Baldur's Gate 3: The Ultimate Party Build Guide

Baldur's Gate 3 involves forming a party of adventurers, and some party builds are better than others. This is because Baldur's Gate 3 uses the D&D 5E rules. With this framework, we'll give you the best party builds and composition in BG3.

The Four Class Groups in D&D/Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 classes fall into four D&D 5E categories: Warrior, Expert, Mage, and Priest. Warriors are the tanks that fight enemies up close, and they tend to wear the best armor and have the highest hit points. Experts have lots of skills you use outside of combat, though they can still hit hard when pressed. Mages are arcane spellcasters who control the battlefield with magic that harms enemies or inflicts status effects. Priests are the healers and buffers of the group, though they have some specialist combat options available to them.

Here are the classes in Baldur's Gate 3 and the groups they belong to:

Your Character's Class is Vital for Determining Party Composition in Baldur's Gate 3

The class you choose for your main character will determine your best party build. The intention is for you to have one Warrior, one Expert, one Mage, and one Priest. This means you'll always have a frontline fighter, someone sneaky to deal with traps/locks, a damage dealer, and a healer.

Here's how to choose your party members based on your character's class:

Warrior Characters in Baldur's Gate 3

From the early hours of Baldur's Gate 3, you'll have access to Lae'zel, a githyanki Fighter with some extra psionic powers. Not long after, you'll have a chance to hire Karlach, a tiefling Barbarian with a fiery temperament. Both characters have pros and cons:

When choosing between the two, the deciding factor should be defense vs offense. Lae'zel can get decked out in the best armor and use a shield, making her very hard to hit. Meanwhile, Karlach is easier to hit, but she has many hit points, can resist damage while raging, and deals lots of damage.

Best Warrior Stats

Here is the best stat distribution for warriors in BG3:

You Basically Need Astarion (Unless You're Playing a Bard/Ranger/Rogue)

Much like Tomi Undergallows in Neverwinter Nights, if you're not playing a Bard, Ranger, or Rogue, then you need Astarion in your party. This is because there are tons of locked doors and chests in Baldur's Gate 3, as well as traps that need disarming and hidden secrets that need spotting. Astarion's Sneak Attack and Cunning Action also make him extremely useful on the battlefield.

Mage Characters in Baldur's Gate 3

You'll be given your first arcane caster early on in Baldur's Gate 3, as you can unlock Gale when you reach the first Waypoint. Once you reach the Emerald Grove, you can unlock Wyll. The arcane spellcaster classes are popular with fans, so don't feel bad about benching one of these guys if you don't need them.

Gale and Wyll have strengths and weaknesses:

Overall, Gale is the better choice due to the sheer number of spells he offers.

Best Wizard Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for wizards in BG3:

Best Warlock Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Warlocks in BG3:

Priest Characters in Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 gives you a Cleric straight off the bat, as Shadowheart is available as soon as you finish the tutorial dungeon. You'll unlock Halsin way later in the game, as you have to complete several quests in Act 1 before you can get him.

Here are the pros and cons of Shadowheart and Halsin:

Best Cleric Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Clerics in BG3:

Best Druid Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Druids in BG3:

Baldur's Gate 3: Suggested Party Builds

Unless you're playing a Bard, Cleric, Druid, or Rogue, you will likely need Astarion and Shadowheart throughout Act 1. If not one, then both, as they're just too useful to have around, Astarion for his trap/lock solutions and Shadowheart's healing. Your choice of protagonist will determine your crew throughout Act 1 and Act 2.

Here are some suggested party builds:

Ultimately, you can complete Baldur's Gate 3 with any party build. This is because the game gives you many items that can help you in combat, such as gimmick arrows, grenades, potions, and spell scrolls. If you do go for a balanced mix of characters, then you'll have a much easier time in combat and when exploring dungeons, but don't let it define your choice. If you really want to keep certain party members around, then use them, as your enjoyment of the NPCs is more important than min-maxing your way through the game.

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