Using the Disengage Action is vital in Baldur’s Gate 3, as it lets you avoid counterattacks. Here’s how to use Disengage in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 uses D&D 5E rules. This means that whenever a character moves out of an enemy’s melee range, that enemy can get a free attack on them. This is called an Attack of Opportunity, and it prevents characters with high movement speeds from kiting slower enemies. Luckily, enemies can only perform one Attack of Opportunity per round, so there are ways to avoid them.
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What Disengage Does In Baldur’s Gate 3
One of the risks of melee combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the enemy’s attacking when you try to flee, which you can avoid with the Disengage Action. If you use Disengage on your turn, it will cost an Action, but when you move out of or through an enemy’s melee range, they won’t get a free attack against you. As Disengage costs an Action, you won’t be able to use most of your attacks on the same turn you use it, which is the price you pay for safety.
It bears mentioning that Disengage doesn’t increase your movement speed! It simply allows you to move through enemy spaces without provoking Attacks of Opportunity. Using Disengage also doesn’t protect you from environmental hazards, such as poison pools on the floor. You can still be damaged by traps and AoE effects while using Disengage, as it only protects you from enemy attacks.
Which Classes Can Disengage As A Bonus Action Baldur’s Gate 3
All characters can Disengage, but some classes can Disengage as a Bonus Action. This means they can Disengage in the same round as performing an attack or casting a spell.
The Rogue can Disengage as a Bonus Action when they reach level 2, making moving around the battlefield less costly. This is part of their Cunning Action ability, which allows them to Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a Bonus Action. Rogue’s Cunning Action: Disengage has its own icon, so make sure to select it if you want to keep your regular Action for the turn.
Monks can also Disengage as a Bonus Action when they hit level 2 as part of their Step of the Wind ability. This isn’t quite as good as the Rogue’s Cunning Action ability, as Step of the Wind requires Ki Points to use, so Monks can only use it a finite number of times between Long Rests.
It bears mentioning that some monsters can also Disengage as a Bonus Action, so don’t be surprised if you see them whip this move out in the middle of battle.
Baldur’s Gate 3: How To Disengage In Combat On PC
If you’re playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC, the Disengage action will appear in the block of icons to the right of your character portrait on the bottom of the screen. The icon resembles two arrows pointing away from each other, as demonstrated in the screenshot above.
Baldur’s Gate 3: How To Disengage In Combat On Controller
If you’re playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on a controller, press L1 or R1 to bring up the action wheel. You will likely have several action wheels and must press L1 or R1 to cycle through them. You should find the Disengage action listed alongside Hide and Dash, with its icon resembling two arrows pointing away from each other, as demonstrated in the screenshot above.
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It’s best to use the Disengage action when a weak character is surrounded by enemies, as attempting to run without it will result in multiple Attacks of Opportunity, possibly causing them to be killed. A good strategy to use in this situation is to Disengage and then use a Healing Potion, as it only takes a Bonus Action to use a restorative item.
