Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Sleep spell for stealth and non-lethal

Cheers! I'm new to early access, I'm gonna suggest something I thought of as I would a DM and hope y'all will correct me if it's bad form or something.

For context, I was going into the crypt near the crash site, scared the looters outside, tricked the one inside the door and knocked him out. Sneaking to another looting patrolling or searching inside, I though to use Gale's sleep spell, but it only lasts a bit and had to use it merely an advantage to surround her and knock her out.

But, for example, we had ropes, being an unaware lone guard wouldn't it be a fun and interesting option to use the sleep spell and immobilize them before they wake up? Or, might be easier to implement, maybe an easier knock out on sleeping enemies or assassination if that's more your style. Now, I won't suggest being able to interrogate them, that's too much to ask.

What do y'all think? I admit I'm more familiar with rules-light ttrps and DMs who are into creative uses of mechanics, but from all the good things I've heard of Larian regarding feedback, I figured if there's a dev that would consider it, it's them.


TL;DR It could be cool if out of combat and without witnesses we could use the sleep spell stealthily to disable enemies.

If all enemies in a combat (or potential enemies that might begin a combat if awoken) are incapacitated (asleep, knocked out, paralyzed, etc) then it would be cool for the combat to instantly end, with the game essentially considering that you took them all out nonlethally and won. There'd need to be some restrictions - e.g., if the total HP of the enemies is above some threshold, or you're facing a single powerful enemy boss, or one enemy will only be paralyzed for 1 more turn - else it might be too easy to cheese fights.

I get what you're going for and if BG3 had a live DM you could probably do this on a situational, RP basis. You could even have some scripted situations but it would be very difficult, if possible, to program what you want into an open world CRPG. I have used, and as a GM allowed the use of, the Sleep spell outside of combat to get past guards and such and I could see that being a good addition to the game but inside combat it's a different issue. The Sleep spell is not difficult to wake from, all you need to do is "attack" the target and they wake immediately, this would include a shove or an attempt to immobilize them, so what you're describing just isn't possible with the spell as it is written. You'd need to change how the Sleep spell is written in D&D to work to get the result you want.

I think tying up with a rope would be cool too, but as FuriousGreg says, its really not applicable in this game mechanics. Cast sleep on someone or a group, kill off the nonsleepers and tie-up the sleeper. Then cast a charm and do some questioning session. Now it don't really work because you have it as a free action to shove your sleeping party member and getting them back in action again. There's never any time for the tactical playstyle you would use in a TT setting with a DM approval.

I really don't know what all the ropes we found in-game are for now. I would like if my strongest jumper (Lae'zel) could jump up, lower down a rope for the non athletic characters in party. But I think Larian doing a great job as it is with many things and I dont think they can manage all things I want.