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Baldur’s Gate 3is a game defined by its choices. You choose tohelp the druidsof the grove or massacre them with thegoblins, and you choose to side with theAbsoluteor reject histadpole’s powers, and so on. Having the gameshift its course completelyin response to these choices is what makes BG3such an achievementin theCRPGgenre. However, one aspect of choice most players are unaware of is having the ability to donon-lethal damageto characters.
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It’s easy to assume that when you are thrown into a combat scenario, that the best option is to start swinging and slaying. However, the game gives you the option to do non-lethal damage instead. Only usable with melee weapons, non-lethal damage will onlyknock an enemy unconsciouswhen their health reaches zero with the attack, rather than killing them completely. Knowing how to do this can completely change the way you play the game.
Updated by Shane Black on July 17, 2025:This guide has been updated to rework the formatting and structure of the guide to provide better information and easier readability. It also added more links to relevant guides and articles for the most information about Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3
How To Toggle Non-Lethal Damage
Non-Lethal Attacks can be turned on or off from the Hotbar at the bottom.
Now, Non-Lethal Attacks are toggled on. They will remain toggled on until you click on the same icon again and remove the white outline. A non-lethal damage icon will also appear next toyour party members, making it easy to check at a glance whether or not you have non-lethal damage turned on.
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What Can Deal Non-Lethal Damage?
Onlymelee weaponslike (swords, daggers, glaives, etc.)can be used to deal non-lethal damage.Spellsand Ranged Attacks will always deal lethal damage, even if you have the option for non-lethal attacks toggled on.
However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot use spells and ranged attacks to reduce a high HP enemy’s health. Say you want to take out an enemyPaladinin a fight without killing him, but this Paladin has 100 HP, and your melee attackers only deal 5-10 damage each turn. You canreduce the enemy’s health usinghigh-damage spellsand ranged attacks before switching to melee. Have yourwizardtake out their favorite stick and yourclericshift to their mace. The only thing you need to do to avoid killing an enemy is to make sure not to reduce their health to zerowitha spell or ranged attack — only melee!
When To Use Non-Lethal Damage
Quite a few combat encounters in Baldur’s Gate 3 are morally gray. And, if you’replaying a good character, you might not want to kill a guardjust doing his job, aRangerwho is being mind-controlled, or aDruidjust protecting his home.
A good example of this is during theAuntie Ethelquestline. As you venture deeper down the hag’s hideout, you’ll encounter four mind-controlled enemies who are being forced to be hostile to you by the hag. If you take these NPCs out with non-lethal damage, they will survive the encounter, and you’re able to save them from the hag’s clutches after you kill her.
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