Sorcerers in Baldur's Gate 3 might not have as many different spells to throw around as their Wizard counterparts, but what they do have is buffed by their unique metamagics that make their spells hit harder and last longer, making the class fantasy of the blaster caster easily achievable with the Sorcerer.
And, if you choose the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer, you get higher AC, an affinity to the damage type of your choice, and a cool tattoo. Sorcerers also scale with Charisma, making them the de-facto spellcaster option for the face character. However, Sorcerers need to be very picky about the spells they choose because they only get to swap them out at level-ups.
Updated by Hamza Haq on August 23, 2023: Sorcerers focus on dishing out as much damage as possible in as little time as possible, but that doesn’t mean there is no room for some utility on a Sorcerer’s spell list. New spells have been added to give players more options to choose from.
15 Firebolt
One of the very first cantrips you get as a Sorcerer is also one of the most reliable damage options available to your character throughout the game. Firebolt levels up as your Sorcerer level goes up, making it an amazing cantrip to have in your arsenal.
Since Firebolt is a single-target spell, it can be used with the Metamagic: Twinned Spell to shoot down two enemies at once in one turn. An excellent damage option for low health, it destroys annoying mobs at little to no cost since it's a cantrip that doesn't cost a spell slot to cast.
14 Friends
Friends is a cantrip Sorcerers can choose from the very first level. You get more cantrips as you level up, and if you have Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost, you’re covered for damage in terms of Cantrips, and you’ll definitely want something for utility. Casting Friends allows you to gain advantage on Charisma rolls if you choose to cast it in dialogue, and since it's a cantrip, it doesn’t cost anything to cast.
Friends is a situational spell as you don’t want to use it during every dialogue because there is a chance the target of the spell will realize they’ve been hypnotized afterward. But, if you don’t care about the opinion of who you’re talking to, Friends can be an excellent solution to get out of a sticky situation.
13 Ray of Sickness
Like Firebolt, Ray of Sickness is an excellent spell at early levels. This spell also levels up with you and has the possibility of poisoning enemies if it hits. Poison is a debilitating status, and if you pick the appropriate Draconic bloodline at character creation, you can get this spell for free.
Ray of Sickness can be combined with Metamagic: Twinned Spell and with Metamagic: Extended Spell like Firebolt. Expending some sorcery points will allow you to use this spell in interesting ways.
12 Phantasmal Force
Phantasmal Force is a damage-over-time spell that deals chip damage to enemies over the course of 10 turns. If you're dealing with a high HP enemy and don't have the spell slots and sorcery points to spare, Phantasmal Force is a low-cost way of dealing with these enemies.
As a single-target spell, you can double-cast Phantasmal Force on two enemies in one turn if you have the sorcery points to cast Twinned Spell metamagic. Having a reliable source of damage is going to come in handy no matter what you're facing. However, keep in mind that Phantasmal Force is a concentration spell and cannot be cast alongside another concentration spell.
11 Web
A level 2 Conjuration spell, Web lays down a layer of webbing in a large area that hampers the movement of anyone who steps on it if they fail a DEX save. If your party is lacking in the battlefield control department, the Sorcerer can pick up the slack with Web.
Web covers an incredibly large area and can be used to force enemies to waste multiple turns to wade through it. Low DEX, high STR enemies like Ogres and Minotaurs are particularly susceptible to being slowed to a crawl with Web. And, if you cast it with Metamagic: Careful Spell, your allies will never get stuck in the Web.
10 Magic Missile
Magic Missile is a D&D staple and one of the most recognizable spells in the game. At level 1, casting Magic Missile allows you to throw out three instances of magic missile, each dealing small amounts of damage. The unique thing about this spell is that it never misses. Ever.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, landing a confirmed hit is no easy task. Almost all forms of damage only have a percentage chance of dealing damage, and having the option to put down a high AC enemy who’s at a sliver of health is always great. At higher levels, Magic Missile can be upcast to increase its damage and the number of missiles, keeping the spell’s damage relevant.
9 Hypnotic Pattern
An extremely powerful level 3 illusion spell, Hypnotic Pattern can turn the tide of a fight completely by hypnotizing every character that fails a WIS saving throw when this spell is cast.
Combined with Careful Spell, Hypnotic Pattern only targets your enemies. Think of it as an area of effect Hold Person. When cast at the right moment, Hypnotic Pattern can freeze multiple enemies in place for your martial classes to chop down.
8 Counterspell
As you progress through the game and enter the later acts, you'll start to encounter more and more dedicated spellcasters who like to target your squishy characters every chance they get.
Counterspell is the ultimate no-you button a spellcaster can have at their fingertips whenever they are targeted with a spell. And it can be used as a reaction on the enemy's turn, so you don't need to anticipate if a spell is coming your way; just press the button when the notification pops up.
7 Misty Step
Get Misty Step the first chance you get. The earliest form of teleportation you can get, Misty Step is never not useful. This spell allows you to reposition yourself across the battlefield, provided you can see where you're going.
With Distant Spell Metamagic, this distance is much farther than even other classes, allowing you to move even farther. At the start of fights, use Misty Step to find the highest ground you can find and start slinging spells. Enemies will need to spend multiple turns trying to get to you. And when they do, just Misty Step again.
6 Cloud of Daggers
Cloud of Daggers is a concentration spell you can obtain at early levels in Baldur's Gate 3. When cast, this spell forms a whirlwind of daggers that rotate in a small area you selected. While this spell can't be cast with Twinned Spell, you can use Distant Spell to extend its range farther.
As a Sorcerer, you don't get many area-of-effect spells early, which can leave a hole in your combat strategy if someone else isn't stepping in to fill that role. Cloud of Daggers is an excellent stop-gap solution until you get access to better AoE spells. Much of Act 1 can be trivialized with this spell.
5 Haste
A single-target spell, Haste, can be cast with Metamagic: Twinned Spell. Haste by itself is an excellent spell that gives you a massive advantage early in a combat encounter. When double-cast, you can target two characters at once.
The earliest you can obtain Haste is at level 5. This is also the level when your Fighters and Barbarians get Extra Attack. If cast on these martial classes, Haste makes it so that during the first few turns, these classes essentially have four attacks every turn. A massive boon to have that can turn even the hardest fights into a cakewalk, provided you have some powerful weapons to take advantage of the opportunity.
4 Lightning Bolt
A level 3 evocation spell, Lightning Bolt deals 8d6 lightning damage on cast. Lightning Bolt is more situational than Fireball and requires delicate positioning to deliver the most value per cast, but it’s a great damage option to have on your Sorcerer.
Casting Lightning Bolt creates a blast of lightning that travels in a straight line, hitting anything in its path as it travels. This triggers a DEX save and even if the target succeeds the roll, they still take half damage.
3 Fireball
The quintessential blaster caster spell, Fireball is the strongest Area of Effect spell you're going to have access to for most of your playtime in Baldur's Gate 3. Since the spell can also be cast at higher levels by the Sorcerer, it never falls off damage-wise.
Obtained at level 5, Fireball can be combined with Quickened Spell to be cast twice in one turn. With Haste, you can even squeeze in an extra attack in the same turn. Fireball is a truly devastating damage source that will make your Sorcerer the high DPS character in your party.
2 Ice Storm
Ice Storm is a level 4 evocation spell that creates a hail of icicles that rain down in a circular area of 6 meters. On impact, the entire area of effect is frozen, turning into hazardous terrain where units need to make a DEX save or fall down.
Ice Storm is a great offensive/battlefield control option that can do a lot if used wisely. It is a source of confirmed damage since even enemies who make a save still take half damage, and the icy terrain is quite useful, even at later stages of the game. Just be mindful that the terrain doesn’t discriminate, and your party members might end up paying the price of poor spell placement.
1 Wall Of Fire
One of the best damage spells in the entire game, Wall of Fire implementation in Baldur’s Gate 3 makes it an incredible spell to have in your arsenal. When cast, you’ll be able to customize how the Wall of Fire forms, making the wall as long or as short as you want.
Wall of Fire is a concentration spell, and you’ll need to be mindful not to cast another concentration spell while it's in effect, but if pure damage numbers are your only concern, Wall of Fire offers an impressive blend of lasting damage turn after turn and area denial.