The Best Consumables That Are Better Than Spells In Baldur’s Gate 3

Summary

• Consumables in Baldur’s Gate 3 offer long-lasting benefits without requiring concentration or spell slots.
• Elixirs like Heroism, Speed, and Invisibility provide superior alternatives to spells for buffs and effects.
• Items like Elixir of Universal Resistance and Arrow of Transposition offer potent advantages in combat scenarios.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, consumables are more than just emergency items, with some of them offering truly game-changing benefits, with powerful effects that last until long rest, require no concentration, and don’t drain your spell slots. Some consumables grant stronger buffs than spells, while certain potions and arrows can replicate magical effects without requiring a spellcaster in the party.

Whether you’re avoiding a long rest to take advantage of your buffs a little longer, running a party without a dedicated spellcaster, or just want a reliable alternative to concentration-based spells, these eight consumables will ensure your party remains at peak form.

8

Elixir Of Heroism

Permanent Heroism Without Concentration

• Counter: Directly counters the Heroism spell, granting 10 additional temporary HP and a 1d4 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws. Moreover, unlike the spell, the effects of the elixir last until the next long rest.
• How To Craft: Combine any sublimate of Pegasus feathers and any Ashes.

Unlike the Heroism spell, which requires the spellcaster to maintain concentration and lasts only for 10 turns, the Elixir of Heroism

offers better buffs in comparison and lasts until long resting. While the Heroism

enchantment spell grants its target immunity against the Frightened condition and 5 additional HP, the Elixir of Heroism provides an additional 10 HP and the blessed condition.

Creatures bestowed with the blessed condition acquire a 1d4 bonus to their attack rolls and saving throw rolls, which makes the Elixir of Heroism far more effective than the spell.

7

Potion Of Speed

Haste Without Concentration

• Counter: Directly counters the Haste spell and doesn’t require a concentrating spellcaster.
• How To Craft: Combine Ashes of Hyena Ear and any salt.

Haste

is arguably the most powerful spell in Baldur’s Gate 3, allowing for an additional action per turn for 10 turns. However, the spell requires concentration to maintain and parties are likely to rely on a wizard or sorcerer for this role.

In contrast, the Potion of Speed

offers similar benefits to that of Haste for three turns, but with the advantage of not requiring concentration to maintain the effect. This allows players to compose aggressive parties without having to rely on a dedicated spellcaster.

6

Potion Of Invisibility

Reliable, Concentration-Free Invisibility

• Counter: Directly counters the invisibility spell and doesn’t require concentration to take effect.
• How To Craft: Combine Ashes of Imp Patagium and any essence.

Just like the Potion of Speed, the Potion of Invisibility

allows players to go invisible without having to depend on a spell. Moreover, unlike the Potion of Speed, the Potion of Invisibility grants a total of ten turns of invisibility, equating it to the spell.

Since potions can be consumed using a bonus action, it alone makes the Potion of Invisibility arguably better than the spell, which requires the caster to spend an action, a spell slot, and furthermore maintain concentration. Although, at higher levels, Greater Invisibility

is a more effective choice for invisibility, as it allows its target to remain invisible after succeeding a stealth check.

5

Elixir Of Bloodlust

• Counter: Partially counters Haste, granting one additional action per turn and 5 temporary HP. The effect lasts until long rest.
• How To Craft: Combine Ashes of Worg Fang and any salt.

The Elixir of Bloodlust

is a weaker variant of the Haste spell and the Potion of Speed, as it grants an additional action only after the player kills a target. However, unlike the Potion of Speed or Haste, the effects of the elixir last until long rest, making it a valuable consumable for extended fights with multiple enemies.

At higher character levels, the Elixir of Bloodlust becomes extremely powerful, as players are more likely to defeat standard enemies in a single turn, and as a result, earn an additional action. Moreover, the bonus from the elixir can stack with Potions of Speed or the Haste spell without overriding its original effect.

4

Elixir Of Cloud Giant Strength

Superior Strength Buff

• Counter: Far better than Enhance Ability (Bull’s Strength) by setting the character’s strength to 27 until long rest.
• How To Craft: Combine Salts of Cloud Giant Fingernails and any suspension.

The Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength

is a must-have consumable for most melee-based characters, especially if they don’t invest ability points into the strength attribute. While the Enhance Ability

spell with the Bull’s Strength subset offers advantage on strength checks and doubles equipment load, the Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength straight up sets its consumer’s strength to 27, offering a +6 modifier to strength checks.

Given how powerful this elixir can be, it’s a reliable consumable for Fighters, Paladins, and Tavern Brawler Monks. While the Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength isn’t available in the early to mid-game, a slightly weaker variant, Elixir of Hill Giant Strength

, can be amply found in the first and second acts of the game.

Considering the rarity of Cloud Giant Fingers in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s best to purchase the elixir from merchants.

3

Arrow of Arcane Interference

Silence & Break Concentration In One Shot

• Counter: Unlike the Silence spell, the Arrows of Arcane Interference are able to break concentration.
• Where To Find: Can be purchased from Fytz the Firecracker, Bumpnagel, and Barcus Wroot in Act 3.

While the Silence

spell is quite strong in its ability to lock down large groups of enemies, including spellcasters, it doesn’t, however, break the concentration of an affected spellcaster. In the late game, enemy spellcasters are extremely powerful, and breaking their concentration on powerful spells like Hold Person

and Dominate Person

becomes vital.

The Arrow of Arcane Interference

tackles the one drawback of the silence spell — it breaks concentration on spells. The main drawback of the Arrow of Arcane Interference is its limited targeting, affecting only a single enemy compared to Silence’s wide AOE radius.

2

Elixir Of Universal Resistance

Grants Resistance To All Damaging Conditions

• Counter: Counters Protection from Energy, Blade Ward, and Resistance spells. The effect lasts for 10 rounds.
• How To Craft: Combine Vitriol of Divine Miasma and any sublimate.

The Elixir of Universal Resistance is one of the strongest consumables in the game, granting its consumer resistance against all damage types for ten turns. Unlike the level 3 spell, Protection from Energy

, which provides resistance against five elemental conditions and requires concentration, the Elixir of Universal Resistance halves all incoming damage, both magical and non-magical, making it a solid choice for tough boss encounters.

Despite being classified as an elixir, the effect of the Elixir of Universal Resistance only lasts for 10 turns and consuming any other elixir on top of it doesn’t override its effect.

1

Arrow Of Transposition

Unlimited Misty Step Without Spell Slots Or Short Rests

• Counter: Provides unlimited teleportation, limited only by the number of Arrows of Transpositions carried.
• Where To Find: Sold by various merchants, including Barcus Wroot, Dammon, Lady Esther, Quartermaster Talli, and Roah Moonglow.

Misty Step

is one of the most reliable teleportation spells in the game. It becomes available as a level 2 spell to sorcerers and wizards, and certain items allow its wearer to cast the spell once per short rest. However, the Arrow of Transposition

offers the same teleportation ability, albeit restricted to the arrow’s flight path.

Where the Arrows of Transposition shine is in their ability to virtually offer unlimited Misty Steps without having to rely on spells, making it a valuable tool to have in one’s backpack as a backup for Misty Step.