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When you have been to alter a sport’s title to one thing extra actually representing what that sport is about, you may properly get away with renaming Dungeons & Dragons to Wizards and Warriors, for the break up between magic-casting and weapon-swinging courses varieties the inspiration of the sport’s mechanics. And simply so in Baldur’s Gate 3, Wizards are the bedrock of the sport’s strategy to magic. Each different class that makes use of magic is, basically, a twist or flip from how a Wizard does it. This class information goals that will help you perceive the Wizard class in Baldur’s Gate 3, in addition to the numerous selections that get you from being a mere hedge mage to the following Elminster.

For different courses and points of the sport, see our full slate of obtainable Baldur’s Gate 3 guides.

Earlier than You Start

Word that none of those factors are set in stone. Construct your character the best way you select, and see these notes extra as options than guidelines. For extra ideas, try our Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Creation information.

This information may even assume that you’re constructing a customized character. Origin Characters have distinctive interactions and roleplaying choices obtainable because of their preset nature. Gale, a former Chosen of Mystra, is a Wizard Origin Character. Select him as your protagonist if you would like to play as an Origin Wizard.

Moreover, this information presumes you might be constructing a single-class character. Multiclassing into completely different courses as you stage up is an choice to realize new and helpful skills, however there’s additionally worth in specialization. We’ll have a number of multiclass options for you on the finish of the information.

The Wizard Playstyle

Wizards are the epitome of the “squishy” caster. Not like Warlocks, Bards, Druids, Clerics, and even Sorcerers, Wizards are essentially the most closely specialised in casting magic and never terribly good at a lot else. However they do it higher than virtually everybody else. This implies you may need to keep within the again line of any engagement, screened by extra sturdy get together members, when you whip out the proper spell to resolve a state of affairs.

Wizards have essentially the most spell slots and the widest spell choice of all of the courses and thus have essentially the most leeway to dedicate spell slots to unique or specialised magic. Wizards are the almost certainly to have a spell that may completely goal a foe’s weakest saving throw, which may guarantee that may take advantage of out of each spell you solid.

Wizards are most frequently used within the roles of crowd management or dealing ranged harm, however truthfully, the Wizard’s solely restrict is the dimensions of their spellbook and the variety of spell slots obtainable. With the correct spell, you are able to do just about something, as much as and together with tanking, therapeutic, and scouting. Whether or not it is straightforward or excellent to take action, after all, is one other matter. However you may, form of. Wizards are a category that rewards mastery of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s complicated magic system. 

Wizard Class Options

• Key Skills: Intelligence and Knowledge
  
  • It is all in regards to the smarts! Intelligence is the first spellcasting attribute for Wizards, and determines what number of spells they will study at creation. Increase it as excessive as potential.
  • A little bit of Structure will enhance a Wizard’s focus checks and shore up their paltry HP pool.
  • Some Dexterity can add to a Wizard’s armor class when sporting no armor or Mild Armor.
  • Wizards additionally use Knowledge and Intelligence for his or her saves
• Gear Proficiency: Dagger, Quarterstaff, Mild Crossbow
• Talent Proficiency: At creation, Wizards can select 2 abilities for his or her proficiency. Arcana, Perception, and Investigation will synergize with the Wizard’s pure skills.
  • Arcana
  • Historical past
  • Perception
  • Investigation
  • Drugs
  • Faith
• Arcane Restoration: Wizards can fairly actually reside and die primarily based on whether or not they have sufficient spell slots to spare. This function permits a Wizard to spend costs of Arcane Restoration to replenish spent spell slots. Larger-level slots require extra costs, with Degree 5 spells being the utmost.
• Colleges of Magic: Each spell within the sport is related to a selected “Faculty” of magic like Transmutation, Evocation, or Phantasm. The varsity of magic describes a spell’s qualities. In Baldur’s Gate 3, Wizards can concentrate on a selected college as their subclass selection. See the Subclasses part for extra particulars.
  • Selecting a college to concentrate on additionally reduces the price of transcribing a brand new spell to the Wizard’s spellbook. Spells of a Wizard’s chosen college might be realized for half the common price.
  • Wizards additionally achieve minor bonuses when utilizing spells of their college, and particular tips related to the college. For instance, Illusionists can see Invisible enemies.

Wizard Gear Suggestions

• Because the squishiest class by far, Wizards achieve no native proficiency with armor and only a few weapon proficiencies. You possibly can put on armor for those who get it from a racial bonus or multiclass selection, and that is really useful, notably for the early sport.
• That stated, there are many robes and wizard hats within the sport which have notably helpful magical results that may be fairly interesting to a working Wizard. Do not be shy about ditching the armor if a little bit of clothes’s results are adequate for it.
• If a Wizard has to resort to their weapon to defend themselves, one thing’s gone incorrect. Take a dagger or workers, but when a weapon you do not have proficiency in has a superb magical bonus, be at liberty to equip it. Truly utilizing the weapons is for the martial courses, in spite of everything.

Wizard Subclasses

Chosen at Degree 2, Wizards select to concentrate on a given college of magic, changing into a caster of that class and gaining particular options and advantages when interacting with magic from that faculty. The opposite faculties of magic are, nonetheless, nonetheless open to them, so in the end, the results of a Wizard’s subclass selection do not basically change their playstyle. When selecting your college of magic, overview the completely different options and see if the advantages align with the way you need to play your Wizard.

As a rule of thumb, a few of the mostly used fight spells are discovered within the Evocation, Abjuration, and Conjuration faculties. Transmutation, Enchantment, and Necromancy even have quite a lot of highly effective spells of their choice, whereas Phantasm has a number of broadly helpful instruments to be used inside and outdoors fight.

Abjuration

Abjuration magic offers with wards, banishes extraplanar enemies, and nullifies magical results. Many defensive spells are primarily based in Abjuration and Abjurers achieve the flexibility to passively type an Arcane Ward that blocks harm. Examples of Abjuration spells embody Blade Ward, Safety from Evil and Good, Banish, Take away Curse, and Globe of Invulnerability.

Subclass Options

• Abjuration Savant: Abjuration spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Arcane Ward: A passive ward that varieties from the residual magic of your Abjuration spells. The Ward has a “cost stage” that will increase primarily based on the degrees of solid Abjuration spells (i.e. casting a Degree 2 spell provides 2 costs). The Ward blocks incoming harm equal to the current cost stage, then reduces its cost by 1. 
• Projected Ward: Abjurers can “sacrifice” their energetic Arcane Ward to cut back the harm taken by close by allies.
• Improved Abjuration: Upon a brief relaxation, the Arcane Ward costs by an quantity equal to your wizard stage.

Conjuration

Conjuration offers with summoning, and Conjurers can convey creatures and objects to them from different planes, or displace them in area. Conjurers are consultants at sustaining the dimensional connections required to govern conjured summons and are notably adept at teleportation.

Subclass Options

• Conjuration Savant: Conjuration spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Minor Conjuration: Create Water: As soon as per quick relaxation, Conjurers can name forth a little bit of rain to extinguish uncovered flames and create a water floor. A great way to douse a burning space or put together a lure.
• Benign Transposition: Teleport: As soon as per lengthy relaxation, Conjurers can teleport a brief distance or swap locations with an ally. A great way to realize a ways if caught in shut vary to an enemy.
• Targeted Conjuration: Taking harm whereas concentrating on a Conjuration spell now not causes a focus save. Useful for those who come beneath assault whereas sustaining a summon or different spell.

Divination

Divination magic entails prediction and knowledge gathering. Diviners can look into and form time itself, utilizing future sight to find out outcomes. Examples of Divination spells embody True Strike and Detect Ideas.

Subclass Options

• Divination Savant: Divination spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Portent: After an extended relaxation, Diviners achieve two randomized “Portent Cube”. These cube might be spent as a response to overwrite the cube roll of any Assault Roll or Saving Throw rolled close to the Diviner. The Portent Cube expire on the finish of the day or when used.
• Professional Divination: An enhancement to Portent. You achieve a 3rd Portent Die, and when taking a brief relaxation with spent Portent Cube provides you a “prophecy”, a mini-objective that may be fulfilled to instantly replenish your spent Portent Cube. These results might be issues like doing a sure kind of harm or utilizing a specific motion.
• Third Eye: As soon as per lengthy relaxation, you may open your third eye, gaining Darkvision out to 24m and having the ability to see invisible enemies in the event that they fail a dexterity save towards you.

Enchantment

The varsity of magic involved with the thoughts and wills of individuals and monsters each, Enchantment spells can beguile, bewitch, and have an effect on the disposition of these round you. Enchanters can command highly effective management spells that usually have utility exterior fight. They will incapacitate a creature with their very gaze, and are so adept with spells of the college that they will multiply their results throughout a number of targets. Examples of Enchantment spells embody Buddies, Appeal Particular person, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Sleep, and Maintain Particular person.

Subclass Options

• Enchantment Savant: Enchantment spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Hypnotic Gaze: Appeal and incapacitate a creature in melee, holding it from appearing or attacking you if it fails a knowledge save. You possibly can preserve this gaze every flip, however it ends when the creature takes harm.
• Instinctive Appeal: Can appeal a creature attacking you, inflicting it to assault a brand new goal (if potential) as a response.
• Cut up Enchantment: Single goal enchantment spells can now goal 2 creatures.

Evocation

Evocation spells take care of shaping and focusing uncooked elemental power. A lot of the sport’s assault magic is Evocation-based, and Evokers are its masters. Evokers may cause their evocation spells to keep away from damaging allies (just like the Sorcerer’s Cautious Spell Metamagic, however unique to evocation spells), in addition to amp up their evocations’ capacity to pierce enemy defenses and harm. 

Subclass Options

• Evocation Savant: Evocation spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Sculpt Spells: When within the space of impact of your evocation spells, allies robotically succeed saving throws and take no harm from them. Learn: No pleasant fireplace out of your Fireballs.
• Potent Cantrip: Enemies take half harm out of your cantrips even when they succeed at a saving throw (they may nonetheless dodge secondary results, although).
• Empowered Evocation: Add your Intelligence modifier to break rolls with evocation spells.

Phantasm

The varsity of phantasm considerations itself with magic that impacts the senses and tips the thoughts, making the unimaginable appear actual. Illusionists can solid an improved model of Minor Phantasm (one of the efficient stealth/distraction spells in Baldur’s Gate 3), can see invisible creatures, and might trigger incoming assaults to overlook by forcing them to hit an illusory duplicate as a substitute. Examples of Phantasm spells embody Minor Phantasm, Disguise Self, Invisibility, Seeming, and Phantasmal Killer.

Subclass Options

• Phantasm Savant: Phantasm spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Improved Minor Phantasm: Now you can solid the Minor Phantasm cantrip as a bonus motion. It will also be solid whereas hidden or silenced. Minor Phantasm is a strong cantrip as a result of it causes close by creatures to research, turning their consideration away from you or setting them up for an ambush.
• See Invisibility: Illusionists grow to be capable of see Invisible creatures as soon as per lengthy relaxation at a variety of 9m towards the creature’s dexterity save. That is just like the Divination function.
• Illusory Self: As soon as per quick or lengthy relaxation, you may create an illusory duplicate of your self when a creature makes an assault roll towards you. This duplicate intercepts the incoming assault as a response and causes it to overlook, then dissipates.  

Necromancy

Exploring the cosmic forces of life, dying, and decay, Necromancy manipulates the power inside all residing issues, transferring and even sapping it for energy. Necromancers can harvest energy from the deaths they trigger, and obtain improved undead thralls when utilizing the Animate Lifeless spell. At greater ranges, they will resist the debilitating results of necrotic power. Examples of Necromancy spells embody Ray of Illness, Bone Chill, Animate Lifeless, Vampiric Contact, and Eyebite.

Subclass Options

• Necromancy Savant: Necromancy spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Grim Harvest: As soon as per flip, killing a residing creature (doesn’t apply to undead and constructs) with a spell causes you to regain HP equal to double the extent of the spell slot used. This impact is elevated to triple if a necromancy spell was used to make the kill.
• Undead Thralls: You robotically study the Animate Lifeless spell if you do not know it already, and might elevate an extra corpse when casting Animate Lifeless. The raised corpses even have extra HP equal to your wizard stage, and deal extra harm primarily based in your proficiency bonus. Moreover, Animate Lifeless might be solid with no need preparation.
• Inured to Undeath: You grow to be immune to necrotic harm, and your most HP can’t be diminished

Transmutation

Transmutation spells modify power and matter itself, turning one factor into one other. Transmuters are notably adept on the artwork of alchemy, deriving improved outcomes from alchemical recipes. They will additionally create particular non permanent objects that grant passive advantages to get together members. At excessive ranges, they will even transmute themselves or others into different varieties for a brief interval.

Subclass Options

• Transmutation Savant: Transmutation spells price half as a lot gold to study from scrolls.
• Experimental Alchemy: Get two alchemical options as a substitute of 1 when mixing extracts by succeeding a Drugs ability test (DC 15).
• Transmuter’s Stone: Whenever you solid a transmutation spell of Degree 1 or greater or as soon as per lengthy relaxation, you may create a Transmuter’s Stone, a short lived merchandise that provides a profit to the creature carrying it. The stone dissolves after an extended relaxation. The advantages conveyed to the stone’s service are passive and might be very helpful, particularly since they are often stacked with ritual spells and different buffs.
  • Darkvision
  • Motion Velocity enhance
  • Elemental Resistance
  • Proficiency in Structure Saves
• Shapechange: Can change your self or a goal in melee vary right into a blue jay chicken for five turns. The blue jay can fly, whether it is “killed”, it reverts to its unique type with the HP it had earlier than being modified. Requires a focus roll to take care of.

Wizard Degree Development

These are the category options you’ll get as you stage up as a Wizard. The utmost stage cap in Baldur’s Gate 3 at launch is Degree 12. Use this to see what you’ll get at every stage and plan accordingly, in case you want to multiclass.

This information may even spotlight class options you achieve primarily based in your subclass selection. For extra detailed data in regards to the subclasses, see the sections above. Options gained by a Subclass are labeled with the Subclass identify. 

Word: Unlabeled advantages are “normal” class options and customary to all subclasses.

Degree 1

• HP: 6 HP + Structure Modifier, gaining minimal of 4 HP + Con modifier per stage.
• Gear Proficiency: Dagger, Quarterstaff, Mild Crossbow
• Talent Proficiencies: Select 2 abilities from Arcana, Perception, Investigation, Drugs, Faith, Historical past.
• Wizard Spells:
  • 3 cantrips identified
  • Intelligence Modifier + 1 spells identified
  • 2 Degree 1 Spell Slots
• Arcane Restoration

Degree 2

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 1 Spell Slots (3 complete)
• Faculty of Magic: Select a college of magic as your subclass
  • Abjuration: Abjuration Savant, Arcane Ward
  • Conjuration: Conjuration Savant, Minor Conjuration: Create Water
  • Divination: Divination Savant, Portent
  • Enchantment: Enchantment Savant, Hypnotic Gaze
  • Evocation: Evocation Savant, Sculpt Spells
  • Phantasm: Phantasm Savant, Improved Minor Phantasm
  • Necromancy: Necromancy Savant, Grim Harvest
  • Transmutation: Transmutation Savant, Experimental Alchemy

Degree 3

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 1 Spell Slots (4 complete)
  • 2 Degree 2 Spell Slots

Degree 4

• Feat Choice: Can decide a Feat from All Lessons Feat listing. Whereas any class at stage 4 can decide lots of the Feats, not all will probably be related to the category. You may as well select a capability enchancment to spice up a bonus or remove a penalty. Take a look at our full Feats information for extra recommendation on Wizard-appropriate Feats.
  • Beneficial Wizard Feats:
    • Capacity Enchancment
    • Alert
    • Sturdy
    • Elemental Adept
    • Fortunate
    • Cellular
    • Ritual Caster
    • Resilient
    • Spell Sniper
    • Robust
    • Struggle Caster
• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Cantrips identified (4 complete)
  • +1 Degree 1 Spell Slots (4 complete)
  • +1 Degree 2 Spell Slots (3 complete)

Degree 5

Degree 6

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 3 Spell Slots (3 complete)
• Faculty of Magic Subclass Function:
  • Abjuration: Projected Ward: Can sacrifice energetic Arcane Ward to defend allies.
  • Conjuration: Benign Transposition: Teleport: Can teleport to an unoccupied area close by or swap positions with an ally.
  • Divination: Professional Divination: Can recharge spent Portent Cube by conducting mini-objectives.
  • Enchantment: Instinctive Appeal: Can reflexively appeal attackers.
  • Evocation: Potent Cantrip: Cantrips can deal half harm even when the goal saves efficiently.
  • Phantasm: See Invisibility: Can detect invisible creatures.
  • Necromancy: Undead Thralls: Can solid Animate Lifeless with out preparation, get extra and higher undead from casting Animate Lifeless.
  • Transmutation: Transmuter’s Stone: Can create a short lived merchandise that confers passive buffs to its holder.

Degree 7

Degree 8

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 4 Spell Slots (2 complete)
• Feat Choice: Can decide a Feat from All Lessons Feat listing

Degree 9

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 4 Spell Slots (3 complete
  • 1 Degree 5 Spell Slot

Degree 10

• Wizard Spells:
  • +1 Degree 5 Spell Slots (2 complete)
• Faculty of Magic Subclass Function:
  • Abjuration: Improved Abjuration: Arcane Ward now costs up equal to your Wizard stage after an extended relaxation.
  • Conjuration: Targeted Conjuration: Conjurations now not topic to focus checks from taking harm.
  • Divination: Third Eye: Can briefly purchase Darkvision and the flexibility to see Invisible creatures.
  • Enchantment: Cut up Enchantment: Enchantments that usually goal 1 creature can now goal 2 creatures.
  • Evocation: Empowered Evocation: Add your Int modifier to break rolls with any evocation spells.
  • Phantasm: Illusory Self: May cause an incoming assault to overlook by intercepting it with an illusory duplicate.
  • Necromancy: Inured to Undeath: Achieve resistance to necrotic harm, proof against most HP drain.
  • Transmutation: Shapechanger: Can change your self or a goal right into a blue jay chicken briefly.

Degree 11

Degree 12

• Feat Choice: Can decide a Feat from All Lessons Feat listing

Multiclass Wizards

Whereas this part of the information is principally centered on recommending different character courses for profession Wizards to select as second or third class choices, it needs to be famous that there’s a good motive for any “full” spellcaster class other than Warlock (particularly Druid, Cleric, Sorcerer, and Bard) to select a single stage of Wizard (with 11 ranges of their different class).

It’s because, as a consequence of a quirk in the best way Baldur’s Gate 3‘s spell slot mechanics work in comparison with tabletop Dungeons & Dragons fifth Version, a caster class that picks one stage of Wizard can, with sufficient cash and scrolls, achieve entry to the complete Wizard spell listing, from Degree 1 to Degree 6. It’s because all the complete caster courses unlock spell slots by stage, which means at Degree X they will have Y spell slots of Degree Z. A caster with a single stage of Wizard can merely pay to study wizard spells from scrolls, for each stage of spell they’ve slots for. And all the complete casters unlock Degree 6 spells at round Degree 11, which means that for the price of a Feat, a Druid, Sorcerer, Bard, or Cleric can probably crib a full spellbook from a Wizard. 

In fact, the caveat right here is that the Wizard spells you study will nonetheless use Intelligence as their predominant casting capacity, and you’ll solid spells with the spell DC of a 1st-level Wizard. That signifies that with out appreciable capacity funding or particular gear to spice up Int, most direct harm and fight spells will probably be pretty weak and simple for enemies to avoid wasting towards. However for utility spells that do not want saves or to beat enemy defenses, a dip into Wizard is a tempting choice for different casters to shore up their spell stock with.

As for extra typical multiclass choices:

Sorcerers are a possible utility choice for Wizards trying to multiclass. Two ranges of Sorcerer will unlock metamagic and sorcery factors, the important thing function of a Sorcerer and a strong set of changes to spell properties. A 3rd stage will unlock stronger metamagic powers.

Warlocks could be a sturdy choice for Wizards with excessive charisma which might be looking for some constant energy that is not depending on their ready spell slots. Eldritch Blast and pact magic will recharge on a brief relaxation, making the warlock’s restricted choices work as a superb fallback when the Wizard does not fairly have the correct spell prepared.

Rogues are a wonderful utility multiclass choice for Wizards, as a result of Rogues usually like to have a excessive intelligence and dexterity, two stats Wizards usually spend money on on their very own. Rogues add quite a lot of helpful ability proficiencies, and provides entry to gentle armor and sneak assaults, for the occasional ambush. Three ranges of Rogue provides the wizard the Crafty Motion function and permits the Wizard to grow to be an Arcane Trickster. Whereas there is a vital quantity of overlap between the Arcane Trickster and Wizard’s spellcasting, the improved model of Mage Hand Arcane Tricksters can command could make a Wizard take over for a extra devoted rogue function within the get together.

If a Wizard is uninterested in being squishy and desires to go nuts, Fighter is an effective choice. Choosing up martial weapons and armor proficiency could make a Wizard a lot much less of a legal responsibility in bodily fight. Three extra ranges unlocks Motion Surge and permits the Wizard to grow to be an Eldritch Knight, a category that may use a melee weapon decently sufficient.

Wizards that need to preserve the religion of their robes and Wizard hats would possibly select the Monk for added survivability. Monks usually struggle unarmored, and the Wizard can profit from the Monk’s unarmored protection perk, offered they’ve excessive Knowledge. Monks additionally enhance a Wizard’s melee capacity with their martial arts.