Balthazar, Commander of the Reborn Dead
Balthazar, Commander of the Reborn Dead, is one of the hardest bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3. The reborn dead army he commands is terrifying, his cheats are numerous, and his abilities are varied and potent. Few bosses in the latest RPG from Beamdog are as challenging as Balthazar, so if you’re up against him in your playthrough, here are some tips for how to beat Balthazar in Baldur’s Gate 3.
No matter how strong your party is in Baldur’s Gate 3, Balthazar has the power to swarm you with allied undead, using them to heal himself or them as shields. He’s also got numerous cheats, from Finger of Death to Meteor Swarm. If you can’t beat him, don’t worry – he’s relatively easy if you’re prepared.
Balthazar stats
HP: AC: Speed: Size/weight: Resistances:
Balthazar has the following feats:
Balthazar has the following attacks:
How to beat Balthazar
The first encounter with Balthazar is in the Gauntlet of Shar, where you must decide to work with him against the Hand of Shar or fight him. We recommend fighting him in Shadowfell instead, as the fight is much easier and requires a level 7 or 8 party.
The fight is difficult, especially since Balthazar will be surrounded by cheats like Finger of Death and Meteor Swarm. If you can, get your party to level 7 or 8 before attempting the fight. If you can’t, you may need to rest at the nearby camp, coming in with fresh spells and abilities.
When you fight Balthazar in Shadowfell, you must come prepared with clerics and paladins. The fight begins surrounded by undead, so cast Spirit Guardians to protect your party. You can shove enemies over the edge and focus on enemies on the upper left ledge. Take special care to kill the ghouls as quickly as possible and prevent them from being resurrected.
Balthazar has the ability to cast Cloudkill, but you can use Gust of Wind to avoid the area of effect or attack him to end his concentration. If you have access to radiant damage, consider using Resistance to negate his potent damage-over-time abilities.
Once you’ve dealt with the ghouls, focus all your attention on Balthazar. He uses melee attacks, spellcasting, and his cloudkill ability. He also has several defensive abilities, including Undead Ward, Aversion of Fire, Undead Ward Aura, and Berserk.
Once you kill Balthazar, you can loot him for special items:
That’s how to beat Balthazar in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more guides, check out our list of all the Baldur’s Gate 3 bosses, or keep returning to this page as we update it with more tips for the hardest bosses in the RPG game.
