Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t quite have all 12 5E classes yet (14, if they end up adding supplementary classes!). We currently only have access to 6 of them, and they’re all fantastic! However, we’re playing a by-the-numbers game, where combats are based on who can defeat everyone else the fastest. So, if you want to tear through the game as easily as possible, it’s important to put together a strong, powerful party. Any combination of four classes will probably work with good enough strategy, but if you’re looking for the best, check out our Baldurs Gate 3 Best Class Guide.
Baldurs Gate 3 Best Class Guide
I want to say this is entirely subjective, and I’m ranking classes based on two things;
- Problem-Solving Abilities
- Effectiveness in combat
Admittedly, these two things hold a ton of power, and I personally value problem-solving above pure damage potential or durability. That… lowers the power level of some classes more than others. If you disagree with my assessment, please feel free to comment where you think the classes should be on the list!
6. Rogue
The bottom 3 of this list were tough to choose from! The Rogue barely squeaks out on the bottom for two reasons. First, it’s the only class that was actually nerfed from 5e to the game. Rather than simply losing choices, the Rogue doesn’t get the Expertise class feature. That was actually the big reason to get a rogue, since it meant you were such a powerhouse when it came to skills.
Second, because we only get 4 levels to play around with, rogues only get up to 2d6 Sneak Attack. That’s… not much. It’s a ton of extra damage, but it may not make up for forced Light Weapon use, or the requirement for the target to be adjacent to an ally. Once rogues get level 5 and up, they start getting stupidly high Sneak Attack and better options.
Because of that, Rogue barely makes the bottom of the list.
5. Ranger
Ranger got a lot better in Baldur’s Gate 3. Their useless Favored Enemy options were replaced by legitimately better choices, giving skill proficiencies and spells, or more proficiencies. Strength Ranger is a pretty good build now! Natural Explorer was also replaced by significantly improved options, giving damage resistances, a familiar, or tool proficiencies. Their base class is fantastic!
However, Ranger still lacks that burst damage. They are not significant problem solvers, as their spell list is quite small. Nor are they huge damage dealers, being a tiny bit lower than both Rogue and Fighter. So, they make it this far on the merit of their problem-solving abilities and great new class features.
4. Fighter
It’s arguable that the Ranger should be better than the Fighter, but the Fighter’s Action Surge ability is just too ridiculous. Being able to take an extra action once per short rest is absolutely insane. It’s a huge increase in damage if the Fighter is using a two-handed weapon (or the Battlemaster class).
While Fighter is the worst problem solver in the game, they are still durable frontliners with the ability to drop massive damage in a round. Battlemaster solves some of their problem-solving hang-ups, and Eldritch Knight can also make them better at that role. I don’t love Champion, but I can’t say that it doesn’t boost their already insane damage potential.
3. Wizard
Weird to see Wizard so low, eh? Well, that’s because Wizards don’t get 3rd level spell slots in the early access. Wizards get a fantastic suite of spells, are the best problem solvers ever, and deal insane damage when they want to. There are a huge variety of Wizards based on their School of focus, which can do everything from increasing durability to damage. They can even recover spells once per day, which is huge for a spellcaster.
Quite literally the only reason they are not higher is that we are stuck at level four. Once Baldur’s Gate 3 gets more chapters, Wizard will only get better and better as they get more and more spell slots.
2. Warlock
Warlocks barely squeak out over Wizards as my number 2 choice. Warlocks have a ton of benefits from Baldur’s Gate 3’s systems. They have fantastic damage with Eldritch Blast (and can improve it). They get spells that refresh on short rests, which are rather quick to use. Their utility is significantly lower than both Cleric and Wizard, but they make up for it with their combat potential and ability to just keep going.
Warlocks tend to be weaker as they gain levels, getting a power spike early on. So, this ranking would also likely shift downwards as they gain levels. For now, though, Warlocks are incredibly strong, specifically with their Eldritch Blast build.
1. Cleric
We all know it would come to this. While Clerics suffer from the same problem as Wizards, they also have a few distinct advantages. d8 hit dice, heavier armor, and better weapon proficiencies vastly improves a Cleric’s usefulness outside of spellcasting. Their Domains tend to be slightly more impactful than a School.
However, by far the most important part of a Cleric in the early access is a single spell; Healing Word. I love this spell, since it uses only a Bonus Action to heal someone. This drags someone out of unconsciousness without you needing to spend your action to pick them up. So, you can spend your action slinging a Sacred Fire, or striking an enemy with your weapon. All six classes can deal damage; this one is the only one able to heal others.
The Cleric doesn’t improve as fast as a Wizard in the late game, nor does it have the same damage potential or durability as a Fighter. But, if you want a class that can fill a significant variety of roles while being the only emergency healer in the game right now, Cleric is it.
Conclusions – Baldurs Gate 3 Best Class
If you wanted to, a party of four rogues could do a ton in Baldur’s Gate 3. This list is simply telling you what class fills the best role in the party; once Bard gets added to the game, Cleric becomes less unique. However, right now, at level 4, this is the order that I, personally, would put these classes.
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