Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Sorcerer Class Build

The Sorcerer is one of the most volatile Classes in all of Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to their wild spells and ability to use Metamagic to enhance their spellcasting skills. Sorcerers are at their best when they put all of their effort into maximizing their damage output, which the Draconic Bloodline subclass offers in spades.

RELATED: Baldur’s Gate 3: All Sorcerer Subclasses, Explained

Unlike Dragonborn, Sorcerers under the Draconic Bloodline don’t get a Breath-type spell based on the color chosen. Instead, Draconic Sorcerers get a spell related to their color – in the case of this best Sorcerer build, players can expect to cast a cone of fire or a puddle of Grease. Those are far from the only great spells Sorcerers have in BG3, though.

Updated January 27, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: Spending time optimizing the vast array of choices you must make in character creation might seem unnecessary, but these choices can have long-term effects on your character’s effectiveness in and out of combat. In addition to selecting the best Sorcerer subclass, race, and abilities, players have to make choices regarding their character’s skills and backstory. The best Sorcerer backgrounds are those that work seamlessly with typical Sorcerer gameplay, or offer the Sorcerer proficiency in useful skills for the class. After selecting a background, players then get to select from a list of starting skill proficiencies, some of which can be much better for the BG3 Best Sorcerer build than others. This guide has been updated to give more details and information on the best Sorcerer skills and background choices, as well as some other changes throughout to enhance readability.

Sorcerer Class Introduction & Overview

Sorcerer Playstyle & Signature Abilities

“Sorcerers are natural spellcasters, drawing on inherent magic from a gift or bloodline.”

The Sorcerer is one of the few Spellcasting-only classes, one that is nearly impossible to build into a melee fighter without multi-classing. Like the Wizard, Sorcerers can access a massive variety of useful spells that range from devastatingly damaging to enraging environmental effects. Unlike Wizards, Sorcerers cannot prepare new spells at will, and they use Charisma as the main spellcasting stat instead of Intelligence. These may all sound like downsides, but Sorcerers make up for their lack of versatility for sheer power.

Related

Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Monk Class Build

Though the Monk Class wasn’t available in BG3’s Early Access, fans are already pretty sure that the way of Shadow will be the best Monk build.

Each Sorcerer subclass, and build option, gains incredibly powerful benefits like more AC and HP, compared to other spellcasters, the unique ability to Fly as a Bonus Action, and even completely random effects from Wild Magic. No matter which way one takes a Sorcerer, though, they all have the ability to use Metamagic, and Sorcery Points, to influence their spells. Metamagic can twin spells, make them more likely to hit, change their range, and even allow Sorcerers to cast spells while Silenced.

Sorcerer Subclasses

• Draconic Bloodline: Grants Draconic Resilience, increasing AC & HP, and unique abilities & resistances tied to Dragon Ancestry color.
• Storm Sorcery: Focuses on Storm and Lightning-based spells. Grants the ability to Fly as a Bonus Action after casting any spell that uses spell slots.
• Wild Magic: Unpredictable damage-dealer that uses chaos to control and damage enemies – and sometimes allies. Can gain Advantage at the cost of Wild Magic surging.

Sorcerer Class Proficiencies

• Sorcerer Armor Proficiencies: None (Robes/Clothing only)
• Sorcerer Weapon Proficiencies: Daggers, Quarterstaves, & Light Crossbows
• Sorcerer Saving Throws: Charisma & Constitution
• Sorcerer Skill Proficiency Choices: Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, & Religion

Sorcerer Class Features – Level By Level

Sorcerer Spell Slots & Prepared Spells – Level By Level

Best BG3 Sorcerer Build: Draconic Bloodline Overview

What Makes Draconic Bloodline the Best BG3 Sorcerer Subclass?

“Your veins carry draconic magic, the result of a powerful dragon ancestor.”

The Fly ability granted by Storm Sorcery subclass is indeed powerful, though Wild Magic has a tendency to cause chaos and go wrong in all the worst (and funniest) ways. Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers are able to not only more easily control The Weave than Wild Magic users, but they also have better survivability than the Storm Sorcery subclass thanks to the extra HP and Draconic Resilience passive, which boosts Armor when not wearing any (aside from robes).

Related

All Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard Subclasses, Ranked

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Wizard Class is able to specialize in one of eight schools of magic, gaining powerful benefits relating to that school.

Though Sorcerers might think they should stay away from combat, a Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer performs just as well up close as they do at a range. Their higher AC and HP compared to other casters is really noticeable, and the class’ use of Metamagic skills to amplify the effects of their spellcasting just makes close-range and AoE spells hit more often, or hit harder.

Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers can choose a color of their Draconic Ancestry, which offers both a visual change to a character’s model as well as a new ability. Of the eight choices of Ancestry, Red and Black are arguably the most useful. The Red Ancestry grants Burning Hands, a short-range cleaving spell with Fire damage, while the Black Ancestry grants the Grease spell, which can be ignited with any source of Fire and has a good chance to knock enemies Prone.

Draconic Bloodline Subclass Features – Level By Level

Best BG3 Sorcerer Build: Roleplay & Character Creation Choices

Best BG3 Sorcerer Race: Drow, or Wood Half Elf

The Drow are one of the most versatile, role-filling Races in Baldur’s Gate 3 for a few important reasons. Their enhanced Darkvision is not to be sneered at, especially when one considers that it helps spells hit their targets in the dark. Plus, Drow have Advantage on Perception through Keen Senses. The additional proficiency in Rapiers, Shortswords, and Hand Crossbows can come in handy sometimes, though Sorcerers tend to stick with a Quarterstaff for their main weapon.

The three Drow cantrips – Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness – are all situationally useful, too. Faerie Fire, granted at Level 3, is the most useful as it grants Advantage on all attacks against affected targets.

The Wood Half-Elf is another very strong choice for the best Sorcerer BG3 race because of its improved movement. Though the Wood Half Elf doesn’t have any notable spells like the Drow race, this extra 1.5m movement distance is a bigger benefit than it might seem, and all Half-Elf subraces get immunity to Sleep as well as Advantage against being Charmed from Fey Ancestry. The Drow is the more powerful race, but Half-Elf can be better for Sorcerers who have difficulty navigating combat before unlocking spells like Misty Step.

Best Sorcerer Backgrounds in BG3: Noble or Sage

The Sorcerer pairs best with the Noble or Sage Backgrounds because they will naturally trigger Inspiration moments more often. Nobles get proficiency in History and Persuasion, and tend to trigger inspiration when performing noble, heroic acts (or literally engaging with the nobility of Baldur’s Gate and beyond). Sages, on the other hand, gain proficiency in Arcana and History, and tend to trigger Inspiration when engaging with the mystical and magical elements of the world, like uncovering a lost book, or figuring out the historical background of a statue.

Either way, Sorcerers will have plenty of ways to get Inspiration from these two backgrounds. However, they do remove some choices from the starting Skill Proficiency list for the class.

Best BG3 Sorcerer Skill Proficiency Choices: Persuasion and Deception

Sorcerers can choose two skills from a list of six, but depending on the background you choose, one will not be an option (as it will already be taken). The Noble background gives proficiency on History and Persuasion, which removes one choice from the Sorcerer’s relatively brief list of six skill profiencies. The Sage gives both Arcana and History proficiency, once again leaving Sorcerers with five remaining options.

No matter which Sorcerer background you choose, make sure to get the Persuasion proficiency. Both Deception and Insight serve as equally viable backups for the sake of unlocking dialogue options, but Deception tends to come up more often. If you get Persuasion through the Noble background, pick up Insight or Intimidation instead.

Best Sorcerer Ability Scores & Stat Distribution

Feats, Spells, & Other Choices For Draconic Sorcerer Builds

Best Sorcerer Equipment: Armor & Accessories

This section covers the best equipment for Draconic Sorcerers in BG3 across all three Acts. Some pieces from early Acts may still be powerful in later ones, though, and will remain equipped through several Acts.

• Items with bolded names are new options for the build in each Act, and may replace older pieces of equipment.
• Items with unbolded names must be acquired in earlier Acts, but are strong enough that they don’t need to be replaced in Acts 2 or 3.

Best Draconic Sorcerer Items & Equipment: Act 1

Best Draconic Sorcerer Items & Equipment: Act 2

Best Draconic Sorcerer Items & Equipment: Act 3

Best Sorcerer Multiclass Choices & Builds

Warlock Multiclass – Sorcerer 10/Warlock 2

The Sorcerer and Warlock multiclass build is one of the most popular in BG3 because of high damage potential, both class’ reliance on Charisma, and the added bonuses that the Warlock class can provide to a Sorcerer, like armor proficiency. With just two points invested in Warlock (after around level 5), players gain access to the most powerful Cantrip in BG3 and modifiers that further enhance its damage.

At Level 2, a Warlock can choose two Eldritch Invocations, like Repelling Blast and Agonizing Blast, and gain two Level 1 spell slots that refresh with each short rest. With spells like Haste, as well as the Sorcerer’s Metamagic options like Quickened Spell, this simple cantrip becomes one that can strike an enormous number of enemies at once. By investing further in Warlock, players can hit even more times with Eldritch Blast and gain Pact Boons, but this of course comes at the cost of late-game Sorcerer abilities.

Wizard Multiclass – Sorcerer 11/Wizard 1

The Sorcerer class is pretty powerful on its own, and the Warlock is the only option that adds meaningful damage to the class’ already-powerful toolkit. However, by speccing into the Wizard class, the Sorcerer gains the ability to learn spells from Scrolls, vastly expanding its repertoire of options.

Sorcerers are not prepared spellcasters, and must select their available spells from their known spells when they level up. It’s important to optimize a Sorcerer’s spell list with each level up and cut some abilities to make room for new ones – putting one level into Wizard early gives you more options to choose from, though it becomes a bit useless at max level, when Sorcerers can no longer swap spells.

Consider going down to Sorcerer 10 and putting two levels in Wizard to unlock the Evocation subclass. This comes with the Sculpt Spells passive, negating the negative effects of your spells on allies in their area of effect (like Fireball).

Baldur’s Gate 3

Released

August 3, 2023

ESRB

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