Baldur’s Gate 3 class tier list – Best classes, subclasses, and races

Have you come here to learn what the best classes, subclasses, and races are in Baldur’s Gate 3? Well, the first thing you need to know is I’m a big advocate for picking whichever class, subclass, and race you want in Baldur’s Gate 3. The fun of this game is found in the personal customization and freedom in roleplaying the character you want, not in picking the “meta” class, subclass, and race. That said, I hope that this Baldur’s Gate 3 class, subclass, and race tier list will help you decide how you want to play.

Note: If you are brand new to Baldur’s Gate or D&D, I highly suggest you read our best starter class in Baldur’s Gate 3 guide.

What is the best class in Baldur’s Gate 3?

I want to get this out of the way up top — there are no bad classes in Baldur’s Gate 3. Also, while I may have my reasons for putting a specific class in a lower tier, you may not agree with those reasons and find that a C-tier class is actually an S-tier class. This best class tier list is my opinion, but I hope I present valid reasons for you to see how these classes could fall into these tiers.

S-Tier – Baldur’s Gate 3 classes

I think the best class in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Fighter. Fighters have really high health, are proficient in numerous weapons, can use melee and ranged weapons, have bonus attack opportunities, and have a way to heal themselves. Fighters really have it all, except for the ability to cast spells. Besides spells, Fighters are great at everything.

Paladins are an S-tier class in Baldur’s Gate 3 because they are like Fighters, but have access to support and healing spells. While Fighters are great solo DPS characters, Paladins are excellent as group DPS characters thanks to their ability to wear heavy armor and heal themselves and party members. The only downside to Paladins is that they usually need to use their spells on DPS instead of healing, like when they use Divine Smite. They also have a strict Oath to follow which might mellow your roleplaying capabilities.

Every party should have a Rogue in Baldur’s Gate 3. While Rogues are excellent damage dealers in battle, they are also extremely useful when it comes to finding traps, sneaking around, and unlocking locked doors and chests. Rogues have a lot of fun skills that make them useful in battle, however, they are far from a DPS tank. The downside to Rogues is health and spellcasting. Rogues don’t get access to many spells which can be kind of a bummer and if you don’t stick to the shadows as a Rogue, you can die too quickly.

A-Tier – Baldur’s Gate 3 classes

• Sorcerer
• Barbarian
• Monk
• Druid

Sorcerers are, in my opinion, the best spellcasters in Baldur’s Gate 3. What makes Sorcerers better than Wizards and Warlocks is that they get Metamagic which makes all of their spells much more powerful in one way or another and they can use Sorcery Points for even greater combat options. While they don’t have as many spell slots as Wizards, Sorcerers do have a good amount of spells and cantrips to pick from which makes them very useful as DPS in battle. As you can expect, Sorcerers aren’t very strong, so you need to pair them with some kind of tank class to survive. Sorcerers can also be a tad complex, but you’re up for the challenge.

Note: If you want to play Sorcerer, you should learn what the best Sorcerer spells are in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Barbarians are like Fighters except they deal more raw melee damage. Barbarians have very high health, can benefit from heavy armor or no armor at all, and can use Rage to deal and take more damage. The downside to Barbarians is they basically have no range options and don’t have any spells. But, if range and spells are already covered in your party, then Barbarians are perfect for the up close and personal types.

Monk is the newest class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and it’s the class I personally chose for my first playthrough. Monks are extremely fun to play! They start out as solid damage dealers with opportunities to perform bonus attacks. Once you pick a subclass, you can wield elements, become a ninja, or go all in on open-hand combat. You spend Ki Points to perform extra abilities which is great for any combat situation. I really like Monk and think they are versatile, strong, and make for a great class to roleplay.

Druids are excellent in Baldur’s Gate 3. Of course, the thing Druids are known for is shape-shifting which is fun to do and works as great DPS and tanking. Druids also have support spells which helps them be more useful to the team. Druids are kind of the jack-of-all-trades. Druids can be hard to play since there are so many options, and their defense capabilities outside of shape-shift aren’t the strongest.

B-Tier – Baldur’s Gate 3 classes

Wizard is the first B-tier class in Baldur’s Gate 3 because they can become too complicated too quickly. Wizards have access to the most spells and cantrips and can recover them on short rests with Arcane Recovery. They are also excellent at single-target DPS and crowd control. All of that said, they are very weak and need to be at the back in most circumstances, and they can be challenging to play. If you are new to Baldur’s Gate or D&D, I recommend trying a different spellcaster first.

Ranger is the underwhelming step-brother of Fighter. Rangers and Fighters excel in melee and ranged attacks, but Rangers focus more on single-target ranged attacks and nature skills like tracking, survival, and animal handling. They can also get an animal companion which can be a lot of fun in and out of battle. Rangers don’t have many spell capabilities and can struggle to keep up at higher levels.

Bard is a hard class to play in Baldur’s Gate 3. While roleplaying a Bard is fun, their survivability and damage output in combat is lacking. Bards are the perfect fourth-party member because their support spells are remarkable.

C-Tier – Baldur’s Gate 3 classes

Warlocks really can be just as good and powerful as Sorcerers and Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3, but they are C-tier because the best builds rely on two spells: Eldritch Blast for DPS and Hex for debuffing enemies. While there is some versatility found in the subclasses, Warlocks don’t have as many options as other classes. Also, they have the least amount of spells compared to the other spellcasters, but they can short rest to refresh their spells which can be powerful. Their roleplaying possibilities thanks to their pacts can be fun.

Clerics wish they could be Paladins but they are stuck in the back supporting the team. Clerics can make for great DPS and tanking, however, their spells lean more toward supporting the team with defensive and healing spells. Clerics can deal good damage and survive longer than other classes, but what really drags Clerics down is their support focus. Honestly, Clerics are incredible and each team benefits from having one on your team (just look at how good Shadowheart is). A highlight about Clerics is the versatility they get through domains, but a downside is that you have to roleplay servitude to a deity.

What is the best subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3?

When it comes to the best subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s just like the best class. I advise you to pick whichever subclass sounds coolest to you instead of looking for the best. Also, the best subclass can be completely different depending on your party composition. That said, here are generally the best subclasses ranked by class.

Best Barbarian subclass, ranked

1. Berserker
2. Wildheart
3. Wild Magic

Berserk is the best subclass for Barbarian because it is straightforward and allows you to focus strictly on increasing your damage output. Wildheart grants you more versatility to do other things, but it isn’t as strong as Berserker. Wild Magic is a lot of fun, but it’s too unpredictable to be the best.

Best Bard subclass, ranked

1. College of Valour
2. College of Swords
3. College of Lore

The best Bard subclass is a toss-up because it depends on what you want to be and what your party needs. In general, College fo Valour is the best Bard subclass because it makes you better at combat with the help of medium armor, shields, and martial weapons. However, College of Swords allows you to gain stronger melee abilities with swords which can be really fun and College of Lore is easily the best subclass for support as you’ll learn more buff and debuff spells.

Best Cleric subclass, ranked

1. Life
2. Light
3. Tempest
4. War
5. Trickery
6. Knowledge
7. Nature

The cool thing about Clerics is that there are so many different routes you can take to really make something special. In general, the best subclass for Cleric is Life because it offers the most support spells for your team. Light is also good since it grants you support and offensive spells.

Screenshot: PC Invasion

Best Druid subclass, ranked

1. Circle of the Moon
2. Circle of Spores
3. Circle of the Land

The Druid subclasses are a lot of fun because they drastically change what Druid type you are. If you want to play as a shape-shifter, which is arguably the best Druid build, go with Circle of the Moon. If you want to use acid spells and find beauty in decay, go with Circle of Spores. If you want to be a full-on elementalist by picking which element you want to focus on, go with Circle of the Land.

Best Fighter subclass, ranked

1. Battle Master
2. Eldritch Knight
3. Champion

Battle Master is the best Fighter subclass because it’s the best way to control the battlefield. Eldritch Knight is a lot of fun if you want to cast more spells and Champion is the best subclass if you want to focus solely on dealing DPS.

Best Monk subclass, ranked

1. Way of Shadow
2. Way of the Four Elements
3. Way of the Open Hand

Similar to Druids, the three Monk subclasses drastically change the direction of your playstyle. If you want to be more sneaky like a ninja, choose Way of Shadow. If you want some strong spells to help deal ranged attacks, choose Way of the Four Elements. If you want to focus strictly on the marital arts and hand-to-hand DPS, choose Way of the Open Hand.

Best Paladin subclass, ranked

1. Oathbreaker
2. Oath of the Ancients
3. Oath of Devotion
4. Oath of Vengence

Oathbreaker is a very unique subclass for Paladins and I think it would be the most fun to roleplay, but it also gives you the strongest abilities. Oath of the Ancients is best for focusing on spells. Oath of Devotion is best for support abilities. Oath of Vengence is a good pick for DPS abilities, but you get to keep your Oath.

Best Ranger subclass, ranked

1. Beastmaster
2. Gloom Stalker
3. Hunter

The best Ranger subclass is Beastmaster, in my opinion, because you get an animal companion that can help in and out fo combat. Gloom Stalker is a great subclass for Rangers who want to be more stealthy and roguish. Hunter is the subclass for Rangers who want to keep doing what they are doing, but do it better.

Best Rogue subclass, ranked

1. Assassin
2. Thief
3. Arcane Trickster

Assassin is the best Rogue subclass if you want to focus on stealth and high surprise damage. Thief is a good subclass if you want to focus on bettering your Rogue skills out of combat. Arcane Trickster is fun, but not the best Rogue subclass because gaining magical abilities distracts from focusing on what makes Rogues amazing, however, you should choose it if you want.

Best Sorcerer subclass, ranked

1. Draconic Bloodline
2. Storm Sorcery
3. Wild Magic

Draconic Bloodline is known as the best subclass for Sorcerers because of the damage resistance. Storm Sorcery is sort of like Circle of the Land subclass for Druid in that you control the elements. Wild Magic is a bit too wild, but is a lot of fun because of the chaos.

Best Warlock subclass, ranked

1. Great Old One
2. Archfey
3. Fiend

Like with Paladin, all Warlock subclasses are interesting to roleplay. All the Warlock subclasses give you abilities, so just pick your favorite. Great Old One is good for DPS, Archfey is good for fear, and Fiend heals you when you kill enemies. I’m most interested in Archfey because it ties directly into your servitude to a lord or lady of the fey.

Best Wizard subclass, ranked

1. Evocation
2. Conjuration
3. Necromancy
4. Abjuration
5. Enchantment
6. Divination
7. Illusion
8. Transmutation

Much like with Clerics, Wizard has multiple options for subclasses and all of them are exciting. There’s really no best option here; all Wizard subclasses play very differently. You can get a sense of what each subclass does just from the name alone and you should really pick your favorite here. Evocation is arguably the best as it grants you access to more powerful AoE spells.

Note: If you are nervous to get into Baldur’s Gate 3, check out our guide on if you need to know D&D before playing.

What is the best race in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Screenshot: Larian Studios

As you can probably guess, my recommendation for the best race per class in Baldur’s Gate 3 is to pick whichever race interests you most. That said, this is the only category where they are objectively better races for some classes over others.

Best Barbarian race

1. Half-Orc
2. Shield Dwarf

To maximize your Barbarian build, Half-Orcs are the way to go. Half-Orcs intrinsically have +2 Strength and +1 Constitution, Savage Attack, and Relentless Endurance, which makes them perfect Barbarians. Another great pick is Shield Dwarf because they have +2 Strength and +2 Constitution and Dwarven Resilience.

Best Bard race

1. Wood Half-Elf
2. Asmodeus Tiefling

All Bards need is Charisma, so the best races for Bard are Wood Half-Elf and Asmodeus Tiefling. The Wood Half-Elf has +2 Charisma and you can dump another point into Dexterity or Constitution. They also have Mask of the Wild for a stealthier Bard build. The Asmodeus Tiefling has +2 Charisma and +1 Intelligence and has Thaumaturgy which is a cantrip that helps with Intimidation and Performance checks.

Best Cleric race

1. Wood Half-Elf
2. Gold Dwarf

If you want a ranged support Cleric, go with Wood Half-Elf. If you want to play a melee Cleric, go with Gold Dwarf. Wood Half-Elf gives you Dexterity and some impressive race perks while Gold Dwarf gives you Constitution and allows you proficiency with strong weapons like battleaxes and warhammers.

Note: After selecting your class, subclass, and race, learn what the best backgrounds are for each class.

Best Druid race

1. Gold Dwarf
2. Wood Elf

If you want to go with Circle of the Moon, Gold Dwarf is the best pick because you get +2 Constitution and +1 Wisdom plus Dwarven Resilience and Dwarven Toughness. Wood Elf is the best pick if you want to make a Circle of Spores or Circle of the Land Druid because you get +2 Dexterity and +1 Wisdom which is great for spellcasting and dealing damage.

Best Fighter race

1. Shield Dwarf
2. Zariel Tiefling

Shield Dwarves make the best Fighters because they have +2 Strength and +2 Constitution, the two abilities Fighters care most about. Zariel Tieflings are a good option because you get fire resistance with Hellish Resistance which can really help out, but the stats aren’t as optimized.

Best Monk race

1. Githyanki
2. Wood Half-Elf

In my experience, any race with high Dexterity is great for Monk. I chose Wood Half-Elf because they have high Dexterity, but Githyanki could be a great pick too because you get some extra spells like Mage Hand and Misty Step as you level up which can be really good for Monks who don’t have much spellcasting.

Best Paladin race

1. Zariel Tiefling
2. Half-Orc

If you want to make a full-on combat Paladin, go with Half-Orc because you get +2 Strength and +1 Constitution along with other nice combat race perks. Zariel Tiefling is the best race for every type of Paladin because you get Dark Vision, Hellish Resistance, Searing Smite, and a handful of good skills.

Best Ranger race

1. Wood Elf
2. Drow

The best race for Ranger is Wood Elf or Drow because with both, you get +2 Dexterity. Wood Elves give you more opportunities for stealth and Drow give you some powerful spells to start out with.

Best Rogue race

1. Wood Elf
2. Drow

Same with Ranger and Monk, the best Rogue races are those with high Dexterity. Because of that, you can’t go wrong with Wood Elf or Drow. Halflings and Gnomes also make great Rogues, so check that out as well.

Best Sorcerer race

1. High Half-Elf
2. Wood Half-Elf

The best race for spellcasters is all elves, but especially those that focus on Charisma because that’s what Sorcerers use as their spellcasting modifier. I recommend High Half-Elves because they come with a lot of

Best Warlock race

1. High Half-Elf
2. Wood Half-Elf

The best Warlock races are the same as Sorcerer, but as with every class in Baldur’s Gate 3, there’s no right or wrong answer to what race you should play with a specific class. Just pick what you specifically want to play as.

Best Wizard race

1. High Half-Elf
2. Mephistopheles Tiefling

With Wizard, you want a race that has high Intelligence because that’s what you use as your spellcasting modifier. High Half-Elf gets you an extra cantrip and Mephistopheles Tiefling gets you Mage Hand — the choice is yours.