The Best Ways To Increase Initiative In Baldur's Gate 3
When you’re endowed with the right armour and are wielding the right weapon, you can become a fearsome foe in the fights of Baldur’s Gate 3. Unfortunately, rolling low initiative doesn’t make you as scary when enemies can hit you first.
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PostsRolling for initiative decides the order of a fight. If you roll low, you’ll be at the end of the list, so enemies can take their shots and damage you before you get a chance to retaliate. There are plenty of ways to turn the tide and secure your spot at the beginning of the fight so you can confidently race into fights, no matter the enemy.
1 Increase Your Dexterity
Dexterity is the main aspect that decides the initiative of a fight. The higher your dexterity, the sooner you’ll be able to take your turn in combat. There are a few ways you can increase dexterity, whether it be temporarily from weapons, armour, trinkets, or permanently from one-time consumables or ability upgrades.
These are great for classes with naturally low dexterity, like Paladins and Barbarians. However, if you want high initiative as soon as you start, you can play classes like Rogue, Ranger, Monk, and even Fighter, who are blessed with great dexterity from the start.
2 Wear Special Armour
There are a few armour pieces that can increase your initiative. You’ll roll a 1d4 for initiative, so even a plus one bonus can make a huge difference. No matter where you are in the game, initiative will always be an important factor, so it’s good to have a few armour pieces that push you to the front.
Item
Effect
Location
Fistbreaker Helm
+1 to initiative.
Act Two. Sold by Lann Tarv inside the entrance of Moonrise Towers.
Yuan-Ti Scale Mail
+1 to initiative.
Act Two. Sold by Quartermaster Talli in the Last Light Inn. Talli can also be found inside the entrance of Moonrise Towers during the assault.
Elegant Studded Armour
+2 to initiative.
Act Three. Rewarded for completing Return Rakath’s Gold in the Counting House in the Lower City. The armour is in vault nine.
Elven Chain
+2 to initiative.
Act Three. Sold by Exxvikyap at the Rivington General.
Assassin of Bhaal Cowl
+2 to initiative.
Act Three. Sold by Echo of Abazigal in the Murder Tribunal after becoming an Unholy Assassin.
Bhaalist Armour
+2 to initiative.
Act Three. Sold by Echo of Abazigal in the Murder Tribunal after becoming an Unholy Assassin.
Mask of Soul Perception
+2 to initiative.
Act Three, in a locked room upstairs in the Devil’s Fee. The helmet is inside a chest on a side table in a bedroom.
3 Use Magic Weapons
Weapons that do a great amount of damage are hard to put down, but there’s a special place for strong weapons that also let you push in line during combat.
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PostsYou can get initiative weapons from any act, so you have a nice selection to choose from. They’ll also have additional bonuses to help you out in combat.
Item
Effect
Location
Bow of Awareness
+1 to initiative.
Act One. Sold by Roah Moonglow in the Shattered Sanctum in the Goblin Camp.
Soulbreaker Greatsword
+2 to initiative.
Act One. Can be looted from Kith’rak Therezzyn in the captain’s quarters of Crèche Y'llek in the Mountain Pass.
Halberd of Vigilance
+1 to initiative.
Act Two. Bought from Lann Tarv inside the entrance of Moonrise Towers.
Ambusher
+1 to initiative.
Act Three. Sold by Exxvikyap at the Rivington General.
Hellrider Longbow
+2 to initiative.
Act Three. Sold by Ferg Drogher in Rivington. Ferg can be found waiting near a wall between Arfur’s Mansion and the Requisitioned Barn.
4 Choose The Right Feats
Feats are a huge part of Baldur’s Gate 3. There are many feats to choose from, no matter what class you decide to play. For those who want to roll higher initiative, there are a few feats to let you do that.
Feats are gained at levels four, eight, and 12, so there are other opportunities to pick other feats if any catch your eye.
Feat
Effect
Ability Improvement
Increase an ability score by two (dexterity)
Alert
Gain a +5 to initiative and cannot be surprised.
Ability Improvement isn't really considered a feat since it can be used more than once to increase ability scores. However, it still hugely improves your dexterity and will boost initiative, so it’s worth getting.
5 Drink The Right Elixirs
There’s only one elixir that increases your initiative, but it can be a massive help in any fight. Elixirs are easy to obtain and won’t take up a slot of armour or equipment, so you don’t have to sacrifice any part of your build for it.
The Elixir of Vigilance is essentially the Alert feat in a bottle. While you can’t experience the effects of another elixir in the meantime, you can wave goodbye to all your enemies while you attack.
Elixir
Ingredients
Elixir of Vigilance
Sublimate of Bloodstained Hook (Three Hooks) + any Ashes. Hooks can be obtained from Hook Horrors or bought from traders.
6 Check Your Class Features
There are certain class features that you can use to boost your initiative. While there aren’t many, those available are worth looking out for to help you create a powerful build.
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PostsThese class features both add three to your initiative, which is a huge boost during combat. If you play either of these classes, you should consider building towards these class features for a helping hand in your initiative roll.
Class
Feature
Effect
Barbarian
Feral Instinct
At level seven, gain +3 to initiative and can’t be surprised.
Ranger (Gloom Stalker Ranger)
Dread Ambusher
At level three, gain +3 to initiative. On the first turn of combat, increase movement speed and make an attack that deals an additional 1d8 damage.
7 Utilise Surprise Rounds
Surprise rounds don't boost your dexterity or give you higher rolls on initiative. They don’t have any effect on the order of the fight at all. What they will do, however, is give you a free turn to do as much damage as you can before enemies can finally realise what’s happening.
You can start surprise rounds by attacking unsuspecting enemies. Stealth-based characters like Rogue are great for staying hidden when attacking, giving you a free round of damage before combat officially starts. It’s important to remember that some NPCs may have the Alert feat that prevents them from being surprised, so they can still attack during the first turn.
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RPG Systems 5.0/5 25 9.4/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 96/100 Critics Rec: 98% Released August 3, 2023 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) Larian Studios Publisher(s) Larian Studios Engine Divinity 4.0WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALBaldur's Gate 3 is the long-awaited next chapter in the Dungeons & Dragons-based series of RPGs. Developed by Divinity creator Larian Studios, it puts you in the middle of a mind flayer invasion of Faerûn, over a century after the events of its predecessor.
Platform(s) PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS Powered by Expand Collapse NextBaldur's Gate 3: 7 Ways To Increase Movement Speed
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