Stealth Guide - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

In this post, I would like to go through the main stealth mechanics in Baldur's Gate 3. It offers a unique playstyle that many people may overlook. Stealth has its special functions and benefits. It can give the game a breath of fresh air.

Stealth and how to use it

The first question would be - why one would use stealth? There are a few benefits that I would like to list:

• You gain an advantage on attacks, which increases hit chance and overall damage per turn.
• You can find a good spot to start the combat from.
• You can start pickpocketing targets

However, before doing anything I recommend evaluating if you can enter it. The first thing is to assess the line of sights, which can be seen with "shift" (on PC) and they reveal which parts of the area are under NPC vision:

There are three possibilities:

1. The area is not red, which means that enemies cannot see it when you are in stealth (they can still see you sometimes if you enter their "line of sight without stealth).
2. The red area means that enemies vision have this area covered and if you enter it while in stealth it will trigger a stealth check. There is also the question about Obscurity, but I will cover this more in the next section.

So, if you are not seen you can enter stealth using Hide​ action and as long as you don't walk on the red areas, everything will stay the same. The activation does cost an action point, but some classes can also do it with bonus action:

• Gloom Stalker - Dread Ambusher: Hide​
• Rogue - Cunning Action: Hide​
• Shadow Monk - Shadow Arts: Hide​

These are better suited for combat activation or when in turn-based mode. However, the mechanics do have various aspects that you need to understand before utilizing it to its full potential.

Being Obscured

So an area in the game can have different light effects, which differently interact with what happens once you are seen during stealth. How can you see the obscurity level of the area? Pretty simple use the same "shift" and check your mouse pointer for the icon

Clear Area

This is pretty simple most sunny or lighted areas are these and they will have a sun with a fully white inside.

These areas are the "enemies" of stealthy characters. If you are seen while using Hide, you instantly get detected, and either enter combat or stand up. You can usually interact with objects emitting light and turn it off, like torches.

But overall, as stealth characters avoid these.

Lightly Obscured

This is a safer area and stealth characters will spend most of the time here. It is generally a shadowy area when there is sun nearby or some kind of light source.

The main highlight is that when the target vision goes over you, a stealth check is rolled. This is where you will utilize that stealth proficiency and expertise:

In general, this is great, but there is a major problem - characters with Darkvision​ and Superior Darkvision. For them, the area counts as a Clear Area, and they will instantly see you.

Heavily Obscured

This is probably the best place to be, and you should aim to stay at these. Their icon is an empty sun. These are generally:

• Dungeons
• Very dark areas, especially in Act 2
• Artificially created - Fog Cloud, Darkness, etc.

This is the best place to be:

1. You don't need to roll a stealth check unless you are close to the enemy.
2. Enemies with Darkvision​/Superior Darkvision​ count this as lightly obscured and still need you to roll the stealth check

So this is an extremely safe place to be for any character that has some kind of proficiency in stealth. Now this does raise the question - how to utilize the mechanic to the fullest?

Utilizing Stealth in combat

So the obvious point, is how does this translate in combat and how can you use it to inflict maximum damage? The simplest answer is just attacking from stealth gives you a good position and an easy advantage:

Of course, there are some more advanced things that you can do and let me cover some of them:

Launching a Surprise Round

This is probably the best thing that you can get with good stealth preparation. Surprise rounds effectively give you a free round of damage, and enemies do nothing for the whole time (they can avoid this by having an Alert​ feature).

So with 1 free turn, you can break enemy formations and make the combat almost an instant win. Here are some steps and requirements to land this:

1. You have to be undetected before doing this, best to be outside the red vision cones. If you need to enter the vision cone, make sure that they don't have Darkvision​ and it's either a Lightly Obscured or Heavily Obscured area. Or you can just be Invisible via effects like Potion of Invisibility, Umbral Shroud, Cloak of Shadows, etc. This almost guarantees a surprise round.
2. You can start the combat by attacking with melee, ranged weapons, or casting offensive spells. The main prerequisite is that you should be "seeable" and in the line of sight of the enemy once the attack lands. So they would have a clear vision of you and you are not too far away. This is important, as being far away does not trigger Surprise.
3. You can move in other party members if they were ungrouped so they could also land attacks during this free round.

Outside help with Surprise rounds

So sometimes you might not want to use invisibility potions or don't have a stealthy character to reach enemies. Well, no worries. There are two other good options that can guarantee surprise rounds:

Shovel

In Act 1, you can obtain a special scroll - Scroll of Summon Quasit. This allows summoning a special quasit that can be interacted. Of course, this is a scroll so it is a one-time use, but you can make this a permanent spell:

1. Being a Wizard and scribing the spell to the spellbook
2. Speak to Shovel as Warlock, Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer or Wizard, this gives an option of adding her to the spells.

The main point here is that Shovel gets access to Invisibility​ which enables it to get close to enemies. After that, you can hit them, with a guaranteed success for a surprise round.

Mage Hand Legerdemain

This is another special summon that is accessed by Arcane Trickster. The Mage Hand Legerdemain​ is invisible and can be used to hit targets and launch a surprise round.

Stealth attacks without initiating combat

There is an even more advanced mechanic that allows for "free" damage with very high Stealth characters. It may sound silly, and it kind of is. It does utilize the game mechanics to the maximum but this allows for a truly powerful setup.

The idea here is to say outside the enemy line of sight. This is a bit different from the red vision cones, and it is "the possible vision" of the enemy. This does have some requirements:

• Have a long-range weapon like a shortbow or longbow. Hand crossbows have too short a range unless you are on a higher ground.
• Have stealth proficiency and expertise if possible with a high Dexterity.
• Have a source of Pass Without Trace​ for a +10 stealth bonus.
• Have a stealth advantage from items or spell buffs.
• Stay at a very long range from the enemy.
• Avoid enemy vision and stay out of their line of sight.
• I recommend targeting weaker foes, because even if they are too close, killing them instantly does not trigger a surprise round

So it is quite a demanding tactic, and to be fair mostly works in open areas, here are general steps that I use:

1. Get into position, and check that you are maximizing your range.
2. Shoot the target, after which you will have a stealth check and stand up.
3. Now you can run further away, in the meantime, enemies will start moving toward your last known position.
4. Once you are far away, you can shoot one of those enemies that is searching for you.
5. Rinse and repeat

This is a good tactic to clear up some foes, with minimal risk before entering combat. In the worst-case scenario, you end up with a Surprise round which is still a win.

Character switches during dialogues

This does not precisely relate to stealth, but it does give an opportunity to prepare for combat. In some cases, you will see an incoming encounter from the possible dialogue options. This is a perfect moment to prepare your party members (who are not in the dialogue) for the ideal positions or even enter stealth.

It's a pretty neat combo, generally there will be a better indicator that the dialogue ends in a combat sequence.

Greater Invisibility with very high Stealth

The best tactic in the game for stealth playstyle comes later, at about level 9 when your party can access level 5 spells. Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, and some other classes can learn Greater Invisibility. This spell is special, because each attack when using it, will not break invisibility, but instead do a stealth check which increases based on the attack number:

1. 1st attack - 15 Stealth Difficulty Check
2. 2nd attack - 17 Stealth Difficulty Check
3. 3rd Attack and more - +1 to the Stealth Difficulty Check

With a good setup, you can destroy many encounters but for this, you do need some preparation:

• The attacking character should have a very high stealth roll chance - proficiency, expertise, Pass Without Trace, advantage, etc.
• Have a caster who can concentrate on Greater Invisibility​ for 10 turns.
• Pray that you get good rolls

And with these things checked you are ready for some sick combat.

1. Cast Greater Invisibility​ on the main stealth character. Leave your casters further away so that they will not get detected.
2. Use the stealth character and start attacking. You can use Turn-based mode if you need more control, and don't want to waste any of the spell concentration time.
3. If you are detected, bring in your allies that were waiting behind.
4. At least you should inflict some damage or weaken foes.

Minor Illusion to distract foes

One powerful cantrip in the game is Minor Illusion. It is available as a cantrip to Bards, Sorcerers, Wizards and Warlocks. However, Arcane Trickster and Shadow Monk also receive them, which are better intended for stealth playstyle.

Still, even mages can do some deadly things as this is a truly powerful cantrip. You can use it to distract targets and move them to a particular location. This would divert their attention and you are free to do - move to another location (best with turn-based mode) and cast an area of effect spell or action.

As you can see this can be extremely powerful with some setup. All the enemies in the encounter are close to death and just need a slight follow-up for a guaranteed win.

Abusing Invisibility and Stealth

Now, with understanding the mechanics of stealth I think you should already see multiple opportunities on how the mechanic can be utilized to your advantage. However, there are a few even better things that can sort of break the game.

What happens if an enemy searches for you during combat and cannot find you? Combat ends. What happens next? Well let's see an example:

So you are able to reset combat encounters, regain your resources, and start anew. This is a very powerful tool for stealthy playstyle. This also works with Potion of Invisibility, Umbral Shroud, Cloak of Shadows,​ and other invisibility effects.

So get a Surprise round, land a few hits, go to the next round, disappear via invisibility or stealth, and leave combat. Now you are free to do whatever, call in your allies, or do another surprise round.

Stealth Items

The main thing to be on the lookout for is that you can get various items throughout the game that help with stealth checks and in general with this kind of playstyle.

Items with bonuses to stealth checks

Item	Description
Smuggler's Ring	+2 to stealth checks
Spidersilk Armour	+1 to stealth checks
Drow Studded Leather Armour	+1 to stealth checks
Shadeclinger Armour	+1 to stealth checks
Scarlet Leather Armour	+1 to stealth checks
Penumbral Armour	+3 to stealth checks, but you need to be Obscured.
Leather Armour +2	+1 to stealth checks

Items with Advantage on stealth checks

Item	Description
Assassin's Shortsword	-
Elegant Studded Leather	-
Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	Works only while Obscured
Dark Justiciar Half-Plate	Works only while Obscured
Viconia's Priestess Robe	Works only while Obscured
The Graceful Cloth	Gives an advantage to all dexterity checks, which also include stealth.

Spells with bonuses or advantages to Stealth checks

Spells	Description
Astral Knowledge​	Githyanki-specific action which allows to select Astral Knowledge: Dexterity​ for stealth.
Blessing of the Trickster​	Advantage on stealth checks, available to Trickery Domain clerics.
Guidance​	+1d4 to all Skill checks
Vampire Bite​	Only available to Astarion. Gives +1 to ability checks.
Pass Without Trace​	+10 bonus to stealth checks. Requires Concentration.
Greater Invisibility​	Can be active even while attacking or doing actions, as long as you pass stealth checks
Cat's Grace​	Advantage on Dexterity checks. Activated with Enhance Ability​ or The Graceful Cloth.