Baldur’s Gate 3 spell is so “famously terrible” players think it’s a joke
Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players explain what they believe is one of the worst spells in the game. It’s D&D 5E variant is equally despised, leading some to wonder if Larian added it as a joke.
Cantrips are vital to spellcasters in Baldur’s Gate 3 as you don’t need to recharge them at all. However, not all of them are worth picking, and players believe True Strike might be one of the worst.
True Strike is a Divination cantrip that requires Concentration. Once activated, you will gain Advantage on your next Attack roll against a target. All spellcasting classes (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard) can choose True Strike at character creation, except for Clerics and Druids.
However, as Redditor ‘ScooterBrigade’ pointed out on the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, “It just doesn’t seem to make sense from an action economy standpoint. You basically sacrifice a turn to get advantage on your next attack, which doesn’t sound worth it.”
Others joined in to criticize this cantrip, explaining how it’s largely ineffective in both Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D 5E. One user explained, “You could use the cantrip before combat to get advantage for the first attack or a Rogue could use True Strike and use the Bonus Action to attack with Sneak Attack.”
They added that “you could just hide to get Advantage and True Strike uses your Concentration. So you can’t use Haste, Bless, Hex or any other Concentration spell with True strike.” Another Baldur’s Gate 3 player said they “wouldn’t be surprised if (True Strike) is only in this game as a joke.” They also called it “one of the most famously terrible spells in all of D&D.”
The problem with True Strike in Baldur’s Gate 3, as explained by the OP, is that it requires an Action to use. By doing so, you lose the ability to make an attack or use a spell during that turn. You’d be better off using an attack cantrip, or if spell slots are an issue, use a spell scroll instead.
True Strike might have been more useful in Baldur’s Gate 3 if it could guarantee an attack on your next turn. One user said that “it’s not just a waste of a turn, it’s actually a negative effect. It allows the target to run or prepare.” Another player then linked a True Strike flowchart meme, which explains why the cantrip is so reviled among D&D players.
If you want to read more Baldur’s Gate 3 stories like this, check out how excited a player was after discovering Withers’ true identity. Or, read about the hilariously lewd Light cantrip trick a player learned after spending 600 hours in the game.