How can I set up a proper turn-based ambush in BG3?

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How can I set up a proper turn-based ambush in BG3?
Posted On: March 3, 2024

When my party encounters a group of unaware enemies, I want to sneak up.


on the enemies, get everyone into position, then attack together. How.


do I do that?


My naive approach so far is:.


Before initiating combat, put all party members in stealth mode (Shift-C).


Enter turn-based mode for the entire party (Shift-Space).


Position party members as desired.


When everyone is ready, attack with the character I want to attack first.


The problem is, when the first party member attacks, only that member.


enters combat. Meanwhile, all other members exit turn-based mode.


automatically (why?!), and then they all group up while I'm still giving.


orders to the first attacker, ruining the positioning and stealth!.


Furthermore, they only get involved in the fight if I explicitly switch.


to one of them, which is somewhat awkward, or they get spotted while.


regrouping, which is worse.


Consequently, my slightly refined approach continues:.


After the first click of step 4 (without ending anybody's turn), as fast as I can, without waiting to.


even see what the outcome was, switch to a different party member by.


clicking on a portrait on the left.


As fast as I can, hit Shift-Space to put the non-combatants into.


turn-based mode. They'll be in the middle of regrouping, so the faster.


I do steps 5 and 6, the closer they will be to their original, intended.


positions. But they usually move several meters even when I'm pretty.


quick.


Attack with the next party member.


But then the problem repeats, because now only two members are in combat.


and everyone else exits turn-based mode and once again starts.


regrouping. This makes tactical engagements very difficult, and it.


seems absurd that I should have to fight the UI this way.


Is there a better way? For example, is there a way to force all of my.


party members to remain grouped, so that they all enter combat together,.


even when spread out?


The wiki page on turn-based mode.


says nothing about these issues. I haven't gone trolling through other.


wiki pages because I'm trying to avoid spoilers.


I found a related.


reddit thread.


and.


stream thread.


but neither contain an answer this question.


So far, the main suggestion is to ungroup party members as step 0, which can be done by pressing G, then using the mouse to separate any summoned creatures from their summoners by clicking the little link between their portraits. This does improve the situation because it eliminates the problem of characters regrouping on their own.


However, part of what I want is for all party members to get the benefits of surprising the enemy, which typically results in my characters getting to attack twice before the enemy can respond. Even with all characters ungrouped, it seems that only the character that initiates combat gets to attack twice this way, since the others join in only after the enemies have been alerted by the first attacker.


Upon subsequent testing based on the answers, the answer by Joachim to ungroup first does indeed solve most of the problem, so I'm accepting that one. The answer by Philipp says I can preserve the "surprised" condition by not ending the first attacker's turn until others have attacked, which does seem to be true; I must have made a mistake in earlier attempts. Upvotes and thanks to both!.


Question from user Scott McPeak at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

Before you engage, you can separate your characters by either dragging their portraits on the left side out of the row (in which case separation is indicated by the chain breaking), or by right-clicking their portraits and selecting "Ungroup" There should now be more space between the portraits. You can also Toggle Group Mode, i.e. (un)separate all party members, by pressing G.


When they are all separated, they won't move towards each other on their own accord, and you can guide them separately.


This is also extremely useful for scouting and disarming traps.


Answer from user Joachim at gaming.stackexchange.com.


[BACK]
How can I set up a proper turn-based ambush in BG3?
Posted On: March 3, 2024

When my party encounters a group of unaware enemies, I want to sneak up.


on the enemies, get everyone into position, then attack together. How.


do I do that?


My naive approach so far is:.


Before initiating combat, put all party members in stealth mode (Shift-C).


Enter turn-based mode for the entire party (Shift-Space).


Position party members as desired.


When everyone is ready, attack with the character I want to attack first.


The problem is, when the first party member attacks, only that member.


enters combat. Meanwhile, all other members exit turn-based mode.


automatically (why?!), and then they all group up while I'm still giving.


orders to the first attacker, ruining the positioning and stealth!.


Furthermore, they only get involved in the fight if I explicitly switch.


to one of them, which is somewhat awkward, or they get spotted while.


regrouping, which is worse.


Consequently, my slightly refined approach continues:.


After the first click of step 4 (without ending anybody's turn), as fast as I can, without waiting to.


even see what the outcome was, switch to a different party member by.


clicking on a portrait on the left.


As fast as I can, hit Shift-Space to put the non-combatants into.


turn-based mode. They'll be in the middle of regrouping, so the faster.


I do steps 5 and 6, the closer they will be to their original, intended.


positions. But they usually move several meters even when I'm pretty.


quick.


Attack with the next party member.


But then the problem repeats, because now only two members are in combat.


and everyone else exits turn-based mode and once again starts.


regrouping. This makes tactical engagements very difficult, and it.


seems absurd that I should have to fight the UI this way.


Is there a better way? For example, is there a way to force all of my.


party members to remain grouped, so that they all enter combat together,.


even when spread out?


The wiki page on turn-based mode.


says nothing about these issues. I haven't gone trolling through other.


wiki pages because I'm trying to avoid spoilers.


I found a related.


reddit thread.


and.


stream thread.


but neither contain an answer this question.


So far, the main suggestion is to ungroup party members as step 0, which can be done by pressing G, then using the mouse to separate any summoned creatures from their summoners by clicking the little link between their portraits. This does improve the situation because it eliminates the problem of characters regrouping on their own.


However, part of what I want is for all party members to get the benefits of surprising the enemy, which typically results in my characters getting to attack twice before the enemy can respond. Even with all characters ungrouped, it seems that only the character that initiates combat gets to attack twice this way, since the others join in only after the enemies have been alerted by the first attacker.


Upon subsequent testing based on the answers, the answer by Joachim to ungroup first does indeed solve most of the problem, so I'm accepting that one. The answer by Philipp says I can preserve the "surprised" condition by not ending the first attacker's turn until others have attacked, which does seem to be true; I must have made a mistake in earlier attempts. Upvotes and thanks to both!.


Question from user Scott McPeak at gaming.stackexchange.com.


Answer:

Before you engage, you can separate your characters by either dragging their portraits on the left side out of the row (in which case separation is indicated by the chain breaking), or by right-clicking their portraits and selecting "Ungroup" There should now be more space between the portraits. You can also Toggle Group Mode, i.e. (un)separate all party members, by pressing G.


When they are all separated, they won't move towards each other on their own accord, and you can guide them separately.


This is also extremely useful for scouting and disarming traps.


Answer from user Joachim at gaming.stackexchange.com.


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