With over 600 hours sunk into Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian’s superlative fantasy RPG, I’ve got to get my new run kicks from somewhere (am I right, or am I right?), so for my latest assault on the Elder Brain, I decided to do a pure solo Durge draconic bloodline tiefling from the lower planes.
The idea was simple. Do not accept anybody into my party, like, at all. And, by ‘do not accept’, I mean brutally kill them before they even have a chance to pitch their tent in my camp. No half measures. There would be none of the, oh, I am a deranged killer but can still assemble, fight and chill with my team of fantasy friends—no, it would be all blood and bones. My goal was, Withers aside, to keep my camp completely NPC-free.
As for the class build, I decided to go for the most low-effort fun and flexible multi-class build I could think of, a Sorlock, with a one-level dip into Warlock (for all the delicious weapon and armour benefits it grants), then built on top of with a fire damage-focussed Sorcerer. I’d slice and dice my foes up close, and then incinerate them from afar with powerful magics. I wanted a power-fantasy run that wouldn’t get bogged down. I wanted all killer (literally, in the case of my deranged Durge) and no filler (even if it is exceptionally well crafted).
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Burn baby burn
Role-playing my deranged Durge needed something else, though. Another thing to not only help build their character and appearance, but also something that, mechanics-wise, would keep me interested (after all, I’ve played this game so much). It needed a bloody cherry on top of my cake of bones and viscera. Enter the famous and, remarkably, still-possible-after-patch-8 druid flame blade trick with Withers. Here’s how you do it:
- Visit Withers with at least 200 gold in your pocket, but ideally double that.
- Recruit the druid hireling and spec them in any way you want. It doesn’t matter.
- In camp, level up the druid hireling and ensure you take the flame blade spell at level 3.
- With the druid selected, summon the flame blade with a spell slot. Then, as your Tav/Durge, immediately go back to Withers and dismiss the druid hireling while they are still holding the flame blade.
- Next, as soon as the hireling is dismissed, speak to Withers again and re-hire the same druid hireling.
- The hireling will now re-appear and, crucially, they will still have the flame blade equipped. However, this time, the flame blade will be classed as a permanent weapon and not a temporary one.
- Transfer the flame blade from your druid hireling to your Tav/Durge. Voila! You now have a permanent flame blade that deals a minimum of 3d6 fire damage per strike, rising up to 5d6 with a max-level upcast.
- Repeat the trick if you want two flame blades. Why not? Dual-wield like me for double trouble.
- Wreak fiery death and carnage on all who cross you.
- Realise that, yes, solo Durge is a great way to play Baldur’s Gate 3.
And, let me tell you, by using this exploit, all fall to my twin flame blades and the infernal fires of the Nine Hells. When you’re capable of hitting foes with a fireball, before then storming in and finishing any still standing with twin flaming swords, little can stand in your way. To quote the great wyrm Smaug himself… I am fire. I am death.
As to why this pretty well-known exploit has been left in by Larian Studios after all its patching, I have no idea. But I’m very happy it has been, as it has given me yet another lease of life in this remarkable fantasy RPG. The fact that fire damage is just so potent against so many foes in Baldur’s Gate 3 just makes it so, so powerful, and for a run where speed, fun, and carnage is key, that’s been perfect. If, like me, you fancy some fiery fun, then I recommend you give it a try.
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