Baldur’s Gate 3 brings together the best of Dungeon and Dragons’ role playing and the strategic combat of turn-based video games. One of the main things that determines your experience of the combat and role playing aspects of the game is your chosen class, with each of them having their own subclasses that can make them more specialized, and dangerous.
Each class has their own distinct perks, but some certainly have more advantages than others. Follow along as I rank all of Baldur’s Gate 3’s classes.
Note: For the purposes of this ranking, I won’t be focusing on multiclass builds.
1. Bard
Bards like Volo bring a bit of whimsy to every situation, no matter how dire.
Bards are musicians at heart, known for their bravado and witty nature. They can break you or build you up with their songs, and they’re always ready to go wherever the next interesting adventure is.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has no recruitable Bard companions, but they’re an incredibly useful class to have in your party. With their buffs, namely Bardic Inspiration, you can help your companions in and out of combat. Plus, Bards are charismatic and persuasive, with entertaining dialogue options that are unique to them.
What Bards Excel In:
- High charisma
- Playing music in and outside of battle, with the chance of getting some coin from NPCs
- Able to support companions with useful buffs in and outside of battles
Pick the Bard class if…
- You’re interested in unique role playing opportunities, especially ones that lean towards the comedic and sarcastic.
- You want a balance between melee and magic in combat.
- You like being able to support your party through buffs.
2. Paladin
There are many ways to be a Paladin in Baldur's Gate 3.
Paladins are loyal and just warriors with access to magic. They’ve sworn an oath and must follow it at all times, or they risk becoming an Oathbreaker.
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows you to choose from 3 oaths when you create your Paladin: Oath of the Ancients, Oath of Devotion, and Oath of Vengeance. These act as your Paladin’s subclass, and they’re integral to your roleplaying experience.
If you don’t act in accordance with your oath, you become an Oathbreaker Paladin, giving you rather interesting abilities. You can always recommit to your original oath though and attempt to do better with the second chance you get.
What Paladins Excel In:
- High strength
- Able to act as both a support and a damage dealer
- Unique opportunities for roleplaying
- Able to use magic alongside their extensive weapon proficiencies
Pick the Paladin class if…
- You’re interested in trying to stick with your chosen oath in roleplaying scenarios, or you’re willing to break it to create interesting dynamics for your character.
- You want a balance between strength and support.
- You want to be able to use melee and magic in battle.
3. Sorcerer
Magic is always potent and powered up for the Sorcerer, thanks to their inherent magical connection.
Sorcerers are naturally attuned to magic, and their innate abilities means they’re always prepared to unleash whatever spells are necessary for the situation at hand.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s easy to be confused by the Wizard and Sorcerer classes. The main difference is that Sorcerers don’t have access to as many spells, but their spells are always available to the player. This class can deal a lot of damage and adapt quickly, something that Wizards might struggle with if they don’t have the right spells ready.
What Sorcerers Excel In:
- Doesn’t need to prepare spells, so they’re always ready for use
- Stronger spells makes them great damage dealers
- Access to Sorcery Points, either to restore or create spell slots or use Metamagic, which gives you more ways to use your magic to fit your needs
Pick the Sorcerer if...
- You want to focus on using magic to its fullest potential in combat.
- You don’t want to have to worry about preparing spells ahead of time or are overwhelmed by the amount of Wizard spells available.
- You want to be able to support your party with the magic at your disposal.
https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Sorcerer
4. Barbarian
The fiery and feisty Karlach is a Barbarian you won't want to mess with.
What Barbarians lack in intelligence, they make up for in pure strength. They are incredibly tough characters – it takes a lot to knock them out of a fight – and their ability to rage makes them even more of a threat on the battlefield.
As a Barbarian, you don’t have to worry as much about being strategic or protecting yourself. You can throw yourself into just about any situation and feel certain you’ll come out of it alive. Having a Barbarian in your party also means you have a chance to protect your weaker companions from particularly hard-hitting enemies.
What Barbarians Excel In:
- High strength
- Able to take and deal lots of damage
- Can Rage in order to deal even more damage and take less of it
Pick the Barbarian class if…
- You want a beefy character that won’t go down easily but can take others down pretty quickly.
- You’re interested in scaring or intimidating enemies or other NPCs in dialogue.
- You’re new to D&D classes or the Baldur’s Gate series, as it’s a straightforward but fun class to play as.
https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Barbarian
5. Wizard
Gale, the Wizard of Waterdeep, is sure to impress with his magical prowess.
Wizards have learned to harness magic through study and training, giving them access to a wide variety of powerful spells.
Wizards are incredibly useful characters because of how many different spells they’re able to use. They’re versatile in combat and during exploration, and if you find there’s a certain spell you need, they can learn it immediately, as long as they have the scroll and are willing to give up some coin for it. While Wizards can’t take a lot of damage, they can be very useful in a fight if positioned well.
What Wizards Excel In:
- High intelligence
- Lots of spell options that are useful in and outside of battle
- Able to recover spell slots outside of combat
Pick the Wizard class if…
- You want to focus on causing chaos on the battlefield through magic.
- You want to help your party traverse the land and uncover mysteries.
- You’re interested in roleplaying with a character that has deep arcane knowledge.
6. Fighter
Lae'zel is one determined Fighter, having trained all her life to serve her people and her queen.
Fighters are pretty self-explanatory; they’re strong and tough characters, and their action-oriented nature makes them ideal for any combat situation.
While Fighters might seem like a basic choice, they’re quite fun to play in Baldur’s Gate 3 and can become even more lethal as you level up over time. Fighters’ extensive weapon and armor proficiencies makes them pretty versatile and lets you attune them to your playstyle as well. They can also be great for players new to D&D or the Baldur’s Gate series since they are, at least initially, straightforward and easy to learn.
What Fighters Excel In:
- High strength or dexterity
- All weapon and armor proficiencies
- Able to acquire and stack more Actions as you level up
Pick the Fighter class if...
- You want a character that can do a lot of damage in one round.
- You want flexibility in weapon and armor use.
- You’re interested in a character that can also take a lot of damage without dying.
7. Cleric
Shadowheart, Cleric of Shar, may be secretive, but she won't hesitate to use her magical gifts to protect her party.
Clerics are devout worshipers with access to magic, thanks to their faith. They live to serve their god or goddess and will follow them above all else.
Baldur’s Gate 3 allows you to choose from 13 total options, and the different deities, with some only available for certain races, give you access to some interesting and unique role playing experiences. Clerics are great as support characters, able to heal their party and offer useful buffs. However, they can also be strong damage dealers if you play your cards right, and you can certainly strike a nice balance between healing and fighting if you’d like.
What Clerics Excel In:
- High wisdom
- Healing and supporting companions in battle
- Can still deal great damage if you lean into that
Pick the Cleric class if...
- You’re interested in the religions of Baldur’s Gate 3 and want to lean into that as you roleplay.
- You want to be able to provide healing and buffs to your party.
- You want a strong fighter that can also act as a support in battle.
8. Rogue
Astarion, the vampire Rogue, is deadly with a blade, his sharp tongue, and his dashing looks.
Rogues are known for their cunning nature and ability to be stealthy in just about every situation. They’re quite good at evading enemies and other dangers, as well as finding ways into things and places not meant for them..
Rogues are another great addition to any party. They can help your companions find powerful items and get you into various locations. They’re useful in combat, as they can easily get critical hits, and their sneak attacks can cause your enemies to be surprised, allowing the rest of your party to use that round to their advantage.
What Rogues Excel In:
- High dexterity
- Sneak attacks and Cunning Actions (dash, hide, and disengage as Bonus Actions)
- Stealthily maneuvering through environments
Pick the Rogue class if...
- You want a character that can be sneaky in and outside of combat.
- You want to be able to gain access to locked areas and chests.
- You’re interested in using deception to your advantage in dialogue situations.
9. Ranger
A good Ranger will be vigilant and focused, with their eyes on their targets and the world around them.
Like Druids, Rangers are attuned to the nature that surrounds them. However, their connection and understanding of nature has a different purpose, as it makes them especially good hunters and trackers.
Rangers can be really useful because of their ability to give themselves advantage in combat or put their enemies at a disadvantage with spells like Barkskin and Hunter’s Mark. Depending on the subclass you choose, you may also be able to summon beasts to your side or become even more lethal as a melee attacker.
What Rangers Excel In:
- High wisdom and constitution
- Access to debuffing spells
- Access to spells that can provide protection buffs to your character
Pick the Ranger class if...
- You want a character that has strong melee capabilities.
- You want to use spells to put enemies at a disadvantage.
- You’re interested in roleplaying with a character attuned to the natural world.
10. Warlock
The righteous Warlock Wyll lends his blade and his generous heart to the people of the Sword Coast.
Warlocks are interesting spellcasters, having made a pact with a Patron in exchange for magical abilities that they can unleash on the battlefield.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, Warlocks can choose from 3 subclasses, which also determines which Patron they’ve made a pact with and some of the spells they may have access to. Their Pact Magic means their spells are always upcast, making them stronger than other magic-oriented characters’ spells. In addition to their magic, they often use melee to help them in combat situations.
What Warlocks Excel In:
- High charisma
- Versatile enough to either be a sole magic user, use a mix between magic and melee, or to lean more towards melee, with magic as a bonus
- Pact Magic allows for stronger spell casting overall
Pick the Warlock class if…
- You want a spell caster that can be tailored to your playstyle.
- You’re interested in the unique roleplaying that comes from having a pact with a patron.
- You want to have stronger, upcasted spells and access to Eldritch Invocations.
11. Druid
The Druid Halsin is a powerful ally that will help you through even the most unbearable situations.
Druids are deeply connected to nature and strive to protect it and keep the balance between all of the elements. Many of them worship a natural deity, while others simply revere nature itself.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, playing as a Druid means you get to use nature spells, like Thorn Whip and Insect Plague, to attack and disable enemies. Druids are also able to give companions protection and heal them. They can summon beasts to assist in battle, but of course, they can also turn into beasts themselves, which is useful (and fun) in and out of combat.
What Druids Excel In:
- High wisdom
- Can take on animal forms
- Spell-focused but can be adjusted to also take advantage of melee in combat
Pick the Druid class if…
- You want the ability to transform into animals.
- You’re interested in harnessing the magic of the natural world.
- You want to roleplay with a character that is connected to nature.
12. Monk
Monks are not afraid to unleash their inner strength when necessary.
Monks are disciplined and highly skilled. They channel Ki, the energy in every living being, to enhance their agile abilities and their martial arts skills.
Like Bards, there are no Monk companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. Monks are a flexible class that can be changed to suit your needs with your chosen subclass, letting you focus on melee, stealth, or the incorporation of magic. Their Ki points, like spell slots, can be used to make them even more effective in combat.
What Monks Excel In:
- High dexterity and constitution
- Unarmed attacks
- Strong defense when not wearing armor
Pick the Monk class if…
- You’re more interested in agility and close-quarters fighting than brute strength.
- You want to try your hand at unarmed combat.
- You want to roleplay with a character that’s inherently calm and disciplined.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has a lot of classes to choose from, and hopefully this list can help you decide which one is best for you. While I prefer some more than others, my ranking is, of course, subjective; I’m only one player with certain priorities and playstyles I prefer. What’s most important is you find a class that suits your needs and that you enjoy playing as!
