BEST Dark Justiciar (Trickery) Shadowheart Build in Baldur's Gate 3

Trickery Domain is a tough Cleric subclass to manage, but in this build guide we combine Gloomstalker Ranger! Lets take a look at my Shadowheart: BEST Dark Justiciar (Trickery) Shadowheart Build in Baldur's Gate 3
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0:00 Intro & TL;DW
1:50 Character Creation
6:40 Ability Points
8:36 Dark Justiciar Early Level Build
12:00 Best Dark Justiciar Feats
14:17 Dark Justiciar Endgame Build
22:57 Dark Justiciar Abilities
26:03 Itemization
28:01 Dark Justiciar Weapons
32:47 Dark Justiciar Armor & Gear
40:44 Gameplay Showcase
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#bg3 #guide #baldursgate3 #beginners

[@peterhospodar7876]

Finally a guide whic does not throw lore out of the window :D

[@cassusgames]

True, however respeccing Shadowheart after she abandons Shar for Selune is very lore friendly

[@user-qo9pl2px7w]

​@@cassusgames😊is 😅

[@KirDmA]

Yes, not the heavy armour monk Shadowheart, throwing potato and gnomes))

[@SuperHongTay]

@@cassusgames it depends on what you respec her to

[@dj44640]

Isn't the ranger aspect totally out of context though?

[@ju9493]

Dude, I love your build videos sooo much. I haven't seen ANY other person making such lore-accurate and actually WORKING builds. Please keep creating great stuff

[@RandomGuy010]

I like Fighter 1/Thief 3/Trickery 8 dual-wielder. You get to cast spells and still attack twice, and you get the poison weapon passive.

[@The_Kelt]

Bro this was honestly so helpful - I love having Shart in my party and she’s my primary romance target, but I was STRUGGLING to figure out how to optimize her in combat and as an actually helpful support. Much love my dude, keep up the awesome work!

[@italianspartacus]

Absofuckinglutely brother! Happy to help!

[@The_Kelt]

@@italianspartacus Just circling back to thank you again for completely boosting how fun I’m having with this game! I’m totally new to pretty much everything DnD related, and the last time I played anything similar to BG3 was KotOR as a kid, so your vids have gone a long way in helping me really enjoy this whole experience - can’t thank you enough dude! Just an unrelated question, not sure if you have a sec to give some insight… I’m a Beastmaster Ranger, in a party of Karlach (Barb), Shadowheart (Cleric /Ranger 1), and Gale (Evoc Wiz). I’m trying to decide what the two best Adamantine items are for my party now that I finally beat the Forge Terminator. I was leaning towards Scale Mail for Karlach and maybe Shield for the ole goth gf. What do you think? Thanks again my guy!

[@italianspartacus]

So that's exactly what I did with a near exact same party hahaha. I won't say I REGRETTED it because I still enjoyed it, but honestly the Shield is swapped out almost the second you get to Act 2 by a lot of really nice shnazzy shields. I'd stick with the Scale Mail and I'd get the LONGSWORD instead! It ignores slashing resistance and that's fucking sick. You can use it on Karlach as a 2h weapon, or yourself as a 1h weapon!

[@The_Kelt]

@@italianspartacus that’s really good to know on the Act 2 shields, thanks for the heads up brother! Right now I have the Sussur Greatsword on Karly with Misty Step amulet on speed dial. I sic her on dangerous spell-casters like a magic Rottweiler before they have a chance to blink - silence their asses immediately haha But the adamantine longsword perk about ignoring slashing resistance is so damn OP now that I think about it… In any event, thanks again!

[@italianspartacus]

You'll like the way ya look, I guarantee it :) hahahah

[@HE_HATE_ME]

i went trickery cleric fighter and thief for all the extra attacks and stuff… the shar spear and the darkness it comes with is op when you don’t get blinded and can just sit in the cloud poking everything that comes near

[@Executioner9000]

I'm currently working through an evil playthrough and I'm gonna keep Shadowheart as a Shar cleric, so this came at just the right time for me to try it out

[@Caron_]

For my DJ Shart I found a really cool build going war cleric 1 or 2, way of the shadow monk 7 and fighter 3 or 4 to capitalize on darkness with the gear you get from Shar by blinding opponents and teleporting through the shadows dashing out damage with actions and bonus actions alike.

[@Brainfly-]

Welcome to the stage: DJ Shart 💀

[@lexiconxdevil626]

I had this kind of idea once I ascended her too. I leaned more into the gear she got and changed her class into fighter (possibly still a lvl or 2 cleric, but I can't remember) with maybe a little thief rogue for extra actions with bonus action (hide, dash etc.). Make sure she can see through darkness and it's really fun to have her melee attack everything while in darkness. She can't really be hit and is a great fighter. She can even teleport around in the shadows.

[@InnocentLock-er6et]

It’s the build I commented on the community post!!! I ended up going strength just so I could use the spear of night. Planning on using the constitution amulet on ShadowHeart so I can get a better stat spread but it’s like 16 str / 14 dex / 14 con / 14 wisdom now. Arcane acuity helm makes up for the lower DC for now

[@KirDmA]

If you want to use spears for her, use strength elixir, or add one level of monk to use dex with spears. First option better, but monk multiclass have some sense to.

[@scullywully1604]

@@KirDmA I've thought about doing shadow monk levels with Shadowheart, but not really sure how to build it.

[@KirDmA]

@@scullywully1604 5 or 6 levels of monk, 6-7 levels of cleric. Alternative - monk 6, rogue 3-4, cleric 2-3.

[@scullywully1604]

@@KirDmA Thanks!

[@Diceux]

People like to hate on Trickery Domain but i mixed this with Paladin to make a poor mans Echo Knight. Spiritual weapon, Mirror Images and illusion. Things have a very hard time hitting me before the Paladin stuff kicks in. You can also bait the AI to hit your character by maintaining concentration on something. My AC is stupid high and im using gear that returns damage to enemies that miss me too. *Shrug*

[@anteyehero]

This sounds like a fun build.

[@MidKnightOTC]

I did the same, 5 levels of trickery, 2 levels of paladin and 5 levels of swords bard is my latest, though I enjoyed using 5 levels of thief on the earlier build and ran around with a shadow blade and sword of the undermountain king. when my spell slots were used up, that's when I popped the shadow blade ring and started melting enemies. super versatile, super fun. it was my take on oath of conquest

[@seanthornton2588]

Litterarly just typed this into youtube and find out you posted, what a werid coincidence, love the builds.

[@roberts.1073]

props! Finally a roleplay friendly guide, keep up the good work

[@italianspartacus]

Glad you enjoyed! :D

[@sunbleachedangel]

now I need one for every companion + durge

[@inflatablefish921]

I really recommend the mod "UA6 Invoke Duplicity" - changes the signature ability of the trickery domain to what it is in the most recent D&D update playtest and makes it actually worth using in combat

[@ckirk7317]

^^^ its a really good mod.

[@mattbachmann4311]

I clicked on two of your vids in a row, and they both are great! Thanks so much!

[@italianspartacus]

Glad you like them!! :)

[@scullywully1604]

I don't know how I missed this video, this is great! I always keep Shadowheart as a trickery cleric because nothing else fits her character, to me (for the first 2 acts, at least). But I've been wanting to try something new with her for a while. In my current game, I'm in act 2 and she's a cleric 5/ thief 3, and it's definitely better and more interesting, but not that great still. She is duel wielding hand crossbows, and the extra bonus action is nice because there's some good cleric spell synergy there. I didn't even think about ranger, which looks much better. I'm going to try this with my next playthrough (which I've already started) with my evil Durge, since I'm not going to respec her after act 2. That shield of the undevout is one of my favorite shields. I used it on my last playthrough on a lore bard with high spell save DC, and everyone was running from her, it was so much fun.

[@giggityman41]

The dueling fighting style says it at the end of the description that holding a shield in the free hand will still provide the benefit of the buff, so I would imagine it is very much an intentional feature 19:15

[@HamsterLiterario]

Lol, i just was looking for a good shadowheart build and entered you channel. This video is really handy XD

[@deeteedee]

This is the perfect lore-friendly build I was looking for Shadowheart for weeks! I hope you write text guides someday

[@sain223]

I know that 5th edition removed deity requirement from the Paladin class. But I still think that a Paladin would still work with temples of the god they worship. As champion or Knight of their chosen deity. So with that said I feel that the Dark Justiciar's are the Paladins of Shar rather then a Cleric of Shar.

[@matthewpadich6237]

Haha! Lol'd at the sacred flame comment, it does always f*cking miss!

[@kurtr1090]

Asterian didn't survive one of the early camp cut-scenes, so Shadowheart absorbed his role unto herself. She is a trickery/assassin cleric-rogue with a 8/4 split. Getting the eighth level of cleric easily makes up for not having odd rogue levels. In addition to a third feat, it gets me Divine Strike: Poison. That's 1d8 poison that unlike sneak attack, is not conditional. It also sets up a really nice synergy between Poisoner's Gloves, Derivation Cloak, and The Whispering Promise ring. She's not like a ranger or something, but she's decent at ambushing, good at skills, and spell casting. I went for Dex 20, Wis 18, but that of course could be shifted around by personal preference.

[@xiilogiciix4614]

Goated comment

[@AkodoKusamoto]

In my current playthrough, I'm really considering an 8/4 trickery cleric/wild magic barbarian split...mostly because a stealth barbarian with high crit chance seems hysterical.

[@marcosdheleno]

but you cant cast spells while raging, and most of the invis stuff from trickery are spells. so this sound counter productive. it would be better to go either assassin, thief, or shadow monk. the last one in particular seems to give you pretty much all you want, without the sacrifice of not being able to cast spells.

[@annmester2740]

Trickery cleric never appealed to me so I've always respecced Shadowheart, but I love the shadow/fear/necrotic damage vibe this build gives, so I think I will try it next time.

[@colourbloo]

BG3: Breathing as a spellcaster is a concentration, sorry

[@NewMega252]

I ended up doing an interesting build for my shadowheart for my honor mode run. I went 6 Shadow Monk 3 Trickery Cleric 3 Gloom Stalker Ranger now while this is a very weird setup the idea is to work around darkness like a standard dj setup but also wield dual daggers since I feel like it fits shadowheart. Setup isn't the strongest by any means but feels like it fits her and is really fun when paired with the rest of my party

[@Chris11J23]

I see what you did there.. Accidental nod to Imoen sent me back to bg2, man. Thank you! 😂

[@jpperron1835]

Very cool! I’ve been wanting to do a ranger cleric but was looking for different ways to do it :D

[@camomilehottea]

The high elf cantrip scales with whatever that ever the spell modifier is, they patched it a while ago

[@Obreezy425]

People going into Act 2 at level 4? I'm usually 6, lol

[@marcosdheleno]

so this may sound weird but what about this: (trick)cleric:6 (thf)rogue:3 fighter:2 monk:1 or (shd)monk:3 rogue:1

[@getgoodscy]

bruh … at level 4 i think you have just cleared the goblin camp and got the quest rewards. still have karlaxh, the witch, the underdark and a bit more. shows how’s nuts this game is.

[@bizzzzzzle]

Me too

[@MundaneThingsBackwards]

Excellent guide. If I hear you talk about the word fun one more got damn time, though...! 😂😂

[@italianspartacus]

Mwhahaha ;)

[@marcosdheleno]

my biggest issue with the dark justiciar stuff, is how much you need to sacrifice to allow her to "ascend". 2 playable characters, and their equipment, besides the whole moral aspect in the story. also her romance options for those who were invested into her romance and the blacksmith. i just dont think the rewards are worth it. it would be nice to have another way to make her one, that didnt sacrificed as much.

[@krisissocoollike]

Also, could you please clarify about the spear needing strength, not dexterity, as some commenters have questioned?

[@pillsen8964]

Of you play with the shar spear is it more worth going for str instead of dex? Because I think spears scale with str 😁

[@people2chronically-online]

17:08 genuine rage 😂

[@Zephraim]

This is pretty much the exact build I've been running on her in my current play-through, biggest difference is that I added a level of monk instead of the final cleric level in order to be able to use dex with the Spear of Night.

[@InnocentLock-er6et]

Using monk to get dex scaling is so good. I wish it didn’t mess with the spell slots though… I want to get that 5th level spell slot for this build

[@HE_HATE_ME]

how does this work? i added some fighter lvls just to get the extra attack and it made my shart strength focused…. does it have to do with the order to take the classes?

[@InnocentLock-er6et]

@@HE_HATE_ME it’s a monk class ability. Any “Monk Weapons” use dex for attack and damage if it is higher than strength. Monk weapons are any weapon you are proficient with that are not “Heavy” or “Two-Handed.” Versatile weapons however can be monk weapons, so the spear counts

[@HE_HATE_ME]

@@InnocentLock-er6et alright thanks 👍

[@user-zq3so3cz7j]

can you do one for her selunite build too?

[@aniol_e7370]

Any light / life domain cleric build

[@thomasrosendahl2783]

Life, Tempest and light Domain Cleric are the only subclasses worth going full 12 levels. I have tried them all on solo balanced. War Cleric struggled more for some reason.

[@kittydaddy2023]

Shart only has to be trickery domain until she stops lying to you. Then I reset to paladin or eldritch fighter to throw the spear. Paladin because a lot of other Dark Justiciars are paladins.

[@JohnVanderbeck]

My main is a Monk/Rogue with only 10 CHA and I initially thought it would be a problem, but honestly it hasn't. It has been fine. That said I do have proficiency in Persuasion from the Charlatan background.

[@leesimpson6334]

I like this build, a lot

[@cerbintalyalas]

Great guide, I really want to try it out ! Dumb question tho, but... How do you end up with a level 5 spell slot, despite not hitting level 9 as cleric?

[@sportyzmech2104]

It's funny how one of the dark justiciars we fight against are nothing like the trickery domain cleric It why I change shadowheart into a fighter as it much better fits with the armour and weapons given to her when becoming a dark Justiciar

[@Gamin_Guy]

Great build but to really make a dark justicier work you'd need to kill nightsong with shadow heart all the gear you get goes so good for trickery domain

[@krisissocoollike]

So if I am playing this in honor mode I should not take dueling as a fighting style since no one knows whether it works?

[@anteyehero]

It’s a ‘boring’ build but I think the better dark justiciar build is just pretty much just straight war cleric (given the murals and the way justiciars are described through act 1 and 2). Or depending on how you want her to operate give her a level in rogue (she was a small team spec operative sent on an infiltration mission into hostile territory) and use the stats outlined in the video to set up dex based melee. If you don’t like the dip drop dex for strength and have her smash people with hammers/maces. And doing so allows you to use a “better” cleric subclass. I like trickery and think it meshes very well with a rogue dip (it’s how she’s running in my honor mode runs), but can see the desire to use a more straightforwardly effective subclass.

[@DJMavis]

I have questions about that Lore. They depicted as great warriors, yet loss and shadow seems far more suited to assassins or gloom stalkers. It's a weird thing to try and piece together, even more when she's meant to be a gifted healer according to books found in the house of grief. Though partly I suppose that's peril of having that many religions in the lore. The pantheon is so messy.

[@aniol_e7370]

War cleric is a miss on Shar's follower lore-wise, imho. Darkness, obscurity, slow mental interrogation / torture Vs Witch Hunt-type inquisitor who rushes forward to burn all heresy in the holy flames and exterminates everything around them. Sounds more like Imperial Cult follower from Warhammer 40k

[@michaeldenzer5042]

Duellist's Prerogative for me isn't worth it without keeping your offhand empty. Wearing a shield doesn't count as an "empty Off-hand". As a rule of thumb, the game is pretty precise on how items "should" work. The duelling fighting style words it as "no weapon in your off-hand", if I remember correctly and, in fact, works with shields.

[@sayrebonifield4663]

For a Shadowheart build the example build should be a half high elf with acolyte background.

[@ededandeddy2115]

I tried dueling on honor mode and it doesn't work w versatile in one hand even if it can use finesse like a couple of the long swords

[@eboethrasher]

I'm barely at the end of Act 1 when I'm level 5. Unless honor mode slows leveling bigtime.

[@edwardflores6604]

"You must gather your party before venturing forth."

[@apoiocentergalo4053]

Pls make a coop comp build!

[@corbinbrunson6132]

Aye I like this build 👌

[@richie5times91]

Currently on my first play through. Does this build affect shadowhearts story throughout the game ?

[@parkery27368]

Not at all

[@tevisstier9044]

Sacred flame becomes slightly better if you have a warlock in the party that hexes an enemy's dex first

[@amanita8397]

Can someone tell me what the bird MC summon is?

[@jeremiegartner464]

i think u can skip that last lvl in cleric and do 1 in Rog for sneak atk

[@InnocentLock-er6et]

Don’t think 1d6 once per turn is worth losing out on the 5th level spell slot

[@italianspartacus]

100%. One level dip with rogue just isn't worth it

[@doloresabernathy9809]

wait if its Shadowheart why did we take a drow? You can’t change race of companions

[@aniol_e7370]

The race+background selection I'm the vid is an example if you want to create a custom main character and roleplay with similar beliefs as Shadowheart has

[@connerSphotography]

Technically you aren’t braking lore using radiant spirit guardians the leader of the shar cultist at house of grief can do radiant damage as well and she’s the top dog

[@italianspartacus]

WELL THERE YOU GO! hahaha

[@pauze1991]

could this build go solo?

[@DJMavis]

Yeah, what sort of idiot would cast another concentration spell with one already active? *eyes emoji* I wish you'd made this during my last run, I really struggled to make the most of evil Shart the dark justiciar, except with the whole party having Devil's sight and lots of darkness.

[@KirDmA]

Whole party of warlocks? It is a meme, not party)

[@DJMavis]

@@KirDmA only to lvl3. And Someone can wear a ring so not need to dip into it.

[@bravo3six956]

All my characters are wisdom based. No need for charisma really. If you fail the dialogue it gives you different options no big deal. Wisdom the real important stat for any build

[@devynfisher6886]

40:27 Does anyone know what armor Minsc is wearing at that time?

[@italianspartacus]

Bone Spike!

[@devynfisher6886]

@@italianspartacus Didn’t expect a response from you but it’s very appreciated thank you!

[@italianspartacus]

Of course!! :)

[@blight4519]

Ah yes the Vlaakith sworn Dark Justiciar lol

[@Okil_Atlas]

But spears are strength weapons so why dex?

[@gabri-immortale]

This is a bad vudeo

[@xoLegacyClan]

Dark Worcestershire Armour 😭😭😭

[@crimsondragon9439]

SPOILERS you make a build for Shadowheart for when she turns against sharr??

[@italianspartacus]

Light Cleric! 100% :)

[@crimsondragon9439]

@@italianspartacus would everything still work? You would just switch the domains?

[@nothisispatrick6528]

Is that shadow heart art made by AI?

[@italianspartacus]

Credit is in thr description! It might be, I didn't check out the page

[@phillawrence5148]

Read that as Testicular 🤔

[@sebastianocampo71997]

Shadowheart is one of the most ughh companion in bg3, she doesnt have like a good buff being her, for example astarion can gain happy buff, and if ascension is chosen +1-10 necro damage, and shadowheart cant use mirror of loss

[@JohnVanderbeck]

I can appreciate this being thematically good for Shadowheart, but after watching your Cleric video I have respecced my Shadowheart as a Light cleric and I can't imagine changing that. I'm only in Act I but Shadowheart was absolutely USELESS for me as a Trickster Cleric. It got so bad I literally removed her from the standard party and just used healing potions and I didn't even miss her at all ability wise. As a Light Cleric though she has been a healing powerhouse and so very useful. Also STRONG with that heavy armor. I had a tough fight last night in the Grymforge that went south real fast (damn those Duegar hit hard!) and it turned out that Shadowheart ended up being the only only one that refused to go down, even with no spell slots left. Her AC was just so high with heavy armor and shield.

[@momqabt]

Light is still the best for a single class, be an elf if you want to use phalar, or take your first lvl in fighter for the weapon and con save prof🤷‍♂️ I'd also recommend getting the 5e spells mod and the expanded feats mod. Getting toll the dead as a cantrip for clerics is a necessity.

[@user-no6zk6vv4y]

Spears are strength-based weapons. Wouldn't work with your build

[@sterd1149]

Potioooonsssss

[@ethanpeeples6187]

You dont need a cleric in a party. I changed my shart to a lore bard

[@aniol_e7370]

This video is about lore-friendlyish build and you speak about a shart as a bard. Follower of Shar, Mistress of the Night and the Lady of Loss. As a bird, lore one at that. Get a grip

[@ethanpeeples6187]

@aniol_e7370 all I was saying is that a cleric is not required. Not saying bard was right by the lore. Ober point in the video he kinda said having one is required

[@aniol_e7370]

@@ethanpeeples6187 fair, as in contrary to the "cleric is required" statement.

[@italianspartacus]

I don't think I said Cleric is required :) as my honor mode playthrough has a Bard rather than a cleric

[@user-iy1nf3tu5k]

билд говно, Темный Юстициар это когда ы убиваешь Песню Ночи и получаешь от шар доспехи темного юстициара а это самозванец

[@user-ld5uo3sb2n]

Bard better

[@aniol_e7370]

Not from a lore perspective. Bard Dark Justiciar. From the same band as Life cleric Bhaal's Champion and Barbarian head of Sorcerous Sundries

[@buluketek5030]

I love your videos, except I have to go through your explanation about taking every single spells or proficiency or stats that inessencial to the build itself. I'm tired listening 70% repeated explanations, which every other video already have, 30% core things abt the build. I'm not only talking abt your channel, every other channel that pops up at the top search always do this. Do the main thing, let us choose the rest.

[@Youtubesuckscock]

You go to act 2 at level 4? That's fucking weird ngl feels like you're underleveled for that part of the game ngl.