Getting Started

Introduction

Welcome to Baldur's Gate 3! As a brand-new player, you're stepping into a vast RPG that rewards creativity, patience, and curiosity. This guide will help you survive your first hour, avoid common traps, and set you up for a smooth adventure. We'll cover character creation, controls, UI, early objectives, and a crash course in what not to do.

Character Creation

The first 10–15 minutes are spent building your hero. Don't worry – you can respec later (after meeting Withers in the Dank Crypt). Choose what feels fun, not what seems "optimal."

Step 1: Choose Origin or Custom

• Origin Characters have predefined backstories, quests, and voice acting. Strong for roleplay. Examples: Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale.


• Custom Character gives full freedom over race, class, appearance. Best for first-time players who want to learn at their own pace.




Step 2: Select Race and Subrace



• Races provide bonuses (e.g., Half-Elf gets darkvision and charisma).


• Subraces add flavor: Wood Elf gets stealth, High Elf gets a cantrip.


• Tip: Darkvision (ability to see in the dark) is extremely useful – pick a race that has it (Dwarf, Elf, Half-Elf, Tiefling, Drow).




Step 3: Pick a Class



• Fighter – simplest melee class, great for beginners.


• Cleric – healer and support, can wear heavy armour.


• Wizard – powerful but needs intelligence and careful spell management.


• Rogue – sneaky, good for traps and dialogue.


• Warlock – strong cantrips and short-rest spells.


• Our recommendation: Start with a Fighter (Battle Master or Champion) or a Cleric (Life Domain) to learn the ropes.




Step 4: Choose Background



• Background gives skill proficiencies (e.g., Soldier gives Athletics and Intimidation).


• Pick one that matches your character concept – no wrong choice.




Step 5: Assign Ability Scores



• Use the "Point Buy" system or the default array (easier).


• Prioritize your class's main stat: Strength (Fighter), Charisma (Warlock), Dexterity (Rogue).


• Don't dump Constitution – it affects hit points and concentration.




Step 6: Appearance and Finalize



• Cosmetics are permanent without mods, but you can change appearance later via magic mirror in camp (after patch 3).


• Choose a name and confirm.




First Hour Walkthrough





Starting Cinematic (0–5 min)



• You're aboard a Mind Flayer Nautiloid. The ship is crashing.


• Follow the tutorial prompts: move with WASD (PC) or left stick (console).


• Press Space (PC) or X (PlayStation) / A (Xbox) to interact.




Escape the Ship (5–15 min)


1. Wake up in a pod. Use the console to open the door.
2. Find a weapon – there's a sword on a corpse near the starting room.
3. Meet Commander Zhalk – you can ignore him or fight. Avoid fighting him as a beginner; he's tough. Just run past.
4. Unlock the helm – use the Transponder (a glowing lever) at the ship's helm after a small puzzle. Or attack the intellect devourers.
5. Use the Transponder – a cutscene triggers. You crash-land.



Crash Site (15–30 min)



• You wake up on the beach (Wilderness area).


• Loot everything: pick up crates, barrels, bodies – all have useful items (camp supplies, gold, weapons).


• Find companions: Shadowheart is nearby (on the beach). Rescue her from the pod by interacting with the console. She joins your party.


• Explore the ruin: to the north is a ruined temple. Inside, you can find Lae'zel (Githyanki warrior) trapped in a cage. Free her by shooting the lock (use ranged weapon) or dialogue.


• Collect the first waypoint: activate the “Roadside Cliffs” waypoint to fast travel later.




Early Combat & Survival (30–45 min)



• Your party has 2–3 members now. Stick together.


• Don't rush into fights. Use stealth (press C on PC, hold down on d-pad on console) to scout.


• First enemies: weak intellect devourers and imps. Kite them one by one.


• Rest often: Press T (PC) or open the camp menu to take a short rest (heals some health). Long rest (full heal and restore spells) at a campfire or bedroll.


• Save frequently: F5 quick save (PC) or manual save in menu (console). Save before every major decision.




Reach the Druid Grove (45–60 min)



• Head northwest from the crash site. Follow the road. You'll encounter a gate guarded by tieflings.


• Dialogue options: be polite – no need to fight.


• Enter the Grove: this is your first safe hub. Don't attack anyone here except the tiefling who provoked you (but avoid it).


• Meet Zevlor (tiefling leader) – accept his quest to find a druid healer.


• First major objective: Find Halsin (druid) or help the tieflings.

Controls on All Platforms

PC (Keyboard + Mouse)

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X|S

Pro Tip: On any platform, you can customize controller layout in Settings > Controls.

UI Overview

Main HUD Elements

• Top left: Party portraits – click to select a character. Right-click for additional commands.


• Top center: Mini-map with fog of war.


• Bottom center: Action bar – your equipped weapons, spells, items, and cantrips. Drag items here for quick use.


• Bottom left: Hotbar for consumables (potions, scrolls). Press number keys (PC) or use D-pad (console).


• Bottom right: End turn (in combat) and camera controls.


• Right side: Character status (health, conditions, buffs/debuffs).




Combat UI



• Turn order shows at the top of the screen. Each character has an icon with initiative number.


• Action Points (green circle) – you have one action and one bonus action per turn. Movement (yellow circle) is separate.


• Spell slots (blue diamonds) – shown under character portrait during casting.


• Tooltips: Examine enemies with right-click (PC) or hold R3 (console) to see resistances, immunities, and lore.




Navigation & Interaction



• Dialogue wheel (PC) shows choices; console uses radial menus.


• World tooltips: hover over objects (chests, levers, loot) to see names and interact prompts.


• Distance indicator: a yellow outline when you're close enough to interact.




Essential Early Objectives


1. Survive the Nautiloid – escape the crash.
2. Assemble a party – recruit Shadowheart, Lae'zel, and eventually Gale, Astarion, and Wyll.
3. Reach the Druid Grove – to get quests, traders, and a safe camp.
4. Find a healer – talk to Nettie (druid) about your tadpole infection, or follow Halsin's quest.
5. Unlock fast travel waypoints – each activates a teleport point for quick movement.
6. Visit the Dank Crypt (west of crash site) – loot useful items and meet Withers (who can resurrect dead party members for a fee).
7. Long rest at camp – triggers story events and companion dialogues.
8. Learn lockpicking – find a set of thieves' tools and use Astarion or a rogue to open chests.
9. Complete side quests – rescue the artist's wife (in the Grove), help the tieflings, etc.
10. Kill the goblins outside the Grove – optional but gives good loot and experience.



What to Do First and What to Avoid





✅ Do First



• Loot everything – even rotten food (can be turned into camp supplies).


• Talk to every NPC – they give quests, lore, or hints.


• Save often – especially before dialogue checks (F5 on PC, manual save on console).


• Use short rests – free healing after every combat.


• Examine enemies before attacking to see weaknesses.


• Explore off the main path – hidden treasures and optional bosses await.


• Upgrade gear – buy or find better weapons/armor. Check traders.


• Manage inventory – sell junk, keep potions, scrolls, and camp supplies.




❌ What to Avoid



• Attacking neutral NPCs – like the tieflings, druids, or guards. Entire factions can become hostile.


• Fighting higher-level enemies – skull icons on enemy portraits mean they outlevel you. Run away.


• Skipping long rests – you'll miss companion scenes and camp events. Rest after every big fight or story beat.


• Ignoring camp supplies – you need 40 total to long rest. Pick up food, alcohol, and supply packs.


• Selling magical items – many have unique uses or are needed for quests. Check before selling.


• Standing in fire / acid – environmental hazards hurt. Use jump (Space) to avoid.


• Forgetting to heal – use Healing Word (cleric), potions, or short rests.


• Regretting class choices – you can respec at Withers for 100 gold (any time after Dank Crypt).

Early Resource Priorities

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Not saving – death or failed dialogue can cost hours. F5 is your best friend.
2. Neglecting long rests – you need them to recover all spell slots, hit dice, and advance companion stories. Don't be afraid to rest.
3. Wasting spell slots on out-of-combat heals – use short rests first, then potions, only then spells.
4. Charging into fights – use stealth, set ambushes, separate enemies with ranged pulls.
5. Not using consumables – scrolls, potions, grenades, and arrows are powerful. Hoarding is common; use them liberally.
6. Ignoring the environment – high ground gives attack bonuses. Chasms can insta-kill enemies if shoved. Explosive barrels can be shot.
7. Selling everything – keep at least one copy of each unique item. Some are needed for quests later.
8. Overlooking the camp chest – your party has a shared stash in camp (the glowing chest). Transfer items there to free inventory.
9. Not talking to all companions – you can recruit up to 4 in the first hour. Talk to everyone at camp.
10. Rushing the main quest – take your time. The game scales with your level, and side content is rich.

Day-One Checklist (First Play Session)

Aimed at completing before you reach the Goblin Camp or level 4.

• [ ] Complete character creation (custom or origin).


• [ ] Escape the Nautiloid (win the tutorial).


• [ ] Rescue Shadowheart on the beach.


• [ ] Loot the crash site (beach, dead thralls, crates).


• [ ] Free Lae'zel from the cage near the ruin.


• [ ] Explore the Dank Crypt (locate at X:-100, Y:380 on map). Enter, find Withers’ tomb, avoid traps.


• [ ] Recruit Gale (appears at the ruined temple).


• [ ] Recruit Astarion (beneath the stone arch near the beach).


• [ ] Reach the Druid Grove – activate its waypoint.


• [ ] Talk to Zevlor (tiefling leader) and Nettie (druid healer).


• [ ] Take a long rest at the Grove camp – triggers dialogue.


• [ ] Complete one side quest (e.g., rescue the tiefling kid, or explore the Underdark entrance).


• [ ] Upgrade gear – buy a decent weapon from the druid vendor (Dammon).


• [ ] Save the game (manual save before moving to the next area).


• [ ] Have fun! And remember: save often, experiment, and embrace failure as part of the story.

> Pro Tip: Explore every building, cave, and corner of the map. Some of the best items are hidden in plain sight. Good luck, adventurer!