Larian Studios' work on Baldur's Gate 3 draws from its deep history with the DnD-style RPG genre – they did create the critically-acclaimed Divinity Original Sin and its sequel, after all. One thing that Divinity was particularly known for was Elemental Surfaces, which were so useful that they often would control the outcome of combat more than abilities.
In Baldur's Gate 3, Elemental Surfaces aren't quite as prevalent, but they are nonetheless impactful. For one, there are two Dipplable surfaces, Fire and Poison, which can give players' attacks a bit more oomph. But despite Elemental Surfaces not being as strong as they were in Divinity Original Sin 2, they're still here, and it's vital to understand the properties of each Surface type in BG3 – lest players succumb to the Stun of an Electrocuted Water surface, or cast a Fire spell onto a Smokepowder surface.
Updated September 19, 2023 by Erik Petrovich: In Baldur's Gate 3 surfaces aren't nearly as central to the game's combat as they were in previous Larian titles. That doesn't mean the game is lacking variety, though. As players progress through to the end of the game, they will encounter BG3 surface effects common and rare alike, and it's important to know what you're getting into before accidentally stepping onto a dangerous surface. This guide has been updated to include more of the late-game Baldur's Gate 3 surface effects, as well as some other surfaces throughout the game, to more completely explain every BG3 surface and what to expect.
All Elemental Surface Types in BG3
Acid Surface
Acid surfaces are created by a variety of abilities and items, and creatures that step into Acid take a -2 penalty to Armor Class. There isn't a saving throw for this condition, the penalty is applied to all who step through the surface.
Alcohol Surface
An Alcohol surface and Oil surface work almost exactly the same way. Both will explode on contact with Fire, and remain an area consumed by flames for a few turns, dealing 1d4 Fire damage to all who step inside. Characters caught in the initial blast may be blown away. Cannot be frozen.
Blood Surface
Blood Surfaces will extinguish Fire and can be Frozen to turn into an Ice surface. Typically, Blood surfaces only come from the areas around defeated creatures that had blood, so while a Blood surface might appear after killing a Humanoid, it won't after killing an Elemental.
Caustic Brine Surface
Caustic Brine is created after throwing a Caustic Bulb, many of which can be found in the starting Mind Flayer ship zone and its crash site. When creatures walk onto a Caustic Brine surface, they take 1d4 Acid damage each turn, which cuts through many resistances.
Darkness Surface
Darkness isn't really a "surface" but it is an environmental effect. While within an area shrouded in magical Darkness (usually via the Darkness spell itself), players will be Blinded but Heavily Obscured. This allows for some truly dastardly Stealth maneuvers, though it can affect enemies the same way to reduce their Ranged potential.
Electrified Surface
When a creature steps onto an Electrified surface, it will be Electrocuted and take 1d4 Lightning damage. It's similar to the Fire surface effect, but players can't dip their weapons into Electrified surfaces.
Electrified Water Surface
The Electrified Water surface is created when a Water surface is subjected to Lightning damage. When a creature steps into one of these surfaces, it takes 1d4 Lightning damage and is also Shocked. Becoming Wet while Shocked will Stun a character, as will getting Shocked two times.
Fire Surface
When a creature steps into a Fire surface, it will take 1d4 damage and catch on fire, applying the Burning status effect, which continues to deal 1d4 Fire damage over the next few turns. It's a dippable surface, and when a weapon is coated in Fire it deals an additional 1d4 Fire damage for three turns.
Grease Surface
Grease surfaces are a little bit different than alcohol and Oil surfaces. Though flammable, and summonable with the eponymous Grease spell, Grease surfaces in BG3 don't explode the same way. However, players who walk on a Grease surface will have to make constant DEX saves to avoid being knocked prone. In combat, this is an excellent AoE CC tool, as enemy turns end if they are knocked Prone.
Ice Surface
Ice surfaces are created when an area is Frozen, typically Water surfaces. When a creature walks on an Ice surface, its movement distance is halved, and it must make a Dexterity saving throw to prevent slipping and becoming Prone – it happens more often than one would think.
Poison Surface
A creature walking through a Poisoned surface must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, they become Poisoned and gain Disadvantage on both Ability Checks and Attack Rolls. If a weapon is dipped into a Poison surface, it will deal an additional 1d4 Poison damage for three turns.
Mud Surface
Mud surfaces are commonly found in the wilderness, but not very often. These surfaces halve creatures' movement distance when walking through.
Oil Surface
Oil and Alcohol surfaces work very similarly. They can cover a wide area, are Flammable, and will deal 1d4 Fire damage to anyone who steps in the area once it's been set ablaze. Once the Oil surface has been ignited, creatures within its bounds will take extra explosive damage as part of the initial ignition.
Steam Cloud Surface
A Steam Cloud surface is created when Fire is used on Water, and can be encountered out in the world in a few locations. Creatures that walk into a Steam Cloud become Wet, preventing them from Burning, gaining resistance to all forms of Fire Damage, and becoming extra vulnerable to Cold and Lightning attacks.
Smokepowder Surface
When a player throws a Smokepowder Barrel onto the ground, it will explode into a Smokepowder surface over a small area. When a creature walks on Smokepowder, nothing happens. But, when Fire damage is applied to the Smokepowder Surface, it will explode and deal both 2d6 Fire damage and 2d6 Force damage to everything on it. The explosion also knocks all affected creatures backward and becomes a Fire surface thereafter.
Water Surface
Like Blood surfaces, Water surfaces can be Frozen (turning them into Ice surfaces) and will extinguish any Fire in its vicinity. However, unlike Blood surfaces, Water can also be electrocuted, turning it into Electrified Water.
Baldur's Gate 3 releases August 3, 2023 on PC and September 6, 2023 for PlayStation 5