Revealed in Patch 5,Honour Modecompletely flips the script on how a standard run ofBaldur’s Gate 3is supposed to go. In this Mode, players have no choice but to face the consequences of their dice rolls head-on.Save scummingis not possible as there is only one save file that gets updated automatically as you progress into the game. Quicksaving, hard saving, and auto-saving all update the same save file.
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On top of that,Larian Studioshas also added a new mechanic exclusive to this Mode: Legendary Actions. Separate from Actions and Bonus Actions, these are exclusive to bosses you’ll encounter in the game. What this amounts to is that not only do enemies have new tricks up their sleeves — you don’t get do-overs, either. Completing an Honour Mode playthrough is a badge of honor not many can boast, but to help players prepare for the challenge, we’ve prepared a few tips and tricks to make the journey just a little bit easier.
Baldur’s Gate 3
10Long Rest Are Good For You
And For Your Party
Long Restingis the first thing you should do after (or before) every major fight. Unless you beat a lone Bugbear into submission using only cantrips, every fight will consumesomeresources. This is mostly about spell slots, but there are some abilities that can only be cast once per long or short rest as well. Whenever you use one of these abilities, remember to refresh them before the next big encounter.
There is a container in your camp to store items you can’t carry.
One caveat to this is that Long Resting does use up camp supplies. These can run out quickly if you’re not careful. To counteract this, remember to check in with merchants every so often and pick up any Camp Supplies you see. Crates, chests, and every variation of a container you see in the game are also likely to have some supplies inside. Be the loot goblin you know you want to be and leave nothing behind.
9Get XP Quickly
Level 5 Is The Watershed
In Honour Mode, the early game is the hardest part to get through. Sub-level 5/6 characters have very few options for offense and defense. If an enemy catches you off guard with a lucky crit or ambushes you from behind fog, it is nearly impossible to get out of the situation without losing at least one or two party members.
You should at least be level 4 before you venture anywhere near the Goblin Camp.
Chase after every shred of XP you may conceivably get in the first act. Explore the Emerald Grove from end to end, and talk to everyTiefling,Druid, Bird, and Bear that you see. You should at least be level 4 before you venture anywhere near theGoblin Camp.
8Recruit Your Companions First
You Can Get All Origin Companions In The First Two Hours
Save ShadowheartandLae’zelin the Nautiloid and have them follow you to the beach. Try to get theEverburn Blade from Commander Zhalkusing Shadowheart’s command spell, but don’t hold your breath. It’s unlikely at best.
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GaleandAstarioncan be found quickly, but Lae’zel’s recruitment can turn hostile if you fail a conversation check, and Karlach is surrounded by level 3 and 4 monsters. Send a single party member torecruit Karlachon the riverside south of theRisen Road Toll House, avoiding the wolves along the way.Wyllcan be recruited inside the Grove, but you’ll have to fight the Goblins at the gate to get inside.
Use the other human fighters as bait during the Goblin’s attack on the gate.
7Scout Ahead
Don’t Be Afraid To Separate Your Party
The biggest reason any Honour Mode run fails is because of Legendary Actions. Luckily for the players, they can, in fact, find out what the Legendary Action of any boss does before the fight even starts. Barring a few key exceptions, most fights don’t start until after you interact with the characters involved. Use this opportunity to examine everyone you’re planning to fight. Look for strengths, weaknesses, immunities, and, of course, Legendary Actions.
Look for strengths, weaknesses, immunities, and, of course, Legendary Actions.
If you’re entering a hostile area where everyone you see will attack on sight, use a character with some form of Invisibility or sneaking prowess,separate them from your partyand get in range of your would-be enemies before they see you. Rogues are the best at this, but anyone with Invisibility will work. Examine the enemy and plan ahead.
6Use Consumables
Potions Have AoE
If you remember your previous runs in Baldur’s Gate 3, you might recall that the game throws consumables at you like candy. Scrolls, potions, elixirs, and one-time-use items like theSpider Egg Sacare around every corner. A key thing to remember about these items is that they’re always leveled. This means that if you get an item somewhere in theMountain Pass, it’ll be suitable for use against level 5 or 6 enemies at most. Any higher and the item’s effectiveness will fall drastically.
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This means whenever you get a consumable, the best time to use it is in the very next fight (if it makes sense, of course). Stack scrolls on your martial character and have them use them when you face an enemy resistant to physical damage. Give healing potions to yourWizardand have him either heal himself or the party when theClericis otherwise occupied. Consumables can help make up for what your party lacks, especially in the first act.
5Always Bring A Healer
Shadowheart + 1 Is A Winning Combo
Shadowheartis an excellent healer, but there is no need to settle for only one. Don’t fall into the trap of the ‘balanced party’: one Tank, one Healer, one Spellcaster, and one Physical DPS. Having at least two characters who have some sort of inherent healing ability is not overkill, especially not in Honour Mode.
Healers in Baldur’s Gate 3 are neverjusthealers. They almost always have something else going for them.
Healers in Baldur’s Gate 3 are neverjusthealers. They almost always have something else going for them. Bards are a fully realized support class, Clerics are one of the most powerful spellcasters, and Paladins are the perfect combination of Tank, DPS, and Healer. And Druids, of course, have the ability to transform using Wild Shape or become potent spellcasters.
4Avoid Fights
Talk Your Way Out When You Can
The easiest path past an encounter is to agree with whatever the opposing party is saying. Most of the time, this doesn’t even involve any rolls. But for the times when it does, Bards,Sorcerers, Paladins, andWarlocksare the best ‘face characters’ to have. Since these are Charisma-based classes, they have an inherent advantage when it comes to conversation rolls, making avoiding fights easier.
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Don’t forget, however, that Honour Mode is all about planning for the worst. Before you enter any conversation, separate your party from the face character and position them as if you’ll find yourself in battle immediately afterward. It won’t take more than a minute, and it’ll save your skin more than you’d think.
3Positioning Is Key
Corners, Cover, And High Ground
As we’ve mentioned, the first section of the game is the hardest to get through in Honour Mode. Coincidentally, this is also the time when enemies lack any movement spells like Misty Step and Fly and will come at you in a straight line. This makes positioning the most important aspect in the first few fights of the game. If an enemy has to walk up three flights of stairs, get past a Druid Tank alongside a summon to reach your squishy Bard in the back, he’s going to be dead before he’s halfway there.
If an enemy has to walk up three flights of stairs, get past a Druid Tank alongside a summon to reach your squishy Bard in the back, he’s going to be dead before he’s halfway there.
When enemies get the ability to move around an area with Fly and reposition themselves, your positioning becomes much less important. Some golden rules still hold true, however. Don’t bunch up your party in one spot; it’ll make AoE spells used against you less effective. Start a fight from elevation if possible. Even if an enemy can teleport higher, it’ll still cost them aBonus Actionthey could’ve used to deal damage otherwise. And don’t forget to move your ranged characters behind some cover after they’re done dealing damage or casting support spells.
2Respec Often
Before Every Major Fight
Recruiting Withersis almost as important as recruiting your companions. The main reason is to get the ability to respec for the small fee of 100 gold, though getting access to mercenaries can come in clutch as well. You can find Withers in the Dank Crypt behind a hidden door. Be prepared for a fight with a few skeletons as you approach him.
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Respeccing plays a much more important role in Honour Mode than in the base game. The idea behind it is that you’re basically tailoring your entire build for a single boss fight. Say an enemy you’re about to face is immune to physical damage altogether, and your character is a by-the-books Fighter. In almost every other scenario, a Fighter is an asset. Not here. As an example, you could respec this character into a Wizard and invest only in control spells to help immobilize this enemy. Repeat this for your companions until you’re confident you’re able to handle anything the boss is likely to throw at you. It might feel like overkill, but it’s much better to take the time to do this than lose a valuable character.
…To Fight Another Day!
In regular difficulties, the Flee Combat Action sees little to no use. If a fight goes sideways, you can just reload from an earlier save rather than go through the hassle of fleeing from battle, expending a revive scroll on fallen allies, and coming back. Not so in Honour Mode. This Mode forces you to always be in the mindset of a mouse, ready to scamper away at the slightest indication that something is amiss. As a bonus, any enemies that have already died will remain dead, making even a chip damage strategy viable.
Some items like the Amulet of Misty Step andDisintegrating Night Walkerslet you cast Misty Step once per short rest.
Fleeing from combat requires you to be a certain distance away from any hostiles. This means that someone like a Sorcerer, who’s likely already a fair distance from the middle of the fight, will have a much easier time fleeing than someone like aBarbarian, who is likely in the thick of it. For this reason, always,alwayshave your melee combatants carry a Misty Step scroll to have the ability to flee combat on command. Some items like the Amulet of Misty Step andDisintegrating Night Walkerslet you cast Misty Step once per short rest.
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