With Baldur’s Gate 3 offering an adventure set in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons & Dragons, it’s easy for players to get engrossed in the RPG’s offerings of powerful builds, spells, and even strategies that exist as early as the first Act. However, as with other roleplaying experiences, not all things players encounter in the early game of Baldur’s Gate 3 are must-haves, even to build their characters.

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Certain weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 are to be avoided in the early game if players look for stronger options that could make fighting bosses easier. While certain weapons are tempting to get early on, there are more attractive options for players to consider.

10 Broken Club

• Damage: 1d4 Bludgeoning
• Properties: Simple, Light, Dippable
• Extra: Concussive Smash

Players familiar with RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3 know that their characters will likely look like helpless chaps during the first parts of the game. After all, they don’t have access to the best gear yet, and their reputation as adventurers isn’t that widespread. However, equipping the Broken Club doesn’t fit the aesthetic of a wandering Bard, let alone potential world-saviors.

Given how the Broken Club boasts stats similar to the Club and its stylized variants, it makes more sense to find them instead of sticking to this weapon. While its access to Concussive Smash can make enemies lose their Reactions via Dazed, this benefit isn’t worth trading away the potential of a weapon that provides a bit of a visual flair to the game’s detailed weapon and armor design.

9 Sickle

• Damage: 1d4 Slashing
• Properties: Simple, Light, Dippable
• Extra: Lacerate

Courtesy of modern depictions of grim reapers, Dungeons & Dragons characters could be outfitted as emissaries of death itself through thematic farming implements such as scythes. Being its smaller equivalent, the Sickle remains a perfect substitute for players who want to be dual-wielding messengers of the Grim Reaper. However, this weapon doesn’t seem to be the most practical Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon even in the early game.

Granted, equipping the Sickle not only boasts a unique aesthetic, but it also gives access to the Lacerate Weapon Action that can inflict Bleeding on opponents. This status grants Disadvantage on CON Saves as well as 2 Slashing Damage to an enemy during the start of their turn. However, players interested in the Lacerate effect could also go for the Cleaver, a weapon with 1d6 Slashing Damage that boasts a more vicious butcher aesthetic that fits players once they get their Illithid Powers.

8 Javelin

• Damage: 1d6 Piercing
• Properties: Simple, Dippable
• Extra: Rush Attack

Players who prefer to have Baldur’s Gate 3 characters fight in melee but remain at the safe distance of mid-ranged combat can rely on the Javelin for that thrusting power. It comes with the Rush Attack Action, capable of making enemies Off-Balanced, imposing Disadvantage on STR and DEX Checks on top of attacks against it having Disadvantage.

However, players looking for a more practical alternative could trade the Javelin for a Spear. The weapon also comes with the Rush Attack Action, but its Versatile property means it has 1H (1d6 Piercing) and 2H (1d8 Piercing) configurations.

7 Club

• Damage: 1d4 Bludgeoning
• Properties: Simple, Light, Dippable
• Extra: Smash

In terms of aesthetics, it’s true that a Club looks better than its Broken Club variant, especially in Baldur’s Gate 3 combat where Multiclass spellcasters need a trusty stick to deal with pesky opponents. Equipping the Club gives players access to Smash, which is essentially just an ordinary weapon attack.

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However, given the Club’s overall damage configuration, players are better off finding a Mace. Similar to the Club, the Mace also deals Bludgeoning Damage but with a bigger 1d6 dice pool. The Mace also remains Dippable and has the deadlier Concussive Smash Action, allowing the weapon to make a more significant improvement to DPS.

6 Mace

• Damage: 1d6 Bludgeoning
• Properties: Simple, Dippable
• Extra: Concussive Smash

Players who want a more thematic approach to their Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay may want to give their divine spellcaster a Mace to pair with their shield. Compared to a Club, the spherical-tipped Mace is a more imposing holy weapon. However, despite the Mace performing better than a Club, it seems a Light Hammer is a more fitting Bludgeoning weapon if by sheer elevation of dice used alone.

While the Light Hammer boasts similar characteristics as well as the Concussive Smash Action, its access to a bigger 1d8 Bludgeoning damage dice makes it a more practical one-handed smashing weapon of choice for shield-toting adventurers.

5 Light Hammer

• Damage: 1d4 Bludgeoning
• Properties: Light, Thrown
• Extra: Concussive Smash

The Light Hammer is easily one of the more thematic weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 playthroughs that can fit a player going for either a good-leaning or a dark-leaning character. For a simple weapon, the Light Hammer seems the starting weapon of a Cleric or a Paladin, and it can easily become the basis of an eventual upgrade to the Warhammer.

However, despite the Light Hammer’s imposing appearance, the Morningstar is the more frightening and more practical upgrade. On top of its 1d8 Piercing Damage is its possession of Chest Trauma that forces upon its target a Disadvantage on CON Saves and one fewer Action per turn. It can also cause the Daze-inducing Concussive Smash.

4 Spear

• Damage: 1d6 Piercing (1H), 1d8 Piercing (2H)
• Properties: Simple, Versatile, Dippable
• Extra: Rush Attack

When it comes to mid-ranged plays in Baldur’s Gate 3 combat strategies, the Spear seems a logical choice for a Versatile mid-ranged armament. Despite being a default two-hander weapon, players can easily switch to a one-handed stance and equip a shield if they need the spare AC or go two-handed so the 1d6 Piercing is elevated to 1d8.

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However, despite the perks of the Off-Balance Weapon Action, the Quarterstaff seems a more practical Versatile weapon for mid-range melee attackers. It possesses the same properties, except this time the Topple Weapon Action replaces Off-Balance. With Topple, a target needs to make a Dexterity Save at the risk of being knocked Prone. Moreover, the Quarterstaff is one of two weapons compatible with the Shillelagh Cantrip, auto-granting 1d8 Bludgeoning Damage alongside using a wielder’s Spellcasting Ability for both Attack and Damage Rolls.

3 Shortbow

• Damage: 1d6 Piercing
• Properties: Simple, Two-Handed
• Extra: Hamstring Shot

Players who need a dependable long-ranged weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3 can count on the Shortbow to get the job done. Its nature as a Simple Weapon makes it accessible to most characters, and its Hamstring Shot that can halve an opponent’s movement seems a debilitating debuff to give players time to reposition.

However, when it comes to a weapon with similar properties, the Light Crossbow is a more practical choice before players venture to Versatile Weapon territory. Its elevation to a 1d8 Piercing damage dice immediately grants the possibility of more damage. Moreover, its Piercing Shot can cause Gaping Wounds that deal +2 Piercing Damage whenever an affected creature is attacked, giving the Light Crossbow an edge in terms of DPS.

2 Light Crossbow

• Damage: 1d8 Piercing
• Properties: Simple, Two-Handed
• Extra: Piercing Shot

The Light Crossbow makes for a stylish two-handed long-ranged weapon in a player’s Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay, giving them access to a more efficient alternative to the Shortbow. Its access to 1d8 Piercing alongside the potential to deal +2 bonus Piercing Damage via Piercing Shot makes it a more practical long-ranged tool for even the most untrained fighters.

However, those with training should replace the Light Crossbow with the more practical Hand Crossbow. While it has a smaller 1d6 Piercing Damage dice, its access to Piercing Shot and the additional Mobile Shot makes it more practical. With Mobile Shot, players can use a Bonus Action once per Short Rest to make a ranged attack after moving. Even without this Action, Hand Crossbow damage scales with Dexterity, making dual-wielding this weapon great for DPS.

1 Scimitar

• Damage: 1d6 Slashing
• Properties: Martial, Light, FInesse
• Extra: Flourish, Lacerate

Players who want a weapon with a connection to Dungeons & Dragons lore may appreciate the Scimitar, whose description in Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay implies that its design copies the original Drow design. Moreover, its 1d6 Slashing Damage makes it the equivalent of a melee-ranged Shortbow. It also possesses Weapon Actions that provide more versatility in gameplay, such as Off-Balancing Flourish, and Bleeding-inducing Lacerate.

Despite the Scimitar, and its more common Goblin Scimitar variant in the early game, being one of the more unique-looking weapons in the RPG, two weapons immediately stand out as the more practical choice. First is the more uncommon Shortsword that has the same stats and Weapon Actions. Secondly is the Longsword, another Versatile Weapon that has access to more diverse Weapon Actions such as Lacerate, Daze-inducing Pommel Strike, and Off-Balancing Rush Attack.

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently available on PC with a MacOS and PS5 release slated for September 6, 2023.

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