Long rests and short rests in Baldur's Gate 3 each restore a certain amount of health and spells, depending on class and circumstances. Long rests are definitely better, but also, unsurprisingly, take a lot longer to do, with the characters also burning through supplies along the way. Both have their advantages and it's worth explaining what they each do, so I'll explain long rests and short rests in Baldur's Gate 3 below, the difference between them and how you can do them.
How to take short rests in Baldur's Gate 3
To take a short rest in Baldur's Gate 3, hold down the Campfire icon on the right of the user interface, marked above. That'll bring up two more icons and the one at the top, that looks like an upside down sunrise with two blue dots, is the one you press to take a short rest.
You can take a short rest twice per day (the lit blue dots on the icon representing how many times you can do it), before you run out and have to take a long rest to reset the counter.
How to take long rests in Baldur's Gate 3
To take a long rest in Baldur's Gate 3, press the Campfire icon on the right of the user interface, which will spawn two new icons - press the one showing the Moon. That will teleport you to a safe "Campsite" zone where you can talk to your various Baldur's Gate 3 companions and trigger a long rest properly by interacting with your bedroll in the middle of camp.
You can take long rests whenever you want, but you need supplies (food) to make the most out of them. Long rests also end the day and start a new one, so any timed elements to quests or the story may carry on while you're having a snooze.
Short rests and Long rests in Baldur's Gate 3 explained
Short rests and long rests have different advantages and disadvantages in Baldur's Gate 3. Here's what happens each time you trigger one.
- Short rests:
- Can only be used twice per day/long rest.
- Can be done at any point out of combat or dialogue.
- Reset or refuel certain limited-use "short rest" class or race abilities (check their descriptions).
- Allows every character to regain half their maximum HP.
- Allow Warlocks only to regain spell slots.
- Long rests:
- Can be done at any point out of combat or dialogue.
- Cost 40 Supplies to get the full benefits.
- Regain all health and spell slots for all characters and classes.
- Reset or refuel all limited-use class or race abilities.
- Progress time by one day.
- Allow the party to regain all uses of short rests.
- Allow players to change their Baldur's Gate 3 party composition.
- Allow players to have certain in-depth dialogue with their companions.
- Allow players to talk to Withers at the Campsite (if he's been found in his Crypt), which is how to revive dead characters in Baldur's Gate 3
The important thing about long rests is that you need to have the supplies, otherwise your health and spell slots are only restored to half of their maximum, and you don't get your short rests back. Supplies are very easy to find in Baldur's Gate 3 - just keep an eye out for anything even remotely classed as food and stuff it into your inventory, from rum to cheese wheels to fish heads.
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