Either way, be sure to have Deception and Insight first and foremost. Deception is great for dialogues, and Insight is incredibly useful for determining NPC truthfulness. If Insight is already covered, then replace it with Arcana, History, or Investigation, depending on what you want your Warlock to be good at.
Updated on April 23, dragon Fights 2025, by Thomas Hawkins: With the release of Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3, each class has received a new subclass to use. In the case of the fighter, they can now choose the Arcane Archer subclass, gaining access to arcane arrows with a variety of powerful effects. This allows ranged fighters to apply status effects over a distance and access a wider range of damage types without needing specialized equipment. By pairing Arcane Archer with the game's existing assortment of specialty arrows, this subclass can be incredibly versatile. This guide has been updated to discuss the new subclass, multiclassing options that work well with it, and equipment that works especially well with this new subclass.
Unlike Dragonborn, Sorcerers under the Draconic Bloodline don't get a Breath-type spell based on the color chosen. Instead, Draconic Sorcerers get a spell related to their color – in the case of this best Sorcerer build, players can expect to cast a cone of fire or a puddle of Grease. Those are far from the only great spells Sorcerers have in BG3 , though.
While not always the strongest option, this can be used to activate spells like Blade Ward without giving up an attack. It can even be used to cast True Strike without giving up an attack, though this won't make it useful mid-combat.
They can further supplement this Gish playstyle using items like the Diadem of Arcane Synergy (generating more Arcane Synergy Stats by applying conditions) in conjunction with Phalar Aluve's Shriek ability. Add the Winter's Grasp Gloves or any other item that lets your spells apply a condition for even better results. A surprisingly powerful addition to a Bladesinging Wizard loadout would be the Bonespike Boots, which boost AC and grant access to Brutal Leap, a special ability that knocks enemies over and uses the wearer's spellcasting stat to determine the save DC.
The Great Old One eeks ahead of The Fiend because of its more battle-influential spells . Compared to The Archfey, many differences between the two patrons are mostly aesthetic as they both can control combat very well.
Level seven offers "Dominate Beast" and "Evard's Black Tentacles," allowing them to turn animal enemies to their side and brutally restrain their foes with conjured tendrils. At Level nine, they can get "Dominate Person" and "Telekinesis," letting them manipulate humanoids and throw people and objects around freely.
Depending on your choice of Arcane Shots, you could also make use of the Psychic Damage equipment (like the Braindrain Gloves and Boots of Psionic Movement), or the Sparkstruck Set (like The Speedy Lightfeet, Jolty Vest, and Sparkswall) to great effect. Poison damage equipment also deserves a mention here, though the sheer amount of poison-resistant foes makes it impractical.
In addition to Armor, Weapon, and Saving Throw proficiencies that vary for each class, the pool of Skills you can choose from are different for each class. These cannot be changed once you get past character creation without resetting your build.
Overall, the Hexblade Warlock is easily the best option for a Warlock focusing on melee combat, especially when paired with the Pact of the Blade to gain extra attacks at level 5. Their ability to utilise several useful combat spells, like Wrathful Smite, Shield, and Elemental Weapon, along with their ability to wear medium armour and use shields, makes them uniquely suited to fighting on the front lines. Their lower health pool when compared to most melee classes is offset by their Spectres, who can help to draw some attention off them, and their access to defensive spells like Blink and the aforementioned shield.
Goolocks also get the spell options "Dissonant Whispers" and "Tasha's Hideous Laughter" at level 1. The former allows them to inflict psychic damage and frighten a foe, while the latter can leave a foe helplessly laughing on the ground for up to ten rounds. They gain the spells "Detect Thoughts" and "Phantasmal Force" at level three, allowing them to read minds without relying on the Mindflayer Tadpole and inflict psychic damage whose damage type changes to match the last attack that hit the target and occurs every turn for ten turns. At level five, they can get "Bestow Curse" and "Slow," which offer them a huge range of debuff options for dealing with strong foes.
At level seven, the Champion gains "Remarkable Athlete: Proficiency" and "Remarkable Athlete: Jump." The former allows them to add half their proficiency bonus to any skill check that uses Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution that they are not already proficient with. The latter increases their jump distance by 3m.