Baldur's Gate 3 gives players twelve classes to choose from when creating their character. Picking your class is possibly the most important decision you can make when creating your character, as it determines the play style for your character.
Each class varies greatly, ranging from tanky fighters to squishy spell casters. You'll find companions to cover each role in a party, giving the player freedom to pick any class and build to perfect the party. Each class also has multiple sub-classes to pick from, letting you further customize your character. Here's a breakdown of each class so you know which is right for you.
Fighter
The Fighter is a melee-oriented class, wearing strong armor with high health helping them stay alive in even the worst of fighting. A fighter comes proficient in a weapon type of your choosing and excels at using just about any melee weapon. With proficiencies in all types of armor, you're given a lot of room to make the ideal Fighter.
The Fighter's unique feature is Action Surge, learned at level 2, and Second Wind learned at level 1. Second Wind is a bonus action that heals you a small amount to begin with, with more being healed with additional levels. Action Surge gives players an additional action that turn, letting them attack twice in a single turn. In later levels, when you can attack multiple times with one action, Action Surge will see you doubling those attacks in a single turn.
Wizard
The Wizard is one of the many spell-casting classes players can choose from. While there are many early-game spells that each class can use, each class will have many unique spells unlocked with higher levels. A Wizard uses magic by studying a school of magic they perfect throughout their life.
Following the lore, the Wizard class will pick which school of magic they will follow at level 2. The school of magic selected will determine many of the future spells they can learn while also giving different bonuses and feats. Wizards tend to have low Hit Points and often need to fight from the back line, but can deal an incredible amount of destruction with higher-level spells.
Warlock
The Warlock is another spell-casting class, this time earning their power from a pact with their Patron. Patrons are powerful entities who tend to lean towards the evil side of the moral compass. Warlocks can only use their incredible power as long as they are in favor of their Patron and their wills, occasionally leading to difficult choices.
As Warlock's power comes from a less-than-good place, their magic will often be more evil in nature, with Necromancy being a common tool in their arsenal. The Warlock has some more unique spells than the other spell-casting classes but suffers from the same issues, such as a lack of total Hit Points, having them usually fighting in the back line. Warlocks are able to recover spell slots in Short Rests, giving them an advantage over other spell casters.
Sorcerer
Sorcerers are born spell-casters without the need to study schools or rely on Patrons to master their craft. A lot of a Sorcerer's spells have them altering the natural energy around them, calling on a gift or powerful bloodline that gives them the power they wield.
Right away, you're able to decide the subclass of a Sorcerer, deciding where your power comes from. Sorcerers also suffer from a lack of Hit Points or useful armor but excel in damage dealing from a distance. Sorcerers have the unique bonus of Sorcery Points, which can be used to change the effect of a spell or refill a used spell slot.
Ranger
Rangers are the hunters from the wilds, being masters of nature and the animals within. As Rangers hunt many targets throughout the world, they can determine their favorite enemy, which gives them additional bonuses when fighting that enemy type.
Rangers usually excel in ranged combat but can take a bit more of a beating than squishy spell casters. They have a good range of spells at their disposal but are often more utility or supportive than damage dealing. Rangers also have a subclass that allows them to have a beast companion for those wanting to fight alongside a bear or spider.
Rogue
The Rouge is a sneaky character who prefers to fight from the shadows than engage head-on. This class focuses on staying in stealth to deal sneak attack damage for much higher amounts than their regular attacks. This class is often seen as a "glass cannon," focusing on dealing high amounts of damage and avoiding incoming attacks.
The Rouge gets access to Cunning Actions, which are bonus actions that can either allow them to disengage from combat without the enemy attacking or doubling their movement speed for a turn. The Rouge also has the subclass Arcane Trickster for those looking to add a few spells to this class' arsenal.
Paladin
The Paladin is a tanky holy warrior, fighting the forces of darkness head-on with the light of their god imbued in their weapon. The Paladin excels in melee combat, often wielding heavy weapons and armor with a large pool of hit points to keep them in the fight.
Paladins make an Oath that determines their power and bonuses earned as they level up. They also have many holy spells at their disposal, often buffing their melee attacks or giving small amounts of healing when needed. The Paladin's biggest feature is Divine Smite, which greatly increases damage done with their melee attacks.
Monk
The Monk is a focused master of the martial arts. Monks are able to perform attacks and abilities that rival the effects of some spells or other elemental abilities, while other times resorting to a flurry of punches to knock their enemies out.
This class is very melee-oriented, with a decent hit-point pool to make up for their lack of useful armor. Monks are able to use their Ki to channel powerful attacks that can stun or negatively affect their enemies, increasing their usefulness beyond that of a simple damage dealer.
Cleric
Clerics are holy spell casters that have a wide range of spells for both healing and killing. Clerics wield decent armor, shields, and a good amount of hit points that make them a useful part of a team, no matter what role in a party they play.
Clerics choose which Domain they wish to follow, determining the spells they will learn throughout the game. Some domains focus more on attack spells, while others learn incredibly powerful healing magic. Thanks to their versatility and wide pool of spells learned across each Domain, Clerics are powerful no matter how they are built.
Druid
Druids are spell casters with a tight connection with nature and a wide array of spells to support this connection. Druid's magic is nature-based, furthering their connection and calling upon the world around them to fight their enemies.
At level 2, Druids can pick which Circle they wish to be a part of, which will alter some of the spells learned throughout the game. They will also gain access to Wild Shape, which allows them to temporarily transform into a beast to use their abilities in combat.
Bard
A Bard is a jack of all trades, able to do a little bit of every role in a party, all while inspiring their allies. Bards have a wide pool of spells at their disposal, ranging from utility, healing, and even destructive. A Bard's most unique bonus is their bardic inspiration, which can give a bonus dice roll to allies when making various rolls.
Bards can increase their proficiency in different skills, giving them incredible bonuses that help them pass checks even when at a disadvantage. Bards are able to pick their musical instrument at the beginning of the game and can entertain crowds of people with their music.
Barbarian
The Barbarian is the epitome of "just hit things really hard." Barbarians are able to wield heavy weapons and deal devastating amounts of damage with their attacks. Barbarians have a wide hit-point pool and will always be at the forefront of any battle, even without bulky armor.
Barbarians may not have a ton of options in battle, but their Rage makes them excel in melee. While raging, Barbarians deal extra damage and have resistance to some forms of incoming damage. Of the different options of subclasses available to Barbarians, each focuses on dealing damage, with the occasional negative effects to defense to further focus on killing your enemies even quicker.