What is the best way to deal with enemies that can summon environmental effects like fire or ice in Baldur's Gate 3?

Dealing with enemies that can summon environmental effects like fire or ice in Baldur's Gate 3 requires a combination of tactical awareness, proper positioning, and effective use of abilities and spells. These environmental effects can significantly impact the battlefield, creating hazards that deal damage over time, restrict movement, or provide advantages to enemies. Understanding how to counter these effects is crucial for maintaining control of the battlefield and ensuring your party's survival.

First, it's important to understand the mechanics of environmental effects. In Baldur's Gate 3, environmental effects like fire, ice, or poison can be created by spells, abilities, or even environmental interactions. For example, a fireball spell can ignite flammable surfaces, creating a burning area that deals fire damage to anyone standing in it. Similarly, an ice storm spell can create slippery surfaces that cause characters to fall prone if they fail a saving throw. These effects persist for a certain duration and can be exploited by both you and your enemies.

To effectively deal with these effects, start by identifying the source of the environmental hazard. If the enemy is casting spells like fireball or ice storm, prioritize disabling or eliminating that enemy. Use crowd control spells like hold person, silence, or counterspell to prevent them from casting further spells. Alternatively, focus your attacks on the caster to take them out of the fight quickly. If the hazard is already in place, consider using abilities or spells that can neutralize or mitigate the effect. For example, the create water spell can extinguish fires, while the gust of wind spell can disperse clouds of poison or gas.

Positioning is key when dealing with environmental hazards. Avoid clustering your party members together, as this makes them vulnerable to area-of-effect spells and hazards. Spread out your characters to minimize the impact of these effects. Use high ground and cover to your advantage, as these can provide protection from certain hazards and improve your chances of hitting enemies with ranged attacks. If you must move through a hazardous area, consider using abilities like misty step or dimension door to teleport past the danger.

Another important strategy is to use environmental effects to your advantage. If an enemy creates a fire hazard, you can use it to your benefit by pushing or pulling enemies into the flames. Abilities like thunderwave or eldritch blast with the repelling blast invocation can be used to move enemies into hazardous areas. Similarly, if an enemy creates an ice surface, you can use it to your advantage by forcing enemies to move across it, potentially causing them to fall prone.

When building your characters, consider including abilities and spells that can counter or exploit environmental effects. For example, a druid or cleric with access to the create water spell can extinguish fires, while a wizard or sorcerer with the gust of wind spell can disperse harmful gases. Characters with high mobility, such as rogues or monks, can quickly navigate hazardous areas without taking damage. Additionally, consider equipping your party with items that provide resistance to common environmental damage types, such as fire resistance or cold resistance.

Common mistakes to avoid include ignoring environmental hazards and failing to adapt your strategy. It's easy to focus solely on dealing damage to enemies, but neglecting the hazards they create can lead to unnecessary damage and even party wipes. Always be aware of the battlefield and adjust your tactics as needed. Another mistake is overcommitting to a single strategy. If your initial plan isn't working, be prepared to switch tactics and try something different.

Advanced techniques include using environmental effects in combination with your own abilities. For example, you can create a wall of fire and then use abilities like thunderwave to push enemies into it. Alternatively, you can use the grease spell to create a slippery surface and then follow up with a fire spell to ignite it, creating a burning hazard. These combinations can be highly effective but require careful planning and coordination.

In terms of D&D rules, environmental effects in Baldur's Gate 3 are based on the 5th Edition ruleset. Spells like fireball and ice storm create persistent effects that deal damage or impose conditions on characters who enter or start their turn in the affected area. Abilities like create water and gust of wind can counteract these effects, as per the rules. Understanding these rules can help you anticipate and respond to environmental hazards more effectively.

Specific examples include encounters with enemies like the goblin shamans in the early game, who can cast spells like burning hands to create fire hazards. In these situations, focus on taking out the shamans first, then use create water to extinguish any fires they create. Another example is the fight with the phase spiders in the Whispering Depths, where the spiders can create webs that can be ignited to create fire hazards. In this case, use ranged attacks to avoid the webs and focus on taking out the spiders quickly.

In conclusion, dealing with enemies that can summon environmental effects in Baldur's Gate 3 requires a combination of tactical awareness, proper positioning, and effective use of abilities and spells. By understanding the mechanics, using the environment to your advantage, and adapting your strategy as needed, you can overcome these challenges and emerge victorious in battle.