Beginner Friendly Classes In Baldur’s Gate 3

Key Takeaways

• Bards offer a mix of magic and melee, making them ideal for players who enjoy versatility.
• Druids provide a balance of melee and magic, allowing players to shape-shift and engage in combat.
• Monks are great for beginners due to their focus on melee combat and unique abilities using Ki points.

Baldur’s Gate 3 was in early access for quite some time, allowing players to experience many of the classes Larian Studios had available before the full game was released. Now that the full version of Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) is available to play, some may be wondering what the easiest classes are to learn from the twelve available.

Each class serves a role, with some being easier to understand than others. It’s also important to keep in mind that players can even multiclass if they wish to spice things up in the future. No matter if the player wants to be a spellcaster or focus purely on melee, these are by far the most beginner-friendly classes in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Updated on October 22, 2024, by Megan Smith: Mods have finally been introduced to not only the PC version of Baldur’s Gate 3, but also the console version too. With access to mods, many players may be encouraged to finally get their hands on the RPG that won Game of the Year in 2023. While mods may be available that introduce new classes and subclasses, it is a better idea for a beginner of BG3 to first play the base game classes of the title. With an assortment of spellcasters and melee characters, the best class for beginners in BG3 can be found in this article, as well as what subclass is likely to suit them too.

10 Bard

A Brilliant Support Spellcaster

• College of Lore has access to an assortment of spells.
• College of Valour improves the Bard for combat situations.
• College of Swords makes the Bard better at melee combat.

Bards are a brilliant mix of magic and melee for players who are hoping to try out the best of both worlds. They are also incredible talkers, and therefore, a player who wishes to be a whiz at almost every dialogue option they choose should definitely select Bard as their main class.

When selecting a subclass for the Bard, it may become a little daunting, especially as the three subclasses may at first seem quite similar. For beginners, players should consider choosing the College of Lore at level four. Although players may find the extra spells given to them by Magical Secrets to be a lot, this allows gamers to try out a variety of classes through the magic available from the Cleric’s Spiritual Weapon or a Warlock’s Hunger of Hadar, where they might find their favorite. Bards can also keep their distance during battles, making them a safe bet for those hoping to rely primarily on ranged attacks.

9 Druid

Powerful Spellcasters & Shapeshifters

• Circle of the Moon Druids do a lot more shapeshifting.
• Circle of the Land focuses heavily on spells.
• Circle of the Spores does something different with the Druid class.

Druid was the last class to be added to early access before the full release of Baldur’s Gate 3. This gave players a chance to experiment with the powers given to them by nature before the full release of the title. With a mix of melee and magic in the class, there is plenty of versatility on offer when playing as a Druid, from hitting with a staff to calling upon the heavens to attack foes with a Ice Storm.

Although the majority of the Druids’ play style usually sees them slinging spells, beginners may wish to focus on melee combat, and Circle of the Moon allows exactly that. Circle of the Moon relies heavily on the Wild Shape action, which gives the player an assortment of animals and elementals to play as. This, therefore, allows a player to avoid using so many spells and instead stand on the frontlines as a bear or even a dinosaur.

8 Monk

Agile Heavy Hitters

• Way of the Open Hand focuses purely on melee combat.
• Way of Shadow creates a stealth monk class.
• Monks that take Way of the Four Elements can do abilities that are like spells.

Monks are a class from Dungeons and Dragons that many players felt didn’t have much power to them in the tabletop RPG. Thankfully, Larian has taken these concerns and turned the Monk into an incredible class that many beginners of Baldur’s Gate 3 will fall in love with.

As a predominantly melee-based class, instead of spell slots, players can use Ki points to activate certain abilities that can only be used by that class. Newcomers to BG3 should focus on the subclass of Way of the Open Hand, as the Ki points continue to focus on melee battle instead of mimicking things that look like spells.

7 Rogue

Sneaky Heavy Hitters

• Thief is basic but can do more bonus actions.
• Arcane Trickster gives more magic potential.
• Assassin is perfect for those who want more critical hits.

As the sneakiest class in the game, it is no surprise to see how extremely overpowered it can be to become a rogue. Being able to simply disengage from combat at any point makes the rogue a tempting choice for any player. They also don’t have any spells, which adds another element of simplicity to the class. That is unless a player wishes to choose the subclass of Arcane Trickster, which adds a magical element to rogue combat, allowing beginners to have their hands on even more Magic Missile.

Players who want to do more than just blindly run into battle will enjoy the solo nature of a rogue as they scout ahead of the team to capture the element of surprise before starting the proper fight. BG3 can be a simple experience for players who are only just starting their adventure by choosing the Thief Subclass. This simply adds a second bonus action for the Rogue to use, allowing them to possibly attack three times during their turn if they have a weapon in their off-hand.

6 Warlock

Great Up-Close & From Afar

• The Fiend is perfect for beginners with its healing potential.
• The Great Old One works well for a melee Warlock.
• Archfey Warlocks are great at controlling.

Warlock has been seen as one of the most favored classes available to players in not only the early access of the title but also the full version of Baldur’s Gate 3. It is arguably more complex than many of the other classes in the game, though a persistent beginner of the RPG is sure to have some enjoyment with the class, especially when they can freely Eldritch Blast opponents.

Warlock is another class that can offer a brilliant mix of melee and magic if players take the Pact of the Blade. As for subclasses, choosing The Fiend is a vital pick for any Warlock, as Dark One’s Blessing allows the Warlock to gain extra hit points for every creature they kill.

5 Paladin

A Cleric But Even Stronger

• Oath of Devotion Paladins make great protectors.
• The Oath of the Ancients is like a stronger Druid.
• Oath of Vengeance Paladins do a lot more damage.
• Oathbreaker Paladins have a lot of potential with necrotic spells.

Players who would rather protect their party from the onslaught of hits from enemies instead of supporting them from behind should look no further than the class of Paladin. This class is brilliant for those who wish to play the typical knight-like character who only wishes to do good in the world. Besides their alignment, Paladins have an incredible constitution and defense that will keep the player standing even during the most difficult of battles.

They also have a chance to gather a couple of holy spells, such as Bless, though this is nowhere near as many as any actual spellcaster, which leaves the player to focus on other things. However, it should be noted that spells like Searing Smite will make the Paladin hit harder. Unlike other classes, the Paladin subclass has the chance of being broken if one doesn’t keep up with the beliefs of their oath. Players who wish to avoid this should go for the Oath of Vengeance, as it’s nearly impossible to break while also being great for dealing damage.

4 Cleric

A Deadly Healer Or Defender

• Life Domain Clerics heal more hit points.
• Light Domain Clerics have the chance to dodge attacks.
• Trickery Domain improve their stealth.
• Knowledge Domain are great outside of combat.
• Nature Domain Clerics can access Druid spells.
• The Tempest Domain does more damage through thunder and lightning.
• War Domain Clerics are great for melee combat.

Cleric is by far one of the easiest spellcasters for the player to learn. While it’s understandable that some players may wish to avoid using magic, gamers will still have a cleric available to them from the beginning, though becoming one themselves also has its benefits. Clerics have the capability of either fending for themselves with many domains, allowing them to wear heavy armor, or they can keep to the back lines as they allow other companions to take the damage for them.

With a mix of melee skills and spells, Clerics may not be doing the most damage, but they can certainly defend themselves and others with Sanctuary if needed. A beginner may wish to choose the Life Domain subclass due to the Cleric automatically having spells like Cure Wounds available, while also allowing the player to use a group heal as their channel divinity, which can boost the hit points of those that surround them for two turns.

3 Ranger

Perfect Ranged Forces

• Beast Master gets an animal friend for help.
• Hunter is a purely Ranger-focused subclass.
• Stealth Archer players will love Gloom Stalker.

In the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons, which Baldur’s Gate 3 heavily takes inspiration from, Ranger wasn’t favored by many players. However, Larian Studios has taken it upon themselves to turn this forgotten class into something far more entertaining. Ranged combat can be crucial to surviving in Baldur’s Gate 3, as many of the foes the players face will hit hard, and therefore, it’s safer to deal with them from a distance. The magic of Ranger tends to also help them keep this distance, like Enhance Leap, which will allow the player to gain higher ground.

Having extra companions is great for any player’s first time experiencing BG3. The Beast Master subclass is therefore the best for players to choose if they decide to be a Ranger. This is because they are able to summon an animal companion that will level up alongside them and aid them in battle. It should be noted that, although the class is called Ranger, players don’t only need to use bows when playing this class, as they are proficient in plenty of other simple and martial weapons. Those who still wish to be in the heart of battle can still do this as a Ranger, with Minsc being a great example as he’s introduced swinging a sword.

2 Barbarian

The Perfect Tank

• Wildheart Barbarians have animalistic perks.
• Berserker Barbarians are basic but brutal.
• Wild Magic can become dangerous when out of control.

Another great melee predominant class must be the Barbarian. These are the go-to tanks of Dungeons and Dragons, and they continue to be this way in Baldur’s Gate 3. If players don’t wish to recruit Karlach to be their Barbarian, they can instead take on this role or possibly choose to have two barbarians in their party at all times for the added chaos it can cause for enemies.

Fueled by their rage, players can use their anger in different ways to better themselves on the battlefield. As a Barbarian, the player will also always be at the center of the battle, protecting those around them. Simple subclasses like Wildheart are effective and easy to learn, as they simply allow the player to add a couple of different features to their Rage that are connected to animals.

1 Fighter

A Simple Tank & Damage Dealer

• Battle Master are a great way to hinder opponents.
• Eldritch Knight introduces spells to a predominant melee class.
• Passive improvements are many for the Champion subclass.

For players who are new to BG3 and want the most simplistic and easiest class to learn, they should look no further than the typical CRPG class known as the Fighter class. This is a predominant melee class that can wear an assortment of armor as well as use a versatile amount of weaponry, too. This allows a player to experiment with their build however they wish, though those that wish to be daring may go for Eldritch Knight to introduce basic spells like Thunderwave to their roster.

Like the Barbarian, this class is also the center of battle, which means a player will always feel as if they play an active role in dealing with enemies. With a subclass like Battle Master, players won’t only be attacking more than once a turn, but also have a variety of actions they can use, like disarming strike to remove the weapon from an opponent’s hand. This requires superiority dice to be spent, which may be a new mechanic only used by Fighters but is easy to understand.