Baldur’s Gate 3’s Tactician Mode: A Challenge Like No Other
In the final Panel From Hell preview of Baldur’s Gate 3, developer Larian Studios unveiled the details of the game’s highest difficulty setting, Tactician Mode. Designed to test even the most experienced players, Tactician Mode aims to simulate the feeling of going up against a Dungeon Master (DM) who wants to push you to your limits.
Tactician Mode in Baldur’s Gate 3 incorporates elements from its predecessor, Divinity: Original Sin 2, such as increased enemy stats and more aggressive AI. However, Larian has taken it a step further by adding bespoke enhancements to combat encounters, specifically tailored to tip the scales in favor of your enemies.
Larian senior combat designer Matt Holland explained, We have it in two layers: there’s the base layer that all the characters in the game are gonna get—that’s the basics like just increasing HP or making it easier to hit you. Then there’s the local layer. We’ve gone through every single combat in our game and we’ve added little bits of spice to make that combat shine just a little bit hotter and be that much harder.
To demonstrate the impact of Tactician Mode, the Panel From Hell presenters showcased a combat encounter played first on the Balanced difficulty and then on Tactician. On the Balanced setting, a duo of Monks easily defeated a group of goblins scattered throughout the town, with only one character knocked out.
However, on Tactician Mode, the goblins were armed with fire arrows, and the main entrance to the town was rigged with oil and explosive barrels. Within a single turn, one of the monks was down, and the other was struggling to survive. Tactician Mode’s AI changes also add an extra layer of challenge, as enemies intelligently target casters who rely on multi-turn concentration spells.
Larian creative director Swen Vincke elaborated on the difficulty, saying, You’re gonna start playing on Tactician because ‘you can handle it,’ then you’re going to start crying. You’re going to say our game is bad—it’s not our fault! It’s you!
While Tactician Mode offers a thrilling and punishing experience, not all players may choose to embark on this grueling challenge. Many players may prefer the Balanced difficulty or lower, given the tough encounters in Divinity: Original Sin 2’s endgame. However, whether players opt for hardcore tactical combat or immerse themselves in romances and the reactive in-game newspaper, Baldur’s Gate 3 promises something for everyone.
One notable addition to the game is the Shadow Monk subclass, which was showcased during the Panel From Hell presentation. This ninja-like subclass adds a fresh, exciting dynamic to the game and further enhances the diverse range of player options.
With Baldur’s Gate 3 set to release on August 3, the eagerly anticipated game looks poised to deliver a memorable experience for fans of the franchise and newcomers alike. Whether players choose to tackle the intense challenges of Tactician Mode or opt for a more relaxed gameplay experience, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a vast and immersive world filled with excitement, danger, and endless possibilities.
