Upon reaching Level 2 in Baldur’s Gate 3, Clerics get a Class Action called Turn Undead and here is how it works.
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- Best Situations to Use Turn Undead
Your selected class makes a world of difference in Baldur’s Gate 3. From what types of weapon and armor you can equip to what you are good at doing, it all comes down in no small part to what class you are. A Rogue can do insane amounts of damage to a single target if they happen to get a critical hit while applying Sneak Attack. That Bardic Inspiration could make all the difference between succeeding or failing a saving throw.
Every class has that unique thing they do that makes them stand out. Aside from healing the party (or resurrecting a dead party member), Clerics are very good at dealing with any undead foes that you may come across in Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to their Turn Undead ability.
Minor spoilers are discussed below. Proceed with caution if you haven’t beaten Act 2 yet.
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What is Turn Undead?
Turn Undead is a Class Action that Clerics learn upon reaching Level 2 in Baldur’s Gate 3. Using Turn Undead requires one Action and one Channel Divinity charge. It has a radius of 30 Feet (or 9 Meters) and any undead within that radius must succeed on a Wisdom Save. If any undead fail, they gain the Turned condition. While under this condition, a creature is forced to use its turn to move as far away from the Cleric as possible. When turned, a creature cannot attack, and it cannot take any reactions while it is under this condition.
This condition lasts on a creature for three turns, but it ends prematurely if the creature takes any damage. In its most basic form, Turn Undead is essentially a highly effective crowd control ability for any undead foes. Turn Undead becomes even more powerful when a Cleric reaches Level 5. At that point, Turn Undead will also deal 4d6 Radiant damage to any undead that fail their Wisdom saving throw. This amount of damage is enough to outright one-shot many weaker undead creatures.
Best Situations to Use Turn Undead
If you think Turn Undead is a situational Class Action at best, then you’d be right. That said, you will inevitably encounter situations in Baldur’s Gate 3 where Turn Undead will be invaluable. The best example of this is at least one optional side quest in Act 2 where Turn Undead not only allows you to take out entire groups of weaker undead while forcing stronger foes to spend three turns running away from your Cleric. Of course, the key to this strategy is to leave any fleeing undead alone until Turned expires. Optional objectives aside, Turn Undead can also help turn the tide of a battle if you find yourself overwhelmed by undead foes.
