Acid. In real life, it’s severely dangerous - and that’s just as true for Baldur’s Gate acid, too. Indeed, acid spells in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) can cause a great deal of damage. As a result, it’s crucial to understand these handy little spells to inform your own gameplay and character design - and today’s guide considers some of the key aspects in this regard to help.
What are the Best Baldur’s Gate Acid Spells for Damage?

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Acid spells in BG3 are no doubt hard hitting. As such, one of the considerations you’ll need to make when setting up a new Baldur’s Gate 3 game is whether to use an acid sorcerer build. After all, character build is one of those all important choices you’ll need to make when starting any new game, such as whether or not to operate a
private server. And, considering the power of different spell types is useful to inform your decision.
#1 Melf’s Acid Arrow
As a Level 2 Evocation spell, Melf’s Acid Arrow deals a surprisingly good amount of damage for a low-level option. The spell also works across a range of around 18m, so it’s relatively generous in terms of area. Perhaps the main drawback, though, is that the spell is exclusively for wizard class characters, so players falling outside of this class will not be able to use the spell.
In addition to dealing 4d8 of acid damage initially, the spell also provides a further 2d8 of damage as a delayed effect. In addition, the resulting acid pool also servers to lower opponents’ armor class, making them easier to damage subsequently.
#2 Hunger of Hadar
Unlocking at Level 3 Conjuration, the Hunger of Hadar spell has a total range of 18m and deals a double whammy of damage - both acid damage and cold damage. In fact, it deals a total of 2d8 cold and acid damage and deals a further benefit of transforming the area of effect into difficult terrain - thereby making it hard for enemies to traverse this landscape. In turn, enemies not only take damage but become temporarily incapacitated, allowing you to gain the upper hand in turn.
#3 Chromatic Orb
It might not be the most powerful spell going, but Chromatic Orb nonetheless provides a handy tool for those wanting to deal a decent amount of acid damage. With a damage of 2d8 and unlocking at Level 1, it’s definitely a pretty useful early-game spell to master. It also has a respectable 18m range, further adding to its overall value. Perhaps the most notable feature of this spell, though, is that you can also cast non-acid spells; so, if there’s a particular type of magic that may be more effective against a certain foe, this spell offers an added bonus still.
#4 Acid Splash
It’s somewhat weaker than the other spells on this list, dealing a minimal 1d6 of acid damage to opponents - not exactly something to write home about, that’s for sure. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that the spell’s area of effect and ability to hit multiple enemies at once makes it a handy cantrip to add to your roster for situations where you need to weaken a large number of close-by enemies at once. Nevertheless, there are also many other options that serve a similar purpose, so this is of course worth keeping in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baldur’s Gate 3 acid damage spells can potentially be useful to include in your game. They don’t typically deal as much damage as other spell types, but they often overcome this limitation thanks to being less widely resistant. They are also highly effective in reducing armor class.
Yes. Unfortunately, if your teammates fall within the range of effect of an acid spell, they are likely to incur damage. As such, it’s important to aim your spells carefully when playing in multiplayer mode.
Generally speaking, acid spells are a little weaker in terms of direct damage output than other spell types in Baldur’s Gate 3, such as fire or lightning spells. The trade-off here, however, lies in the fact that acid spells often have a respectable area of effect, are able to target multiple enemies at once, and can potentially deal damage to their armor class in addition.
When using acid spells in Baldur’s Gate 3, the game will roll a dexterity check. If your dexterity is higher than your opponent’s, the spell’s full damage is dealt. However, if your dexterity is lower than your opponent’s, they will take less (or potentially even no) damage from the spell. This is well worth keeping in mind when planning an acid-based build to ensure you have plenty of dexterity.
Final Thoughts
Before taking on a new Baldur’s Gate 3 game, making sure you’ve planned out your build effectively is paramount. However, this comes with many considerations to keep in mind - and the type of magic you’re going to use, if any, is a core consideration. However, acid spell builds are surprisingly powerful, and this is well worth keeping in mind.