Baldur’s Gate 3 FAQ#

The Basics of the Game#

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a turn-based role-playing game developed by Larian Studios, built on the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons rules. Below are the questions players run into most often in actual play.

Platforms and Release Info#

Question	Answer
Which platforms can I play on?	PC (Steam, GOG), as well as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.
When was the full release?	August 3, 2023.
Is Chinese supported?	Yes — the interface and subtitles are available in both Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
How long is the main story?	About 20 to 40 hours for the main quest alone; around 60 to 100 hours including side content and exploration.
How many acts are there?	Three acts in total. After Act 2 ends, you travel through a waypoint to Baldur’s Gate and start Act 3.
Does it require an internet connection?	Single-player can be played fully offline; only co-op and some online features need a connection.

Core Rules Q&A#

The first system to understand here is the fifth edition action economy — many “why am I not dealing damage” or “how do I attack one more time” questions trace back to it.

What You Can Do in a Turn#

Resource	How It Refreshes Each Turn	Example Uses
Action	One per turn, fixed	Attack, cast a spell, use an item, Dash, Disengage, Hide, Prepare
Bonus Action	One per turn, fixed	Offhand attack, some spells, Shove, Jump, drinking a Potion of Speed
Reaction	Once per turn	Opportunity attacks, Shield, Counterspell
Movement	A fixed distance each turn	Can be split up — walk a few steps, attack, then walk some more

Actions are the core, bonus actions are secondary, and movement can be split. That is why “spending your entire first turn on damage” is usually worse than “control first, damage second” — the main reason most new players struggle.

Dice Rolls#

Many outcomes in dialogue, exploration, and combat are decided by dice. The main character’s ability scores affect the success rate of dialogue rolls, and a high-Charisma character opens up extra dialogue options far more easily — which is why so many players recommend a high-Charisma class for the protagonist.

Levels and Spell Slots#

Question	Answer
What is the level cap?	Level 12, with new abilities at every level; there is no content for level 13 or above.
How do spell slots recover?	A Long Rest restores all spell slots and hit points; a Short Rest only restores some classes’ unique resources (see the table below).
Do cantrips cost spell slots?	No — cantrips consume no spell slots and can be cast without limit, which makes them very handy for exploration and topping up damage.
Can a wizard scribe scrolls into spells?	Yes — a wizard can scribe a scroll into their spellbook, provided they have enough prepared-spell capacity and pay the gold cost.

Long Rest vs. Short Rest#

Rest Type	What It Restores	Classes That Rely on It
Long Rest	All spell slots, hit points, and class resources; advances some companion storylines	Casting classes such as Wizards, Clerics, and Sorcerers
Short Rest	Restores only certain class resources	The Fighter’s Action Surge, the Monk’s Ki, the Bard’s Inspiration, and the Druid’s Wild Shape charges

A Long Rest consumes camp supplies, and many beginners are reluctant to use them; but advancing companion storylines and restoring spell slots both depend on it, so rest when you need to.

Party and Companions Q&A#

Party Size and Members#

Question	Answer
How many companions can I bring?	The protagonist plus 3 companions — 4 members in the party.
Can companions be missed?	Yes. Some companions not recruited in Act 1 may never be able to join afterward.
Do companions all have personal storylines?	Origin characters each have their own questlines, likes and dislikes, and romance options; finishing a questline unlocks powerful equipment and influences the endings.

Approval and Romance#

Companion	Class	Actions That Raise Approval	Actions That Lower Approval
Shadowheart	Cleric	Kindness, trusting others	Cruelty, mistreating animals
Astarion	Rogue	Self-interest, elegant cruelty	Selflessness, helping others
Gale	Wizard	Pursuing knowledge, heroism	Short-sightedness, destroying knowledge
Lae’zel	Fighter	Directness, displays of strength	Hesitation, cowardice
Wyll	Warlock	Heroic deeds, protecting the weak	Evil, betrayal
Karlach	Barbarian	Justice, opposing slavery	Aiding the wicked, betrayal

Not every companion has a romance arc — some companions only offer a deep bond and cannot be romanced; whether approval is high enough decides whether the romance storyline can trigger.

Death and Resurrection#

Situation	Outcome
A companion goes down	As long as the whole party is not wiped, they can be brought back with a resurrection spell or scroll after combat
Total party kill	On normal difficulties, reload a save; in Honour Mode the save is destroyed outright
A dead character	Make sure you have a way to revive before a Long Rest; some deaths at story moments may be irreversible

Difficulty and Honour Mode Q&A#

The Four Difficulties Compared#

Honour Mode’s Special Rules#

Rule	Explanation
Single save	A total party kill destroys the save, and you cannot roll back to an earlier one
Legendary Actions	Some bosses take extra actions each turn, interrupting your combo rhythm
Smarter enemies	Enemies focus fire on casters first and position more sensibly
Completion reward	Success earns a gold dice skin shared across your entire account

The stretch before level 4 is the hardest part of Honour Mode. It is best to level up through dialogue and exploration and avoid fights you are bound to lose; keeping a Potion of Invisibility on every party member, breaking off a fight before a wipe, and reviving teammates afterward is a common way to play it safe.

Combat and Environment Q&A#

Environmental interaction is one of the core pillars of combat in this game, and using it well can drastically lower the difficulty.

Surfaces and Elemental Synergies#

Mechanic	How to Do It	Effect
High ground advantage	Attack enemies below you from a height	Bonus to attack rolls; standing lower instead carries a penalty
Wet plus lightning	Soak targets with a water bottle or Create Water first, then cast a lightning spell	Lightning damage against wet targets is doubled
Oil plus fire	Pour oil in a narrow passage and ignite it with Fireball once enemies step on it	The oil explosion stacks with the fire spell’s area damage
Ice plus shove	Freeze a surface so enemies slip, then shove with a bonus action	Prone enemies can be shoved off cliffs for an instant kill
Fog cover	Cast Fog Cloud on your own position	Ranged enemies cannot lock on to you; step out to attack, then step back in

Terrain Kills#

Shoving enemies off a cliff from a height kills them outright regardless of hit points — one of the most effective and most entertaining ways to clear enemies in the entire game. Jump costs only a bonus action and can be used to bypass surfaces and obstacles, or to leap down onto enemies from above for extra fall damage.

Common Combat Mistakes#

Mistake	Consequence	The Right Play
Going all-out on damage in turn one	Enemies counterattack immediately and the losses pile up	Control first, damage second
Ignoring high ground	Ranged accuracy drops	Always take the high ground
Not using bonus actions	Wasting a free action every turn	Use at least one per turn — offhand attack, shove, jump, or a potion
Wasting spell slots on weak enemies	Nothing left for bosses	Use cantrips or weapons on weak enemies and save spell slots for bosses
No Short Rest before battle	Fighters, Monks, and similar classes cannot recover resources	Short Rest after each fight as needed

Items and Resources Q&A#

Item Rarity Colors#

Rarity	Color	Role
Common	White	Basic gear; from shops and ordinary chests
Uncommon	Green	Usable early on, with basic enchantments
Rare	Blue	Mid-game staples
Very Rare	Purple	Late-game core, with strong special effects
Legendary	Orange	Endgame gear, from specific questlines or bosses

Useful Potion Recipes#

Potion	Effect	Ingredients
Potion of Speed	One extra action for several turns	Wispweed and salt
Potion of Invisibility	Invisibility, broken by attacking	Wispweed and belladonna
Potion of Healing	Restores hit points	Bellflower and salt
Potion of Strength	Raises Strength	Yew berries and salt

Gold and Respecs#

Question	Answer
Can I respec?	Yes — reset a character’s attributes and class choices at camp, for a fee in gold each time.
Where does gold go?	Buying equipment, spell scrolls, and camp supplies, plus respeccing characters.
How do I get more out of scrolls and potions?	Throwing a potion on the ground creates an area effect, and a scroll can serve as one free spell at a critical moment.

Common Misconceptions#

Misconception: you must be online the whole time
- Fact: single-player is fully playable offline; the connection only matters for co-op and some online features.
Misconception: the level cap is high and the content is enormous
- Fact: the cap is level 12, across three acts, with a main story of about 20 to 40 hours.
Misconception: respeccing is free
- Fact: resetting a character at camp costs gold — every respec comes at a price.
Misconception: you can reload after failing in Honour Mode
- Fact: Honour Mode is a single save; a total party kill destroys it, with no rolling back.
Misconception: companions can be picked up at any time
- Fact: some companions not recruited in Act 1 may be missed forever afterward.