Best Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3

Players of Baldur’s Gate 3 don’t just have to fight a Mindflayer invasion; they need to stop an Illithid parasite from transforming them into one before it’s too late. With the whole of Faerun at stake and their survival on the line, Baldur's Gate 3 puts players in quite a sensitive predicament. That is, at least, before they discover that their Illithid parasite also provides them with unique abilities.

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As players learn throughout their Baldur’s Gate playthrough, their time with the parasite allows them to slowly tap into a Mindflayer’s arsenal of psionic abilities without the immediate risk of transformation. However, just which Illithid Powers should players prioritize before their infection finally seizes full control of them?

Updated on January 9, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: As Larian Studios teases 12 new Subclasses about to be introduced in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, fans of the hit RPG might be excited to see how new builds would fare in their next runs - especially when gameplay of these Subclasses will likely change the way some players see their Baldur’s Gate 3 scenarios. However, fans who want to go all out in their builds might want to equip these upcoming setups with the full might of Illthid Powers - of which some must-haves include the ability to push enemies who try to attack players, damage others who want to damage characters on their path, remove actual Ability Points from a target, and even give emergency heals.

26 Displace

Punish Enemies Who Dare Get In The Way

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As many of the Illithid Powers in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay involve psionic abilities, it’s only natural for players to encounter a couple of powers that let them manipulate others at a distance. After all, some of the Illithid Powers in the game even let players push enemies telekinetically, a feat that can be especially advantageous if they want to create some distance.

However, this ability becomes more combative through Displace. This Passive Feature essentially punishes enemies who suffer from falling damage as a result of the player’s actions - with a hefty 1d8 Psychic Damage as a price for even trying to get into the player’s way.

25 Repulsor

Push Everyone Away

When players start to unlock the telekinetic abilities of their characters through their Illithid Parasite, Repulsor becomes quite the attractive (no pun intended) ability - especially for close-quarters specialists. Unlocked after getting Force Tunnel, Repulsor will essentially push everyone in a 6-meter radius away from the caster.

This is usable once per Short Rest, and forces everyone to take a STR Save (versus the caster’s Spell Save DC) or else they take 2d6 Force Damage. While the damage itself can be negligible especially in the context of more powerful Spells, Repulsor is especially useful for players who want to get enemies out of the way. Melee attackers can use this to make room and attack more specific opponents, while weaker Spellcasters can use this to get away from a surrounding enemy force.

24 Absorb Intellect

Heal At The Cost Of The Enemy’s Intelligence

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One of the most horrifying abilities of psionic creatures like Mindflayers is “absorbing” entire qualities of people - something Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay reflects in the form of Absorb Intellect. This can be quite the horrifying ability to use for its Short Rest recharge, as Absorb Intellect will essentially force the target to roll an INT Save (versus their Spell Save DC) or risk suffering -1 INT for five turns. Enemies who suffer this debuff will also prompt the players to heal for 1d8 Hit Points.

What makes Absorb Intellect quite interesting is how many characters with Absorb Intellect can technically “spam” this ability as a one-time heal. Just using Absorb Intellect on an enemy successfully for at least two times is bound to reduce their INT Mod, making them more susceptible to more Absorb Intellect instances.

23 Survival Instinct

Save An Ally From Unconsciousness

The Illithid Parasite progression tree isn’t the only way players can obtain Illithid Powers, as evidenced by Survival Instinct that a character can obtain from the quest “Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite.” When this quest is finished, Survival Instinct is granted to the conversing character - an ability that is usable once per Short Rest.

What makes this ability especially useful is the buff that it grants to players. At the cost of an Action for that turn, Survival Instinct is a three-turn buff that will stop the character from falling unconscious after reaching zero Hit Points. They gain 3d4 Hit Points instead. This can act as an emergency revive when players know their character will pass out as a result of an impending enemy attack.

22 Illithid Expertise

Get Even Stronger Proficiencies

As Baldur’s Gate 3 is a roleplaying game, players need to focus on dialogue just as much as combat. This is especially true considering players can rely on their Charisma Skills to convince or persuade NPCs to do things in their favor. With Illithid Expertise, players can grant their Charisma character an added boost to their conversational prowess.

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Thanks to Illithid Expertise, its user gets Expertise in Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion. This means they apply double their Proficiency Bonus when making Skill Checks involving these Skills. In the hands of a Face Character, Illithid Expertise can transform them into a conversation powerhouse.

21 Fly

Get A Free Flight Source

When players cultivate their Illithid Parasite, their characters may slowly transform into full Illithids - the same ilk of the Mindflayers who want to conquer Faerun. Among the Abilities they can obtain is Fly, allowing them to tap into their new psionic powers to fly toward a location. Partial-Illithids get this Ability automatically, although players can unlock this in advance.

Despite its straightforward nature, flying can become quite a nifty movement ability in the hands of the right build. Since Fly simply uses Movement and doesn’t take an Action, its users can effectively relocate to the convenience of higher ground to secure Advantage in Attacks or much further for the comfort of range.

20 Favourable Beginnings

Get A Hassle-Free Boosted Check

Not all Illithid Powers in Baldur’s Gate 3 are comprised of Active Abilities, as some Illithid power-ups give players a tremendous advantage in the form of constantly-triggered Passive Abilities. One such Ability is Favourable Beginnings, a Passive that only works whenever players target a character for the first time.

When players unlock Favourable Beginnings, their first Ability Check or Attack Roll against any target will get a bonus equal to the character’s Proficiency Bonus. This can be a big deal should players want to gain leverage on crucial conversations with bosses or get a higher chance of scoring a much-needed first hit against foes.

19 Psionic Overload

A Worthwhile Sacrifice For Consistent Damage

At first glance, Psionic Overload seems like an extremely risky Illithid Power to acquire in Baldur’s Gate 3. After all, players deal +1d4 Psychic Damage to their attacks and get 1d4 Psychic Damage at the end of their turn. However, what players might fail to realize with Psionic Overload is how it supercharges a multi-attacker’s kit.

Players must remember that Psionic Overload’s caveat only deals 1d4 Psychic Damage at the end of the character’s turn. This starkly contrasts its benefit, as the +1d4 Psychic Damage bonus is applied to every attack. When applied to a Haste Combo with a Fighter (with Action Surge) or a Monk (with Flurry of Blows) on top of their Extra Attacks, characters can see a minimum of +3d4 worth of Psychic Damage per turn.

18 Transfuse Health

Emergency Heals With Massive Risks

Surviving a tough encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3 usually falls upon the party members who can provide themselves with healing even if they’re not necessarily Clerics. Sometimes, even the riskiest of healing can turn the tide of combat when used properly - something Transfuse Health demonstrates.

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When used, Transfuse Health will take half of the player’s remaining Hit Points to heal a target of the same amount. This effect makes Transfuse Health compatible with tanks or high-HP party members who can probably take the massive Hit Point hit if it means getting powerful glass cannon units into proper shape.

17 Force Tunnel

A Charging Push For Extra Mobility

Distances can make combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 extremely sensitive to measurements, especially when attacks can be rendered impossible should enemies make the slightest step away from the player’s range. This makes mobility abilities like Force Tunnel extremely important, as their usage as gap-closers can allow tanks to pummel their way into a comfortable attacking distance.

When cast, Force Tunnel pushes all creatures and objects on the player’s immediate path. This doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks, making them extremely useful for repositioning. While its distance doesn’t offer a lot of room for retreating, its Short Rest recovery period can make this an emergency maneuvering tactic for players who want to get an opening to escape or flank a foe.