Baldur’s Gate 3 player shares clever trick to protect Halsin’s portal

As players delve into the shadowy depths of Baldur’s Gate 3, a pivotal challenge awaits: defending Halsin’s shadow portal against relentless waves of cursed foes. This guide unveils strategic insights to ensure the portal’s survival during the harrowing “Lift the Shadow Curse” quest, where every spell and tactical maneuver counts. With enemies prioritizing the portal’s destruction, mastering area-of-effect spells and positioning your party effectively can turn the tide of battle. Prepare for an intense showdown, as failure means losing Halsin to the Shadowfell forever.

How to prepare for the fight?

Before engaging in the defense of Halsin’s shadow portal, it is crucial to ensure your party is fully prepared. Start by taking a long rest at your camp to replenish spells and abilities, as the battle will require all available resources. The portal must withstand attacks for five turns, so equip your characters with their most powerful spells and weapons. A balanced team composition is essential; include at least one Cleric, Warrior, and Paladin, along with a character capable of dealing radiant damage. Spells like Spirit Guardians and Cloud of Daggers are particularly effective, while area damage spells should be prioritized. Additionally, make sure to equip a Moon Lantern or other light sources to counteract the Shadow Curse, which can drain your party’s health over time. Proper preparation will significantly enhance your chances of successfully defending the portal against waves of enemies.

Before starting the fight, it’s best to take a long rest in the camp and renew all spells and class actions. The portal will have to endure for 5 turns, so it is worth having the strongest attacks and spells for each party member available.

Choose at least one Cleric, Warrior and Paladin to fight. A character with spells that deal radiant damage will also be useful.

A Cleric has Spirit Guardians – a spell that will definitely come in handy in this fight. A Warrior should be equipped with a magical weapon, and the rest should have magical spells that deal area damage. Try to buy Arrows of Many Targets and Arrows of Ice.

Before the fight, equip your team with a Moon Lantern, or make sure your characters are protected by any light. Otherwise, the Shadow Curse will slowly drain the life from the team.

How to defend the Halsin portal from Shadows?

To successfully defend Halsin’s shadow portal from Shadows in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s crucial to employ a strategic approach during the battle. First, ensure your party is well-prepared by taking a long rest and equipping strong area-of-effect (AoE) spells such as Fireball and Cloud of Daggers, which can deal significant damage to groups of enemies. Position characters near the portal to capitalize on Opportunity attacks against foes that approach. A Cleric should activate Spirit Guardians to inflict radiant damage on nearby enemies, while ranged characters can focus on eliminating threats from a distance. Additionally, utilizing spells that control enemy movement, like Thunderwave, can help manage the waves of attackers effectively. Remember, the goal is to protect the portal for four turns while managing the relentless onslaught of Shadows and their allies.

When the fight begins, the number of turns left will appear on the screen. Your party must defend the portal from waves of enemies.

Here are some tips on how to defend a portal effortlessly:

1. Focus on large groups of enemies, especially ones equipped with ranged weapons. It’s best to defeat them all at once with spells such as Fireball or Turn Undead .
2. Use the Cloud of Daggers spell next to the portal – anyone who touches it will receive damage every turn.
3. Place your characters near the portal so that any opponent approaching it will receive Opportunity attacks from you.
4. The Cleric should stand near the portal and have the Spirit Guardians spell active, which deals radiant damage to all enemies near them. You can send a Cleric among larger groups of enemies to quickly defeat them all.
5. The remaining characters should protect the Cleric, the Warrior, or Paladin with ranged attacks. Slow down the movements of more powerful enemies with arrows or spells that deal ice damage.
6. During turn 4, several powerful enemies will appear next to the stone stairs leading to the portal. Try to knock out all the opponents using the Thunderwave spell .

What are the best strategies to use against the shadow-cursed enemies

To effectively combat shadow-cursed enemies in Baldur’s Gate 3, particularly during the defense of Halsin’s shadow portal, employing a mix of strategic positioning, area-of-effect (AoE) spells, and crowd control techniques is essential. Here are the best strategies to maximize your success:

Preparation

• Rest and Refresh: Ensure your party is well-rested to regain spells and abilities before the fight.
• Party Composition: Include at least one Cleric, Warrior, and Paladin. Characters with radiant damage spells are particularly valuable.

Key Strategies

• Use Area-of-Effect Spells: Spells like Wall of Fire, Fireball, and Cloud of Daggers can control enemy movement and deal significant damage to groups. Position these spells where enemies are likely to congregate.
• Crowd Control: Utilize spells such as Spirit Guardians (especially effective when cast by a Cleric) to deal continuous damage to enemies approaching the portal. This spell can be combined with other crowd control spells like Hunger of Hadar or Insect Plague for added effect.
• Positioning: Place characters strategically near the portal to maximize opportunity attacks against enemies. Keep melee characters close to the portal while ranged attackers provide support from a distance.
• Target Ranged Enemies First: Focus on eliminating enemies with ranged attacks, such as undead harpers, as they pose a direct threat to the portal. Use AoE attacks to take them out quickly.
• Utilize Light Sources: Equip your team with items like the Moon Lantern to counteract the draining effects of the Shadow Curse. Light sources can also reveal hidden enemies and negate their advantages.

Tactical Execution

• Control Enemy Movement: Use spells that slow down or obstruct enemy paths, such as Grease or Thunderwave, to funnel them into kill zones where your AoE spells can be most effective.
• Defensive Spells: Make use of defensive spells such as Darkness to obscure the portal from ranged attacks, allowing your party members to attack safely from within.
• Healing and Support: Keep a healer nearby to maintain party health, especially when facing waves of enemies. The Cleric should prioritize healing while also dealing damage with radiant spells.

By combining these strategies, players can effectively defend Halsin’s shadow portal against the relentless onslaught of shadow-cursed foes, ensuring both survival and victory in this challenging encounter .

What are the best classes to include in my party for this fight

For the fight against shadow-cursed enemies in Baldur’s Gate 3, assembling a well-rounded party is crucial to ensure success. Here are the best classes to include in your party:

Recommended Classes

1. Cleric
   • Role: Healer and Support
   • Why: Clerics, especially those from the Light Domain, can provide essential healing and buffs while also dealing radiant damage, which is effective against undead foes. Their access to spells like Spirit Guardians and Healing Word makes them invaluable for sustaining the party during intense battles.
2. Druid
   • Role: Versatile Caster and Controller
   • Why: Druids can shape-shift into powerful animals and cast potent spells like Entangle and Call Lightning, which can control the battlefield and deal AoE damage. Their ability to heal and provide utility spells makes them a flexible choice.
3. Paladin
   • Role: Frontline Tank and Damage Dealer
   • Why: Paladins are durable fighters with high hit points and access to healing spells like Lay on Hands. Their smite abilities allow them to deal significant damage, particularly against cursed enemies, making them effective in melee combat.
4. Sorcerer or Wizard
   • Role: Ranged Damage Dealer
   • Why: Both classes excel at dealing AoE damage with spells like Fireball. Sorcerers can utilize metamagic for enhanced spellcasting flexibility, while Wizards have a broader spell selection for crowd control and utility.
5. Rogue
   • Role: Stealthy Damage Dealer
   • Why: Rogues can deal high burst damage with their Sneak Attack ability, particularly when positioned strategically. Their mobility allows them to navigate the battlefield effectively, targeting vulnerable enemies while avoiding direct confrontation.

Party Composition Tips

• Aim for a balanced mix of melee and ranged characters to handle various threats.
• Ensure at least one healer is present to maintain party health during prolonged encounters.
• Include a crowd control specialist (like a Druid or Wizard) to manage enemy movement and mitigate damage taken by the party.

By selecting these classes, you can create a synergistic party capable of tackling the challenges posed by shadow-cursed enemies effectively.