How to dual wield in Baldur's Gate 3

A character in Baldur’s Gate 3

A character in Baldur’s Gate 3
August 25, 2023: The full release of Baldur's Gate 3 is here, so brush up on how to dual wield in this guide.

The official launch of Baldur's Gate 3 is here, and fans are adoring the opportunity to dive into the third instalment of Larian Studios' beloved RPG series.

So, with the excitement building up, now is the perfect time for fans to prepare themselves with advanced combat strategies. One such noteworthy strategy is advancing weapons usage capabilities, like learning how to dual-wield in Baldur's Gate 3. In this article, we are going to learn how to dual-wield weapons and about the range of different weapons that you can use to do so.

For more on the game, you'll need to know how to break cracked walls in Baldur's Gate 3, alongside whether you can become a vampire, and our class tier list.

How to dual wield in Baldur's Gate 3

To dual wield weapons in Baldur's Gate 3, they must have the 'light' property. This maintains a sense of realism, as wielding two lighter weapons is more feasible than carrying heavier ones. This choice by the developers enhances the game's immersive experience and strategic combat elements.

A character in Baldur's Gate 3
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Credit: Larian

Now, you need to follow these simple steps to dual wield your weapons:

  • First, visit your character inventory by pressing "i".
  • Choose two melee weapons under the "light" property.
  • Put them in melee weapons slots.
  • Now, you will get a toggle option on the left side of your screen (between melee and ranged options) or alternatively, you can press "R".

So, that's it! You have successfully acquired the ability to equip double weapons with just one click. When you duel wield your weapons, then you can use action for the main hand attack and bonus action for the off-hand attack.

However, equipping two weapons restricts your bonus action. Therefore, you will not be able to heal, jump, or have any special moments in duel wield mode.

Which weapons are available to duel wield in Baldur's Gate 3?

Melee weapons have been designated with the 'light' property, allowing them to be dual wielded. To check the properties of any weapon, simply hover the cursor over it, and all information about the weapon, such as damage and properties, will be displayed.

You can then choose from the following categories of melee weapons:

  • Daggers
  • Handaxes
  • Light hammers
  • Scimitars
  • Shortswords

If you wish to dual wield weapons without the 'light' property, then you can do so by selecting the "Dual Wielder" feat. However, please note that you can only unlock this feat at level 4 in your class.

With the Dual Wielder feat, you get a +1 bonus to Armor Class when holding melee weapons in both hands. You can also use two-weapon fighting, even with non-light weapons.

So, that's all you need to know about how to dual-wield in Baldur's Gate 3. Be sure to check out how to pause in Baldur's Gate 3 or Baldur's Gate 3 wrath explained.