Summary
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Baldur’s Gate 3
offers character builds that may not be ideal in combat but can still be enjoyable to play, such as Wild Magic sorcerers and barbarians. - Using Wild Magic in the game provides a high risk, high reward system that can either benefit or hinder characters and their party.
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Some of the chaotic Wild Magic Surges in
Baldur’s Gate 3
can have negative effects on parties in combat, making them more challenging and unpredictable.
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows for character builds that aren’t ideal in combat, but can still be fun to play. Then, there’s the option to use Wild Magic, which is a high risk, high reward system. And that means the risk could be one or more characters being affected by magic that either makes them useless in combat, or it actively hurts them.
Wild Magic in BG3 is a list of effects that can happen with a Wild Magic Surge. However, the effect is chosen at random, meaning that the sorcerer or barbarian with their respective Wild Magic subclasses and their party can end up in a beneficial position from the Wild Magic. On the other hand, it could also result in an effect that either hurts the sorcerer/barbarian in the party, or it hinders them more than it helps. Below are some of the most chaotic Wild Magic Surges, which tend to hinder parties in combat more than they help.
10 Resilient Sphere
Evocation Spell
Resilient Sphere has the same effect as Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere, where the caster can’t be hit by attacks from outside the sphere, and they can’t hit targets outside it either. In addition, the caster’s movement speed is halved while the sphere is active. The result is that the caster is safe, but practically useless. Sorceres then can’t contribute to battle meaningfully unless an enemy is close to them when the sphere is activated, and the sorcerer is generally not part of close combat for that to be the case. Barbarians may find more use with a Resilient Sphere Wild Magic Surge.
9 Turn Magic
Lasts 5 Turns
Turn Magic triggers a random magical effect at the start of each turn. This one could end up being more beneficial depending on the effects that are chosen, but in the worst case scenario, it simply doesn’t help. It’s like the Resilient Sphere, where it could be helpful in some cases, and then it doesn’t have the negative of making the sorcerer useless if the effect isn’t useful, like the Sphere does if nobody is around the sorcerer, and they aren’t on the verge of death.
8 Blur
Illusion Spell
Everybody in 30 feet receives the effects of blur, which gives attackers a disadvantage on their rolls. Blur sounds like it’d be a great Wild Magic effect to get, but when it says that everybody receives that effect, it includes enemies. As a result, this effect can end up being annoying if enemies are close enough to receive it, since it makes them more difficult to damage as well.
7 Enchant Weapons
Guarantees One Critical Hit
Much like Blur, this effect is granted to everybody within 20 feet. That once again means that both allies and enemies can end up with enchanted weapons, which could be damaging for the party since it results in a guaranteed Critical Hit for their next attack, and deals an additional 1d4 Force Damage. Depending on what the health bars look like across the board, this Wild Magic effect could be disastrous.
6 Enlarge/Reduce
Random Change In Size
With this effect, every creature within 30 feet is randomly Enlarged or Reduced. When Enlarged, the creature does an additional 1d4 damage on weapon attacks and has advantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws. Creatures that are Reduced receive the opposite effect, doing 1d4 less damage on weapon attacks and disadvantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws. Depending on how many allies or enemies are Enlarged or Reduced, combat can become painful.
5 Slow
Only Affects The Sorcerer/Barbarian
With the Slow Wild Magic effect, the sorcerer or barbarian receives the Slowed status, which halves movement speed, lowers Armor Class and Dexterity by two, limits their turn to an Action or Bonus Action, prevents the use of Reactions, and it can delay the casting of spells. There are no benefits to getting this from a Wild Magic Surge. Instead, it just hinders the Wild Magic user, which could impact battle, especially on a higher difficulty like Tactician.
4 Swap
Switch Places With Targets
With Swap, the sorcerer or barbarian switches positions with a target every time they cast a spell or cantrip. This could be potentially beneficial if the sorcerer ended up surrounded by enemies, as they could use the Swap effects to reposition themselves farther away from immediate combat. However, it could also be a disaster if the sorcerer ends up in the center of battle when they were originally in a safe spot.
3 Burning
Everyone In The Vicinity Combusts
If the Burning Wild Magic Surge is triggered, every creature and item within 20 feet starts burning and takes 1d6 Fire Damage each turn. This may be great if the effect is on a melee attacking barbarian in the middle of the battle, because they’d be able to damage plenty of enemies. However, sorcerers aren’t melee combatants, and that means Burning tends to result in the sorcerer exploding themselves, and maybe a few party members.
2 Explosive Healing
Heals Enemies
Explosive Healing sounds great, but it’s another Wild Magic effect that also applies to enemies. When the sorcerer hits a target with a spell, all creatures within 10 feet are healed for 1d4 Hit Points per Spell Slot level used. Since sorcerers are offensive spellcasters, this can end up healing plenty of enemies who could be clustered around the target of their spell. Depending on the battlefield, it could also save the party if there are minimal enemies left, or the enemies are spread out with most of the party within range of one.
1 Cambion
Summons A Hostile Demon
A Cambion is a demon in Baldur’s Gate 3, and it’s the same type of creature as Raphael. The Cambion Wild Magic effect summons a Cambion, and while it could be useful to have some extra help in battle, it’s hostile towards everybody. It’s an incredibly high risk and high reward effect, as there’s the risk that the Cambion could do more damage to the party than to the enemies. And yet, the reverse is also true, since the Cambion could take out enemies instead of attacking the party.
Not every class and subclass is as strong as others – there are some that are more optimal – but each one has a unique flavor that makes them fun to try. Of every subclass, Wild Magic sorcerers and barbarians bring a lot of chaos with them because of how the Wild Magic system works and because of the effects included within it. By design, a lot of the potential effects from a Wild Magic Surge can impact the enemies and the party equally. As such, these Wild Magic Surges aren’t the only options, but they are the most chaotic ones in Baldur’s Gate 3.
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Baldur’s Gate 3
- Franchise:
- Baldur’s Gate
- Platform(s):
- macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
- Released:
- 2023-08-31
- Developer(s):
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s):
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s):
- RPG
- Multiplayer:
- Larian Studios
- ESRB:
- M
- Summary:
- Baldur’s Gate 3 is a long-anticipated sequel to Baldur’s Gate 2, released in 2000 from BioWare and now being handled by Larian Studios. Set 120 years after the events of Shadows of Amn, Baldur’s Gate 3 puts players in the role of a customizable protagonist who has been captured and infected with a parasite that will turn them into a mind flayer. Before the process is complete, the ship they are on crashes, leaving them on a quest to cure themselves as they meet up with other survivors. Gameplay is turn-based and can be played co-operatively online or tackled alone in a single-player campaign with NPC allies.
- How Long To Beat:
- 50 – 100 hours
- Prequel:
- Baldur’s Gate 2
