Baldurs Gate 3 Rogue / Gloomstalker S Tier Build! Stealth Is Absurdely Powerful!

[@rpjames8]

There's a lot of folk concerned on why didn't I choose gnome for this build, even while the ranger gets longbow profficiency as a base. I am truly sorry I didn't adressed that in the video, here's the reasoning to that: First, I don´t like Gnomes, lol. Larian decided to change the attribute profficiency because folk didn't want for the min-maxing to lock you out of playing your favorite race. If you do like the Gnome, then by all means, go for it. If, on the other hand, you like an Orc, or a Dragonborn it works just fine as well! Sure, some racials are going to play some part of the overall effectiveness, but then again, if you like one race, take it. The skeleton of the build is going to perform amazingly with any race. Second, and probably the least important. I like to choose longbows right from the get go, and I also like to be hidden at all times right from the get go, so start with Rogue, that's the best for me. Still, If you want to start Ranger for the longbow, and THEN switch to rogue, by all means, you can. One is NOT better than the other. Cheers you damn gorgeous and beautiful people!

[@SaneNoMore]

I don't like shorties in Dnd for purely cosmetic reasons but romancing people as a Dragonborn is kinda strange too lol. (currently playing one).

[@NineSeptims]

Its their body proportions that throw me off.@@SaneNoMore

[@Maximum7077]

​@@NineSeptimsabsolutly

[@Maximum7077]

​@@NineSeptimsdidnt stopped me from going a divination wizard halfling with lucky feat with my first character of cause

[@RevenantHero_]

Is wood elf good for this build?

[@3ghrjI3Lnkhs]

Notes I took -- thanks RPJames! Level 1: Rogue High elf proficiency in long bow (recommended) Starting specs: Str: 8 Dex: 17 Con: 15 Int: 8 Wis: 16 Char: 8 Level 2: you get bonus hidden action Level 3: bonus action, fast hand (two bonus action) Attack twice then go stealth Subclass to be Thief Level 4: multiclass into ranger; Bounty hunter - favored enemy pick Beast tamer - explorer pick Level 5: second ranger Spells: ensnaring strike Spells: hunter's mark Fighting style: archery Leve 6: level 3 ranger Advised spell: speak with animals Subclass: gloom stalker Action: dread ambusher Level 7 / Level 54 gloom stalker Feat: Sharpshooter Itemization Spidersilk Armor Gloves of Thievery Smuggler's ring Amulet of Misty Step (used to reposition) Spring Step Boots (movement speed) Build work: Rogue always hiding Take advantage of last known location mechanic enemies waste action on not attacking Always use misty step - place last known location, then move away Use bonus actions to hit twice per turn Always be in shadows

[@RevenantHero_]

what should I do after level 8? Like focus on rogue or keep going ranger.

[@3ghrjI3Lnkhs]

@@RevenantHero_ I’m not there yet, @rpjames8 what do you recommend??

[@andrewbecker1013]

@@RevenantHero_ I’d recommend all ranger after 3 levels in thief rogue.

[@majorschmoopy1518]

Could always multi class into fighter for action surge

[@wildfire160]

I feel this is just crying out for a twin hand crossbow build....

[@FriendofFantasy]

I will say, with the right things at the start, chosing a Wood Elf Ranger at level 1 can net you proficiency in 9 skills. Wood Elf gives proficiency in Perception and Stealth. Outlander gives proficiency in Athletics and Survival. Bounty Hunter and Urban Tracker give proficiency in Investgation and Sleight of Hand. Then Ranger gives you Animal Handling, Insight and Nature. Then Rogue at level 2 will grant you an additional skill from the Rogue list, making you an amazing skill monkey with 10 skills.

[@hoodedalpha4880]

Love this combo, currently building it! a note, the longstrider spell is a ritual spell that doesnt take spell slots to cast and lasts until you long rest allowing you to buff your entire party with huge additional movement speed, its invaluable. the jump spell is the same but only lasts for 10 turns so a good prep for your frontliners to jump straight into the action. Longstrider can freeup that dash/boots allowing an additional bonus action making dual wield hand crossbows amazing if you arent bothered about stealthing too, turn 1 with 5 attacks using sharpshooter, PEWPEWPEWPEWPEW! a mini gattling gun almost XD

[@ImaITman]

There's also some Much better item optimizations for this build. I actually think if you're going to run 2h bow might as well run assassin for aclarity and that opening crit. 100% agree that dual hand crossbows with the same setup, same feat selection, and thief subclass because of Larian not using RAW for that 2nd bonus action is SS tier lol

[@ScareyBusey]

Damn it. I knew longstrider was an all day ritual but i completely forgot. All this time wasted, lol

[@Squeeble00]

​@ImaITman going dual wield for your weapon style would probably be more valuable than archery if you go hand crossbows, especially since you'd still benefit from it if you wanted to melee occasionally. But yeah everything else can stay the same

[@KyleRassweiler]

Did this change? Longstrider is listed as a level 1 spell slot for me.

[@hoodedalpha4880]

@KyleRassweiler nope, I'm still ritual casting it, in the level up screen or spell menu it doesn't say whether spells can be ritually casted, in your hotbar though it should have a small green symbol with 'ritual' next to it. So long as you aren't in combat it won't take up a spell slot

[@fateric007]

The lightning charge items are also really good. With the bow and boots you'll always have charges to dish out extra damage with.

[@rpjames8]

That is true indeed agent fateric!

[@wickedtruth6849]

@@schmiggidy honestly youre best bet is 4rogue/8ranger because you need level 5 ranger for a 2nd attack. and you get feats/ability points every 4 levels of a class. so at level 4 rogue and level 8 ranger you want to up dex to 20.

[@elocress7498]

@@schmiggidy going for fighter 2 or more is very good aswell so you get action surge and a second fighting style i would go ranger 5/rogue 5/fighter 2

[@CloudBreaker30]

​@@wickedtruth6849You can get to 20 Dex with no feats if you point buy to 17. Or 1 feat if you don't want to wear a certain piece of gear. You can get +1 from the hag and there's a chest armor sold by someone near the Githyanki Creche that's gives you permanent Cat's Grace and +2 Dex.

[@Xynth25]

​@@wickedtruth6849It's honestly super easy to get 20 Dex by level 5, the 4th level of Rogue really isn't necessary. Unless you're going to Rogue 5, 4 doesn't really get you anything, and the 3rd level Ranger spells can be very useful.

[@drewesrock9414]

You can also use dual welding hand crossbows to use both your bonus actions to attack. Or use 1 for sneak attack and one for another shot. Basically it guarantees at least 3 attacks per turn but could be 4-5 if you also use dread ambusher on the first round

[@Jona07111]

There are two issues with using dual hand xbow on a gloomstalker build. The first is that hand xbows have less range than longbows, making it slightly harder to utilize the burst strat that you would use Gloomstalker for because you'd have to get closer to get advantage/sneak attack The second issue is action economy. Rangers use their bonus action for con spells like hunters mark and ensnaring strike. Using hand xbows means your offhand bonus action attack competes with you doing things like moving hunter's mark or casting a new spell. Considering how likely it is in most battles for you to kill the enemy you've marked in one round, bonus actions on subsequent rounds are usually used to move hunter's mark to the next target, or to use cunning action to hide/reposition for more sneak attack kills. Using a longbow frees up your bonus actions while maximizing damage on your main attacks. If you prefer the dual xbow route, I'd recommend fighter/rogue or bard/rogue (sword college) instead.

[@drewesrock9414]

@@Jona07111 sharpshooter let's you shoot from long range without disadvantage and you tend to attack so much that you don't need hunters mark

[@drewesrock9414]

@@Jona07111 it works well. I'm playing the build rn

[@Jona07111]

@@drewesrock9414 No, that's only sharpshooter in 5e. Sharpshooter in BG3 negates disadvantage from low ground, but you still get disadvantage from shooting outside of normal range. I'm not saying dual crossbows won't work, but I'm saying it isn't optimal to pick gloomstalker if you want to go with a machine gun build. Without using Ranger spellcasting or playing to the synergy of sneak attack + dread ambusher, and instead using your bonus actions to just shoot, you'd be going at least 3 levels into ranger to get a worse fighter whose main upside is one extra attack on the first turn of combat.

[@dominikgose2609]

@@Jona07111 i just use risky ring and hide with one of the bonus actions

[@pandhuvandhita6192]

Wearing the Dark Urge's cape (that we got pretty early in the game on act 1) is also very good for this build because it automatically turns you invisible after killing an enemy

[@gladiusgamer9324]

Oh? Where do we find this cape?

[@UnburntDragon]

@@gladiusgamer9324it happens when you rest, but only if you are a Dark Urge character. Someone approaches you during a long rest

[@pandhuvandhita6192]

​@@gladiusgamer9324 To avoid spoiler, let's just say it will be given to you eventually after dark urge's first 'story' kill. You don't need to do anything, except maybe help Alfira finish her song in act 1.

[@markymark7197]

@@pandhuvandhita6192ah yes totally avoiding spoiler

[@F_Yale]

That's fuckin' overpowered, dude.

[@fateric007]

Also consider using the illithid power that gives you auto critical. Critical hits also double sneak dice.

[@peytondonovan9074]

It's only once per long rest

[@dychostarr]

@@peytondonovan9074 Still it doesn't take away from the build and adds to it. Save the auto critical ability for whenever your using it against a boss or major enemy (will note to always read the prompt as it'll ask EVEN if you rolled a natural 20 on a enemy which wastes the ability)

[@dominikgose2609]

​@@dychostarruse brand of the weak on em before you guarantee sneak crit. Watch em say goodbye in 1 hit

[@x-Nightingale-x]

I personally prefer the hand crossbows and any items that give me added damage to my attacks. Gloves of archery with hand crossbows basically gives me 4 extra damage guaranteed plus the item that adds 2 poison damage to weapon attacks thats 4 more guaranteed damage. So when i stealth shoot something with sharpshooter im pretty much guaranteed around 50 damage before ive even taken any turn. Thats enough to one shot quitw a few enemies

[@weslawrence888]

Agreed. This is what I'm doing. Bonus actions are better used to do d6+20 than moving hunter's mark around or whatever non-damage thing you are doing.

[@dominikgose2609]

Ensnaring strike on a boss 1st turn to try to get advantage on all attacks could be good as well, but with a 16 wis your saves only going to be so mutch

[@iamnotjcook]

When I saw the thief ability, I knew it would be one of the most broken multiclass synergies in the game

[@barrettready1713]

Ranger Hunter/Rouge Thief is one of my fav multi classes in dnd. I haven't played it since gloomstalker was added, so this was my idea for bg3

[@BanditTech]

I flipped the first class to Ranger so that you can get medium armour proficiency, then I used Exotic Materials armour to have him sitting at a hefty 22 AC once he is fully geared around level 10. 5 gloom/5 assassin/2 fighter. >>>> You destroy the priority targets before the fight even begins. The crucial feat is sharpshooter.

[@coyoboyo]

Yep. Table Top and BG3 this is my build and I can always inspire surprise, push at least 3 crit attacks and then action surge for 3 more. My DM running the Strahd module gave up because I killed that vamp in a single round. He started putting extra spell casters/ bad guys in after that just to keep me busy. I don't break Mages - I kill them outright. No Mercy. Cobra Kai!

[@dominikgose2609]

Dont you get medium armor prof just by dipping into ranger?

[@BanditTech]

@@dominikgose2609 I was under the impression you don't, pretty sure I had to respect to get it

[@dominikgose2609]

@@BanditTech u do, i was just messing with it earlier and can confirm

[@AEtherimp]

I start Ranger, go to Level 5 for Extra attack, then Rogue Assassin 3. Level 8 you have 3 Attacks (Dread Ambusher + 1 Sneak Attack + Normal Attack) + Sharp Shooter damage + Hunters Mark damage. Also make sure you're dipping your weapon in Poison(s) prior to combat.

[@PROTOTYPE0]

Is there a renewable poison source in the game like the poison equivalent of the candle item? Something I can carry in my bag and pull out before a fight

[@UnburntDragon]

@@PROTOTYPE0 just commenting to hear an answer. I’d like to know this

[@Fr0zenP3nguin]

​@@PROTOTYPE0I'm assuming you can make poison via alchemy

[@AEtherimp]

@@PROTOTYPE0 There's a ton of Poison which drops throughout the game and you can use Alchemy to create poison, and you can purchase poisons from Vendors.

[@cuongdo1994]

Doesnt hunter mark alert target?

[@dogs-game-too]

Not sure if they are always there, but I found a V rare pair of gloves at a vendor early in act 2 that gives me 18 Dexterity and +1 attack, so I was able to respec my guy to only have 8 Dexterity at level 1, pump up the other stats, then put the gloves on for 18 Dex. My ranger/rogue now has over 10 more health than my tank paladin at level 6 lmao

[@rpjames8]

They are always there, and those gloves are game changer for many classes!

[@dogs-game-too]

@rpjames8 awesome!! I'm hoping to find something similar for strength or charisma for my paladin! (No spoilers on if they exist please lol)

[@BryanMusic02]

@dogs-game-too do you remember where in act 2 you found these gloves? I found the proficiency DEX gloves but not these in Act 2, but I am only just finishing up the Githyanki base in act 2

[@selendile030]

They’re at the gith crèche. Just find the vendor there; has a ton of really good equipment.

[@dogs-game-too]

@@BryanMusic02 They were at a vendor that was through the secret entrance under the monastery. I assume there's a way to access them from the other side but I haven't played much of Act 2 yet

[@figuures6098]

My Astarion is currently sharpshooter, but with dual wield crossbows. the -5 to attack roll doesn't apply to offhand crossbows, so you get normal accuracy with the +10 dmg, with 2 bonus actions for offhand shots

[@Spadez86]

Came for the build, stayed for the 🎶Down, Down, Down by the River🎶

[@Scallers813]

If you ask me, start with 5 levels in Gloomstalker. Problem with this guide is #1 you’re not getting your ASI until like level 7, and #2 you’re not getting extra attack until like level 8. You’re better off just going first 5 levels into Gloomstalker, then multiclassing into Thief/Assassin.

[@rpjames8]

It's personal preference. Gloomstalker doesn't allow you to be 100% hidden all the time like rogue does. What can I say, I'm a snake fan!

[@kunimitsune177]

ASI is mad over rated. You can wait a few levels, no big deal.

[@Scallers813]

@@kunimitsune177 sorry dude that’s way untrue, in lower levels getting an extra plus one modifier on your main stat is a big deal. A big big deal.

[@Ebola419]

If you go hand crossbows you can technically have 3 attacks at level 3 due to thief bonus actions

[@tommiejohansson962]

Shouldnt you always go rouge 1 first for extra skill prof? If you multiclass into rogue later you dont get 2

[@emich34]

would reccomend going 5 into gloomstalker first then speccing into rogue so you get the feat at lvl4 and extra attack at lvl 5

[@teccam]

I agree with you that Thief is better than Assassin for this build. Assassin is a one-trick pony for opening combat rounds, but Thief is a lot more well-rounded/versatile.

[@YogKaim]

Thief is good multiclass for any class. Thief sorcerer, thief barbarian, fighter, etc.

[@williammorris249]

Random, but if I wanted a Fighter/rogue. Would it be optimal to go 5 into fighter(battlemaster) for the extra attack, then multi into rogue for the rest of the levels??

[@Cleptomancer]

​@@williammorris249Starting Thief gets you the most combat damage and skill choice, but you'll have higher AC & HP as a fighter

[@williammorris249]

@@Cleptomancer should I stop at 3 rogue for the subclass, then go straight fighter? Or go 4 rogue for the feat then fighter

[@bobmishima3295]

@@williammorris249 This is how I'm doing it: 3 into rogue, 5 into ranger, 1 rogue (ASI), 3 fighter. So you would get 4 rogue (thief), 5 ranger (gloomstalker), 3 fighter (battlemaster/champion), 1 ASI, sharpshooter feat).

[@Swarrs]

Just got thief with 2 one handed crossbows and get sharpshooter feat. The 2 off-hand attacks do get the -5 penalty to attack roll but still get the +10 to damage and can proc sneak attack if needed.

[@BosskV2]

Rogue (5) - Extra Attack Thief (3) - Bonus Action Fighter (2) - Action Surge Thats three attacks in the first turn. Add one more level to thief to get an extra FEAT. One more level to fighter to get subclass champion & improved critical hit. However attacks per turn are mostly irrelevant. Advantage, pace without trace and greater invisibility will mean you barely ever enter turn based mode.

[@kzxkzxkzx]

Assassin = burst damage round one Thief = consistency/versatility

[@sixgunsuperman]

I feel like gloomstalker already has a great toolkit for round 1 damage. the extra bonus action the thief gets is just abusable in so many great ways though.

[@abcd31949]

Whats ur suggestion for late game(8-12) build for this?

[@Rathiel84]

Why do you recommend Longbow in general? Crossbows do more damage and two hand crosbows also do an amazing job with Sharpshooter. Whats the benefit?

[@tovarvonbrandt7157]

Get one level of warlock great old one. Mortal Reminder + Assassinate: Ambush is crazy strong. If you are playing as the dark urge and get the invisibility cloak things get really silly.

[@RM_3D]

Best bow is the titan string bow and if you drink a str elixir you get an additional +5 to dmg so if you have 20 dex you'll be getting +10 dmg and then another +10 from sharp shooter, you can buy elixirs in the underdark, use the Cat's grace armor from the egg lady in mountain pass to gain advantage on all dex checks (sleight of hand, stealth, disarm etc)

[@heathengypsy]

Githyanki would be a good race for this build as they get misty step at level five, if you combine that with the misty step amulet you at least get to cast it twice each fight. Also the club of hill giant strength would be good as you’ll be able to jump further.

[@dontworry7440]

You only did 7 levels? Where's the rest?

[@MrBigBranch]

Just finished the game with this build, it worked very well. I'm still awestruck by the story, very few games are able to make be care this much. 10/10 One thing i found is that two hand crossbows are insane, u can shoot 4 times in one round with each shot doing about 20.

[@MrN00dle51]

What did you do from level 8 to 12 ?

[@billyharkey2862]

Just followed this guide - the first few levels are a little rough - specifically that the character doesn't really fill any real roles in the party, or it feels that way. I will say, from a previous playthrough that it's definitely going to go off like a sparkler at level 7 though. I see that you have a LOT of these videos - if you don't mind, can I make a small suggestion? A condensed "select these traits, skills, feats, etc, through the leveling up would be incredibly useful. The way it is now, we need to watch the entirety of the video over and over to get back to a specific level's nuance, instead of something like a flow chart picture or something equally capturable so we can screenshot and reference it. Please don't take this as criticism! You're a silly, funny man and your commentary cracks me up but it's an 18-minute video and I'm making that flow chart myself and will likely post it as text below, just to make it easier on my time and bandwidth. Thanks as always for the amazing builds and the hilarious jokes!

[@rpjames8]

It is criticisim, and its a very, very valid one. I really appreciate it billy! Been doing this for quite a while, I have improved quite a lot, and its thanks to comments like this, that I learn new things that people like to see, and what they dont

[@aaroncaito3280]

​@@rpjames8 having quick breakdowns, summaries, and visual aides goes a long way. So do timestamps!

[@YogKaim]

In Tactician Mode, I prefer 3 Thief, 5 Hunter/Collosus Slayer for the consistent damage vs opening damage.

[@ShadowOfHistory-wn1xh]

3 Thief, 6 monk will do wonders for you. I soloed... Actually, will avoid spoilers here, but I can one-man act III intro boss with about 20 goons. Good use of darkness with rings that prevents you going invisible is a boon.

[@shenotski]

@@ShadowOfHistory-wn1xhwhich specializations on monk?

[@IkariMadness]

Its like every single time that I ever played Skyrim. Stealthy Rogue.

[@rpjames8]

One has to always go back to the happy place.

[@darkshamrock5763]

Great vid. I’m at level 9 act 2 right now and thinking about respecing astarion into this. Or maybe wait for my second play through.

[@Zii_Vii]

I was thief for quite a while but I switch to assassin to try out and I like it a lot more. You just.... Kill everything rofl. It's hilarious. I use 2 *hand crossbows* and stack items and buffs that affect each weapon hit. Like the ring that gives 2 acid DMG per hit and weapon oils and all kinds of stuff. You end up doing like 100 something burst dmg on the first turn and can easily kill 1-3 enemies on the first turn. The thief bonus action was very attractive at first for me, but the assassin getting 4 critical attacks with 95%+ accuracy on the first turn is just too damn sexy. I'm only level 8 right now too lol. 5 ranger(extra attack) and 3 assassin. Dual wielding 2 shortswords and 2 hand crossbows. With the thief I was using the spark boots that give u lightning charges when u dash for the same effect. Permeant lightning charges is very strong! Anyway, I love your build and the vid! But seriously, try dual hand crossbows. Oh God it's so sick my friend!

[@rpjames8]

I have been planning that build myself and it is indeed spicy!

[@ZielonyBob]

u started as rogue or ranger ? where get hand crossbow ? can u tell more about this build please

[@toddparker514]

I actually like to do 4 thief 4 gloom stalked and 4 warlock and I do dualweild . If you use the right gear you end up with 25 plus AC crit on either 17 or 15 and with the cloak of displacement and baldurian helmet you don't get hit due to all attacks are at disadvantage and you can't be crit . Plus two good swords stupid damage and either can stealth or just don't stealth . Build is epic especially with the devil sight you just fight in the darkness with bonuses with the right gear .

[@blueoutrider]

I feel like a fun challenge would be using the Darkstalker Mantle + Assassin. Pretty much attempt to kill an enemy off as quickly as possible then reposition for the next enemy.

[@Squeeble00]

Assassin's features only work on suprised enemies, i don't believe just going invisible counts for it.

[@JondarKorric]

@@Squeeble00 if you attack from stealth to initiate combat, they count as surprised and Ambusher applies to ALL attacks made during that turn. against most enemies, Assassin will delete them, then become invisible because of the cloak. you can clear out the entire goblin camp because you keep 1 shotting and becoming invisible.

[@tonypritchard9838]

dual handcrossbows eat longbows for breakfast tho...especially if you do like I did and wear equipment that adds 2 damage per attack b/c it stacks more times with dual crossbows than a single longbow attack. I wear gloves that add 2 dmg and a ring that adds 2 acid damage for a total of +8 attack per first shot. That's about 50 damage just to start the battle. And those are just Act 1 items.

[@FernandoHernandez-jw4yy]

2:44 Why would take High Elf? Wood Elf gives you the same weapon profiencies but also more movement which is always great on a rogue.

[@robertwallen1582]

This video was still made in early access before retail release

[@stoiccrane4259]

Missed out on something critical OP. Missed the Club of Hill Giant Strength in the Mage Tower in the Underdark and the Titanstring Bow from the Zhenterim Hideout. CoHGS in the main or off-hand sets the strength modifier of the wielding character to 19 regardless of whether actively wielding bow or not and Titanstring Bow deals damage by adding the strength modifier. Could've basically made your Gloomstalker into an OTK sniper from act one.

[@moku1648]

I'm running a party with 3 Githyanki Necromancers. So many summons. Last one is an Oathbreaker Paladin for +CHA Modifier to damage aura to undead. Gith get Medium Armor Proficiency, so they can all wear pretty much anything. (Third Gith is a Hireling from Withers.)

[@ChefRyoshu]

one thing that makes this better is to choose dark urge origin as you get a cape that gives invisibility on kill.

[@darkjackl999]

Thief is absolutely busted, unlike normal 5e it gives a flat bonus action So its nutty with barb (i went into it after barb 6 so i could bonus action dash for the stallion totem barb temp hp) can get up to 4 attacks with Heavy Weapon Master in 1 round

[@chadallen7474]

Awesome build! Is there any astarian builds that do not rely on stealth? Can’t seem to find one. Appreciate the great build and info!!

[@coyoboyo]

Gloomstalker/Rogue or Rogue/Gloomstalker it doesn't matter. This death cocktail is known by few but feared by DMs like myself. Nice video, I subbed just based on your focus on this weird class combo that lead to insta-death.

[@DanielWijk]

Well, after 5 in Ranger and 3 in Thief I put levels in Fighter. Action surge just pushes it even higher. I do wonder what to do with my last two levels thou...

[@peacemd59]

what level selections are you making after level 7?

[@kujon1968]

I feel like Githyanki allows you to dump CHA as you can choose to gain proficiency in all Charisma skills each long rest.

[@istanleyoao3228]

There's a hide armor sold by the goblin trader in the goblin camp that has +1 stealth modifier and +1 initiative plus increased AC, read some of the stats wrong.

[@lifes2short4bs73]

I hadn't thought to try thief instead of Assassin. I went with Woodelf for the extra movement. How many levels of Thief vs Gloomstalker are you planning? I'm initially thinking to do 7 Ass/5 Gloom. That gives me extra attack, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, another Expertise, and 3d6 Sneak attack... Do you think going heavier into Gloomstalker will be better?

[@rpjames8]

Hell, everything after that is amazing! I think that I will try different options on the go and see what performs better, but you got something goin´ on there!

[@shaunperron7080]

Going heavier into gs Ranger, you'd be trading a d6 of sneak attack, 2 expertise skills, and evasion for 2 more hp, an additional choice of both favored enemy and natural explorer, and most importantly, proficiency in both wisdom and intelligence saves, so it depends on which of those sounds more appealing to you. Personally, I'm going ranger 5/rogue 3/fighter 4, for action surge and an additional feat choice. I find the ability to open up with a huge nova, even if slightly nerfed from regular 5e, and eliminate the biggest threats more attractive than what I lose in ranger/rogue levels. Most functional builds are going to perform similarly enough that it comes down to preference.

[@jakematterson8652]

@@shaunperron7080 I'm guessing that would be. 5 for gloom, 3 for assassin, and 4 for fighter?

[@shaunperron7080]

@jakematterson8652 For the opening nova, yeah. The extra bonus action does have its appeal, too, though. But surprise is much easier to come by in bg3, and alacrity giving your action back makes it much better for initiating a fight with an attack. It almost makes up for the nerf to dread ambush. And with all those crits, taking out key targets before they get any action at all is pretty powerful. For fighter, I had originally planned for battle master for obvious reasons, however, since everything is its own separate action, it becomes difficult or even impossible to effectively stack everything you want to into one single attack, that being dread ambush, sneak attack and a maneuver die. Then I found out there are several pieces of gear that give stacking improvements to critical range, as well as the trait from champion itself, if there are enough pieces that a ranger can wear, I may do champion when the time comes.

[@elocress7498]

Isn't dual wielding handcrossbows overall better since you can choose to spend the bonus action on also dealing dmg? This way you have more attacks per round and therefore more sharpshooter procs which trumps the higher base dmg of the longbow. So dual handcrossbows would mean higher dpr and higher flexibility or do i miss smth? The sharpshooter feat also seems to be bugged for offhand attacks since it does apply the dmg but not the penalty to the hit roll.

[@budimansupangat6814]

Wait you can dual wield hand crossbow ?

[@jamesryks3804]

@@budimansupangat6814 yup, and it rocks, with the sharpshooter feat and dread opener from gloomstalker you will be a killing machine.

[@gladiusgamer9324]

Add crossbow expert to that build and you'll be as insane close up as you are far away...

[@alexmaganda5827]

only issue is with crossbows your range is lower wich can be detremental in some fights

[@Squeeble00]

​​@@alexmaganda5827Once you get misty step though you've got enough mobility to reposition wherever you need to be pretty easily, and before then dash works okay.

[@jamesanddanielthiel]

I think this is the best multiclass build in the game, bar none.

[@daviru02]

What do you take after level 7?

[@the_uggh]

Assassin is so good. Any fight I start has 2 dead people or a dead/almost dead boss. Its been CLUTCH

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

So here is a thought, inserting a bard sword in this. Coming from a shapeshifter idea. so i.e. gloom 5 / thief 3 / bard 4. So adds disguise self at lvl 1 if you start with bard. and it also adds loads of utility. so bard 4 for that 1 extra spell slot Planning this for my first darkurge, no spoilers plz ;-) Any suggestions if this is feasable or useful? cheers.

[@cadleo]

If you plan to be the face of the party , Id also suggest the cantrip Friends.

[@Arrwmkr]

"sleet" of hand, good one!

[@ForceM1782]

So i have some questions on this build: Is it better to start rogue (think you get more proficiencies, or Ranger (medium armor and more hp) i doubt you’ll need medium Armor or HP ever with this, but yeah… Doesn’t ranger also get Longbows from start, in case you don’t play elf? Then, if you wanted to go assassin instead of thief, Half-Orc would be best, right? And finally, is there any way (other than 2 levels of WL) to get devil’s sight or a similar way to abuse the darnkess spell for stealth and advantage purposes with this. Because i will likely build Astarion like you suggest here, and then have my main be a Paladin/WL that abuses Darkness (in case Astarion doesn’t kill everything before combat really starts).

[@aaronasher6660]

Darkvison to hit penalties were removed. Starting with Ranger gives longbow so you can take another race like Gith

[@daethe]

I'd either take orc for an additional crit damage die, or Wood Half Elf, for the additional movement distance and you get a stealth proficiency bonus

[@tantalus_complex]

​@@daethe Don't forget that Gith get three of the most useful spells in the BG3: Mage Hand, Jump, and Misty Step. Tons of in-combat and out-of-combat mobility and utility, without even necessarily needing to expand a spell slot.

[@daethe]

@@tantalus_complex all the Githyanki skills are long rest recharge. May not use a spell slot, but not massively useful unless you're going to Long Rest before every encounter.

[@tantalus_complex]

@@daethe If you do have spell slots, you should be able to use them again. By character level 5, I'd expect to have that option. Not to mention the all-day feature which grants proficiency in all skills of a chosen ability. Flesh out your skill gaps or hold onto it for situational needs. It's amazing. Gith is one of the strongest racial options in the game. But, of course, there are lots of great options.

[@Nezxmi]

@@tantalus_complex They’re separate from the spell versions, you don’t get to use spell slots to use them again.

[@austinburtt9640]

why is no one saying go level 1 ranger first?? it's obvious go ranger first for the D10 so out the gate you're looking at at least 12hp depending on your load out for stats on top of that you get medium armor prof,and all weapons and before you say "but medium armor gives you disadvange on stealth" not if you're planning on getting armor of agility... come on guys use 1% of your brain power please also all you really need to do is go 5 level of ranger, and 7 levels of rogue, or do 5/5/2 split for extra attacks 5 ranger/5 rogue/2 fighter for action surge on top of 2nd wind for a little bit of self heals, also use hand cross bows not regular bows so you can shoot with a bonus action your off hand dealing more damage

[@adamg5193]

Nice to see a fellow Controller Chad

[@barknmad2861]

This is going to be the one for me good Sir

[@rpjames8]

Have at it Sir!

[@tobygrice749]

What would u suggest going into after this maybe 2 points of fighter for an extra attack and the rest into rogue?

[@tsurumakikokoro4945]

Great video.BTW could u tell me where to find that cloak,it look very cool

[@kingsim9288]

What do we do pass level 7? You didn’t say!

[@csguak]

Hunter's mark is hilarious, as song as you kill the target with it, game thinks you are always concentrating, meaning that any item that wants to you be "concentrating" something will always be turned on.

[@mohrkhowbell1399]

I’m just a Lvl2 Cleric and I’m itching to switch my main character over to this build! One question: Is there a specific Background that’s best for skills for this build? Trying to decide if I should keep playing and let my Tiefling Folk Hero adapt when I switch, or if I might be missing something unless I start a new character and a new game. I doublechecked the vid but I don’t think Background was mentioned? I’m okay with waiting for Longbow profiency until classing into Ranger, but I want to make sure that in the end I have the skills that are best-and if I have to start a New Game I’d rather do it sooner than later.

[@rpjames8]

Id say that any background that adds to your stealth or sleight of hand. But don't sweat it on min max. The base of the build should give you everything to bypass any lock or stealth!

[@mohrkhowbell1399]

@@rpjames8 Did not expect a reply so quickly. Thank you!

[@itsjustarnold]

You could use the gloves that gives +2 to range attacks

[@tripwire1346]

what about the rest of the levels? did i miss it or did you not go to level 12 in your guide? ty!

[@Altogolik]

I'm a thief archer. I have a cool stealth, I attack enemies, they do not see me and automatically restore their health to maximum. It's disgusting.

[@KinkyJalepeno]

Doesn’t Misty step break stealth now so there will be no last known location? I’m on my first play through and just got the amulet 😊

[@DaSaint79]

Why high elf over wood elf? Why either over Deep Gnome?

[@ProperIndependent]

Hey man would you be able to give me a breakdown for what you would consider the best total level distribution would be up to level 12? The video only shows level seven?

[@bforce3824]

I was waiting for a Skyrim stealth archer reference haha

[@Avoozlx]

this build stopped at lvl 7, what about 8+?

[@Golden_Goob]

this build seems a bit unoptimized, assassin works better with gloomstalker so you can just ambush and one shot each enemy in a single turn. I like to do the similar build in this order: gloomstalker 5 for multiattack>assassin 3 for subclass and sneak attack>fighter 3 for action surge and champion reduction to crit>assassin 4 for ASI Then use items like deathstalker mantle for invisibility and free advantage, the helmet and ring for lowering crit too so you have advantage and sneak attack almost every move and crit from 17-20, add illithid powers and you can clear an entire room in a single round with surprise. This clears rooms even in act 3 without anyone else taking a turn in a lot of combat

[@soulemful]

I used this for a mele build. It isn't as strong as this but i do like having more attacking actions during combat. I will try this out in my play through for sure tho.

[@Heartracer]

Started with Ranger for medium armor and higher health

[@lokilucario]

There is no world where I'm gonna walk around an entire game stealthing lol i do not have the patience for that

[@Escapism-for-everybody]

4:29 eveytime i tried that it failed. I picked astarion for my gloomstalker, can someone help me ?

[@aciek]

Will it work to make Astarion into something build like this?

[@WinterRaven71]

Thanks for the video. BTW, regarding the radial interface that you are showing, will that be the same UI for PS5? I would think shortcuts via keyboard would be easier and faster, but my PC cannot support BG3.

[@rpjames8]

Yup, used both Console and PC UI!

[@tantalus_complex]

A keyboard & mouse can be used with a PS5, so we may be able to get the best of both worlds too.

[@DocKotoga]

*NEVER* say "You are never ever miss a skill check!" I've just rolled 2 x 1 on my social warlock with +10 and advantage. I rolled this on a really important check in a story dialogue with 0 inspiration points left and a long time not saving the game ...

[@rpjames8]

That's some bad luck right there mate!

[@TheChaddisBack]

Problem with this build is that at lvl 4 you dont gain a feat, and at lvl 5 you dont get 2 attacks per round. BUT if you start as gloom you get both and at lvl 6 you can go for rogue.

[@rpjames8]

Its this for that, honestly, going that path makes it harder to be a rogue and be completely hidden a 100% of the time during the first levels, dash, and misty are essential for that. Buuuuut, it's up to player's preference and route!

[@boredasbored6274]

I starting rogue until 6 then swapping to gloom then finishing with rogue

[@Radierungen]

@@boredasbored6274 Yup level 6 was the turning point for me too

[@jimb3566]

Tbh sneak attack in early levels and encounters gives more benefit than an extra attack one level early

[@icxcnika9990]

If you're going to be a "ranged" fighter, wouldn't a Deep Gnome be better? And maybe start as a Ranger?

[@rpjames8]

Well, we're not fighters, and yeah, it all depends on taste on that really. I just love elfs, and longbows, you know, Lego lover lol

[@UnburntDragon]

@@rpjames8yea but being a Ranger you get “martial weapons” which Longbows are included in that proficiency. So wouldn’t it be redundant and not useful. As a Deep Gnome I have the proficiency bonus.

[@UnburntDragon]

@@rpjames8it’s the same as the deep gnomes 24 meter in the dark seeing range, they don’t stack to give you 48 meters

[@grilledleeks6514]

not everyone wants to be a midget

[@honestbenny]

Ranger5/Thief 3. Thief 3 gives you extra bonus action. Use dual hand crossbows and get 2x attacks from bonus action alone. Combine that with 2 attacks from Ranger 5 + Gloom extra attack and PWT and you have opening of 5 attacks. Finish with 3 levels of Fighter Battle Master for Precision Shots.

[@MrKnaives]

do yo level Ranger for the rest or Rogue? you didn't really go further with the leveling.

[@brunoethier896]

I'd be curious to compare this with the Gloomstalker/ArcaneTrickster combo ;-)

[@redrh1]

How would you continue to level to 12? 3 rogue 9 ranger? or would you go back to rogue after getting extra attack with ranger?

[@jayviktor6130]

Would a duel hand crossbow wielding Drow mess up the build or diminish damage?

[@MoraleHazard]

Thanks for the video. What is the last known location mechanic?

[@Nzchimeran]

Nice, I been using assassin but keen to just cheese the entire game first run through ;) This looks sweet for pure bow sniper Fear short bow is king

[@kurtbenesch9372]

nice Video. What is the mod for your UI -? it looks amazing

[@Chonus]

Pretty sure that’s just the basic controller ui

[@chadshangraw8121]

I love this build, Just curious what is your opinion on taking 4 lvls in Rogue to get the sharpshooter feat before going for gloom Stalker?

[@rpjames8]

That's a great idea!

[@mrmcgibblets9044]

Are you playing on pc with an Xbox controller? Didn’t know I could do that lol wish it was out on Xbox as well

[@tuckerharvey964]

How should you level up going forward from level 7?

[@AverageAnimeWatcher]

is it better to go 4 Rogue x Gloomstalker to get that feat sooner?

[@shaunperron7080]

If you ultimately plan to have rogue at 4 for the finished build, then maybe, yes. However at 8th level, ranger 5/rogue 3 is much stronger than the opposite, extra attack and 2nd level spells plus free misty step from gloomstalker is much stronger than an additional sneak attack die. Uncanny dodge has some appeal, too, though.

[@Peace_Dog]

Love your videos and the Gloom Stalker. BTW, I use Urban Tracker for SoH to gain another prof. I'm missing out on the reduced dmg types but for some builds it really helps. Using a wood elf and and that trick I can get 11 profs in a rog/ranger multiclass. I also tend to take expertise in Perception to find traps etc instead of SoH at lvl 1 of Rogue. BTW I noticed some interesting things about multiclassing. If you take Ranger at lvl 2 after taking rogue, you do not get any additional weapon profs, but when you do the same with war domain cleric, you get all armors/shields and all martial weapons. Weird but good to know. I'm rolling a cleric/rog multiclass for an all dark urge/evil mulitplayer playthrough. War domain + trickster rogue is my plan.

[@rpjames8]

Listen to ma' boi' Dog's advice here. He knows rhings.

[@ngtotd2462]

The reason for the weapon and armor proficiencies is that they are subclass features which bypass the D&D multiclassing proficiencies table that lists what you get from the core class.

[@WrathGhost]

Yeah expertise in SoH/perception is better than stealth and at lv5 ranger you gets pass without a trace spell for +10 stealth. Also about clerics you get the proficiencies from the sub class/domain . And last thing there is great chest that you can buy/steal before gith camp she is not far from way point, gives +2 dex and adventage on dex skills but this one is good just for sneaking.

[@AmbivalentActuality]

@@WrathGhost What's the chest piece called?

[@shaunperron7080]

​@@WrathGhostI am also very interested in what this chest piece is called and where exactly to find it. Lol

[@drew3ism]

Could this work with dual wield Melee as well if you took something else other than archery and sharpshooter?

[@chiefkuuni]

What about going Rogue 1 then Ranger 4. Then back to Rogue for the rest?

[@shannonmcstormy5021]

To those experienced playing BG3, the Fighter's "Action Surge"......is this every turn, or a singular ability per short rest or something ? Also, is there a limit on how many classes a character has ?

[@rpjames8]

That's per short rest, and there's no lo limit. You can multiclass as much as you need!