Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide

This guide focuses on the best Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Necromancy subclass, and includes all components to create a powerful character.

This build has been updated for the patch 3 version of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Necromancy Wizard Class Introduction

Wizards class are renowned for their spellcasting prowess and unmatched versatility. They have access to the largest spell list in the game, enabling them to adapt to various situations. Wizards excel in area-of-effect spells, utility, and control, but they may require careful planning and preparation. We will select the Necromancy subclass which excels at summoning undead and elementals to fight at your side.

Wizard Class Pros	Wizard Class Cons
Spell Selection	Low Durability
Area Damage	Lacks Additional Actions
Control Undead	Lacks Metamagic

Necromancy Wizard Class Mechanics and Features

Here are the essential Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build features and mechanics to focus on:

• Primary Ability: Intelligence
• Subclass: Necromancy School
• Armour Proficiency: Cloth Armor
• Weapon Proficiency: Quarterstaves, Light Crossbows
• Preferred Armor: Clothing
• Preferred Weapon: Quarterstaff
• Grim Harvest: if you kill a creature with a spell, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used.
• Animate Dead: Create an undead servant from a corpse.
• Undead Thralls Additional Undead: When you use Animate Dead, you can raise an additional corpse.

Wizard Spell Casting Explained

• Cantrips: are like spells, but you can cast them infinitely, and they don’t take your spell slots. 
• Prepared Spells: allows you to swap in and out spells that you’ve learned in your spell book.
• Spell Slots: limited resource of spella you can cast which needs long rest to replenish.
• Arcane Recovery: a resource that allows you to recover used spell slots.
• Concentration: spells that require you to focus which can be interrupted and you can only have one active at a time.

For the list of the best spells for the Wizard, look below in level progression.

Necromancy Subclass

The Necromancy subclass is a compelling choice for spellcasters in Baldur’s Gate 3. It opens up a realm of dark and potent magic that allows characters to control the forces of life and death, raising the dead, and sapping the life force from foes. What makes it so strong from a combat perspective is, the Wizard inherently lacks the means to use multiple attacks in one turn. The Sorcerer can use meta magic, Fighters can use action surge, and Rangers have extra attack. Summong ally undead and elementals gives you extra characters on the battlefield significantly raising your damage and survivability. This is one of the most fun and unique playstyles in the game and is also very effective with multiple (up to four) undead or elementals on the battlefield at a time.

The Necromancy Wizard School subclass unlocks the following features and spells:

• Necromancy Savant (Level 2): Learning Necromancy spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
• Grim Harvest (Level 2): Once per turn, if you kill a creature with a spell, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used – thrice if it’s a Necromancy spell. Undead and Constructs are unaffected.
• Animate Dead (Level 6): Create an undead servant from a corpse, which must be a Medium or Small corpse.
• Undead Thralls: Additional Undead (Level 6): When you use Animate Dead, you can raise an additional corpse.
• Undead Thralls: Better Summons (Level 6): Creatures created with Animate Dead have additional hit points equal to your Wizard level, and your Proficiency Bonus is added to their damage.
• Inured to Undeath (Level 10): You have steeped yourself so completely in death that you are Resistant to Necrotic damage, and moreover, your hit point maximum cannot be reduced.

Recommended Backgrounds

Sage, Acolyte, and Noble are the Best Backgrounds for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide.  You want to pick a Background that gives you skill proficiency in primary ability (stat) Intelligence. This choice mostly influences roleplaying and dialogue options aspects and allows you to create unique characters. Additional choices are:

1. Sage: You are curious and well-read, with an unending thirst for knowledge. Learning about the rare lore of the world will inspire you to put this knowledge to a greater purpose.
2. Acolyte:  You have spent your life in service to a temple, learning sacred rites and providing sacrifices to the god or gods you worship. Serving the gods and discovering their sacred works will you to Greatness.
3. Noble: You were raised in a family among the social elite, accustomed to power and privilege. Accumulating renown, power, and loyalty will raise your status.

Best Race Choice for Necromancy Wizard Build

Asmodous Tiefling is the best race choice for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide because you gain an extra Cantrip, two spells, Darkvision and fire resistance. A secondary choice is the High Half-Elf because of a free cantrip, one spell, and light armor proficiency.

Asmodous Tiefling	High Half-Elf
Thaumaturgy Cantrip	Free Cantrip
Hellish Rebuke	Civil Militia
Darkvision	Darkvision

The Wizard’s racial choice will not influence ability score, as everyone should get a +2 and +1 to spend regardless. This frees your race choice up to not completely hinder yourself based on ability score, but race features. Each of these races offers unique advantages that can enhance your combat prowess, survivability, or utility. Additionally, consider the roleplaying opportunities and character concepts that resonate with you.

Recommended Skills for Wizard Necromancy Build

Investigation and Religion are the best skills for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide because they complement your class abilities and enhance your effectiveness in various situations. In Baldur’s Gate 3, skills represent the abilities and proficiencies of your character that allow them to perform various actions and interact with the game world. Skills are associated with specific attributes and are used to determine the success or effectiveness of certain actions or abilities. They can be edited during character creation or with companions, during respec or reroll screen.

Here are the best skills for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3:

1. Investigation is an Intelligence Skill.
2. Religion is an Intelligence Skill.

In Baldur’s Gate 3 each skill is related to a specific ability score and it’s effectiveness scales with the level of that score. You want to choose skills for your character that they already have a high ability score in. For example, if you want to have high Persuasion (which is used to influence dialogue choices), you need to have correspondingly high Charisma. Ideally, you want a party composition which includes a variety of high ability scores which can give you success in different skills.

Best Wizard Ability Scores

Below is the best ability score to unlock the full potential of the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide:

Ability	Points Goal
Strength	8
Dexterity	16
Constitution	14
Intelligence	16
Wisdom	10
Charisma	10

The best Necromancy Wizard ability score is 16 intelligence because it increases spells’ chance to land and damage along with 16 dexterity. Dexerity and cloth will help with your Armour Class (AC), and combine 16 Dexerity with Mage Armour spell you have 16 AC at the level and a much better chance to avoid spells.

During character creation, the game will automatically distribute your abilities in the character creation abilities tab. You will need to reprioritize the stats for the chart for the Best Wizard build. Simply use the plus-minus in the character creator and make sure you have the suggested race, or the numbers will be off.

Necromancy Wizard Spell Slots

Here’s a chart that shows the levels and spell slots unlocked for the Wizard class in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Wizard  Level	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
Level 1	2	0	0	0	0	0
Level 2	3	0	0	0	0	0
Level 3	4	2	0	0	0	0
Level 4	4	3	0	0	0	0
Level 5	4	3	2	0	0	0
Level 6	4	3	3	0	0	0
Level 7	4	3	3	1	0	0
Level 8	4	3	3	2	0	0
Level 9	4	3	3	3	1	0
Level 10	4	3	3	3	2	0
Level 11	4	3	3	3	2	1
Level 12	4	3	3	3	2	1

Necromancy Wizard Illithid Powers

Illithid Powers are unlocked later in the game when you learn more about the Mind Flayers and tadpoles. You can gain jars of Mind Flayer Parasite Specimens, consume them to gain one point.  This is essentially another skill tree advancement with some very strong powers. If you decide to advance this skill line, these are the choices we suggest.

Here are the best Illithid Powers for the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide:

• Charm: Channel the dark allure of the tadpole to Charm an enemy that attacks you, preventing them from attacking you until their next turn.  This is the priority power you want to obtain because you can force enemies to attack something else. 
• Repulsor: Deal force damage and Force Push anything and anyone back 6m. Used if surrounded and or you don’t have Thunderwave.
• Mind Blast: Spew forth a conical wave of psychic energy and possibly stun targets within for 1 turn dealing psychic damage. This is an extremely powerful conal stun that the Mindflayer uses in the prologue.
• Freecast: Spell slots, charges, and similar resource costs for your next action or spell are removed. Refreshes after a Short or Long rest.  This helps cast two spells in one turn rather than one.
• Reflective Shell (WIZARD ONLY): A protective shell envelops you. It reflects any projectiles targeted at you to their point of origin. Does not affect creatures that don’t rely on sight or that can see through illusions.

Necromancy Wizard Level Progression

Level 1

At level one the Wizard will unlock the following: three cantrips, two Level 1 spells slots and learn six spells.

Cantrip Selection

• Fire Bolt: Hurls fireball dealing 1d10 fire damage 18m range. Highest damage cantrip Wizards have, plus it can ignite or set things on fire (grease spell).
• Bone Chill: Prevent the target from healing until your next turn. Undead get Disadvantage on Attack Rolls. A necrotic damage spell that is useful if you expect a big heal coming to the following turn.
• Blade Ward: Take only half of the damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks. A useful defensive cantrip when melee weapon users are attacking you.

Spell Selection

• Mage Armour: Surround an unarmoured creature in a protective magical force. Its Armour Class increases to 13 + its Dexterity modifier. This is an essential defensive skill because it sets AC to 13 + Dexterity Modifier landing you at 16 AC total when it’s active. Mage Armour stays on your character until you take a long rest, or down and can be cast out of combat.  Usually, I cast this and use a Spell Recharge to be at full spells.
• Magic Missile: Create 3 darts of magical force, each dealing 1d4+1 Force to its target.  The darts always hit their target. The strength of this ability is its 100% chance to land. By far lower damage, but useful when you can target up to three separate enemies or finish someone off when you need a guaranteed hit.
• Shield: When you are about to be hit by an enemy, increase your Armour Class by 5. You take no damage from Magic Missile. This skill uses a reaction rather than action and boost your AC by 5 when you are about take damage. This is a must-have if you struggle with survival early on or later in the game.
• Sleep: Put creatures into a magical slumber. Select targets up to a combined 24 hit points. Very powerful early game stun, though it quickly becomes weak past level 4 when HP start to increase.
• Thunderwave: Release a wave of thunderous force that pushes away all creatures and objects (2d8 Thunder). This spell acts as your knockback to melee characters and allows you to create distance and get away.  It’s also great to knock enemies off ledges or high positions and keeps you having some defensive capabilities at the early level.
• Chromatic Orb:  Hurl a sphere that deals 3-24 elemental damage and possibly creates a surface on impact. Great spell because you can choose the element, and cold can do good damage and proc prone or crowd control a target.

Arcane Recovery: you can recover two spell slots.  The number allows you to either restore two level 1 spells or one level 2 spell. It’s a simple mechanic that you can use to prevent endless Resting in between fights. Expect a lot of rest at lower levels where your spell slots are limited.

Gameplay: at level 1, you need to ALWAYS cast Mage Armour immediately following a long rest. You use Sleep to control enemies and mainly Magic Missle for damage. You won’t be at this level long, but Mage Armour is very important until you get more spells. When you run out of spell slots fire off Firebolt and don’t use weapon abilities.

Level 1 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Sleep, Magic Missile

Level 2

Take the Necromancy Subclass at level two. The Necromancy school can raise the dead, create undead minions, and even drain the life from their enemies. You get access to two features from this school.

Subclass Features

• Necromancy Savant: Learning Necromancy spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
• Grim Harvest: Once per turn, if you kill a creature with a spell, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used – thrice if it’s a Necromancy spell. Undead and Constructs are unaffected.

Spells Selection

• Ice Knife: Throw a shard of ice that deals 1∼10 Piercing damage. It explodes and deals 2∼12 Cold damage to anyone nearby. It leaves an ice surface.
  2 turns. On Miss: The shard of ice still explodes. This is a good long-range area damage skill that can proc prone status effect due to being cold damage.
• Find Familiar: Gain the service of a familiar, a fey spirit that takes an animal from your choice. Great critter to follow you around. You can also use them to sneak into smaller locations in overland exploring. Utility spell really.

Gameplay: at level two you get to add a couple of spells and Chromatic Orb is for single target elemental damage. I usually select cold because of the prone status effect. Thunderwave is a knockback that you should use for ledge kills or when taking pressure from melee targets, knockback and then flee.

Level 2 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Sleep, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave

Level 3

Learn 2 new spells

Spells Selection

• Misty Step: Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space where you can see up to 18m range. One of the BEST defensive spells early in the game. It’s a teleport when you need it most. Moreover, this spell only requires a bonus action. You can use your action for a high-powered spell, and a bonus action to get away, assuming you have the spell slots.
• Flaming Sphere: this creates a fireball that acts as a companion and can do damage for you. It’s a great decoy along with easy-to-do damage skill. Moreover, it can be cast prior to combat and if you don’t use another concentration spell helps soak up and dish out damage at this level.

You finally can cast a “summon” with Flaming Sphere. This is your concentration skill so be careful to not use two. Early on this is a great decoy and does some decent damage. It has a limited turn duration unlike undead and elementals so you’ll need to cast this at the start of combat. If you struggle with survival drop Thunderwave for Shield. Use Misty Step as a get away tool early on and try to keep some scrolls of this spell on you if you are out of spell slots.

Level 3 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave

Level 4

At level four a lot happens with the Necromancy Wizard: 1 New Cantrip, 2 New Spells, 7 Prepared Spells, and 1 Feat.

Cantrip Selection

• Mage Hand: Create a spectral hand that can manipulate and interact with objects. This is a utility cantrip that can be helpful outside of combat manipulating items.

Spells Selection

• Scorching Ray: Hurl 3 rays of Fire, each deal 2d6 Fire damage at 18m range. Think of this spell as an improved Magic Missile, that can miss, but also do a lot of damage when you need it. You can cast on same target or up to three which is great for multi-kills without using and are skill. 
• Mirror Image: Create 3 illusory duplicates of yourself that distract attackers. Each duplicate increases your Armour Class by 3. Whenever you successfully evade an attack, one of the duplicates disappears. This is a god-tier defensive spell if you find yourself dying repeatedly to range or melee attacks.  You don’t want your build to be too defensive, but Mage Armour and Mirror Image in combination can keep you alive in difficult fights.

Feat Selection

Magic Initiate Warlock: You learn two Cantrips and a Level 1 spell from the Warlock spell list. You can cast the Level 1 spell once per Long Rest. Your Spellcasting Ability for all 3 spells is Charisma.

• Eldritch Blast: 1d10 force damage via an 18-meter beam. The best cantrip in the game and what we use primarily for damage. Remember cantrips do not use spell slots, and this does good damage when combined with Hex spell.
• Minor Illusion: Create an illusion that compels nearby creatures to investigate. Another outside-of-combat useful cantrip to distract guards.
• Hex: Curse a creature so it takes additional damage whenever you attack it and inflict Disadvantage on Ability Checks with an Ability of your choosing. This spell helps do damage and it can be used as a bonus action. You want to use this first, then Eldritch Blast when you don’t have many spell slots left. This will keep your damage high even with low spell slots early and later in the game.

With the unlocking of Magic Initiate Warlock, we have a combo of Hex and Eldritch Blast that can be used when low or exhausted on spell slots. Rather than firing off Firebolt over and over, this combo will do big damage and adds a ton of utility to the build early.

Level 4 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Magic Missile, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray

Level 5

When you reach Level 5, you’ll learn two new spells.

Spells Selection

• Fireball: Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explode upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity 8d6 18m range 6m radius. This is the “mega” spell that everyone wants as a Wizard, and you start to feel very powerful.  It does a massive amount of damage in a large radius. You need to make sure the area is clear or you target a spot on the ground that won’t impact your allies.
• Animate Dead: Create an undead servant from a corpse. The target must be a Medium or Small corpse. Usage: finally we get to summon undead! You need to look for a coprse out of combat which is usually easy post-fight. When you summon an undead you can pick Zombie (melee) or Sekelton (ranged). Pick depending on what your group composition is. Heavy melee, pick range, and so on. The great thing about this undead is it last until long rest. Like Mage Armour you can summon it right away after long rest and use it the entire time. This undead stacks with Flaming Sphere so at level 5 you can put 2 allies into the battlefield.

Level 5 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Animate Dead

Level 6

The Necromancy Wizard unlocks two new spells, two subclass features and a free always prepared spell Animate Dead.

• Animate Dead (Spell): Create an undead servant from a corpse. The target must be a Medium or Small corpse. This spell is now “always prepared” and you can see it on top of the spellbook pictures up top. This just gives you a free spell and slot on your prepared bar and is very helpful. Take off the previous version and put Fireball and Haste on your prepared slots.

Subclass Features

• Undead Thralls: Additional Undead: When you use Animate Dead, you can raise an additional corpse.
• Undead Thralls: Better Summons: Creatures created with Animate Dead have additional hit points equal to your wizard level, and your Proficiency Bonus is added to their damage.

Spells Selection

• Haste: Target yourself or an ally to become Hastened which allows an additional action for that character hastened. This spell requires concentration, and the target becomes lethargic when the condition ends after 10 turns. This gives whoever is targeted a huge advantage in combat at the expense of a level 3 spell.  Typically, I don’t play my Wizard as a supporting character, but giving this ability to a Fighter that has Extra Attack and Great Weapon Master, means they can essentially attack five times in a turn! 
• Glyph of Warding: Inscribe a circle of arcane glyphs on the ground that trigger a magical effect when stepped on by an enemy. This is a area based damage trap and spell that is weaker than Fireball. Consider this a flex option spell.

The above subclass features make the undead summon much stronger now. Having an extra corpse is massive and more health means they last much longer. At this level, you really start to feel like a Necromancer.

Level 6 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste

Level 7

At level 7 the Necromancy Wizard Learns 2 spells and access to spell level 4 which is an important one for this build.

Spell Selection

• Blight: Plants are more susceptible to this spell: they roll with Disadvantage, and still take half of all the damage if they succeed the roll. On Save: Targets still takes half damage. This is a powerful area-based damage spell that is necrotic so fighting our necromancy theme. Having another aoe damage spell at a different spell slot level gives you flexibility depending on your number of spell slots.
• Conjure Minor Elemental: Conjure a minor elemental to fight alongside you. This spell gives you a minor elemental to fight with you and I choose the Ice Mephit because the cold damage can stun.

With our spell setup, we can now have four allies with us! Animate Dead, Flaming Sphere and Ice Mephit. The only spell that requires concentration is Flaming Sphere. The other two can be cast just after a long rest. That way you have two (or more) strong allies as soon as you long rest.

Level 7 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste, Conjure Minor Elemental

Level 8

Level 8 is another critical level for the Necromancy Wizard. We unlock a new feat, two new spells and more prepared spells.

• Ability Improvement Feat +2 intelligence, this will help us land more spells and do more damage.

Spell Selection

• Confusion: Befuddle a group of creatures, causing them to attack at random, wander around aimlessly, and occasionally skip turns in the stupor. An ultra-power area-based crowd control effect that can force other targets to attack themselves.
• Banishment: temporarily Banish your target to another plane of existence requires concentration. This is a very powerful single-target crowd control effect. This does require concentration so we will use it sparingly on bosses or something that deals a lot of damage. You won’t be able to damage the target, but they won’t threaten you. Use this and clear out additional enemies in two turns.

Note on prepared, gained intelligence means two prepared slots rather than one.

Not much changes gameplay wise, but we add two powerful crowd control effects to our spellbook in case we need to use them. Typically at this level I use scrolls I find in chest and bookcase for CC rather than preparing a bunch of spells.

Level 8 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste, Conjure Minor Elemental, Blight, Mirror Image

Level 9

At level 9 the Wizard learns 2 spells, prepare 13 total, and access to level 5 spell slots.

Spell Selection

• Conjure Elemental: Bend the barrier between the Planes until they disgorge an elemental ally to follow and fight for you. I prefer the Earth Elemental because it can stun opponents. Whatever you summon, will follow you around and fight for you and not require concentration. The amount of damage and pressure these things can handle is staggering and I highly recommend using it.
• Cloudkill: Craft a large cloud that inflicts 5∼40 Poison damage per turn. Massive area damage and poison. You want to swap this into your prepared slots if you are fighting something resistant to other damages.

We unlocked Conjure Elemental so we can drop the Lesser spell version and prepare this one. We also can drop Banishment and slot Cloudkill and keep Confusion as our crowd-control spell. Combat doesn’t change much just another powerful area spell and our summon got even more powerful.

Level 9 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste, Conjure Minor Elemental, Blight, Mirror Image

Level 10

At Level 10 the Necromancy Wizard learns a single cantrip, two spells, 14 prepared, 1x subclass feature.

Subclass Feature

• Inured to Undeath: You have steeped yourself so completely in death that you are Resistant to Necrotic damage, and moreover your hit point maximum cannot be reduced. This just helps you counter other necrotic spell casters and not having your health reduced is helpful.

Cantrip Selection

• Poison Spray: Project a puff of noxious gas. This isn’t going to be used at late game so feel free to pick another cantrip.

Spell Selection

• Grant Flight: Bestow the ability to Fly upon yourself or an ally. This is actually an amazing spell for mobility. While you can use potions for flying, having a spell that grants it in combination with Misty Step spell means you can traverse an entire battlefield in one turn.
• Stoneskin: Turn a creature’s flesh hard as stone. It gains Resistance (half the damage) of all non-magical Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage. We take this spell because having 3 higher-level spells when we can only cast one doesn’t make sense. This is a great defensive spell though it requires concentration.

Add Grant Flight to your prepared spells and use it prior to combat where you know mobility will be key.

Level 10 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste, Conjure Minor Elemental, Blight, Mirror Image, Grant Fly, Confusion

Level 11

At level 11 the Wizard gains access to the highest level spells in the game, level 6. You can learn 2 spells, BUT will only have one level 6 spell slot, with 15 Prepared Spells. This build will use Create Undead as our level 6 spell slot mostly, but you can take another spell in case the situation dictate its not useful to use them or you cannot summon undead.

Spell Selection

• Circle of Death: Sculpt a massive sphere of entropic energy around a creature. Devastate the target and all surrounding creatures. On Save: Targets still take half damage. This is a huge area-based spell though it requires a focal point target. It’s necrotic damage and should hit very hard on our Necromancy Wizard.
• Create Undead: Raise a corpse as a heinous mummy that fights by your side. The target must be a Medium or small corpse. The highest level undead corpse we can summon and this will have a ton of health and do good damage.

Level 11 Wizard Prepared Spells: Mage Armour, Misty Step, Flaming Sphere, Chromatic Orb, Thunderwave, Scorching Ray, Fireball, Haste, Conjure Minor Elemental, Blight, Mirror Image, Grant Fly, Confusion, Create Undeath

Level 12

You’ve reached the final level in Baldur’s Gate 3, 12! The Necromancy Wizard will learn 2 spells, 1 new feat, and have 16 prepared spells if you followed this guide.

Spell Selection

• Globe of Invulnerability: Creates a barrier that makes creatures and objects inside it Immune to all damage. This spell prevents you from dying for a bit and can come in handy in very specific fights in Act 3.
• Arcane Gate: Create two linked teleportation portals. Another niche spell to add to our arsenal.

Feat Selection: Ability Improvement +2 to Intelligence.

At this level you should feel very powerful and have a army of undead and elementals following you. While I though originally this would be a niche build, turns out all those summons do a lot of damage and provide great distractions for you. Make sure after long rest you cast Mage Armour, Create Undead, and Conjure Elemental. If you struggle with survival, use Shield, and Mirror Image in replacement for two damage dealing spells. You should feel pretty powerful and hopefully this level progression gave you some insights into how to make the Best Necromancy Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3!

Below we have some gear recommendations so keep reading!

Best Companions for Wizard Build

The best companion for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide is Lae’zeal because she’s a melee-focused damage dealer.  She will engage enemies and take the pressure off your ranged-focused build, allowing you to free-cast spells.  Having a heavy focus on melee will keep you in the distance while applying pressure, snaring, and debuffing the opposition. 

• Lae’zeal (Fighter): damage, crowd control, and in-your-face aggression.
• Shadowheart (Cleric): buffs, healing, and control. 
• Astarion (Rogue): sneaking, backstabbing, and dealing massive damage in melee combat.

When putting your party together, consider companions for not only their combat prowess but also their outside ability and skills that can influence storytelling, dialogue, and exploration. A balanced party will fit the traditional RPG ‘holy trinity’: Tank, Healer, and DPS. Ideally, in Baldur’s Gate 3 you’re are going to want one tank, one healer, one melee DPS, and one range DPS. Some classes/subclasses can cover both roles, so feel free to experiment and find out what works best for you.

Best Gear for Wizard Build

Beginner: Starting the Game

Here’s the best beginner gear for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item
Head	Circlet of Blasting
Cape	–
Chest	The Protecty Sparkswall
Gloves	Bracers of Defence
Boots	Cinder Shoes
Necklace	Amulet of Misty Step
Ring	Ring of Colour Spray
Ring	Sunwalker’s Gift
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Melf’s First Staff

• Circlet of Blasting: Can cast the spell Scorching Ray once per Long Rest. Sold by Blurg in the Myconid Colony.
• The Protecty Sparkswall: 10 AC + Dexterity modifier, +1 bonus to spell saves.  Looted in Gilded Chest in Grymforge X: -645 Y: 360.
  • Alternative: Poisoner’s Robe: When the wearer casts a spell that deals Poison damage, it deals an additional 1d4 Poison Damage. Looted from Phase Spider Matriarch underneath Blighted Village easiest entrance through a well.
• Bracers of Defence: You gain a +2 bonus to Armour Class as long as you are not wearing armour or holding a shield. Obtained in Necromancers cellar in Blighted Village
• Cinder Shoes: whenever you Burn an enemy, you gain 2 turns of Heat.  Sold by Blurg in the Myconid Colony, Underdark.
• Amulet of Misty Step: Grants Misty Step Level 2 Conjuration Spell. Found in a Gilded Chest (X386 Y8) in Defiled Temple
• Ring of Colour Spray: Once per Battle, you can cast the Colour Spray spell.  Obtained in Harpy’s Nest Secluded Cove (X:326, Y:495).
• Sunwalker’s Gift: the wearer can see in the dark up to 12m (used for non-Darkvision races like Dragonborn, Githyanki, etc). Buy it from Blurg in Myconid Colony in the  Underdark.
  • Alternative: The Sparkswall: the wearer cannot be electrocuted and gains resistance to lightning damage.  Obtained in a chest in Arcane Tower, Underdark Act 1.
• Melf’s First Staff: 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning damage, gain +1 bonus to spell save DC, spell attack rolls, and Melf’s acid Arrow once per long rest.  Sold by Blurg in the Myconid Colony.
  • Alternative: Staff of Crones: Gain Ray of Sickness, Level 1 Spell. Underneath Auntie Ethel Hut in Sunlit Wetlands, in the Hag treasure room, after defeating her.

Advanced: End-Game

The following table presents the best advanced and end-game gear for our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item
Head	Helldusk Helmet
Cape	Cloak of the Weave
Chest	Moon of Devotion Robe
Gloves	Quickspell Gloves
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers
Necklace	Amulet of Greater Health
Ring	Killer’s Sweetheart
Ring	Shifting Corpus Ring
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Staff of Cherished Necromancy

• Helldusk Helmet: You can see in a magical and ordinary darkness up to a range of 12m. You cannot be Blinded; The wielder has a +2 bonus to Saving Throws against spells; Attackers can’t land Critical Hits on the wearer.
  • Found inside the the House of Hope treasure room in front of Raphael’s Boudoir. Locking mechanism is revealed after passing a DC10 Perception Check.
• Cloak of the Weave: You gain a +1 bonus to Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls; Absorb elemental damage once per Short Rest. Take half damage from the next elemental attack targeting you, and deal an additional 1d6 of that element type on your next attack.
  • Can be found in a locked chest in Raphael’s House of Hope.
• Moon of Devotion Robe: While the wearer has Mage Armour, each successful Saving Throw causes the source of the Saving Throw to take 1~4 Radiant Damage; Advantage on Constitution Saving Throw Checks.
  • Mind Flayer Colony (X:856, Y:-20); Drop by Isobel
• Quickspell Gloves: Cantrips that cost an action cost a bonus action instead. This effect can be used once per Short Rest.
  • Can be purchased at Lorroakan’s Projection at Sorceror’s Sundries
• Disintegrating Night Walkers: Can’t be Enwebbed, Entangled, or Ensnared and can’t slip on grease or ice; Misty Step once per Short Rest
  • Dropped by True Soul Nere at the Grymforge
• Amulet of Greater Health: Increases the wearer’s Constitution score to 23; Advantage on Constitution Saving Throws Checks.
  • Can be found in the House of Hope
• Killer’s Sweetheart: When you kill a creature, your next Attack Roll will be a critical hit. Once spent, this effect refreshes after a Long Rest.
  • Can be found laying on the ground at the top of the stone structure in the Self-Same Trial inside the Gauntlet of Shar ( X: -833 Y: -729).
• Shifting Corpus Ring: Gain access to the Invisibility and Blur spells
  • Drop by Fist Marcus at the Last Light Inn
• Staff of Cherished Necromancy: Creatures have Disadvantage on Saving Throws against your Necromancy spells; When the wielder kills a hostile creature with a spell, they greedily absorb its energy and gain Life Essence until their next Long Rest.
  • Can be looted from Mystic Carrion.

Best Wizard Consumables, Potions, and Items

The following list represents the best individual use consumable items that will aid in our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide:

• Potion of Greater Healing:  8d4 + 8 healing and removes burning.
• Potion of Invisibility: Become invisible for 1 minute. Attacking or casting spells ends the status.
• Potion of Flying: 10 turns of flying.
• Potion of Speed: 3 turns of an increased action via the Haste condition.
• Potion of Angelic Slumber: fall asleep for two turns, then restore all spell slots, hit points, and abilities.
• Elixir of Peerless Focus: gain advantage on concentration saves (ingredients Sublimate of Belladona, and any ashes).
• Elixir of Vigilance: gain +5 bonus initiative and you cannot be surprised (ingredients sublimate of bloodstained hook, any ashes).
• Superior Elixir of Arcane Cultivation: gain a level 3 spell slot (ingredients Solution of Night Orchid, any Vitriol).
• Elixir of Viciousness: increase your critical hit chance (ingredients Vitriol of Shadowroot Sac, any Ashes).
• Elixir of Universal Resistance: gain resistance to all damage (ingredients Vitriol of Divine Miasma, any Sublimate).

Necromancy Wizard Gameplay Tips and Tricks

1. Pre-Buff: Always cast Mage Armour following a long rest.  This will keep you alive and often time you will forget it falls off. You can then immediately use spell recharge to fill back up on spell slots.
2. Bonus Action: Don’t forget your bonus action which isn’t that useful immediately for Wizard. Often times you can use a potion of healing or speed to increase your chances of survival while doing damage.
3. Use Environment: Remember that environment plus elements can equal big damage. Combine a fire spell with Grease and coat the area with fire damage. Same with water and electrical, have some way to use the environment and do extra damage.
4. Knockback: Having a spell like Thunderwave is essential to handling pressure from melee targets. Oftentimes, you will be the number one target of Fighters and Rangers.  Combine a big knockback with Misty Step and create distance whenever you can to survive.
5. Area Damage: Wizards bring big area damage to the party and that should be your focus when creating and using your build.  Think of ways to hit multiple targets directly or with environmental damage to inflict the most damage at once.
6. Rest Constantly: Your spell slots will quickly run out after one or more fights, especially if challenging.  During my playthrough, resting and using the resources is merely a small-time commitment, but it’s the difference between life and death when you enter combat.
7. Positioning: Keeping your distance and firing off spells and cantrips is how you successfully do damage.  Every turn, ask yourself what’s the likelihood a melee character or range can hit me?  Look to move back in distance and even use Hide to prevent damage from coming in.  As a Wizard you do not lack damage, but survival can be tricky.
8. Crowd Control: Wizards have great single-target and group crowd control.  Make sure you focus on taking out the primary target with Sleep, Hold Person, or any other CC to limit potential damage. 
9. Big Nuke: Typically, you want to fire off your big spells early to finish off targets before they can attack you. Save at least one of your highest spell slots in reserve for a critical moment. Usually, I do this for Misty Step as it’s a get-out-of-jail-free card.
10. Use Consumables: One of the best early consumables is the Potion of Speed. This gives you an extra action that the Wizard lacks inherently. This essentially doubles your combat potential for a few turns. The best part, it’s a bonus action to consume, so you can use it at the start of a battle and have a huge opening attack.

Remember, this build guide serves as a foundation, and you can always adapt it to suit your preferences and the needs of your campaign. Enjoy playing using our formidable Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Wizard Build Guide!

Baldur’s Gate 3 Necromancy Build Summary Guide

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