Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive and immersive RPG set in the rich fantasy universe of Dungeons & Dragons. The game was released for PC on Aug. 3 and is spreading like wildfire, proving popular both amongst fans of the beloved tabletop RPG and those who are completely new to the universe.
While the game gets nearly everything just right to make it appealing to both demographics, it certainly could have placed a larger focus on making sure players are aware of exactly what they’re getting themselves into when creating their first character and selecting a class.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has an extremely vast amount of class options, even by RPG standards. Players who are not experienced with Dungeons & Dragons may feel a bit lost in the character creation menu, and even those who know the tabletop game in and out won’t have any way of knowing how the many classes translate from the book to the screen.
You need not fret, however, as selecting a class you’re certain to enjoy isn’t actually anywhere near as daunting as it initially seems.
All Classes in Baldur’s Gate 3
The Barbarian class
“The strong embrace the wild that hides inside—keen instincts, primal physicality, and most of all, an unbridled, unquenchable rage.”
Barbarians are a fantastic option for anyone who wants to get up close and reckless. This class sacrifices defensive capabilities and decision-making in exchange for massive axes and full-on rage mode. Play this class if you want to shoot first and ask questions never.
The Bard class
“You know music is more than a fancy—it is power. Through study and adventure, you have mastered song, speech, and the magic within.”
Bards are an absolutely classic Dungeons & Dragons class and are every bit as fun or boring as the person playing them makes them. They do not excel in combat alone but are able to support allies with a plethora of buffs and mischief. If you are looking greatly forward to dialogue and role-playing in this game, Bard may be the way to go.
The Cleric class
“Clerics are representatives of the gods they worship, wielding potent divine magic for good or ill.”
Clerics are part healers, part warriors, but all zealous. This class offers great role-playing opportunities with regard to staying consistent with the tenants of your chosen deity. Because of the high number of gods and alignments in this universe, Clerics have extremely vast customization options, though several other classes do as well, so religion ought to be the main takeaway here.
The Druid class
“Druids channel the elemental forces of nature and share a deep kinship with animals. Mastery of Wild Shape allows them to transform into beasts from all over the Realms.”
Druids are an amazing option for players who like options. Like Clerics, Druids are greatly customizable and can focus on essentially any style of combat. Rather than receiving their powers from gods, Druids receive them from nature and are a great choice for anyone who wants to play a sagacious and wild character.
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The Fighter class
“Fighters have mastered the art of combat, wielding weapons with unmatched skill and wearing armor like a second skin.”
Do not mistake basic for boring. Though lacking magical powers, Fighters are still extremely fun and satisfying to play—and there is something to be said for that classic adventurer feeling in a game like Baldur’s Gate 3. Fighters have a near-endless supply of abilities to stay in the fray and command the course of a battle.
The Monk class
“Channel your cosmic enlightenment by deftly dodging and efficiently disassembling your foes through stunning strikes and a whirlwind of martial art attacks.”
Monks are unarmed masters of combat, using ki energy to enhance their punches and kicks to superhuman levels. Leap across the battlefield, stun foes with palm strikes, and meditate to prepare for battle. This class is truly unique and a great deal of fun.
The Paladin class
“Fuelled by the Oath you swore to uphold justice and righteousness, you are a beacon of hope in dark times.”
If Clerics are the voice of the gods, Paladins are the hand. Smite foes with divine (or unholy) retribution, and serve your god in a very hands-on way. This class is a religious juggernaut and has some extremely satisfying critical hit potential.
The Ranger class
“Rangers are unrivaled scouts and trackers, honing a deep connection with nature in order to hunt their favored prey.”
Rangers are the resident archer class of Baldur’s Gate 3, though they do have some melee options as well (although they don’t do melee as well as many other classes). This class really speaks for itself- you know if you want to be an archer.
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The Rogue class
“With stealth, skill, and uncanny reflexes, rogues’ versatility lets them get the upper hand in almost any situation.”
There is a reason Rogues exist in almost every single fantasy game or world—they’re just so extremely fun. Sneak around, pick pockets, lie, cheat, steal, and backstab… what’s not to love? In addition to the strong personality and damage potential of this class, they have great practical use as well given their ability to pick locks and avoid traps.
The Sorcerer class
“Sorcerers are natural spellcasters, drawing on inherent magic from a gift or bloodline.”
Sorcerers are the savant of the magic users—pure talent, no studying. Several features make this class very unique and fun to play, such as sometimes being unable to control their magic. If wild, upright hair and wide eyes were a class, this would be it.
The Warlock class
“Bound by a pact to an all-powerful patron, warlocks trade their loyalty for supernatural abilities and unique magic.”
Warlocks are the most up-close and personal of the spell-casters, with certain class specializations even allowing them to enhance blades with dark magic. A Warlock’s power comes from nefarious places, but whether or not your particular warlock is good or evil is solely up to you. This allows this class to potential for great fun in customization.
The Wizard class
“Wizards master the arcane by specializing in individual schools of magic, combining ancient spells with modern research.”
Where Sorcerers are the savants, Wizards are the nerds. Bury your nose in the books in order to develop the strongest command of the arcane of any class. Warp time and space, master the elements, or dominate the minds of your foes. If it’s magic, it’s in a wizard’s spell-book.
What class is the most fun in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Now that you know a little bit about the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, the rest is a piece of cake. Ask 10 different people what the most fun class to play is, and you may well get 10 different answers. Don’t let that discourage you, though, as it only actually matters what class you think is most fun.
Every class in the game is completely viable for both combat and adventuring, and the party system ensures that NPCs or friends can easily fill any class-specific voids and keep things rounded out. Thus, you need not worry about the strength of a class, but rather simply the style, or flavor, as we call it in the industry.
In this case, style does not simply mean gameplay. Having the most possible fun with your class isn’t simply a matter of melee versus ranged or spell-caster versus thief (though these are great questions to ask yourself to get the ball rolling). Half of the fun in Baldur’s Gate 3, just like in its source material, is in deciding what sort of person you want your character to be.
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Are they good or evil? Cunning or headstrong? Loyal, or a lone wolf? Begin by asking yourself these questions, and then start attributing these traits to the different classes to see which excites you most. What does an evil wizard look like? Could a loyal rogue still make a living? These personality choices will give you a guideline through the countless opportunities to express individuality in the game’s dialogue options and many decisions to be made and ensure that your character feels truly unique and special—in other words, fun.
Prioritizing flavor over mechanics when choosing your class is certain to make for a better game-play experience. When selecting a class in Baldur’s Gate 3, you are not simply selecting a set of abilities- you are selecting a story. Ask yourself, “Who do I want this story to be about?” The fun will naturally follow.
