Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Prepare Spells in BG3

Your spellcasters have a limited number of remembered spells they can use in Baldur’s Gate 3. As useful as it would be for them to readily use every spell and ability at their capacity, specific spellcasters, namely Wizards, can only use a certain number during combat.

There are specific ways that your characters can swap out their spells, and it all comes down to preparing them. This is a specific action that can happen at specific times during your campaign. Here’s what you need to know about preparing spells in Baldur’s Gate 3.

How To Switch Out Spells in Baldur’s Gate 3

To prepare any of your party’s spells, make sure you are out of combat, and nothing is actively happening in Baldur’s Gate 3. Your party can be in the middle of the wilderness, in a friendly camp, or anywhere safe. They can even be in a safe location in the middle of hostile territory. The important thing is to do all of this out of combat, or you won’t be able to swap out any spells.

Once you’ve double-checked this, open your spellbook to view your party members’ actions, cantrips, and various spells. You can find this option in your spellcasting character sheet, where you can review all the spells they’ve learned throughout your Baldur’s Gate 3 campaign.

The prepared spells that your spellcaster can use are the highlighted ones, and they’re going to appear on the spell slot associated with them. For example, Gale, the party’s Wizard, has several learned spells that he can use in his spellcasting book, and they’re broken up by being level one and level two.

However, he will need to be in camp to prepare any of these spells, because he is a Wizard. The Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3 require the most preparation to summon their spells, compared to the other spellcasters in the game.

All of the spells that Gale can use during an encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3 will appear on the top row, next to the spellcasting book. These do not count from his ritual spells or the cantrips that he knows. These are the spells that take spell slots to cast. Click on any of the spells that Gale has learned, and swap them out with any of the spells you want to use from your level one or level two categories.

After you’ve finished picking your new options, double-check they’re available on your hotbar at the bottom of your screen to readily use them in combat. You can make the hot bar bigger for any party member by clicking the small plus sign next to their spells, actions, and items in Baldur’s Gate 3. Make sure to run through all of the known spells before jumping into the next combat encounter.

How to Get More Spells in BG3

For those feeling the limitations of their spellbooks, it is important to remember that more spells slots are gained when leveling up. The number is determined by the class of the character, and their overall character level. The level of spells a character earns depends on their class. For example, a level 12 Wizard will can use more powerful characters, compared to a level 8 Wizard.

Additionally, players can also use magic scrolls or magic items to add a few more spells to their library. Magic scrolls are a single use items, while magical items may provide a cantrip that can be used at will, or recharged after a long or short rest.