Honour Mode Guide#

Honour Mode guide

Honour Mode Overview#

Honour Mode is BG3’s ultimate difficulty challenge — it adds a single save and Boss Legendary Actions on top of Tactician. A total party wipe permanently deletes your save. This is the ultimate test for experienced CRPG players.

Core Rule Changes in Honour Mode#

Change	Details	Impact
Single save	Only one automatic save exists — you cannot create extra manual saves	Every decision is irreversible
Legendary Actions	Bosses gain an extra action every round — interrupting your combos	You must learn each boss’s action pattern in advance
Increased enemy stats	Enemy HP +50%, attack bonus +3, extra abilities	Higher damage and longer fights
Death deletes the save	Total party kill = save destroyed — back to the main menu	Fallen characters cannot be revived — insurance strategies are vital
Enhanced enemy AI	Enemies focus-fire casters, exploit the environment and use tactics	You cannot rely on simply out-stating them
No restarting	You cannot replay a previous fight — every outcome is final	You have to accept failure and adapt

Honour Mode vs. Tactician Difficulty#

Feature	Tactician	Honour Mode
Enemy HP	+30%	+50%
Enemy attack bonus	+2	+3
Legendary Actions	None	Every boss
Save system	Multiple saves	Single save
Enemy AI	Moderately enhanced	Significantly enhanced
Tactical options	Flexible	Must be flawless
Consequence of failure	Restart the fight	Save deleted

Recommended Honour Mode Builds#

Build name	Class setup	Core strengths	Why it suits Honour Mode
Hexblade Warlock	Pal 2 / Warlock 5 / Fighter 5	Triple attack + Divine Smite + full Charisma scaling	Steady high burst — several chances every round
Gloom Stalker Assassin	Ranger 5 / Rogue 4 / Fighter 3	First-strike Sneak Attack kills — denying enemies their turns	Going first cuts the number of rounds — lowering risk
Life Cleric	Cleric 12	Reliable healing + Death Ward	Prevents companion deaths — sustains the whole party
Open Hand Monk	Monk 9 / Rogue 3	High mobility + Stunning Strike control	Controls enemy actions — removing sources of damage

Recommended Four-Person Party#

Slot	Class
Main damage	Pal 2 / Warlock 5 / Fighter 5 Hexblade Warlock	Divine Smite, Command, Eldritch Blast	Steady high burst + plenty of dialogue options
Secondary damage	Ranger 5 / Rogue 4 / Fighter 3 Gloom Stalker Assassin	Sneak Attack, Assassinate, Action Surge	First-strike kills on key enemies
Healer / support	Cleric 12 Life Cleric	Bless, Cure Wounds, Death Ward	The party’s lifeline — Death Ward saves lives
Control / spells	Wizard 10 / Warlock 2 Divination Wizard	Haste, Counterspell, Fireball	Controls the battlefield — Hastes the whole party

Full List of Honour Mode Boss Legendary Actions#

Act 1 Bosses#

Boss	Legendary Action	Trigger	Counter
The Hag	Summons illusory duplicates each round — the duplicates can cast spells	Every round	AOE clears the duplicates — hit the real one with single target
Grym	Enters a frenzy after being struck by the forge hammer — attack doubled	After being hit by the hammer	Pace your damage — do not give it a chance to strike back
The Inquisitor	Summons githyanki spirit soldiers — Fears the whole party	Two rounds after combat begins	Spread out early — never let everyone get controlled

Act 2 Bosses#

Boss	Legendary Action	Trigger	Counter
Ketheric Thomm	Regenerates 30+ HP every round — summons an undead horde	Every round	Focus fire to burst him down — deny him the regen
Isobel (if hostile)	Unleashes group shadow damage every round — hurting the whole party	Every round	Kill her fast — do not drag it out

Act 3 Bosses#

Boss	Legendary Action	Trigger	Counter
Raphael	Summons a pair of cambions every round — Charming companions	Every round	Protection from Good and Evil / dispel — destroy the pillars fast
Orin	Immune to one damage type after shapeshifting — switches every round	Switches every round	Run different damage types across the party — cover all of them
Gortash	Steel Watchers throw bombs — fire damage in an area	Every round	Kill the Steel Watchers first — remove the damage source
The Netherbrain	Empowers mind flayers — psychic damage to the whole party	Every 3 rounds	Push forward fast — do not linger inside the brain

Core Legendary Action Mechanics#

Mechanic	Description	Practical notes
Trigger frequency	Most bosses trigger once every round	Someone has to keep dealing with it
Trigger timing	Usually at the end of the boss’s turn or after a companion acts	Turn order decides when you can defuse it
Immunity rules	Some Legendary Actions ignore stealth and immunities	You cannot tank them the usual way
Legendary Resistance	The boss can force a failed save once	Control spells need multiple attempts
Cannot be interrupted	Legendary Actions cannot be counterspelled or interrupted	Only killing the boss removes them

Boss-Specific Preparations#

Boss	Special preparation	Key items
The Hag	Fire resistance potion	Fire resistance potion
The Inquisitor	Protection from Good and Evil	Dispel scrolls
Ketheric	Anti-healing tools and burst potions	Strength potions
Raphael	Priority order for destroying the pillars	Fire resistance potions, teleport scrolls
Orin	Coverage across multiple damage types	Elemental damage weapons
The Netherbrain	Psychic resistance and fast pushes	Teleport scrolls

Honour Mode Survival Strategies#

Pre-Battle Checklist#

Item	Description	Priority
Invisibility potion for everyone	One each — for escaping a wipe	★★★★★
Death Ward	Mandatory for the Cleric / Paladin — prevents instant death	★★★★★
Haste scrolls	Everyone carries one — usable even if the Wizard is down	★★★★☆
Fire resistance potions	Against fire-based bosses like Raphael	★★★★☆
Revivify scrolls	Everyone carries one — revive companions even if the Cleric is down	★★★★★
Portal scrolls	Emergency escape — teleports the whole party at once	★★★★☆
Water bottles x10	The Wet condition doubles lightning damage — the cheapest burst there is	★★★☆☆

Camp Management Tips#

Tip	Description
Long Rest frequency	Long Rest after exploring each new area — keep spell slots full — do not hoard supplies
Using Short Rests	Rest briefly between fights — save Long Rests for before major bosses
Gear check	Review everyone’s gear before every Long Rest — make sure nothing is outdated
Insurance strategy	One invisibility potion and one revivify scroll per person — this is your life
Information gathering	Save and observe each new enemy type first — learn their attack patterns

Early-Game Honour Mode Levelling Route#

Target level	Recommended area	Strategy	Risk assessment
1 to 3	Beach to Druid Grove	Pick up gear — dialogue XP — avoid combat	Low risk
3 to 4	Blighted Village	Stealth-assassinate isolated enemies — break them off one by one	Medium risk
4 to 5	Goblin camp	Combat power jumps sharply at level 4 — but caution is still required	Medium-high risk
5 to 6	The Underdark	Level 5 brings Extra Attack / 3rd-level spells — a power spike	Medium risk
6 to 7	Monastery / Creche	Grab legendary weapons — a major jump in fighting power	Medium risk

Honour Mode-Specific Techniques#

Mindset Management#

Situation	Advice
Fight lost	Do not restart right away — analyse why you lost — was it a build problem or a tactics problem
Companion killed	Stay calm — revive with a scroll or spells — if everyone is down, run
Key choice mistakes	Accept the consequences — rolling with surprises is part of the fun of Baldur’s Gate 3
Boss stalemate	If you fail a boss three times in a row — consider skipping it — not every boss is mandatory

Information Is the Greatest Weapon#

In Honour Mode — knowing every boss’s mechanics in advance matters more than any build. Clear the whole game on Tactician first so you know all their attack patterns and Legendary Actions.

Invisibility Escape Strategy#

If a party wipe is coming — have everyone chug an invisibility potion — flee scattered once you are out of combat — and revive companions somewhere safe. This strategy can save your save file at the most desperate moment. Key point: an invisibility potion costs only a Bonus Action — it does not use your Action.

Honour Mode Clear Rewards#

Reward	Description	How to obtain
Golden Dice	A golden dice skin usable across your whole account	Clear Honour Mode
Achievement unlock	The “Honour Mode” achievement	Clear Honour Mode
Tactician achievement	Also unlocks the Tactician achievement (if not earned before)	Unlocks automatically

Honour Mode FAQ#

Question	Answer
Can I pause in Honour Mode?	Yes — turn-based combat is itself a pause — but you cannot keep extra saves
Can dead companions revive?	Yes — with revivify scrolls or spells — but a total party kill ends the run
Can I skip some bosses?	Yes — many bosses are optional — though the main story bosses are mandatory
Does Honour Mode have unique content?	Yes — boss Legendary Actions are an exclusive mechanic — and the Golden Dice are an exclusive reward
What class is best for clearing it?	Hexblade Warlock (steady burst) + Life Cleric (healing insurance)
Can I continue in normal mode after failing?	Yes — after a wipe the save converts to Tactician difficulty and continues — but with no Honour Mode rewards
How long does Honour Mode take?	20-40 hours — depending on experience and build efficiency
Can you play Honour Mode multiplayer?	Yes — 4-player co-op — but there is only one save — and it demands extremely tight team coordination

Planning an Honour Mode Playthrough#

Stage	Goal	Strategy	Estimated time
Act 1	Reach level 7 + grab legendary weapons	Maximise XP — explore everything — avoid unnecessary fights	10-15 hours
Act 2	Beat Ketheric + finish the Nightsong	Control chains + focus fire — Legendary Actions must be researched in advance	8-12 hours
Act 3	Beat Gortash + Orin + the final battle

Honour Mode Death Response Guide#

Situation	Response	Consequence
One character down	Pull them up with a revivify scroll — keep fighting	Low risk
Two characters down	The remaining two retreat — drink invisibility potions — revive after disengaging	Medium risk
Three characters down	Only one left — drink an invisibility potion and flee — revive everyone after disengaging	High risk
Total party wipe	The save converts to Tactician difficulty — Honour Mode is over	Failure

Recommended Route Through Each Act#

Act	Recommended route	Areas to avoid	Reason
Act 1	Beach to Grove to Goblin camp to Underdark to Creche
Act 2	Inn to Shadow-Cursed Lands to Moonrise Towers recon to Shar’s Gauntlet to final battle	Avoid the deep Shadow-Cursed areas (no moonlantern)	Shadow damage is lethal — no light equals death
Act 3	Rivington to Lower City to Iron Throne to Gortash to Orin to final battle

Planning Honour Mode New Game Plus and Multi-Run Techniques#

After finishing Honour Mode once you will have the Golden Dice and the exclusive achievement, but many players immediately start a new challenge. Here are the core ideas for planning a second run:

New Game Plus Goal Setting#

Goal	Description	Suggestion
Try a new build	Swap in a completely different class setup	See the class build details below
Attempt a speedrun	Clear it with the fewest Long Rests and the shortest route	Fight only the main story bosses and skip every optional fight
Finish all achievements	Fill in the ones you missed on the first run	List the achievements in advance and check them off one by one
Two-player Honour Mode	Share the challenge with a friend in co-op	Demands very high communication and tactical coordination

What Carries Over on a Second Run#

Content	Carries over?	Description
Golden Dice	Yes	An account-wide appearance unlock
Clear achievements	Yes	Unlocked achievements never reset
Character level	No	Every save grows independently
Gear and inventory	No	A second run starts from scratch

Efficient Multi-Run Route#

Act	Recommendation for the second run	Description
Act 1	Head straight for Blighted Village and the goblin camp	Combat is far more efficient once you know the enemies
Act 2	Do only Moonrise Towers and Shar’s Gauntlet	Skipping side quests saves several hours
Act 3	Chain all four main battles back to back	Raphael and Orin are both skippable by choice

Special Second-Run Challenge Ideas#

Challenge	Idea	Reward
No Long Rest clear	Rely on Short Rests and supplies to stay functional	Proof of your survival technique
Single-class challenge	The whole party uses one class	A severe test of resource management
Low-level speedrun	Finish the main story at a low level	Use terrain and items to make up the stat gap

Classic Honour Mode Disaster Points#

Act 1 Disaster Points#

Location	Why it goes wrong	How to avoid it
Goblin camp	Waking the whole camp gets you swarmed	Stealth-assassinate the three leaders one at a time
The Hag’s swamp	The duplicate spell deals too much damage	Drink a fire resistance potion before the fight
The Underdark	Ambush terrain from Bulette and Spectators	Keep the area lit and clear enemies outside your line of sight first
The Creche	Fear chains from the Inquisitor wipe the party	Put Protection from Good and Evil and Bless on everyone

Act 2 Disaster Points#

Location	Why it goes wrong	How to avoid it
Shadow-Cursed Lands	Shadow damage constantly drains health	Wear a moonlantern or shadow amulet throughout
Moonrise Towers	Ketheric regenerates too fast	Use anti-healing tools and burst him down together
Shar’s Gauntlet	Traps and illusions in the maze	Save at every step and push carefully

Act 3 Disaster Points#

Location	Why it goes wrong	How to avoid it
Raphael’s mansion	Mishandling the pillar mechanic	Destroy the pillars first thing on round one
Orin’s arena	Her shapeshifting switches damage immunity	Cover multiple damage types across the party
Iron Throne	Failing the rescue within the turn limit	Assign fast characters and teleport scrolls in advance
Final Netherbrain battle	Stacked psychic damage spiralling out of control	Push fast and do not drag it out

A Roundup of Classic Party Wipe Moments#

Scene	What happens	Lesson
Dialogue turns into combat	Talks break down, combat starts and they get the first move	Set up positions and buffs before you talk
Trap detonation	Tripping an explosive trap leaves everyone critical	Scout and disarm with a high-Perception character
Environmental kills	Shoved into an abyss or crushed by falling rocks	Stay away from cliff edges and catapults

Honour Mode Class Build Details#

Damage Class Details#

Class	Core gear	Key tempo	Notes
Hexblade Warlock	Greatsword and Charisma-boosting gear	Divine Smite with multiattack	Save Command as a control tool
Gloom Stalker Assassin	Initiative gear and crit gear	Unload your burst on round one	Retreat immediately if you lose the initiative
Open Hand Monk	Unarmed damage and Stunning Strike gear	Stunning Strike control on key enemies	Allocate Bonus Actions sensibly

Support Class Details#

Class	Core job	Key spells	Notes
Life Cleric	Healing and Death Ward	Cure Wounds, Death Ward	Time Death Ward casts carefully
Divination Wizard	Haste and Counterspell	Haste, Counterspell	Keep spell slots for the critical rounds
Beast Master Ranger	Pet takes aggro	Summon Beast	The pet can be resummoned after dying

Party Composition Taboos#

Combination	Problem	Alternative
All squishy damage dealers	No sustain after one burst	Keep at least one healer
All casters	Completely countered by magical shields	Keep one physical damage dealer
Stacking two melee characters	Crowded positioning eats AOE damage	Spread out and mix in ranged

Honour Mode Survival Technique Collection#

Map Exploitation Techniques#

Technique	How it works	Benefit
High ground	Take the high point for a ranged bonus	Hit chance and crit rate both go up
Narrow corridors	Bottle enemies in a chokepoint and kill them one by one	Avoid getting surrounded
Terrain demolition	Detonate explosive barrels to clear groups of enemies	Saves a huge amount of spell resources
Shutting doors	Close doors to split the battlefield	Stops enemy reinforcements from entering

Resource Cycling Techniques#

Technique	Description	Benefit
Stealing supplies with a rogue	Restock supplies from merchants	Keeps potion and scroll stocks high
Breaking down gear for coin	Sell spare equipment for supplies	Converts resources into fighting power
Cooking ingredients	Gather ingredients and cook advanced meals	Long Rests provide powerful buffs
Hoarding scrolls	Save combat scrolls for boss fights	Rely on spell slots day to day and ration scrolls

Mindset and Pacing Advice#

Advice	Description
Control your pace	Take a breath before every fight, confirm positions and buffs before acting
Accept surprises	Failure is part of the experience — analysing beats restarting
Rest sensibly	Attention drops during long sessions — do not brute-force bosses when you are tired
Take notes	Record why each boss wiped you, building experience for later runs