There’s no shortage of challenging encounters inBaldur’s Gate 3, but not all of them need to be so frustrating or overwhelming, especially when there are relatively easy ways to get past them. Whether rescuing Mirkon from the pesky Harpies in the Secluded Cove or dealing with the devil Raphael in theHouse of Hope, players have found creative (and simple) tricks that make these encounters much more manageable. Some of these tricks involve taking advantage of environmental objects that provide specific buffs, while others require passing some high Charisma checks.
These methods include taking advantage of unique items, scrolls, or techniques that aren’t necessarily obvious to the average explorer setting out on their first adventure across the Sword Coast.As with all things inBG3, making encounters easier will require careful planning, strategizing, and thinking ahead.Here’s a look at ten easy ways to get past some of the toughest encounters inBaldur’s Gate 3.
10The Secluded Cove
Calm Emotions, Silence, And Sanctuary
Behind Druid’s Cove, you will find a group of Harpies luring Mirkon into the Secluded Cove as part of the “Investigate the Beach” quest. Luckily, the encounter is much easier if youuse Shadowheart or another dedicated Cleric/Bard to castCalm Emotionson the entire party before entering the fight, effectively negating the effects of the Harpy’s song for 10 turns. This spell prevents Humanoids from being Charmed, the key effect of the Harpy’s Luring Song.
10 NPCs In Baldur’s Gate 3 You Probably Didn’t Help Or Save
Just because these Baldur’s Gate 3 NPCs are unpopular or easy to miss doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be helped or saved — Yurgir has feelings too.
If you have a tough time stopping the Harpies from luring Mirkon in, they can castSilenceon him (or the singing Harpy). Another option is to cast Sanctuary on Mirkon, thougheach spell requires concentration, so having both a Bard and a Cleric in the party will benefit this encounter.
9Flind And The Zhent Survivors
Illithid Mind Control Goes A Long Way
you’re able to come upon the Gnolls on the Risen Road early in your adventure and will likely be under-prepared if they don’t know what’s coming. However, peacefully approaching the Gnoll leader, Flind, and passing a series of Wisdom checks with Illithid powers can bypass the entire battle,as long as you don’t mind a scorched-earth approach to the situation.
Saving Rugan and Olly for the “Find the Missing Shipment” quest requires killing Flind and the Gnolls instead (the quest can be completed as long as the chest isn’t opened).
The first dialogue check results in Flind and the Gnoll patrol storming the cave and killing the Zhent survivors inside, andfollowing up with Flind can result in her feasting upon her entire crewand ultimately herself. You can pick up the shipment at that point, having never entered combat.
8Hammer Time In The Grymforge
That’s Going To Leave A Mark
One of thehardest boss fightsin Act 1, Grym will have you Reeling (literally) if you aren’t aware of its unique Superheated condition, and more importantly, how to strategically use the environment to their advantage. While Grym seems nearly invincible, you can position one member of the party next to the forge lever as a second memberbaits Grym through the lava and toward the hammer by attacking it, triggering the Prime Target ability - this will lock Grym into attacking the last enemy to deal it damage.
Baldur’s Gate 3: This New Patch 8 Monk Subclass Is Going To Be Hilarious (And OP)
Of all the Baldur’s Gate 3 subclasses announced for Patch 8, the Drunken Master for Monk will be the most hilarious - and possibly the most powerful.
The lava will engage Grym’s Superheated condition, making it vulnerable to damage, anddropping the hammer while it is Superheated will knock him proneand deal massive damage. Magma Mephits will spawn after hitting Grym with the forge hammer, which the remaining party members can handle.
7Auntie Ethel, Meet Magic Missile
Magic Missile: Works Every Time
Arguably, the most difficult part of theAuntie Ethel Hag fightis during her final phase, where she begins cloning herself, eventually cloning herself as Mayrina. There are a couple of tricks that make this aspect of the encounter much easier: dousing Mayrina in water to track the Wet debuff condition andbombarding the Hag clones withMagic Missilesto easily remove them from the fight while keeping the real Hag in focus. As experienced players know, Magic Missile deals low damage but cannot miss.
Baldur’s Gate 3: This Unique Dark Urge Dialogue Reveals The Mastermind Behind The Cult Of Bhaal
The Dark Urge’s unique dialogue with Sarevok reveals the mastermind behind the Cult of Bhaal, a sinister murder cult plaguing Baldur’s Gate.
Since the Hag clones will disappear if they takeanydamage,Magic Missile is the perfect spell for the situation. It’s also ideal for bringing the real Hag down to low health without killing her to obtain the hallowed Hag’s Hair.
6Balthazar: A Push In The Right Direction
Bring A Strong Party Member To The Shadowfell With You
While this encounter can be incredibly frustrating, a very easy way tobeatBG3’s Balthazarin the Shadowfell is simply having a high Strength character such as Lae’zel or Karlach push him off the ledge. It’s even possible to turn one of them invisible and do this before the cut-scene is triggered with the Nightsong. However, taking part in the cut-scene and eventual battle will require positioning the party strategically on the platform andgiving Balthazar a solid shove, sending him into the abyss.
You will miss out on some relatively useless loot in going about things this way, butit’s a small price to pay to get past an otherwise difficult encounter. Thunderwave can also be used to propel him and his Undead minions over the ledge as well.
5Convince Yurgir To Give It All Up
He Will Thank You In The End
Yurgir and his hoard of Merregon Legionnaires will ambush the party in the Gauntlet of Shar, but if youbring a party member with high Charismato pass some high Persuasion and Insight checks, Yurgir can be tricked into killing himself, bypassing the difficult fight altogether. To get him to do the unthinkable, you will need to roll a successful passive Insight check and figure out the “secret” to his contract, then pass a series of 21 Persuasion checks and a 21 Charisma check.
Each successful check results in Yurgirkilling a tough member of his posseand, eventually, himself. The good news is that tricking Yurgir actually saves him in the end, and he will be available to fight by your side against Raphael later on after passing yet another high Persuasion check.
4Defending Halsin’s Portal
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
DuringBladur’s Gate 3’s Act 2, as part of lifting the Shadow Curse, you will have to defend the portal for Halsin as he retrieves Thaniel from the Shadowfell. One incredibly effective strategy that makes this fight way easier is to castDarknesson the portal. Darkness has a unique effect thatprevents ranged attacks going into or out of the cloud.This will come in very handy when defending the portal, as enemies need to get within melee range to deal any damage.
This Incredible Baldur’s Gate 3 Swords Bard Build Is An Absolute Essential If You’re Trying Out Your Very First Honour Mode Run
One Baldur’s Gate 3 Swords Bard fan build makes Honour mode much more fun and manageable, and is perfect for veterans or first timers.
Another crucial strategy for this encounter is having Shadowheart (or another Cleric or Bard) cast RadiantSpirit Guardiansandrun around the area to take out the lesser enemiesthat spawn throughout the encounter.Wall of Firealso works very well for this encounter, but all of these spells require Concentration, so be sure to use separate party members when casting.
3Disintegrate Lorroakan, Bind The Elementals
Put Those Rare Scrolls To Good Use
This infamous encounter in Ramazith’s Tower will be incredibly frustrating without a solid plan - and some useful scrolls. First, make surea caster in the party has access toDisintegrate, or aScroll of Disintegratecan be purchased at The Bibliophile in the Lower City. Using this on Lorroakan will take out virtually all of his health, if not killing him instantly.
The second important step here is to castPlanar Bindingon as many of Lorroakan’s elemental summons as possible. Any Bard, Cleric, Wizard, or Druid can cast Planar Binding by Level 9, soit’s possible to have each party member bind all the elementals in this fight. AScroll of Planar Bindingcan also be purchased, looted, or stolen from Lady Esther on the Rosymorn Monastery Trail in Act 2.
The Crystals Are The Answer To Ansur’s Charged Attacks
Anyone attempting to defeat Ansur, the Undead dragon, has likely fallen victim to its devastating charged Lightning attacks, but the environment can be used to the party’s advantage in this arena.
The crystal shards spread across the dragon’s laircan actually be used as a defensive buff, applying crystalline skin when attacked, which gives you a two-turn resistance to certain elemental effects, including Ansur’s Lightning.
It will also be very useful to bring a caster with access to Dimension Door andGlobe of Invulnerability, or scrolls for these spells. While the crystals provide a two-turn resistance to Lightning damage, the encounter will still be challengingwithout some mobility and defensive tactics. Use Dimension Door to move the party longer distances, and Globe of Invulnerability as a refuge in case something goes wrong.
1Blowing Up Raphael’s Pillars Of Hope
Place Explosives Around The Pillars Before The Fight Begins
One of the most challenging encounters ofBG3, Raphael’s House of Hope fight, will be incredibly tough without knowing how the pillars in the room work. Each Soul Pillar gives Raphael several buffs and advantages, butyou can easily bypass the challenge of this encounter by placing explosivessuch as Runepowder or Smokepowder Barrels around the pillarsbeforethe fight begins. Then, simply blow the barrels up to destroy the pillars and negate most of Raphael’s power.
While these strategies certainly make the toughest encounters much easier, they still require careful planning and know-how. Depending on your difficulty level, these methods may also need to be tweaked slightly,especially with Legendary abilities in Honour Modethat will make tough fights such as Ansur even harder. Whether it’s finally putting those old scrolls to use, taking advantage of the environment, or using some cunning trickery, there are plenty of ways to make tough encounters easier inBaldur’s Gate 3.
