Summary
Barrelmancy is not an official school of magic inBaldur’s Gate 3, though it might be the most powerful. The term refers tousing the explosive barrels found all across Faerûn to finish fights before they begin, setting them up around the battlefield so that they can be blown up right at the start of combat. Compared torelying on dice rollsand spells to faceBG3’s hardest bosses, using barrels is both easier and more reliable.
Especially in anHonour Mode campaign, with only one life and tough enemies to face, players must take advantage of every resource they have. Knowing how to effectively use and find barrels, as well as how to place them in a given zone, may be the difference between success and failure on certain runs. Luckily,these barrels are in no short supply, even in the early game, and the first several boss fights allow them to be used to great effect.
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Collecting Barrels Is A Breeze If You Know Where To Look
Smokepowder & Oil Barrels Are Plentiful In Act 1
Unlike some other consumables in the game, which can appear randomly in different chests or enemy inventories,barrels are consistent in where they appear. Players in Act One may find a large supply ofSmokepowder Barrelsbehind the Zhentarim merchants at the goblin camp. Looking in the Underdark, a stockpile ofOil Barrelwaits at the Selûnite outpost.
Of course, carrying a ton of heavy barrels around with the party isn’t easy. These items range in weight from around 40 to 80 pounds, meaning they can quickly max out a character’s carrying capacity.It’s helpful when collecting these items to bring a character with high Strength, such as a barbarian or paladin.
Different Types Of Barrels Can Be Used For Taking Out Different Enemy Groups
Barrels Deal A Variety Of Elemental Damages Or Produce Different Surfaces
Smokepowder barrels are useful against pretty much anything, since they deal a mix of force and fire damage when blown up in an enormous area. Piling these things in Dror Ragzlin’s throne room, for instance, allows players to destroy the majority of the enemies in that fight before it even starts, including the boss himself. Other barrels, such as those filled with water, can be used tosoak large groups of enemies before hitting them with a lightning spell.
Above Dror Ragzlin’s throne room, there are rafters that can be climbed into, which will keep the party out of harm’s way when initiating a massive barrel explosion.
The late game provides access to a few unique barrel types, such as the brine barrels which deal acid damage and create an acidic surface. With practice and experimentation, players have found all sorts of different ways to take advantage of these items, which are essentially elemental bombs. The barrelmancer may not be a class, or even intended gameplay, but it is a powerful build and strategy for completing toughBaldur’s Gate 3encounters with hardly any resource cost.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
