Subclass Tier List for Baldur's Gate 3

In this video, we break down all of the Baldur's Gate 3 Subclasses in a Tier List from S-tier to D-tier!
Entire Tier list ►imgur.com/a/sn6RlAf
Multiclass Tier List ► • ULTIMATE Multiclass Ti...
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Sneaking Guide ► • HOW TO Stealth Attack,...
Character Creation ► • Beginners Guide to Cha...
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0:00 Intro & TL;DW
2:00 D-Tier Subclasses
12:24 C-Tier Subclasses
17:46 B-Tier Subclasses
25:00 A-Tier Subclasses
39:00 S-Tier Subclasses
52:48 All Tiers & Thoughts
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#bg3 #guide #baldursgate3 #beginners

[@italianspartacus]

Multiclass Tier List: kzbin.info/www/bejne/imjUYaNmipiKaZI You all have made me reconsider my placement of Eldritch Knight. I'd say it's a solid A or B placement now solely based off of using Shield as a reactive for the character constantly in lieu of actual spell slots. Like how a paladin uses their spells for Smite. I love that fucking idea. I don't think throwing is particularly the BEST justification just because it's a very niche way of playing a fighter that I think most people that aren't min maxing would want to do. Also, if you cast bound weapon on a non throwing weapon, the damage is based off of the WEIGHT. You should always be using a thrown weapon because then it uses its actual damage profile as just a quick tip! Entire Tier list ►imgur.com/a/sn6RlAf Complete Playlist ►kzbin.info/aero/PLDLBnN-W_m2n6nk1Y5-snG4PpOuj9b-7g&si=j1T4BfjqOcSClZFS Spellcasting Guide ► kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4O6lX-bjbqHj5o Sneaking Guide ► kzbin.info/www/bejne/imS9gmOXn7F6Y9E Character Creation ► kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6G9ZGagqLydfs0 Terms Guide ► kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioLVe42GqdOkeLc

[@gridlock2958]

I'm curious why you made such a point about the intelligence stat being a nuisance when it's honestly easily fixed by getting that 17 INT headband from Lump in the Blighted Village. 17 intelligence is plenty for a while.

[@shaymerchant2264]

For EK and AT the int isn’t an issue, just set it to 16 at the beginning and ur fine. The benefit of EK is that ur a full fighter with 3 attacks at lvl 12 not including 2 uses of action surge, in heavy armor, AND have access to blur so now things have disadvantage when attacking you, add mirror image(which is just worse in BG3 than it is in tabletop but still decent) plus shield ur insanely hard to hit with all the benefits of a full fight just swinging ur sword. As for AT ur still a full rogue, which is more useful out of combat than in combat, in combat ur purely reliable decent damage, out of combat ur a skill monkey that can do just about anything. Throw spells like again blur if ur melee, sleep early game, Tasha’s hideous laughter, misty step and out of combat spells like disguise self and detect thoughts(ritual spells btw) or even invisibility. AT isn’t nearly as good in BG3 compared to tabletop where it’s the best subclass other than swashbuckler but compared to assassin which relies on surprise rounds, sure u can get them often enough but ur a full rogue and only have one attack. Assassin relies more on a multiclass than AT does *cough gloomstalker cough* and thief is decent enough by itself but id argue relies on multiclasses with monk or a bard with dual crossbows to really shine, im not a fan of thief giving u a whole extra bonus action as that’s not how it works in tabletop but I could argue the same for most of monk in bg3. AT by itself is easily the best full rogue.

[@sokar_rostau]

The AT gets SIX level 1 spell slots at level 10, which is AFAIK the highest number of innate lvl 1 spell slots of any class. This gives it six to eight casts of Shield as opposed to the EK's four to seven. It's still not great but it's something. I think the AT requires at least two levels of Divination, Enchantment, or Illusion (or Evocation for scroll-casting), and that's all that really needs to be said about it being a pure class.

[@HouseRN]

I appreciate you listening to us and having an open-minded attitude. I know that there’s another KZbinr in particular with tier lists (not gonna name drop anyone) that would just double down and bad-faith argue and even insult his commenters, but I appreciate you being keeping an open mind.

[@italianspartacus]

@@gridlock2958 While that's a great point, as a fighter, I wouldn't want to waste that slot on say... Arcane Acuity, or Arcane Synergy which REALLY pops off on the character! :)

[@kalicula7718]

A little tip for the necromancer wizard. You can pick up (provided your strength is high enough) and store corpses in the chest at camp. So yeah, all those goblins pick em up, all those executed deep gnomes at Grymforge store them. Yeah, it's a little morbid, but you chose to play necromancer. What did you expect?

[@benfielding2209]

The couple times I played this way right before I killed the goblin leaders I just had laezel and Karach run around the map picking up all the corpses and putting them in bags which can be sent back to camp without going back ourselves.

[@Yobolight]

I think they’ve patched out storing corpses. Doesn’t work for me.

[@unknownunknowner2903]

It has never worked on console

[@zimattack9994]

​@@unknownunknowner2903 can confirm does not work on console playing on xbox

[@Slapdab]

Great tip

[@rifraf1717]

I think Eldritch Knight is 100% a A-tier subclass because of the cantrip having fighter action properties tied to it, the shield and mirror image stack for insane AC. It's so tanky that you can use two burst mages and a controller alongside the EK as it soak all the aggro, it's one of the reasons why the spell "shield" is way too OP for a level 1 spell as is mirror image.

[@italianspartacus]

Great shout across the board bro!! I like this take a lot!

[@Graysett]

Yeah, this was my experience. First playthrough was on Tactician, never played a CRPG or D&D before. I had Lae'zel as a Eldritch Knight the whole game and never took her out of the party and there were countless times where her being a EK got me out of situations that the other two subclasses would've floundered in. By the middle of act 3 she was basically impossible to hit, I literally would just send her off into the biggest group of enemies at the start of every fight and let her dodge tank and solo them while the rest of my comp took out the rest. ACT 3 SPOILERS BELOW. In the big fight against Viconia Lae'zel literally held off and dealt with half of the enemies almost entirely solo (every few turns I'd throw her a potion or heal from Shadowheart). Using a EK as a blaster is a terrible idea, but as a fighter with just a bit of utility magic to constantly have the edge? Constantly pulled more than her own weight, for literally the entire game. She got so hard to hit that by the end I just had her dual wield Orin's weapons so she could kill stuff and get back to the group faster and she was still at like 21 AC baseline.

[@jcistof]

Eldritch knight thrower is S tier, i literally chortled when he put it in D tier. I run one in every play through. tanky as hell, super mobile, and lots of utility.

[@rifraf1717]

@@jcistof I do this on the good or neutral playthrough when Wulbren is alive...basically just get the Light of Creation and Gloves of Automation...did this on my honor run and just destroyed mobs

[@thehallmonitor4515]

⁠@@jcistofhe specifically mentioned not using TB throwers as what he meant during the video.

[@plastikkikkoman]

I know you probably won't read this but I just wanted to say thank you brother. You're class guides and honor mode party composition recommendations finally let me beat honor mode after multiple tries and builds. Bless you and happy new years!

[@italianspartacus]

I read them all brother :) thanks so much for watching!

[@otb_javede]

Out of curiosity, what fights ended your first runs? I played it very safe during my playthrough and didn't even fight Raphael because I was afraid he'd send me packing lol

[@plastikkikkoman]

@@otb_javede The first time I tried to kill the spider matriarch I got obliterated. Grym robot also killed one run. The worst one was dying to ketheric :( I didn't really understand multiclassing at the time and didn't know how most classes worked. TB monk and barb ftw ^^

[@jrobmus]

Man I love your videos. And I love that you "upfront the knowledge" even though I'm gonna watch no matter what lol. It feels like you have good structure in the way you present everything.

[@hivefleetkronos4108]

a correction for bear heart for the wild heart barbarian. it makes you resistant to all damage except psychic, not just physical. meaning you're resistant to 12 of the 13 damage types. for me that makes it s tier

[@sortacoolmaybe]

Wait that’s so broken. Sure enemies have advantage on you while raged but the resistance functionally doubles your hp pool

[@hivefleetkronos4108]

@@sortacoolmaybe yup. non bear heart rage makes you resistant to just physical damage. the extra resistance to nearly everything else makes bear heart really popular. also rage isn't the thing giving enemies advantage, it's reckless attack that does

[@elwourmo993]

yeah I was really supprised by that because I thought that was why they reworked totem barbarian into wildheart (because bear totem is so strong It makes most other barbs worthless). And lo and behold they gave wildheart the exact same ability+ some other niffty tricks (the whole bleed line of skill is really strong)

[@hivefleetkronos4108]

@@elwourmo993 tbf berserker is strong enough to not make it completely fall flat compared to wildheart. frenzied strike is good and frenzied throw can be hilarious

[@elwourmo993]

@@hivefleetkronos4108 yeah but bezerk is only this strong because larian made them to be. Baese berserk is pathetic, and that is kind of my point. they reworked so much... why not the totem barb?^^

[@SadBirbHours]

Open hand monk is like an avalanche that starts off as a snowball, they have a startling amount of powerful gear options and you can do so much damage to priority targets. Monk and a Gloom/Assasin can melt problematic enemies with ease

[@TheRedAzuki]

College of Swords in Act 3 is super strong, even as a pure spellcaster. Have the Hat of Alacrity on Weapon dmg = +1 spell DC and the enchantment/illusion after weapon attack can be bonus action. First turn, either use an arrow of mutli-hit, or just your sword-bard attack twice on ranged attack. Now you'll have way higher spell DC, now cast a CC spell that is basically 100% chance to succeed on everyone. (Like Hold person lvl 5 = paralyzing 5 people)

[@GrippaNL]

This list is a joke... Swords bard archer is OP. Cast greater invis and nothing can touch you...

[@elwourmo993]

He did say that he didn't consider Items. Larian put some really op items into the game that work of their own mechanics and give classes abilities they shouldn't have. Next to the one you mentioned, Light clerics press one button and give all enemies -10 to attack, no save. or lightning charges and the +1missle amulett make magic missle the best damage spell in the game ( every one is upcast by 1 level and lightning charges trigger on each hit and are super easy to get)

[@ayoo_wassup]

Lol i was reading the lighting charges weapons descriptions and was glad to finally find a decent item but was underwhelmed. Still act one gear is hard to find. Threw the staff on my draconic sorcerer and considered it a moderated dps increase. Then I started using twinned spell on chromatic orb and everything got deleted in 2 turns on accident. (Elemental surface damage counts as an indtanced hit and not an ongoing effect. Every hit triggered a charge and a blowback . The staff doesn't even require lighting damage. Just a spell or cartip that does damage. ) ​@elwourmo993

[@PatrickJKeefe]

You're one hell of a video creator. Your predictable structure and chapter organization are super super professional.

[@freezax4]

Yet he is completely wrong about half the classes lol 😅😅

[@PatrickJKeefe]

I look forward to seeing your videos.

[@tkberzerker3605]

Elaborate ​@@freezax4

[@jhon1406]

thank you for all the bg3 content! it's been keeping me company thru a tough time

[@italianspartacus]

Come join the stream on Thursday at 10AM.PST!! We'll help you out brother! We're all going through some bait. Hang in there man we need you

[@ThePeoplepersonguy]

I'd also mention that in HONOR MODE ONLY Tavern Brawler does not add strength modifier again to Moon Druid Damage, only to the attack rolls of wildshapes. While still very tanky and very accurate, you will be doing 5 less damage per attack than on other game modes

[@jeffreyfines1469]

Tip for eldritch knight, since his Int is low. There are spells that’re very useful such as enlarge and mirror and mirror image that apply buffs/effects so the low int is irrelevant. Focus on spells that don’t directly attack, like grease and fog cloud. Hid in the fog to bring enemies to you, saves me so much

[@cshairydude]

Having played an eldritch knight in a long tabletop campaign I can say you need to play it as a fighter foremost, with some spell utility. The design that forces you into abjuration/evocation spoils this somewhat, but there is still scope for focusing on utility. For example magic missile is great for breaking concentration as it forces three concentration checks, basically giving the target super disadvantage (unless they react with shield, of course).

[@Whimsly]

This is a great attitude to tackle a tier list with tbh. Love the emphasis on effectiveness vs utility vs roleplay, and how just because a class isn't optimal doesn't mean it isn't viable. Good stuff

[@Lokiskade]

I'd have put Bard College of Swords in S-Tier. With like 1 or 2 levels of fighter (or ranger) this subclass makes the most broken alpha damage build for a ranged character i've seen with double hand-crossbow. As in 200 damage a turn without breaking a sweat at level 9. And it works extremely well as well when paired with paladin.

[@arigoldring227]

He mentioned at the start this was excluding multiclassing, but I run that build on my first honor mode run and when you use risky ring with it you literally clear the field before they can even act, busted busted

[@kylevanderwolf4446]

We also when talking about subclass tiers shouldn’t put them in a vacuum “this class is S tier if you have (insert gear piece) or (if using this specific playstyle with it) “ Because then the subclass itself isn’t the S tier, just a combination of the factors. For example: I have a swords bard and it’s…fine. Great in all the ways bard usually is, but because I wanted a sort of melee blade dancer, happens to be one of the weakest of my entire party basically just a rogue with utility magics. And then there’s like….pure light or tempest clerics who are so strong and solid all by themselves

[@ProbeAway]

⁠​⁠@@kylevanderwolf4446a swords bard built properly will always out damage a rogue, though. Slashing flourish is utterly broken, even without multi-classing.

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

Try a Thief rogue with 2 bonus actions..1 Primary attk/ spell + 2 hand crossbow shots starting st 3rd lvl..Cunning Action at 4th lvl Rogue is worth getting..

[@BryceDDx]

I’m using gontr mael 10 bard 2 fighter got jumped in the basement of the building where Gale talks to mystra. 210 health on dude and I did it myself

[@kevinleonard6855]

Another awesome video. Definitely helps me grasp some more of the concepts behind the subclasses that I haven’t understood.

[@joaniepepin4968]

The monk's mobility is just downright broken as you can cast your steps of the wind before entering combat and enter combat with it AND get your bonus action back. It's even more ridiculous when you get the jump no longer cost a bonus action effect, especially as a Str monk as your jump range is so long! In the Iron Throne I saved every single gnomes in my monk's first turn! It is just ridiculous that it is even possible to do that! If you dipped into Thief you can probably killed 2-3 enemies along the way as well. I can't even imagine making a game without a monk anymore.

[@brysonkantz9552]

I finally broke into Act 2 last night after playing for a week or two and I’ve been confused about multiclassing and just certain subclasses in general. Really appreciate the tier list and im excited to hop into all your other class guides

[@AndrewThoesen]

1) Respec Shadowheart to light cleric 2) Load with radiant damage oriented gear 3) Cast spirit guardians 4) chug speed potions or have another character haste her 5) Run through shadow enemies like Sonic the Hedgehog on cocaine

[@dr.calibrations7984]

Probably best to beat the game without multiclassing so you have a solid understanding of the mechanics and how they relate to each other, then on subsequent playthroughs have a little fun with wacky builds. Remember, Withers can give unlimited respecs and you can fail pickpocketing him an infinite number of times to get your gold back making it FREE respecs

[@eurasiacentertutorials9518]

I watched this more in a framing of "what is the cool thing about this class in under a minute" and got what I wanted from it. Because like you said, all the classes are cool and good in their own way but may require a bit of help. Thank you!

[@MarcosGarcia-et1qu]

Hey man, i just want to say thank you for your content. You give some great build advice, but what i appreciate is enforcing the idea that the best way to play is to pick the race and class that you want to play. Also, im a sucker for arcane trickster, mainly for the early game using fog as a jump out and snipe spot.

[@blackhat4206]

Vow of Enmity cast on yourself recharges after every short rest and grants advantage on every attack you make for the next 10 turns. Easiest and most reliable source of advantage I’ve seen, and you get it at level 3 vengeance paladin. This might get patched to be single target in the future, but for now that alone makes it at least A tier, if not S. In my opinion.

[@aaronhumphrey2009]

Agreed. Combine it with the Great Weapon Master Feat. Sentinel is helpful.. The only drawback being with vow of Emnity is that you cannot spare the Foe and Not kill them once The Vow is invoked.. for example, if you use the Vow on Ethel the Hag - then change your mind to bargain for her plus one Ability boost - then you'll become an Oath Breaker..

[@EnderGraff1]

I really appreciate how Spartacus will make a little verbal slip up but still does these videos in a single (?) uninterrupted take! Impressive and appreciated, thanks for all the great guides over the years bro

[@italianspartacus]

Hahaha thank you so much dude. I don't like to script, I just like things to feel genuine or natural!

[@platypus547]

Swords Bard is easily top of S tier. It’s by far one of the best users of arcane acuity and locks down entire fights with 100% success all on its own. EK is easy A or S tier as others have said.

[@blackhat4206]

Arcane Synergy, as well.

[@Neonmirrorblack]

Really a decent placement overall, although I'd argue that College of Swords is equal to, if not needing to be swapped with Lore, unless Lore is the only offensive caster or even healer you plan on bringing. It obviously depends on your party composition, but I feel like College of Swords actually allows more flexibility with your party composition because a) Swords is better damage than Lore, b) while they obviously won't get to pick quite as many spells overall as Lore, they absolutely can get some of the most useful crowd control, debuffs and party buffs and c) they do incredible amounts of damage. Furthermore, they are pretty much the best crowd control class in the whole game, starting as early as Act 2, but then truly by the start of Act 3. Helm of Acuity + Arrow of Many Targets + Action Surge = enemies lose in the first round before they can even move. Lore can technically do this as well, but do not have the same kind of burst and sustain damage outside of that. Also, Swords isn't really a "melee" subclass. It's ranged or melee, and unless you're pairing it with Paladin, it's much better as the ranged variant. Plus, if you want to actually be somewhat competitive with the access to spells that Lore get, you just multi a single level into Wizard and have your INT at 16. This lets you cast *any* spell a Wizard can cast. That single level gets you level 6 spells. You technically don't even need to have 16 INT, that's just to have four spells slots, and if you want to exploit a bug, you don't even need that either. Wear the Warped Headband of Intellect, memorize your four spells, put them on your hotbar with the rest of the spells you want to cast, then remove the headband. Spells vanish from your memorization slots, but are still castable from the casting UI. Also, Draconic is NOT better than Storm for Lightning damage unless you want to always rely on party members setting up your "wet" status for you. Storm can set up wet and nuke by themselves in one turn. They are the epitome of a "Nova" class.

[@ShaggyShagz13]

Eldritch Knight doesn't need high Intelligence if you focus on buffs instead of spell damage. Blade Ward, Magic Weapon, and Blur are the best spells to focus on. You can throw your bound weapon or sling a spell at ranged enemies if you don't want a ranged weapon. A caster doesn't have to spend a spell slot buffing the EKF unless it's Bardic inspiration. The EKF is to casters like karaoke is to live bands.

[@jonathanrich9281]

Don’t forget Magic Missile, which does damage but never requires your Intelligence (and never misses), along with Shield.

[@DVNNHYNDRYXX]

Do NOT focus on magic weapon with eldritch knight!

[@chuckchan4127]

​@DVNNHYNDRYXX The only magic weapon a EK needs is the one he's chucking at enemies and nuking the battlefield with using turn one 9 attack insanity.

[@DVNNHYNDRYXX]

@@chuckchan4127 he was talking about the spell “magic weapon” which you should never ever be casting on basically anyone, especially EK’s

[@DVNNHYNDRYXX]

@@chuckchan4127also why r u doing a throw build with a EK? Troll behavior tbh

[@yuvalamir3226]

The BG3 community massively underrates Trickery clerics. They are great. There are stronger options but they are far from D tier. Their spell list is pure gold, and other than their divine strike their features range from good to amazing. Edit: Also Divination wizard is S tier imo, especially if you combine it with the Lucky feat. It gives you a safety net, which is invaluable for honor mode.

[@ericrodriguez6990]

I love your vids, man. This keeps me wanting to play BG3 over and over and over again.

[@italianspartacus]

My. Pleasure brother!!!

[@jameslawrence4568]

Hey man, just wanted to give you props on all the effort you put into explaining game mechanics, play styles, and pretty much all there is to experience in BG3. You’re very articulate while not taking yourself too seriously. Keep it up bro 🤙

[@renaldoawes2210]

Great list but you can't convince me double casting Otto's irresistable Dance with Enchantment Wizard isn't the best CC in the game, late game. Specially when combined with free cast staves. You lock down every fight and most bosses lmao. I'd def put it top 4 in the Wizard subclasses minimum. You can also double cast hold monster and dominate person to really turn the tides in your favor. I like to think of it as "you get to be a free twinned spell sorcerer" with all the utility from Wizard like summons and stuff. A tier for sure :)

[@unknownunknowner2903]

I might argue if it is S or A, but definitely not in D-tier

[@mizuno81]

Actually, best end game CC is whatever class can abuse the combination of mystic scoundrel + helmet or arcane acuity. Range sword bard is pretty good because with action surge, they can do weapon hit up to 8 times with range slashing flourish before they need to spend the bonus action illusion/enchantment spell. That number of stacks of arcane acuity usually means 100% hit for aoe cc. Or an upcast, extended command if you don't want concentration. Sorc may be able to do something similar with scorching ray + hat of fire arcane acuity, then quicken + cc aoe spell

[@renaldoawes2210]

@@mizuno81 That's a nice combo and I do it on my mystic archers all the time but it's better with AOE spells like you said, and better against lower resist creatures. Otto's dance is already 100% chance to hit, which is why it's such a boss melter. You can force two creatures to dance, effectively doubling your lvl 6 casts, and then fire off a bow shot with your bonus action to blind some archers in the back with a smokescreen, or launch them off a high position, or melt some ice with a fire arrow for your electric attacks etc, or just misty step away so nothing can break your concentration. Combine this with haste and you can do it 4 times. The other benefit of the Wizard is how many summons you can have up at the same time. So you bring a literal army with you to back you up and then follow up by removing half of the other team's army by forcing them to dance lmfao. Incredibly strong subclass.

[@mattik1924]

dont agree with enchantment in D-tier, sure it has its downsides because it really only starts going after level 10. But once you have your items, the moment you can hit over 90% sucess chance twincasting every single target enchantment becomes, much stronger then lorebards/divinations CC spells. These are way better if you dont have your DC up where you need it to land those CC-spells. even low level spells like crown of madness become really strong with twincasting and high success chance.

[@thedarksideofgaming8834]

Sorcerers already get twinned spell casting for free though, so that's not something new 🥲

[@Yobolight]

Eldritch Knight is fantastic for multi-classing and/or thrower builds. “Fighter who can cast shield” is good enough that I think you still probably underrated it though.

[@ShaggyShagz13]

My lv12 EKF doesn't value high intelligence and just uses its magic to buff itself. I don't expect my Fighter to wave its hands without a weapon in them. The Fighter is a great addition to any multi class build for the sheer skill, equipment, and survivability it brings.

[@RandomGuy010]

With the right combination of race and classes you can probably make a better EK though. Githyanki Bard 6 + Wizard 1 (minimum) will give you extra attack, medium armor, all wizard spells and max spell slots. From there you can dip into anything to suit your needs; Monk if you want to wield longswords using your dex modifier, or Cleric for Heavy Armor + Strength, etc.

[@chuckchan4127]

No, don't multi EK. Pure class is best.

[@nina9565]

For arcane tricksters, you can pretty much choose any spell, since you can change a illusion/enchantment spell for any other whenever you level up. Probably unintentional, but they haven't fixed it yet.

[@SkilledKill]

Once I saw how the Legerdemain hand doesn't do anything special I just went thief wiz instead it's been great

[@autisonm]

@@SkilledKill Isnt it supposed to be invisible and able to lockpick/disarm at a distance unlike the normal one?

[@Tilman.G]

@@autisonmyeah, but it doesnt work

[@autisonm]

@@Tilman.G Damn, RIP

[@blackhat4206]

@@autisonm If it was able to lock pick and pickpocket from range as it should, it would be unique and worth playing. As it is now, you’re probably better off going wizard thief and using something like the ring of the mystic scoundrel, I think it’s called.

[@highbornjase2412]

Thank you again for another great video Happy new year to you

[@HouseRN]

Love your videos man, but I HARD disagree with your Eldritch Knight placement. It’s S-tier, it’s just you have to play it a certain way. There’s a reason it’s a popular pick in Honor mode runs and why it’s a good solo tactician subclass. You don’t use your spell slots to cast spells, you use them for Shield. This makes EK a really good tank on top of them already having great offense since they’re a Fighter. Bound weapon is not just for stopping enemies from disarming you, but it makes weapons you throw come back to you instantly. Throwing is a very powerful playstyle because of Tavern Brawler, and EK is up there with Beserker Barb in utilizing that playstyle. Then at lvl 11 you get Eldritch Strike which makes enemies you hit have disadvantage on your next saving throw spell, giving EK great synergy with your spellcasting party members.

[@italianspartacus]

That note on spell slots and shield is amazing and I never even thought of it in that way

[@Cyricistic]

You also absolutely don't need points in Intelligence to play an Eldritch Knight. Just don't take spells that require the enemy to save, or that require spell attacks. Your spell choices should be all utility or self-buff based.@@italianspartacus

[@ShaggyShagz13]

I agree, don't run an EK as a caster. My EK is a self buffer that can throw a weapon or a spell since the buffs don't take all the slots. Doesn't need a ranged weapon or non Bardic Inspiration buffs using spell slots on it. With Savage Attacker, Sentinel, Tavern Brawler, and+4 Ability Points, Str, Dex, & Con are the only necessary abilities. An EK may not be able to count the number of corpses but can definitely multiply them.

[@Quandry1]

@@ShaggyShagz13 This is amplified by the fact that the EK's abilities don't really lend to synergizing with direct casting as much as they seem like they should at a glance on paper. There is minor synergy but it's not really fitting the bulk of the best usage of what the EK really does.

[@johnb8265]

Sparty I had this on as background noise and then the Battlemaster Skull-Based Maneuver you noted snapped my attention RIGHT back to this tab, hahaha.

[@sadeknight9112]

40:30 minor correction here, being wet doubles lightning and cold damage, not lightning and thunder. This just so happens to pair stupidly well with the draconic sorcerer’s level 6 ability wink wink

[@lazypaladin]

My original run was going to be a Knowledge Domain Multiclass. So seeing it reach A Tier is a happy suprise.

[@stardestroya15]

This video was actually SUPER helpful. I was wondering why Assassin rogue felt like so much more work, and why Eldritch Knight felt very underpowered (compared to Tabletop 5e) Also, I kept Shadowheart as Trickery Domain because for her character, it didn't make sense for her to change her Shar worship. But I didn't know you could be a Cleric of any type and still worship ANY God in BG3. So you gave me so many idea for party configurations. Excellent video!

[@SSmitar]

Way of the open hand Monk is not only a dump truck level of damage, but also has access to two of the best CCs in the game. Prone & Sun, you can even apply both consistently starting level 5 on potentially 3 enemies. Paired with movement buffs, you can become hit and run character doing min of 90 damage each turn + applying CCs. Stunning Strike also completely trivializes Raphael fight.

[@Quandry1]

4 elements monk has access to the same CC's as well as the ability to push (which I believe open hand has well) and pull enemies, and to increase your damage for the turn, and a second potentially multi-turn stun as well. Open hand does prone and pushing slightly cheaper so slightly more often but when you consider all the other options brought to the table by 4E monk that is a fair exchange.

[@Darkfie1d]

Multiclass tier listt when?! This was great content.

[@MSK-o1n]

I've never played any dnd and I'm on my first playthough so I'm still figuring out how everything works but this video really opened my eyes on things I need to try on my next runs because of little mistakes I've made leveling my characters. For my character I chose paladin classed into barbarian and over time it developed into a oathbreaker breserker with alot of defense/healing/crowd control capabilities so my damage isn't crazy but I can take a beating and attack a few times each turn so it makes up for it a little. After awhile I figured out gales aoe spells won't hurt me it's turned into a funny playstyle of buffing up my tanky paladin to indestructible levels then making him bum rush into the middle of the field grabbing everyone's aggro so they surround him and then just have gale drop nukes on his head and then the battle is either over or I just gotta clean up stragglers. Gonna have to do alot of research my next playthough because the build works but I can definitely tell it's missing alot of potential

[@broleo4986]

EK works amazing if you full class bc of the sole fact you get that helmet from act 2 that gives you arcane acuity (at 10 stacks you have a +10 to spell dc) and then you can just obliterate with spell scrolls. It’s great bc you stack up your Eldritch fatigue and then action surge boom good bye

[@pandoraeeris7860]

I migjt put Oath of Ancients in S tier - or maybe between S and A tiers. At level 7, your party gets extremely tough as you halve all damage from spells for everyone, and (assumimg you max your Cha) grant a bonus to all saves that is better than Bless on a good day, but also stacks with Bless (+6-9 vs. all saves). Grab Shield Master as well and you become extremely hard to damage. Speaking of damage, Healing Radiance might acrually be the best healing ability in the entire game. First, the amount of healing is decent (at lvl 12, with 20 Cha, that's 42 hp PER CHARACTER, before augmenting it through gear), but then it also recharges on a short rest, which Bards synergize with (Song of Rest), so that uber Swords Bard in tje group is also super charging your Healadin.

[@leventekurdi7090]

Gj men! I love oath of the ancients, but I agree it is far from S if its just that Pala subclass. Nice video!! :)

[@jayviktor6130]

My Eldritch Knight carried my party through so many tough fights. Amazing throw damage, a very tough shield on top of a 26 armor class... Very tanky! Very survivable. Amazing class!

[@loganwolford5242]

Love to see the love for goo warlock, everyone i see who talks about classes doesn’t seem to notice how good the subclass is 😊

[@danielmcnabb9634]

2 spell slots def not s tier maybe b tops...multiclass s++

[@thewanderers97]

​@@danielmcnabb9634this tier list is single class only also single class warlock gets 3 short rest level 5 spell slots at high level (factoring in 2-3 short rests a day that's gonna be 9-12 spell slots) along with mystic Arcanum and pact of the tome and invocations which give a bunch more long rest spells and some completely free spells

[@johnbarry3869]

Thanks, great breakdown.

[@doombottv6524]

Ehhhhh idk about that Circle of Spores ranking. Not only is Act 2 full of anti necrotic damage enemies but it never really feels strong until act 3 where you get a special chest armor for it

[@ztsharp8963]

i used wild magic barb my very first run and it was really fun HAHA like getting the terrain effect was really obnoxious but it made the game a lot more fun and unpredictable

[@qrondis680]

I'm loving my Wizard w/ a dash of Fighter/Rogue. He's got a + in every skill (including +10 SoH and +9 Intimidation), a + in every Saving Throw (+6 in Con), and Proficient in all armor, all before any gear. Started with attempting a Lockpicking Wizard and ended up with a one man army.

[@destroyerinazuma96]

Fun Wild Magic Barb in 5e fact: the UA Wildsoul level 6 feature used to not be tied to rests. You could have a whole party never rest and as long as they'd heal the Barbarian, they would have some amount of spell slots. And Sorcerers could even burn weaker restored spell slots for SP and get up to 5th level slots back. The only limit was managing the UA Wildsoul Barb's hit points anx making sure the healing beats the self-inflicted damage.

[@animalsoul444]

i hope for a multiclass tier list soon :)

[@garion046]

Would be cool, but it is def a more complicated list. That said, thief and then a big gap to the rest imo.

[@keoneh]

The build I am having the most fun with actually uses wild magic sorc. I'm still near the start of act 2 and level 8. - 3 rogue (theif), 5 sorc (wild magic) -Dex, Charisma, Con for main stats - items: Stat-stick/fun ability in mainhand (doesnt matter much). Strong secondary weapon as your primary weapon damage source (i use the knife that reduces crit requirement). Arcane synergy items. Anything that boost elemental cantrips/melee combinations. Two-weapon fighting feat item. Deathstalker mantle because it does a ton of damage, but I built glass cannon. Focuses on cantrips and off-hand attacks. Because you don't rely on spells, you can use tides of chaos when needed without worry, but when you want them, you are still a sorcerer so you have spells and meta magic.

[@destroyerinazuma96]

Good guide! I just downloaded the game. This videos will be helpful!

[@OlympicWannabe]

My wild magic sorcerer turned himself into a sheep while fighting Grym at the forge. Best game ever

[@largegroupofmales]

Eldritch Strike doesn’t just work with spells, but also any condition you can inflict as an EK. Pair this with certain itemization and an EK can become a top tier battlefield controller while also having the full fighter progression+great weapon master. Combine with Helmet of Arcane Acuity and Band of the mystic scoundrel and you can perma stun most enemies with hold person or tasha’s on a bonus action, one of the strongest builds in the game

[@RyanS406]

Lolol was not expecting “skull fuck em right back” but I’m so glad it happened

[@markittystuff]

This is my first BG3 tier list and I'll be honest this is the first impartial tier list that isn't like hey these builds are the best builds and not using them is 'bad' but just like what I genuinely think is a class anyone can get the most out of

[@therefjeff2730]

After running through my first BG3 run with a glaive/halberd-wielding Warlock/Fighter with the Great Old One & Battlemaster subclasses, I can wholeheartedly say that they definitely deserve being placed into the S-tier for the amount of fun, utility, and crowd control they provide! I initially considered going into the Eldritch Knight, but the maneuvers provided by the Battlemaster subclass were too good to pass up (looking at you, Trip Attack, Sentinel, Riposte, and Menacing Attack)! For my Tactician run, I'm deciding whether to delve into a Paladin/Cleric with Oathbreaker/War Domain subclasses or venturing into either the ranger beastmaster or the necro druid! I'll definitely save the bard subclasses for my Honor Mode run!

[@clashingimages]

Distracting then trip means all your hits from then on are advantage for your whole party that turn.

[@ViniciusFigueiredo19]

My only issue w circle of the spores is that A LOT of enemies in this game have necrotic resistance/immunity, so its kinda hard to actually take advantage of it in some scenarios, but the summons are cool

[@alcameler4145]

I started a new run with a Druid, Spore for me is a bit boring now but moon is super fun for me. And with Tarbern fixed is amazing

[@nuclearbirds]

A two level War Domain Cleric dip is CRAZY good on a fighter. BG3 doesn’t require a stat minimum to multiclass, so even if you don’t invest in your Wisdom, you get so much utility out of it. There are several level 1 cleric spells that are fantastic even at level 12, that don’t require your wisdom: Sanctuary, Healing Word, Bless (and if you have a cold or lightning focused character, create water). Getting a free +10 to hit on a battle master maneuver attack can be VERY clutch as well; especially if the maneuver can lock down an enemy, or, say, push them off a cliff. The bonus action extra attack is fantastic as well, especially because I feel like many fighters are starving for bonus action utility. Unfortunately, there was a bug that I’m not sure was fixed, where if you were in a class that got extra attack, your bonus action attack would be used first, before your secondary attack as a part of your action. So at level 7 (fighter 5 cleric 2,) you need to be careful about what order you take your bonus action in, if you want to preserve your War Cleric charges. Luckily BG3 gives you a nice unlimited “shove” option as a bonus action. If you want, it’s even possible to invest more in war cleric, up to level 3 or 4, to give access to other fantastic options (that don’t necessarily rely on wisdom) like spiritual weapon, silence, prayer of healing, enhance ability, or (if you do decide to invest in Wisdom as your secondary or tertiary ability), Hold Person. I’ve had so much fun with my fighter 8 Cleric 4 build. By endgame that means you’ll get 4 feats, which is the same amount you’d get as a straight fighter.

[@jakeryan2805]

Are the "melee" leanings of tempest cleric a trap? It doesnt get any form of extra attack correct? So you want to be casting spells every turn be they lighting or thunder I assume? Are lvl 6 spells just super good, or should you multiclass tempest cleric at lvl 9 after destructive wave?

[@bordapatrol4930]

Thank you for thinking warlocks are up there, ive seen others placing them as low as D tier, crazy to me.

[@pandoraeeris7860]

Storm Sorcerer is S tier solely because of Tempestuous Magic. Combined with a Ritual Spell (and who wouldn't take Longstrider, Feather Fall or Jump?) this is free out of combat flight for the entire game. The utility of this is insane. In combat, it's a free Misty Step + Disengage, if you cast a leveled spell (and you're a Sorcerer, so of course you're casting spells). The lvl 6 ability is a bit mediocre (the damage is too low and it's melee range), and the lvl 10 ability is decent but not amazi g. But tje lvl 2 ability alone makes them S tier.

[@Vikn01]

So far I've played the shadow monk and the fey warlock extensively. Both very powerful imo.

[@alexcampo5326]

Im obsessed with my Divination Goolock. Lucky and spell sniper for feats.

[@FelipeArthurferpa]

If you like to try different crazy things, the worst build I have done (on purpose but without trolling the ability points) was College of Lore Bard. Allow me to explain, as you level up you choose the spells you'll have as a bard right? So, by choosing the worst spells possible (and cantrips) you become a horrible character, since you can't even change it in your spellbook. Pick stuff like speak with animals, lock door etc. You'll have some uses but the only damage coming out of you is your weapon attack. It's worse than trickery domain, believe me, way worst.

[@sephikong8323]

I have two qualms with the tierlist : Edlritch Knight should be B Tier solely because of it's defensive capabilities (I tend to value Offense over Defense as denying turns is more valuable, but if you are a player that likes to play it defensively then A tier is fine). -And Oath of Vengeance should be A tier, honestly, outside of Devotion which is bland, the Paladin Subclasses all feel pretty well balanced and on the same rough level

[@tiradegrandmarshal]

Devotion > Vengeance. Vengeance is redundant thanks to Risky Ring, Gloves of the Growling Underdog, all the many CC spells that give you advantage anyway, and such. Devotion's Sacred Weapon OTOH stacks with advantage.

[@dallinadams9422]

There are some subclasses that are just meant to be dipped into for multiclassing, while there are other classes that you really have to solely play them in order to get the most of it.

[@Chris11J23]

That Lil John & The East Side Boyz reference was a pleasant surprise. Haha!

[@italianspartacus]

It's like an auto statement! I can't help it /

[@333Abs]

Am I still in act 1 of my second playthrough? Yes. Am I already planning what to play for my next? Absolutely I am.

[@jimbeaux89]

11:22 I’m soooo glad he finished that. My mind immediately went there too

[@funkkymonkey6924]

Great list, I think you sold Erdrich Knight and Conjuration Wizard short. EK is a nice cantrip slinger for a 6 level split; mainly for building into some decent proc weapons. Conjuration Wizard level 10 is great for cloudkill spam.

[@ossdemura]

So cool that BG3 brought so many people to enjoy crpgs :)

[@dallinadams9422]

My favorite use of assassin is gloomstalker assassin with the invisibility cloak, especially as a solo build. He can just continually exit and restart combat, meaning a huge chain of critical hits.

[@pandoraeeris7860]

College of Swords is totally S tier. 5 charges of Blade Flourish that recharge every short rest (giving you, at minimum, 20 charges per day, 5 available per combat, because of Song of Rest....more if there are more Bards in the party). That's a lot of Extra Attacks in addition to the versatility of the other Flourishes. On top of that, you ALSO get the Extra Attack feature at lvl 6! And you're a full spellcaster with a large variety of control spells! And you get Magical Secrets to further diversify your spell list! And you get medium armor proficiency! There's a reason Swords Bard builds are so often chosen for solo Honour Mode playthroughs - they're easily one of the most powerful classes in the entire game, even before multiclassing. 😊

[@Pozorrosfootball]

The bard of the College of Swords is good at everything and nowhere. A bit of a magician, a bit of a shooter. Definitely A tier.

[@cHaMp630]

@@Pozorrosfootball A swords bard with some special arrows in the pocket with a fighter multiclass is one of the few classes that can 1 or 2 turn basically every encounter in the game solo.

[@mickpratt8327]

The game is long enough as it is without slowing it down as a Necromancer Wizard.

[@SamCastaneda87]

For collage of swords bard you menctioned it as a melee striker.. In that way I think I'd agree with the "A" rank.. However the way slashing flourish works it just works better as range (you have a lot more flexibility on who you are hitting and can even send both strikes on the same target for massive burst which you can't do with melee Slashing Flourish).. I guess it does get even stronger with multiclassing but I think just pure bard is probably strong enough to warrant "S" tier, not to menction is probably one of the better classes to stack arcane acuity to max in turn 1 and then land whatever CC you want with 95% success in the first turn. I guess it also takes slightly longer to come online since extra attack is at level 6 instead of 5 so it's not as strong, but once you hit level 6-8 it really takes over.

[@Bemused247]

Straight up Swords Bard is a fantastic ranged controller. Slashing Flourish is one of the most broken and powerful skills in the game. Subclass rankings are hard because it’s unclear how much weight you give to the base bard class and Swords Bard doesn’t add much beyond the flourishes. Still, I’d bump it up to S tier. Even without a the Paladin or Fighter dips often recommended, it is really really powerful and versatile.

[@caharademise]

If you are a Dragon Bloodline Sorcerer and you get The carisma modifier added to your spells it also aplies the modifier to cantrips like eldritch blast? Or to add the carisma modifier to a warlock spell i need to be lvl 3 warlock and pick the eldritch blast upgrade?

[@theoozemen3646]

I feel validated picking great old one (goo) warlock, my friends mocked me for my class and lo and behold their magnificent classes are below my class tier. Feels great that my class is getting recognition

[@hawtsumikatsuki7682]

Have you done a breakdown of magic items which are best for each class in BG3. Since there is so many magic items and as a non D&D player i have no clue what is best in slot so to speak for each class. Keep up the good work btw

[@garyco766]

Magic items aren't really class specific as they are build specific. For that I would look to build guides. Or just ask about a specific build and the community here can help.

[@1621lionheart]

Dump them all into the camp chest. Then you can switch and try which one is most beneficial to your build. Popular KZbin builds are mostly powerful but cheesy, like throwing build or tavern brawler monk. Those are strong but a bit boring for me. I watch a channel (d4: D&D Deep Dive) for some bg3 build inspirations, he is very creative.

[@Elite_Tauren_Chieftain]

Eldritch knight 10 level has an Eldritch stroke passive, which gives him advantage against enemies he strikes with attack vs their saving throws. Combine this with the arcane acuity gear that gives you stacks of +1 spell hit/dc on attack and you can have a full striker class that can guaranteed control against one enemy with hold person. Yeah, the wizard can cast hold monster and against multiple targets, but EK has 3 attacks, multiple feats, con proficiency (so he’s concentration is practically never breaks) so he can actually use those crits from paralysis condition. Guaranteed crits and stun, and great defence from armour, shield spell, blur and illusionary image. It’s like battle masters manoeuvres, but 100 times cooler. The only downside is that they refresh only on long rest. And if you really want, you can give up 2 fighter levels for wizard levels (you’ll lose third attack and a feat, but gain wizard school and 2 third level spell slots, which you can fill learning scrolls)

[@austineisinger8927]

Could you do something similar for subclasses to "dip" into? Like take 1 - 3 levels for utility?

[@mrzoonix6368]

Hunter ranger is underrated. Especially volley. If you are half ilithid and have the buff that you can use your illithid powers as bonus action, you can black hole a massive area as a BA and than volley 2 times all the enemies it gathered up. It is my best aoe'er by far in my party. Don't forget, volley are all weapon attacks, meaning sharpshooter counts, bonus damage die from gear all counts.

[@ChrisZukowski88]

my champion fighter: Blackhole, then grand slam and also Gale fireball or ice to really make the mob's fight a nightmare.

[@wmwwv3504]

I mostly agree with your assessments in a vacuum. However, the Enchant Wiz for example, is a staple of my "Get Wet" Lightning dmg team. There is a potent niche for nearly everything.

[@italianspartacus]

Amazing shout and I totally forgot to bring that up!! But what I'll say is that a niche doesn't make a class particularly great it makes it nuanced. Which isn't BAD at all. I should have prefaced that the S tier subclasses are great in most if not all situations while D tier is more situational. As you said though, you have three other characters there to help shore up weaknesses

[@parkerpeter8068]

Illusion Wizard is a real bummer, since it's awesome to use in tabletop DND. Improved minor illusion and malleable illusion allow for so much utility, and makes avoiding combat simple. If your DM allows it, Malleable Illusion has some goofy synergies with Phantom Steed, which is some really great fun to use.

[@jotarokujo3603]

This list doesn't take gear into consideration, but there's one staff in particular that considerably boosts the power of the necromancer class. Granted, it's not available until act 3, but it absolutely makes the necromancer much better, and the amount of summons you can potentially have if you collect all the required gear gives you a veritable army, which is fantastic even without considering that most of those summons are receiving buffs to attack and hp. This class really comes online in Act 3, though.

[@user-od4kr2tt4j]

I think level 3, 4 or 5 Gloom Stalker would be very nice combination with almost every multicalass choices unless character's race is Duergar, Deep Gnome or Drow. Combination of Superior Darkvision and +3 initiative is just like alternative version of Alert.

[@link0025]

Great video

[@MisterSabrosura1]

11:22 you made me laugh. Great breakdown as always

[@GSim035]

Larian made the Cleric of Trickery Domain to test players to take attention

[@JeronCradle]

I started of playing the wild magic barbarian and am really loving it. It's like a slotmachine every time you rage, but you can only win. I'm also using constitution as a main stat and i use misty step to teleport her to the enemies. She's just a ton of hp i throw at the enemies basicly, with a little haste on that. It's been a blast to play so far, amazing survivability, got her the feat that fully restores all hp every short rest as well. Am lvl6 now and with the bonuses i get there i am wondering if i should multiclass next, like maybe druid circle of the land or something? I'm not sure.

[@gangboi9996]

I feel like you didn’t mention the main problem with Way of the Four Elements Monk. Its lack of earthbending. How am i supposed be the avatar with no esrth bending

[@italianspartacus]

Hahahaha!

[@FeatherMelody]

I have yet to get far into the game, but storm sorcery is almost always a starter pick just for the flight for exploration and the con save

[@josephmurphy4849]

Hey IS, really liked the video! I hate to be "that guy on the internet", but at 40:58 you say wet doubles lightning and thunder damage. Did you mean to say lightning and cold, or does thunder get doubled for specifically tempest clerics?

[@Toucansam46]

A multi class everyone should try is a Life domain/college of lore bard. Get the Whispering Promise ring from Volo in act 1 and Hellrider’s Pride in act 3 and you have permanent bless and Blade Ward on your entire party with no concentration required but also deal out insane damage and utility all whilst being a strong healer. The best heal is not taking any damage at all afterall. I feel like it’s the best of both worlds as Life Domain’s damage potential just isn’t there.

[@CILinkzSpre3]

do you think if you want to play as a draconic sorcerer, you should start with the warlock first for the con proficiency and EB or is it not worth it overall? as min-max i mean.

[@Standby_JRB]

In my experience, the Theif subclass at level 3 (4 for the feat/asu) makes Beserker and Open Hand subclasses S teir lol... those two multiclasses with haste are absolute power houses doing 4+ attacks every turn... dip into 2 levels of fighter for action surge and oh boy 😅

[@GoDirectly2Jail]

Awwww i love my wild magic sorcerer! Some of my favorite moments in my playthrough were when some crazy wild magic thing happened that threw a wrench in what i was doing. I can see it being terrible in honor mode and maybe objectively not as strong, but for fun factor it's the only sorcerer I'll ever take

[@blackhat4206]

Storm Sorceror is my favorite thanks to the mobility of tempestuous magic allowing you to fly around every turn as a bonus action after casting a spell without taking opportunity attacks. Fun from level 1, and even more fun at level 6 when you have access to create water and call lightning as always prepared spells.

[@gabealexander1818]

BUG WARNING: (for sure on my save and I have not seen anyone mentioned a fix outside of mods; but also mentioned on forums) Valor bard combat inspirations are severely bugged. If I apply it to a party member and they use it, the ability is used (gone) but they still have the buff listed. This means you cannot use inspiration on them again. This only goes away after a long rest. Valor bard is F tier atm and I’m so sad I had to switch off of it.

[@CSDragon]

What spells do you take as College of Lore bard that makes it so good? The other two give you an extra attack instead which seems better than getting two level 3 spells from other classes