Discover the best Barbarian weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3, equipping your class with the top eight early and end-game choices.
Baldur’s Gate is full of powerful weapons and different weapon types. A critical aspect of playing a Barbarian is the selection of weapons, a choice that can greatly influence their effectiveness on the battlefield. Whether they wield massive two-handed weapons or embrace a more agile and versatile fighting style, Barbarians have a range of weapon choices with proficiency in both simple and martial weapons. This guide and ranking explains and lists the best weapons in BG3 and how to utilize them.
What is the Best Weapon for Barbarian Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
Balduran’s Giantslayer is the best weapon for a Barbarian because it doubles your strength modifier, comes with an extra weapon action, and enhances damage against larger enemies. Balduran’s Giantslayer is a +3 greatsword, which means it deals a lot of damage on a hit. This weapon is designed for the largest monsters in the game, and you can even enlarge yourself with Giant form. In later Acts, you can use Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength to increase your strength to 27 and deliver insane amounts of damage to any enemy in BG3.
Best Weapons for Barbarian Class in BG3 overview:
- Balduran’s Giantslayer
- Silver Sword of the Astral Plane
- Sword of Chaos
- Corpsegrinder
- Adamantine Longsword
- Soulbreaker
- Sword of Justice
- Everburn Blade
8 Everburn Blade
Everburn Blade features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6 Slashing + 1D4 Fire
- Type: Two-Handed Greatsword
- Requirements: Greatsword Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Location: Commander Zhalk on Nautiloid, Prologue
The Everburn Blade is first on our list as an Act 1 weapon with high damage. This uncommon Greatsword can be obtained in the Proluge and carry your damage throughout most of Act 1 due to its extra 1d4 fire damage. Greatswords also come with Cleave weapon action, which is area-based damage, making them a great choice for Barbarians.
Greatsword also has Lacerate, a useful bleed weapon action, and Pommel Strike, a bonus action weapon action. The Everburn Blade immediately gives you a powerful high damage dealing two-handed Greatsword, which you can upgrade as you progress throughout Baldur’s Gate 3 with your Barbarian.
7 Sword of Justice
Sword of Justice features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6 + 1 Slashing
- Type: Two-Handed Greatsword
- Requirements: Greatsword Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Uncommon
- Location: Looted from Anders in the Risen Road Toll House (X: 110 Y: 560)
Early in Act 1 as you adventure towards the companion Karlach, you can obtain the Sword of Justice. This will require you to fight Anders, and it’s well worth it for a more defensive-oriented Greatsword. This sword does 2D6 + 1, which has slightly less damage potential than the Everburn Blade but comes with a Shield of Faith spell.
The Shield of Faith spell or Tyr’s Protection gives someone a +2 to Armour Class which decreases the likelihood of being hit. The spell is free, regained on short rest and lost until long rest, and acts as a powerful early-game defensive spell. Even without spell-casting ability, this helps your survivability especially early if playing on tactician difficulty.
6 Soulbreaker
Soulbreaker features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 1D6 Piercing and 1D4 conditional
- Type: Two-Handed Greatsword
- Requirements: Greatsword Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Dropped by Kith’rak Therezzyn in the Creche Y’llek
Late into Act 1, you can obtain the Soulbreaker Githyanki-focused Greatsword. This weapon does 1D6 piercing damage and an additional 1D4 if you are a Githyanki. While the damage isn’t impressive, the Seldom Caught Unaware bonus gives you +2 initiative rolls. Combine this with the Barbarian’s high Dexterity and Feral Instinct Bonus at level 7 with another +3 initiative and you cannot be Surprised, you are likely to go first or second nearly every round.
The Soulbreaker also solves another issue with the Barbarian and that’s lack of crowd control. The Soulbreaker skill gives you a once per short rest additional 4 Psychic damage and the possibility of stunning a target. The 4 extra damage isn’t conditional and can be used as an opening attack on a high-damage-dealing target. If you fail at the stun, you can use Enraged Throw with a bonus action on the Berserker subclass, and get a second chance to crowd control with prone. Getting additional crowd control and increased initiative makes this a must-have Greatsword for the Barbarian.
Also Check:- BG3 Interactive Map
5 Adamantine Longsword
Adamantine Longsword features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 1D10 + 1 Slashing
- Type: Longsword
- Requirements: Melee Martial Weapons Proficiency or Class
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Crafted in the Grymforge with Longsword Mould and Minthral Ore.
Up next is a powerful Act 1 rare Longsword the Adamantine Longsword. The weapon does 1D10 + 1 Slashing and is craftable. The nice thing about this weapon is it’s a Versatile weapon, meaning you can use it one-handed or two, and the damage adjusts. For this guide, we assume you are using it as a Two-Handed weapon, but you’ve got options.
Additionally, you gain Lethal Weapon, which ignores Resistance to Slashing. This helps keep the damage consistently high. Another reason this weapon is a great choice before leaving Act 1 is it’s not quest or kill-dependent. A lot of the weapons previously listed require you to kill an NPC or at least steal from them. With this weapon, you can get a strong, versatile Longsword without a derailment to your story.
4 Corpsegrinder
Corpsegrinder features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6 Bludgeoning + 1D4 Thunder
- Type: Maul
- Requirements: Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Rare
- Location: Rivington Northwest map looted from Lord Agents. (X-210, Y:99)
The Corpsegrinder is up next, and an Act 3 rare Maul. This is a +2 Maul with high base damage and four weapon actions. The Grand Slam weapon action gives you a 3-meter radius area-based damage ability and knockback. This hits extremely hard and fills the need for AOE damage when you need it.
This Maul also has a tenacity reaction, so if you miss, you can still do bludgeoning damage equal to your strength modifier. Backbreaker and Concussive Smash give you some crowd-control options as well. The Corpsegrinder is an easy Act 3 pickup that does consistent damage and has great utility.
3 Sword of Chaos
Sword of Chaos features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6 + 2 Slashing and 1D4 Necrotic
- Type: Greatsword
- Requirements: Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Very Rare
- Location: Looted from Sarevok during Chapter Three.
Sword of Chaos is a great addition to your Barbarian arsenal with a +2 Greatsword that can heal you for damage. The weapon does a base of 2D6 + 2 slashing damage with an extra 1D4 Necrotic damage. The special perk, Chaos gives you 1-6 health points on health. As stated before, the Barbarian can have many attacks in one turn. If each land, including great weapon master proc, you are looking at substantial passive healing from being offensive.
The optimal way to use this sword with a Barbarian build is to have a high health pool and multiple attacks. If you multi-class this build with Action Surge from the Fighter build, you can get an additional action per turn. In one action, you can attack twice with an extra attack, pop action surge for another two, and one more with a great weapon master. If everything lands, that’s 5-30 healing per turn! This is a must-have Act 3 weapon for total offensive Barbarians.
2 Silver Sword of the Astral Plane
Silver Sword of the Astral Plane features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6 + 3 Slashing
- Type: Greatsword
- Requirements: Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Legendary
- Location: Act 1 and Act 3.
The Silver Sword of the Astral Plane is a Legendary +3 Greatsword that is made for the Githyanki race. However, this is still a strong choice, considering how early in the game you can obtain this. The cheese strategy is to use Command (drop) or Disarming Attack to force drop this weapon during the Githyanki cutscene in Act 1. If you “save scum” enough times, you will get Kith’rak Voss to drop this weapon and obtain it very early. If not, you can still obtain this in Act 3 as a powerful Legendary Greatsword.
This weapon also has Cleave and Soulbreaker, like the Soulbreaker weapon mentioned previously. The Silver Sword of the Astral Plane damage is high with 2D6 + 3, and if you’re a Githyanki or respect Lae’zel to a Barbarian, this weapon is a must-have. If you love cheese strategies in Act 1, this is your weapon and a useful pickup later in the game.
1 Balduran’s Giantslayer
Balduran’s Giantslayer features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Damage: 2D6+3, Slashing
- Type: Greatsword
- Requirements: Martial Weapon Proficiency
- Rarity: Legendary
- Location: Ansur in Dragon’s Sanctum, First solve Puzzle in The Wyrmway passage, Act 3
The best weapon in the entirety of Baldur’s Gate 3 for the Barbarian class is the Balduran’s Giantslayer. This weapon gives you double strength modifier damage, comes equipped with a +2 weapon, and allows you to use a special ability. Barbarian’s main ability score is Strength, and by level 8, with two ability improvements, you can reach 20 strength. You can further increase this to 27 with Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength, which will deal unbelievable damage.
Additionally, by acquiring the Great Weapon Master feat, you gain the ability to trigger an extra bonus action attack upon scoring a critical hit or defeating an opponent. Barbarians can make great use of this additional bonus action attack and unlock an extra attack at level 5. This gives you the possibility for 3 attacks within one turn, all of which hit very hard.
The Giant Form special ability allows you to grow in size, and your weapons deal an additional 1d6 damage, and you gain 27 Temporary Hit Points and Advantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws. Combine the giant form with the increased strength potion, and you are a walking juggernaut in BG3. And if you go up against a massive-sized monster, you get an advantage against them via Giant Slayer. Balduran’s Giantslayer is your priority weapon in Act 3 and the best in Baldur’s Gate 3 for the Barbarian.
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