Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3adopts a great many spells fromDungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition, and some are far better than others. Whilst there’s no shortage of powerful spells that will take a character to the next level, there are definitely some spells that might appear more powerful than they actually are.
Picking a weak spell can not only be a serious hindrance for a character, but it can really demotivateplayers who level up, only to discover their chosen spell might not be as fun to use as originally thought. Luckily, this can be avoided. Here are the Sorcerer spells that should be avoided inBaldur’s Gate 3.
8Blade Ward
An Underwhelming Cantrip Coupled With Poor Action Economy
Blade Wardis a deceptively poor spell. Whilst it may seem like a great buff to reduce incoming damage, its uses quickly wane. This cantrip allows the caster to take half damage from any attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage for two turns.
On the surface, this spell might seem incredibly useful, and it definitely can come in handy at lower levels,but as players progressthey’ll find less value with this spell, namely due to the casting time. It costs 1 action to cast this spell, which is an invaluable resource in combat. At higher levels, players will generally be better off repositioning themselves in combat and using that action to debuff an enemy or finish off a deadly foe.
7Gust of Wind
A Situational Spell That Rarely Pays Off
Gust of Wind is a second-level spell that summons a gust of wind that can push creatures back 5m and knock them off balance. Upon being targeted by this spell, creatures must make a Strength saving throw, and if they fail, they’ll be off balance for one turn and move 5m backward, meaning they’ll have disadvantage on strength and dexterity checks, and attack rolls against them will be made with advantage.
Unfortunately,it will prove difficult for this spell to be particularly useful in combat,and the 5m that enemies will be pushed back is pretty difficult to gain any value from. It’s rare that enemies will be positioned in precarious locations that lend themselves to an environmental kill. Unless the luck of initiative is on the side of the adventuring party, the off-balance condition might prove difficult for allies to capitalize on.
6Charm Person
A Dungeons And Dragons Staple That Falls Flat
Charm Personis one of the most iconic spells fromDungeons and Dragons, which is not as useful inBaldur’s Gate 3.It allows the caster to charm a humanoid, and if the target fails a saving throw, it will grant the caster advantage on charisma checks when in dialogue. Whilst this definitely isn’t useless, a Sorcerer can instead learn the Friends cantrip, which will provide the same effect, without expending a spell slot.
Moreover, Charm Person will prevent a charmed humanoid from attacking the caster during combat. This feature generally isn’t very useful, as it does not prevent the target from attacking other allied creatures, and if an ally responds to an attack from the targeted creature, it will end the spell’s effect,effectively wasting a spell slot, which could have been used for buffs or dealing damage.
5Blink
Level Three Spell That Has A Chance Of Not Working
Blink has the potential to be a great spell, as it can make the Sorcerer who casts it pretty much invulnerable for a few turns, allowing them to maintain concentration after casting twin spell haste on their allies, ensuring martial allies are dishing out more damage.
The problem with this spell is due to the rolls required for it to work effectively. After casting this spell, the caster will roll a d20, and if they roll 11 or higher, will disappear into the Ethereal Plane where they cannot be seen or attacked. This means that it’s a complete toss-up,left to chance if this spell will pay off. Odds like that aren’t great when burning a third-level spell slot, which could be used for any number of powerful spells like fireball, counterspell, or lightning bolt.
4Knock
Waste Precious Spell Slots
Knock is a second-level spell, that will unlock any object that isn’t locked through magical or strenuous means. There aren’t too many difficult locks to pick inBaldur’s Gate 3, especially if a party has an ample supply of lockpicking tools.
This makes opting to use a second-level spell slot to unlock something an extremely costly route of action. Generally, players will be better off spending the gold to purchase lockpicking tools and giving them to another party member who is proficient with them. Not only will this make other characters feel more useful in the game, but it will save on those precious spell slots.
3Polymorph
Lack Of Choice Renders This Spell Redundant
Polymorphis an amazing spell in the tabletop game, as it provides a great list of options for players to utilize. It has a range of options to pick from, such as Giant Hawks or even a hulking Tyrannosaurus Rex, which can be incredibly useful in combat situations, especially when paired with aSorcerer’s twin spell metamagic ability.
Unfortunately, this spell is not so great inBaldur’s Gate 3.If this spell is cast on a target and they fail a wisdom saving throw, they will be polymorphed into a sheep, effectively removing them from combat. This might seem useful, but it unfortunately only lasts 5 turns and is subjected to other conditions that could cause this spell to end early. If the sheep, which has just a few hit points, dies, then the original target will return to fight. Alternatively, if the concentration of the caster is broken then the spell will end. All of this combined makes Polymorph a waste of a powerful spell slot.
2Dominate Person
A High-Level Spell That Rarely Delivers
Dominate Personis one of the most interesting spells on offer inDungeons and Dragons, largely due to the roleplaying element that is afforded to players with this spell, but it falls a little flat inBaldur’s Gate 3. In the tabletop game, Dominate Person allows the caster to take total and precise control of their target, instructing them to do whatever the caster wishes. Of course, this is incredibly difficult to translate to a video game, and unfortunately, this spell suffers for it.
InBaldur’s Gate 3, targets of this spell must make a wisdom saving throw, and if they fail, will fight alongside the caster. This might seem like a great spell at first, but unfortunately, every time the target of this spell takes damage, they can make another Wisdom saving throw to attempt to end the effects of the spell, meaning anyone dominated by this spell will likely not be dominated for the full 10 turns. It’s simply not worthburning a fifth-level spell slotfor an effect that will rarely last for its total possible duration.
1True Strike
The Worst Choice Of All Sorcerer Spells
It’s a good idea for any spellcaster in bothBaldur’s Gate 3andDungeons and Dragonsto avoid this spell. It’s a simple spell and grants the caster advantage on their next attack roll. It’s rare that this spell will ever come in handy, and perhaps will only be useful if the party is able to ambush enemies and get a surprise round.
Otherwise, players are almost always better off making an attack with the action that it costs to cast this spell. Whilst advantage is invaluable in combat, it is simply not worth spending one action and one turn to gain advantage on their next attack. There’s so much that could happen, such as an enemy dying or retreating, before the next turn is taken that would render this spell useless.
