Discover the most overpowered Bard spells that you should be using in Baldur’s Gate 3, damage, healing, crowd control, and summons!
The Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a versatile spellcaster who excels in both support and control, weaving magic and music to turn the tide of battle. Bards excel at crowd control, healing, buffing, and social skills. The Bard class isn’t typically viewed as a damage-dealing spellcaster, because of the availability of spells. However, the three subclasses can access additional non-Bard spells making the choices at each level complex. In this guide, we explain the most overpowered Bard spells and how to use them in Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are the Best Spells for the Bard Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
Hold Monster, Mass Cure Wounds and Confusion are the best spells for the Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3. Hold Monster is a powerful single-target crowd control spell that can stun the toughest bosses in BG3 like Raphael. Mass Cure Wounds is the most powerful area-based healing, healing up to 6 allies. Confusion makes a great area-based stun that can influence multiple enemies in a radius. With Bards focused on healing, buffs, and stuns, we will explain the most overpowered spells for the class, and how to use them!
Below are the most overpowered spells for the Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Hold Monster: Best crowd-control spell
- Mass Cure Wounds: Strongest healing spell
- Confusion: Crowd control multiple targets
- Freedom of Movement: Prevents movement impairment
- Stinking Cloud: Stops actions in the area
- Glyph of Warding: Elemental area damage
- Invisibility: Stealth
- Enhanced Ability: Buffs skill checks
- Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: Early game stun
- Long Strider: Increases movement
In addition to Bard spells, each Bard gains access to a full range of spells with Magical Secret at level 10. The College of Lore subclass gains an additional set of two spells at level 6. Thus, the Bard can have more firepower or specific focus than just healing and buffs. Below are the most overpowered non-Bard spells obtained via Magical Secret:
- Conjure Elemental: Give powerful summon
- Fireball: Best area damage spell
- Counterspell: Stop enemy caster
- Haste: Doubles actions per turn
10 Longstrider
Longstrider features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Increase a creature’s Movement Speed by 3 meters.
- School: Transmutation
- Cost: Action + Level 1 Spell Ritual
- Range: melee 1.5 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: no
When it comes to adding movement to sluggish characters, Longstrider is a powerful tool at your disposal. This ritual spell increases movement speed by 3 meters per turn and lasts until a long rest. Since it’s a ritual spell, it does not require a level 1 spell slot. Moreover, this spell doesn’t require concentration. Without the need for concentration, or spell slots for usage, you can cast this on every party member until a long rest!
The best usage of Longstrider is combined with a truly overpowered race, the Duergar Dwarf. Duergar gains invisibility spells, enlarge, saving throws against charms, and superior darkvision. However, it’s plagued by a lethargic 7.5-meter movement speed when the majority of BG3 races come with 9 meters. Combine Longstrider with the Duergar for an overpowered build, especially useful when playing on the highest difficulty, honour mode.
9 Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Send a targeted creature into a fit of laughter, falling Prone.
- School: Enchantment
- Cost: Action + Level 1 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: no
Early in Baldur’s Gate 3, controlling enemies with stuns or the prone status effect can be helpful. Tasha’s Hideous Laughter makes a great early-game stun that can knock a single target enemy prone, and continue to hold it there for up to 10 turns. Moreover, the range of 18 meters makes this a powerful range spell for disrupting the opposing team, especially their highest damage dealer.
The Bard in particular is armed with many crowd controls and stun abilities. The downside of them is, that they oftentimes require concentration. If you’re unfamiliar, concentration is required and can only be obtained on one active spell. Thus, you must make important decisions on what spells to choose, and what to maintain during combat. The fact that Tasha’s Hideous Laughter has wide-scale application and isn’t limited to a specific monster type makes it overpowered and useful throughout your entire campaign in Baldur’s Gate 3.
8 Enhanced Ability
Enhance Ability features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Ally gains an Advantage on Ability Checks with a chosen Ability.
- School: Transmutation
- Cost: Action + Level 2 Spell Slot
- Range: melee 1.5 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: When cast at 3rd level or higher, you can target an additional creature for each Spell Slot Level above 2nd.
The Bard is known for ability and skill enhancement spells and effects. Enhanced Ability is a powerful level 2 spell that gives you an advantage on any ability check. You can use it passively during dialogue and cast it giving you two d20 dice rolls, rather than one, selecting the highest.
The most helpful part of Enhanced Ability is that you can combine it with other increases like Bardic Inspiration or Guidance. This is particularly useful during Act 3 Mirror of Loss permanent bonus. You can earn a +2 ability score permanently, though you need to pass a 25 DC and 20 DC consecutively. And if you don’t believe in save scuming, or play on honour mode, you will only have one time to get the overpowered bonus from Shadowheart’s sidequest. Thus, we recommend every Bard to select and use Enhanced Ability spell in BG3.
7 Invisibility
Invisibility features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Touch a creature to turn it Invisible.
- School: Illusion
- Cost: Action + Level 2 Spell Slot
- Range: melee 1.5 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: Affects an additional target for each Spell Slot Level above 2nd.
While invisibility sounds like an overpowered spell, the trick to using it is triggering the surprise status effect. Unlike stealth or sneaking, you can move into detectable areas shown as red visually. Then, you can attack your primary target and possibly trigger a surprise. This gives you one free round of damage and likely makes every encounter easier.
The way to use an invisibility spell is first to go into turn base mode on the bottom right of your User Interface. Cast the spell on your highest damage dealer, then have them use oils, elixir, or both with their bonus action(s). Then, have them move close to the target and hold their position behind them. Hit end turn to refresh bonus actions and or actions, and attack! This will do massive damage from invisibility and give you a free round of damage if a surprise is triggered. Now that’s overpowered!
6 Glyph of Warding
Glyph of Warding features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Inscribe a circle of arcane glyphs on the ground, when stepped on by an enemy the selected magical effect will trigger.
- School: Abjuration
- Cost: Action + Level 3 Spell Slot
- Range: 9-meter range, radius of 4 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: Casting this spell at a higher level deals extra damage.
The Bard finally gets a powerful area-based damage spell at level 6 called Glyph of Warding. What makes Glyph of Warding overpowered and unique is the ability to select the elemental type. This is helpful when facing enemies that are resistant to specific elements. You can check each enemy before combat or during by selecting them and clicking examine. This will give you a UI popup and symbols explaining weaknesses and resistances.
Additionally, you can use the Glyph of Warding to stun targets or put them to sleep. Lastly, the Glyph of Warding can be “upcast.” Meaning, that you can use a higher-level spell and do extra damage. Therefore, even though it’s a lower-level spell, casting it as a level 5 spell adds more damage and versatility to your Bard build.
5 Stinking Cloud
Stinking Cloud features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Create a cloud of gas so nauseating it prevents creatures from taking action.
- School: Conjuration
- Cost: Action + Level 3 Spell Slot
- Range: 9-meter range, radius of 6 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: No
The best spell for shutting down an area is Stinking Cloud, which eliminates actions while inside the gas. Stinking Cloud is a level 3 conjuration spell, that places a massive 6-meter cloud removing actions from enemies and friendlies alike.
The best method for using Stinking Cloud is during massive fights with many enemies. Funnel the enemies into a small choke point which they have to travel through. Then, use another character to cast a separate area-based ability that snares or slows movement down like the Ranger’s spiked growth. Now, the enemies are taking damage, and cannot use actions while you stick back at range and wipe them out!
4 Freedom of Movement
Freedom of Movement features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Snap an ally out of any Stun. Difficult Terrain can’t slow them down, and they can’t be magically Paralyzed or Restrained.
- School: Abjuration
- Cost: Action + Level 4 Spell Slot
- Range: melee 1.5 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: No
Similar to Longstrider, Freedom of Movement allows you to apply a buff to yourself and all of your allies until a long rest. Freedom of Movement does not require concentration and prevents characters from being slowed down, restrained, or paralyzed. The Bard can combine Freedom of Movement with Longstrider on all of your party for an overpowered movement advantage in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Thus, you need to get in the habit of ritually casting these buff spells on your party after a long rest. Be cautious of casting Freedom of Movement on all your parties as this will cost you a level 4 spell slot per character and is not a ritual spell. Moreover, you want to save one level 4 spell slot because this can remove a stun from an ally giving it a dual purpose.
3 Confusion
Confusion features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Befuddle a group of creatures, causing them to attack randomly, wander around aimlessly, and occasionally skip turns in the stupor.
- School: Enchantment
- Cost: Action + Level 4 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters, radius of 6 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: Affects a larger area at higher levels.
When it comes to massive multi-enemy crowd control spells, nothing beats Confusion for the Bard class. Confusion places a 6-meter radius field of confusion which can set enemies off randomly taking actions. This can include attacking each other, you, or doing odd sorts of behavior.
You can combine Confusion with invisibility by sneaking near a stacked group and casting from stealth. Depending on saving throws, you can stun a large number of enemies through their team into chaos and likely single-handedly winning you a battle.
2 Mass Cure Wounds
Mass Cure Wounds features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Healing 3d8 + Spellcasting modifier hit points.
- School: Evocation
- Cost: Action + Level 5 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: Casting this spell at a higher level heals an extra 1d8 hit points for each Spell Slot Level above 5th.
The best overall healing spell for the Bard is Mass Cure Wounds. The strength of the spell is the number of allies it can heal, up to 6. This includes summons, pets, or permanent bonuses like Scratch and Us. Your spellcasting modifier determines the strength of the spell and healing giving. Moreover, the range of 18 meters makes it applicable in a wide range giving you mobility and freedom.
The best combination is using Mass Healing Word with an item set like Whispering Promise Ring or Reviving Hands. Act 1 Whispering Promise rings buff all allies with Blessed or +1d4 bonus to Attack rolls and Saving throws for 2 turns. While Act 3’s Reviving Hands grants all healed allies with Blade Ward. These two buff stacks, thus you can gain both in one large area-based spell cast.
Moreover, Mass Healing Word is a bonus action spell that does area-based healing, and Mass Cure Wounds is action-based. Thus, if your party is near death, casting both together with these two item sets brings you up a significant amount of health and is an overpowered Bard spell combination in Baldur’s Gate 3.
1 Hold Monster
Hold Monster features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Paralyze a creature. It can’t Move, Act, or React. Attacks from within 3 m are always Critical Hits.
- School: Enchantment
- Cost: Action + Level 5 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: No
The best overall stun and crowd control effect in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Hold Monster. Consider Hold Monster an enhanced version of Hold Person. Unlike Hold Person, you can cast Hold Monster on any creature, except Undead. This means it has massive application in nearly every critical boss fight in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Raphael remains one of the hardest bosses fights in Baldur’s Gate 3 due to massive health, allies, and mechanics (not to mention resistances). You can completely shut down this overpowered boss with one spell, Hold Monster. While he’s under control, eliminate enemies and pillars that feed his power and strength. Then, go in for the kill shot which Hold Monster gives automatic critical hits for attacks within 3 meters.
The Bard’s entire strength predicates on buffs, crowd control, and healing. Nothing is more powerful than shutting down the devil himself, and that’s why Hold Monster is the most overpowered spell for the Bard.
Level 6 Bard Spells
You will notice no level 6 spells on our list. The Bard only has two level 6 spells, Eyebite Otto’s and Otto’s Irresistible Dance. Both are odd stuns and seem weaker than Hold Monster with less application or usage. Thus, we don’t recommend any level 6 spells but suggest upcasting powerful spells you frequently use. Additionally, Magical Secret gives you a powerful conjuration spell, which when upcast to level 6, becomes wildly overpowered.
Magical Secret – Non Bard Spells
Magical Secrets is a core feature that allows Bards to customize their spellcasting and significantly broaden their capabilities. This feature allows you to learn spells and cantrips outside of your normal Bard parameters. Each Bard gains access to Magical Secret at level 10, allowing them to pick level 5 spells all the way to level 1 and cantrips. The Lore Bard gains Magical Secret at levels 6 and 10, which helps them broaden their spell book. Below are our favorite and most overpowered Bard spells with the Magical Secret feature.
Conjure Elemental
Conjure Elemental features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Bend the barrier between the Planes until they disgorge an elemental ally to follow and fight for you.
- School: Conjuration
- Cost: Action + Level 5 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: At level 6, the spellcaster can summon an Air Myrmidon, Earth Myrmidon, Fire Myrmidon, or Water Myrmidon.
The strength of Conjure Elemental is that you can upcast the spell to obtain a Myrmidon and it doesn’t require concentration. Thus, you can obtain a powerful ally, until a long rest, that has over 100 health and does massive damage and special effects.
The best way to use Conjure Elemental is with the Spellcrux amulet, staff of spellpower, or Markoheshkir quarterstaff. Each of these act 3 items negates the cost of a level 6 spell, allowing you to cast multiple per long rest. This allows you to upcast Conjure Elemental and still have a level 6 spell slot for your favorite area-based damage spell. And if you’re like me, the most overpowered is fireball!
Fireball
Fireball features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explode upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity for 8d6 Fire damage.
- School: Evocation
- Cost: Action + Level 3 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters, radius of 4 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: When the spell is cast using a 4th level slot or higher, damage increases by 1d6 Fire for each spell slot level above 3rd.
Nothing beats the raw damage, radius, and power of the level 3 fireball spell. The Bard class can obtain this at level 10 via the Magical Secret class feature and we highly suggest it. With Fireball, you turn the typical Bard buff class into a high-damage spellcaster who can upcast this spell for even more damage. However, be cautious with the Fireball spell. Unlike the Evocation Wizard, you will have friendly fire with the spell so anyone in the radius will receive damage.
Counterspell
Counterspell features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Nullify another creature’s spell as a reaction.
- School: Abjuration
- Cost: Reaction + Level 3 Spell Slot
- Range: 18 meters.
- Concentration: No
- Upcast: No
The most inconspicuous but overpowered spell in Baldur’s Gate 3, could be argued to be Counterspell. You can nullify an enemy spellcaster’s spell thwarting any incoming damage, stun, or anything you prefer to shut down. Unlike other spells in this list, Counterspell uses a reaction and has a popup “ask” via the reactions tab in your character menu. Simply select counterspell, and then that overpowered incoming fireball now becomes a whimper.
Haste
Haste features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Description: Target gains +2 bonus to Armour Class, Advantage on Dexterity Saving throws, its Movement Speed is doubled, and can take one additional Action per turn.
- School: Transmutation
- Cost: Action + Level 3 Spell Slot
- Range: 9 meters.
- Concentration: Yes
- Upcast: No
It is argued the strongest builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 are the ones that make the most out of additional actions. This is why Haste is so powerful, you gain one action per turn for 10 turns or while concentration holds.
In addition to extra action, you gain +2 AC, double movement speed, and an advantage on dexterity saving throws. You can combine this for two more actions if you have the Fighters Action Surge and kill a target with Elixir of Bloodlust active. Thus, granting you four actions in one turn. That is why you should consider Haste one of the strongest and most overpowered Bard spells in Baldur’s Gate 3.
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