Wondering where you can find a comprehensive Baldur’s Gate 3 High Ground Guide? Don’t worry. This detailed article covers everything you need to know.
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What is High Ground?
Based on the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition system, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains largely faithful to the tabletop game. One element directly borrowed from Fifth Edition rules is the Advantage/Disadvantage system. Thanks to this, it’s possible to inflict Advantage-granting conditions via environmental effects.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s world is particularly rich in steep slopes and long falls. Very few battles occur on a flat or even playing field. And even then, there are height variations as a result of rooftops, stairs, ledges, cliffs, etc. In such a case, taking up a higher position can give you a certain advantage and is known as High Ground.
Having high ground can make your attacks both more accurate and more powerful. You also get a better idea of the battlefield, including things like cover, useful objects, enemy and ally locations etc. Many enemies hide behind rocks. A teammate at the high ground can easily spot these and alert the rest.
High Ground Advantages
- Accurate Ranged Attacks
Attacking a target from the High Ground gives you a +2 bonus for Ranged attack rolls. This can be a major tactical advantage as long as you have a character with high Dexterity and bow proficiency.
The end result? You’re more likely to hit your target as it’s easier to hit a target from above than below. Having the high ground eventually gives you a much better vantage point.
- Difficult to Hit
When you have the high ground, the other party attacking from below receives a -2 penalty. If you attack an enemy from below, you get a -2 penalty to your attack roll.
This penalty makes it so the lower party is less likely to hit their target and keeps missing. Which makes sense as they have to reach up.
- Extended Range
Those with ranged attacks or spells might receive extended range or increased accuracy when fighting from a higher vantage point. This is very useful for archers, mages, and other ranged attackers.
- Better Line of Sight
High ground improves a character’s line of sight by removing distractions and obstacles. This lets you easily see and target enemies hidden on the lower ground.
Being on a higher ground relative to your target, you may get a combat advantage that deals more damage and increases accuracy.
- Environmental Advantage
High ground makes it easier to control the battlefield, allowing for better tactical positioning. It can also grant defensive bonuses and cover from incoming attacks.
Higher terrain also offers other unique environmental interactions like pushing objects on enemies, trigger traps, etc.
How to Get the High Ground?
There are multiple ways to get to the high ground in Baldur’s gate 3. Let’s cover some of these in detail below:
Jump Bonus Action
A bonus action is essentially an additional action on Your Turn. It’s a type of special action. You can only take a Bonus Action when Class Features, Spells, and other Abilities state you can do something as a Bonus Action.
In Baldur’s gate 3, jump is limited to a Bonus Action. You can use it for both combat and exploration. Or even jump on top of hard-to-scale terrains for a high ground advantage. You need to have at least 3m movement speed remaining for the latter.
Select the triangle icon near your character’s portrait to access your bonus actions. The number of icons represent the number of bonus actions you can do for the turn.
Click Tall Flat Surfaces
A lot of terrains in Baldur’s gate 3 have ledges or rocks nearby. Climbing these manually will get you the High Ground bonus advantage. But it’s still a hassle.
Luckily, there’s an alternative. Simply look for a flat surface above these ledges. Once you find something suitable, click on it and your character will automatically climb up to the ledge.
Now, as long as the height difference between you and your target is at least 2.5 meters, you’ll get the High Ground bonus advantage.
Climb Stacked Crates
You can create high ground in otherwise flat areas by stacking a bunch of wooden crates on top of each other. Ensure the height difference is at least 2.5 meters and climb the resulting structure to get your bonus advantage.
Tips for Utilizing High Ground in Combat
When used correctly, Baldur’s Gate 3’s high ground mechanic is an incredibly powerful combat tool. As long as you’re strategic in your positioning, you’ll have a significant advantage in even the most difficult fights. All you have to do is make sure you get to the high ground before your enemies.
The tips below will help you make better use of the high ground mechanic.
- Search for elevated areas you can use to your advantage, but be aware of your surroundings. You don’t want to be flanked or trapped by enemies.
- Ranged attacks like bows or spells are the best way to make the most of a high-ground position. Just make sure your targets are within range.
- Consumable items like Alchemist’s Fire, Vials of Poison, Smokepowder Bombs, etc. are another great way to attack from a distance once you have the high ground. Any party member can do this.
Conclusion
Higher ground is a very powerful mechanic in Baldur’s Gate 3. Use it wisely to make the most of it. We hope this article on Baldur’s Gate 3 High Ground Guide. As always, happy gaming!
