Baldur’s Gate 3 Save Scumming explained

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a behemoth of a game that features a wide range of choices, outcomes, and storylines, triggered by different things, which may make save scumming popular.

As the choices you make along the way can lead to extremely different outcomes, you’re likely to find yourself in a situation where you wonder if you have made the right decision—and that may be where you’re tempted to save scum.

But what exactly is save scumming in Baldur’s Gate 3, and should you do it? We’ve covered both of those questions here.

What is save scumming in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Save scumming is an age-old trick in the gaming world that involves saving the game before a crucial point in the game, whether that be before a boss if you’re looking for a high-level loot drop, or before a dialogue option.

The practice is controversial for many, though it is seen as more acceptable in some situations. For example, saving the game before you encounter a legendary Pokémon is technically save scumming but, due to the one-chance nature, and the extremely high rarity of them being shiny, has become a common practice.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, save scumming adopts a similar approach by making a manual save before a crucial point. This could be before a decision is made in your playthrough, before entering dialogue, or before having to roll a dice.

By save scumming, you can revert to an instance before the action to try again as many times as you like and you can then use it to get the outcome that you want.

A great example in Baldur’s Gate 3 is when you meet Yurgir, who has three very different options after a dialogue scene, which can affect the long-term story and avoid a difficult fight. In this situation, you’d manually save before initiating a conversation and ensuring you get your preferred outcome.

Should you save scum in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Save scumming is a controversial practice, particularly in a game like Baldur’s Gate 3, but whether you do it or not comes down to a personal choice.

On the negative side, it does take away from the immersion in Baldur’s Gate 3 and negates the importance of key decisions in a game, particularly as the title has a long, long list of situations that can occur, so it’s best to press ahead and take it on the chin.

Sure, it may lead to an outcome you didn’t necessarily want, but Baldur’s Gate 3 boasts an incredible amount of replayability, so at the very least you’ll learn your lesson for next time.

However, there may be cases where you really, really want to avoid a particular outcome, such as a situation that may result in a companion leaving your camp or destroying your relationship with them, where you may be tempted to save scum.

Personally, I’d steer clear of save scumming and rolling with the punches as they come, but others may say differently.