Explore the rich tapestry of challenges in Baldur’s Gate 3 as we delve into its diverse difficulty levels—Explorer, Balanced, and Tactician. Whether you seek a leisurely journey through Faerun or a grueling test of tactical prowess, understanding these modes is crucial for tailoring your adventure. From the forgiving nature of Explorer mode, perfect for story enthusiasts, to the ruthless strategies employed in Tactician mode that will push even seasoned players to their limits, discover how each setting shapes your gameplay experience. Join us as we guide you through the intricacies of difficulty selection and help you find the perfect fit for your epic quest.
In Baldur’s Gate 3 there are a lot of options to customize the gameplay, and this also applies to the level of challenge. On this page of our guide, we explain the differences between 3 main difficulty levels – Explorer, Balanced and Tactician. This will help you choose a diffculty level that will provide the best experience and fit your proficiency in RPG games, especially turn-based ones. We also answer whether a casual “story mode” dificulty level exists.
List of difficulty levels
In Baldur’s Gate 3, players can choose from five distinct difficulty levels: Explorer, Balanced, Tactician, Honour, and Custom. Each level caters to different play styles and skill levels, allowing for a tailored gaming experience. Explorer is the easiest, designed for those who prioritize narrative over challenge, featuring reduced enemy health and enhanced player bonuses. Balanced serves as the default mode, offering a fair challenge suitable for most players, while Tactician ramps up the difficulty significantly with tougher enemies and more complex combat strategies. For those seeking an ultra-challenging experience, Honour mode introduces permadeath and no save scumming. Lastly, Custom mode allows players to adjust various gameplay elements to create a personalized difficulty setting. This flexibility ensures that every player can find the right level of challenge to enjoy their adventure in Faerun.
In Baldurs Gate 3, there are 3 basic difficulty levels available:
- Explorer – This is the lowest difficulty level present. It allows the player to focus mainly on the story, placing less emphasis on correct character development and hardcore tactical turn-based gameplay. Additional features of this setting are more difficult killing of friendly NPCs (lowering their chances of accidental death), 20% better prices from merchants, and a starting 2 bonus to Proficiencies for party members.
- Balanced – This is the default proposed normal difficulty level. Choosing this setting will require more attention to character development and party composition, and requires preparing for battles and issuing correct commands. However, there shouldn’t be a case where some fragment of the game is extremely difficult and hard to complete. This is the recommended choice for a first playthrough.
- Tactical – this is the highest possible difficulty level, which is an equivalent of traditional “very high” setting. Every wrong decision related to character development, team selection and tactics during battles can lead to a quick death. This mode increases the number and statistics of enemies, including their ability set and their artificial intelligence. Additionally, the number of traps and other potential dangers may increase.
Does BG3 have a story mode?
Baldur’s Gate 3 features a dedicated Explorer mode, often referred to as its story mode, designed for players who prioritize narrative over combat challenges. In this mode, combat is significantly more forgiving, allowing players to engage with the game’s rich story without the frustration of difficult battles. The Explorer difficulty modifies gameplay by making enemies less formidable and enhancing player capabilities, thus enabling a focus on exploration and character interactions rather than tactical combat. This makes it an ideal choice for those new to the game or those who wish to experience the storyline without being hindered by challenging mechanics.
- Many contemporary productions offer a story mode that allows you to focus solely on following the plot without worrying about managing a team or issuing correct commands in battles.
- In BG3, you won’t find a traditional “story” difficulty level, but with Explorer chosen, the game should be noticeably simpler than at default difficulty setting. Nevertheless, you can’t completely ignore tactics in battle or the topic of developing the abilities and equipment of the heroes. Explorer does not require detailed delving into statistics or understanding more complex gameplay mechanics.
Moreover, in BG3, you can change the difficulty level at any time, for example, when faced with particularly strong enemies. We describe this topic in more detail on a dedicated page (Can you change difficulty level at any moment?) On that page, you’ll also find some basic tips on how to survive/mitigate more difficult battles.
Which difficulty level is best for new players
For new players venturing into Baldur’s Gate 3, the Explorer difficulty level is the best choice. This mode is designed for those who want to immerse themselves in the story without the pressure of complex combat mechanics. It offers a more forgiving experience by reducing enemy health and providing bonuses to player characters, making it easier to navigate battles while still enjoying the narrative.
While the Balanced difficulty is also suitable for beginners, as it represents the game’s intended challenge, it requires more strategic thinking and character development, which may be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with RPGs or turn-based gameplay. Additionally, players can change the difficulty at any time during their campaign, allowing them to adjust their experience as they grow more comfortable with the game mechanics.
What makes Balanced mode the recommended choice for a first playthrough
Balanced mode is often recommended for a first playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3 because it offers an experience that closely aligns with the game’s design intentions while still being accessible to newcomers. Here are the key reasons why Balanced mode is ideal:
- Fair Combat Experience: In Balanced mode, players face enemies with standard health and damage levels, which creates a fair challenge without overwhelming new players. This allows them to engage with the combat mechanics without feeling excessively punished, fostering a sense of accomplishment as they learn.
- Multiclassing Opportunities: Unlike Explorer mode, Balanced mode allows players to multiclass, enabling them to customize their characters and explore different abilities. This flexibility can enhance gameplay and strategy, making it easier for players to adapt their approach as they learn the game mechanics.
- Gradual Learning Curve: The transition from Explorer to Balanced is manageable, making it suitable for those who may have limited experience with RPGs or Dungeons & Dragons mechanics. Players can start in Explorer mode to familiarize themselves with the basics and then switch to Balanced for a more authentic experience.
- Designed for Engagement: Balanced mode is considered the “default” setting, intended to provide a well-rounded experience that captures the essence of Baldur’s Gate 3. It balances narrative and combat, allowing players to enjoy the story while still facing meaningful challenges.
Overall, Balanced mode strikes an ideal balance between challenge and accessibility, making it a recommended choice for first-time players looking to fully experience the depth of Baldur’s Gate 3.
