Wizards have access to the largest array of spells in Baldur's Gate 3, and as a prepared caster, it can swap these spells in and out during any long rest. Choosing the best Wizard spells in BG3 is difficult because of the sheer number of options the class has, but some still rise to the top – and, generally, are considered the most useful spells in the game among all classes.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Level 3 Spells, Ranked
Level 3 Spells can provide Baldur's Gate 3 players with intense power, ensuring they can deal deadly damage even at lower levels.
Spells like Counterspell and Haste are so powerful that every caster, including Wizards, should learn them as soon as possible. Others, like Fireball and Summon Elemental, can be acquired in the middle of the game at levels 5 and 7. But some of the best BG3 Wizard spells aren't available until nearly the end of BG3, as they require level 6 Spell Slots.
Counterspell
- Counterspell Effect: Nullify another creature's spell as a reaction. The spell must be 3rd Level or lower or the Sorcerer must pass an increasingly difficult Ability Check.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 3 | Reaction | 18m (30ft) | N/A |
For the most part, Counterspell is the best Reaction in Baldur's Gate 3, and should be the first choice for Wizards upon hitting Level 5. Counterspell, as its name suggests, allows its caster to completely nullify the effects of another creature's spell. In BG3 this Reaction can be used for as many spell slots are available, and Wizards have quite a few at their disposal.
Counterspell should be picked up early because the number of casters that the party will face begins to ramp up in Acts 2 and 3. Counterspell quickly becomes an invaluable part of the Wizard's toolkit, so much so that it's a good idea to avoid casting spell slot lvl 3 spells to keep Counterspell available.
Conjure Elemental
- Conjure Elemental Effect: Bend the barrier between the Planes until they disgorge an elemental ally to follow and fight for you.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 5 | Standard Action | 18m (60ft) | Until Long Rest |
Summoning allies in BG3 is always a good choice. Whether it's a simple Mage Hand or an angel sent down from on high, summons add meat to your side of the board, so to speak. They give enemies something else to target, and if the summon can dish damage back as hard as it takes it, then that's just the cherry on top.
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At Level 9, Wizards get access to the Conjure Elemental spell, one of the strongest Summon spells in BG3. There are four choices across the Air, Water, Earth, and Fire elements, each with its own suite of abilities suited to different encounters. The best part of this summon is that it lasts until the next Long Rest, essentially functioning as a party member for the day – Warlocks can Short Rest to recover all their spell slots after a fight, and keep their Summon too.
Haste
- Haste Effect: Target yourself or an ally to become Hastened. The creature has a +2 bonus to AC, Advantage on Dexterity Saving throws, its Movement Speed is doubled, and can take one additional Action per turn.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 3 | Standard Action | 9m (30ft) | 10 turns |
Wizards are both one of the best enemy CC and party support classes in BG3, and one of the most important support spells it has access to is Haste. At Level 5, Wizards should pick up this spell because of just how powerful it can make certain characters. Not only does it give a boost to AC, advantage on DEX saves, and double movement speed – it also grants an additional Standard Action.
Melee fighters can get another Extra Attack on top of their other Level 5 Extra Attack with this, while casters can sling two spells each turn it's active. The one drawback of Haste is that when it runs out (either by Concentration interruption or 10 turns elapse), its recipient will become Lethargic, which essentially skips their next turn entirely.
Fireball
- Fireball Effect: Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explodes upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity for 8d6 Fire damage.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 3 | Standard Action | 18m (60ft), with an area of 4m (13ft) | N/A |
One of the most powerful AoE abilities in BG3 is made available to players relatively early, and it scales well into the endgame because of upcast improvements. When cast, the Fireball will encapsulate a large area in fire, dealing a huge amount of instant Fire damage and setting the area ablaze for environmental effects, too.
Baldur's Gate 3: 20 Best AOE Spells That Aren’t Fireball
Fireball isn't the only spell that can cause mass chaos in Baldur's Gate 3. These area-of-effect spells are just as devastating to foes.
Unlike Sorcerers, Wizards don't have a way to prevent Fireball from affecting party members, so be careful when aiming this extremely unpredictable spell. Be sure to scan its impact area for explosive items, like barrels, which can make the explosion significantly larger than expected.
Otto's Irresistible Dance
- Otto's Irresistible Dance Effect: Cause a creature to start dancing, making it unable to take Actions or Move. Its attackers have Advantage on Attack rolls. The dancer has Disadvantage on Attack Rolls and Dexterity Saving throws.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 6 | Standard Action | 9m (30ft) | 10 turns |
Otto's Irresistible Dance is arguably the most powerful single-target CC in Baldur's Gate 3, as it forces its target to break out into dance and skip all of its turns. Aside from making saving throws against the effect every turn, the target can do nothing as incoming attacks gain Advantage.
The best part of this effect is that, because it's such a high-level spell at spell slot lvl 6, there are very, very few enemies that can resist its effect. Try this spell on bosses like the three Chosen, Raphael, or other endgame enemies you wouldn't think could be CCed to trivialize their fights by forcing them to boogie.
Chain Lightning
- Chain Lightning Effect: Strike an enemy with lightning. Three more bolts will leap from the target, electrifying as many as three other enemies within range.
Spell Level | Action Type | Range or Area | Spell Effect Length |
|---|---|---|---|
Level 6 | Standard Action | 18m (60ft) | N/A |
The best Wizard spell in BG3 is hard to choose, because technically Wizards can learn just about every single other spell in the entire game as long as there is a Scroll for it. But of all the many choices, Chain Lightning proves itself from the moment it becomes available at Level 11.
Chain Lightning, like Fireball, deals an immense amount of damage in an area, but the way that it works is different. Fireball is indiscriminate, while Chain Lightning will only chain to other enemies within a medium-close range. Chain Lightning can chain between enemies to travel much, much further than anticipated, but it can also be used on enemies in melee combat without harming allies.
Up to four total enemies can be struck by Chain Lightning in one go, and it often outright vaporizes low-HP enemies. But the one downside is that it is a lvl 6 spell, and Wizards only have one of those at Level 12. Chain Lightning can only be used once before Wizards have to use Arcane Recovery for another lvl 6 slot.
Baldur's Gate 3
- Platform(s)
- PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
