With Patch 7 for Baldur’s Gate 3 drawing the attention of new and returning players back to Larian Studios’ award-winning RPG, we thought it would be a great time to revisit the game’s 12 classes and determine which ones are the worst and which ones stand above them as the best. We’ve had over a year to extensively try out basically every class in the game, so in our opinion, here are all the Baldur’s Gate 3 classes ranked from worst to best.
Before we begin, it’s worth noting that there aren’t any necessarily “bad” classes in Baldur’s Gate 3. Some will rank lower for a number of factors such as the effectiveness of spells, proficiencies, damage output, cantrips and generally how fun they are to play. We’ll also go over the subclasses and their effectiveness in and out of combat. Races play no part in this ranking as any race can specialise in any class.
All Baldur’s Gate 3 Classes Ranked From Worst to Best
12. Druid
The Druids are an interesting class for roleplaying purposes but when it comes to combat, they’re a strange class to master. Using Wild Shape, Druids can take the form of animals complete with their own separate hit points, making them quite tanky and persistent. Speak With Animals is also a fantastic spell to have on hand. However, when stacked up against the other classes, Druids sadly fall a bit short. You also get two Druids as companions in the campaign, so there’s little reason to pick this class beyond a couple of unique dialogue options in Act 1.
11. Rogue
The Rogue is a great Dexterity-based class if you’re into stealthily picking off enemies from the shadows, lockpicking and sleight of hand tricks. You can build a pretty effective Assassin subclass out of the Rogue too. The reason Rogues rank so low is mainly due to their playstyle. AoE damaging classes will almost always outshine classes like Rogue that specialise in high single-target damage and even then, positioning yourself to get the jump on enemies is tricky. It’s a difficult class to learn but very rewarding in its own right.
10. Monk
Monks in Baldur’s Gate 3 are quite a popular class if you’re looking for big, consecutive damage per target. They’re extremely agile and fun to use in combat, capable of dishing out barehand Martial Arts blows in quick succession. Where Monks stumble is their effectiveness outside of combat. Unless you spec a bit more into their low Charisma recommendation, Monks are better suited for reliable damage-dealing support than they are face characters.
9. Barbarian
Barbarians charge the battlefield with frenzied melee strikes, Rage and high hit points, easily making them one of the tankiest and hardest-hitting classes in the game. Their playstyle might get a bit complicated once you begin digging through the subclasses, though. For all intents and purposes, you’re probably going to stick to the Berserker subclass for the high damage you get from Frenzied Strike and Enraged Throw (it’s also super fun throwing enemies at each other), though Wildheart and Wild Magic bring it down a few pegs as they aren’t very compelling choices.
8. Wizard
Wizards are your go-to all-purpose spellcasters that can master pretty much any magic in the game, resulting in varied and interesting builds. Their versatility makes them great choices if you’re looking for an entertaining playthrough, especially the awesome Evocation subclass. However, they’re also glass cannons to the ninth degree. Mage Armour helps to an extent but they cannot equip any sort of armour, making them a bit fragile in direct combat. Wizards also have to prepare spells each day, so hope you have enough camp supplies to long rest frequently.
7. Ranger
Rangers are arguably one of the most underappreciated classes in Baldur’s Gate 3. They run into a similar problem with Monks as they aren’t very good face characters for dialogue but when taken as a whole, they’re fill the role of a reliable archer build well. The Gloom Stalker Ranger is also among the best subclasses in the entire game for that balance of stealth, archery and effective trap spells, while the Beast Master gives you a fellow animal companion to summon.
6. Cleric
Shadowheart’s Life Domain Cleric might give off the impression that this class is better suited for healing and support but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While they do excel in healing, Clerics also possess the ability to deal absurdly high damage in combat if you take the mighty Thor-like Tempest Cleric subclass, harnessing the power of lightning and thunder. They can also wear heavy armour, making them great tanks.
5. Bard
The Bard is all over the place as a class and that’s what makes them so good. A jack-of-all-trades that can actually be tuned for big damage dealers, effective support, dialogue checkers, dependable spellcasters or musicians, sometimes all at once. Their unique dialogue is also the best in the game without question – with the power of speech, you can talk your way into beating the game’s toughest foes in ways I won’t spoil. Ultra-versatile, ultra-fun, Bards are suited for almost all occasions. They might be a tough sell for players who prefer to specialise in skills, though.
4. Fighter
Fighters are typically the first choice for newcomers to Baldur’s Gate 3. They’re easy to learn, highly proficient in melee combat, deal massive single-target damage and can clear rooms without breaking a sweat thanks to their extra attacks per turn. While they don’t make the most ideal dialogue characters, they can be molded into formidable, destructive soldiers in combat with the Battle Master subclass, or even throw a few spells out with the Eldritch Knight subclass. It’s easy to see why Fighters reign supreme as the best melee class in the game.
3. Paladin
Upheld by their sworn oaths, Paladins are virtuous warriors with an assortment of benefits. Apart from Smite being devastatingly powerful for burst damage, Paladins can wear any armour, wield a number of weapons and shields, cast great support spells and even succeed in being strong face characters thanks to their high Charisma. They check almost every box if you’re looking for a satisfying, morally good-aligned class that can dish out damage just as well as they can persuade you.
2. Warlock
The Warlock is a personal favourite class for many players due to their high Charisma, devilish pacts, roleplaying potential and Eldritch Blast, the best cantrip in the entire game. The Fiend Warlock is especially potent in combat thanks to their fiery offence and large AoE mini-nukes, not to mention the fantastic Hunger of Hadar spell that trivialises most fights. While they don’t have as many spell slots as Wizards or Sorcerers, the Warlock is a terrific, very powerful multi-class option that can be tuned into great spellswords as well.
1. Sorcerer
Sorcerers not only make the ultimate blaster casters thanks to their unique Metamagic, they also offer the best subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 with Draconic Sorcery and especially Storm Sorcerer. High Charisma means you’ll make a good face character for your party too. Sorcerers are Wizards but simply better in every regard, accessing all the hard-hitting AoE spells while boosting their effectiveness with Metamagic. Sorcerers are simply the best class in the game, both in and out of combat, covering all bases for an ideal playthrough.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
