BG3 Custom Mode Guide

Baldur's Gate 3 patch #5 adds new game modes, balance updates, new gameplay, and more. The new Custom Mode is just what I needed, as it allows full customization of the difficulty and experience of a playthrough in Baldur's Gate 3.

What is Custom Mode in BG3?

Custom Mode allows you to change many aspects of your adventure including various ways to customize combat difficulty, gameplay functions, and even trading and rest mechanics. The combat mechanics include enemy aggressiveness, character power, enemy loadouts, and additional mechanics. All can be changed between Story, Balanced, and Tactictian difficulty. There are also additional options to customize the experience with hidden rolls, DC, or enemy health.

Related: BG3 Tactician Difficulty Guide – Baldur’s Gate 3 Difficulty Differences

Best Custom Mode Settings in BG3

Here are some Custom Mode Settings that work well for a Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough:

Hardcore Custom Mode:

• Single Save: No
• Enemy Aggression: Tactician
• Character Power: Tactician
• Enemy Loadout: Tactician
• Additional Combat Mechanics: Tactician
• Proficiency Bonus: 0
• Enemy Criticals: Yes
• No Death Saving Throws: No
• Disable Free First Strikes: Yes
• Camp Supply Modifier: 2
• Short Rest Full Heal: No
• Trader Price Modifier: 1
• Multiclassing: Yes
• Always Prompt Reactions: No
• Hide NPC Health: Yes
• Hide Failed Perception Rolls: Yes
• Hide Passive Rolls in Dialogues: Yes
• Preview Dialogue Check Difficulty Before Rolling: No
• Hide Difficulty Class During Rolls: Yes

Hardcore Mode will allow you to have all the difficulty of Honour Mode without having to stick to a single save. The Hidden rolls will also make dialogue and exploration more exciting and difficult.

Realistic D&D Custom Mode:

• Single Save: No
• Enemy Aggression: Tactician
• Character Power: Tactician
• Enemy Loadout: Balanced
• Additional Combat Mechanics: Tactician
• Proficiency Bonus: 0
• Enemy Criticals: Yes
• No Death Saving Throws: No
• Disable Free First Strikes: No
• Camp Supply Modifier: 1
• Short Rest Full Heal: No
• Trader Price Modifier: 1
• Multiclassing: Yes
• Always Prompt Reactions: No
• Hide NPC Health: Yes
• Hide Failed Perception Rolls: No
• Hide Passive Rolls in Dialogues: No
• Preview Dialogue Check Difficulty Before Rolling: No
• Hide Difficulty Class During Rolls: Yes

Realistic D&D takes a slightly different approach than Hardcore Mode, but can still be very challenging. The Camp Supply Modifier is set to the Balanced difficulty and enemies will have slightly weaker loadout. NPC health and roll DCs are hidden like tabletop Dungeons and Dragons for the full experience.

Combat Heavy Custom Mode:

• Single Save: No
• Enemy Aggression: Tactician
• Character Power: Balanced
• Enemy Loadout: Tactician
• Additional Combat Mechanics: Tactician
• Proficiency Bonus: 0
• Enemy Criticals: Yes
• No Death Saving Throws: No
• Disable Free First Strikes: Yes
• Camp Supply Modifier: 0
• Short Rest Full Heal: No
• Trader Price Modifier: 0.5
• Multiclassing: Yes
• Always Prompt Reactions: No
• Hide NPC Health: Yes
• Hide Failed Perception Rolls: No
• Hide Passive Rolls in Dialogues: No
• Preview Dialogue Check Difficulty Before Rolling: Yes
• Hide Difficulty Class During Rolls: No

If combat is what you really want to focus on during your playthrough, this Combat Heavy Mode will remove mechanics like Camp Supply Management and hidden checks, but will still provide challenging combat. Trader prices should also be set low if you want access to the best equipment, but that setting can be adjusted for personal preference.

For more on Baldur's Gate 3, check out BG3 Character Builder – Tools for Creating Builds here on Pro Game Guides.