Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game that continues to surprise its players with just how many scenarios developers Larian Studios have thought of. With so many options on offer at every stage of the game, there are a staggering number of possible outcomes for every quest, no matter how large or small. But some players have found out the hard way that that doesn’t always work out in their favor.

User Mongo_Sloth shared their unique and painful experience in a post on Reddit of how their fight with Auntie Ethel turned into a nightmare. In the post, they recounted the story of how a disagreement between players during a multiplayer game of Baldur’s Gate 3 led to a stash of Potion of Speed being sold to the tricky hag, along with lots of Alchemist’s Fire and Smokepowder Bombs. The result was a horrific fight in which Ethel turned the tables on the party, using their own consumables against them as she chugged the Potions of Speed.

Enemies Use Potions & Other Consumables In Their Inventories

This Can Make Powerful Characters Even Stronger In A Fight

This makes perfect sense, in a way, for characters in BG3 will make use of items in their inventories much the same way as the party. For the most part, this isn’t too much to worry about, with plenty of merchants in Baldur’s Gate 3 safe to sell anything to as they are unlikely to get into a fight with the party. Although spell scrolls and potions are great to sell when desperately in need of gold, it is often better for the party to use them rather than them sitting in a companion’s inventory.

You can lock your inventory during multiplayer games to prevent any fellow players from accidentally selling any items in your character’s inventory.

However, as this experience demonstrates, letting vital consumables fall into the wrong hands can quickly lead to disaster. This can also become a problem when companions fall under the thrall of powerful enemies who might use spells like Dominate Person. I’ve also been in the situation where a dominated companion will burn through spell scrolls and potions with no way for me to stop them other than reloading an earlier save, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

Giving Enemies Items Can Be Used Against Them

Putting Items In Allies’ Pockets Can Keep Them Alive

One way to stop this is to be careful about which items are sold to which vendors and to keep track of which items should be sold by marking them as wares. However, there is also a way to turn this game mechanic to the party’s advantage. Selling certain scrolls to Auntie Ethel could have worked in the group’s favor, with commenters suggesting a Scroll of Feather Fall to burn through her actions in the difficult boss fight.

This trick can also be used to help NPCs during fights in Baldur’s Gate 3 as well. It is possible to reverse pickpocket characters to give non-merchant NPCs items that will be helpful during tough situations. Great examples of this are giving health potions to Isobel during the fight with Marcus or giving Rolan some spell scrolls for extra firepower when taking on Lorroakan.