Baldur's Gate 3: D&D Terminology Explained

Baldur's Gate 3 presents you with a whole lot of terms that you need to understand to really get your grips around the game, and it can get a bit confusing. Luckily, that's where we come in with a full list of the terminology that you need to know for the game.

Important Baldur's Gate 3 Terminology

Ability Check

An ability check is a certain roll you need to meet to be successful in an action.

Ability Score

An ability score is the basic stats that you have once you create your character.

Actions

An action is whatever you choose to do in the game and while you're in combat you usually only get one action per turn.

Advantage

Advantage allows you to roll two dice and take the higher result as your result.

Armor Class

Armor Class is the score that your opponent has which you have to beat to actually hit the enemy.

Attack Roll

This is the roll that dictates whether you actually hit your enemy. 

Bonus Action

An extra action that certain classes have in combat

Charisma

How good you are at talking, basically

Constitution

What your health is dictated by

Concentration Spell

A concentration spell is a spell that lasts for multiple turns but requires you to roll for concentration every time that you're attacked

Critical Hit

Rolling a natural 20 causes you to do extra damage to your opponent with a critical hit

Dexterity

Dexterity helps you sneak about and perform feats of acrobatics.

Disadvantage

Disadvantage requires you to roll your dice twice and take the lower of the two results.

Feats

Feats are aspects that change your character by either giving them positive modifiers or giving them unique abilities. 

Hit Die

Hit Die work behind the scenes in the game, but these are what heal you during a short rest.

Initative

What decides the turn order in combat

Intelligence

What gives you big-brain time, allowing you to use history and investigation

Long Rest

Camping to heal up all players and spell slots

Modifiers

The number that you add to a roll or in some cases, subtract from a roll

Opportunity Attack

An attack triggered by attempting to move out of the range of an enemy

Proficiencies

What your character is good at and has a bonus in.

Rage

Rage is a Barbarian Skill that adds bonuses to Strength and Consitution, in addition to reducing damage

Reaction

Something that you can do when another player performs an action once per combat round

Saving Throws

A throw that reacts to something happening and can often reduce damage or resist spells.

Short Rest

A rest that regains some of your hit points, but none of your spell slots.

Sneak Attack

A Sneak Attack is a Rogue attack that does extra damage if you surprise or flank an enemy

Spell Slots

How many times you can use a certain spell or spell level before you run out of the ability to use it until a long rest.

Strengths

Anything that uses your muscles.

Wisdom

Actions that use common sense.