All the Classes and Subclasses in ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’

Do you think playing a tabletop game of Dungeons & Dragons sounds fun in theory? But in reality you’re actually just confused by all the dice and tired of waiting for your party’s wizard to crack open the rulebook AGAIN to remind himself AGAIN of what his spells do, just so he can be paralyzed by indecision AGAIN when it comes to casting those spells? Are you tired of your DM getting frustrated when the game falls apart because you wanted to MURDER the tavern keeper rather than ask him about whatever stupid quest you were supposed to do? If you’re like me, and a tabletop game of D&D makes your ADHD brain go absolutely haywire, and you can’t POSSIBLY sit through another FIVE-HOUR COMBAT ENCOUNTER, then boy, do I have a game for you!

Baldur’s Gate is a carbon copy of D&D, except it does all that pesky math FOR YOU! No more waiting on your Bard to think up a song to convince that grumpy king to let you into his inner sanctum! No more pausing the game to figure out how many hit points a f—king goblin has. And NO MORE NEVERENDING ROLEPLAY ENCOUNTERS THAT LEAVE YOU CONFUSED AND A LITTLE SWEATY. Baldur’s Gate 3 is just combat, combat, combat without all the things that make D&D combat a chore.

And if you want to get to that combat FAST, this guide will help you pick your class and subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Cleric

A Cleric! The most vital, party-saving class in the game that absolutely no one wants to play! You should do it, though, because your party members will thank you for your healing magic. As a Cleric in Baldur’s Gate 3, your primary ability is Wisdom, and your saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Charisma, and they have a Hit Dice of 1d8. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Light Armor, Medium Armor and Shields. Your subclasses are:

• Life Domain: You pray to good deities to offer your party healing and protective spells.
• Light Domain: You bow to deities of justice, majesty, and primordial flame to become a MAGICAL ZOMBIE KILLER. NO UNDEAD SHALL STAND IN YOUR WAY. Dispel darkness and harm the undead.
• Trickery Domain: You pray to gods that are total dicks. In return, you specialize in deception and illusion magic. You are wicked, chaotic, and mischievous, and maybe kind of an a-hole.
• Knowledge Domain: You know things other people don’t! Languages! Lore! Archaic spells! You’re basically the smart kid who does the group project for everyone.
• Nature Domain: You’re REALLY into healing herbs and stuff. Communing with plants. Fae gods. Making animals do your bidding. Smoking weed (probably).
• Tempest Domain: You pray to the divine powers of the air to summon to winds and storms and lightning! If it can be blown, you’re gonna blow it.
• War Domain: You pray to war gods to bless YOUR HANDS so you can THROW THEM AT ANYONE WHO TESTS YOU.

Fighter

You hit stuff. And you’re really good at it. As a Fighter in Baldur’s Gate 3, your primary ability is Strength, your saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Constitution, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d10. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Light Armor, Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, and Shields. Your subclasses as a fighter are:

• Battle Master: You are a paragon of tactical superiority, utilizing totally rad combat maneuvers to dominate fights.
• Eldritch Knight: You study magic to enhance your weaponry. Gandalf vibes, if he was more brolic.
• Champion: You’re basically a battle god. Every hit is a critical hit. John Wick with a sword.

Ranger

You love the woods and all the animals in it, but in a healthy way (not like a druid). You’re also really good at tracking and scouting the land. Plus you use a bow, and bows are the coolest of all weapons. Your primary ability is Dexterity, your saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Dexterity, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d10. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Shields, Light Armor and Medium Armor. Your subclasses:

• Beast Master: Rangers who bind to an animal companion (like a wolf or a weird lizard) and share a special bond in and out of combat.
• Hunter: John Wick with a bow. You excel at seeking and slaying dangerous prey.
• Gloom Stalker: You do it REALLY well in the dark, ambushing threats in gloomy environments and venturing boldly into places where the light is low.

Rogue

Have you ever thought that life would be easier if you could just stick a knife in people’s backs rather than in their chests? Then a rogue is for you! Trickster, assassin, pickpocket—you have a shady backstory and a shadier sense of morality! Your primary ability is Dexterity, your saving throw proficiencies are Dexterity and Intelligence, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d8. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords, and with Light Armor. In Baldur’s Gate 3, your subclasses are:

• Thief: Skilled in stealth and larceny, you know how to case any joint.
• Arcane Trickster: Rogue but make it camp. Magic. Mystery. Illusion powers.
• Assassin: Just regular John Wick. Murder pro.

Warlock

Life is easier with a sugar daddy, especially if that sugar daddy is a demonic and powerful patron from beyond this mortal plane! Warlocks strike up deals with eldritch horrors to give them power in exchange for their soul (or feet pics). The Warlock’s primary ability is Charisma. Your saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Charisma and you have a Hit Dice of 1d8. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons and with Light Armor. Your subclass depends on which kind of spiritual sugar daddy (or mommy) you pick:

• The Fiend: You have sympathy for the devil, and he has the same for you. Hellish blessings. Hellish rewards.
• The Great Old One: Your daddy is basically Cthulhu, which lets you scramble the minds of lesser mortals.
• Archfey: Warlock but make it camp. You bond with a whimsical faerie queen or trickster in exchange for equally whimsical powers.

Wizard

You’re Gandalf! That’s it. Just Gandalf—if he had to lock himself in a tower memorizing arcane spells for 10 years. You know ALL there is to know about magic and how to bend it to your wizardly will. Your primary ability is Intelligence, your saving throw proficiencies are Intelligence and Wisdom, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d6. You have proficiency with Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaves, and Light Crossbows. Your Wizard subclasses are:

• Abjuration School: Specializing in wards, banishment, and nullification of magic. “You shall not pass!” as a subclass
• Evocation School: Focusing elemental energy into powerful spells. Did someone say fireball?
• Conjuration School: You can make things out of thin air! Even monsters! And make them fight for you like a magical Pokémon master!
• Divination School: You literally know the future. And you get to mess around with time.
• Enchantment School: You’re basically really sexy. Like Gandalf with a slit up his robe and a beguiling eye. You use magic to entice people to do your bidding.
• Illusion School: Your full-time job is to be confusing.
• Necromancy School: Your full-time job is messing around with dead bodies. Like a mortician. Except you make them walk around.
• Transmutation School: You’re basically Dr. Manhattan and can mess around with fundamental parts of matter, bending it to your will.

Druid

You’re always barefoot. You eat only mushrooms and granola. You have never used shampoo. You’re basically a woods wizard! Your primary ability as a Druid in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Wisdom, your saving throw proficiencies are Intelligence and Wisdom, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d8. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Light Armor, Medium Armor, and Shields. The Druid subclasses are:

• Circle of the Moon: Basically all you do is turn into giant animals and eat people.
• Circle of the Land: Nature magic! You’re basically Poison Ivy if she never showered.
• Circle of Spores: You watched too much The Last of Us and now you can reanimate corpses with mushrooms. Ew.

Sorcerer

You’re basically a wizard who didn’t have to work for it. You were born with it! You’re a magical nepo baby! You’re probably part dragon, but it’s also possible you got enchanted by a wayward chaos god. Whatever, man! Flaunt it! Your primary ability is Charisma, your saving throw proficiencies are Constitution and Charisma, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d6. You have proficiency with Daggers, Quarterstaves, and Light Crossbows. Sorcerer subclasses are:

• Draconic Bloodline: Your mom got with the dragon milkman and now you can breathe fire or acid or lightning.
• Wild Magic: You get your powers from ancient forces of chaos.
• Storm Sorcery: You’re literally Storm from X-Men.

Barbarian

You’re a big, brolic type who thinks that any problem can be solved if you just punch it hard enough. You also barely wear clothes; your rock solid muscles are the only protection you need. You have serious anger management issues. Your primary ability is Strength, your saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Constitution, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d12. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Light Armor, Medium Armor, and Shields. The Barbarian subclasses are:

• Berserker: Your extreme anger management issues empower your strikes.
• Wildheart: You quite literally have the Eye of the Tiger, and your attunement with beasts makes you deadly.
• Wild Magic: You get magical when you’re angry.

Bard

Why fight an enemy if you can seduce it? Bards know that even the hardest of hearts can be softened by a lute rendition of “Wonderwall” and prolonged eye contact. And when that doesn’t work, they’ll probably cut you. Your primary ability is Charisma, your saving throw proficiencies are Dexterity and Charisma, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d8. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords, and Light Armor. The Bard subclasses are:

• College of Lore: You love beauty in all forms and your music is seriously dope. Are you on Soundcloud?
• College of Valor: You write songs about the deeds of the mighty, and maybe stab a few people along the way.
• College of Swords: Your sword does all the singing for you.

Paladin

You’re basically a Christian Youth Camp Counselor. You’re kindhearted, brolic for no reason, and you know that all things are possible through god(s). You’re a holy warrior whose faith empowers your sword. Your primary ability is Strength, your saving throw proficiencies are Wisdom and Charisma, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d10 per Paladin level. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, and with all Armor and Shields. As a Paladin, your subclasses are:

• Oath of the Ancients: Your god is nature, and you fight to protect it.
• Oath of Devotion: You follow a just god and protect the weak and downtrodden.
• Oathbreaker: You stopped going to church. Now you walk a dark path.
• Oath of Vengeance: You’re all about smiting people who do wicked things.

Monk

Years of discipline and training have allowed you to hone your body into a living weapon. As a Monk, you can kill a man with ONE FINGER will doing push-ups balanced on the other. Your primary abilities are Dexterity and Wisdom, your saving throw proficiencies are Strength and Dexterity, and you have a Hit Dice of 1d8 per Monk level. You have proficiency with Simple Weapons, Shortswords, and with your bare fists of fury. The subclasses for Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3 are:

• Way of the Open Hand: You’re straight-up Bruce Lee.
• Way of Shadow: You’re Naruto if he was less loud. No—you’re Sasuke. Whatever, you’re a ninja.
• Way of the Four Elements: You’re the motherf—king Avatar.

(featured image: Larian Studios)