature has a set of basic statistics:

Hit points (or HP), given in numbers, represent a creature's life force, or an object's structural integrity. They indicate how much damage you or a party member can take before being Downed, and how much damage creatures and items can take before being killed or destroyed.

Main article: Hit points.

Armour Class (AC) is a measurement of how difficult a creature is to be hit by an attack. AC can be increased by equipping armour and shields, by selecting certain feats when leveling up, or utilizing certain spells.

Main article: Armour Class.

A creature's size indicates how large it is, roughly communicating other parameters like the model's dimensions/how much space it physically occupies. The weight of a creature affects what can Throw or Shove it.

Main article: Creature size.

Movement speed determines how far a creature can move on its turn, on a 1:1 ratio. A creature's race determines whether their default movement speed is slow, normal or fast:

• Slow: 7.5 m / 25 ft
• Normal: 9 m / 30 ft
• Fast: 10.5 m / 35 ft

Main article: Movement Speed.

Resistances

This applies to both player characters and NPCs. Resistances represent a creature's capacity to withstand certain types of damage.

Vulnerability, resistance, and immunity are properties that modify how much damage a target takes from specific types of damage:

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  Bludgeoning

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  Piercing

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  Slashing

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  Acid

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  Cold

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  Fire

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  Force

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  Lightning

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  Necrotic

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  Poison

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  Psychic

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  Radiant

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  Thunder

Main article: Resistances.

Conditions

Conditions are changes in a character's status, both beneficial and harmful. They can be inflicted by certain Spells, class features, surfaces and other environmental hazards. Many conditions are temporary, and some can also be removed with the right spell or potion.

Main article: Conditions.

Equipment

Equipment are important items for the player’s adventure. They can be weapons that deal damage to enemies, or armour for protection from them. They can also give interesting bonuses to the player’s characters such as extra spells, special enchantments, and so on.

Detailed information on each type of equipment can be found right below or in the main article:

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  Amulets

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  Armour

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  Cloaks

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  Clothing

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  Footwear

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  Handwear

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  Headwear

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  Rings

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  Shields

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  Weapons

Main article: Equipment.