The world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is full of quests and challenges to complete, though the enemies you face will provide varying levels of threat.
While some enemies can swiftly be defeated with a quick swing of the sword or casting of a spell, others require attention, tactics, and sometimes luck.
Party composition is crucial, positioning is just as important, and even then things may not go your way, so be prepared to load a save and try again.
The best thing about Baldur’s Gate 3, however, is that my experience will be different from yours. There will be enemies you have faced that I have not, there will be fights that I’ve struggled with where you breezed by with ease.
Regardless of that, the following five opponents are by far the most formidable I have faced and, if you fancy a challenge, you should seek them out.
Commander Zhalk
Right off the bat, Baldur’s Gate 3 throws a formidable enemy at you before the prologue is even complete and, while going toe-to-toe with Commander Zhalk is completely optional, he has a big, fiery sword that is worth snatching.
The Mind Flayer will instruct you to reach the control panel after defeating the minions, which triggers a cutscene and the end of the introduction to the game, but you can assist in the Mind Flayer’s fight against Commander Zhalk instead.
While he has significantly less health and damage output than some of the others on this list, the fact that he is a battle you will face almost immediately at the start of the game, before you’ve had a chance to improve your build, abilities, and gear, makes him an extremely hard nut to crack.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to kill Commander Zhalk
Ketheric Thorm
At the end of Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3, you will have to face off against Ketheric Thorm three times in quick succession. The first, atop Moonrise Towers, is thankfully relatively simple, though that is far from the end of the fight.
You’ll then have to venture beneath Moonrise Towers for a second fight which, if you elected to save the Nightsong, results in you having to free her before you can deal a whisker of damage to Ketheric Thorm and, again, he has allies to help him.
Things heat up even further in the third stage when the battle turns against the Apostle of Myrkul, who has high hp, monstrous damage output, and prevents anyone in his vicinity from healing—which is where tactics come into play.
Viconia DeVir
In Act Three, while pursuing Shadowheart’s personal quest, you’ll venture to the House of Grief and can face off in a battle against Viconia DeVir in what is by far the most frustrating battle I’ve had to endure throughout Baldur’s Gate 3.
While Viconia and her allies individually are not much of a threat, together they pose quite a challenge and constantly cast areas of darkness upon you, while they can also prevent healing for a number of turns.
Strategy and placement are extremely important for this battle, which is hard because the cutscene triggers before you can get too close to Viconia. Therefore, I ungrouped my party, spread them around, summoned every ally I possibly could, and then emerged victorious.
Ansur the Dragon
Hidden away beneath the city of Baldur’s Gate, and requiring several puzzles to be completed before you can meet them, is Ansur the Dragon. You’ll quickly learn of the friendship he had with a familiar face, who he was later killed by, and a battle ensues.
The reanimated corpse of Ansur is resistant to several attacks and every two turns uses a Gather Power ability to charge up before unleashing a massive shockwave of damage that can down your party even if you are taking refuge behind the giant crystals.
It took me several attempts to beat Ansur. It was an incredibly stressful fight that, prior to emerging victorious, I felt like I would never be able to complete.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to find Ansur the Dragon in BG3
Raphael
The entire House of Hope questline is thrilling, with plenty to do and legendary weapons to get, and the final stand-off against Raphael is by far the best fight I’ve experienced in the game.
Firstly, the soundtrack is incredible for this fight. It brings the battle to life, which also meant I wasn’t too dishearted when I needed to try again, as I knew the music would soon start, and you definitely need that melody to keep you focused.
Raphael has a fitting 666 HP and you need to destroy four crystals before dealing damage to him, while there are also his allies to be wary of. Thankfully, you have Hope to assist you and, depending on your choices earlier in your campaign, may also have Yurgir by your side.
