Highlights
- Every class in Baldur's Gate 3 now offers at least three unique subclasses, allowing for a customized gameplay experience based on player vision.
- The War Cleric subclass is a powerful but often overlooked choice, offering heavy armor, martial weapons, and extra attacks for a balance of offense and defense.
- The Wild Magic Sorcerer, although not the most optimal choice, offers a fun and interesting gameplay experience with explosive DPS abilities and unique spellcasting options.
Choosing a class is one of the most important steps in the process of creating a character to star in the story of a role-playing game. The choice of subclasses is one more layer of customization, and Baldur's Gate 3 has several interesting options.
Baldur's Gate 3: Every Character That Can Join Your Camp
Players have the opportunity to recruit several characters to their camp in Baldur's Gate 3.
During the Early Access phase of the game, which lasted for several months, some classes were unavailable, and others had fewer choices for subclasses or none at all. Since the full release of Baldur's Gate 3, every class has an option of at least three subclasses, depending on each player's unique vision of their main character, with others offering several more.
Updated March 27, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: After several months and an impressive array of critical acclaim, nominations, and awards, players are still discovering more about the character-building process in Baldur's Gate 3. Larian Studios has kept up its constant vigil of the game, with bug fixes and minor tweaks still rolling through continuously. That means the exploration and discovery are also ongoing, and that includes the unique Tavs and the subclasses that go with them. Although Sven Vicke has been clear that there won't be any sequels or DLC content, that doesn't mean updates to the existing game will stop, so new subclasses are possible in the future.
17 War Cleric
A Priest With A Big Hammer And Heavy Armor
A Cleric is an underplayed class considering how powerful and fun it is, and this is one of the best examples of a BG3 subclass that's also overlooked. In addition to the handy spells that every Cleric has, like Restoration, Turn Undead, and a variety of healing incantations, this Cleric has more options when it comes to their weapons and AC.
The War Domain can use heavy armor and martial weapons, and like a Fighter, they get extra attacks as they level up. Most other subclasses of Cleric can only wear light or medium armor and wield simple weapons, although Life and Tempest are two exceptions. It's an ideal choice for those who want to enjoy a combination class or experiment with how a multiclass character might feel.
16 Wild Magic Sorcerer
Maybe Not The Best, But The Most Fun
The Sorcerer is a tough choice since all three options include some explosive and awe-inspiring DPS. This one might not be the best, but it's the most interesting, which is why tabletop D&D players also enjoy the Wild Magic Sorcerer subclass.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Sorcerer Class Build
The best Baldur's Gate 3 Sorcerer build is one that avoids taking the chances of Wild Magic, and instead relies on their Draconic heritage.
Wild Magic is a feature from Level 1, and players that survive until Level 6 can Bend Luck. There's a Barbarian subclass with a similar flavor if characters would prefer an introduction as opposed to a crash course.
15 Bard: College Of Valor
A Multiclass Without The Multiclass
The choice here depends on the party role this player wants to take. The College of Valor takes the spellcasting abilities of the College of Lore and combines them with the martial skills of Swords, so this Baldur's Gate 3 subclass has the best of both worlds.
Combat Inspiration is one perk unique to this class, along with the ability to use shields and Medium Armor. In addition, you can build on the basic healing powers that every Bard has along with feathers and gear, and you have a melee fighter with some handy casting and support skills.
14 Barbarian: Berserker
The Basis For The Whole Class
Why else would a player choose a Barbarian? The other subclasses are equally interesting, offering choices to bond with wild animals or channel magical power, but the classic Berserker is still the best. It's ideal for beginners and equally fun for experienced players.
Baldur's Gate 3: The Best Barbarian Class Build
The Barbarian is a heavy-hitting class that takes hits like a champ. These builds will help players make the most of Baldur's Gate 3's angriest class.
The Barbarian chooses their subclass at level 3, and every subclass has abilities that include Rage and Reckless Attack, but only the Berserker has Frenzy.
13 Conjuration Wizard
A Powerful School With A Famous History
For those spellcasters who would prefer to summon or manipulate physical objects, there's the School of Conjuration. This is the Wizard School that includes Mage Hand, Find Familiar and all the Conjure Elemental and Planar Ally spells, so you know it's a powerful discipline. There are also a lot of choices for AoE damage, such as Stinking Cloud and Grease, which are used for both damage and crowd control.
You'll have easier and cheaper access to Conjuration spells as an adherent of this school, but that doesn't mean your character can't learn any spell from a scroll they find if they want. Many basic, useful spells like Misty Step are available to every Wizard, and you don't have to rest to swap them out provided there are spell slots handy.
12 Cleric: Light Domain
Impressive Healing and Casting Abilities
The Domain that a Cleric chooses will depend, at least to some degree, on their choice of deity. An example would be Shadowheart, a Cleric of the Trickster Domain who serves the dark goddess, Shar. Every class has its perks and features, but the Light Domain has some of the best and most impressive spells of any other subclass or class.
Flaming Sphere, Scorching Ray, and Wall of Fire as just some of the eye-popping spells this subclass can learn. That's in addition to indispensable abilities that any Cleric has, like Guidance and Turn Undead.
11 Druid: Circle Of The Spores
An Overlooked and Entertaining Subclass
This subclass still has all the great perks of being a Druid, with the healing spells and connection to animal life. In addition, the powers connected to the Spores have some unique uses and abilities compared to more conventional Circles.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Druid Class Build
The Druid class in BG3 can shapeshift into different animals, and the Circle of the Moon Druid build amps up Wild Shape's damage and party utility.
Powers like Symbiotic Entity and Bone Chill are more like necrotic powers than Druidic ones, but death is also a part of the natural cycle of life. When players reach the Myconid Colony in the Underdark, they'll see what the power of mushrooms can do.
10 Fighter: Champion
An Essential Part of a Defense Build
The basis of a classic, straightforward fighting role, the Champion is more of a conventional tank, as the other Fighter subclasses are more focused on DPS. In addition to the usual skills with a variety of weapons, armor, and fighting styles, the Champion gets improved critical hit chances and improved athletic abilities.
The Champion can deal more damage to enemies with the Surprised condition. Their increased critical hit chance also counts for spells, just in case they have a scroll or an item that grants a casting ability.
9 Monk: Way Of The Open Hand
An Ideal Subclass for Beginners
The Monk is fairly new to the world of RPGs, so players who are new to the class would be wise to start with the Way of the Open Hand. It uses the Flurry of Blows ability, which every Monk subclass possesses, and builds on it using general Actions like Topple and Push at later levels.
At level 6, Monks of this discipline can learn the ability Manifestation of Body, Mind, and Soul. This means that they can use certain moves to sap Ki power from their enemies.
8 Cleric: Tempest Domain
A Combination Class That's Often Overlooked
Clerics might be the least played class in Baldur's Gate 3, according to stats released by Larian Studios. This is surprising considering everything this class can do. The Tempest Domain is one of the strongest Cleric subclasses in terms of tanking ability, but it also has some impressive spellcasting abilities.
All Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric Subclasses, Ranked
The Cleric Class in Baldur's Gate 3 channels divine power from their god, and each subclass represents a different divine domain they can draw from.
Adherents of the Tempest have some healing abilities, like other Cleric Domains, but they don't have to choose between heavy weapons and armor or spellcasting, as others might. The AoE spells that Tempest Clerics wield include powerful destructive spells like Ice Storm and Thunderwave, which means they can defend, heal, and deal both physical and magical damage.
7 Rogue: Arcane Trickster
A Way for a Physical DPS to Get Casting Powers
A player might decide that there are already enough spellcasters in the party, and choose Thief or Assassin for Astarion instead. The Arcane Trickster, though, is a handy way to get some casting powers while retaining all the essential Rogue abilities, like Trap Disarm and Lockpick.
The Arcane Trickster subclass gives the Rogue some casting abilities. Although limited, it doesn't take much for powerful spells like Magic Missle and Shocking Grasp to turn the tide in battle.
6 Evocation Wizard
Impressive Damage Output
For those playing Gale, this is his default setting. Although it can be changed during the leveling process, it might be better to leave it where it is. The description of this class makes it clear that it specializes in offensive spells and damage output, which makes it an ideal choice in a dangerous place like the Sword Coast.
Baldur's Gate 3: Why a Wizard/Fighter Multiclass is Better Than an Eldritch Knight
Baldur's Gate 3's Eldritch Knight subclass of the Fighter mixes magic and martial combat, but pursuing Wizard and Fighter separately does more.
Examples of spells from the Evocation school include Eldritch Blast and Magic Missile, the latter being the notorious spell that can hit multiple targets and never misses. This spell school also has the useful ability of Arcane Recovery, which allows the Wizard to regenerate used spell slots once per Long Rest.
5 Paladin: Oath Of The Ancients
A Modern Twist on a Vintage Class
This is still the classic, goody-two-shoes Paladin. but with a grander and more lofty ideal than their peers. They have a mystical connection to an ancient, universal spirit that goes beyond good and evil, touching nature and life itself.
This versatile subclass can fit into any party role, which means they can heal as well as they can fight or support their companions. Healing Radiance, Nature's Wrath, and Speak With Animals cover just a few of the versatile skills included with this subclass.
4 Warlock: The Fiend Patron
Best Passive Benefits and Casting Options
The most conventional of the Warlock subclasses, this one also has some of the best passive benefits and the most spellcasting options. That means this versatile Warlock can be melee or ranged DPS, depending on their choice of Feats and memorized spells.
Two cantrips and Eldritch Blast are available from the first level for those who have made their Pact with the Fiend, along with a passive ability called Dark One's Blessing. This heals the Warlock according to their Charisma modifier when they reduce their opponent to zero hit points.
3 Ranger: Gloom Stalker
A Talented Tracker and Hunter in Difficult Terrain
The Gloom Stalker puts a fun and interesting twist to a class that's often in a strictly martial or support role. It gives the Ranger special abilities that make them experts in hunting creatures from the Astral Planes. This means Gloom Stalkers can attack from the shadows using the Dread Ambusher skill and get Advantage in a fight.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Ranger Class Build
The Ranger subclass Beast Master makes for one of the strongest Ranger Builds in Baldur's Gate 3 thanks to its Summon Companion feature.
These Rangers have the spell Misty Step from Level 2, which is especially handy for those who specialize in ranged damage and prefer a vantage point from higher ground. Iron Mind, which is a passive skill exclusive to this subclass, aids in resisting mind-altering abilities.
2 Rogue: Assassin
The Best Use for Sneak Attack
Being a Rogue already has all the advantages of better Stealth and Sleight-of-Hand abilities, so why not add to that by refining one's abilities into a vicious killer that strikes from the shadows with deadly precision? This is what the Assassin subclass is all about. It's a deadly form of melee DPS and physical damage for a party that already has sufficient spellcasting abilities.
This subclass has some similarities to Rangers in that it can use some of the same stealth and ambush abilities, like Sneak Attack. Combine this subclass with certain feats that improve movement, Dexterity, or ranged abilities to make the Assassin equally deadly as a sniper.
1 Wizard: Necromancy School
Walk in the Shadow of Death
Some RPGs have a separate Necromancer class in response to the popularity, but in D&D-based games, there are so many combinations that you can use instead that it's not necessary. Not only is this one of several Wizards schools from which to choose, but Warlocks, Clerics, and even Bards can build their spellbooks in this direction.
Baldur's Gate 3: Best Wizard Class Build
In Baldur's Gate 3, Wizard builds that take the Evocation subclass will get more damaging spells and prevent themselves from hurting party members.
Choosing a Wizard School in BG3 doesn't mean the character can't learn, memorize, or use spell scrolls from other disciplines. It just means that they pay extra to learn spells outside their chosen field. Gale, for example, takes the default school of Conjuration, but he can still learn Necromancy spells.
Baldur's Gate 3
- Platform(s)
- PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
