Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Ways To Level Up Fast (2024)

Players of Baldur's Gate 3 might notice that some of the game's best features are locked behind level caps, with the game's Dungeons & Dragons source material requiring players to unlock certain levels and attain specific requirements for their characters to possess some of the game's best stats, combos, and spells. After all, spellcasters only unlock new spells at certain levels, classes get new features every few levels, and much-desired Feats and Ability Score Increases are only unlocked in special intervals.

In turn, players who want to speedrun their way to reach the game's best offerings may wonder exactly how they can pull this process off, especially as the game features various main quests, side quests, and other secrets hidden in its Acts' many nooks and crannies. Fans of Baldur's Gate 3 who want to speed up their leveling process to access the game's best features may want to follow specific tips to fast-track their way to acquiring a lot of XP. However, just what aspects of Baldur's Gate 3 will be affected in the process?

Updated on August 29, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Larian Studios teasing a new, darker ending for the Dark Urge, players of the acclaimed Baldur’s Gate 3 might be eager to check just what is in store for them in this upcoming update. Fans eager to see what grisly surprises await them as the Dark Urge might be compelled to just speedrun their way to the new endings. However, the difficulty of some encounters might have players wondering if there's some way to get their characters to level up fast enough without much challenges. Among must-try level-up tips include building towards an overpowered kit, thinking of the fastest ways of eliminating an opponent, and ensuring that killing an NPC won’t block a future questline.

1 Use An Overpowered Setup

Relying On An OP Build Speeds Up Fights

Thanks to the growing popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3, newcomers and veterans to the game don’t necessarily have to trudge through countless rounds just to finish off opponents. With overpowered Baldur’s Gate 3 builds, players can technically bulldoze their way through even the most challenging encounters - at least, with the right setups.

When they begin a Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough with powerful builds in mind, they condition their characters and playstyles to accommodate heavy-hitting movesets and strategies. Knowing which combinations of Feats, Spells, and Actions work best with a setup can hyper-optimize a player’s time in combat. For instance, a Monk with Tavern Brawler gives them access to a more powerful Flurry of Blows, allowing them to deal more damage to opponents. Likewise, the right Multiclass combination can give players access to more Spells and Actions that allow them to deal more damage in combat.

2 Think Of The Fastest Ways Of Killing An Opponent

AOEs Can Be The Key To Swift Victories

There’s a reason why Fireball is a popular “solution” in D&D gameplay, and the same principle applies to Baldur’s Gate 3 combat. If there’s a way to simultaneously eliminate enemies while using up the least amount of resources possible, it’s technically the most “convenient” way of approaching combat. When building characters, it’s ideal for players to choose Spells and Actions that let them target many opponents at a time, ensuring maximum coverage for every round.

Of course, AOEs aren’t necessarily the only ways to effectively kill an opponent much faster than anticipated. Should players have a Rogue with a potent enough Sneak Attack, they can theoretically one-turn-kill their way past bosses or tougher opponents. Then again, it’s not always that a Rogue can rush in for the kill - so it’s always helpful to have a backup caster with a nifty Fireball. This is made even more spectacular should players start Hasting their more powerful characters, allowing them to dish out more AOEs.

3 Be Careful About Important NPCs

Check Hints During Dialogue If They Matter To The Plot

Dialogue is essential in a roleplaying game like Baldur’s Gate 3 - especially since they can dictate relationships between characters and decide how encounters begin and even skipped. And while it’s suggested that players kill NPCs to gather XP, this effort becomes futile when they realize that the NPC they just killed is important to a questline or, worse, a Companion. Before players decide whether a “random” NPC or quest giver is worth getting the axe, they should carefully analyze all text surrounding them: the quest log, their dialogue, and Companions' reactions to their events.

Save for their backstories, most talkative NPCs in Baldur’s Gate 3 provide insights into their objectives throughout the player’s time with them. If an NPC expresses an interest in going to another location, it’s very likely a location players will eventually visit. It’s also important to check if a Companion has expressed an interest with the NPC’s welfare, as the death of said NPC can truly annoy a Companion enough into quitting the team. It helps to avoid killing NPCs of such importance, as it’s likely that their questline will extend across the latter Acts.

4 Interact With Everything

Reading Notes, Books Might Open Side Quests

Unlike other RPGs, Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay doesn’t necessarily include respawning enemies. This means all the enemies players will fight will be the only enemies that exist in the game world. Theoretically, this means there’s only a finite amount of combat-based XP that players can obtain at any given time in their campaign. However, another source of much-needed XP for leveling up includes quests - not just the Main Quest, but Companion Quests and even Side Quests that players discover.

A great way of securing Side Quests in Baldur’s Gate 3 would be interacting with items that players see throughout their playthrough. Clicking the right scroll or reading the right tome can start a long Side Quest that provides XP across its chain - and these Side Quests most likely include elements in subsequent Acts, giving players more opportunities for interaction.

5 Get Everyone Angry

Choose Options That Might Provoke Opponents, Which Then Trigger Fights

Being a dialogue-driven game, it’s no surprise that much of Baldur’s Gate 3 playthroughs revolve heavily around the choices players make during conversations. While there are ways of resolving multiple story beats through conversations alone, fans who want “guaranteed” XP should probably consider choosing aggressive responses. Not only does this result in annoyingly hilarious reactions, but they give a “legitimate” reason for players to engage in combat without being an unhinged murderer.

However, players who want to get into regular fights with NPCs should remember that killing them will likely permanently close all Quests and Side Quests they’re involved in. In turn, it’s advisable for players to either save in advance before proceeding with a fight or simply finish the Quest before killing them.

6 Save The Druid Grove

Being The Good Guy Forces A Fight With Goblins

Since players and their Companions are infected with Illithid Parasites, they become more than welcome in the Goblin Camp that is planning on attacking the Druid Grove as soon as they find it. Thankfully, by the players getting into Priestess Gut’s good graces and getting inside the Shattered Sanctum, it’s only a matter of time before they find the Archdruid Halsin and they’re given an extra Companion to help kill the Camp’s leaders.

As soon as players make any hostile moves in an open area in the Sanctum, all of its inhabitants become hostile to players. Surviving this assault is the last of the player’s concerns, as going outside will also result in a hostile Goblin Camp. Players should pursue this combat with two parties - one dedicated to the Sanctum and another in the Camp, as it’s going to be difficult doing both with just one squad. It’s advisable to set up traps or purchase everything available from vendors (Roah Moonglow) before fighting.

7 Raze The Druid Grove

Being The Bad Guy Forces A Fight With Everyone In The Grove

Players pursuing an evil campaign in their Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough will experience its repercussions firsthand as soon as they choose to side with Minthara and the Goblins. Doing so will force Wyll and Karlach to leave the party, removing any opportunities for players to pursue meaningful relationships with them. However, this does get players in the Absolute’s good graces, giving them an easier (albeit murder-laced) time across the other Acts.

This path towards more combat XP involves telling Minthara’s location and pretending to side with the Druid Grove upon the player’s return. The final act involves opening the gate for the Goblins, after which everyone becomes hostile against the player. Similar to the Goblin Camp, it’s advisable to set up traps or get the party away from the Tieflings to secure a safer battle.

8 Kill Everyone

Destroy The Goblin Camp After Telling On The Tieflings

Players who want to pursue utter chaos in their Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough should consider a more “free-for-all” approach. In this suggestion, no one is safe from the wrath of the player. This pathway to quicker XP combines the previous two entries. First, players tell on the Tieflings, motivating Minthara to amass a force to fight the Druid Grove. After she disappears, players should kill everyone in the Goblin Camp anyway.

Once players survive that ordeal, the cutscene where Minthara still motivates players to open the Druid Grove’s gate will still occur. Players can still opt-in on this subplot, becoming a traitor to the Tieflings anyway. Theoretically, this should give players two massive fights (versus the Goblins, versus the Tieflings). A more chaotic version also involves committing friendly fire against the Goblins - because why not?

9 Explore Everywhere

New Areas Always Give Small Amounts Of XP

One of the easiest ways to earn XP in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay is through basic exploration. Whenever players unlock new parts of the map, particularly close to Waypoints, they get a notification that they’ve earned XP after discovering the location. This unlocks the fog of war in the minimap, allowing them to explore these parts of the game much easier.

While unlocking new areas of the map grants fewer XP than usual, this is the most guaranteed way of acquiring XP without getting into battles or conversations. The likelihood of a new location being associated with an NPC, a side quest, or even an activity is high, which means players discovering new areas are usually also about to embark on an XP-earning activity.

10 Do As Many Side Quests As Possible

The More Side Quests Completed, the More XP

Given its nature as a freeform RPG, players enjoying Baldur’s Gate 3 alongside the amazing cast of the game can technically skip side quests in favor of fast-tracking their way through relevant objectives. However, players who want to level up in the game quickly should consider acquiring and accepting as many side quests as possible through NPC dialogue. And then, it’s only after acquiring all possible side quests in an area that players should explore the current game world.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s common for only a few areas within a map to have their fair share of interactive NPCs, leaving the rest of the game world for players to explore. However, the non-open world nature of each Act’s map means players will likely have side quest areas close to each other. To get XP more efficiently, players are advised to accept all side quests so they can tick them off during exploration.

11 Always Choose The Dialogue Option With A Skill Check

Doing Skill Checks Will Always Reward XP

Being a narrative-heavy RPG like its Baldur’s Gate predecessors, it’s no surprise that Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay has its fair share of dialogue between players, their Companions, and other NPCs. Thanks to their existing Skills, players also get to unlock special dialogue options based on how skillful they are in a certain activity, allowing them to convince (Diplomacy), trick (Deception), entertain (Performance), or even scare (Intimidation) others into a favorable decision.

Regardless of the options and the context of the dialogue, players should always select options that provide them with opportunities to make rolls. Ideally, these options should be within their character’s strengths so there’s a higher chance to succeed. Doing so will grant players more XP, as their character technically performed within the parameters of their skillset.

12 Kill Strategically With AOEs, Environments

Killing Fast Means Getting XP Fast

Aside from quests, fighting enemies in Baldur’s Gate 3 combat is the easiest way to acquire XP in the CRPG. However, while players can approach combat in a variety of ways, players pursuing a particular level threshold should try to optimize their combat strategy by opting for the most efficient process of killing enemies.

When facing groups of foes, it’s ideal for players to maintain defensible vantage points, stock up on AOE spells, and gather environmental elements such as oil barrels to maximize their damage. If possible, players should always try luring enemies close to each other before unleashing a barrage of attacks. This ensures the most number of enemies get hit all the time, speeding up their killing time. One of the earliest examples of this is in the Goblin Camp and the Shattered Sanctum, both exterior and interior levels with a lot of Goblin enemies.

13 Finish The Side Quest, Then Kill The Quest Giver

No Use Keeping The Quest Giver Alive If They Already Gave The Items Away

Like its and other TTRPGs, Baldur’s Gate 3 has an abundance of side quests dedicated to helping players get to know both the immediate area and the overarching narrative at large. Players may be surprised how side quests can provide them with neat buffs or even useful gear in their journey. Seeing as how finishing the side quest should leave them with nothing else to do with their quest giver, players should be on their way, right? The thing is, this isn’t necessarily the case - players can still acquire something from the quest giver in the form of XP.

To do this, players should think about the value of the NPC they’re interacting with in the context of the greater narrative. If their NPC is likely just a regular citizen of that specific Act, then there shouldn’t be any immediate consequence in killing them. Once players do this, they can acquire a bit of XP plus much of the gear that the NPC was carrying.

14 Kill Everything After Finishing The Act

Leave No Loose Ends To Maximize XP

Players of any narrative-intense RPGs know that killing NPCs in a location can potentially lock characters out of quests and rewards. This is especially the case in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay where wrong dialogue choices with an NPC can start combat and lock players out of meaningful stories. However, players who want to power-level quickly may want to consider scorched earth whenever they finish a game’s Act.

While morally questionable, eliminating all NPCs before moving on to the next Act shouldn’t have major consequences for characters, especially if they do it only when the game prompts players to lock them out of the current stage. To do this safely, players should make sure to talk to all NPCs and finish all possible side quests to avoid getting locked out of rewards. However, players should be wary when doing this to the Tieflings in the Emerald Grove, as this can potentially force certain Companions to leave them.

15 Consider Using A Level-Up Mod

Fast-Track Leveling Up Outside The Game

Players desperate to find a way to level up in Baldur’s Gate 3 should also consider thinking outside the box. In this case, players may be able to gain more XP if they activate a Level Up Mod that they can download from various sources.

Depending on the type of Level Up Mod players choose, their gameplay can experience a wide variety of benefits. On top of larger XP numbers, players can fast-track their way to specific thresholds or even get a permanent level-up boost. This should give players access to opportunities to Multiclass and tinker with their D&D characters more efficiently without having to speedrun their way throughout the game’s three acts.

Baldur's Gate 3

RPG

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios