What do Baldur’s Gate 3 status effects mean? Status effects inflict either negative or positive effects on the person or creature inflicted, so it’s important to know what they mean – both in order to avoid negative impact on yourself, and to deal the greatest damage to your enemy. We’ve taken a look at every possible status effect in BG3 to help you understand them.
As with other similar RPG games, you, your companions, and your foes can be inflicted with various status effects, which might result in increased damage or resistance. In Baldur’s Gate 3, there are a wide range of status effects that will be familiar if you’re a DnD player, including temporary bonuses to rolls, forcing someone to sleep, and even unpredictable explosions. Here, we’ll talk you through each of the Baldur’s Gate 3 status effects and what they do.
All positive BG3 status effects
Name |
Effect |
Aid |
|
Aura of Leadership |
- Nearby allies deal 1d4 extra Force damage
|
Happy |
- Add 1 to attack rolls
- Add 1 to saving throws
- Add 1 to some ability checks
|
Magmatic Regeneration |
- If starting a turn in lava, regain 10d6 Hit Points
|
Owlbear’s Rage |
- Strength is increased by 2
|
Prepared |
- Deal additional melee damage on your next turn
|
Silvanus’ Blessing |
- Proficiency in Nature
- Proficiency in Animal Handling
|
Soul Branding |
- Movement speed is increased by 1.5m
- Next attack deals extra 2d4+1 Fire damage
- Ends upon landing a successful weapon attack
|
Under Operation |
- Targets can’t move or speak
|
All negative BG3 status effects
Name |
Effect |
Bane |
- Attack rolls are decreased by 1d4
- Saving throws are decreased by 1d4
|
Bleeding |
- Take 2 Slashing damage at the start of each turn
- Disadvantage on Constitution saving throws
|
Bloodless |
- Minus 1 to attack rolls
- Minus 1 to saving throws
- Minus 1 to some ability checks
|
Burning |
- Take increased Fire damage while affected
|
Caustic Brine |
- Take 1d4 Acid damage each turn
|
Charmed |
- Cannot harm the entity who inflicted the status
- Charmer has advantage on Charisma checks against the inflicted
|
Chest Trauma |
- Disadvantage on Con saving throws
- Take one less action per turn
|
Crippled |
- Disadvantage on Dex saving throws
- Movement speed is now zero
|
Dazed |
- Can’t take reactions
- Disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws
- Lose Dex bonus to Armor Class
|
Dead |
- This one’s self-explanatory
|
Death Wish |
- Carry a powder keg which could explode at any time
|
Difficult Terrain |
- Movement speed is halved
- May become Ensnared
|
Distressed |
- Cannot make critical hits
- Disadvantage on Perception checks
|
Downed |
- Occurs at zero hit points, make a death saving throw each turn
- On three successes, become stable
- On three failures, die
|
Ensnared |
- Take 1d6 Piercing damage at the start of each turn
|
Enthralled |
- No longer in control on oneself
|
Enwebbed |
- Cannot move
- Disadvantage on attack rolls
- Disadvantage on Dex saving throws
- Advantage on attack rolls /against/ the inflicted
|
Exhausted |
- There are six levels of exhaustion, each worse than the last
- A long rest reduces exhaustion by one level
|
Frightened |
- Disadvantage on ability checks
- Disadvantage on attack rolls
|
Frostbite |
- If cold damage is taken while frostbitten, take an additional 1 cold damage each turn
|
Gaping Wounds |
- Take 2 additional Piercing damage per successful hit
|
Hamstrung |
|
Heavily Obscured |
- Remain undetected within reason
|
Infested |
|
Magmatic Disturbance |
|
Newborn |
- Disadvantage on attack rolls
- Reduced Armor Class
- Reduced Hit Points
- Cannot take reactions
|
Off Balance |
- Disadvantage on Strength rolls
- Disadvantage on Dex rolls
- Advantage on attack rolls /against/ the inflicted
|
Pinched |
- Take 1d4 damage at the start of each turn
- Movement speed is reduced by 3m
|
Poisoned |
- Disadvantage on attack rolls
- Disadvantage on ability checks
|
Prone |
- Disadvantage on Strength saving throws
- Disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws
|
Rallied |
|
Sapped |
|
Shattered |
- Take 1d4 Piercing damage when hit with a Deep Delver
|
Shocked |
|
Silenced |
|
Sleeping |
|
Stunned |
- Can’t take actions, reactions, or bonus actions
|
Surprised |
- Can’t take actions or reactions
|
Threatened |
- Disadvantage on ranged attacks when close to enemy
|
Turned |
|
Unconscious |
- Automatically fail Strength and Dex saving throws
- Advantage on attack rolls /against/ the inflicted
|
Weak Grip |
- Disadvantage on attack rolls
- Disadvantage on Strength saving throws
|
Mixed Baldur’s Gate 3 status effects
Name |
Effect |
Buthir’s Wrath
|
- Strength is increased by 4
- Armor Class is reduced by 2
|
Reckless Warcry
|
- Strength is increased by 3
- Armor Class is reduced by 1
|
Wet
|
- Resistant to Fire damage
- Vulnerable to Lightning and Cold
|
BG3 elemental damage and effects
Name |
Effect
|
Acid
|
|
Blood
|
- Can put out unprotected flames
- Can be frozen
|
Cold
|
|
Fire |
|
Mud |
- Difficult terrain, movement speed is halved
|
Oil |
|
Twisting Vines |
- Difficult terrain, movement speed is halved
|
Water |
- Can put out unprotected flames
- Can be electrified
- Can be frozen
|
With all of those wildly different BG3 status effects, you should be ready for anything. For more guidance through the DnD game, we’ve got guides on how to long and short rest in Baldur’s Gate 3, as well as how to indulge in a beautiful (and sexy) romance with your companions.