What are the best ways to deal with enemy summons in Baldur's Gate 3?

Dealing with enemy summons in Baldur's Gate 3 can be a challenging aspect of combat, especially when facing spellcasters or creatures that can summon additional allies to the battlefield. Understanding the mechanics and strategies to counter these summons is crucial for maintaining control over the fight and ensuring your party's survival. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to effectively handle enemy summons.

First, itÔÇÖs important to understand the mechanics behind summons. In Baldur's Gate 3, summons are typically created through spells or abilities that bring additional creatures into the fight. These summons can range from low-level creatures like familiars or minor elementals to more powerful allies such as demons or undead. Summons often act on the same turn as the summoner, and they can be controlled by the AI or the player, depending on the situation. Summons can deal damage, provide utility, or act as distractions, making them a significant threat if not dealt with promptly.

One of the most effective strategies for dealing with summons is to focus on the summoner. By targeting the enemy who is creating the summons, you can often prevent additional creatures from joining the fight. This is especially true for spellcasters who rely on concentration spells to maintain their summons. If you can break their concentration, either through damage or specific abilities like the "Counterspell" or "Dispel Magic," the summons will disappear. For example, if you encounter a wizard who summons a demon, focusing your attacks on the wizard and forcing them to lose concentration can quickly turn the tide of battle.

Another key strategy is to use area-of-effect (AoE) spells and abilities to deal with multiple summons at once. Spells like "Fireball," "Shatter," or "Spirit Guardians" can damage or destroy several summons in a single action, making them highly efficient. For example, if a druid summons a group of wolves, casting "Fireball" in the center of the pack can eliminate them before they have a chance to act. Similarly, abilities like "Thunderwave" or "Cone of Cold" can push back or freeze multiple enemies, giving your party more breathing room.

Positioning is also critical when dealing with summons. Try to keep your party members spread out to avoid being overwhelmed by multiple summons at once. If you can funnel the summons into a narrow area, such as a doorway or a choke point, you can limit their ability to surround your party. This allows you to focus your attacks on a smaller number of enemies at a time, reducing the overall threat. For instance, if youÔÇÖre fighting in a dungeon and the enemy summons a group of skeletons, positioning your tank at the entrance of a room can prevent the skeletons from spreading out and attacking your weaker party members.

Crowd control spells and abilities are another powerful tool for managing summons. Spells like "Hold Person," "Sleep," or "Entangle" can incapacitate summons, rendering them unable to act. This not only reduces the immediate threat but also gives your party time to deal with the summoner or other enemies. For example, if a necromancer summons a group of zombies, casting "Entangle" can root them in place, preventing them from reaching your party while you focus on the necromancer.

ItÔÇÖs also important to consider the action economy when dealing with summons. Summons can quickly overwhelm your party if they are allowed to act freely, so itÔÇÖs crucial to prioritize actions that can neutralize them efficiently. Using bonus actions or reactions to deal with summons can help you maintain control over the battlefield. For example, a rogueÔÇÖs "Cunning Action" can allow them to disengage from a summon and reposition, while a fighterÔÇÖs "Action Surge" can give them an extra attack to take down a summon quickly.

One common mistake to avoid is ignoring the summons and focusing solely on the summoner. While itÔÇÖs important to target the summoner, leaving the summons unchecked can lead to your party being overwhelmed. Balancing your attacks between the summoner and the summons is key to maintaining control over the fight. Additionally, be mindful of the environment and how it can affect the summons. For example, if youÔÇÖre fighting near a cliff, using abilities like "Thunderwave" to push summons off the edge can quickly reduce their numbers.

Advanced techniques for dealing with summons include using summoned creatures of your own to counter the enemyÔÇÖs summons. For example, if you have a druid in your party, summoning a pack of wolves or a bear can provide additional bodies to block or attack the enemy summons. Similarly, a wizard or cleric can summon elementals or celestials to fight alongside your party, giving you a numerical advantage.

In terms of D&D 5E rules, summons are typically governed by the rules for conjuration spells. These spells often require concentration, meaning the summoner must maintain focus to keep the summons active. Breaking the summonerÔÇÖs concentration, either through damage or specific abilities, will cause the summons to disappear. Additionally, summons usually have their own initiative and act independently of the summoner, though some spells may allow the summoner to control the summons directly.

Specific examples of dealing with summons in Baldur's Gate 3 include encounters with the goblin shamans in the Goblin Camp. These shamans can summon additional goblins or worgs to the fight, making the encounter more challenging. By focusing your attacks on the shamans and using AoE spells like "Shatter" or "Thunderwave," you can quickly reduce the number of enemies and prevent the shamans from summoning more allies. Another example is the fight with the necromancer in the Blighted Village, who can summon skeletons to aid him. Using crowd control spells like "Hold Person" or "Entangle" can incapacitate the skeletons while you deal with the necromancer.

In conclusion, dealing with enemy summons in Baldur's Gate 3 requires a combination of targeting the summoner, using AoE spells, positioning your party effectively, and employing crowd control abilities. By understanding the mechanics behind summons and using these strategies, you can maintain control over the battlefield and ensure your partyÔÇÖs success in combat.