Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General Help for a "new" player

Hello (sry for my english, not native, doin my best. I hope i still will be understandable).

I started the game weeks ago and i have now about 15-20 hrs of playing in differents game as Fighter, Warlock or Monk. I play in Explorer. I love the lore and the characters, but still...

(I love to play Melee in my games, that's why I use 3 Melee character with ranged options as well, and a ranged character such as Gale or Stealth Astarion)

But my Thread is not about building, it's about the game itself.

After 15-20 hrs, I can say I'm a bit disappointed and there's still things I don't understand.

-First, I notices that the game didnt explain the use of the items, money and ressources you farm.
I still don't know how really the game works, so I take everything i see. Do i really have to ? If i do not, why can we pick skulls, empty bottles and barrels ?
As the money, I don't know what the use of it (if it's not for food). The 2 merchants I met doesnt sell anything useful (only jeweleries and clothes with no abilities) and never change their stock.
How works the alchemy gameplay ? Do the resources regrowth after a time ?
Am I doin something wrong here ?

-Second, the combats are very hard to master, and to me for now, it's a luck based combat for the most of them (I have 35/40% chances to hit when i attack my ennemies, just... Why ? 🤔). So when i lack spells slots or potions (btw how can i get or make potions??), i try to avoid combat. And if i meet a very difficult combat, i'm stuck in the game (as I am now, with the 4 knights at the bridge destroyed by the red dragon after emerald grove). How can i find food to have long rests ? Is that the only use of money ? Can i "farm" xp and money by re-doing some combats / zone / monsters ?

I'm from Bethesda games, and this new game (which i want to explore and master) is hard for me (mbe too hard, dunno...).

Thanks in advance for you answersand help. But please dont be mean. The comments such as "go play tetris" or "uninstall the game you're not made for it" are obviously useless (and forbidden i guess). Make them to yourself in your head, would be much more useful 👍🏻


Cya and good game !

No, you do not have to take everything you see.

Personally, I ignore everything except magical items (Stuff with a different coloured name) and Supply Packs.


It's possible to use these things. Random junk can be thrown at enemies (Although it does not do much damage). As well as it can be sold to make a small amount of money.

Barrels and Crates can be used to climb onto in order to access certain areas without using spells. You can also use them to do silly things like using them to prevent people from seeing you sneaking, or blocking a path so enemies have to run to a specific area to attack you.


For the most part, many merchants will sell unique magical items which is the primary use of money. Beyond that you can use it to buy supplies like Scrolls, Potions and Food as you require.


Resources do not regrow at all. However, some merchants you'll encounter will sell ingredients, which you can purchase to make potions.

Merchants all refresh their stocks after you Long Rest allowing you to continuously purchase more supplies (Be it ingredients, potions, scrolls etc)


It sounds like you're using attacks that your characters do not have the stats for.

Most melee weapons require Strength in order to be accurate with, the exception are weapons that have the "Finesse" rating, which can use Dexterity instead. All Ranged weapons require Dexterity to use. While Spells require a stat that is dependent on the class (Druids, Clerics and Rangers require Wisdom. Paladins, Bards, Sorcerers and Warlocks require Charisma. Wizards require Intelligence)

Certain classes can change these rules. For example, a Monk can use any one handed weapon or staff using Dexterity instead of Strength and a Warlock who opts for Pact of the Chain has an ability that can make their melee weapon use Charisma.

If your stats for whatever method of attack are low, then you will find that your attacks will have low chances to hit. As such, it's best to try and maximize the stat that corresponds with your characters main way of attacking to ensure the highest chances to hit.


You can acquire potions by either purchasing them from merchants, or by crafting them.

In order to craft potions, you can go to the alchemy page (There's a tab in your inventory for it). First you will have to "Extract" from ingredients and then you will be able to make things using the resulting extracts.


You can purchase food from merchants.

You can also find it throughout the world. Often you will find food in barrels and crates, especially those close to or inside houses. Any food item you see can be used to long rest.

In addition, it's also possible to create it. Druids and Rangers can access a spell called Goodberry which allows them to create food that can be used to Long Rest with.


No. Nothing in the game respawns. Whenever you kill something or someone, they are dead permenantly for the rest of the game.

The only way to "Farm" xp is by taking actions to maximize the amount you gain from a particular source. For example, early in the game you can encounter some bandits arguing outside of a tomb. You can maximize the xp you gain from this encounter by talking to them and peacefully persuading them to leave which will grant you xp... Then before they disappear you can attack them and kill them for additional xp.

Such actions should be considered though, given the aforementioned permenant results. So it is best not to simply murder everyone for xp (There are however some people, such as those bandits, that are side characters that never show up again for the rest of the game)

Another method of maximizing xp, is to trigger as many inspirations as possible. Each "Background" has a set of actions that when performed will grant an inspiration providing the character with a small amount of xp (And providing an inspiration point to reroll a skill check). Figuring out these actions to trigger inspirations for characters will allow you to gain more xp, with the idea being that they are somewhat related to the overall background itself (I.e. The Soldier background, that Lae'zel has, will often be related to combat or military training. While a Folk Hero background like Wyll has, will be focused around helping people)

Oh thanks a lot for your reply !
I just didnt know that weapons required abilities 😅
I think I still dont know the game at all, I didnt know we could use junk in combat or move them. It is more clear now. I have better vision of the game. I'm still disappointed, because it's kinda not a "real" open world (to my opinion only, bethesda gamer). I'm a farmer, so i'm bit frustrated now.

Thx a lot, you taught me in on reply more than my experience in game, and hope this thread will help more people !
Cya

If you have come upon the Githyanki patrol by the bridge with the red dragon you have stumbled upon the hardest battle on the entire map which you can easily encounter while still underpowered. Explore the other areas of the map for easier combats, more merchants and lots of loot and food.

40% chance to hit shouldn't be that common unless you are running a party with 4 Shadowhearts.Assuming you are playing with the origin characters with their default stats and classes, you should have Lae'zel/Karlach up front in melee, Astarion using ranged attacks from stealth and Gale/Shadowheart/Wyll casing spells to support you through the fights.

Taril's reply is excellent and covers most of what I'd say. One thing I'd like to add: with the junk you can pick up, assuming you don't you can compare the weight to price. The stuff that weighs more than one and has a tiny value, is almost never worth carrying unless it has a function. It's a while since I've played so I don't remember what the ratio can be, but I think about the worst I'd carry is weight 1 to price 5 or so

As to the Githyanki Patrol - if you plan to fight them, don't do so before level 4, better at 5th. But you can talk your way through, with Lae-'zel it will be one test, and without - three, IIRC.
My view may be skewed by playing Tactician/Honour Mode only.

Even in balanced mode, it 's a hard fight and depends for a very big part on the first initiative roll. The first 2 rounds can see you lose 3 party members if the die rolls are not in your favour. So replaying the fight a couple of times is no dishonour.

Using the Ogres for this fight works. Often.

At the point I had figured out none of the ropes you find have any actual function in the game, like rappelling or building something, I had probably looted enough of them to get a small shop. Shovels are highly useful, however. Your character, group members and some other creatures that can join you sometimes spot suspicious dirt piles with successful nature/survival checks where you can use the shovel to lift treasures. These can also contain gold, potions, scrolls and sometimes items. I also had a lot of fun decorating my camp with all kinds of stuff. Since I played a necromancer, I always had some macabre stuff on the "lab table". You can also use trunks and other containers as "folders" for equipment, if you're a fellow hoarder.