In Baldur’s Gate 3, spell preparation is your key to unleashing potent magic in the most optimal way.
Let’s dive straight into the essentials, so you can wield your spells with precision and dominate the challenges ahead.
Once you master how to prepare spells in Baldur’s Gate 3, combat encounters will become much more manageable.
How to Switch Spells Before Combat
Preparing spells is your gateway to harnessing magic effectively. Certain classes, such as clerics, druids, paladins, and wizards, must decide which spells to prepare before casting.
Press the ‘K’ key outside combat to customize your spell selections.
Remember, the number of spells you can prepare is determined by your level and casting attribute modifier.
Get your arsenal ready to avoid surprises when the heat of battle ignites.
Understanding Spell Slots
Spell slots are your magical ammunition. You must spend a slot to cast a spell, but they are finite and replenish only after a long rest.
Utilize them strategically; squandering them in one battle can leave you defenseless. Casting spells requires a slot of the same level or higher as the spell.
Upcasting—using a higher-level slot for a lower-level spell—enhances effects, so know your options by studying spell tooltips.
How Warlock Spell Slots Work
Warlocks operate differently. Their spell slots grow in power as they level up, with only two slots at levels 2 and 3.
In other words, you can cast your most powerful spells during a battle and rest assured you’ll get them back after a short rest.
This isn’t inherently good or bad. You might cast more fireballs than a wizard, but your overall spell count will be lower.
Select spells carefully, considering their potency and frequency. This uniqueness sets warlocks apart on the battlefield.
Wyll is a Warlock companion in Baldur’s Gate 3, and understanding how his spell slots work is important if you intend to use him and pursue his questline.
Cantrips and Rituals Do Not Need Slots
Not all magic relies on slots. Cantrips are your go-to infinite spells for combat and dialogue situations.
Don’t ever refrain from using them when they are needed. They also get more powerful as your spellcaster levels up.
However, some utility cantrips are limited to a single use before a long or short rest. That is the case with Mage Hand.
While Cantrips are free to use in the source material of Baldur’s Gate 3, the game introduces this limitation to prevent potential exploits.
Ritual spells offer versatility, consuming slots in combat but not outside. Watch for race, class, or gear benefits that grant daily spellcasting without exhausting your slots.
Spells classified as ritual spells are usually the ones that are most useful outside of combat. Speak with Animals and Find Familiar, for instance, are ritual spells.
Why You Can’t Cast a Spell
There are a few things that can cause this.
Have you learned the spell but it’s not appearing in your tab? It might mean that you did not prepare the spell yet.
Also, check if you’ve clicked on a tab containing spells of a different level. Maybe your spell is of a higher or lower level.
Did you spend all the spell slots required for that spell? For instance, if you can see the Fireball Icon in your tab but cannot cast it, it might mean you don’t have any level 3 spell slots.
Ensure you have available spell slots of the correct level. Expand your action bar to reveal all spells.
For certain classes, prepping spells outside combat is essential. Remember to prepare spells as shown above. Open your spellbook by pressing K on the keyboard and adjust your selection based on your level and modifier.
You can also find your spell book by clicking on the spell tab after opening your inventory.
How Concentration Works
You can only concentrate on one spell at a time. If you get hit, your character must succeed on a saving throw to maintain concentration.
This is why protecting your casters and targeting the enemy’s casters is crucial.
Some concentration spells can significantly benefit your party, granting damage resistance and bonuses to their Armor Class.
Unfortunately, this is also true of your enemies. If they have casters on their side, you can rest assured they will also have access to buffs that will work against you.
Think Outside the Box
BG3 is not a game that forces you to solve an issue in a specific way. It throws a problem at you, and you decide how to handle it.
You don’t need to be a spellcaster to be creative, but having one at your party certainly is fun and allows for the craziest things.
Turning invisible to escape enemies that surround you, pushing enemies into the abyss, or convincing animals that you are not a threat are just a few of the many things you can do by utilizing spells.
If you ever wonder if something is possible in this game, make sure to try it out. Chances are, it probably is.
