You need to rest more. That’s the single most important piece of advice for any new player struggling with the difficulty or resource management in Baldur's Gate 3. The game’s intricate combat system, based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, is built around powerful, limited-use abilities and spells. Trying to stretch your resources by avoiding rests is not a sign of skill; it’s a recipe for frustration. A Long Rest is a full reset for your party, restoring all hit points, spell slots, and abilities. A Short Rest is a quick, limited patch-up you can use twice between Long Rests.
Many players, conditioned by other games, hoard their Camp Supplies, fearing they’ll run out. This is a mistake. The game is generous with supplies, and skipping rests means you’re not only fighting at a fraction of your party’s potential strength, but you’re also missing huge chunks of the game’s best content: the companion stories that unfold exclusively at camp. The rule of thumb is simple: absolutely rest every time your main spellcaster runs out of spells. Your party, and your enjoyment of the game, will thank you for it.
What's the Difference Between Rests?
The rest system is your primary tool for recovery and preparation. Understanding the specific function of each type is key to mastering the game's rhythm. You have two options, accessible via the small campfire icon on the far right of your hotbar.
The Short Rest: A Quick Patch-Up
A Short Rest is an immediate, on-the-spot recovery action. You can use it almost anywhere, even in many hostile dungeons where a full camp is impossible. Activating it instantly restores about 50% of each party member's maximum hit points. You start with two Short Rest charges, and these are only replenished after you complete a Long Rest.
Its biggest utility, however, is for specific classes whose core mechanics are designed around it. Most notably, Warlocks regain all of their spell slots on a Short Rest. This is their defining feature: they have very few slots, but they get them back quickly. Other classes also benefit. Fighters (specifically the Battle Master subclass) regain their Superiority Dice, and Clerics get back their Channel Divinity charge. For most other spellcasters like Wizards and Sorcerers, a Short Rest does nothing to restore their precious spell slots.
The Long Rest: A Full Reset at Camp
A Long Rest is the ultimate reset button. To initiate one, you must travel to your camp. This action fully restores all hit points, spell slots (for every class), and all class-specific resources for the entire party. It also resets your two Short Rest charges. Think of it as starting a new day, fresh and ready for anything.
However, a proper Long Rest comes at a cost: 40 Camp Supplies. These are the assorted food and drink items you find scattered everywhere throughout the world. If you don't have enough supplies, you can perform a Partial Rest, which restores only half of your HP and a portion of your spell slots (up to half your maximum). Frankly, you should almost never need to do this. The world is overflowing with supplies, so loot every crate and barrel you see.
Baldur's Gate 3 in-game screenshot
Why You Should Be Long Resting Constantly
Forcing your party forward on fumes is a false economy. The game is designed and balanced around the assumption that you will rest frequently. Resisting this core mechanic only makes the experience harder and less rewarding.
Your Spellcasters Are Powerless Without It
A Wizard without spell slots is just a person with a stick. While cantrips provide a baseline of magical damage, the encounter-defining power of classes like the Sorcerer, Wizard, Cleric, and Druid comes from their leveled spells. Fireball, Haste, Spirit Guardians—these abilities turn the tide of battle. Once they're expended, your caster's utility plummets. Instead of trying to win a tough fight with your Wizard flinging Fire Bolt for 1d10 damage, go to camp. A Long Rest will bring them back to full, god-like power, ready to reshape the battlefield.
You're Missing the Best Story Moments
This is the most critical reason to rest often. The camp is not just a mechanical reset point; it's the narrative heart of Baldur's Gate 3. Nearly all major companion story beats, personal quests, character development, and romance scenes are triggered by events that happen during a Long Rest. When you see an exclamation point over a companion's head at camp, you're about to unlock a piece of their story.
If you go for long stretches without resting, these story flags queue up. You might even miss some entirely. By resting after every few major encounters, you ensure a steady, natural progression of your companions' arcs. Don't let your fear of using 40 food items prevent you from experiencing the incredible character writing that makes the game so special.
Baldur's Gate 3 in-game screenshot
Camp Supplies Are Abundant, So Stop Hoarding
Let go of your resource anxiety. Larian Studios wants you to rest. That's why every abandoned pack, rustic crate, and forgotten cellar is stuffed with wine, cheese, sausages, and supply packs. You will find far more than 40 supplies between each major combat encounter. If you are even remotely thorough in your exploration, you will quickly amass hundreds, and then thousands, of units of Camp Supplies.
There is no bonus for finishing the game with a hoard of rations. They serve one purpose: to enable Long Rests. Use them. Every time you think, "Should I rest?" the answer is probably yes.
How Do You Actually Rest?
Initiating a rest is simple, but the menu has a couple of nuances worth knowing.
- Locate the Rest Icon: On the right side of your screen, next to your minimap, is a small icon that looks like a campfire inside a circle. Clicking this opens the rest menu.
- Choose Your Rest Type: You'll be presented with two main options. The Short Rest button (a crescent moon) will show you how many charges you have left. Clicking it immediately expends a charge and heals the party. The Long Rest button (a full campfire) will show you your current total of Camp Supplies out of the required 40.
- Go to Camp vs. End the Day: Clicking the Long Rest button takes you to your current campsite. This does not immediately consume your supplies or end the day. It simply transports you to the camp hub where you can talk to your companions, manage your inventory, and switch out party members. You can leave camp at any time without resting. To actually perform the Long Rest, you must click on a bedroll or the campfire itself and choose the 'End the Day' option. This is the point of no return where your 40 supplies are consumed and the story progresses to the next morning.
Baldur's Gate 3 in-game screenshot
A Final Word on Resting
Think of the rest system not as a limitation but as a pacing tool. It creates a rhythm of adventure, combat, and reflection. Pushing your party to their limits in a tough dungeon, then retreating to the warmth and safety of camp to share stories with your companions is the core loop of Baldur's Gate 3. It's where the mechanics of a CRPG merge with the storytelling of a tabletop campaign. Don't fight it. Embrace the downtime, keep your party at its peak, and never be afraid to call it a day.