Just because Magic Items provide unique effects to weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t mean ordinary armaments can’t contend with their enchanted counterparts. Thanks to the Dip Bonus Action, characters can dip their weapons into surfaces to further enhance their damage output, resulting in coated blades or arrows that give a +1d4 of the damage type associated with the dipping source.

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However, just because Dipping is often done on environmental surfaces doesn’t mean players need to create them to secure certain damage bonuses. With the right Coating, players of Baldur’s Gate 3 can further enhance their weapons with special benefits other than a base damage buff.

(Updated on 26 January 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam) Courtesy of Hotfix #17, players enjoying Baldur's Gate 3 may be able to enjoy it further, as the game removes more bugs that may ruin their present playthrough. This is particularly the case when players try to manipulate the environment with various effects, surfaces, and even Coatings that may drastically affect their combat performance. With the game tweaking more of its gameplay mechanics, players may be able to rely on more Coatings in the game, some of which give players opportunities to use Fire Damage more effectively against opponents, inflict debilitating poisons, and even stop enemies on their tracks. As such, more Coatings have been added to this list to expand further on the game's best options.

15 Purple Worm Toxin

Make Poisons Deal More Damage To Opponents

The Very Rare nature of the Purple Worm Toxin is attributed to its extremely potent capabilities as a Coating. When used on a Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon like a Greatsword, it acquires the "Coated In Purple Worm Toxin" Condition for 10 turns. Targets hit with a weapon bearing this condition take 1d10 Poison Damage whenever they end their turn, with the effect only ending upon succeeding a DC 19 CON Save.

What’s more interesting about the Purple Worm Toxin is how it can also create a dippable surface upon being thrown on the ground. The surface itself lasts for 10 turns and remains capable of bestowing the same Condition to all weapons dipped into it. Considering how both uses of the Very Rare Coating still counts towards its consumption, creating a surface near the party that all members can use to inflict debilitating per-turn Poison Damage can give them the best edge in combat.

14 Oil Of Freezing

Setup Powerful Combos With Cold Attacks

While players can rely on a Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard build for elemental attribute shenanigans, Oil in Freezing can become a convenient way of debilitating enemy forces with a chilling effect. Coating a weapon with this Oil gives it the Coated in Oil of Freezing Condition, lasting for 10 turns. Hitting an opponent successfully with the Coated weapon will afflict them with the Encrusted With Frost effect.

This two-turn effect will impose Disadvantage on DEX Saves to affected targets. Moreover, if the Coating itself still has at least seven turns remaining on the Coated weapon, Encrusted targets have to pull off a DC 12 CON Save or take 1d4 Cold Damage. While the 1d4 Cold Damage within a certain turn threshold is minuscule, the more important component of this Coating is the DEX Save Disadvantage, practically encouraging combos with heavy-hitting Evocation Spells that enemies would dodge with DEX Saves.

13 Arsonist's Oil

Turn Fire Resistance Into A Vulnerability

Despite the overall firepower of Spells like Fireball, they become useless when used against foes who have Fire Resistance. However, with Arsonist’s Oil, characters like an Eldritch Knight can guarantee that foes who normally resist Fire Damage are still able to suffer the wrath of their flames. When used as a Coating, the Coated weapon receives the Coated In Arsonist’s Oil Condition. Should players hit a foe who has Resistance to Fire Damage, this Resistance transforms into a Vulnerability for two turns. When used against bosses who ordinarily have innate Resistances, an Eldritch Knight can combo Arsonist’s Oil with an ever-reliable Scorching Ray.

Since Arsonist’s Oil lasts for 10 turns on the affected weapon, it may be better off used as a surface. When thrown on the ground, weapons dipped in Arsonist’s Oil can inflict the same Condition to targets, but at least the player’s nearby allies should theoretically now be able to transfer the condition to multiple targets at a time.

12 Crawler Mucus

Inflict Paralyzed And Poisoned In One Strike

While a Scimitar-toting Rogue in Baldur’s Gate 3 may be able to pull off debilitating Sneak Attacks with the right Advantage, they might want to maximize their available damage with a Coating like Crawler Mucus. Coating their weapon with this icky oil gives it the Coated In Crawler Mucus Condition for 10 turns, where targets struck with the Coated armament get the Stricken With Crawler Mucus effect.

Targets affected by this debuff need to succeed a DC 13 CON Save or become both Poisoned and Paralyzed for a turn. At the hands of an ally who can inflict this on a target, a Rogue multi-hitting a Sneak Attack into an affected target not only enjoys an auto-Crit at Advantage when hit in melee (Paralyzed), the target even Reacts at a Disadvantage (Poisoned) if they try to hit back.

11 Oil Of Combustion

Make Fire Damage Deadlier To Opponents

Anyone who’s ever played a Spellcaster in D&D knows that Mage Hand can become one of the most powerful assets to a party due to its versatility. When it comes to its use as something that can throw Grenades at opponents, Oil of Combustion can be quite a dependable multi-purpose item. When used as a Coating, the affected armament receives the 10-turn Coated in Oil of Combustion Condition. Hitting a target with this Condition inflicts the Oil of Combustion Condition, dousing them with oil that makes them take an extra 3d6 Fire Damage should they receive Fire Damage.

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It’s this effect that makes Oil of Combustion more practical as a Grenade instead. Should this become a surface, the player’s long-ranged combatants can bombard Coated arrows onto opponents before their Wizard casts Fireball. Since the Oil’s effects will release extra 3d6 Fire Damage at a 10-foot radius, Oil of Combustion can make for a debilitating AoE.

10 Oil Of Diminution

Make Enemies Pint-Sized And Easier To Deal With

Other than creating distance, Shoving doesn’t seem all too effective when defeating foes in Baldur’s Gate 3 - that is until players discover that Shoving enemies off cliffs and ledges can make boss battles easier than expected. Unfortunately, many bosses end up boasting high Strength stats that trying to Shove them can become tougher than players anticipate.

With Oil of Diminution, this becomes much easier to accomplish. When hit, a target needs to succeed a Constitution Save or suffer Disadvantage on Strength Checks and get a -1d4 penalty for all their melee attack damage. This means even if players still can’t Shove their target despite the Disadvantage, the creature in question still suffers some melee damage reduction.

9 Wizardsbane Oil

Transform Spellcasters Into Easier Targets

Regardless of how powerful a mage’s spell is in their Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, their attack power is almost always useless if enemies still manage to succeed in their Saves. With the Wizardsbane Oil, players can make sure spellcasters become useless outright. Coating a weapon with this oil will have targets receive a -3 debuff to their Spell Attack Rolls and Spell Save DC, making it much easier for them to miss and for the players to dodge attacks.

Moreover, Wizardsbane Oil ensures the target has a Disadvantage in maintaining their Concentration, making this perfect for multi-specializing Bards that can be assigned as the resident mage-killer. Despite this oil’s effects lasting for only two turns, a character with high enough attack stats can continuously inflict this debuff on pesky spellcasters before they strike back.

8 Basic Poison

Default Poison Can Be Consistently Powerful

Despite the commonality of Basic Poison as a Coating, its accessibility throughout Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay makes it a must-have for constant damage over time in encounters. When used as a weapon coat, Basic Poison will force targets to succeed a CON Save or become Poisoned.

While the damage dealt to targets as they retain the Poison status differs depending on their Poison Resistance, Basic Poison can continuously impart this effect as long as the coating persists. This makes Basic Poison a good pair for classes with multiple attack options, such as Thief Rogues with their Extra Bonus Attack, or Fighters with their Action Surges.

7 Serpent Fang Toxin

Deal Extra Poison Damage To Boost DPS

Players enjoying their Baldur’s Gate 3 playthroughs may not immediately rely on damage-over-time as a surefire way of eliminating opponents, especially since the damage they deal might not be enough to land a killing blow. Serpent Fang Toxin tries to bypass this problem by ensuring players deal extra damage per attack instead.

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When used as a Coating, the Serpent Fang Toxin grants an additional 1d6 Poison Damage to active weapons that land successful hits. The 1d6 boost is the equivalent of a Sneak Attack for the Rogue, making this quite a deadly addition to an assassin’s arsenal.

6 Thisobald’s Brewed-Up Bellyglummer

More Powerful Poison Damage To Foes

Perhaps the epitome of Poison-based Coatings in Baldur’s Gate 3 combat, using Thisobald’s Brewed-Up Bellyglummer can become one of the best methods of dealing consistent Poison Damage to foes given its rather powerful nature. At its core, foes hit need to succeed a DC 17 Constitution Save or risk receiving 1d6 Poison Damage per turn.

Despite the straightforward nature of this Coating, the DC 17 Constitution Save can be tough to beat, especially since not all creatures prioritize CON among their Attributes. Not to mention, using a weapon with this Coating in multi-attack situations can continuously apply the status effect anyway.

5 Malice

Debilitate Enemy Ranks With Blinded And Poisoned

The Spider Queen Lolth holds dominion in the mysterious Underdark, with crystalline Lolth’s Candles being mistaken for adventuring lanterns that often lead travelers to their untimely demise. Players enjoying their Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay who acquired their own Lolth’s Candles can get access to Malice, an improved version of Basic Poison.

When used, Malice also forces targets to make a Constitution Save or risk being Poisoned. However, this effect also comes with a free Blind, making it much more difficult for opponents to fight players regardless of their strength. This vulnerability can be especially exploited with the right Feats that may grant access to deadlier attacks.

4 Drow Poison

Paralyze Enemies To Make Them Easier To Kill

Basic Poison might seem extremely useful as a Coating in Baldur’s Gate 3 combat, but its modified counterparts give players an opening for more tactical plays. Such is the case of the Drow Poison, which in itself is a copy of Basic Poison in that its coated weapon will Poison enemies unless they succeed a Constitution Save.

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However, where the Drow Poison shines is its secondary effect, as affected enemies will be both Poisoned and fall Asleep. This caveat makes Drow Poison an effective partner for Rogues, as Sleeping targets not only secure Advantage but also become guaranteed criticals even without Illithid Powers.

3 Oil Of Accuracy

Deal Damage More Consistently

With rolling being an integral part of Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, the strength of a character or the damage their weapons boast doesn’t matter if they can’t bypass an opponent’s Armor Class. While players can rely on the occasional buff to improve their combat performance, Oil of Accuracy gives a flat increase to Attack Rolls that can make hitting foes much easier.

When applied, Oil of Accuracy provides a +2 Bonus to all Attack Rolls. The simplicity of this Coating’s buff makes it applicable in almost all situations, especially for the likes of the spellcasters such as Wizards or long-ranged Rangers who rely on their weapons as a last resort. Oil of Accuracy can also transform multi-attackers like Rogues and Fighters into powerhouses, as this tool makes it much easier for them to score hits.

2 Oil Of Bane

Transform Combat Turns Into A Disadvantage For Opponents

Sometimes, the best way of defeating an opponent in Baldur’s Gate 3 encounters isn’t to deal tremendous damage but rather to ensure they can’t score hits properly. After all, a beefed-up boss is useless if they can’t get an attack in. This is what Oil of Bane does to opponents, as a Charisma Save is all it takes for this Coating to impose the Baned status on foes.

When activated, the Baned status will penalize a victim for -3 to Attack Rolls and Saves. The penalty on Attack Rolls alone can make it much harder for opponents to hit player characters. However, the additional penalty to Saves can give Multiclass spellcasters an incentive to unleash their more powerful attacks while this effect lasts.

1 Oil Of Sharpness

Boost Potency Of Slashing, Piercing Weapons

Players who depend on their melee juggernauts to secure the most DPS in their Baldur’s Gate 3 encounters won’t go wrong with the Oil of Sharpness. While similar to the Oil of Accuracy in terms of appearance and benefits, the slight adjustment to buffs makes a significant difference to its wielder’s performance.

When applied to a Piercing or Slashing weapon, the Oil of Sharpness grants a +3 buff not just to Attack Rolls but also Damage Rolls. While +3 doesn’t seem much at first glance, 3 Damage might be all that it takes to one-shot an enemy with a single hit with powerful Versatile Weapons. Moreover, the +3 to Attack Rolls can secure high DPS for multi-attackers such as Rogues and Fighters.

Baldur's Gate 3

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Genre(s)

RPG

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