Quick Links
Baldur’s Gate 3is an impressively large game that has a ton of content for players to find and dig into. Some of the content in the game is pretty well-hidden, while other content is easy to find so long as players look.
One thing that players will find is the many bonuses that can be permanently added to their characters throughout the game. Here is a guide to every permanent buff/bonus, its effect, and how to unlock it.
Act 1 Permanent Bonuses
There are thirteen known permanent bonuses that players are able to obtain during Act 1. Remember, both the Mountain Pass and the Underdark can be explored before moving on to Act 2, so be sure to grab everything you want before heading on.
+1 to an Ability Score of the player’s choice
Spare Auntie Ethel’s life after fighting her to save Mayrina
Illithid Powers can now be a Bonus Action
Githyanki Creche
Use the Zaith’isk in the Creche and pass all the Skill Checks
Gives players an Advantage on Attack Rolls against Bleeding enemies
Underdark
Sacrifice a companion in The Fester Cove and don’t hurt the Kuo-toa
Brand of the Absolute
Unlocks dialogue about being in the Cult of the Absolute
Allow Priestess Gut to mark the player
Let Scratch join the camp
Find the scroll in the Apothecary’s Cellar
+1 to Wisdom Saving Throws and Ability Checks
Allows the player to successfully play instruments
Pass the Charisma Checks with Alfira
Loviatar’s Love
Gain +2 to Attack Rolls and Wisdom Saving Throws while having 30% HP or less
Allow Abdirak to hit you in the Goblin Camp
Allow Volo to remove the Parasite
Act 2 Permanent Bonuses
Act 2 features eight different permanent bonuses/buffs, some of which are for characters other than Tav. Here’s a breakdown of them all.
Adds the spell Entangled to use on Undead
Tell Arabella about her parents
Adds a 1d12 charge of Bardic Inspiration
Talk to Alfira at the end of Act 2
Grants Gale an extra level 3 Spell Slot
Shadow-Cursed Lands
Play Gale’s Origin and consume the Shadow Weave from the Thorms' corpses
+1 Advantage on Intelligence Saving Throws
Mind Flayer Colony
Speak to the Waking Mind via the Mind-Archive in the colony
+2 Strength (even past 20 Strength)
Grants the Slayer Form
Anywhere
Kill Isobel, Tav’s lover, or the highest-approval companion during The Urge.
Summon Us from the prologue
Save him in Act 1 and rescue him from the Mind Flayer Colony in Act 2
Act 3 Permanent Bonuses
The final act of the game features ten permanent bonuses, and once again, they can be used on characters other than Tav. Here’s a breakdown of those bonuses/buffs.
+2 to Saving Throws
Make enough offerings to a deity in the tabernacle
Summons 4 Undead to fight alongside the player
Read the Tharchiate Codex and then Necromancy of Thay
Adds the Spell Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
Open Hand Temple
Place the Sentient Amulet (obtained in Act 1) in the Monk’s casket
+2 to an Ability
Pray to the mirror and then sacrifice an Ability
Rescue Volo and speak to him at the campsite
Adds +1d4 Slashing bonus to Attack Rolls and Saving Throws
Have Boney construct a statue of Tav for the campsite
Gain +20 temporary HP after every Long Rest
Blood is now highly flammable
Grants Astarion the Ascendant Bite and Misty Escape actions
