Baldur’s Gate 3 is like a brand-new game with its most popular combat mod

Baldur’s Gate 3’s combat is turn-based. That means whenever you’re in a fight, you have a built-in opportunity to think about what to do next while your fighters take orderly turns making their moves.Larian Studios – the makers ofBaldur’s Gate 3 – structured the game like that on purpose.Baldur’s Gate 3 is aDungeons & Dragons game. The ability to stop and plan out your moves is how tabletop gaming usually works, andBaldur’s Gate 3shines in that format. After all: You’ve got a lot to think about. Your enemies often throw curveballs that youneed time to plan your response to. And you’ve got myriad skills to strategize around. There’s truly no reason to mess with a format that works.

But what if you did?

The Brawl BG3 mod completely changes combat

ANexus mod with nearly 20,000 downloads, created by moddertinybike, transforms the combat inBaldur’s Gate 3from turn-based to something called “real-time-with-pause.” Real-time-with-pause (or RTwP) combat happensfast…but, as the name suggests, you do get built-in breathers. You just have to manage that yourself.

Typically, once you trigger an enemy encounter in RTwP combat games, the game will automatically pause to give youa chance to get your head on straight. You can then check your fighters’ settings to plan out what they’ll do once combat begins – e.g., tell your Mage to set enemies on fire, tell your Paladin to attack the biggest enemy you’re facing, tell your Cleric to heal party members whose health is less than 50%.

Then, once that’s all set, you unpause your game. You watch as combat proceeds. You see what happens when your party follows your commands. …And then, inevitably, you pause your game when chaos ensues, put your head in your hands, and reassess every life choice that has brought you to that point. It’s stressful, but once you get into it, you’ll find it even more compelling than the traditional rules ofBaldur’s Gate 3.

Why swap to real-time-with-pause combat in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Image: Larian Studios

There are two big reasons to consider RTwP inBaldur’s Gate 3.

There’s a whole world of classicDungeons & Dragons video games to explore, but, there is a catch: Many of them, especially the older ones, do have real-time-with-pause combat. So, if you’ve been thinking about getting into, say,Baldur’s Gate 1orDragon Age: Origins (both incredible games), that can be an obstacle. cRPG players tend to have very strong thoughts aboutturn-based vs. real-time-with-pause combat. Which makes sense! They’re very different ways to approach fighting, and if that set-the-instructions, see-what-happens combat strategy style does not appeal to you, that can be a nonstarter.

But, that said, if you’re intrigued by RTwP combat, getting familiar with it can unlock hundreds of hours of fabulous gameplay.That’s the first reason.

The second is a bit simpler: If youareinterested in RTwP and you’re aBaldur’s Gate 3 fan, trying out a potentially-scary type of combat in a familiar environment can make a new thing feel much less stressful.

All told, if you’ve been playing BG3 for three years and want tokeep playing but are seeking a new take to keep things fresh, try this on. It makesBaldur’s Gate 3feel brand-new.

Best tips for playing BG3 in real-time with pause

After you’ve installed the Nexus mod for RTwP combat inBaldur’s Gate 3 (and started a new save file, or backed up your save, per the modder’s best practices!), it’s time to have fun.To make sure your real-time-with-pause combat experience in BG3 or any other RTwP cRPG is actually fun, though, consider playing withthese combat tips in mind.

1. Check out your auto-pause settings. In your game’s options menu, or in the toggle-able Brawl mod menu, you can configure auto-pause to make sure the game gives you that all-important stop-and-strategize pause when something happens to trigger combat. Common auto-pause settings are “Enemy Sighted,” “Combat Start,” and “Character Low Health.”
2. Use your spacebar (or your pause button) liberally. It is not a failing to pause all the time in RTwP. That’s how it works. Play in micro-bursts. Pause the game, queue up character actions, unpause for two literal seconds, pause again to adjust those orders. Rinse and repeat.
3. Explore as if combat’s about to start (because it usually is). Get in the habit of keeping a high-stealth character scouting ahead of your party, keep your tanks in the front, keep your squishier mages or archers trailing behind, all the time, as your party is walking around. That way, when the game auto-pauses and you’re suddenly in combat, you’re already in a helpful fighting stance.

Ready to give it a whirl?Download the Brawl Baldur’s Gate 3 mod right here, or, if you want to give this combat style a try in a game built for it, check outPillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire.Either way, space bars at the ready. May your pauses be plentifuland your Mages never set your Fighters on fire by accident!