What are the Baldur’s Gate 3 classes? Since its debut in Early Access, Larian has added new Baldur’s Gate 3 races and classes, including fan favourites such as the Bard. There’s currently over 25 hours’ worth of content in the Early Access version of Baldur’s Gate 3 alone, with scenarios playing out differently depending on the choices we make when creating our character.
Like previous games in the series, the Baldur’s Gate 3 classes borrow heavily from the Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition (or 5e to those in the know), though certain elements are adapted to fit the video game platform. The Baldur’s Gate 3 classes available will be very familiar to D&D players – and for this reason, they might be pretty confusing to the rest of us. Never fear, we’ve got a handy guide to each of the classes available to play in Baldur’s Gate 3, with class information taken from the D&D 5e wiki.
Baldur’s Gate 3 classes
There are currently a total of ten Baldur’s Gate 3 classes in the Early Access build, each with a handful of sub-classes you can specialise in to diversify your character. Subclasses are chosen after your main class – Clerics choose their subclass at level one, but other classes will need to wait longer before specialising. Here are all of the main Baldur’s Gate 3 classes:
- Barbarian
- Bard
- Cleric
- Druid
- Fighter
- Ranger
- Rogue
- Sorcerer
- Warlock
- Wizard
Barbarian
Subclasses
- Berserker
- Wildheart
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 14
- Ability check proficiencies – Athletics, Religion, Insight, Perception and Intimidation
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Strength and Constitution
- Armour proficiencies – light and medium
- Shield proficiency
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon and Martial weapon
Class actions
- Rage – Usable as a Bonus Action. While raging, you deal two extra damage with melee and improvised weapons, and when throwing objects. You also have resistance to physical damage and Advantage on Strength checks and Saving Throws. Rage ends before ten turns pass if you haven’t attacked a creature or taken damage since your last turn.
- Unarmoured defence – while not wearing armour, add Constitution modifier to your AC. Wearing heavy armour impedes your Rage.
Bard
Subclasses
- College of Lore
- College of Valour
Starting instrument
- Hand Drum
- Flute
- Lute
- Lyre
- Violin
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 9
- Ability check proficiencies – Religion, Insight, Perception, Deception, Performance, and Persuasion
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Dexterity and Charisma
- Armour proficiencies – light
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon, Hand Crossbow, Longsword, Rapier, Shortsword and Musical Instrument
Class actions
- Bardic Inspiration – inspire an ally with your performance as a Bonus Action. They can add a +1D6 bonus to their next attack roll, Ability Check, or Saving Throw. Effect lasts 18 minutes and action recharges after a long rest.
Starting spells and cantrips
- Two cantrips of your choice – Vicious Mockery, BLade Ward, Mage Hand, True Strike, Friends, Dancing Lights, Light, and Minor Illusion
- Four level one spells of your choice – Speak with Animals, Animal Friendship, Bane, Charm Person, Dissonant Whispers, Heroism, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Sleep, Cure Wounds, Faerie Fire, Healing Word, Thunderwave, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, and Longstrider
Cleric
Subclasses
- Life Domain
- Light Domain
- Trickery Domain
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 9 (10 if you choose Trickery Domain subclass)
- Ability check proficiencies – History, Religion, Insight, Medicine, Perception
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Wisdom and Charisma
- Armour proficiencies – light and medium
- Shield proficiency
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon
- Deities – Selune, Shar, Eilistraee, Vlaakith, Laduguer, Lolth, Yondalla, Garl Glittergold, Corellon Larethian, Moradin, Bhaal, Kelemvor, Oghma, Mystra, Ilmater, Myrkul, Helm, Bane, Tyr, or Tempus
Starting spells and cantrips
- Three cantrips of your choice – Guidance, Light, Resistance, Sacred Flame, and Thaumaturgy
- Prepare three of these level one spells (all are learned) – Bane, Bless, Command (Halt), Create or Destroy Water, Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Inflict Wounds, Protection from Evil and Good, and Shield of Faith
Subclass spells and features
- Life domain – heavy armour proficiency, Disciple of Life (target regains additional HP equal to 2 + spell’s level when you cast a healing spell), Bless level 1 spell (always prepared), Cure Wounds level 1 spell (always prepared).
- Light domain – Warding Flare (shield yourself with Divine Light. Use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on an attacker, potentially causing their attack to miss), Burning Hands level 1 spell (always prepared), Faerie Fire level 1 spell (always prepared), and Light cantrip.
- Trickery domain – Charm Person level 1 spell (always prepared), Disguise Self level 1 spell (always prepared), and Blessing of the Trickster (for an action, grant another creature Advantage on Stealth checks. Must be at melee range and requires Concentration checks)
Druid
Subclasses
- Circle of the Moon
- Circle of the Land
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 9
- Ability check proficiencies – Nature, Religion, Animal Handling, Insight, and Perception
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Wisdom and Intelligence
- Armour proficiencies – light and medium
- Shield proficiency
- Weapon proficiencies – Club, Dagger, Javelin, Mace, Quarterstaff, Scimitar, Sickle, and Spear
Starting spells and cantrips
- Two cantrips of your choice – Guidance, Poison Spray, Produce Flame, Resistance, Shillelagh, and Thorn Whip
- Prepare three of these level one spells (all are learned) – Animal Friendship, Charm Person, Create or Destroy Water, Cure Wounds, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Fog Cloud, Goodberry, Healing Word, Jump, Longstrider, Speak with Animals, and Thunderwave
Fighter
Subclasses
- Battle Master
- Eldritch Knight
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 12
- Ability check proficiencies – Athletics, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Intimidation
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Strength and Constitution
- Armour proficiencies – light, medium, and heavy armour
- Shield proficiency
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon and Martial weapon
- Fighting Styles – Archery, Defence, Duelling, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection, or Two-Weapon Fighting
Ranger
Subclasses
- Beast Master
- Hunter
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 11
- Ability check proficiencies – Stealth, Nature, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Survival
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Strength and Dexterity
- Armour proficiencies – light and medium armour
- Shield proficiency
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon and Martial weapon
Favoured Enemy
- Bounty Hunter – gain Investigation proficiency
- Keeper of the Veil – gain Protection from Evil and Good level 1 spell and Arcana proficiency
- Mage Breaker – gain True Strike cantrip and Arcana proficiency
- Ranger Knight – gain History ability skill proficiency and heavy armour proficiency
- Sanctified Stalker – gain Religion proficiency and Sacred Flame cantrip
Natural Explorer
- Beast Tamer – gain Find Familiar level 1 spell
- Urban Tracker – gain Sleight of Hand proficiency and
- Wasteland Wanderer: Cold
- Wasteland Wanderer: Fire
- Wasteland Wanderer: Poison
Rogue
Subclasses
- Thief
- Arcane Trickster
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 10
- Ability check proficiencies – Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Deception
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Dexterity and Intelligence
- Armour proficiencies – light armour
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon, Hand Crossbow, Longsword, Rapier, and Shortsword
Class Actions
- Sneak Attack (Melee) – as an Action, deal weapon damage +1D6 Slashing damage against a foe you have Advantage against. You can also use this attack if you have an ally within 1.5 metres of the target and you don’t have Disadvantage.
- Sneak Attack (Ranged) – as an Action, deal weapon damage +1D6 Slashing damage against a foe you have Advantage against. You can also use this attack if you have an ally within 1.5 metres of the target and you don’t have Disadvantage.
Sorcerer
Subclasses
- Wild Magic
- Draconic Bloodline
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 8 if Wild Magic, 9 if Draconic Bloodline
- Ability check proficiencies – Arcana, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Persuasion
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Constitution and Charisma
- Weapon proficiencies – Dagger, Quarterstaff, and Light Crossbow
Spells and cantrips
- Four cantrips of your choice – Blade Ward, Acid Splash, Mage Hand, Poison Spray, True Strike, Friends, Dancing Lights, Fire Bolt, Light, Ray of Frost, Shocking Grasp, Minor Illusion, and Chill Touch
- Two level one spells of your choice – Chromatic Orb, Fog Cloud, Charm Person, Sleep, Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Mage Armour, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt, Colour Spray, Disguise Self, False Life, Ray of Sickness, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, and Jump
Wild Magic Subclass features
- Tides of Chaos – activate to gain Advantage on next attack roll, Ability Check, or Saving Throw. Increases chance of Wild Magic surge afterwards.
- Wild Magic – wild magic stems from the forces of chaos. It churns within sorcerers that wield it, waiting to burst free.
Draconic Ancestry Subclass features
- Draconic Resilience: Hit Points – your maximum HP increases by one for each Sorcerer level
- Draconic Resilience – when you aren’t wearing armour, your base AC is 13.
Draconic Ancestry Subclass Ancestor spells
At level 6, spells that deal damage with your ancestor’s element are more powerful, and you become resistant to that element’s damage.
- Red (Fire) – Burning Hands level 1 spell
- Black (Acid) – Grease level 1 spell
- Blue (Lightning) – Witch Bolt level 1 spell
- White (Cold) – Armour of Agathys level 1 spell
- Green (Poison) – Ray of Sickness level 1 spell
- Gold (Fire) – Disguise Self level 1 spell
- Silver (Cold) – Feather Fall level 1 spell
- Bronze (Lightning) – Fog Cloud level 1 spell
- Copper (Acid) – Tasha’s Hideous Laughter level 1 spell
- Brass (Fire) – Sleep level 1 spell
Warlock
Subclasses
- The Fiend
- The Great Old One
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 10
- Ability check proficiencies – Arcana, Religion, Insight, Perception, and Intimidation
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Wisdom and Charisma
- Armour proficiencies – light armour
- Weapon proficiencies – simple weapon
Spells and cantrips
- Two cantrips of your choice – Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Eldrich Blast, Friends, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Poison Spray, and True Strike
The Fiend Subclass spells and features
- Two level one spells of your choice – Armour of Agathys, Arms of Hadar, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Command (Halt), Expeditious Retreat, Hellish Rebuke, Hex, Protection from Evil and Good, and Witch Bolt
- Dark One’s Healing – when you reduce a hostile creature to zero HP, this gift from your patron grants you 2+1 temporary HP.
The Great Old One Subclass spells and features
- Two level one spells of your choice – Armour of Agathys, Arms of Hadar, Charm Person, Dissonant Whispers, Expeditious Retreat, Hellish Rebuke, Hex, Tasha’s HIdeous Laughter, Protection from Evil and Good, and Witch Bolt
Wizard
Subclasses
- Abjuration School
- Evocation School
Class features
- Maximum HP gained per level – 8
- Ability check proficiencies – Arcana, History, Religion, Insight, and Perception
- Saving Throw proficiencies – Intelligence and Wisdom
- Weapon proficiencies – Dagger, Quarterstaff, and Light Crossbow
Spells and cantrips
- Three cantrips of your choice – Acid Splash, Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Fire Bolt, Friends, Light, Mage Hand, Poison Spray, Ray of Frost, Shocking Grasp, and True Strike
- Six level 1 spells of your choice – Burning Hands, Charm Person, Chromatic Orb, Colour Spray, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Feather Fall, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Grease, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Jump, Longstrider, Mage Armour, Magic Missile, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness, Sleep, Thunderwave, and Witch Bolt
- Prepare four level 1 spells from the spells selected
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That’s everything you need to know about all the Baldur’s Gate 3 classes available in the current Early Access build. Now you’re prepared to venture forth into the most pivotal part of every RPG game, the character creator. If you’re looking for similar picks, then look through our collection of the best Dungeons and Dragons PC games for more inspiration.
