Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Ranger Spells

In Baldur’s Gate 3 Ranger spells tend to revolve around the class’ strengths in ranged combat and debuffing enemies with CC effects from afar. It is also one of the most agile classes, thanks to abilities like Longstrider and Misty Step which let the Ranger and its allies move around the battlefield much more effectively.

For the most part, the best BG3 Ranger spells aren’t going to decimate enemies like a Wizard’s Fireball or a Paladin’s Thunderous Smite. Even with a relatively limited spell list to choose from, though, Rangers still can summon an Animal Companion, and have access to useful CC abilities like Ensnaring Strike, Silence, and Plant Growth – abilities that make the Ranger an invaluable party member.

Hunter’s Mark

• Hunter’s Mark Effect: Mark a creature as your quarry to deal an additional 1d6 Physical damage whenever you hit it with a weapon attack.

A mainstay of most Ranger builds in BG3, Hunter’s Mark is arguably the most useful skill to Rangers of their entire spell list, for much of the game. Hunter’s Mark can’t be avoided, and each weapon attack against it by the Ranger (including Bows) will deal an extra 1d6 damage. When the target dies, players can select a new quarry for no additional cost.

Hunter’s Mark can – and should – be used from the very start of the game, and most hunters will choose it along with Ensnaring Strike for a decently synergistic ranged spell setup.

Silence

• Silence Effect: Create a sound-proof sphere. All within are Silenced and Immune to Thunder damage

A spell slot lvl 2 spell that Rangers can learn at Level 5, Silence is one of the best situational CC spells in BG3. It’s a spell that players should almost never use against melee enemies, but against Casters, it’s a truly tide-turning spell. Within a reasonably large area, at the max spell cast distance of 60ft, all creatures are Silenced.

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Being Silenced will cancel any ongoing Concentration spells, and will prevent spellcasters from being able to do just about anything but whack enemies with their staffs. But be careful to avoid placing it on top of allies, or choose a spot so that nearby allies can easily escape its AoE and continue casting.

Plant Growth

• Plant Growth Effect: Make weeds burst from the ground and smother the area. Creatures moving through the area have their Movement Speed reduced by 75%.

Plant Growth is a lvl spell that Rangers can’t learn until Level 9, but it’s worth picking up as soon as possible upon hitting that milestone. When cast, the Ranger will slow down anything in a relatively large area by 75%, including allies.

This counts as difficult terrain, and will slow down enemies to a sliver of their former movement speed. This often results in enemies being grouped up together, so be ready to take advantage of the CC with AoE arrows and spells.

Longstrider

• Longstrider Effect: Increase a creature’s Movement Speed by 3 m / 10 ft.

Rangers might not boast the bombastic damaging spells of the Wizard, or the unparalleled control of the Warlock. But what it does have is a suite of useful, but not necessarily game-breaking, spells – like Longstrider.

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This simple spell lets the Ranger increase all party members’ movement speed by 10 feet until the next Long Rest. Extra movement speed can come in handy when faced with Slow effects, and it doesn’t take up much of the Ranger’s resources to impart the buff.

Ensnaring Strike

• Ensnaring Strike Effect: Your attack summons thorny vines, dealing Weapon Damage and possibly Ensnaring your target.

Ensnaring Strike, alongside Hunter’s Mark, is an iconic Ranger ability that players should use from the very start of the game. There is both a melee and ranged version of Ensnaring Strike, each of which will deal extra damage on top of normal weapon damage, and possibly Ensnare the target.

Being Ensnared makes the affected creature take 1d6 damage at the beginning of every turn. It can be resisted, and the vines can be torn off with a Standard Action, but when it hits it essentially takes away an enemy’s entire turn.

Misty Step (Gloom Stalker Only)​​​​​

• Misty Step Effect: Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

Arguably the most useful spell in Baldur’s Gate 3, Misty Step is only available to Rangers in the Gloom Stalker subclass. At Level 5, Gloom Stalker Rangers automatically get this skill, which costs a Bonus Action and can only be cast on areas that the character can literally see.

Misty Step is essentially a teleport, and because its a Bonus Action, using it doesn’t mean sacrificing an Attack or other spell that turn. It uses a Level 2 spell slot itself, but the ability to instantly change positions in combat (to escape, or set up a better shot) is surprisingly powerful in Baldur’s Gate 3, and suits the Gloom Stalker playstyle perfectly.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Released

August 3, 2023

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence