First Things First - A Rules Disclaimer
Based on comments I've seen on the Steam BG3 Discussion forum, and comments on this guide, it's clear that many new players feel overwhelmed by the amount of rules, or uninterested in reading all the rules & mechanics - and that's ok.

It doesn't mean you can't play and enjoy the game right now even if you don't know all the details of the rules and mechanics. I have a few years of DnD5e experience (going back to 3rd edition), and it took me about a year (with game sessions each week or two) to thoroughly understand, and recall from memory, all the rules and mechanics for that game. Understanding the specific functions of all the spells was always challenging. My point is, it's not necessary for new players to learn and memorize ALL of this stuff in a single reading. Sheesh, the DnD5e Player's Handbook & Dungeon Master Guide are several hundred pages of rules and mechanics. This guide is intended as an online reference that players can come back to as often as necessary.

This guide examines combat tactics and strategies without dipping into cheese and gimmicks. As a Dungeon Master running a custom campaign for 4 players from 1st to 20th level, I've managed a lot of combat encounters over the years. BG3, while not identical to DnD 5e, has many of the same basic tactics and strategies for effective combat encounters.

This guide does not go into every detail of gameplay basics. It's assumed readers of this guide have a cursory understanding of BG3 and DnD5e mechanics. If not, definitely watch some videos and browse through the BG3 wiki.

Because there are a lot of DnD features happening behind the scenes in the BG3 game, this guide first dives into some fundamentals of the game, and then gets into more specific combat tactics. This guide is not a dissection of "the best" combat classes, races, feats and builds. Information included here is applicable to any class or race. Pros are unlikely to find much here they don't already know. This is a guide for total noobs. Let's get to it!

First off, let's get something clear. The Tank/Healer/DPS Trinity isn't in this game. Just forget it. Nope. If you're trying to create a character, or organize your party, based on the 'Trinity', then you're not going to have a good time in BG3.

BG3 is heavily infused with narrative and has combat encounters scattered throughout the game. It is not primarily a combat game compared to titles like Diablo or Path of Exile, nor does it follow the combat 'Trinity' like WoW or other group based games. The broad possibilities of character creation and encounter resolutions in an RPG like BG3 and DnD 5e means that the Tank, Healer, DPS Trinity of many other games just simply doesn't apply to this game. Some classes are certainly 'tougher' or focus more on dealing damage than others, but it's not pushed to the extreme like the typical trinity.

So, when creating your character or organizing your party, forget the Tank, Healer, DPS roles you might be familiar with from other games. If you don't believe me, browse the spell list for the entire game and count how many healing spells you find. Pssst, Clerics and Paladins can heal, but they aren't 'healers'. Not to mention, some classes have a decent amount of self-healing already built into them. Healing potions are found literally everywhere in this game. Hey, I wonder what's in that crappy sack/barrel/box/etc.? Score! Another healing potion to add to my 20 healing potions I'm carrying.

Yes, it's possible, within a strict set of conditions, for certain class 'builds' to deal A LOT of damage in a single attack or spell, but they generally lack the consistent DPS sustainability of a true DPS build you can find in other games. You can also cheese a backpack laden with explosives and detonate it in the middle of a mob of monsters if you want to see silly amounts of damage. However, in BG3 and DnD5e there are 'Nova' builds which can deal a large amount of damage in a single burst, but those are generally min-maxed, multi-class builds and often require a short or long rest after executing the 'Nova'. It's not something those classes/builds can do again and again for every round of combat.

Finally, it's practically impossible to 'Tank' every encounter in this game. There are simply too many ways to take damage and/or flat out die regardless of your Armor Class and how many hit points you have. A well known 'dirty secret' of DnD 5e is that buffs to, and stacking of, Armor Class were intentionally limited to prevent unhittable targets from cheesing the game.

BG3, and many table top RPGs, are based on a d20 system. This means players roll a 20-sided die to determine the outcome of many game features and mechanics. If you've never played a d20 system, let me assure you, 1 through 20 is not as big of a gap as you might first think. In a d20 system, every point that increases or decreases your results is hugely important. Additionally, a natural 1 always fails, and a natural 20 always hits or succeeds. A nat 20 on a hit roll is a Critical Hit[bg3.wiki].

In BG3 combat, every point you can add to your Armor Class, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check is worth its weight in gold. So, if you're wondering if that +1 weapon or armor really makes much of a difference, the answer is hellz yeah, it makes a massive difference. +X items, spells, or class features should generally take priority over most other types of 'bonuses' or features. When creating your character, controlling origin characters in your group, or deciding which magic items to purchase, always be on the lookout for those +X bonuses. +1 is excellent, +2 is awesome, +3 is absolutely amazing (there's nothing higher than +3 in BG3 currently), etc.

BG3 'only' let's players level up characters to level 12, while official DnD has a cap of level 20. Between levels 1 through 12, the d20 numbers in BG3 and DnD don't really get out of hand unless you enjoy cheese gimmicks. Therefore, those 'small' +X bonuses have a significant impact on gameplay and combat.

Proficiency & Proficiency Bonus - What's the Difference?
Every character and monster has Proficiency for certain game mechanics, and anything they have Proficiency in allows them to either use certain items without penalties, or provides a Proficiency Bonus when they make certain d20 rolls. Proficiency is gained from Race, Background, Class, and Feats.

Proficiency Bonus
The default Proficiency Bonus is +2 at character levels 1 - 4, and it automatically increases, regardless of your class(es), to +3 at character levels 5 - 8. The final bonus in BG3 is +4 at levels 9 - 12. AFAIK, there's nothing in BG3 which changes or modifies a character's Proficiency Bonus other than their character level.

Characters and monsters can have Proficiency for certain Weapons, Armor, Saving Throws, Skills, Spellcasting, and Tools. The Proficiency Bonus is automatically applied to every d20 roll for Weapon & Spell Attacks, Skill Checks, Tool Checks, and Saving Throws.

Spell Saves DC (Difficulty Class)
Spell Saves DC (how easy or difficult it is to resist a spell effect) also factor in Proficiency Bonus to determine the final DC of a spell related Saving Throw. The DC formula is 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Primary Spellcasting Ability Score Modifier. So, as a player's character level increases, their spells become more difficult to resist even if they multiclass with a non-caster class and stop leveling up their spellcasting class.

Armor Proficiency
If a character has a certain Armor Proficiency, that means they can wear that armor without any penalties. If they don't have Proficiency with that type of armor but wear it anyway, they get Disadvantage on all Attack Rolls, Saving Throws, Ability Checks, and can't cast spells! This includes Gloves, Helmets, and Boots that are Light, Medium or Heavy, and it includes Shields.

The concept of Advantage and Disadvantage was introduced in DnD 5e. The idea was to simplify the overwhelming amount of positive and negative modifiers on dice rolls from previous editions of DnD. It's quite simple, Advantage means a dice roll is made twice and the highest result is used, while Disadvantage means a dice roll is made twice and the lowest result is used. In combat, Advantage and Disadvantage are incredibly powerful, uh, advantages for you or disadvantages for the enemies. Weapons, spells, or class features which impart Advantage or Disadvantage should be high priority in combat and when creating your character.

For example, the Bard spell Vicious Mockery[bg3.wiki] only does a little bit of damage, but it also imparts Disadvantage on the target's next attack. This can be a life saver vs enemies with powerful attacks. The Bard spell Faerie Fire[bg3.wiki] imparts Advantage on all attack rolls against affected targets for the duration of the spell. That is how you wreck a group of enemies in combat. The more often you gain Advantage for your party, and impart Disadvantage on the enemies, the more likely you will win combat encounters.

* cough * Blindness spell[bg3.wiki] * cough *

1. It's important to note that multiple sources of Advantage and Disadvantage don't stack.

2. If there are multiple sources of Advantage or Disadvantage, they still only count as a single source.

3. Advantage and Disadvantage on the same character cancel each other out. For example, if you make a ranged attack vs a blind target (Advantage), but that target is more than 60ft away (Disadvantage), you make a normal roll. This means features, like Sneak Attack, which rely on Advantage or Disadvantage only care about the actual dice roll made, not the conditions modifying the dice roll.

4. In a situation where a character has multiple Advantage and Disadvantage on the same roll, they still cancel out and the roll is normal. (See #2) Meaning, 3 instances of Advantage vs 2 instances of Disadvantage doesn't result in 1 Advantage. Even 4 Advantage vs 1 Disadvantage still completely cancel each other.

Advantage
Attacking while you're hidden or invisible
Attacking an adjacent Prone or Sleeping target
Attacking a target that is Blind, Entangled, or Paralyzed
Certain Spells and Abilities provide Advantage

Disadvantage
Ranged Attack against an adjacent target
Attacking a target that's Obscured or Invisible
Ranged attack beyond 18m/60ft range
Not Proficient with certain Armor or Shields
Certain Spells and Abilities cause Disadvantage

Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma. You know exactly how all of these abilities impact combat, right? Since the inception of DnD 5e, a debate has raged amongst nerdom as to which of these abilities is the most important. The general consensus is...Dexterity. Disregarding BG3 narrative scenarios which utilize various Abilities for a variety of reasons, let's first look at the technical differences between Strength and Dexterity and how they impact combat.

Dexterity impacts your character's Armor Class, Initiative, Ranged Attack rolls, Ranged Damage rolls, some Thrown Weapon Attack and Damage rolls, Dexterity Saving Throws (arguably tied for the most important along with Constitution Saving Throws), certain melee weapons' Attack and Damage rolls (Finesse weapons), Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth skill checks.

*** Finesse Weapons can use DEX or STR, whichever is higher. However, most characters with higher STR than DEX typically use weapons capable of dealing more damage than Finesse weapons. ***

Strength impacts your character's melee weapon Attack and Damage rolls, Thrown weapon Attack and Damage rolls, Strength Saving Throws (arguably the least important Saving Throw vs spells, but a bit more useful vs weapon and combat Actions), Athletics skill checks, Throw & Drag Object distance, Jump distance, and carrying capacity.

The fact that Dexterity can boost your Armor Class, is the sole Ability score used to roll for Initiative, determines your Dexterity Saving Throw, and effects more skills than Strength, it's clear that ignoring Dexterity is a major mistake UNLESS a player somehow significantly compensates for the loss of everything a Dexterity bonus provides via feats, class/racial features, spells, magic items, etc.

For example, when looking at Armor Class, a Strength based character doesn't surpass a Dexterity character until they have access to heavy armor like splint and plate armor. If you're not familiar with BG3 and DnD armor, Light armor doesn't restrict the applied Dex bonus to AC, while Medium Armor restricts the applied Dex bonus to AC to +2, and heavy armor doesn't allow any Dex bonus to AC. Shields are a racial or class feature and have nothing to do with Dexterity and Strength. So, this means a character with a +3 Dex bonus (easily achievable for many starting characters), wearing Leather Armor and carrying a shield, has the same Armor Class as a character wearing Chain Mail heavy armor.

Back in the old days of DnD, heavy armor had a Strength requirement, but those days are long gone. In BG3, a low Strength/high Dex character can wear plate armor, use a shield, fight with a Rapier (finesse weapon) or a hand crossbow, and still get a bonus to Initiative rolls and Dex Saves.

Ok, so Strength is the second most important Ability for combat, right? Eh, not really. After Dexterity, we're looking at Constitution as the runner-up. Your character will get hit in combat, take AoE damage, and fail Saving Throws no matter how careful you play. Take a look at all the nasty spells with a CON Saving Throw, and then consider if you want to experience those effects. Hit Points are good. To stay alive, you need Hit Points. Pretty simple.

Well, what about casters like Wizards, Sorcerers, and Clerics? They also need Dex and Constitution in addition to their main spellcasting Ability. Did you know that your Con Saving Throw is used to maintain Concentration on a spell when you take damage? So, a spellcaster with a low Con Ability Score is both physically and mentally weak in a certain sense.

For many classes Strength is the 'dump stat', meaning it's the lowest Ability score for the character. The main exceptions to this are Barbarians, some Fighters/Paladins, and Tavern Brawler Monks. STR is most beneficial for characters that intend to frequently Threaten enemies in melee, and use their Shove and Jump Actions/Bonus Actions in combat. Otherwise, your character probably shouldn't prioritize Strength.

Saving Throws are most commonly associated with resisting the effects of spells, but there are weapon related combat attacks that require Saving Throws too. Each Ability Score (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA) is linked to the Saving Throw for that Ability. Meaning a positive or negative modifier from an Ability Score directly impacts the Saving Throw for that Ability. The most commonly used Saving Throws to resist spells and combat effects are Dex and Con, then Wis and Cha, followed by Int and Str.

Dex Saving Throws most commonly help a character avoid AoE and direct damage, or at least avoid half of it.

Con Saves typically help a character resist physical effects like poison or blindness.

Wis, Int, and Cha saves usually help a character withstand mental effects like Charm or Frightened conditions.

Str saves are often related to effects which restrain or force movement.

Based on information in the previous section of this guide about the importance of certain Ability Scores, you should know that Dex and Con Saves are the most important, followed by Wis. Simply put, if your Dex and Con Saves suck, you're gonna have a very bad day. On the flip side, if you debuff your enemies' Dex or Con saves, it makes it that much easier for you to ensure they have a bad day.

If you find yourself wishing you had better Saving Throws, consider the Resilient[bg3.wiki] feat. Not only do you gain Proficiency in that Saving Throw, you also gain a +1 increase for that Ability Score.

Currently in BG3, making a ranged attack vs a target in total darkness causes Disadvantage, but that is a rare scenario in this game. Many races have Darkvision, and the spells Light, Dancing Lights, and torches (which can also be used as a weapon) mitigate darkness. So, a character with Darkvision doesn't generally have any major tactical combat advantage over characters with normal vision. But this doesn't mean that spells like Light or Dancing Lights, are otherwise worthless.

Light conditions do impact the Stealth skill and hiding. Keep in mind that some enemies/monsters can take the Hide Action during combat which is a lot easier to do in darkness. Magic Light is also a nice QoL feature for players during combat and exploration unless you enjoy not seeing any details of your surroundings.

The three most exciting words in DnD 5e, but how important is Initiative in combat? First, know that in a HUGE departure from DnD5e, in BG3 Initiative is only a d4 roll modified by your DEX bonus, or lack thereof. Feats, like Alert[bg3.wiki], provide a massive bonus to Initiative and almost guarantees your character will go first every time. There are also class features and other feats that either boost your DEX/Initiative bonus, or allow rerolls of Initiative.

Also be aware that in another significant departure from DnD5e, allies within the same initiative grouping (shown in the initiative tracker at the top of the screen) may take their turns in any order they want, rather than sequentially from left to right as shown on the initiative tracker. Additionally, they may use their combined Actions, Bonus Actions, and Movement, in any sequence they want, even alternating back and forth between characters.

To do this in game, simply click on the appropriate character portrait and then select their Action, Bonus Action, or movement, but do not click the 'End Turn' button. I always wait until all of my characters in the same initiative grouping have used all their Actions, Bonus Actions, and movement, before I click on their 'End Turn' button. Sure, it requires a bit more micromanagement but it offers so much more flexibility and tactics than simply completing each character's Action, Bonus Action, and movement individually according to their turn order on the initiative tracker.

For example, an allied rogue and fighter are both in the first initiative grouping at the start of combat. Let's say the Rogue has an Initiative of 18 and the Fighter has an Initiative of 15. The Monsters have 10 Initiative. Because the Rogue and Fighter are 1st and 2nd on the Initiative tracker, they are in the same 'Initiative Grouping'. Even though the rogue is first on the left of the initiative tracker, the fighter can use its Longsword Rush Attack Action on a nearby enemy to knock it Off Balance and then the Rogue can attack with Advantage to make a ranged Sneak Attack, killing that enemy. The fighter can use its remaining movement to threaten another nearby enemy and use its Bonus Action for a Pommel Strike to Daze that enemy. Meanwhile, the Rogue uses its movement to step behind a nearby obstacle and use its Bonus Action to Cunning Action: Hide and prepare for another sneak attack on the next turn.

For certain classes, like a Rogue Assassin, a high Initiative is incredibly important. It can also be important for Buff/Debuff casters. It kinda sucks when your caster with the Haste spell is last in combat. For some classes and builds, investing in Initiative isn't a high priority and may actually be beneficial for them to go last. For example, some spells only work on targets below a certain hit point total. That might be impossible at the very start of combat, but quite feasible near the end of the first turn after they've taken damage.

Initiative tends to be most important when your party is vastly outnumbered, or vs targets capable of dealing large amounts of damage in a single attack/spell. The longer a combat encounter lasts, the less important that first round of combat looks after slogging it out for 6 more turns.

Every character, NPC, and monster in BG3 has an Action, Bonus Action, and Reaction each turn of combat. They can activate their Action and Bonus Action in any sequence they want, while a Reaction, like an Opportunity Attack[bg3.wiki], is a triggered effect. However, by default, an Action, Bonus Action, and Reaction can only be used once per turn, and some of those can only be used once or a limited number of times before requiring a Short or Long Rest to reset them. This allows for a wide variety of tactics during combat rather than simply spamming the same attack skill for the entire game. Generally, an Action is a greater effect like making a high damage attack or casting a spell, while a Bonus Action is a lesser effect like making a Jump or a low damage attack, but that's not always the case.

So, what is Action Economy? Simply put, using your Action, Bonus Action, and Reaction to maximum effectiveness each turn of combat is an ideal Action Economy. However, if you often find certain characters or builds not using their Bonus Action or Reaction each turn, perhaps because they don't have one worth using in combat most of the time, then they're losing opportunities to contribute towards victory over your foes.

Increasing your number of Actions, Bonus Actions, and Reaction options is also important. The 2nd level Fighter feature, Action Surge[bg3.wiki], is awesome for any character build because it's not limited to making Attacks. What's better than casting Fireball? How about casting two Fireballs in the same turn! Imagine the shenanigans of a Fighter/Rogue Thief with Action Surge and Fast Hands[bg3.wiki]. Maybe a Sorcerer/Fighter with Quickened Spell[bg3.wiki] and Action Surge is more your cup of tea? Certain spells, like Shield[bg3.wiki] and Counterspell [bg3.wiki]can only be cast as a Reaction. The Fighter/Battle Master maneuver Riposte [bg3.wiki]provides a 'free attack' as a Reaction when an enemy misses a melee attack against you. More options during combat means more paths to victory.

When an attack roll is made from a weapon or spell, the final result has to be equal to or higher than the target's Armor Class (AC) in order to successfully hit it. Generally speaking, AC 10 to 13 is bad, AC 14 to 16 decent, AC 17 to 19 is ok, and AC 20+ is better. HOWEVER, as mentioned previously in this guide, AC in BG3 and DnD is intentionally 'nerfed' to prevent crazy stacking of AC bonuses for an unhittable AC.

A major weakness of AC is that stacking of Attack bonuses IS NOT 'nerfed' in the same way. That means even an AC 20 is not that difficult to hit in most situations. So, don't be surprised when your front line Fighter in Plate armor and carrying a shield still takes a lot of hits. This is not to imply that Armor Class doesn't matter, it most certainly matters a lot! Rather, this is to temper expectations regarding the effectiveness of a high AC.

Because of the lopsided applications of AC and Attack bonuses, damage mitigation is an important factor for surviving combat. The three main forms of damage mitigation are Damage Resistance, Temporary Hit Points, and increased Max Hit Points. Some magic armor also provides a 1 or 2 point reduction for certain types of damage. That doesn't sound like a lot, but every point counts! In the DnD game sessions I've managed, I've seen the power of combining Damage Resistance, Temporary Hit Points, and Increased Max Hit Points. With enough damage mitigation, it doesn't matter as much if your AC is trash.

Damage Resistance
Damage Resistance means a 50% reduction in that specific type of damage. Damage Resistance doesn't stack. So, multiple sources of the same type of Damage Resistance are redundant. Spells like Blade Ward[bg3.wiki] and Protection from Energy[bg3.wiki] are strong, while class features like the Barbarian's Bear Heart Rage[bg3.wiki] and the Ranger's Natural Explorer Wasteland Wanderer[bg3.wiki] are good, too.

Temporary Hit Points
Temporary Hit Points are like a shield for your Hit Points. When you have Temporary Hit Points and take any damage, the Temporary Hit Points are reduced before your regular Hit Points. Temporary Hit Points cannot be healed, and they don't stack. Once they're gone, they're gone. Only the highest number of Temporary Hit points from multiple sources is applied. Spells like False Life[bg3.wiki] and Armor of Agathys[bg3.wiki] are good options for Temporary Hit Points.

Increased Max Hit Points
Increased Max Hit Points (IMHP) work differently than Temporary Hit Points. In a significant buff from DnD5e, in BG3 sources that provide IMHP, like the Aid [bg3.wiki]spell, also heal a character for the same amount. An IMHP buff does not wear off or go away when a character takes damage after the fact. They typically last an entire combat encounter or until that character takes a Short or Long rest. This is a major improvement from Temporary HP.

Meaning, if a target normally has 15 HP, then receives +5 IMHP, their new HP total is 20. If they then take 8 points of damage, their HP total drops to 12, but they can be healed back up to the IMHP buff total of 20 HP!

So, while sources of IMHP, like Aid, provide direct healing, IMHP is most effective when the target is already at maximum HP.

Combining Temp HP and IMHP
Finally, it's worth noting that Temporary HP buffs, and IMHP buffs STACK since they are different types of HP. At low levels this can substantially increase a character's HP total, and even at high levels it's possible for characters to get an extra 20 to 30ish HP without much effort. For example, a Wizard casts False Life for 7 Temp HP and the Cleric casts Aid for +5 IMHP. The Wizard now has an effective +12 HP.

What is an Attack?
Strictly speaking, an Attack is any Action, Bonus Action, or Reaction which makes a roll to hit vs the target's AC. Weapons, objects, and some spells roll for Attacks. This is an important distinction because of certain class or racial features which require an Attack or are part of an Attack. Making an Attack against an NPC or an unsuspecting enemy will almost always trigger combat and an Initiative roll.

Weapon Attacks
By default, Weapon Attack rolls are based on either Strength or Dexterity, however the Warlock's Pact of the Blade[bg3.wiki] uses Charisma for Weapon Attacks. Most melee Weapon Attacks, including Thrown Weapons like javelins, use Strength unless the weapon is categorized as a Finesse Weapon[bg3.wiki]. Those types of weapons use Dexterity or Strength (whichever is higher) for Attack and Damage rolls. Ranged Weapons like Bows and Crossbows use Dexterity for Attack rolls and Damage rolls.

Spell Attacks
Yes, numerous spells also make Attack rolls. Spells that target an enemy or impact enemies within an AoE typically have two options, either they automatically 'hit' the target and force it to make a Saving Throw, or the caster must make a Spell Attack roll using their primary spellcasting Ability Score modifier vs the target's AC. Spell Attacks, like Eldritch Blast[bg3.wiki], Fire Bolt[bg3.wiki], and Shocking Grasp[bg3.wiki] don't require a Saving Throw. Instead, the caster adds their modifier from Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom to a d20 roll to hit the target. Keep this in mind when selecting offensive spells and buffing Attack rolls for your characters. All of the same factors that influence Weapon Attacks, like Advantage/Disadvantage, also effect Spell Attack rolls.

Generally, it's a good idea for casters to have at least one offensive spell for Attacks and another for Saving Throws depending on how easy or difficult it is to hit the target's AC. If all of your offensive spells require Attack rolls, you might have a very bad time vs tough enemies. Likewise, enemies with high Saving Throws might have a low AC which makes them easy targets for your Attack spells.

Melee vs Ranged Spellcasting
The first consideration when creating your spellcaster character or playing a spellcaster in combat is if the character is best suited for melee or ranged distances. Casters like Paladins and Clerics are quite capable of spellcasting within melee range, while casters like Wizards and Sorcerers tend to do better with ranged spellcasting. Warlocks, Druids, Bards, and Rangers can do melee or ranged spellcasting depending on their build and spell selection. So, when selecting spells at level up and preparing spells after a long rest, pay close attention to the range of the spell.

There isn't necessarily a best option between melee vs ranged spellcasting. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. However, a successful combat caster tends to lean more towards melee or ranged spells and builds their character for that role. Of course you want some variety for spell distances, but your primary 'go to' spells tend to be either melee or ranged.

Concentration
Many spells require concentration to maintain the spell's effect, and there are several factors involved to keep concentration.

Concentration Limits
A caster can only concentrate on one concentration spell at a time. If, for example, a Cleric is concentrating on Bless [bg3.wiki]and then casts Shield of Faith[bg3.wiki], the effects of the Bless spell cease immediately.

Concentration Checks Are Actually Constitution Saving Throws
Each time a caster takes damage from any source they must roll a successful Concentration Check, which is actually a Constitution Saving Throw, or lose concentration. The phrasing of 'Concentration Check' is confusing since it's not really a Skill Check or Ability Check, and is in fact a Saving Throw. This is an incredibly important distinction because buffs to Saving Throws or Constitution also help with Concentration Checks.

The minimum Concentration Check is DC 10 even if the caster only suffers 1 point of damage. However, if 22 or more points of damage are dealt, then the DC is half of that damage (DC 11 or higher).

Incapacitated
If a caster with Concentration is Incapacitated[bg3.wiki], they automatically lose Concentration. Spells like Sleep [bg3.wiki]and Tasha's Hideous Laughter[bg3.wiki] incapacitate the target. Paralysis and other conditions [bg3.wiki]may also incapacitate the target.

Maintaining Concentration
If a caster intends to use Concentration spells during combat, they need to be prepared to maintain them. Here are some things to consider...

Damage Resistance is crucial to help maintain Concentration. This is because the Concentration Check DC is based on the actual damage dealt to the caster, not the initial damage roll total. Meaning, Damage Resistance is calculated before the Concentration Check DC. Spells like Blade Ward[bg3.wiki] are very useful in this regard, and Sanctuary [bg3.wiki]is even better if the Concentration spell is the key to winning the battle.

The War Caster[bg3.wiki] feat provides Advantage on Con Saving Throws for Concentration Checks. This is basically an automatic feat choice for melee range casters. Long ranged casters might be ok without this feat if they're careful with positioning and stay out of the scrum.

Bardic Inspiration[bg3.wiki] is useful IF the caster remembers not to use the BI on an attack roll or Ability check. You might need to adjust your game settings to prevent the UI from automatically triggering BI. Instead, the caster keeps BI as an insurance policy for when they take damage. An extra d6 (or more at higher levels) is a significant boost for a Concentration check.

Buff Your AC!
Of course, not getting hit in the first place is one of the best ways to maintain concentration. Is your caster using a shield? They should if it's an option. Humans can always use a Shield regardless of their class. Psst, tell Gale to stop two-handing that dumb staff ASAP and pick up a shield!

LoS
Use Line of Sight to your advantage! Maintaining Concentration doesn't require maintaining LoS (this can be abused in crazy ways). Move your caster around a corner or behind a door if possible to make it more difficult for enemies to target you. Many players buff their party while at Camp, then remove the buff caster from the group in place of some other character. While the adventuring party is fighting and exploring, the buff caster is chillin' at Camp, maintaining Concentration without a care in the world.

There are three main categories of spells for combat: Damage spells, Battlefield Control spells, and Buff/Debuff spells. A good combat caster should have options for all three categories. Another consideration is concentration spells. As mentioned in the previous section, concentration spells have their own host of issues. It's generally a bad idea for casters to have lots of combat spells that require concentration. Usually, just one or two concentration spells for combat is enough.

Damage Spells
Spells in this category are pretty obvious. They deal damage to one or more enemies. Spells like Burning Hands[bg3.wiki], Dissonant Whispers[bg3.wiki], and Melf's Acid Arrow[bg3.wiki] that still deal half damage even on a successful Saving Throw or a missed Attack roll should be high priority.

* cough * Magic Missile[bg3.wiki] * cough *

Of course there's everybody's favorite spell, Fireball[bg3.wiki]. Just be careful not to blow up your friends. Spells like Vicious Mockery[bg3.wiki] that deal some damage and impart a significant debuff are really about the debuff rather than the damage.

Finally, always ask yourself this question when evaluating damage spells, 'What happens if this spell doesn't hit or the target makes the Saving Throw?'.

Battlefield Control Spells
These spells may sometimes deal a bit of damage, but their main purpose is to control enemies or alter the environment to make things more difficult for enemies. In many encounters, 'setting the stage' with such spells before your Wizard starts slinging Fireballs might be the best option. Control spells may also provide a significant benefit for martial characters in your party, like making it easier to hit or critically hit the target, and act kind of like a buff in that regard.

Spells that Alter the Environment
Spells like Web[bg3.wiki], Grease[bg3.wiki], and Entangle [bg3.wiki]make movement incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Imagine a scenario where your strong, Athletic characters stand right at the edge of the Web, Grease, or Entangle AoE and simply Shove enemies back into it as your ranged attackers and spell casters pick them apart. Sounds like fun!

Spells that Control Enemies
Spells like Command[bg3.wiki], Sleep[bg3.wiki], and Hold Person[bg3.wiki] can take an enemy completely out of the fight for a short time. Higher level spells like Banishment [bg3.wiki]and Hold Monster[bg3.wiki] completely turn the tide of battle. These spells do nothing when they fail, but are way overpowered when they succeed. A well prepared caster should always have at least one or two solid control spell available.

Buffs/Debuffs
The simplest examples of Buffs and Debuffs are the spells Bless [bg3.wiki]and Bane[bg3.wiki], or the ever popular Haste[bg3.wiki] and Slow[bg3.wiki]. Most buff and debuff spells require Concentration and those casters need to be careful to maintain it. A prolonged buff or debuff can often determine the outcome of a battle, especially when they impact multiple targets. Many buff spells have a duration of 'until Long Rest' meaning you should cast them outside of combat so you don't waste Actions casting them in combat. Even buff or debuff spells with shorter durations of 10 turns or less should be cast the turn before you begin combat, if possible. Switch to Turn Based Mode in order to do this.

Shove and Jump are both Bonus Actions by default, and they are both impacted your STR score. A well timed Shove or Jump in combat adds another layer of tactical options, and of course it makes chasms an easy way to kill enemies, or for them to kill you. Oh yes, monsters will most certainly make a Shove attempt to yeet your beloved Shadowheart into a chasm.

Shove
Sometimes a Shove is a better option in combat than an Attack because it doesn't require an Attack roll to hit. Instead, a Shove makes an Athletics skill roll for your character vs the Athletics or Acrobatics skill roll of the target (whichever is higher). If your roll is higher, your Shove works. If you want to make Shove part of your combat repertoire, you should invest in STR and Athletics. If you are not a STR character and don't want to be pushed around like a rag doll, then you should invest in DEX and Acrobatics to resist Shove attempts.

When a Shove is attempted, there are some 'physics' involved depending on your position next to the target, your STR score, and the target's weight (not sure if carrying weight from items/armor, etc. impacts Shove distance) to determine the distance and direction of the Shove. You can't exactly choose the direction of the Shove or how far the target is shoved. Shove moves the target in the same direction your character is facing, so you can't shove a target sideways. The higher your STR and the lighter the target, the farther you can Shove them. Some targets are just too dang big and heavy to shove. Psst, Enlarge/Reduce[bg3.wiki]!

Generally, a Shove does not cause a target to go Prone unless the target also falls far enough from a certain height (similar to how Jumping from a tall enough height can make your character take damage and go Prone). A Shove is also considered 'forced movement', meaning it doesn't trigger Opportunity Attacks because the target didn't use their own movement to move.

When to Shove and When Not to Shove
Shove is sometimes beneficial in combat if your character doesn't have any other useful Bonus Actions. If you are Threatened by an enemy and want to move without an Opportunity Attack, you can try to Shove them away before moving. Keep in mind that Disengage is an Action by default. So, in terms of Action Economy, sometimes a Shove is a better option than Disengage.

IMHO, Shove is far too OP than it should be, but that doesn't mean it isn't a lot of fun to yeet an enemy into a chasm. The only drawback to the Shove/chasm combo is that there's no corpse for you to loot after the fact, or Animate Dead, or Speak with Dead, etc. Personally, I prefer high cliffs to chasms.

Shove is also handy to control the positioning of the enemy. Remember, you can orbit around an enemy without triggering an Opportunity Attack if you stay close enough, so you often have the option of Shoving an enemy in any direction you want by adjusting your position first. This can be useful if a nearby ally is also Threatened by that enemy and they need a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card.

Regardless of your STR and Athletics skill, if you are invisible or hidden, your Shove has advantage. This is what makes the Githyanki Mage Hand so much better than the other versions (it's invisible).

Do not Shove an enemy if you're out of movement and adjacent to an enemy but still have a Bonus Action to burn. All you're doing is moving that enemy outside of your Threatened area and allowing it to move anywhere it wants without triggering your Opportunity Attack.


Jump
In combat, Jump is a Bonus Action that uses 3m or 10ft of movement and allows you to jump, of course, a certain distance based on your STR modifier. Even a character with 10 STR can jump at least as far as the required 3m/10ft of movement, meaning characters with a STR modifier bonus basically get free extra movement when they jump.

For STR based characters, a Jump at the start of combat helps them close the distance to engage far away enemies that they might not be able to reach with normal movement. Just be aware that it uses your Bonus Action.

Jumping away from a Threatening enemy will trigger an Opportunity Attack, so be careful about that.

Jumping down from certain heights my cause falling damage and even make your character Prone.

Jumping out of difficult terrain does not seem to cost extra movement - it still costs 3m/10ft instead of double movement costs.

The Athlete [bg3.wiki]Feat increases Jump distance by 50%, which is great by itself, but is pretty ridiculous when combined with other Jump bonuses.

The Enhance Leap[bg3.wiki] spell TRIPLES the target's Jump distance.

Githyanki get Psionics: Jump[bg3.wiki] at 3rd level. It works just like Enhance Leap spell.

This is not a ranking system of the best and worst combat feats. Rather, this is a summary of my opinions regarding combat Feats in BG3. It should be noted that, for better or worse, several of the combat feats in BG3 are significantly different than the DnD5e versions. It's also important to consider that BG3 has a level cap of 12 and it takes four levels in a class to get a Feat. At most, a character can have 3 Feats in BG3 (Fighters and Rogues can have 4 feats). Select them carefully!

Here are all the FEATS[bg3.wiki], but this section focuses primarily on combat centric feats.

Ability Improvements
Ah yes, the conundrum of taking two more Ability points or a Feat with a cool effect. IMHO, increasing your main stat to 18 should be a priority for low level characters. At higher levels, you must weigh the pros and cons for your build when choosing a Feat vs an ASI (Ability Score Improvement). Be aware that some feats provide a one point ASI for a specific Ability AND some kind of cool effect.

Alert[bg3.wiki]
Going first in combat may, or may not, be the most important thing for your character build. There are some encounters where your party can be surprised. Alert helps with both of those things. The best thing about Alert is that it's a passive feat and doesn't require any Actions. It works all the time, every time. Not a top pick for me, but then again I've never played a Rogue Assassin.

Charger[bg3.wiki]
Requires a Dash Action and then a Bonus Action for a Charger melee Attack or Shove. Grants some extra movement and damage if the Attack hits. Not a bad choice for races with slower movement speed. Makes your fast moving melee character even faster so they can get to those pesky archers and casters in the back. However, it's not an efficient use of Action Economy, so is best suited as an opening move in combat, and not generally something to use repeatedly in the same encounter.

Crossbow Expert[bg3.wiki]
This allows a high AC ranged attacker to fight on the front line and Threaten enemies to help control the battlefield. Just switch to your melee weapon and shield after making your ranged attacks so you can make Opportunity Attacks, then switch back to your crossbow when it's your turn to attack again. A good feat for an Archery style Battle Master. Extra duration Gaping Wounds is nice and all, but not the main point of this feat.

Defensive Duelist[bg3.wiki]
A good choice for any DEX melee character that wants extra AC. Too bad it only works against one melee Attack each turn and it uses your Reaction. The nice thing is this feat automatically improves as your character gains levels and increases their Proficiency Bonus.

Dual Wielder[bg3.wiki]
You know what's cooler than dual wielding a pair of scimitars? How about dual wielding a pair of longswords or battleaxes and getting a +1 AC bonus too! What's not to like?

Elemental Adept[bg3.wiki]
An essential feat for any caster who wants to make sure their 'go to' spell does as much damage as possible. It doesn't matter all the time, but when it does, oh boy will you be glad it does.

Great Weapon Master[bg3.wiki]
The -5 to Attack rolls means this part of the feat needs attention in combat. Even so, many STR based melee builds take this feat. For a Half-Orc Fighter Champion with the Great Weapon Fighting style, this feat is just icing on the cake.

Heavy Armor Master[bg3.wiki]
More effective vs multiple non-caster enemies or enemies with multi-attack. As another layer of damage mitigation this feat helps your front line 'tank' stay on their feet. Combined with Damage Resistance this feat really shines. A worthwhile option for a melee caster like some Clerics and Paladins that want to improve the odds of making successful Concentration checks, but also get more mileage over the course of an entire campaign than War Caster generally. Notably, this feat DOES NOT provide Heavy Armor Proficiency!

Lucky[bg3.wiki]
Laugh at the RNG gods as you get Advantage on Attacks, Saves, and Checks, OR force ANY enemy to reroll ANY Attack, three times per long rest. Combine this with a Divination Wizard's Portent ability for real power.

Mage Slayer[bg3.wiki]
A lot of BG3 combat encounters have enemy casters. This shuts them down. Scary when combined with the Charger and/or Mobile feat for an unstoppable Juggernaut caster-killer.

Magic Initiate[bg3.wiki]
Not an amazing feat, but adds a good amount of utility for non-casters. However, the 13 WIS, INT, or CHA score is a big ask for most non-casters. Also a good way to cross-pollinate your caster if you're not interested in multi-classing but want to expand your spell repertoire.

Martial Adept[bg3.wiki]
Eh, not great unless you're already a Battle Master and want to expand your options.

Mobile[bg3.wiki]
You need this feat if you want to hit-and-run every turn with your melee attacker. Has interesting potential with Extra Attack so you can attack > move > attack > move and not have to worry about Opportunity Attacks. Might be a good way to debuff multiple enemies with poisoned weapons and other shenanigans.

Polearm Master[bg3.wiki]
Ah yes, half of the oft loved or hated Polearm Master + Sentinel combo with a 'Reach' weapon like a Halberd. Not amazing by itself, but brutal when paired with Sentinel and a Reach weapon.

Savage Attacker[bg3.wiki]
Combine this with Great Weapon Fighting and/or Lucky if you really want to show the RNG gods who's boss.

Sentinel[bg3.wiki]
Can you imagine how many people would rage quit this game if this feat was used against them by monsters sometimes.

Sharpshooter[bg3.wiki]
The ranged version of Great Weapon Master. Also pretty nice to shoot up at enemies without any penalty.

Shield Master[bg3.wiki]
Not incredible, but potentially a great layer of damage mitigation when you really need it.

Spell Sniper[bg3.wiki]
Yes, it 'stacks' but that doesn't mean you can take this feat multiple times and there's not much to stack it with in BG3. Honestly, this should be an Invocation for Warlocks and a standard class feature for Sorcerers rather than a feat. I'd take War Caster or Elemental Adept instead of this.

Tavern Brawler[bg3.wiki]
Most effective with STR based characters and Thrown Weapons. Can't deny it does deal significant damage!

War Caster[bg3.wiki]
Not a 'must have' feat for every caster, but most of them take it anyway. Super clutch when you really need it.

Kill Casters, Ranged, Melee & Control Big Baddies
This may not be a shocker for most players, but target selection in BG3 tends to follow the same theme as many other RPGs. Generally, your top priority targets to kill are casters, then ranged attackers, then melee attackers. Your top priority targets to control are the toughest enemies (high AC and HP) and/or enemies capable of dealing the most damage.

Consider Initiative
You might also consider the Initiative order when selecting targets. If your group focus fires the enemy with the highest initiative it has fewer opportunities to attack over the course of the combat encounter. Using this method, especially when your group is outnumbered, ideally by the end of the encounter all or most of your characters act before all the remaining enemies because you've already eliminated the high initiative enemies.

Focus Fire
Try to get as many of your characters as possible to focus fire on priority targets rather than engaging in separate, individual scrums. Spreading your group's damage vs several targets only serves to prolong combat and gives your enemies more turns to attack you.

Your spells and attack skills are meaningless without proper positioning during combat. Here are some suggestions for combat in BG3...

Whenever possible, ungroup your characters before combat, Hide, and position them at appropriate ambush distances. Sure, you can just waltz into combat and let 'er rip, but a more calculated approach tends to yield better results.

At the start of combat, position melee characters close enough to the enemy so they can reach it within one movement if possible.

At the start of combat and for the duration of combat if possible, ranged Attackers and Casters should be far enough away that they need to move forward just a little bit to target the enemy and then use most of their movement to retreat after the attack or spell. For ranged casters and attackers, it's risky to begin combat already within movement range of a target in case it rolls higher initiative and attacks first. The 'hit and run' tactic is much safer than remaining in the scrum, and it often causes enemy casters and ranged attackers to move too close to your front line characters in an attempt to close the distance on your ranged characters.

Always look for structural or environmental features that block LoS and use it for cover. Pillars, doors, wall corners, etc. all block LoS. You can also use the edge of a high wall/cliff to block LoS either by moving closer to the wall/cliff if you're at the bottom, or moving away from the edge of the wall/cliff if you're at the top.

Threatening and Opportunity Attacks
Understanding which of your characters should Threaten enemies, which enemies they should Threaten, and how to keep your characters from being Threatened by enemies, is an essential tactic in BG3 combat. Almost every monster and character can Threaten adjacent enemies. This means they can use their Reaction to make an Opportunity Attack if an adjacent enemy moves outside of melee range.

Be aware that some Large and bigger sized characters/monsters and certain weapons have an extended melee range! Opportunity Attacks are always melee, not ranged. Be sure to switch your characters to their melee weapons at the end of their turn if they're likely to be in melee range of enemies. If their bow or crossbow is the active weapon, they can't make Opportunity Attacks. Opportunity Attacks are subject to the same buffs/debuffs/Advantage/Disadvantage as normal attacks.

Important! Opportunity Attacks are only triggered when a target moves willingly by choice. Meaning, 'forced' movement as a result of a Shove or spell effect does not trigger Opportunity Attacks.

Generally, a character or monster can only make one Opportunity Attack per turn unless they somehow have multiple Reactions per turn.

Use your melee characters to Threaten enemy casters and ranged attackers. They are more likely to run away and trigger an Opportunity Attack.

You should also position your melee characters to block the movement routes of enemy melee attackers to prevent them from engaging/Threatening your ranged casters and attackers. Melee enemies are more likely to stay engaged with the first character that Threatens and attacks them. Be aware that monsters and enemies know what they're doing! If you leave an open path for them to your ranged attackers and casters, they're going to take it!

You can orbit around a Threatening enemy by 'hugging' them as you move. If you stay right next to a Threatening enemy as you move, you can move from the front to the side or back of the enemy without triggering an Opportunity Attack. This may be important if such a repositioning allows your character to Threaten more nearby enemies, or to make space for more of your characters to safely surround the target.

If your character is Threatened and you want to reposition, you can usually Disengage [bg3.wiki]to safely move away, or perhaps Shove the Threatening enemy away and then move safely if your STR and Athletics are high enough. Be aware that Disengage only prevents Opportunity Attacks by your current adjacent enemy/enemies. If you Disengage and move into, and then out of, melee range of a different nearby enemy, then that enemy will get an Opportunity Attack against you!

Some 'thorns' style builds that utilize spells like Armor of Agathys[bg3.wiki] and Fire Shield[bg3.wiki] may actually want to trigger enemy Opportunity Attacks.

The role of a pure healer in BG3 is simply not feasible. There's just way more damage being dealt than a single character can fully heal. Yes, a character that emphasizes healing spells/class features certainly helps in combat, but generally healing in combat is a 'last resort' to either prevent a character with low hit points from dying, or to revive a dying character. It's usually a better tactic for players to focus on dealing damage to enemies rather than using most of their resources to heal damage already dealt by the enemy. This is not to imply that healing is worthless or a waste of time. Healing should be just as tactical and thoughtful as everything else in combat rather than just spamming healing resources willy-nilly to keep everybody at max hit points all the time.

Summon Familiar, Spiritual Weapon, Animate Dead, Ranger Beast Master's Companion, Warlock Pact of the Chain, Conjure Elemental and even Mage Hand, etc. are all summons your party should use as often as possible. Why risk your characters in combat or to trigger traps when you can risk your easily replaceable summons instead?

Enemies will often target a summons rather than your characters.

Most summons can make Attacks or debuff enemies, and some summons can Threaten enemies for possible Opportunity Attacks.

Some summons can pick up and throw weapons/items you've dropped on the ground.

Spiritual Weapon and perhaps other summon spells deserve extra attention in this guide because of how well they combo with Sanctuary. The Sanctuary spell fails if the Cleric/target makes an attack, however, attacks made by summons controlled by the Cleric/target do not break the Sanctuary effect!

Is your character class/build incapable of conjuring any summons? Not interested in multiclassing just to get a summons? If your INT or WIS is 13 or higher you may want to consider the Ritual Caster feat which allows you to learn two Ritual Spells like Find Familiar and one other handy utility spell. Since Ritual spells can be cast outside of combat for free and many of them don't require Concentration, even a somewhat wise Barbarian or Fighter can benefit from the Ritual Caster feat.

Summons will rarely win a combat encounter on their own, but that's not the point. The fact that they cause disarray among enemy ranks means summons are valuable assets, especially when your party is outnumbered or you need to distract a singular, powerful enemy.

Potions, scrolls, magic arrows, and other one-shot consumables are a great way to enhance your combat prowess. Honestly, in normal difficulty you'll rarely need consumables for most combat encounters. However, in Tactician difficulty you will often find yourself wishing you had just a bit more power or utility for your characters. That's when consumables are most useful.

Spell scrolls in particular are great because any character class can use them regardless of their INT, WIS, or CHA. Spell scrolls are always cast at the lowest possible level even when used by characters with higher spell levels than the spell scroll.

Alchemy allows players to craft their own potions for free. If you really want to go all in with Alchemy, a Transmutation Wizard with the Medicine skill and Experimental Alchemy provides a 2-for-1 benefit when crafting alchemical solutions. The main thing I create with Alchemy is Greater Healing Potions. Your characters' HP will quickly outpace the healing ability of normal healing potions.

The classic 4 person party of DnD lore is Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue. This combination provides the most flexibility for any situation. However, perhaps you prefer a mob-squad, hack-n-slash style with multiple martial classes and fewer casters. Maybe you're looking for a natural themed group of Rangers and Druids. Why not make an Assassin Squad with your custom Rogue, Astarion, and Maddala? Defining your preferred group of characters takes time and a lot of tinkering.

Personally, I'm more of an old school purist and prefer flexibility over raw, focused 'DPS'. I think about combat and my characters/builds in terms of who I want to engage and threaten the enemies, and which of my characters I don't want threatened by enemies. For me, focusing on that particular mechanic helps simplify my choices in combat and guides my character development as I level up.

I also think about combat in terms of 'front line' and 'back line' characters. My front line characters are durable and physical. They can hold their ground and either pin down enemies or push them around with ease. My back line characters focus more on ranged damage, utility, and supporting the font line characters. Sometimes combat turns into a mosh pit, but ideally I can separate the engagement into distinct groups.

If you're new to BG3 or struggling with combat, I suggest the old school, tried and true party composition of Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, Rogue before experimenting with more unusual combinations. This party composition also helps you learn all the various ins and outs of combat mechanics and tactics. If you want to branch out, maybe switch the Fighter with a Barbarian. Trade the Cleric for a Bard, Druid, or Paladin. Instead of a Wizard, perhaps a Sorcerer or Warlock is more your style. A Ranger or Monk instead of a Rogue might be just what your party needs. This is part of the fun of this game. It's unlikely you'll keep the same party composition throughout the entire adventure. Certain characters are dead weight in some encounters, and Superman in others. Don't be afraid to try out lots of combinations and have fun with it.

Mastering combat in BG3 means mastering a broad range of issues. However, even the most experienced player will still have messy encounters from time to time. There is no silver bullet. There is no singular best way to conduct combat. There are simply too many variables to boil it down to a few simple 'tricks' or 'hacks'. Sometimes you are woefully unprepared for a certain encounter and will have to reload to an earlier saved game, change things up, and then go into that encounter better prepared. At least in BG3 we have that option. DnD5e players, not so much.

Combat is a balancing act of resource management vs damage output. Sure, you can use all your Long Rest and Short Rest abilities and cast all of your high level spells to obliterate every enemy in an encounter, but taking a Long Rest after each encounter is incredibly inefficient and expensive. Then again, in a boss fight you absolutely should unload everything in your arsenal.

If you're struggling with combat, slow down and take a look at everything in the combat log. Figure out what's happening and ask for help from experienced players. It might be your character build. It might be a simple problem with item proficiency. Maybe the spell or feat you're using is borked. Maybe you're just really inexperienced and need to research more about how a certain class or game mechanic works. Yes, the BG3 combat UI/UX still needs polishing and getting used to it takes some time. But after you overcome that issue, you still need a strong understanding of basic game mechanics. This game is a lot different than spamming spells and attacks in D4 or PoE. Good luck, adventurer!