Compared to other spells inBaldur’s Gate 3, abilities from theEnchantmentSchool focus more on bolstering the capabilities of both the caster and their allies when performing specific actions. Being an adaptation ofD&Drules, Enchantment spells inBaldur’s Gate 3focus on affecting a caster’s relationship with creatures around them, mechanically resulting in the manipulation of odds across various gameplay elements such as Attack Rolls, Saves, and ordinary Checks, as well as overall interactions.
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With the game’s roll-based system, Enhancement spells are must-haves in a player’s arsenal, especially if they have spellcasters who specifically have access to these buffs. However, some Enhancement spells inD&D’s repertoire of abilities are better than others.
10Confusion (4th-Level)
Players of RPGs likePokemonknow that Confusion can be a pretty debilitating move against foes, as the unpredictable maneuver can dish out quite the inconvenient punishment by stopping turns or even forcing opponents to damage themselves. Such is the nature ofConfusioninBaldur’s Gate 3, where victims who can’t get past the spell’s WIS Save will be subjected to magical befuddlement.
Under Confusion, a group of targets will wander around aimlessly for as long as 3 turns. In each of those turns, they can attack at random or even skip entirely. When used against a powerful enough creature, Confusion can stop a rampaging opponent and their mobs in their tracks.
9Otto’s Irresistible Dance (6th-Level)
Named after its creator of the same name, who resided in Oerth in theGreyhawkcampaign setting,Otto’s Irresistible Danceis an aptly-named spell that describes one of the most debilitating Enchantment effects inBaldur’s Gate 3.
When cast, Otto’s Irresistible Dance accomplishes what its name implies by forcing a target to dance uncontrollably. Once they fail the initial WIS Save, the Dance not only gives the target’s attackers an Advantage to their attack rolls, but the affected creature also gets Disadvantage on their own Attack Rolls and DEX Saves. When appropriately used, Otto’s Irresistible Dance canmake bosses a prime targetfor deadly Evocation spells.
8Dominate Person (5th-Level)
Humanoid enemies inBaldur’s Gate 3can be some of the toughest foes to fight in the RPG, especially since they possess similar builds to the player characters. However, a spellcaster with high enough Wisdom can impose their will onto these powerful humanoids withDominate Person,giving them a chance to fight on the player’s behalf before the rest of the party gets to finish them.
Dominate Person lasts 10 turns,giving the party an immense advantageshould they use this on a boss-level character. The fact that this spell only forces a WIS Save on the target when they get hit works to the player’s advantage, especially if the target in question is challenging enough that they won’t easily get hit. Coupled with the right buffs to AC or debuffs to Saves, players can extend Dominate Person to their heart’s content.
7Crown Of Madness (2nd-Level)
Bosses players encounter in theirBaldur’s Gate 3playthrough can quickly kill an underprepared party in a few hits, making them quite the challenge to face in most situations. However, players who know their arsenal well can use this strength to their advantage, courtesy ofCrown of Madness. This2nd-level spellis handy against targets who can’t pull off a Wisdom Save, especially since Wisdom and Intelligence are often the most popular dump stats in the RPG.
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When appropriately used, Crown of Madness instills uncanny madness in a humanoid target. This forces them to fight the closest creature for three turns, even if said creature is an ally. With the right spellcaster, players can pit a boss against their own minions, clearing the mobs while the rest of the party recuperates or prepares for the big encounter.
6Hold Person (2nd-Level)
The traditionalHold Personspell inD&Dgameplay simply paralyzes a target in place and renders them unable to move. However, Hold Person inBaldur’s Gate 3ups the ante by giving all attackers within 3 meters an automatic Critical Hit whenever they roll a successful hit.
What makes Hold Person quite broken is its 10-turn duration, as well as a Wisdom Save that capitalizes on one of the less-prioritized stats in the game. With the right approach,a spellcaster can hold an enemy in placewhile the resident melee specialist bludgeons them to smithereens in a few measly hits.
5Bane (1st-Level)
With thegameplay ofBaldur’s Gate 3relying heavily on rolls, players should focus on the results of their checks just as much as their stats. This advice goes both ways, as enemies who can’t roll higher than the player’s AC can’t hit them with their powerful attacks. It’s this particular setback on the opponent’s part that players should abuse, withBanebeing quite the Enchantment spell that can get the job done.
Bane targets up to three creatures at its core and forces them to make a CHA Save. Failing this will subject them to a 10-turn punishment, where both their Attack Rolls and Saves get a 1d4 penalty. The rather lower-numbered dice used implies a mediocre effect, but players who use this on mobs or even bosses with high bonuses can continuously miss their targets with a -1 up to -4 roll penalty.
4Sleep (1st-Level)
When NPCs get angry ina player’sBaldur’s Gate 3playthrough, combat is almost always a guarantee. Sleep can become a convenient spell to delay a nasty fight when players can’t afford to kill an angry NPC. Activating this spell allows players to force sleep upon any number of creatures that total 24 Hit Points, with using higher-level spell slots allowing players to accommodate higher Hit Points.
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Succeeding in using Sleep will render the target(s) unconscious for two turns. This works inside and outside of combat, allowing players to use their time to sneak past guards, snatch an item or two from a merchant, or get a head start in retreating away from a strong opponent.
3Bless (1st-Level)
In a roll-based game likeBaldur’s Gate 3, a single digit is usually all it takes to succeed or fail a check. While failing to meet the Difficulty Class of a check-in exploration, going below an opponent’s Armor Class isn’t just a miss - it’s an opportunity for them to strike back. WithBless, a caster can target up to three creatures to get a 1d4 bonus to their Saving Throws and Attack Rolls.
Despite the simple nature of this buff, 1d4 can spell the difference between a killing blow for either side. While it might be overkill to hyper-boostthe performance of heavy-hitting DPS unitswith a 1d4 buff, going overboard is safer than missing an attack.
2Heroism (1st-Level)
With character leveling and high Constitution being the only ways for players to boost their maximum Hit Points, even the slightest amount of Temporary Hit Points can give characters abetter chance of survival in crucialBaldur’s Gate 3encounters. While players can only get Temporary HP from one source at a time,Heroismis perhaps the ideal source of Temporary Hit Points among 1st-level buffing spells.
With Heroism, characters can enchant themselves or a target to become immune to Frightening effects as long as Concentration lasts. Not only that, but players get a continuous supply of 5 Temporary Hit Points per turn. This makes Temp HP more of an informal shield than an extension of one’s Hit Points, with its per-turn reset making it quite the survival tool.
1Vicious Mockery (Cantrip)
Part and parcel to a Bard’s arsenal of spells isVicious Mockery, and not simply because enchanting insults with magically debilitating effects is thematic to the class’ penchant for performance. Instead, Vicious Mockery isquite the efficientDungeons & Dragonsspellfor a Bard, explicitly built for its power as a mere Cantrip. When cast, the target of Vicious Mockery suffers 1d4 Psychic Damage.
While this seems mediocre for a Cantrip, its extra effect makes this spell dangerous, as the affected creature now has a Disadvantage on its next Attack Roll. Despite this Cantrip’s mediocre damage, being able to impose an immediate Attack Roll debuff on targets can render them useless in combat.
Baldur’s Gate 3is available for PC. A PS5 version is set to release on September 6th, and an Xbox Series X/S version is currently in development.
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