As of Baldur’s Gate 3’s full release, there are 12 classes to choose from. As difficult as choosing classes is, there are elements in character creation that can impact gameplay substantially. You need to be mindful of several aspects before choosing a class to suit your play style. So, we’ve sorted things out for you and developed a tier list for Baldur’s Gate 3 classes to help you make an informed decision.
For the sake of brevity, we’ve split our class list into three tiers. The ranking is based on effective stats, skill check prospects, versatility, gameplay value, and subclasses.
S- tier
Bard
This is easily the most whimsical class you can choose. Even with a Dark Urge origin bard build, the experience is going to be an enjoyable one. The jest-based dialogue tree for the bard class is a great addition to a long RPG with thousands of endings. A bard build will put your character in the support role which means managing your party is going to be quite easy.
The only thing you need to remember about the bard class is its fragile nature. Bard stats aren’t exactly suited to take enemies head-on or even from a projectile-friendly distance. So, support is the most logical choice for a powerful bard build which can help you acquire some really useful spells to aid your party in combat and real-time events.
That being said, a tank or warrior bard build is also possible, should you decide to go with a tough race and the subclasses to complement those builds which the game does provide. But by doing so, you are going to miss out on some incredible exploits that come with a bard support character.
Most suited role: Support
Most suited race: High-elf
Abilities to focus on: Charisma, Constitution, and Dexterity
Best Subclass: College of Lore
Skills/Spells: Cutting words, Enhance Ability
Cleric
When it comes to versatility, there are very few classes that can compete with the cleric. This class can help you create the right combination of might and magic along with a focus on healing, should you feel the need for it. There are many roles that can be filled out by having a cleric main build. This will allow you to specialize with your companions and make the best out of their builds.
The starting spells in the cleric class in Baldur’s Gate 3 are quite useful right from the onset. There are a wide range of options as well from healing spells to combat spells which make cleric characters easy to place in any combat situation. Clerics are also quite tough, so you can switch from healer to warrior at every turn.
The biggest benefit of having a cleric in your team though is the advantage you can have during various abilities checks. There is a plethora of spells that can enhance your chances during real-time events and even during combat. If you choose to go with the origin character, the game already has an incredible cleric build in Shadowheart.
Most Suited Role: Healer with combat capabilities
Most-suited race: Gold Dwarf
Abilities to Focus on: Wisdom and Strength
Best subclass: Light Domain
Skills/Spells: Warding Flare, Guidance, Guiding Bolt
A Tier
Barbarian
This is your tank build and the class packs a punch with a wide range of melee-based abilities. This build will allow you to create a character that loves being on the frontlines pounding enemies and getting pounded in return. It is best to go full berserk with the barbarian build to make the best out of your ruthless warrior.
Following a linear build progression with the barbarian class allows you to level up melee combat stats quickly. Getting your strength to 20 as quickly as possible will yield some impressive results in combat making your barbarian a wrecking machine.
Barbarians also come with a unique class feature called ‘Unarmoured Defense’ which augments the constitution modifier to the armor class. Barbarians are also great at chucking stuff at enemies. So, having everything and the kitchen sink in your arsenal is a sound combat strategy.
Most Suited Role: Tank
Most Suited Race: Half Orc, Teifling (if you choose Karlach)
Abilities to Focus on: Strength and Constitution
Best Subclass: Berserker
Skills/Spells: Rage, Frenzy
Fighter
No party is complete without a fighter build. Fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3 are your primary attack class and proficient in the use of all sorts of weapons, be it melee or ranged. There are many advantages to having a fighter class especially when it comes to combat. Fighters deal way more damage with weapons than any other class. Specializing in two-handed weapons in particular will pay off quite handsomely in combat.
The melee abilities of the fighter class are complemented quite well by elaborate armor options. There are many features associated with both aspects and can help you fare better in combat. The addition of shields to a fighter’s arsenal makes class a suitable option for a tank build as well. Although proceeding in that path might reduce the combat versatility.
Fighters also come with additional movement options during combat which can be enhanced as you progress.
Most Suited Role: Tactical Warrior
Most Suited Race: Half Orc, Sheild Dwarf
Abilities to Focus on: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Best Subclass: Battle Master
Skills: Feint Attack, Goading Attack
Paladin
Paladins are basically tanks with better movement, combat versatility, and support capabilities. This class is still designed to stack odds heavily in your favor in a field of battle. Paladins are able warriors when equipped with a decent melee weapon and some heavy-plated armor.
The Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3 comes with a wide array of features and skills that can be harnessed based on what you’d like to achieve with your build. Unlike other melee combat classes, paladins are equipped with a handy set of spells that can be more than helpful in dire combat situations. Healing spells in particular are a great way to add more versatility to your paladin build.
Paladins also have a rich subclass selection to choose from.
Most Suited Role: Healer, Warrior
Most Suited Race: High Half Elf, Human
Abilities to Focus on: Charisma, Constitution
Best Subclass: Oath of the Ancients
Skills/Spells: Branding Smite, Revivify
Ranger
Rangers are a combination of melee attacking capabilities and long-range proficiency with a sneaky portfolio. There are many ways to approach a ranger build and no matter what you choose, you’ll end up with a good enough character. That being said, Rangers feel right at home cooped up in some corner of the map, preferably on high ground away from sight and armed with a trusty bow.
Rangers are also proficient melee fighters specializing in smaller faster weapons. So you can have melee as a viable option when playing with this class. Rangers also have superior movement options which can come in handy while targeting tougher opponents.
All that aside, the greatest advantage of playing as a ranger is your command over the wilderness. Animal companions in particular make Rangers lethal and provide a greater edge over your enemies. Familiar spells also work like a charm in dispensing with enemies quickly.
Most Suited Role: Melee, ranged, conjurer
Most Suited Race: Wood Elf
Abilities to Focus on: Wisdom, Dexterity
Best Subclass: Beast Master, Hunter
Skills/Spells: Spike Growth
Sorcerer
Sorcerers are the class to go with for the full spellcaster build. There are many skills and features to choose from. The class-exclusive Sorcerer point is a handy feature that grants an additional spell slot or the option of modifying spells.
Sorcerers are armed with the most powerful spells in the game and can do quite a bit of damage to any who cross their path. Choosing it also grants access to some incredible and often hilarious storyline options which can make your playthrough an exciting affair.
Most Suited Role: Spellcaster of any school (can specialize in AOE spellcasting)
Most Suited Race: Dragonborn
Abilities to Focus on: Charisma (Constitution and Strength if you want to add)
Best Subclass: Draconic Bloodline
Skills/Spells: Thunder Wave, Shatter
Warlock
Masters of the arcane arts and physical combat alike, warlocks can prove to be great warriors, no matter what path you choose. When it comes to melee weapons and armor, warlocks are better if equipped lightly. This approach can also complement a ranged combat build.
Spells, of course, are a Warlock’s real arsenal. They can acquire some really powerful spells with level-ups. Combat spells are aimed at both attack and defense. Warlocks also come with the Eldritch Blast which is a powerful spell that will serve you well throughout your playthrough.
Most Suited Role: Melee/ranged/Spellcaster hybrid
Most Suited Race: Drow
Abilities to Focus on: Charisma, Dexterity, Constitution
Best Subclass: The Great Old One
Skills/Spells: Eldritch Blast, Tasha’s Hideout Laughter
B Tier
Druid
This class offers quite a bit of versatility which gets marred with the options you get as you level up. Druids are quite similar to rangers in terms of their affinity to nature but lack their combat prowess or application of their mastery of the environment. This class however is great for those of you looking to focus on exploration, especially in the exploration Mode.
There are quite a few interesting interactions and quests to be had while playing with a druid build. The real temptation to play as a druid would come from the shapeshifter trait which can be unlocked at higher levels. You can turn into some of the most vicious beasts of the wild and claw or gore enemies to death.
Most Suited Role: Shapeshifter, Support, Healer.
Most Suited Race: Dwarf (preferably gold)
Abilities to Focus on: Wisdom, Constitution
Best Subclass: Circle of the Moon
Skills/Spells: Shapeshifting
Rogue
The purpose that a Rogue class serves in your party should actually have ranked it higher, but the lack of combat applications has deterred us from doing so. Rogue is of great value to your party throughout the game. The value, of course, is often limited to real-time gameplay. Rogues come equipped with stealth skills that allow you to progress through the game swiftly.
From picking difficult locks to purloining some early-game loot, a rogue character can get your party established with ease and venture forth without having to worry about the mundane concerns of real-time gameplay. While rogues do have some benefits in combat, they are best used with caution, preferably in dealing stealth damage or getting creative with other aspects of combat such as environmental damage.
Most Suited Role: Stealth, Support
Most Suited Race: Half Elf, Halfling (for a Mr. Frodo experience)
Abilities to Focus on: Dexterity
Best Subclass: Thief
Skills/Spells: Evasion, Fast Hands
Wizard
Wizards are versatile spellcasters. Their repertoire of spells is quite extensive and covers all schools of magic. Wizards specialize in the arcana skill. A wizard’s versatile spellcasting ability can be harnessed to achieve the desired build you want to complement your party. There are many unique paths you can choose with the wizard build, so exploring the options will be quite a fun journey in itself.
Given how Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3 cover all schools of magic, they can also be leveled up to an evocation build. This can create a powerful battle wizard that can deal a lot of damage. Many higher spells in the evocation school also deal AOE damage, so taking on bigger parties of enemies should be easy with such a build. Leading a wizard into battle though comes at a huge disadvantage as they have no armor stats apart from conjuring up some. So, a well-directed hit can down a wizard with ease.
Most Suited Role: Spellcaster
Most Suited Race: High Elf
Abilities to Focus on: Intelligence
Best Subclass: Evocation School
Skills/Spells: Ray of Frost, Chain Lightning
Monk
This class boasts of skills similar to the Kung-fu monks from the movies but the reality is that they are about as useful as real-life monks. While the monks do have good melee stats, other stats suggest that they are more suited to taking a stealth approach which of course doesn’t bode well with the game’s combat system.
The monk class gameplay is quite unique with some exclusive features and mechanics. Ki point is a class-exclusive feature that offers variety to gameplay. Furthermore, monks can be used effectively if you invest in the right ability points in early game. Dexterity in particular can make your monk build effective in combat.
Most Suited Role: Melee Combat, Stealth
Most Suited Race: Wood Half Elf
Abilities to Focus on: Dexterity, Constitution
Best Subclass: Way of the Shadow
Skills/Spells: Flurry of Blows, Slowfall
