Baldur Gate : Map Exploration

Always Reveal Adjacent Map Areas
When exploring a map area, temporarily exit the area whenever you get to an edge. This will cause any adjacent areas to be made visible on the Sword Coast map. You can then re-enter the original map area or move on to another. This will fill out your Sword Coast map more quickly and will later allow you to enter revealed areas whenever you desire (not just from adjacent areas).
Travel to any Revealed Map Area
When exiting from a Sword Coast map area, you can travel to any other visible area (that you have previously revealed by the method used in "Always Reveal Adjacent Map Areas"), not just the area adjacent to the one you left. For example, exiting to the East does not require you to enter the adjacent area to the East - you can pick any ADJACENT area (i.e, adjacent to any side of your current area) that you previously revealed. You can 'jump' directly to (i.e., enter from a non-adjacent map area) any map area that you have previously visited.

Some areas are revealed on the map at the start of the game, some become revealed only by getting or completing quests, and others become revealed when you exit the edge of an adjacent map sector. Some areas, although revealed, cannot be entered until the completion of a quest. Some examples:

  • Baldur's Gate: The city is always revealed on the map, but cannot be entered until you have completed Chapter 4, then you must enter (the first time) via the bridge.
  • BG Bridge Sector: The Bridge sector is always revealed on the map. The Bridge sector can be entered at any time by going to the adjacent Ankheg Farm sector, exiting this sector on the north edge, and entering the Bridge sector. Once visited, you can 'jump' directly to the Bridge sector from any non-adjacent sector (e.g., from from Cloakwood Mines sector). You are not able, however, to cross the bridge into Baldur's Gate until you have completed Chapter 4. If you have not completed Chapter 4, you will only be able to explore the Bridge sector east of the river.
  • Gnoll Stronghold: Revealed when you get a quest to save Dynaheir, but you can only enter from an adjacent map sector.
  • Bandit Camp: Revealed upon completing a quest, see Q/A/HINTS - GAME PLAY - "The Bandit Camp does not show up on my Map". Once revealed, enter Bandit Camp from an adjacent map area.
  • Cloakwood-1: Revealed when you complete Chapter 3 (Bandit Camp) area, however you cannot move directly (jump) to Cloakwood-1 once revealed. You can get to Cloakwood-1 by traveling first to the Friendly Arm area, then exiting the that area either to the West or the South.
Travel Times
Travel between Sword Coast map areas can take from 0 to many hours. Excessive travel times can cause your party to arrive exhausted resulting in reduced attack/defense capabilities. Careful movement planning can often be of great benefit to your party's health. It can also allow you to arrive during daylight (I hate exploring new areas at night) if you so desire. We have researched the travel times between Sword Coast map areas and have posted them in two forms on the Maps page. Although we have posted only the times between adjacent map areas, generally (but alas, not always) the times for 'jumps' between areas (e.g., leaving one area and entering another 4 areas away) is the sum of the shortest (time wise) steps between the two areas.

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