• Guide

How to rest - Baldur's Gate 3

Whether a short rest or a long rest, giving your party a chance to recover in Baldur's Gate 3 is important.

Sam Chandler

August 3, 2023 8:00 AM

Larian Studios

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Much like in Dungeons & Dragons, resting in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a mechanic that should be employed at the right moment to get the most out of your party. The game offers a couple of different types of resting, and each one has its benefits and its costs. Here’s what you need to know about how to rest, what it does, and the difference between Short Rests and Long Rests.

How to rest (Long or Short)

Before we get into the differences, resting in Baldur’s Gate 3 is as simple as clicking on the campfire icon on the right-hand side of your screen and selecting either Short Rest or Long Rest. Clicking Short Rest will automatically use a Short Rest while selecting Long Rest will make you confirm your selection.

When playing using a controller, pull the Right Trigger and select either Short Rest or Long Rest from the bottom of the radial menu.

Short Rest & Long Rest differences

As the names suggest, both forms of rest will be restorative for your party members. Both will heal your party and recharge some spell slots, however, there are some key differences between Short Rest and Long Rest.

A Short Rest can only be performed twice per Long Rest. Using a Short Rest will consume one of its charges, as noted by the cyan node. For each party member, a Short Rest will restore 50 percent of their health, rounded down (someone with 25 HP will receive 12 HP). It will also restore a Warlock’s spell slots and some other characters may recover resources. You can see what resources are affected by a Short Rest by highlighting them, e.g.: A Paladin’s Oath (Channel Oath Charge) recharges on a Short Rest.

A Long Rest requires going to Camp and using Camp Supplies. A Long Rest will fully heal your party members, recharge all spell slots, and refresh your Short Rest charges. This is a great option if your party members are quite low on health and you have no other way to heal them. Additionally, performing a Long Rest will end the day, which may have narrative implications or cause events to progress.

As you adventure through Baldur’s Gate 3, remember to use the rest feature if you need it. A Short Rest is a great pitstop while a Long Rest is useful if your party is looking a bit worse for wear. Before you use either, see if there are any spells or other resources you can use, especially if you’re in the middle of a quest. You’ll find more help over on our Baldur’s Gate 3 strategy guide.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler