Baldur's Gate 3: Best Classes

Looking for a list of the best classes to pick first in Baldur's Gate 3? A character's Class determines what actions they can make and what role they serve in your party, both on and off the battlefield. If the Baldur's Gate series is new to you, or you just need a solid start to plan your party's composition, we've put together a list of the classes we think are most forgiving to those just starting out. On this page, as part of our Baldur's Gate 3 guide, we'll walk you through the best classes to pick first to get you started on your adventure.

Baldur's Gate 3: Best Classes to Start

Parties in Baldur's Gate 3 are comprised of up to four characters, and advanced players will use off-the-wall and broken compositions to crack the game's more sadistic encounters. But when starting out, it's hard to beat the classics. Being based directly on (and officially licensed by) the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying game, Dungeons & Dragons, the same concepts that worked in candle-lit basements apply here. The flexibility of the legendary RPG holy trinity of Fighter, Mage, and Thief contains all the tools required to overcome anything Baldur's Gate 3 can throw at you.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you need to play those classes, and we still have a slot free. There are numerous Companions available to fill a role you don't want to play yourself, leaving you free to create any kind of party you can possibly imagine. Across the 12 base classes and 46 subclasses, there are more than 150,000 truly unique party compositions possible, which starts to explain why the series is such an enduring classic.

Below, we'll take you through our recommendations for which Class you should play as, which is to say, your POV (point of view) character. As developer Larian Studios employs a fairly revolutionary method of storytelling with its Origin Characters, this actually gives you quite a few options.

Origin Characters are named characters with their own existing backgrounds and motivations within the world of Faerûn. This means bespoke voice acting and motion capture, as well as extensive game content that can only be experienced when playing "as them". Conversely, if you want to play as a Custom Character you've built from scratch, you actually see an additional perspective on the events of the game: that of a stranger or outsider. All of this means a monstrous amount of replay value.

In keeping with the purview of this guide, if you want to play as an Origin Character, we'd recommend the Githyanki Fighter, Lae'zel, or the Human Cleric, Shadowheart. If you want to play as a Custom Character, we'd recommend either a Fighter, Paladin, or Cleric, with specific details below.

What Classes are in Baldur's Gate 3

Classes, more than anything else, define characters in Baldur's Gate 3, prescribing what actions they can take and what role they serve in your party. Below, we'll go through each of the 12 base Classes, describe how they work, their basic stats and proficiencies (as suggested in-game) and explain why you might want to play as one on your next adventure.

Classic descriptions for each class, as they were described in Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, were sourced from the Museum of Adventure Game History.

Fighter

"The Fighter is a champion, swordsman, swordswoman, soldier, and brawler who lives or dies by their knowledge of weapons and tactics. Fighters can be found at the front of any battle, contesting toe-to-toe with monsters and villains. A good Fighter needs to be strong and healthy if they hope to survive."

The Fighter is the foundation of any good adventuring party, serving as both shield and sword, defending vulnerable comrades and utilising the widest variety of weapons of any Class in the game. Further, as they Level Up, they gain increased mastery in their chosen fighting style, those being Archery, Defence, Duelling, Great Weapon Fighting, Protection, and Two-Weapon Fighting.

The best thing about playing a Fighter is they're powerful and straightforward to use right from the start. Able to equip nearly anything and a natural leader for the party to rally around, they're the perfect fit for a playthrough on any difficulty level. Invest a few points into Charisma, and you'll even be able to talk your way out of the fights you can't win head-on.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields

Ranger

"The Ranger is a hunter and a woodsman. He is skilled with weapons and is knowledgeable in tracking and woodcraft. The Ranger often protects, and guides lost travellers and honest peasant folk. A Ranger needs to be strong and wise in the ways of nature to live a full life."

The Ranger is a weapons expert and scout, primed for exploring the most dangerous regions of Faerûn and hunting its deadliest inhabitants. They have a diverse set of subclasses allowing them to achieve this in various ways, like with the help of an animal companion (Beast Master) or through careful study of the prey in question (Hunter).

Playing as a Ranger gives plenty of options for savvy players to optimise their damage output by employing the class's Favoured Enemy skill, which allows them to specialise against a specific type of enemy (e.g. Beasts, Goblinoids). While useful, this is something of a double-edged sword for new players because, along with Favoured Environment, it requires them to guess what kind of enemy they are either likely to encounter most or find difficult, tough decisions to make from Level 1.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Shields

Paladin

"A Paladin is a warrior bold and pure, the exemplar of everything good and true. Like the Fighter, the Paladin is a person of action and combat. However, the Paladins live for the ideals of righteousness, justice, honesty, piety, and chivalry and strive to be a living example of these virtues so that others may learn from them as well as gain by their actions."

While the Fighter makes for a natural leader, the Paladin is a knight expertly trained from birth for the task. As such, Charisma is important to the class, perfect for those who want to play more diplomatically. Still capable of leading from the front (and of wearing the heaviest plate-mail), they offer more utility in the form of healing and buffs, with various powers granted to them by their chosen deity. Each is tailored to a different order and will grant Paladins that maintain their Oaths various bonuses.

Playing as a Paladin offers more complexity but still serves the same basic role as the Fighter. Further, it offers an even richer, more unique roleplaying experience for those who want it; Paladins who break their Oaths become Fallen Paladins, who must either undertake a quest to earn redemption... or walk the path of the Oathbreaker, gaining new and darker powers.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields

Cleric

"The Cleric is a generic priest (of any mythos) who tends to the spiritual needs of a community. Though Clerics are both protectors and healers, they are not purely defensive - when evil threatens, the Clerics are well suited to seek it out on its own ground and destroy it. The opposite is true of evil Clerics as well, and there are also many variations in between."

The Cleric is a dedicated support caster, focusing on keeping the party whole and cohesive through powerful healing and battle-shifting buffs. Dedicating themselves to a specific Domain (and associated deity), Clerics can be tailored to a wide variety of playstyles, able to choose from Light, Life, Knowledge, Trickery, Tempest, Nature, and War.

Rather than being the spear-point, the Cleric is the armoured heart of the party, able to single-handedly turn the tides of battle or hold on long enough for help to arrive. Again, there is plenty of roleplaying potential on offer here for those wanting to play a tanky caster with a melee option. Considering the role gods and divinity play in the Baldur's Gate series, it's a particularly thematic option, as well.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Morning Stars

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields

Druid

"The Druid serves the cause of nature and neutrality; the wilderness is his community. He uses his special powers to protect it and to preserve balance in the world."

The Druid is a healer and a protector, fulfilling a support role in the party but capable of dealing out significant damage when the need arises. Channelling the elemental powers of nature, they use fire and lightning to destroy interlopers who would upset the natural order and are aided in this task by the many animals of Faerûn.

Playing as a Druid is a pretty exciting prospect because, along with spells and a decent selection of weaponry, they gain the ability to transform into various Wild Shapes, such as Panther or Owlbear. This all affords the player a flexible kit, providing skills and utility in a wider variety of situations.

Weapons: Clubs, Daggers, Javelins, Maces, Quarterstaves, Scimitars, Sickles, Spears

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Shields

Wizard

"The Wizard strives to be a master of magical energies, shaping them and casting them as spells. To do so, he studies strange tongues and obscure facts and devotes much of his time to magical research. A Wizard must rely on knowledge and wit to survive. Wizards are rarely seen adventuring without a retinue of fighters and men-at-arms."

The Wizard is a scholarly pursuant of the magical arts, able to shape energies into all kinds of spells and cantrips. The wearing of armour complicates this process, and so most forgo the habit entirely, making them the most fragile Class of all, but they make up for it by potentially being the most powerful.

Playing as a Wizard feels like a very efficient way to play Baldur's Gate 3. With many, many spells at their disposal, you'll always have options and potential ways to manipulate your party members, enemies, or the battlefield itself. That's to say nothing of the potential adventuring benefits of magicking locks open and the ability to teleport.

Weapons: Daggers, Quarterstavess, Light Crossbows

Armour: None

Rogue

"To accomplish his goals, for good or ill, the Rogue is a skilled pilferer. Cunning, nimbleness and stealth are his hallmarks. Whether he turns his talent against innocent passers-by and wealthy merchants or oppressors and monsters is a choice for the Rogue to make."

Rogues are experts in unconventional warfare, striking from the shadows, and preferably when the enemy is at their most vulnerable. They can pick locks and pockets, making the player's passage through the game that much easier, although getting caught in the act will certainly complicate matters.

Playing as a Rogue is perhaps left for more experienced players or a second playthrough. Understanding how BG3's fairly complex Stealth and Advantage mechanics work is essential here and a pretty tall order, especially during the opening hours of the game when the Class is at its most vulnerable.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Short Swords

Armour: Light Armour

Bard

"The Bard is also a rogue, but he is a very different kind. His strength is his pleasant and charming personality. With it and his wits he makes his way through the world. A Bard is a talented musician and a walking storehouse of gossip, tall tales and lore. He learns a little bit about everything that crosses his path; he is a jack-of-all- trades but master of none. While many Bards are scoundrels, their stories and songs are welcome almost everywhere."

The Bard is the most flexible Class in the game, able to do a bit of everything but never to the extent that a specialist could. This means, as required, they can fight in the frontline or support from the back, cast offensive magic one turn, and switch to healing spells the next, which is to say nothing of their unique Bardic Inspiration ability, letting them temporarily buff allies. Outside of combat, they're even better, able to pick locks (and pockets) and detect traps competently, but their greatest weapons are their wits, and with a focus on Charisma, Bards make for the best "face" characters in the game.

Playing as a Bard is something every player should try at least once. In fact, if they weren't so comparatively fragile and complicated, we'd recommend it for a first playthrough. Already the star of the stage, Bards steal the show and give the player so much to do that it can be overwhelming. They have so many unique (often hilarious) interactions and are worth it for the competitive literary banter between your character and the legendary troubadour Volo alone.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Short Swords

Armour: Light Armour

Sorcerer

"Sorcerers are practitioners of magic who were born with the innate ability to cast spells. It is thought that the blood of some powerful creature flows through their veins; perhaps they are the spawn of the gods themselves, or even dragons walking in humanoid form. Regardless, the Sorcerer's magic is intuitive rather than logical. They know fewer spells than mages, and acquire spells more slowly, but they can cast spells more often and have no need to select and prepare spellsahead of time. Sorcerers cannot specialize in magic the way Wizards do."

Sorcerers are natural spellcasters, usually due to Fey or even Draconic heritage, able to do innately what takes others years of practice and study. There are upsides and downsides to this, which can be explored via the Sorcerer's subclasses, but in practical gameplay terms, they know fewer spells than Wizards but can cast them more often.

Playing as a Sorcerer can be pretty tough in the opening hours of the game, especially for new players, but it's rich with roleplaying potential and one of the more powerful in the hands of a canny player. The Dark Urge Origin suggests Sorcerer as a class for a potentially quite bloody, evil playthrough, and that seems like a good fit, thematically speaking.

Weapons: Daggers, Quarterstaves, Light Crossbows

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Heavy Armour, Shields

Monk

"Monks are warriors who pursue perfection through contemplation as well as action. They are versatile fighters, especially skilled in combat without weapons or armor. Though Monks cannot cast spells, they have a unique magic of their own. They channel a subtle energy, called ki, which allows them to perform amazing feats."

Monks are spiritual warriors who generally forgo armour and fight with speed and precision. As such, Dexterity is important to the Class, and it can function as a "dodge tank" at high levels, effortlessly avoiding damage and punishing opponents with devastating counters. They use Actions to achieve all kinds of effects on the battlefield (functionally similar to spells), which consume Ki Points.

Playing as a Monk is an exciting experience, mobile and action-packed. Similar to the Rogue, Monks have a more martial focus (despite the lack of armour) and are better able to support the party in terms of combat buffs and healing, which makes them easier to rally around in a tight spot.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armour:

Warlock

"Bound by a pact to an all-powerful patron, warlocks trade their loyalty for supernatural abilities and unique magic."

Warlocks are spellcasters who have made a pact with an entity in exchange for power, with the exact terms differing between individuals. They cast with their Charisma stat and gain access to a unique spellbook determined by which patron (The Fiend, The Great Old One, The Archfey) is chosen.

Playing as a Warlock is incredibly rewarding, and the class is able to provide some devastating firepower in a pinch, gaining access to the excellent Eldritch Blast cantrip. Eldritch Invocations allow the player to further specialise, allowing them to see in the dark, access to additional spells, and all kinds of otherworldly extras.

Weapons: Simple Weapons

Armour: Light Armour

Barbarian

"A Barbarian can be an excellent warrior. While not as disciplined or as skilled as a normal Fighter, the Barbarian can willingly throw himself into a berserker rage, becoming a tougher and stronger opponent."

The Barbarian is all about aggression, dominating the battlefield through reckless ferocity and by sheer force of will. Primal warriors they can enter a state of Rage, increasing their resistance to physical damage and dealing more of their own in turn. It lasts 10 turns, or it can end early if the Barbarian fails to either attack an enemy or take damage each turn.

Playing as a Barbarian is great fun for those who like a frontal approach or prefer to Intimidate NPCs into getting their way. Immensely durable, able to wield and equip a wide variety of gear, with an assortment of abilities to turn the tides of any situation, it's a D&D classic, and with good reason.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons

Armour: Light Armour, Medium Armour, Shields

Did you find this page on the best classes to pick first in Baldur's Gate 3 useful? Be sure to check out the rest of our Baldur's Gate 3 guide coverage for more helpful hints.