Baldur's Gate Class Overview (2024)

Booting up Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time may be a little intimidating, especially when the first thing you encounter is a very vast and customizable character creator. And if you are unfamiliar with 5th Edition D&D rules, some of the things you will encounter may not make too much sense to you. Lucky for you, this guide will go over each step of the process as well as providing a brief overview of the classes and some of the game’s mechanics.

We will start off by explaining a few D&D terms I’ll be using often in this customization guide.

Important Terms

Dice System

Baldur’s Gate 3 uses a dice based system to determine the outcome of every action and event in the game. The most commonly used die is 20 sided, or a “d20”, but there are also 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100 sided dice that are frequently rolled, sometimes you will see these rolls, but most of them are made behind the scenes and you will just see the results. In this guide and in the game you will frequently see things like 1d6, 1d10+1, or 8d6. The first number is how many dice are being rolled, the second number is the type of die being rolled, and occasionally you will see a +modifier which means you add that number to the result of the die roll. For example, 1d10+1 would result in a die roll of 1 to 10 and you would add 1 to the result and end up with an outcome ranging from 2-11.

Ability Scores

Ability Scores are your characters main stats and are comprised of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. They range from 1-20 and influence every roll you make in the game. Each class has different scores that you should focus on and most others can be left with low values, even giving a negative modifier in favor of the class relevant abilities, this is sometimes called a “dump stat”. Every even number above 10 will provide you with a positive modifier and every even number below 10 will provide you with a negative modifier ranging from -5 to +5. These modifiers are added to or subtracted from rolls made using abilities or items associated with them.

Armor Class

The Armor Class, or AC, value represents how difficult it is for an attack roll to succeed in damaging an opponent or yourself. Base AC without equipment is 10 plus your Dexterity modifier. As you equip heavier armor, the amount of your Dexterity modifier applied to armor gets lower and lower, but it is made up for by significantly higher base AC on the piece of armor.

Proficiency & Saving Throws

You will very frequently see the terms “proficient” and “saving throws”. If a character gains proficiency in something, they add their proficiency bonus to rolls made using that skill or item. Proficiency also determines what level of armor spellcasters are able to wear without losing their ability to cast spells. Saving throws are used defensively to avoid certain effects or damage and are determined by your Ability Score bonus and proficiencies. In Baldur’s Gate 3, this bonus is applied automatically, but it is good to be aware of how it works when building your character.

At level 1 you start with a Proficiency bonus of +2, at level 5 that goes up to +3 and again at level 9 to +4 which will take you through to the max level of 12.

Choosing Your Class

If you make a mistake or realize the class you made is not fun for you, fret not, relatively early on in the game you will get the ability to respec your character and party members into whatever fits your playstyle better.What I like to do when creating a character is to choose the class I want to play first, then the race, so we will start there. Baldur’s Gate 3 is launching with 12 classes and 46 total subclasses. Some of these subclasses are chosen at level 1 and some are chosen at level 3.

Fighter

• Fighters are the masters of combat, they can be used on the frontline as a tank or damage dealer, you can also make them an archer and snipe enemies from the backlines, or you can do both - the choice is yours!

All Fighters are proficient in all Simple and Martial weapons, and can wear any armor and shields without penalties. A Fighters Saving Throw proficiencies are Strength and Constitution.

Fighters gain more Ability Score improvements than any other class while leveling up, being able to add 8 total points by level 12.

Once per day, they can heal themselves for 2-11 (1d10+1) health.

Fighter Subclasses

At level 3 Fighters have the choice of 3 Martial Archetypes.

• Champions are trained to be the epitome of raw physical power. They run straight into combat swinging the largest, strongest weapons they can find.
• Battle Masters have studied the art of war their entire lives and have learned to use many Maneuvers to give themselves and their party an edge in combat. This archetype is less straight forward than Champions, but adds a significant amount of flexibility for your character.
• Eldritch Knights are powerful warriors that have learned to augment their physical prowess with select Wizard spells.

Barbarian

If going into a fit of rage and charging into the enemy with nothing but your weapon and instinct sounds fun to you, then the Barbarian might be the way to go! Barbarians are proficient in all Simple and Martial weapons, as well as Light and Medium armor and shields. Saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Constitution. While you are proficient in some armor, it might be better to not wear any at all with your Unarmored Defense feature, you add both your Dexterity and Constitution modifiers to your Armor Class. Your Primary Ability Score is Strength followed by Constitution and then Dexterity. A few times per day, based on your level, you will be able to enter a Rage for 1 minute at a time granting you increased damage and damage resistances.

Barbarian Subclasses

At level 3 Barbarians have a choice of 3 Primal Paths

• Berserkers double down on the core feature of Rage transforming it into Frenzy which allows you to make extra attacks and throw items and creatures as well as further enhancing defenses and resistances.
• Wild Magic Barbarians apply random effects to themselves every time they enter Rage. Later, they will be able to bolster companions to add to their attack rolls or help them recover spell slots.
• Wildheart Barbarians are more in touch with nature and choose a Bestial Heart which augments their Rage and grants them powerful new abilities as well.

Paladin

• The Paladin is your classic knight in shining armor, upholding justice and righteousness and smiting evil wherever they find it. If they fail to uphold their oaths they will be deemed an Oathbreaker, replacing their abilities with others more fitting someone who has fallen to evil.

Paladins are proficient in all types of armor, weapons and shields. Saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Charisma.

Their primary Ability Score is Strength, followed by Charisma, then Constitution.

Once per long rest Paladins can Lay on Hands to heal themselves or allies for 4hp times their level or cure all poisons and diseases affecting the target. Once per short rest they can use Divine Sense to gain advantage on attacks against celestials, fiends, and undead.

Starting at level 2 they gain the ability to cast a limited number of divine spells.

Paladin Subclasses

At character creation Paladins pick between 3 Sacred Oaths

• Oath of Devotion Paladins are paragons of virtue, always acting with honor. They can imbue their weapons with sacred energy to deal more damage to their enemies and can cause unholy creatures to flee in terror.
• Oath of the Ancients Paladins vow to defend the natural world from darkness. They can speak with animals and ensnare enemies in addition to causing fiendish creatures to flee in terror.
• Oath of Vengeance Paladins are willing to do whatever is necessary to fight against evil, even at the expense of their own righteousness.

Rogue

Rogues are proficient with Light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords. Saving throw proficiencies are Dexterity and Intelligence.

Their primary Ability Score is Dexterity, followed by Constitution, or Intelligence if you want to go with Arcane Trickster.

Rogues can Sneak Attack for an additional 1-6 (1d6) damage to any enemy they have advantage against or if there is an ally next to them

Rogues gain Expertise in two skills allowing you to double any proficiency rolls with that skill. Skill selections will be expanded upon later.

At level 2 Rogues gain the Cunning Action feature allowing them to Dash or Disengage from an enemy as a bonus action.

Rogue Subclasses

At level 3 Rogues can choose from 3 Roguish Archetypes

• Thief Rogues are masters of sleight-of-hand and sneaking around in places they don’t belong. They gain a bonus action and resistance to falling damage.
• Arcane Tricksters utilize magic to enhance their natural abilities, dipping heavily into the Enchantment and Illusion schools. They can also use their Mage Hand cantrip to pick locks and steal objects from a distance.
• Assassins rely on good positioning and planning to utilize their Assassinate ability to its fullest potential, gaining advantage on the attack roll and a guaranteed critical hit if it succeeds.

Monk

• If you like high mobility, making lots of attacks and hate armor, then the Monk might be the class for you.

Monks are proficient with simple weapons and shortswords. They are not proficient with any armor, so don’t put any on. Saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Dexterity.

Their primary Ability Score is Dexterity, followed by Wisdom, then Constitution.

If a Monk is not wearing armor or a shield they add their Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers to their Armor Class, which can make them quite difficult to hit later in the game.

Monks use a resource called Ki to enhance your abilities, such as giving extra bonus attacks per turn, or allowing you to disengage as a bonus action.

Monk Subclasses

At level 3 Monks will choose between 3 Monastic Traditions

• Way of the Open Hand Monks are master martial artists, immediately gaining the ability to knock down or knock back enemies using their Ki. Later gaining abilities to heal and enhance your Saving throws.
• Way of the Four Elements Monks use their Ki to empower themselves with a wide variety of elemental effects.
• Way of Shadow Monks use darkness and shadows to their advantage, moving quickly around the battlefield and striking enemies before they even know they are there.

Ranger

Rangers have a deep connection with nature and are masters at tracking and killing their prey. They can form strong bonds with animals and are well suited to melee and ranged combat. Rangers are proficient with Light and Medium armor, shields, simple, and martial weapons.

• Their Saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Dexterity.
• Their primary Ability Score is Dexterity, followed by Wisdom, and then Constitution.

In Baldur’s Gate 3 the Favored Enemy feature gives the Ranger one of five passive benefits, which can greatly change the direction you take your character. Rangers are Natural Explorers and can choose between an animal familiar to aid in combat and exploration or enhancing their proficiency with sleight-of-hand or resistances to cold, fire, or poison damage.At level 2 Rangers gain access to Fighting Styles and a small number of spells.

Ranger Subclasses

At level 3 Rangers will pick from 3 Ranger Archetypes

• Hunters gain specialized techniques for fighting specific threats such as creatures larger than themselves or attacking multiple enemies that are nearby each other.
• Beast Masters choose from several animal companions to summon and fight alongside them.
• Gloom Stalkers find themselves most at home in the dark, whether it’s night time, in a cave, or even the Underdark, they are most lethal.

Bard

• Bards are your typical jack of all trades, master of none. They’ll never be as consistently good at another class when it comes to damage, healing or crowd control, but they can fill all of those roles in a pinch if needed and are extremely useful in any party!

Bards are proficient with light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, and shortswords. Their Saving throw proficiencies are Dexterity and Charisma.

Their primary Ability Scores are Charisma, followed by Dexterity, then Constitution.

Probably the most useful aspect of a bard is Bardic Inspiration, several times per long rest, and later per short rest, a Bard can use this ability to give another party member an extra 1-6 (1d6) on an Attack roll, Ability check, or Saving throw. It is very handy and often is able to make the difference between failing and succeeding on a roll.

Bards also get a very useful Cantrip spell called Vicious Mockery which does minor, 1-4 (1d4), damage but gives the enemy Disadvantage on their next Attack roll which can cause a Critical Hit to turn into a complete miss. There are a lot of recorded insults that your bard can hurl at your enemies using this spell, it can be quite fun!

Bards pull some spells from the Cleric and Wizard Spellbooks.

Bard Subclasses

At level 3 Bards will choose between 3 Bard Colleges

• Collage of Lore Bards gain more spells and has access to some earlier than other Bards. As a Reaction, they can also cause enemies to lose 1-6 (1d6) off of their Attack rolls, Ability checks, or damage dealt.
• College of Valor Bards are more martially focused than others, gaining weapon and armor proficiencies. Their Bardic Inspiration can now increase damage rolls or Armor Class.
• College of Swords Bards are similar to Valor but more offensively focused. They can spend their Inspiration to perform flourishes with their weapons.

Cleric

• Clerics are the best healers in the game but can also hold their own in melee combat should the need arise.

Clerics are proficient with Light and Medium armor, shields, and simple weapons. Their Saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Charisma.

Their primary Ability Score is Wisdom, followed by Constitution, then Dexterity or Strength if you choose the Tempest, Life, Nature or War Domains.

As far as I can tell, your choice of Deity does not affect your abilities, but will affect how you are able to interact with some characters, so choose one that sounds good to you based on how you want to role play your character.

Your Domain will determine what spells and abilities are available to you.

Clerics always have access to all the spells they are capable of learning. They are Prepared spellcasters and are able to change their prepared spells at any time if they are not in combat but are limited by how many spells they can cast between Long Rests.

Cleric Subclasses

At character creation Clerics will choose between 7 Divine Domains

• Life Domain Clerics heals are more effective than other Clerics and are proficient with Heavy armor, allowing them to fight in the front lines.
• Light Domain Clerics excel at dealing damage with their spells and have access to many spells that debuff or hinder their enemies.
• Nature Domain Clerics gain some spells from the Druid spellbook and gain related abilities, such as Charm Animal. They are proficient with Heavy armor and can also fight on the front lines.
• Trickery Domain Clerics specialize in deception, illusion and stealth. Proper use of abilities and spells such as Blessing of the Trickster and Pass Without Trace are situationally useful, but can allow you to get your party into better positions to get the drop on a group of enemies.
• Tempest Domain Clerics gain spells and abilities related to thunder and lightning to deal damage from any position on the battlefield. They gain proficiency in Heavy armor and Martial weapons and are well suited to fighting on the front lines.
• War Domain Clerics are always found on the front lines channeling divine energy from their deity to make their attacks strike true. They gain proficiency with Heavy armor and Martial weapons.
• Knowledge Domain Clerics spend their lives seeking knowledge and use what they’ve learned to enhance their skills and influence or control their enemies.

Druid

• Druids have a deep connection with and strive to maintain and defend the balance of nature. Whether through spells or brute force Wild Shaped as various animals, they are very capable of filling any hole in your party.

Druids are proficient with Light and medium armor, shields, clubs, daggers, javelins, maces, quarterstaves, scimitars, sickles, and spears. Their Saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Intelligence.

Their primary Ability Score is Wisdom, followed by Constitution and Dexterity.

Druids are quite capable in most roles, but their primary role in the party will be determined by their chosen Circle.

Druids always have access to all the spells they are capable of learning. They are Prepared spellcasters and are able to change their prepared spells at any time if they are not in combat but are limited by how many spells they can cast between Long Rests.

Druid Subclasses

Unlike most other classes, Druids will choose between 3 Druid Circles at level 2

• Circle of the Land Druids focus on expanding their spellcasting abilities, gaining powerful new spells for dealing damage, controlling enemies, and supporting their party.
• Circle of the Moon Druids are all about enhancing their Wild Shape ability to shapechange into even more powerful animals as a bonus action. They are even capable of healing themselves in animal form as a bonus action.
• Circle of Spores Druids recognize the importance of death and decay in maintaining balance. They deal necrotic damage and are capable of animating corpses to fight for them through the use of fungal spores.

Warlock

• Warlocks derive their powerful spellcasting abilities through pacts with otherworldly patrons.

Warlocks are proficient with Light armor and simple weapons. Their saving throws are Wisdom and Charisma.

Their primary Ability Score is Charisma followed by Constitution and Dexterity

With their high Charisma and access to the Friends Cantrip, Warlocks make great Faces for your party allowing them to succeed in difficult persuasion rolls in conversations where other characters might fail.

Utilizing the most powerful Cantrip in the game, Eldritch Blast, alongside the spell Hex, the Warlock is able to deal significant single target damage every turn. Later they are capable of targeting multiple enemies per turn with this Cantrip.

Warlock Subclasses

At character creation Warlocks will choose between 3 Otherworldly Patrons

• The Fiend Allows Warlocks to heal themselves for 4 hit points each time they deal a killing blow to an enemy. Later levels allow them access to powerful spells such as Fireball.
• The Great Old One Grants Warlocks powerful spells allowing them to control and incapacitate enemies. On a Critical Hit, all nearby enemies become too terrified to move and have disadvantage on abilities and attacks until the end of their next turn.
• The Archfey Warlocks derive their power from lords or ladies of the fey, gaining spells and abilities to debuff and control their enemies actions.

Pacts Boons

While not subclasses per se, at level 3 Warlocks can choose between 3 PactBoons that further customize their abilities.

• Pact of the Chain Grants you the spell Find Familiar which summons a minion that can aid you in combat or be used as a scout for your party.
• Pact of the Blade Allows you to create a pact weapon, you are always proficient with this weapon and it counts as magical against creatures immune to non magical weapons.
• Pact of the Tome Enhances your spellcasting abilities by granting you 3 Cantrips from any class’s spell list.

Wizard

• Wizards are masters of the arcane and are limited only by the number of spells in their spellbook.

Wizards are proficient with daggers, quarterstaves, and light crossbows. Their Saving throw proficiencies are Intelligence and Wisdom.

Their primary Ability Score is Intelligence followed by Constitution/Dexterity.

Wizards have to learn their spells before they can cast them, but once transcribed into their spellbooks and prepared out of combat, they can cast any of them as long as they have Spell Slots available.

Wizard Subclasses

At level 2, Wizards choose to specialize in 1 of 8 schools of magic, each allows you to copy scrolls belonging to that particular school.

• Abjuration Emphasizes defensive magic, granting you a protective barrier every time you cast an Abjuration spell.
• Conjuration Wizards have mastered the art of teleportation and conjuring creatures and objects out of thin air.
• Divination Wizards are able to divine the future and affect a few rolls made by you or creatures you can see each Long Rest.
• Enchantment Masters of magically influencing the minds of others.
• Evocation Destruction, and lots of it! Evocation Wizards are able to cast area effect spells without harming their allies within the blast radius.
• Illusion Illusionists use their spells to deceive enemies, luring enemies out of position or evading attacks.
• Necromancy Necromancers drain the life force from their victims to heal themselves and are able to summon more powerful undead minions than other schools.
• Transmutation Wizards of this school specialize in transforming objects and creatures into something entirely different.

Sorcerer

• Sorcerers are natural spellcasters who gain their abilities from ancestral bloodlines.

Sorcerers are proficient with daggers, quarterstaves, and light crossbows. Their Saving Throw proficiencies are Constitution and Charisma.

Their primary Ability Score is Charisma followed by Constitution/Dexterity.

Sorcerers learn fewer spells than Wizards, but are capable of casting any of them without preparation.

The defining features of Sorcerers are Sorcery Points and MetaMagic which allows them to augment their spells on the fly to fit any situation.

Sorcerer Subclasses

At character creation Sorcerers will choose between 3 Sorcerous Origins

• Draconic Bloodline Draconic blood flows through your veins causing you to grow scales granting you more armor and health. You will choose the type of dragon associated with your ancestry and gain an affinity for spells associated with it, granting increased damage and resistance to that type.
• Wild Magic Your life is chaos, every time you cast a spell there is a chance for a random effect to occur, some harmful, some beneficial. You can embrace the Tides of Chaos, increasing the chance of a Wild Magic surge to gain advantage on your next attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
• Storm Sorcery Master manipulators of weather, gaining abilities related to Thunder or Lightning damage and can the wind to allow you to fly around the battlefield.

We're Just Getting Started

This is the beginning of our Baldur's Gate 3 branch! It'll be smaller than our our other branches that we have but we plan to get up some great resources articles for new players as well as cover the updates and news for the game! If you haven't already, head on over to ourDiscordand select the D4 role in #roles to stay up to date with our content development.

Written by: Jeff

Reviewed by: Facefoot