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Explore the best classes and subclasses as we present the top 10 builds for Baldur’s Gate 3 in Patch 7, offering the most powerful in BG3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 build crafting can be a complex series of factors contributing to a character’s effectiveness, such as race, class, subclass, abilities, feats, spells, equipment, and playstyle. It also involves understanding how different mechanics interact with each other and how to optimize your character’s build to take advantage of these interactions. Patch 7 has been released, and we intend to answer the question in this build: What is the Best Build for Baldur’s Gate 3?
This guide has been updated for the patch 7 version of Baldur’s Gate 3.
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What are the Best 10 Builds for Baldur’s Gate 3 in Patch 7
The best Builds in Patch 7 are Paladin, Oath of Vengeance subclass, Ranger Gloom Stalker subclass, and Barbarian Berserker subclass. These three classes excel in their respective roles, offering substantial damage output and valuable utility to any party.
However, the Oath of Vengeance Paladin is the overall strongest class, subclass, and build in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 7. Paladin offers unparalleled versatility, potent single-target damage, and remarkable survivability within a single class. The Paladins can access various weapons and armour types, allowing for diverse playstyles. Combining Extra Attack with Divine Smite results in exceptional raw damage potential. The Paladin can also cast spells and heal allies, providing support, damage, and the best overall build currently in BG3 Patch 7.
Ten best builds in the latest Patch 7 from best to worst:
- Oath of Vengeance Paladin Build: best single target damage, good in dialogue, flexible equipment options.
- Gloom Stalker Ranger Build: best range class, high survivability, best for solo play.
- Berserker Barbarian Build: the simplest and most effective melee damage build.
- Battle Master Fighter Build: high damage, utility, and flexibility with heavy armour.
- Way of the Open Hand Monk Build: great damage and mobility without the need for weapons.
- Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build: the most potent spellcaster with metamagic and bonus action utility.
- Life Domain Cleric Build: the best healing, support, and utility build in BG3.
- Thief Rogue Build: effective in melee or range combat with incredible utility for your party.
- Evocation School Wizard Build: huge area damage without friendly fire!
- College of Swords Bard: Dual Crossbow range build with good spells for group utility.
10 College of Swords Bard
The best features for College of Swords Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: College of Swords
- Race: Wood Elf
- Armour: Medium
- Weapon: Dual Crossbows
- Primary Ability: Dexterity
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Charisma
- Background: Urchin
- Skills: Acrobatics, Performance, Persuasion
The College of Swords Bard build utilizes dual Crossbows for range damage while combining spellcasting and utility. When multi-classed with the Rogue and Thief combination after level 6, the Bard can utilize a second bonus action, attacking twice with one action via an extra attack. With a secondary crossbow equipped, the extra bonus action triggers a fourth damage source! This allows the Bard to keep up great damage with the other builds on this Patch 7 best build list.
Additionally, the Bard specializes in high Charisma and utility spellcasting. With the College of Swords Bard build, you can get the best of both worlds, having good combat proficiency while maintaining your class identity and feel. Moreover, you gain Blade Flourish, an extra utility to weapon attacks that can be used at range or melee.
What holds the Bard back is terrible spell selection at higher levels and not the same damage as the two-handed Greatsword melee builds. However, don’t sleep on this Bard build; it has good utility and awesome damage, perfect for a player who enjoys both aspects of Baldur’s Gate 3.
9 Evocation School Wizard Build
The best features for Evocation Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Evocation School
- Race: Wood Half-Elf
- Armour: Clothing
- Weapon: Quarterstaff & Shield
- Primary Ability: Intelligence
- Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
- Background: Sage
- Skills: Investigation, Religion
The Evocation Wizard build excels at area-based damage like Fireball, Ice Storm, and Circle of Death. The main benefit of the Evocation subclass is that it is passive and prevents friendly fire with AOE damage spells. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about melting Astarion into a burnt crisp with that level 5 Fireball!
Moreover, the Evocation subclass can add their intelligence modifier to damage rolls on Evocation spells. Thus, you gain the most AOE damage out of all the subclasses. You still retain the awesome power of learning spells on the fly by consuming scrolls, giving you access to many permanent bonuses. The Necromancy Wizard is another choice but requires more summoning and specific gear to shine fully in Act 3.
Another weakness of the Evocation Wizard is the lack of additional ways to cast spells with a bonus action. The Sorcerer can use their bonus action without a Tadpole buff to cast a second fireball on turn one. That doubling of spells limits the Wizard’s combat power; otherwise, we’d rate it higher. If you want to throw fireballs at enemies and allies, play this build and love AOE damage in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 7.
8 Thief Rogue Build
The best features for Thief Rogue build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Thief
- Race: Wood Half-Elf
- Armour: Light Armour
- Weapon: Bow or Dual Crossbows
- Primary Ability: Dexterity
- Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
- Background: Criminal
- Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Sleight of Hand
The Rogue Thief build is a stealthy damage dealer effective at range or in melee combat. What makes the Thief Rogue unique is its versatility outside of combat with many skill selections. This allows a party to unlock a chest, sneak, stealth, and all sorts of thievery. Regarding damage and combat, the Rogue shines early in BG3. However, the power quickly fades and requires the class to be multiclass to keep progressing.
However, once multi-classed with the Ranger or Fighter, the Rogue creates a devastating combination. Unlike other builds, the Rogue Thief build can use dual wield, range bow, or even dual crossbows for an effective build. With the addition of outside-of-combat utility, it’s hard not to like the Rogue. The reason it’s not higher on this list is, that you are required to multi-class very early to extract more power out of the class. Moreover, the Ranger is an improved combat version of the Rogue but with slightly fewer skill proficiencies.
7 Life Domain Cleric Build
The best features for Life Cleric build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Life Domain
- Race: Wood Elf
- Armour: Heavy Armour
- Weapon: Mace & Shield
- Primary Ability: Wisdom
- Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
- Background: Acolyte
- Skills: Medicine, Perception
The Life Domain Cleric is the dominant support and versatility build in BG3. The Life subclass unlocks heavy armour proficiency and powerful healing domain spells. You have a one-hand and shield-wielding heavy armour spell caster that is incredibly survivable and able to heal. But you’re not limited to healing; you can cast summon spells like Spiritual Weapon and Guardian of Faith. Both spells do not require concentration and can stack, aiding you in combat while maintaining concentration on buffs for your group.
Also, the Life Domain Cleric has many spells with excellent crowd control, like Banishment, Hold Person, and Command. This build also has powerful buffs like Bless, Beacon of Hope, and Death Ward. The best part is the combination of Healing Word and Cure Wounds. Healing Word is a bonus action, and Cure Wounds is an action that can be chained together for two heals in one turn. You will later upgrade these spells with Mass Healing Word and Mass Cure Wounds, giving them further area healing. Combine this with Preserve Life channel divinity action, and you always have a powerful burst area healing at your disposal.
The weakness of the class is no additional action or bonus action. You will also be lower in the attack order, which means you can get stunned or snared. Your mobility is deficient, so Misty Step scrolls or gear sets are essential to make every turn count. Consider the Life Domain Cleric the go-to support class and a community favorite when using Shadowheart companion.
6 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build
The best features for Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Draconic Bloodline
- Race: High Half-Elf
- Armour: Clothing
- Weapon: Quarterstaff & Shield
- Primary Ability: Charisma
- Saving Throws: Charisma, Constitution
- Background: Noble
- Skills: Intimidation, Deception
The Draconic Bloodline is arguably the most powerful spellcaster in the game, thanks to Metamagic. Metamagic allows you to manipulate magic either using a Twinned spell for two targets on a single target ability or a quickened spell for bonus action spell casting. At level 11, you can select the Disintegrate spell for the most single-target burst in the game. This provides 50-100 damage per cast. You use Twinned Spell to attack two targets with one spell slot for possibly 100-200 damage. And while most spellcasters would be done with their turn, the Sorcerer can activate the Quickened spell to use their bonus action for another spell cast.
You can then scale up a Fireball spell to level 5 and use Elemental Affinity. When you cast a spell that deals damage of the type associated with your draconic ancestry, you add your Charisma Modifier to the damage. With the Birthright Hat, you can reach 22 Charisma, thus absolutely obliterating an area with Fireball. And this is in turn one, what could be an entire group wiped and often is. Nothing beats the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers‘ raw power at times.
The downside of the class is the need for constant long rest. If you do the combination listed above, your spell slots and Sorcerery points will be utterly drained and need a long rest. Playing on Tactican or Honour Mode can be an issue where a long rest costs 80 resources. The class also has limited spell selection and cannot prepare spells. You will need to be very careful when selecting spells, otherwise, only replace them via respect or long rest. If you love spell casting, huge area damage, and feeling powerful as a spellcaster, the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer is your number one among the 10 best builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) Patch 7.
5 Way of the Open Hand Monk Build
The best features for Way of the Open Hand Monk build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Way of the Open Hand
- Race: Wood Half-Elf
- Armour: Clothing
- Weapon: Unarmed
- Primary Ability: Dexterity
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Background: Entertainer
- Skills: Athletics, Insight
The Way of the Open Hand Monk is an extremely strong build if played as a multiclass Rogue, Thief. The Monk class incentivizes the use of bonus action for unarmed attacks. The Way of the Open Hand unlocks Flurry of Blows, giving you massive utility and damage. Another benefit of playing this build is that you use clothing and gloves for damage, which doesn’t require you to have weapons.
With this build, you will want to use 3-4 levels of the Rogue to get the Thief Subclass. This will unlock an additional bonus action, which means an additional attack. With the Extra Attack class feature and two bonus actions, your Monk will hit very hard just using unarmed attacks and have many attacks per turn. Each attack can consume your Ki resource, providing stuns, knockbacks, and staggers. This gives the Monk superior control over each individual hit.
The downside of this build is its entire mobility depends on and has limited ways to deal with stuns and incoming crowd control effects. Moreover, the Monk does not have spell casting with this subclass. If you don’t roll high on the initiative, you are susceptible to incoming stun and a turned skipped. However, it’s a very powerful melee class that, if supported properly, can destroy the opposing team.
4 Battle Master Fighter Build
The best features for Battle Master Fighter build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Battle Master
- Race: Half-Orc
- Armour: Heavy Armour
- Weapon: Greatsword
- Primary Ability: Strength
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Background: Soldier
- Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics
The Battle Master Fighter is the simplest melee damage dealer and the strongest at the start of the game. With heavy armor proficiency, massive utility, and crowd control with Battle Manoeuvers, it is one of the best melee fighters in the game. What separates the class is Extra Attack, Action Surge, and Improved Extra Attack. At level 11 in the Fighter, you can attack three times with one action. You can then use a combination of skills, items, and consumables and attack for 9 or more times in one turn!
The downside of the class is the lack of spellcasting and vulnerability to incoming spells. You have few tools to counter or stop spells from dropping your weapon or holding you in person. Moreover, your dexterity will be lower, so initiative is an issue that is going late in the attack order. Lastly, you won’t have the off-healing capabilities of the Paladin, which can help you in tough fights. However, Battle Master Fighter remains my number one recommendation for players looking to play melee build in BG3 for the first time due to its power, armor flexibility, and simplicity.
3 Berserker Barbarian Build
The best features for Berserker Barbarian build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Berserker
- Race: Half-Orc
- Armour: Clothing
- Weapon: Greatsword
- Primary Ability: Strength
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Background: Soldier
- Skills: Perception, Survival
The Berserker Barbarian is the most straightforward melee damage dealer to understand and use. The Barbarian has an unarmoured defence feature like the Monk, which incentivizes using clothing rather than medium armour. You play this build one-way, all-out aggression attacking to maintain Rage or Frenzy every turn. Rage will increase your damage done and reduce damage taken and is a very simple melee attack style gameplay.
The Berserker subclass turns Rage into Frenzy, giving you two utility skills. Enraged Throw is my favorite, allowing you to throw weapons and possibly knock down opponents. The Nyrulna Legendary Trident, if thrown, provides massive area damage and solves the major issue of the Barbarian, which is the lack of area damage. This moves the Barbarian higher on the list, allowing for area damage, and when mulitclassed, you gain more utility than the FIghter.
The downside of this build is no heavy armour proficiency, spellcasting, and weak crowd control. Like other melee builds, you must focus on mobility to reach targets on turn one. Plus, you have the extra mechanic of Rage, forcing you to play ultra-aggressively. The Barbarian remains one of the strongest and most simplistic melee builds in BG3 but lacks the utility and versatility of others on this 10 Baldur’s Gate Patch 7 list.
2 Gloom Stalker Ranger Build
The best features for Gloom Stalker Ranger build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Gloom Stalker
- Race: Wood Half-Elf
- Armour: Medium Armour
- Weapon: Longbow
- Primary Ability: Dexterity
- Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution
- Background: Outlander
- Skills: Animal Handling, Nature
The Gloom Stalker Ranger is the best turn-one build in BG3. Your subclass allows for a free attack on your first turn with high initiative, meaning you will likely go first. The Ranger class has Extra Attack, so you pair that free Dreaded Ambusher attack with two more attacks on turn one to eliminate the highest threat target. The subclass also gives you a free invisible spell if you are obscured, as well as superior Darkvision and Misty Step.
The Gloom Stalker Ranger is a gassed-up version of the Rogue Thief build. When you combine the two in multiclassing, each gets a huge benefit. The Ranger gets a bonus action, while the Rogue gets an Extra Attack. You can take this one step further and use two levels of the Fighter for Action Surge. This provides an additional action, and with Extra Attack, another two attacks. Not to mention, this class has limited spell casting, which can come in handy.
We’ve moved the Gloom Stalker Ranger much higher on the list due to its strength in playing solo or on Honour Difficulty. The downside of the build is the lack of crowd control and the reliance on scrolls and ammunition, such as arrows, for utility. The power fades in the class beyond level 5, and you are incentivized to multiclass to increase power. However, the Gloom Stalker is one of the strongest ranged damage dealers in the game without being overly complex.
1 Oath of Vengeance Paladin Build
The best features for Oath of Vengeance Paladin build in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Subclass: Oath of Vengeance
- Race: Half-Orc
- Armour: Heavy Armour
- Weapon: Greatsword
- Primary Ability: Charisma
- Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma
- Background: Noble
- Skills: Athletics, Insight
The best overall build in Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 7 is the Oath of Vengeance Paladin. You have the most versatility, single-target damage, and survivability, all in one class. With the Vengeance subclass, you solve the issue for the Paladin, which is lethargic mobility. You obtain Misty Step and Extra Attack at level 5 and will feel a massive spike in power without needing gear sets like Amulet of Misty Step or Disintegration Nightwalker Boots.
The Paladin, like the Fighter, has access to nearly all weapons and armor types, freeing up multiple playstyles. What separates the two is the Paladin’s ability to spell cast. Combine Extra Attack with Divine Smite gives you incredible raw damage potential. You can also heal allies with Lay on Hands and save your team from dying. Additionally, the BG3 developers assumed or knew everyone’s favorite class would be the Paladin. They loaded the game with multiple weapons and armour that increase the effectiveness of Smite and your core skills.
The only downside to this class is lower dexterity, so it is lower in combat turn order. You also struggle with mobility early in the game and feel like you’re crawling to combat before unloading huge damage. The Paladin is great to multiclass with the Fighter to get the best of both worlds, but can also be very complex to sort out what to use and why. But that’s why you have me! I highly recommend playing the Oath of Vengeance Paladin as the best build in Baldur’s Gate 3, Patch 7.
What’s New in Patch 7 for Baldur’s Gate 3?
Larian Studios released Patch 7 for Baldur’s Gate 3 on September 5th, 2024, with a massive update to BG3. The developers added 13 new cinematics, including some new fight scenes with the Netherbrain. Additionally, the game will see additional weeks to Honour Mode, adding more legendary actions to current bosses. However, the main focus of this patch for Larian Studio is mods. The game will now feature a modding toolkit and in-game mod manager. This is meant to be a hand off to the community for future players to create unique content in continue the story.
From a combat and gameplay perspective, expect more of the same from Baldur’s Gate 3. The class, item, and equipment balancing was hardly touched so most of the builds and rankings remain the same as Patch 6.
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