Avoid Baldur’s Gate 3’s Frustrating Traps System Using This Simple Command

Don't spell part backward... it's a trap! Here's how to avoid Baldur’s Gate 3’s frustrating traps system using this simple command.

by Matthew Kevin Mitchell
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

While Baldur’s Gate 3 has gotten so many things right, a handful of frustrating aspects of the game can ruin your compaign or break your immersion. One of these frustrations is with how the trap system works. Having a trap spotted a second before your character walks right onto it can be annoying. However, there are a couple of ways to make your party stop much sooner than the game does. Here’s how to avoid Baldur’s Gate 3’s frustrating traps system using this simple command.

How to Avoid Traps in Baldur’s Gate 3

Turn-Based-Mode
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

Unfortunately, Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t feature an auto-pause option immediately triggered when a trap is detected. While this may seem like a simple gripe, it can become frustrating when the check for the trap (that succeeds) only kicks in right before your character steps on it. In addition, your companions won’t walk around traps already detected, making your scouting and trap checks useless.

Related: Here’s an Easy Way to Clear Up Inventory Space in Baldur’s Gate 3

There are two commands you have at your disposal when trying to avoid Baldur’s Gate 3’s frustrating traps system:

  • Shift+Spacebar: If you detect a trap, immediately press Shift+Spacebar to activate Baldur’s Gate 3’s turn-based mode. This will immediately halt all movement. Then you can press the G key to ungroup your party if you wish to exit turn-based mode and avoid your party clustering around you again or accidentally triggering the trap by repositioning themselves.
  • Right-Click: Alternatively, right-click anywhere to halt your character’s movement immediately. Keep in mind that if your party is grouped, there will be a delay in the other party members stopping, so it is recommended that if you are scouting, you only take one character or use the Shift+Spacebar method instead.
Shift-Key-Baldurs-Gate
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

Once you are done scouting and know where traps are, you should hold down the Shift key before you command your party to move. This will create a white line showing your party’s exact path. This will avoid any unnecessary accidents when trying to walk around detected traps.

Author’s Note: I wrote this guide while playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on my Lenovo gaming laptop.

- This article was updated on August 7th, 2023

About The Author

Matthew Kevin Mitchell has been a contributing writer for Attack of the Fanboy and PC Invasion since 2022. Matthew primarily covers Manga like One Piece, horror movies like Scream, and survival horror games like Dead by Daylight. His favorite moment came during his first press event covering Scream 6 for AotF. He hails from Denver, Colorado, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Regis University. When he isn’t scaring himself silly or writing, he loves to play ice hockey, spoil his dog, and drink an unhealthy amount of coffee.