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Discover all the Battleaxes in a list that you can use in Baldur’s Gate 3 and find out which ones are the best for your playthrough.
Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3 are versatile martial melee weapons accessible to all classes. Battleaxes may not deal as much damage as some other weapons but their versatility and the availability of unique variants make them a viable choice. Selecting the best Battleaxes is crucial because your gameplay mostly depends on it if you’re a close-range player. In this guide, we will discuss all Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3, their properties, and the unique bonuses they provide to players in combat.
Battleaxes Overview in BG3
Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3 are versatile melee weapons that deal massive combat damage. They have a damage roll of 1d8 for one-handed attacks and 1d10 for two-handed attacks. The range of these weapons is 1.5m and can wielded by a class that has proficiency in Martial Weapons. This weapon type offers three different actions including Cleave, Lacerate, and Maiming Strike. Each weapon action allows you to perform a unique move and devise different strategies for your fights.
Each type of weapon in BG3 has different ranges, damages, and other features like Finesse, versatility, and Dippable. Battleaxes are dippable and this bonus action allows you to dip the weapon into the ground for additional damage. For Battleaxes proficiency, Dwarf race is the best. You can use different classes like Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, and Paladin which all have weapon proficiencies in Martial Weapons. Moreover, you can also throw the Battleaxes which will deal the same damage as the weapon. Last but not least, like most of the weapons in the game, you can both one-hand and two-hand wield Battleaxes, which deal with unidentical damage depending on whether you are using the weapon with one hand or two hands.
What is the purpose of Battleaxe in BG3?
Battleaxes are some of the viable weapons that you can use for your playthrough in Baldur’s Gate 3 as they allow you to do three different weapon actions. Due to its versatility, you can strategize with this weapon type and apply Disadvantages to enemies to achieve victories easily in combat. Here are all the weapon actions that you can do with all Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Cleave: This weapon action allows you to swing your weapon in a large arc to attack up to 3 enemies at once. Each enemy takes half the damage your weapon usually deals.
- Lacerate: This weapon action allows you to slash at your target’s vital points to make them Bleed.
- Maiming Strike: This weapon action allows you to apply the Maim condition on a target, preventing them from moving at all.
Battleaxes are martial melee weapons with a base damage of 1d8 (1~8) + Strength modifier for one-handed use, and 1d10 (1~10) + Strength modifier for two-handed use. You can also use this weapon one hand or two, with two-handed attacks to deal 2 additional damage. However, you cannot equip a shield while using a Battleaxe. You can also enhance its effectiveness by choosing the right gear, feats, and combat strategies.
List of All Battleaxes in BG3
Here is a list of all available Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3 that players can acquire and use in their playthrough.
| Weapon | Rarity | Damage | Damage Type | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleaxe | Common | 1d8 | Slashing | – |
| Pactbound Battleaxe | Summonable Weapon from Pact of the Blade | 1d8 | Slashing | – |
| Battleaxe +1 | Uncommon | 1d8 +1 | Slashing | – |
| Ceremonial Battleaxe | Uncommon | 1d8 +1 | Slashing | – |
| Witchbreaker | Uncommon | 1d8 +1 | Slashing | Witchbreaker (Passive): It grants you an Advantage on Attack Rolls against the concentrating creatures. Hush You! (Weapon Action): An exclusive weapon action that allows you to slash a target and apply the Silence condition on them. |
| Thermodynamo Axe | Rare | 1d8 +1 | Slashing | Thermodynamo (Passive): Whenever you deal damage with this weapon, you gain 2 turns of Heat. |
| Vicious Battleaxe | Rare | 1d8 +2 | Slashing | Dolor Amarus (Passive): When you land a Critical Hit with a weapon or unarmed attack, it deals an additional 7 damage. |
Tips and Tricks for Using Battleaxes in BG3
Here are some tips and tricks for using Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Switch between one-hand and two-hand when you prioritize defense or offense during combat. For most damage output, equipping a battleaxe in two-hand is ideal.
- Use the Battleaxe to throw it on the enemy to deal damage to a target from a distance. However, due to its high weight, you may miss the target if you have low points in Strength.
- Combine the Battleaxe with spells like Ensnaring Strike to deal damage and crowd control at melee or ranged distance.
- If you are dealing with a stronger target, it is best to coat your battleaxe with some potion first before initiating the weapon action. The poison will deal additional damage to the target.
- Use Battleaxe on a frontline with a high Armor class to engage enemies.
- Equip enchanted Battleaxe for enhanced damage or use the ones with additional passives or weapon action like Witchbreaker.
- You can also combine Battleaxes with Smite abilities for devastating bursts of damage in combat.
Best Battleaxes in BG3
Here are the best Battleaxes to use in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Vicious Battleaxe: It is the strongest Battleaxe with +2 Enchantment, allowing you to deal 1d8 +2 damage. Moreover, the Dolor Amarus passive ability of this weapon deals an additional 7 damage to a target whenever you land a critical hit with a weapon or unarmed attack.
- Thermodynamo Axe: It is another Rare Battleaxe that you will love using mainly due to its passive ability, Thermodynamo. Whenever you attack with this weapon, it inflict the target with fire, making them take additional 1d4 Fire damage. Moreover, you can use the Heat Convergence to deal extra fire damage and increase the fire turns to a maximum of 7.
- Witchbreaker: It is one of the best Battleaxes to use, especially in Act One to deal additional damage with +1 Enchantment. Moreover, its passive ability grants you an Advantage against the concentrating creatures. Lastly, this weapon also offers an exclusive weapon action that allows you apply Silence condition on a target.
1. Vicious Battleaxe
| Damage | Enchantment | Weapon Skills | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1d8 +2 Slashing (One-Handed) 1d10 +2 Slashing (Two-Handed) | +2 | Dolor Amarus | Sold by Echo of Abazigal in the Murder Tribunal after you become an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal, Act 3. |
Vicious Battleaxe is a Rare weapon that any class or companion can use to deal additional damage on Critical Hits. The Dolor Amarus bonus states that when you land a critical hit while using the Vicious Battleaxe, you will deal an additional 7 points of damage.
Moreover, the Dolor Amarus bonus is not entirely unique to the game as two other items also have it. The Dolor Amarus dagger and the Vicious Shortbow also have the Dolor Amarus trait. Moreover, the effect of the bonus will stack. Therefore, you can equip either hand weapon, along with the Vicious Shortbow, and get +14 additional damage on all Critical Hits.
The best way to use the Vicious Battleaxe in BG3 is by equipping them to a build with a high chance of Critical Hits. Thief Rogues and Assassin Rogues are two of the best subclasses for these types of builds. There are several great end-game gear items that these builds can use to boost the frequency of their critical hits. These include the Bloodthirst dagger Orin drops and the Killer’s Sweetheart accessory. Additionally, you can also use an Elixir of Viciousness consumable to reduce the number needed to roll a Critical Hit by 1.
2. Thermodynamo Axe
| Damage | Enchantment | Weapon Skills | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1d8 +1 Slashing (One-Handed) 1d10 +1 Slashing (Two-Handed) | +1 | Thermodynamo | Sold by Dammon in Baldur’s Gate (X: 2 Y: -6), Act 3, Forge of the Nine |
Thermodynamo Axe is a rare battleaxe weapon favored by the Fighter or Barbarian classes. This weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3 does two things. First, when you hit someone with it, they get on fire and take 1d4 Fire damage every turn. You can use Heat Convergence to deal extra Fire damage on your next attack or spell by using up the turns they have left on fire, up to a maximum of 7 turns.
Second, the weapon itself has a bonus called Thermodynamo. It means that every time you hit someone with this weapon, you get two turns of Heat. This Heat is what causes the fire damage over time. So, the more you use the weapon, the more turns of Heat you get, allowing for stronger Heat Convergence attacks.
Some of the best items to pair the Thermodynamo Axe with are Thermoarcanic Gloves, Cinder Shoes, and Fireheart Amulet items.
3. Witchbreaker
| Damage | Enchantment | Weapon Skills | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1d8 +1 Slashing (One-Handed) 1d10 +1 Slashing (Two-Handed) | +1 | Witchbreaker (passive) Hush You! (weapon action) | Sold by A’jak’nir Jeera at Crèche Y’llek X: 1380 Y: -798 |
Witchbreaker is an Uncommon battleaxe weapon that you can get at the end of Act One. This is the best battleaxe that you can get in early/mid-game, as others can only be obtained in Act Three. With its passive and an additional weapon action, you can strategize uniquely in combat to gain Advantage on attacks and Silence enemies.
FAQs about All Battleaxes in BG3
Are there Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Yes, Battleaxes are available as a weapon type in Baldur’s Gate 3. These are versatile martial melee weapon which most of the classes can use.
How many Battleaxes are there in BG3?
There are 7 Battleaxes in Baldur’s Gate 3 ranging from the nonmagical type to special/magical type variants.
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