The Unwritten Rules of Playing a Sorcerer Explained

Sorcerer is one of the trickiest classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 to master. Building a sorcerer correctly is not the only thing needed to have a good experience when playing a sorcerer; players also need to know how to use its additional class features such as metamagic and sorcery points. As a spellcasting class, BG3 sorcerers become extremely powerful at higher levels, and their ability to manipulate spells to give them different effects shows their innate proficiency with magic.

As with all the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, getting the best playthrough from a character’s build is about understanding how the class works. Spellcasting can be frustrating, but some knowledge can help circumvent that.

What Does a Sorcerer Do in Baldur’s Gate 3?

The Difference Between a Wizard and a Sorcerer

Wizards and Sorcerers are both pure spellcasting classes who don’t use weapons or wear any kind of armor beyond a simple robe. Wizards and Sorcerers are often confused in BG3, and their functions are very similar, but there are key differences that set them apart. Wizards learn their magic through scrolls and spellbooks, and are able to learn countless spells in Baldur’s Gate 3 in this way, while Sorcerers can only learn from a set spell list. Sorcerers are also able to manipulate the spells they know with metamagic, which makes them stronger, or able to cast spells more frequently.

Consider the Sorcerer Subclasses

Sorcerers have three subclasses: Wild Magic, Draconic, and Storm. Each have their own strengths, including some fun roleplaying implications.

• Wild Magic: These sorcerers have uncontrolled magic that results in surges that grant random effects. These effects can be beneficial or a hindrance, and make gameplay more unpredictable.
• Draconic: These sorcerers who descend from a draconic bloodline have resistance and proficiency in a chosen element.
• Storm: These sorcerers use the elements of the sky: they are extremely mobile, can fly, and use thunder and lightning in combat.

Playing as a Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer

Understand Metamagic

Metamagic is the core of the Sorcerer class, and is largely what sets them apart from BG3 Wizards. Sorcerers use metamagic to manipulate spells to give them different effects, such as giving them greater distance, the ability to cast when silenced, and casting during bonus actions. Using metamagic costs sorcery points, which are only used when a spell is cast with a metamagic effect. Sorcery points are gained when the character levels up.

Sorcerers get access to different metamagic effects as they level up, but it isn’t possible to choose all of them by Level 12, the cap for Baldur’s Gate 3. Twinned Spell, Quickened Spell, and Distant Spell are some of the most useful metamagic options to use on spells for all Sorcerer builds.

Use Sorcery Points

Sorcery points are unique to the Sorcerer class, and can be used to regain spell slots. Conversely, Sorcerers can sacrifice spell slots to create more sorcery points. Sorcery points are used for metamagic, and form the core of a Sorcerer’s combat tactics. Using a metamagic ability uses one or more sorcery points, depending on the metamagic ability, and it’s possible to run out of them pretty quickly. Sacrificing level one spell slots for sorcery points can make all the difference, as does creating spell slots with sorcery points when the need is dire. The flexibility of the Sorcerer with how they can manipulate spells and magic is what makes the class appealing, so don’t be afraid to push the features to their limits.

Max Charisma

There are four charisma classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Sorcerer is one of them. This means that Charisma is the stat that is used to determine if the spell will hit enemies, making a higher Sorcerer with a higher Charisma stat more likely to land hits. Beyond combat, Charisma is also an incredibly valuable stat that is used in Persuasion, Intimidation, and Deception checks. Because Sorcerers are a Charisma class, they’re the easiest spellcasting class to multiclass, and can be easily multiclassed into the other Charisma classes: Bard, Paladin, or Warlock.

Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 as a Sorcerer in Practice

Use Twinned Haste

Haste is one of the most useful spells in Baldur’s Gate 3: it’s used to buff allies, giving a +2 bonus to the affected character’s Armor Class, Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, doubled movement speed, and an additional Action per turn. The Twinned Spell metamagic effect allows the Sorcerer to target one additional character with a spell that usually only targets one. Combining Haste with Twinned Spell allows Sorcerers to turn their party into powerhouses during combat. With more sorcery points, Quickened Spell can be used to cast Haste again as a bonus action, granting the buff to a third party member.

Accept the Sorcerer’s Growing Pains

As a spellcasting class, Sorcerers are going to feel left behind by their rogue and fighting companions in terms of power during the early parts of Baldur’s Gate 3. Sorcerers in particular excel at area of effect damage, and good AoE spells only unlock at higher levels with Level 3 spell slots. At these lower levels, it’s best to focus on spells that buff the party and debuff enemies. Then, players can pick AoE spells such as Fireball, Cone of Cold, and Cloudkill to rain destruction down on enemies, though lower level spells such as Scorching Ray and Magic Missile are also effective.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Franchise

Baldur’s Gate

Released

August 3, 2023

ESRB

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

How Long To Beat

30 Hours

Metascore

96

Split Screen Orientation

Vertical Only

Number of Players

1-4

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players