As a dedicated Baldur's Gate 3 player who has spent hundreds of hours navigating the Sword Coast, I’ve witnessed how this incredible RPG continues to evolve. Even in 2026, Larian Studios remains laser-focused on polishing the game, releasing patches that smooth out janky interactions and seal off exploits the community has been milking for years. Patch 7, which dropped earlier this year, is a treasure trove of fixes aimed squarely at "cheese" – those delightfully unintended strategies that let us bend the rules of Faerûn. I’ve personally dabbled with a few of these shortcuts, and seeing them patched out is bittersweet. Here’s a rundown of the ten most impactful cheese strats that Patch 7 has officially retired, and why losing them actually makes the game better.
10. The Permeable Wall Phasing
There was a period where destructible walls in dungeons acted more like holograms than solid barriers. By angling an attack just right, a party member would pathfind straight through the obstacle without breaking it, effectively ghosting into forbidden rooms. I confess I used this maneuver in the Underdark to bypass a wall and grab a chest without alerting nearby spectators. Larian’s patch notes put it bluntly: "Fixed a bug that would let you waltz your way through destructible walls without actually destroying them." Now, any wall that stands in your way must be dealt with like a proper adventurer – either smash it to rubble or find another route.
9. Immortal Wild Shape Silliness
Druid mains got a nasty surprise with Patch 7. Previously, if you combined the Seeming spell with a Wild Shape, the transformed character could drop to zero hit points without dying. This effectively granted invincible bear or wolf form, trivializing boss fights. I’d seen speedrun videos where a player tanked the entire House of Hope encounter as an unkillable owlbear. Larian squashed this by ensuring that damage taken in Wild Shape now correctly checks for death regardless of cosmetic illusions. For those craving god mode, the patch does bring official mod support to consoles, so you can still find creative ways to cheat death – just not through this particular loophole.
8. Lathander’s Light Bypasses The Dark Urge
Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 as the Dark Urge is meant to be a harrowing experience where your bloodlust forces tragic losses. One community-discovered trick used the legendary mace The Blood of Lathander to save a companion from the destined murder. Its passive ability, Lathander’s Light, would resurrect the victim, essentially deleting one of the storyline’s most shocking moments. I tried this on my second Dark Urge playthrough, and it completely undermined the narrative weight. Patch 7 rightly forbids this interaction; the notes state, "Lathander's Light will no longer be able to save companions that the Dark Urge was driven to kill." Now, you must face the consequences of your character’s dark nature head-on.
7. Active Search Case-Cracking
Ramazith’s Tower in Baldur’s Gate proper houses some ludicrously valuable loot behind a trapped display case. The intended method involves solving an elaborate puzzle, but savvy players realized that opening the Active Search interface let them click on the key inside the case as if the glass wasn’t there. I’ll admit, I had this in my back pocket for a Tactician run. Larian’s fix is wonderfully sassy: "You can no longer use the Active Search feature to bypass the booby-trapped display case in Ramazith's Tower and pick up the key inside it. Smarty-pantses." Now, you’ll need to engage with the puzzle to claim the Counting House Safe No. 1 Key and the Sorcerous Sundries Mystery Door Key.
6. Trading Through Locks
Another shortcut I frequently employed was opening locked containers via the trade interface. If an NPC had a locked chest in their inventory, you could just switch to trade mode, view the contents, and drag items directly into your own bag. No lockpicks, no Knock spell, no noise. This cheese was especially handy for nabbing quest items without the skill check. Patch 7 closes that avenue; the notes read, "You can no longer open locked containers through trade as if they weren't locked." Now, you’ll face the age-old binary choice: invest in Sleight of Hand or bring a big hammer.
5. Cazador’s Pentagram Ping-Pong
The confrontation with Cazador is one of Astarion’s origin quest highlights, and it’s brutally difficult. Clever tacticians discovered that by repeatedly stepping on and off the ritual pentagram in front of Astarion, a character could accumulate multiple extra Bonus Actions per turn. I used this to chain Cunning Actions and off-hand attacks, turning a tense duel into a shooting gallery. Larian considered this an exploit, clarifying that you should only get one extra Bonus Action per turn. Now, the fight stays challenging – though Cazador did receive a legendary action upgrade in Mist Form to compensate, so the battle remains rich with tactical depth.
4. Wild Shape Evades Viconia’s Personal Spells
The duel between Shadowheart and Viconia DeVir in the House of Grief is a turning point for Shar’s former servant. Previously, if Shadowheart was wild-shaped into a beast, Viconia’s signature spells that specifically target her wouldn’t trigger. That meant avoiding devastating conditions like Mapping of the Heart. I saw many players turn Shadowheart into a dire raven to sidestep the entire mechanic. Patch 7 says no more: "Viconia can now target Shadowheart with her trademark spells even if Shadowheart is Wild-Shaped." From a story perspective, this makes perfect sense – Viconia isn’t fooled by a fur coat.
3. Moonrise Prisoner Bail-Out
Rescuing the tieflings from Moonrise Towers is a nerve-wracking sequence that requires stealth and a bit of luck. An older bug allowed you to simply leave the prison area during the escape, and when you returned, the tieflings would magically be safe at Last Light Inn as if you’d escorted them perfectly. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit I relied on this on my first playthrough because I botched the stealth. The patch erases that cheat: now you must actually lead Wulbren and the tieflings to the boat. The good news? With careful positioning and a well-thrown Fog Cloud, it’s totally doable.
2. Twinned Witch Bolt Overload
Sorc enthusiasts got a nerf that felt more like a bug fix. The metamagic Twinned Spell allowed you to twin an upcasted Witch Bolt, hitting two targets with the massive initial damage and maintaining concentration on both instances. This output rivaled Chain Lightning for a fraction of the resource cost. Larian clarified that twinning an upcasted Witch Bolt breaks the concentration rules – you shouldn’t be able to sustain two bolts simultaneously. I’ll miss deleting pairs of Steel Watchers with this trick, but it was clearly overpowered. Now, you’ll need to pick your single target wisely.
1. The Leap of Faith Autopilot
The Gauntlet of Shar’s Leap of Faith trial has been the bane of many adventurers, but a ridiculously simple cheese let you bypass the invisible path entirely. By clicking the final platform and letting the game’s pathfinding do the work, your character would walk across the invisible bridge without a single misstep. I used this every time and felt a guilty pang each run. Patch 7 finally forces you to engage with the puzzle as intended. The patch notes joke that Shar herself threatened to smite the developers if they didn’t fix it. Now, solving the trial requires studying the floor mosaic and carefully treading forward – a true test of faith.
Larian’s commitment to refining Baldur’s Gate 3 three years after launch is something every RPG fan should celebrate. These fixes close loopholes that, while fun, often cheapened the intended challenge and storytelling. I’ll always look back fondly on the era of wall-phasing and immortal owlbears, but ultimately, Patch 7 makes running through Faerûn in 2026 a tighter, more immersive experience. Whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer, there’s never been a better time to dive back in and play the game the way Shar – and Larian – intended.