Selecting a Baldur's Gate 3 class is basically the most stressful part of the entire game. You’re staring at a screen with twelve icons, a bunch of sub-menus, and the haunting realization that you might be stuck with this person for the next 100 hours. Honestly, it’s a lot. Most people just click "Fighter" because they want to hit things with a sword, but then they get to Act 2 and realize they’ve been missing out on the chaos of wild-shaping into an Owlbear or talking their way out of a boss fight with a high Charisma roll.
The truth is, BG3 isn't just a combat simulator. It’s a talking simulator, a lock-picking simulator, and occasionally a "shove people off cliffs" simulator. Your class determines how you experience every single one of those things.
The Big Three: Which Playstyle Actually Fits You?
If you’re coming into this fresh, you’ve probably heard people talk about "S-Tier" classes. Forget the spreadsheets for a second. In my experience, classes fall into three vibes: the "I’ll handle the talking," the "I’ll break their face," and the "I have a weird spell for this."
The Talkers (Charisma is King)
If you want to be the "Face" of the party, you need Charisma. Classes like the Bard, Paladin, Warlock, and Sorcerer use Charisma for their spells. This is huge because it means you’ll naturally pass Persuasion and Deception checks.
- Bard: People joke about bards being "meme-lords," but they are terrifyingly good. They get "Song of Rest" (basically an extra short rest) and can eventually learn spells from any other class.
- Paladin: My personal favorite for a first run. You’re tanky, you can heal, and "Divine Smite" lets you delete enemies in a single turn. Just don't break your oath, or a very scary knight will show up at your camp.
The Heavy Hitters
Then you’ve got the martials. The Fighter is the gold standard here. By level 11, they get three attacks per action. Use "Action Surge," and you’re swinging six times in one turn. It’s simple, sure, but effective. Barbarians are similar but trade precision for "Rage," which makes them take half damage. It’s very satisfying to pick up a goblin and throw him at another goblin. You can’t do that with a Wizard.
The Swiss Army Knives
Druids and Clerics are the utility kings. A lot of players treat Shadowheart (the resident Cleric) as just a healer, but if you respec her into a Light or Tempest Domain, she becomes a walking nuke. Druids are even weirder. You can be a full spellcaster one minute and a massive Polar Bear the next. It’s the ultimate "I don't know what I want to be" class.
Baldur's Gate 3 Class Mechanics Most Players Miss
Here’s the thing: Larian changed a lot of the standard D&D rules for this game. For example, in the tabletop version, Rangers are kind of... bad. In BG3? They’re monsters. The "Gloom Stalker" subclass allows you to basically end a fight before it starts by attacking from the shadows with massive initiative bonuses.
The "Dipping" Strategy
You don't have to stay in one lane. Multiclassing is where the real power lies, though I wouldn't touch it until at least level 5. A classic move is taking two levels of Fighter for "Action Surge" and then putting the rest into a Wizard or Sorcerer. Suddenly, your "squishy" mage can wear plate armor and cast two massive spells in the first round of combat.
Pro Tip: If you want to try multiclassing but feel overwhelmed, wait until you find Withers in the overgrown ruins early in Act 1. For 100 gold, he’ll let you reset your entire build. You can change your Baldur's Gate 3 class as many times as you want. There is zero penalty for experimenting.
Subclasses: Where the Real Personality Is
Your main class is just the foundation. The subclass is the actual house. Some of these are hidden away until level 3, which is why the game feels "slow" at level 1 and 2.
- Monk (Way of the Open Hand): This turns your character into a blender. You aren't just punching; you're knocking people prone, pushing them off ledges, and eventually causing them to explode with Ki.
- Rogue (Thief): Most people pick Assassin because it sounds cool, but Thief gives you an extra bonus action. In a game where bonus actions are used for jumping, drinking potions, or off-hand attacks, that is broken.
- Wizard (Evocation): If you're tired of accidentally killing your friends with Fireball, this is for you. "Sculpt Spells" makes it so your allies automatically pass their saves against your AOE attacks.
Why You Shouldn't Chase the "Meta"
Look, I've seen the tier lists. They usually put Sorcerer at the top because of "Metamagic" (which lets you double-cast spells). They put Ranger at the bottom. But here’s a secret: every single class in this game can beat it on the hardest difficulty.
If you play a Wizard, you get unique dialogue with Gale and can learn almost every spell in the game from scrolls. If you play a Barbarian, you can literally roar at people until they give you what you want. The "best" class is the one that makes you laugh when a plan goes horribly wrong.
Breaking Down the "Hidden" Stats
When you're picking your Baldur's Gate 3 class, pay attention to the "Primary Ability."
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- Strength: Jump further, carry more loot, hit harder with maces/swords.
- Dexterity: Go earlier in the turn (Initiative), harder to hit (AC), better at bows.
- Wisdom: Necessary for Clerics/Druids and for spotting hidden traps.
- Intelligence: Almost exclusively for Wizards. Unless you’re a Wizard, 8-10 is fine.
Don't be a "jack of all trades" with your points. If you're a Fighter, put everything into Strength and Constitution. If you try to be good at everything, you'll end up being mediocre at everything and missing your attacks constantly.
What Most People Get Wrong About Warlocks
People treat Warlocks like "Bad Wizards." They only have two or three spell slots, which feels pathetic compared to a Wizard's twenty. But Warlocks are "Short Rest" casters. You get those slots back every time you sit down for a quick lunch. Plus, Eldritch Blast is the best cantrip in the game. It’s essentially a magical sniper rifle that you can use every single turn for free. If you pair it with the "Repelling Blast" invocation, you can push enemies back 15 feet with every hit. It’s hilarious.
Your Next Steps for a Perfect Build
- Check your party composition: If you're taking Karlach, Wyll, and Gale, you probably shouldn't be another glass-cannon mage. You’ll need someone to soak up damage.
- Find Withers immediately: He’s in the chapel near the starting beach. Don't stress your initial choice because he's your safety net.
- Read the tooltips: Press 'T' (on PC) to pin tooltips. It explains exactly what "Advantage" or "Saving Throw" means.
- Try the "Gloomstalker/Assassin" combo: If you want to feel like a god, take 5 levels of Ranger (Gloomstalker) and 3 levels of Rogue (Assassin). It’s the most famous "broken" build for a reason.
Stop overthinking the icons. Pick the one that looks the coolest or has the most interesting lore. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in their shoes, so make sure you actually like the view.