Baldur's Gate 3: Master the Game with This Essential Beginners Guide

Baldur's Gate 3: Master the Game with This Essential Beginners Guide

Baldur's Gate 3 Beginners Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Baldur's Gate 3 immerses players in a narrative-driven, party-centric RPG experience within the expansive Dungeons & Dragons universe, where the path you choose dictates a story filled with camaraderie, deceit, the struggle for survival, and acts of selflessness. the lure of absolute power. The game is developed by Larian Studios, the creators of Divinity: Original Sin 2, and features a new version of their acclaimed Divinity 4.0 engine. Baldur's Gate 3 was released on August 3, 2023 for PC and PS5, after a long period of early access.

If you are new to Baldur's Gate 3, or to the world of D&D in general, you might feel overwhelmed by the complexity and depth of the game. There are many things to learn, from character creation and combat mechanics, to exploration and dialogue options. But don't worry, we are here to help you master the game with this essential beginners guide. Below, you'll find some helpful tips and tricks to enhance your journey, making it a smoother and more enjoyable experience.

Table of Contents

• Choose Your Character Wisely
• Understand the Leveling System
• Pick Your Party Carefully
• Know Your Actions and Bonus Actions
• Use the Environment to Your Advantage
• Save Frequently and Manually
• Talk to Everyone and Everything
• Explore Every Nook and Cranny
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

Choose Your Character Wisely

The first thing you need to do when you start a new game in Baldur's Gate 3 is to create your character. This is a very important step, as it will determine your abilities, skills, appearance, background, and personality. You can choose from 12 classes and 11 races from the D&D Player's Handbook, as well as customize your appearance with various options. You can also choose an Origin hero, a pre-made character with a hand-crafted background and story. Or you can play as the Dark Urge, a fully customizable Origin hero with its own unique mechanics and story.

Your character creation choices will affect how you play the game, how you interact with other characters, and how the story unfolds. For example, your race will give you certain traits and bonuses, such as Darkvision or resistance to certain damage types. Your class will determine your combat style, spellcasting ability, and special features, such as Sneak Attack or Rage. Your background will give you proficiency in certain skills and tools, as well as a personal quest that ties into the main plot. Your personality will influence your dialogue options and how other characters perceive you.

There is no right or wrong way to create your character, but you should consider what kind of playstyle you prefer, what kind of story you want to experience, and what kind of challenges you want to face. You can also consult our detailed guides on classes, races, backgrounds, origins, and the Dark Urge for more information.

Understand the Leveling System

Baldur's Gate 3 uses a leveling system based on the D&D ruleset. You gain experience points (XP) by completing quests, killing enemies, discovering secrets, and making choices. When you have enough XP, you level up and gain new abilities and features. The current level cap in Baldur's Gate 3 is 10, which means you can access up to level 5 spells and abilities.

Leveling up in Baldur's Gate 3 is not automatic. You need to visit your campsite and use the long rest option to level up your character. This will also allow you to heal your wounds, restore your spell slots, and interact with your companions. You can access your campsite at any time by clicking on the button near the minimap at the top right corner of the screen.

When you level up, you can choose from various options depending on your class. For example, you can choose a subclass that gives you a specific focus and features within your class. You can also choose new spells or skills that expand your arsenal of abilities. You can also increase your ability scores or select a feat that gives you a special benefit.

You should choose carefully when you level up, as some choices are permanent and cannot be changed later. You should also consider how your choices complement your party members and your overall strategy. You can also consult our detailed guides on leveling up, [subclasses, spells, skills, ability scores, and feats for more information.

Pick Your Party Carefully

Baldur's Gate 3 is a party-based RPG, which means you can recruit up to three companions to join your adventure. You can find six companions in the first act of the game, each with their own class, race, background, personality, and story. They are:

• Astarion, a high elf rogue and a vampire spawn
• Gale, a human wizard and a living bomb
• Lae'zel, a githyanki fighter and a zealot
• Shadowheart, a half-elf cleric and a secret agent
• Wyll, a human warlock and a folk hero
• Karlach, a tiefling fighter and a former hellrider

You can also create your own custom companions by using the multiplayer mode or the character creation screen. You can customize their appearance, class, race, background, and personality as you wish.

Your party composition will affect how you play the game, how you approach combat, and how you experience the story. For example, your companions will have their own opinions and reactions to your choices and actions. They will also have their own personal quests that will reveal more about their past and motivations. They will also have their own romance options that will allow you to deepen your relationship with them.

You should choose your party members based on your preferences, playstyle, and goals. You should also consider how your party members complement each other in terms of abilities, skills, and roles. You can also consult our detailed guides on companions, composition, romance, and multiplayer for more information.

Know Your Actions and Bonus Actions

Baldur's Gate 3 uses a turn-based combat system based on the D&D ruleset. When you enter combat, you and your enemies take turns to act. On your turn, you can perform various actions and bonus actions to attack, defend, move, cast spells, use items, or interact with the environment.

Actions are the main things you can do on your turn. You can only perform one action per turn, unless you have a feature that allows you to perform more. Some examples of actions are:

• Attack: You can use your weapon or spell to attack an enemy within range. You can make multiple attacks if you have a feature that allows you to do so.
• Dash: You can double your movement speed for this turn.
• Disengage: You can move without provoking opportunity attacks from enemies.
• Dodge: You impose disadvantage on attack rolls against you until your next turn.
• Help: You can assist an ally within 5 feet of you with a task or an attack.
• Hide: You can attempt to hide from enemies by making a Stealth check against their Perception check.
• Ready: You can prepare an action or a spell to trigger when a certain condition is met.
• Shove: You can push an enemy within 5 feet of you 5 feet away from you or knock them prone.
• Use an Object: You can interact with an object in the environment or use an item in your inventory.

Bonus actions are extra things you can do on your turn in addition to your action. You can only perform one bonus action per turn, and only if you have a feature that allows you to do so. Some examples of bonus actions are:

• Cast a Spell: You can cast a spell that has a casting time of one bonus action.
• Cunning Action: If you are a rogue, you can use your bonus action to dash, disengage, or hide.
• Misty Step: If you are a wizard or warlock with this spell prepared, you can use your bonus action to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.
• Offhand Attack: If you are wielding two light weapons, you can use your bonus action to make an attack with your offhand weapon.
• Rage: If you are a barbarian, you can use your bonus action to enter a rage that gives you various benefits for up to 1 minute.
• Second Wind: If you are a fighter, you can use your bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level once per short rest.

Knowing how to use your actions and bonus actions effectively is crucial for winning battles in Baldur's Gate 3. You should plan ahead and consider how to best utilize your resources and abilities. You should also consult our detailed guides on combat, spells, weapons, and items for more information.

Use the Environment to Your Advantage

Baldur's Gate 3 features a rich and interactive environment Baldur's Gate 3 features a rich and interactive environment that you can use to your advantage in combat and exploration. You can manipulate objects, create hazards, exploit weaknesses, and trigger events with your actions and spells. Here are some examples of how you can use the environment to your advantage:

• You can use fire to ignite flammable objects and enemies, such as oil barrels, wooden crates, or webs. You can also use water to extinguish fire or create steam clouds that obscure vision and deal fire damage.
• You can use electricity to shock enemies and objects that are wet or made of metal, such as puddles, pools, chains, or armor. You can also use metal objects to conduct electricity and create a chain reaction.
• You can use acid to corrode enemies and objects that are organic or made of metal, such as flesh, wood, or leather. You can also use acid to create poisonous clouds that deal damage and impose disadvantage on saving throws.
• You can use cold to freeze enemies and objects that are wet or made of water, such as blood, ice, or snow. You can also use cold to create slippery surfaces that cause enemies to fall prone.
• You can use force to push or pull enemies and objects with your spells or abilities, such as Mage Hand, Telekinesis, or Shove. You can also use force to break objects or trigger switches and traps.
• You can use height to gain advantage on ranged attacks and disadvantage on melee attacks. You can also use height to jump or fall onto enemies and deal extra damage.
• You can use stealth to hide from enemies and gain advantage on attacks. You can also use stealth to sneak past enemies or ambush them.

Using the environment to your advantage is a fun and creative way to play Baldur's Gate 3. You should experiment with different combinations of actions and spells to see what effects they have on the environment and the enemies. You should also consult our detailed guides on environment, hazards, objects, and stealth for more information.

Save Frequently and Manually

Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that features many choices and consequences, as well as unpredictable events and dangers. You never know when you might encounter a deadly enemy, a tricky puzzle, a moral dilemma, or a game-breaking bug. That's why it's very important to save your game frequently and manually.

Saving your game frequently and manually will allow you to:

• Avoid losing your progress and having to replay large sections of the game.
• Experiment with different choices and outcomes without committing to them permanently.
• Explore different paths and possibilities without missing anything.
• Reload your game if you encounter a bug or a glitch that prevents you from continuing.
• Adjust the difficulty level or the game settings if you find the game too easy or too hard.

Baldur's Gate 3 has an auto-save feature that saves your game at certain checkpoints, such as when you enter a new area, complete a quest, or rest at your campsite. However, you should not rely on the auto-save feature alone, as it might overwrite your previous saves or fail to save at crucial moments. You should also make use of the manual save feature, which allows you to save your game at any time and create multiple save files.

To save your game manually, you need to open the menu by pressing Esc on your keyboard or the Menu button on your controller. Then, you need to select the Save Game option and choose an empty slot or overwrite an existing one. You can also name your save files and sort them by date, name, or location. To load your game, you need to open the menu again and select the Load Game option. Then, you need to choose the save file you want to load and confirm your choice.

Saving your game frequently and manually is a simple but effective way to enhance your experience in Baldur's Gate 3. You should save your game before and after every important decision, encounter, or discovery. You should also save your game in different slots and keep multiple backups. You should also consult our detailed guides on [saving] and [loading] for more information.

Talk to Everyone and Everything

Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that features a rich and diverse cast of characters, both friendly and hostile, human and non-human, living and dead. You can talk to almost everyone and everything in the game, using your dialogue options, skills, spells, and items. Talking to everyone and everything will allow you to:

• Learn more about the world, the lore, the history, and the secrets of Baldur's Gate 3.
• Gain insight into the personalities, motivations, goals, and relationships of the characters you meet.
• Influence the attitudes, opinions, and behaviors of the characters you interact with.
• Obtain quests, rewards, information, allies, enemies, or romance options.
• Resolve conflicts, persuade others, deceive others, or intimidate others.
• Express yourself, role-play your character, and shape your story.

Talking to everyone and everything in Baldur's Gate 3 is not only fun and immersive, but also beneficial and rewarding. You should use your dialogue options wisely and consider how they reflect your character and affect your reputation. You should also use your skills, spells, and items creatively and strategically to enhance your conversations. You should also consult our detailed guides on [dialogue], [skills], [spells], and [items] for more information.

Explore Every Nook and Cranny

Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that features a vast and varied world to explore, full of wonders and dangers. You can explore every nook and cranny of the game, using your movement options, perception checks, investigation checks, and tools. Exploring every nook and cranny will allow you to:

• Discover new locations, landmarks, secrets, and easter eggs.
• Encounter new enemies, allies, events, and scenarios.
• Find new loot, items, weapons, armor, and resources.
• Unlock new quests, achievements, options, and endings.
• Experience new challenges, puzzles, traps, and surprises.

Exploring every nook and cranny in Baldur's Gate 3 is not only exciting and rewarding, but also essential and beneficial. You should use your movement options carefully and consider how they affect your stealth and visibility. You should also use your perception checks and investigation checks frequently and pay attention to the clues and hints in the environment. You should also use your tools wisely and prepare for any situation. You should also consult our detailed guides on [exploration], [perception], [investigation], [tools] for more information.

Conclusion: Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that offers a rich and immersive experience for both newcomers and veterans of the RPG genre. The game combines the best elements of D&D with the best elements of Larian Studios' previous games. The game features a complex and dynamic story that adapts to your choices and actions. The game also features a deep and diverse gameplay that allows you to customize your character, party, combat style, dialogue style, and exploration style.

To master the game with this essential beginners guide, you should:

• Choose your character wisely
• Understand the leveling system
• Pick your party carefully
• Know your actions and bonus actions
• Use the environment to your advantage
• Save frequently and manually
• Talk to everyone and everything
• Explore every nook and cranny

Baldur's Gate 3 Beginners Guide: Everything You Need to Know: http://www.game-trekker.com/2023/09/baldurs-gate-3-beginners-guide.html

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about Baldur's Gate 3:

How long is Baldur's Gate 3?

Baldur's Gate 3 is still in development as of September 2023. The current version of the game covers only the first act of the story, which is estimated to take about 25 hours to complete. The full version of the game will have three acts in total, which are expected to take about 75 hours to complete.

How many players can play Baldur's Gate 3?

Baldur's Gate 3 supports both single-player mode and multiplayer mode. In single-player mode, you can control up to four characters in your party. In multiplayer mode, you can play with up to three other players online or locally, with each player controlling one character in your party.

How do I access Baldur's Gate 3?

Baldur's Gate 3 is available on PC (Windows) via Steam or GOG.com, and on PS5 via PlayStation Store. You need to have an internet connection to download and play the game. You also need to have a minimum system requirement of:

OS: Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-4690 / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 / AMD Radeon RX 580
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 80 GB available space

How do I update Baldur's Gate 3?

Baldur's Gate 3 is constantly being updated by the developers with new features, content, fixes, and improvements. To update the game, you need to have an internet connection and launch the game via your chosen platform on Steam, GOG.com, or PlayStation Store. The game will automatically check for updates and download them if available. You can also check the official website or social media accounts of Larian Studios for the latest news and updates on Baldur's Gate 3.

We hope this guide has helped you get started with Baldur's Gate 3. If you have any questions or feedback about the game or this guide, please let us know in the comments section below. Thank you for reading!.