What is the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build? Larian studios give you all the tools you need to succeed in the harsh world at your fingertips, with a huge number of classes and subclasses, an even larger variety of skills to use, and lots of races to choose from when designing your character. It’s safe to say that creating the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build for each class isn’t an easy task. Thankfully, we’ve done all the heavy lifting so you can hop back into the stellar CRPG without too much trouble.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 build options are immense for even just one of the 12 possible Baldur’s Gate 3 classes you can pick. However, if you’re struggling to decide on one, a good place to start is with our Baldur’s Gate 3 best class tier list which will point you in the right direction. Once you have chosen though, you’ll need to start thinking about the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build for your chosen class.
Best Baldur’s Gate 3 build
The best Baldur’s Gate 3 builds are:
- Barbarian – Berserker, Shield Dwarf, Soldier
- Bard – College of Lore, Half-Elf, Guild Artisan
- Cleric – Life Domain, High Elf, Acolyte
- Druid – Circle of the Moon, Gold Dwarf, Acolyte
- Fighter – Battle Master, Shield Dwarf, Soldier
- Monk – Way of the Open Hand, Wood Elf, Outlander
- Paladin – Oath of Vengeance, Half-Elf, Soldier
- Ranger – Hunter, Wood Elf, Outlander
- Rogue – Thief, Wood Elf, Urchin
- Sorcerer – Draconic Bloodline, Dragonborn, Guild Artisan
- Warlock – The Great Old One, Half Elf, Charlatan
- Wizard – Evocation School, High Elf, Sage
When it comes to the best builds for each class in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s important to consider a few things. Namely subclass and race choices, as these have the biggest impact on your overall spells and stats, but also which background and abilities you pick, as some scale better with certain classes. As such, it’s a complicated process, and that’s before even thinking about all the rich roleplaying decisions you might want to make.
So, we’ve prepared the best build setups for each class, ranging from the Barbarian to the Wizard. Remember, you might want to tweak a few options here and there if you’re roleplaying a specific character or build. However, these are optimal build options for all the classes, which can also be great for your companions that will make up a full party composition.
Barbarian build
For the best Barbarian build in BG3, we recommend:
- Race – Shield Dwarf
- Background – Soldier
- Skills – Athletics, Intimidation, Survival
- Stats – Strength, Constitution
- Subclass – Berserker
- Weapons – Two-handed
- Multiclass – Barbarian 9/Fighter 3
This Berserker build is all about close-range damage, so you’ll need to balance that ferocity out with adequate survivability. While the Paladin multiclass is also a great idea, we’ve opted for a Barbarian and Fighter multiclass build to increase our close-range devastation through the Fighter’s extra action points and other melee damage boosts.
Firstly, Berserker is the best Barbarian subclass thanks to it massively increasing damage through Frenzy. Most importantly, you’ll gain access to Frenzy Strike, which lets you perform a melee attack as a bonus action.
To support this, you’re going to want to pick a Shield Dwarf with a Soldier background. This will give you Dwarven Resilience and greater weapon proficiencies that make this build even stronger. However, the Half-Orc race is a close second particularly due to Savage Attack and Relentless Survival which increase damage and survivability respectively. However, feel free to pick any race you’d rather play. After all, Baldur’s Gate 3 is all about roleplaying.
Bard build
The best Bard build in BG3 is:
- Race – Half-Elf
- Background – Guild Artisan
- Skills – Acrobatics, Stealth, Persuasion
- Stats – Charisma, Dexterity
- Subclass – College of Lore
- Weapons – Any proficient melee and ranged weapon
- Multiclass – Bard 6/Paladin 6
This Bard build hones in on the supportive nature of this class by boosting allies and debuffing the enemy, making them one of the strongest allies you can have in a fight. Multiclassing at level six will still give us access to many of the best Bard feats and upgrades, while also letting us put six levels into the Paladin for even more supportive and damage spells.
College of Lore is the best Bard subclass as it further improves on the support capabilities of the Bard. While you could opt for a more damaging build, this role is best left to other classes. Nevertheless, College of Lore still grants access to many of the powerful spells of this class, but also offers the Cutting Words action. This will debuff enemies with weaker Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, and damage, which is hard to argue with.
As for character creation, any Half-Elf subrace will work wonders as they grant bonuses to Charisma as well as bonus skill points that can be used for substats like Dexterity and Constitution. Likewise, a background like Guild Artisan is a great pick as this also offers Charisma proficiencies that aid the Bard.
Cleric build
For the best Cleric build in BG3, use:
- Race – High Elf
- Background – Acolyte
- Skills – Medicine, Religion
- Stats – Wisdom, Constitution
- Subclass – Life Domain
- Weapons – One-hand and shield
- Multiclass – None
This Cleric build goes all in on the healing and support role of the Cleric. While there is a play for a Light Domain Cleric damage dealer, we prefer a focused healer, as other classes can handle damage in the best Baldur’s Gate 3 party setup. Given we want access to level six spells, multiclassing it not recommended for this Cleric build. However, if you do want to multiclass with the Cleric, then you could take one level of Fighter.
The Life Domain subclass grants the Cleric some of the best healing and support abilities in the entire game. This makes the Cleric a huge boon to the entire party, keeping them alive so that they can fulfill their roles without worrying about dying. Again, if you’d rather tailor more for damage, then Light Domain is the way to go.
During character creation, the High Elf is the way to go. Not only will you get Darkvision, which can come in very handy, but you’ll also get an extra cantrip and the Fey Ancestry skill. These are all great bonuses to have on a Cleric. With that said, a Drow and Mephistopheles Tiefling can also be strong picks if you don’t want to be a High Elf. Similarly, the Acolyte background with Medicine and Religion skills perfectly compliment the playstyle and speciality of the Cleric to make one of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build options.
Druid build
The best Druid build in BG3 is:
- Race – Gold Dwarf
- Background – Acolyte
- Skills – Insight and Perception
- Stats – Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity
- Subclass – Circle of the Moon
- Weapons – Club, Quarterstaff
- Multiclass – Druid 9/Fighter 3
This Druid build creates a versatile damage dealer that’s also capable of tanking and supporting your team. While they may not be the best class in the game, the Druid should not be overlooked. As for Druid multiclassing, we recommend taking Druid to level nine and investing three levels into Fighter. This will give us more proficiencies, Action Surge, and even the Fighter subclass choice.
The most important choice is the Circle of the Moon subclass which opens up even more animal transformations that come in handy in a variety of situations. You’ll also gain access to spells like Goodberry to heal the party members and the bear transformation that can make you, arguably, the most tanky character possible. With spells like Moonbeam, you’re also capable of some pretty good damage.
To synergize with this, we’ve opted for the Gold Dwarf race for the bonus Wisdom to enhanced spells and extra Constitution to make us even tankier. Pair that with the stellar Dwarven Toughness passive effect and you’ll have a great Baldur’s Gate 3 build for the Druid. However, if you don’t want to be a Gold Dwarf, the Wood Elf and Wood Half-Elf can also be strong choices as they too grant Wisdom.
Fighter build
The best Fighter build in BG3 is:
- Race – Shield Dwarf
- Background – Soldier
- Skills – Acrobatics, Athletics
- Stats – Strength, Constitution
- Subclass – Battle Master
- Weapons – Two-handed
- Multiclass – Fighter 8/Barbarian 4
The Fighter is already an excellent close-quarters class, but this Fighter build takes it up a notch with increased damage and survivability, which is vital when you’re up in the enemy’s face. In terms of multiclassing, putting eight into Fighter and four into Barbarian will give us access to great abilities like Action Surge and Frenzied Strike, which increases close-range damage even more.
The Battle Master is the most straightforward and arguably the most potent subclass for the Fighter, granting access to Battle Master Maneuvers that are highly damaging in close range, such as Menacing Attack and Rally. While you won’t get access to magic like some of the other subclasses, it instead focuses on improving the standard playstyle of the class.
From here, the Shield Dwarf is by far the most suitable choice thanks to its great Strength and Constitution boosts, as well as great passives that make them surprisingly hardy characters. You’ll also get Darkvision which can be very useful if you’re fighting in caves or other dark spaces. If the Shield Dwarf isn’t for you, then the Wood Half-Elf can be a great alternative as they gain two ability points which can be spent on Strength and Constitution. Otherwise, Human and Githyanki can also work, though they’re not quite as strong as the other two options.
Monk build
For the best Monk build in BG3, we recommend:
- Race – Wood Elf
- Background – Outlander
- Skills – Athletics, Acrobatics
- Stats – Dexterity, Wisdom
- Subclass – Way of the Open Hand
- Weapons – Simple Weapons, Unarmed
- Multiclass – Monk 8/Fighter 4
This Monk build focuses on improving the close-range brawling playstyle of the Monk class, able to deal quite significant damage while taking a few hits in return. It’s not the best class overall, but this build makes the class much stronger than they are by default. Multiclassing Monk with Fighter lets us get many great feats from the Monk, while also getting some of the benefits of the Fighter, including Action Surge for a bonus action.
The Way of the Open Hand Monk subclass is great for the up-close and personal nature of the Monk, building on the unarmed combat speciality of the class. You’ll get access to several new class actions, such as Flurry of Blows: Topple or Stagger, which can be useful for disrupting opponents. Remember, the Monk excels unarmed (or Simple weapons) and unarmored, so keep that in mind while you’re kitting out your characters.
As for the character customization options, Wood Elf will be your best choice for the increased movement speed. This will be vital in getting in range with the Monk so you can dish out damage, as this class can be surprisingly mobile compared to other martial classes. Furthermore, Wood Elf also grants bonuses to Dexterity and Wisdom, making them a great pick for improving the potency of our actions. Otherwise, Wood Half-Elf and Drow can also be great choices as they too can gain bonus Dexterity over the other races.
Paladin build
For the best Paladin build in BG3, use:
- Race – Half-Elf
- Background – Soldier
- Skills – Persuasion, Athletics
- Stats – Strength, Charisma, Wisdom
- Subclass – Oath of Vengeance
- Weapons – One-hand and shield
- Multiclass – Paladin 5/Warlock 7
This Paladin build takes what is already one of the most powerful classes – adept in combat and dialogue – and improves on them in several ways, with great damage, tanking, and access to valuable spells. The Paladin is the perfect frontline brawler in many party compositions. Multiclassed with the Warlock will further up the ante, giving the ‘Palock’ greater ranged effectiveness through new spells, while also getting many of the best perks from levelling Paladin to five.
The Paladin has four strong choices when it comes to subclass, but we prefer Oath of Vengeance. With this setup, you’ll gain several powerful damaging abilities, such as Inquisitor’s Might, while also strong supportive skills like Misty Step, and Haste that make the Oath of Vengeance Paladin a fun class to play.
While the Half-Orc might seem like the obvious choice – and still a good one – the Half Elf is the way to go as you’ll get a bonus to Charisma to help with spell casting, as well as two bonus skill points that we’d recommend putting into Strength and Wisdom. Not only that, but the Wood Half-Elf gains extra movement speed as well. Other race choices include Zariel Tiefling, Humans, and aforementioned Half-Orcs.
Ranger build
The best Ranger build in BG3 is:
- Race – Wood Elf
- Background – Outlander
- Skills – Stealth, Perception, Survival
- Stats – Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution
- Subclass – Hunter
- Weapons – Bow
- Multiclass – Ranger 9/Fighter 3
This Ranger build looks to further enhance the Ranger’s stealth and ranged damage capabilities with powerful synergies between character creation elements and subclass choice. You’ll be an expert marksman and well-versed in the natural world, opening up some useful perks while exploring too. Ranger multiclassing for three levels of Fighter offers Action Surge. Furthermore, if you take the Fighter Champion subclass, you’ll also gain improved Critical stats.
Firstly, the Hunter subclass improves on the Ranger’s damage and mobility that makes them a boon in many party setups. As such, you’re going to want to pick several specific perks while leveling, such as Beast Tamer at level 1, Archery, Hunter’s Mark, and Cure Wounds at level 2, and Colossus Slayer at level 3. With these, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with, boasting heavy damage to weak opponents.
This pairs very well with the Wood Elf race which further enhances mobility to get into advantageous positions easier, as well as Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, and stealth proficiencies. These are incredibly useful in combat, given the Ranger is designed to be a mid-range damage dealer.
Rogue build
For the best Rogue build in BG3, we recommend:
- Race – Wood Elf
- Background – Urchin
- Skills – Stealth, Acrobatics
- Stats – Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution
- Subclass – Thief
- Weapons – Dual wield
- Multiclass – Rogue 7/Ranger 5
The Rogue is a master of all things stealth and deception, and what better way to take advantage of this than a Rogue build using the Thief subclass. Boasting high mobility and stealth skills, you can emerge from the shadows to dish out heavy damage before scampering away once again. If you’d rather play a different class, then that works too, as one of the Baldur’s Gate 3 best companions is a Rogue that can also make use of this build. Rogue multiclassing with a Gloomstalker Ranger provides massive bonus damage in the first turn, and similarly high damage as the fight goes on through bonus attacks.
Starting things off strong, the Thief subclass is arguably the best option for the Rogue. While Assassin also offers some great damage dealing opportunities, Thief’s extra Bonus Action each turn is too good to turn down. That’s right, with Thief you can perform two Bonus Actions, letting you move around more effectively and enter in and out of stealth with ease. And, because the Rogue excels with dual wielding weapons, you’ll also be able to deal amped up attacks more often.
As for the race, background, and skills, there’s lots of potential choices but some stand a cut above the rest, namely the Wood Elf. The Wood Elf is the best race for a Rogue simply due to the extra movement speed. While other races, such as the High Elf grant bonus Dexterity, the Wood Elf grants that and more, with increased perception, stealth, and speed. However, if you’d like to roleplay as a different race, then High Elf and Drow can also work well.
Sorcerer build
For the best Sorcerer build in BG3, use:
- Race – Dragonborn
- Background – Guild Artisan
- Skills – Persuasion, Intimidation
- Stats – Charisma, Dexterity, Constitution
- Subclass – Draconic Bloodline
- Weapons – Quarterstaff
- Multiclass – Sorcerer 10/Warlock 2
As one of the strongest classes in the game, this Sorcerer build will be capable of dishing out massive damage and being incredibly fun to play while doing it thanks to the wide range of spells at their disposal. In fact, they have access to nearly all the Baldur’s Gate 3 best spells you can get. Multiclassing Sorcerer with Warlock is a great choice for a consistent damage increase, especially thanks to Eldritch Blast and other cantrips.
The Draconic Bloodline subclass for the Sorcerer is a very strong choice, providing powerful dragon-inspired effects like Draconic Resilience that pair very well with the race choice. Although Wild Magic certainly has potential, it’s not as consistent as Draconic Bloodline. We recommend picking the Red (Fire) dragon ancestor as this grants Burning Hands which can deal good damage and also set certain effects ablaze.
Speaking of great class and race synergies, the Dragonborn is the perfect pick for a Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer. The Dragonborn gains extra elemental resistance and bonuses to all the stats the Sorcerer needs. Dragonborns don’t often get the spotlight, but if you’d rather play another race then Half-Elf and Drow can also work.
Warlock build
The best Warlock build in BG3 is:
- Race – High Half-Elf
- Background – Charlatan
- Skills – Stealth, Sleight of Hand
- Stats – Charisma, Dexterity
- Subclass – The Great Old One
- Weapons – Any weapon proficiency
- Multiclass – Warlock 7/Paladin 5
The Warlock can be a highly versatile class, and this Warlock build focuses on improving damage and crowd control effects, while also keeping the surprisingly stealth elements of this caster. Multiclassing Warlock with five levels of an Oath of Vengeance Paladin will give you access to several incredibly potent support and damage spells, such as Bless and Divine Smite, which pair very well with the Paladin. This pairing will also keep your spells on a short rest cooldown, unlike other casters.
Unlike most classes, the Warlock picks their subclass right away, so it’s important to make the right choice from the get-go. The Great Old One is our recommendation since it adds several crowd control effects that make the Warlock a potent damage dealer and support character in combat. For example, you’ll get access to Mortal Reminder which can Frighten enemies when you land a critical hit. You will also get to pick two Cantrips, which you’ll be using for most of your damage since they don’t consume Spell Slots. There’s several powerful ones to choose from, but Eldritch Blast and Blade Ward are highlights in particular, improving damage and survivability respectively.
From here, the rest of this Warlock build is similar to many of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build setups, with Half-Elf taking the top spot for race choices. In particular, the High Half-Elf is a strong pick as they open the door to an extra Cantrip that it’s usually accessible on the Warlock. Similarly, the Wood Half-Elf has a bonus to movement speed that lets this ranged caster get into advantageous positions much easier. Since both come with boosts to Charisma and two extra points that can be assigned to Dexterity and Constitution, either is a strong pick. The Tiefling, Drow, and Human can also be chosen if you’d like a chance from the rather meta half-elf.
Wizard build
For the best Wizard build in BG3, we recommend:
- Race – High Elf
- Background – Sage
- Skills – Investigation, Religion
- Stats – Intelligence, Dexterity, Constitution
- Subclass – Evocation School
- Weapons – Quarterstaff
- Multiclass – None
The Wizard can be a superb damage dealer, with access to extremely powerful AoE spells. However, it’s easy to hurt your own allies in the process. That’s where the Evocation School subclass comes in, making the best Wizard build in BG3, and one of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build options in general. As for Wizard multiclassing, you won’t really gain much by choosing another caster class so it’s not worth doing. However, if you really would like to multiclass, then taking one level of Fighter can be fun for a Battle Mage type playstyle.
The Evocation School subclass is recommended to nearly all players simply because it stops Evocation Spells from hurting allies. Given how potent some of these spells are, especially large AoEs, Evocation is a must. You’ll also have access to some of the best spells in the entire game, so you’ve got lots to play around with, such as Misty Step, Shatter, Scorching Ray, Thunderwave, and Chromatic Orb.
And to compliment this, we’ve opted for the High Elf race for the Wizard. High Elf gains bonuses to Intelligence and Dexterity, as well as having the option of an extra Cantrip. As such, they’re incredibly versatile and capable of great damage in combat. With that said, the Forest and Deep Gnomes are actually stronger options in terms of raw damage, trading one Dexterity for one Intelligence compared to the High Elf. Nevertheless, we think it’s worth sacrificing the slight damage increase of the Gnome for the bonus Cantrip.
And that’s the best Baldur’s Gate 3 build for each and every class in the game. Given all the build variety and how much is up to the player, it’s no surprise that Baldur’s Gate 3 has quickly become one of the best RPG games for many players.