Dungeons & Dragons: 10 BG3 Spells Players Keep Expecting To…

Spells remain a focal point of playthroughs in Baldur's Gate 3, especially when the party has to deal with various circumstances they can't smooth-talk with dialogue or brute-force with physical prowess. Maybe a button from afar needs something to click it, or an ally needs extra juice to resist a debilitating effect. With the right Spell, a character can have a good chance of bypassing a problem - something players can apply to their own characters if they eventually transition from Baldur's Gate 3 to actual Dungeons & Dragons.

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By Isaac Garry-Madden

However, with Dungeons & Dragons catering to larger and more flexible stories, not all Spells from Baldur's Gate 3 have the same effect as their D&D counterparts. In fact, since Baldur's Gate 3 has a cap of Level 12 (instead of the traditional Level 20 for D&D), most Spells have been tweaked to accommodate more precise situations or smaller spaces. On top of these are Spells whose effects in BG3 might end up surprising players when they transition to Dragons & Dragons, as their differences can affect the way players interact in combat or the world at large. But which spells from BG3 have a surprising "twist" awaiting players who finally study them for their D&D campaigns?

Mage Hand

The Spectral Hand Is A Literal Lightweight

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
It's its own summon that lasts throughout a Short Rest, with its own Initiative and movement options. It also comes with a Shove action.	It's more limited in terms of what it can and can't do - its range is shorter, it can't use Magic Items and carry very heavy objects, and it cannot Shove.

When players in Baldur's Gate 3 want to get deep into enemy territory to push a button or trigger some effect, they don't always have to risk a character's life in the process. With Mage Hand, characters can conjure a summon that lasts up to Short Rest that has its own Initiative, Movement options, and its own Actions. While these allies can't attack, they can throw things and even do minor interactions with items - leaving characters available to fight enemies and do other tasks.

Mage Hand carries a similar functionality upon shifting to main D&D, but with some caveats. Whereas the BG3 version just stops moving past a certain distance, the D&D version vanishes outright upon moving more than 30 feet. It costs an Action to control the hand and tinker with normal objects, but it can't activate Magic Items or carry more than 10 pounds. While the D&D variant seems more limiting at first glance, it can be as flexible as the caster's imagination. And in this case, the lack of a stat block means the Mage Hand cannot be destroyed except if it goes out of range, the caster dispels it, or a Spell dispels it.

Resistance

Cast Whenever The Effect Can Be Applied

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Bonus to Saving Throws is applied automatically, whether engaging in a conversation or a situation that actually requires a separate Save.	Reduce damage by 1d4 of any one of these damage types: Acid, Bludgeoning, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Necrotic, Piercing, Poison, Radiant, Slashing, or Thunder.

Baldur's Gate 3 Spells don't always shoot fire and blast targets with elemental damage, as some Spells inflict unique effects on foes - whether it's making them stay still (Hold Person), turning an enemy into an ally (Charm Person), or avoiding full damage from an attack, among others. Since these effects could be resisted by characters, they need to roll a Saving Throw to see if they can actually resist these effects. And if they need that extra push, a Spellcaster can cast Resistance to add a 1d4 bonus to their Saving Throw roll.

In Baldur's Gate 3, a character can toggle to add an ally's Resistance to a Save whenever they encounter an effect where this is applicable. This is especially apparent in dialogue to resist some conversation-related effect. However, Resistance has some limitations in original D&D, namely its combat-oriented approach that reduces damage from only one damage type. Creatures with Resistance can also only use this damage reduction once per turn, meaning Resistance has to be cast multiple times throughout the encounter to consistently get this benefit.

True Strike

Deal More Damage Consistently

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
The next attack against the target has Advantage, even during the same turn.	Use a Spellcasting Ability instead of STR/DEX, and they can add a +d6 Radiant or Weapon Damage Type to the Damage Roll if they hit

Before characters deal damage in Baldur's s Gate 3, they need to make an Attack Roll first - which leaves a lot of attacks to chance, especially if the enemy has a high Armor Class. This makes Spells that confer Advantage to Attacks, like True Strike, especially relevant in fights. In Baldur's Gate 3, players can cast True Strike on a target to guarantee Advantage on the next attack. And if that same character can make another attack, they have a higher chance of hitting, making this Spell perfect for combo-ing with DPS characters.

However, Dungeons & Dragons has a different version of the Spell. In the original Fifth Edition, True Strike still provides Advantage until the end of the caster's next turn. However, this only affects the next attack within the character's next turn, making it quite a long wait to land a much-awaited hit. Not only that, but True Strike gets nerfed in the 2024 Revised Rules. With this Spell in effect, True Strike grants a +5 Radiant damage or Weapon Type damage bonus to an attack that hits while this Spell is active.

Dissonant Whispers

Fright Enemies To Submission

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Target takes 3d6 Psychic damage and is Frightened - they cannot move and have Disadvantage to Ability Checks and Attack Rolls.	Target takes 3d6 Psychic damage and uses their Reaction to move as far away as possible.

Psychic Damage is a relatively rare damage source in D&D, but the prevalence of Mind Flayers and the Gith meant telepaths and telekinetics have become quite a common sight in the Forgotten Realms, specifically. In Baldur's Gate 3, Spellcasters-in-training can use Dissonant Whispers to inject frightening thoughts into their target's mind, forcing them to freeze in terror as they take 3d6 Psychic Damage and get Disadvantage to Ability Checks and Attack Rolls. What's interesting here is that the game's version of Dissonant Whispers is overpowered - Frightened characters cannot move, which means attackers always score Critical Hits against them.

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This is somewhat milder in D&D, as while the target still takes 3d6 Psychic damage, the effect is much weaker: the target who fails the associated Save must use their Reaction to safely move as far away from the caster as possible. There isn't as much use to the Spell in the RPG, except perhaps to make sure help the caster get out of being cornered by many opponents.

Aid

A Great Source Of Additional Defense

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
All allies within range get the Temp HP, lasting until a Long Rest, and will affect Downed allies.	Only three characters at a time can get the benefit of the Spell.

There are very few sources of Hit Point increases in both Baldur's Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons that don't involve healing from Clerics, and the surefire way to do so permanently is through leveling up. Beyond this, characters only have access to Temporary Hit Points, or a temporary HP buffer that takes damage like a shield. With Aid, a Spellcaster in Baldur's Gate 3 can target all their allies in range and give them a +5 Temp HP boost (and +5 Temp HP per Spell Level above 2nd). Even a 5HP buffer can make a huge difference in Baldur's Gate 3 fights, and even more so in Dungeons & Dragons, where Dungeon Masters can introduce more terrifying opponents.

It's for this reason that Aid appears rather lackluster compared to its game counterpart. Its effect stays mostly the same, except for the fact that the caster can only provide this Temp HP to up to three characters in range, which means the Caster needs to be careful whether to beef up their melee combatant or improve the chances of survival of squishier backrow party members.

Mirror Image

A Decent Defensive Buffer For Bosses

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Get +3 AC per duplicate, with each duplicate disappearing when the user is hit by an opponent.	Get three duplicates, of which players are "switched" with them if an enemy attack hits them.

Imagine a Rogue build going toe to toe with a vicious fighter, whose attacks are so brutal that they can take on many foes at once. But when the enemy slashes the Rogue, they hit "thin air" - only to realize too late that the Rogue is already behind them. What they hit seems like an afterimage, and this is the kind of vision Mirror Image the game wants players to imagine when their character casts the Spell. In the game, Mirror Image summons three "duplicates" that walk with the character, giving them +3 AC per duplicate on the field. Each duplicate vanishes whenever the player is hit, decreasing their new AC but protecting them from damage.

The AC boost here is significantly helpful in boss fights, as this boosts the odds of a DPS avoiding pesky attacks and giving them the chance to strike back. In Dungeons & Dragons, Mirror Image is more straightforward: the target still receives three duplicates, but the player "switches" with the duplicate whenever an attack hits them. This is practically a three-hit invulnerability, which is helpful in short encounters but can be disadvantageous in prolonged combat.

Spiritual Weapon

Get A Substitute Melee Attacker

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
A summon with its own Initiative, Movement, and Action set	A non-targetable spectral entity that attacks on command but moves with its caster's Bonus Action

Players who want to use a traditional RPG composition in Baldur's Gate 3 will likely grab a Cleric as a backend healer and perhaps a Fighter to defend them on the frontline, which means anyone targeting the Cleric can sneak up from behind and cut support altogether. With Spiritual Weapon, the Cleric has a fighting chance. This will summon a weapon of the player's choice that floats nearby, with its own Initiative count, Movement, and Action set that will allow it to fight enemies alongside the caster. In high-volume fights, a Spellcaster with a floating weapon is still an extra combatant, giving the party a chance to clear dungeons faster.

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Interestingly enough, the Spiritual Weapon functions similarly in Dungeons & Dragons, but with limitations imposed. For one, the Spiritual Weapon can only move with the caster's Bonus Action - meaning, moving a weapon closer to an opponent will stop the caster from using any of their other Bonus Actions. As a plus side, the Spiritual Weapon is spectral - it doesn't have any Hit Points, and is therefore only destroyed with a Spell-cancelling effect.

Haste

Get A Much-Needed Burst Of Energy

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Target gets double speed, +2 AC, DEX Save Advantage, and 1 Action (may Multiattack or Cast a Spell)	Target gets double speed, +2 AC, DEX Save Advantage, and 1 Action (either 1 Attack, Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object)

Fighters are favored Multiclass options due to their Action Surge - essentially a means to get an extra Action to get that one other attack in a pinch or to execute a powerful combo. No other Class has this immediate perk, and the only other way to enjoy this immediately is through the Haste Spell. In Baldur's Gate 3, Haste is a potent Spell that grants +2 AC, Advantage to DEX Saves, double speed, and an immediate extra Action that they can spend to do virtually anything.

This Spell is a reflection of its Dungeons & Dragons counterpart, where the affected character also gets a much-needed burst of "energy." This Spell can certainly be a clutch against a tough boss battle, but the Lethargic condition when the Spell ends will leave them vulnerable until their next turn. The trade-off might be worth the while, but players need to be careful using Haste in D&D, as the "extra Action" doesn't apply to everything - just a choice from one other Attack, Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object.

Revivify

A Go-To Resurrection Without Withers

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Immediately bring an ally back to 1HP regardless of condition, and whether there's no body to be found.	Revive an ally to 1 HP within the last minute, and cannot restore any missing limbs.

Despite being a world of magic, death can still be "permanent" in Dungeons & Dragons, and it's only thanks to Withers (and the plot device he's involved in) that players can actually revive dead characters in Baldur's Gate 3. Mechanically, the only "other" way to revive a character without Withers's intervention is with the Scroll of True Resurrection that Gale gives the players should he, well, die the first time around. Other than that, a player's best shot is Revivify, which brings an ally back to 1HP regardless of whether they're lying on the ground or if their corpse is in a chasm.

Players are lucky to have Withers in Baldur's Gate 3, because the core D&D experience doesn't always have that. If one were to follow the rules as dictated, Revivfy can only resurrect allies within 60 seconds of being downed. Not only that, they cannot restore any missing limbs from the corpse in question.

Greater Restoration

Cure More Unique Conditions

In-Game Property	Actual D&D
Remove Cursed, Stunned, Charmed, and Petrified conditions	Remove any one condition: reduce Exhaustion by one level, Charmed, Petrified, Cursed (or Attunement to a Cursed Magic Item), Ability Score reduction, effect to Hit Point maximum

A hallmark of a true healer in Baldur's Gate 3 is access to healing Spells that can save the party in a pinch. Of course, the more healing Spells they can throw at injured allies, the more chances they have of surviving some of the game's toughest encounters. Unfortunately for parties, conditions like Cursed, Stunned, Charmed, and Petrified have no solutions that inherently exist outside Alchemy, and waiting for them to expire might be next to impossible in a fight. This is where Greater Restoration comes in, where it can remove all of these conditions in one go. Should a character have the unfortunate fate of stacking these debuffs, this Spell is the one to solve it.

Unfortunately for players, Greater Restoration is more cumbersome to use in original D&D. In the RPG, Greater Restoration only lets players heal one condition from this list: reduce Exhaustion by one level, Charmed, Petrified, Cursed (or Attunement to a Cursed Magic Item), Ability Score reduction, or effect to Hit Point maximum. The RPG's version definitely covers more effects, but choosing only one effect to remove for a 5th-Level Spell Slot can certainly make using this a very costly endeavor.

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