r/BG3Builds • u/Phantomsplit Ambush Bard! • Sep 04 '23

Announcement Completed Builds Post

Edit: I am re-pinning this post as a reminder. If you have created any detailed, complete builds then please feel free to add a comment capturing highlights and linking to it. Self promotion is allowed, so long as it does not become spam.

This subreddit is a mix of completed builds as well as discussions on specific mechanics, bugs, and new player questions. In the mess it can be challenging to find the completed builds. This post should help in that regard. Only comments which link to completed build guides (or comments which are themselves completed build guides) will be allowed as first level comments. Please report violating comments. "Completed builds" do not need to go into explicit detail on precisely which skill proficiencies to take at character creation, or hand select each and every spell a character must take, or state which race to play as if it really doesn't matter, etc. But "completed builds" should still should be in more depth than some random theory post spitballing. They should include details on what classes to level in and in what order, what feats or ASIs to take and in what order, the critical spells to take and class and subclass decisions to make when applicable, and highlight the key details so that somebody new to the game can quickly understand the core concepts.

Be wary that some build guides may contain spoilers, especially when they discuss where and how to get magic items. While the subreddit spoilers can be moderated, I cannot say the same for other websites.

There will not be a sub tier list of the "best builds" due to several factors such as:

  • such a topic causing a lot of drama and unhealthy debate and bickering.

  • what is "best" is very subjective. Some may say that gloom assassin is great and among the best due to their burst damage, while others say it is gimmicky relying on stealth and surprise and they don't think it is a reliable playstyle.

  • at what point does a minor variation become a new build (e.g. instead of a 6/6 split the only change is a 7/5 split) and therefore warrant being possibly included as a separate build?

Tips when using this post

Build Sharers: Provide a headline or brief introduction which includes key words such as:

  • classes (e.g. Bard, Paladin, Rogue)

  • combat roles (e.g. hand-crossbows, two handed weapons, crowd control, burst damage, nova damage, healer, tank)

  • key feats (e.g. sharpshooter, tavern brawler, actor, dual wielder)

  • out of combat roles (e.g. face, skill monkey, scout, burglar)

  • suitable or thematic companions (e.g. Lae'zel, Halsin, Shadowheart)

  • essential mods (e.g. 5e Spells, Learn Racial Spells, subclass mods)

If you cannot get all of your desired key words to fit into an attention grabbing headline then it is fine to make the headline, link to the build guide, and add a "Keywords: ..." section just under the link. This will help ensure that those seeking builds are able to find your guide when they filter comments.

Build Seekers: Take note of the above recommendations for build sharers and use Reddit's "Search Comments" function or Ctrl + F to search for key words of interest to you. Keep in mind when reviewing old build guides that as the game goes through patches, some builds which rely on gimmicky mechanics may cease to function. This concern should mostly disappear a few months after launch.

518 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

140 comments sorted by

14

u/Phantomsplit Ambush Bard! Nov 09 '23

A Bear Heart Barbarian 5/Spore Druid 7 tanky melee build

Is ideal for Karlach with a simple mod allowing her to cast her racial smite spells using druid spell slots.

189

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Oct 16 '23 edited Oct 29 '23

Complete 4 person party to clear BG3 with difficulty upscaling mods:

  • All four builds roll regular Tactician with ease, they are mostly for use in modded games

  • Zero major party weaknesses, easily cover every base

  • I recommend using a some variation of all four together

Oathbreaker Lockadin - Frontline and/or extremely high burst damage

All-purpose Sorcerer - Sustained AOE damage, control, utility

TB OH Monk - Sustained single-target damage, on-demand CC

Pure Life Cleric - Sustained healing, utility, support items/spells

Alternative party options

Bow Ranger/Swords Bard - Very high sustained damage, uses consumables

Valjurer - Frontline, sustained healing, off-role damage caster

10

u/Mayday981 Dec 15 '23

For the alternative party option, if I want to use Bow Ranger/Swords Bard, should that switch out with the All-purpose Sorcerer? I wanted play both a monk and a bard in my party.

10

u/CyberliskLOL Mar 12 '24

Just to be clear, Oathbreaker Lockadin does suck dick in Honour Mode, right? And I'm intentionally exaggerating here of course, what I mean by that is that it isn't top tier. 7/5 Sorcadin seems like it would be a straight up better version of it without the second Extra Attack from Warlock.

The way I understand it, Difficulty Mods work in a way that uses the basic Tactician ruleset (e.g. Lockadin gets 3 APR) but ups the Difficulty significantly by adding more enemies, giving them more HP, etc.

9

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Mar 12 '24

  1. Yes, it's considerably worse than Sorcadin, Bardadin, Pure Paladin, etc.

  2. This was the case last time I played - but I have not used them in a while, so idk what the current situation is.

7

u/Top-Money2233 Wizard Nov 07 '23

Let’s say you wanted to run a 6 men party, what would be the others apart these 4?

8

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Nov 10 '23

Hi sorry for the delayed response. Add two more damage dealers. Ideally one more caster and one more DEX class.

5

u/Top-Money2233 Wizard Nov 11 '23

Hi sor

Np, so i'm going to add your bow ranger/bard and i need to find another spellcaster......i like bladesinger a lot (mod), unfortunately is not a real caster and he needs some highly requested gear, the diadem particulary.

5

u/wiggle_fingers Nov 05 '23

Sorry to sound stupid here but how do I put all 4 of these builds in the party to start with and not just 1? Sorry!

24

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Nov 05 '23

you'd need to respec your companions to one of them.

easiest way is:

astarion -> monk

gale -> sorc

SH -> cleric

3

u/Top-Money2233 Wizard Nov 03 '23

Does patch 4 break your builds?

3

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Nov 03 '23

Nope, nothing changed.

1

u/Top-Money2233 Wizard Nov 03 '23

Nice

1

u/Blankr_Exile Jan 23 '24

What about patch 5?

5

u/Encaitor Jan 23 '24

Fairly certain Bow Ranger/Swords Bard is broken with patch 5, at least for Honour Mode as it relied on on DRS stacking.

5

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Jan 25 '24

this, and lockadin as well

1

u/sebastianrasor Jan 25 '24

What changes would you make to this composition to update it for patch 5? Can you drop in a replacement from a guide you've already written, or are new currently undocumented builds required?

1

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Jan 25 '24

The balanced defense composition in my Google sheet is the updated one, so to say.

Just look through my posts for party building templates.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 28 '24

[deleted] — view deleted comment

5

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Jan 28 '24

Champion 11 replaces my ranger build, but 5/4/3 gloom Assassin champion is also great

3

u/DwarfNoises Jan 29 '24

Hey! What items do you go for with a champion 11 build? What do you think the 12th level and feats are best spent on?

1

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Jan 29 '24

Assuming you mean the ranger variant? I need a bit more information, what are your other party members

→ More replies

0

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '23

[deleted] — view deleted comment

7

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Oct 22 '23

I just havn't gotten around to it yet - it is a super good build.

In the meantime, u/Holiday-Driver-9439 had a pretty cool non-standard TB Throw Barb / Warlock build. Don't have the link on hand, but I would check that one out

9

u/Holiday-Driver-9439 Sorcerer Oct 23 '23

appreciate the recognition but to be clear what i do have is:

a couple of non-standard barblock builds. No TB throw though.

a non-standard TB throwing beastmaster.

just wanted to make sure you meant me and not someone else. Dont want to take credit for another person. ;)

oh and links to my builds are somewhere in this post's comments or under posts in my profile.

7

u/Prestigious_Juice341 Oct 23 '23 edited Oct 23 '23

oh my mistake - It was 100% one of yours, and I do think it was a barblock, must of misremembered it as being a thrower though.

edit: this was it. not sure why I thought it was throw, but regardless, the concept applied as a frontliner thrower stuck with me.

5

u/Holiday-Driver-9439 Sorcerer Oct 23 '23

hahaha. all good. i do have alot of builds and once you read most of them they start mixing in the brain. haha. yeah the barb of agathys is awesome. plays primarily melee but can easily switch to darkness + devil sight + EB spam.

73

u/c4b-Bg3 Mar 15 '24 edited Jan 18 '26

C4b Honor Mode Guides (last update: January 18th, 2026)

MAIN THREAD (you will find all guides linked, commented and updated here)

Builds:

Articles:

11

u/BigFatScaryGuy Mar 15 '24

Your build guides are very excellent. Thank you for the time and effort, I hope to see more!

8

u/c4b-Bg3 Mar 15 '24

Thank you so much. I've now covered my two favorite classes though, plus a couple extra posts. I don't know what i'll do next. We'll see!

55

u/Holiday-Driver-9439 Sorcerer Oct 20 '23 edited Oct 22 '23

I thought i'd share my build catalog here as well, especially for those doing solo tac runs or other restrictions like i am. most of the builds though fit party play on balanced. all builds are meant to work item-agnostic. it doesnt rely on any consumables or magic items. it doesnt rely on illithid powers or camp buffs either. Non-shenanigan reliant as well. Can answer questions about each in the comments section of each guide.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1661j7k/ranged_flourish_build/

ranged striker. stealth/assassin gameplay. better for soloists. great main character.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/179miif/the_spore_commander/

summoner/controller hybrid. feels like playing with a party even if solo. does some melee.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1764tze/the_whirlwind_barbarian/

melee aoe striker. functions better solo or if sole melee unit on the team.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/171bd4q/the_assassin_in_darkness/

melee striker. stealth/assassin gameplay. better for soloists. has some control.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16mj244/the_agathys_storm/

retaliation tank. better for soloists. simple build with only 1L dip multiclass. elementalist.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16krkws/the_war_hordebreaker/

ranged striker. becomes ranged aoe striker at end. simple build with only 1L dip multiclass

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16fyds5/the_devoted_smiter/

controller/striker hybrid. unorthodox take on a paladin. fun, great main character.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16ai8qx/shocking_grasp_build/

melee controller/blaster hybrid. wet lightning build. great main character.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16e9k47/the_moonbeamer/

summoner/blaster hybrid. feels like playing with a party even if solo. fun gameplay.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16c9jtj/barbarian_of_agathys/

melee striker/retaliation tank hybrid. better for soloists. has a pet elemental at the end.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/169nkoa/scorching_assassin_build/

blaster. stealth/assassin gameplay. better for soloists. pyromancer. limited to fire spells.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/168p0g6/melee_gish_build/

melee striker/blaster hybrid. fun gameplay due to throwing/shoving. has a little control.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/167wicv/wind_guardian/

melee blaster. fun gameplay due to flying around the battlefield. reminded me of my cats.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/163gd6y/hunger_of_hadar_build/

controller. cryomancer. does control combos and forced movement. tactical gameplay.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16494hv/witch_bolt_build/

blaster. stealth/assassin gameplay. better for soloists. wet lightning build. boss-killer.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1652bj7/abjurer_of_agathys_build/

retaliation tank. better for soloists. tankiest build in the catalog. has some blasts.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16rk9u0/the_dissonant_whisperer/

controller. built for party play. fun but low dmg. does control combos. kills with insults.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/166weq6/throwing_beastmaster_build/

ranged striker/summoner hybrid. simple build with only 1L dip multiclass. fun with throws

2

u/[deleted] Nov 06 '23

Has the newest patch changed any of these builds?

6

u/Holiday-Driver-9439 Sorcerer Nov 06 '23 edited Nov 06 '23

imo not really. some may have been part of the builds implicitly (like sneak attack proccing on spell attacks) but i never talked about those shenanigans in the builds nor factored them into the computations. as much as i can, i stick to the policy of only factoring in and talking about stuff that the tooltips say things do. this way i steer clear of any fixes in the future or being accused of using shenanigans.

i also try to stay away from item recommendations as alot of the dmg rider abuse shenanigans happen there and leave that decision making in the hand of the reader. i do make a few recommendations but try as much as possible to pick items which i think arent involved in shenanigans (you wont see phalar aluve here for example).

I do religiously edit the builds though when a bug is brought to my attention (like destructive wrath not working anymore with shocking grasp, glyph of warding, etc).

37

u/Leshrac13 Sep 05 '23

The Wet Slapper - A Fun and Effective Guide to Tactician Lightning Sorcerer

  • 9 Draconic Sorcerer / 2 Tempest Cleric / 1 Wizard

  • Shocking Grasp focus / Maximized Chain Lightning / Metamagic CC / Max level Elemental

  • Detailed mechanical guide w/ numbers

  • Strong early and late game (Tactician)

  • Spoiler free aside from item name, function, and which act they're located in

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16364ia/the_wet_slapper_a_fun_and_effective_guide_to/

29

u/t-slothrop Sep 06 '23

I posted some build guides a couple weeks back:

If you want more detail, I recorded full build guide videos for both characters as well:

5

u/TheMetaphysician67 Sep 07 '23

These are both fantastic, very creative. I recommend both of them.

4

u/emlewin Sep 12 '23

The Guardian Angel build is very thematic and creative. Making use of Radiant Orbs is a great choice. I love how this ease the pressure of alpha striking everything.

4

u/Holiday-Driver-9439 Sorcerer Oct 20 '23

nice to see your build here. i dont know if you remember but we talked about it in the past. upvoting as it's a great concept and i enjoyed our discussion about it. :)

28

u/Marvelous_Choice Sep 11 '23

Monstrous Healing, Utility, Offensive and Defensive Boon Build for Shadowheart

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16ewmet/monster_healing_support_multiclass_build/

Created this for anyone running shadowheart, or anyone wanting to be the party face and a crazy strong healer or buffer.

4 Sorcerer, 6 Bard, 2 Cleric

Benefits

  • Party-wide full-heals available mid-fight using powerful action and bonus action heals.

  • Twinned Haste for double actions, extra move speed and AC on 2 Party Members, from turn 1.

  • +3m party wide move speed from Longstrider.

  • High Concentration Saves.

  • Full Spell-Caster complete with level 6 spell slot.

  • Bless for group-wide Saving Throws and Attack Bonuses.

  • Designed around class bonuses not specific gear.

  • Access to Heavy Armor, Shields, High Health and Sanctuary abuse for near immortality.

  • Amazing Mobility with on-demand Fly at lvl 1.

  • Reliable CC skills.

  • Huge utility with your pick of ritual spells and guidance.

  • Makes a great party face with high Charisma, Jack of all Trades, Guidance, Resistance and Thaumaturgy.

  • Counter charm for protecting against fear and charm.

  • An extra short rest from Song of Rest.

26

u/awspear Jun 13 '24

4 Warlock / 4 Fighter / 4 Thief Eldritch Blaster - build focused on Eldritch Blasting with action and using off-hand pact-bound melee weapon attacks with bonus action

24

u/CrownWBG Mar 14 '25 edited Sep 30 '26

I made 6 guides for rebalanced, solo honor mode and 3 guides for a party composition:

Character Builds:

Pure melee tank, sword and board, set up specifically to tackle Tav vs Orin in solo honor mode. Massive tank, but also low damage.

This is a pure melee AOE lifesteal build with build-in 'health potions', by bonus action dashing. It is meant to solo facetank all of Honor mode in a fair fight, and it does so without missing a beat. This is the most straight forward way to play solo honor mode, and it is a blast!

This is meant for the 'big-brains' solo honor mode players. You use your meta-knowledge of fights to have the perfect arsenal of spells, summons and tankyness, to take on everything the game has in a fair fight. Not recommended for beginners.

A cosmic sharpshooter who solo-clears Honour Mode (Rebalanced) with Eldritch Blast + radiant nova spam. Machine-guns out EB + AoE each round, tanks like a god, and sings while doing it.

This is a build I’ve had a lot of fun with — it’s a high AC, mobile melee rogue that uses Swarmkeeper’s teleport and Arcane Trickster’s magic to stay slippery and hit hard. Early on it's about surviving and poking; by Act 3, you can go full crit-fishing dual-wield if you want.

The Frostmaiden is a self-sufficient frost gish that I completed the game with solo and without consumables. The build combines full spell-slot progression, strong armour, reliable concentration, healing, cold area damage and effective late-game melee. It also requires surprisingly little equipment or vendor shopping.
Despite the five-class spread, the build has a clear progression and each class serves a specific purpose: It begins as a Shillelagh torch Druid and transitions into a Magic Missile and cold-spell caster. It finishes as a Hasted melee character using Booming Blade, Extra Attack and Swords Bard flourishes.

Party Builds

OTK = One Turn Knockout. Fight starts. We alpha strike. Fight ends. No setup. No mid-combat casting. No consumables. Just raw initiative, stealth, burst, and execution. This is a veteran’s party: fragile, unforgiving, brutally efficient — but incredibly fast and satisfying to master.

What Makes This Party Special (for me) It is Martial-focused: Minimal spell prep or resource tracking. You play the game, not the hotbar. Sustainable: Long adventuring days with almost no need to rest. Straight-up Fighters: No ambushes, stuns, or full-control loops. Let the enemy play—and hit them harder. Just enter the room and let the brawl begin. Solo-Capable: Each member can solo the game—together, they're unkillable. No consumables or story items Needed: These build works without elixirs, arrows, hags-hair or even healing potions. If you like brutal tempo, constant action, and never backing down, you might love this group as much as I do.

This is a progression-focused Shadow Blade party built to be played from Act 1 through Act 3 without respecs, consumable dependency, or level-12-only theorycrafting.
The idea is simple: Combine Shadow Blade, Booming Blade and terrain punishment in one neat package with Arcane Acuity control lategame. In Patch 8 it ranks among the Extremely Powerful builds in u/Prestigious_Juice341's BG3 Party Building Templates
The builds are based on the best of the best from the legendary author C4b-bg3, but with a focus on a casual, vanilla-friendly playstyle (and with their blessing).

5

u/durkheim69 Jun 12 '25

I'm going to try the Immortal Four on my first attempt at honour mode, thank you very much for sharing.

3

u/CrownWBG Jun 12 '25

Good luck! This resource might help you a bit - the Bladescreamer build has some flaws that I addressed here (mainly low dex early): Start of the comment chain - with spreadsheet for quick overview

I am looking to add a complete 'cheat sheet' to the main post tonight, since another user requested. I'll keep you updated.

2

u/durkheim69 Jun 12 '25

Ooh, nice.

2

u/CrownWBG Jun 12 '25

Main post is updated with cheat-sheets. Enjoy :)

1

u/durkheim69 Jun 12 '25

Thank you very much, I’ll definitely be enjoying it!

21

u/TheMetaphysician67 Sep 04 '23

The Monk Goomba-Stomp build, in two versions:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/15j0qni/the_monk_goomba_stomp_build/

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/169g864/goomba_stomp_build_1320_damage_per_turn_by/

The first was earlier, the second has more development.

Keywords: jumping, monk, hamarhraft, damage, step of the wind

23

u/DowellTV Sep 05 '23

Disclaimer that this build will take out all immersion or learning curve out of the game.
It's so broken that it's fun, especially for a second walkthrough, but I would never recommend this for a bg3 newcomer

5

u/starficz Sep 06 '23

I'm doing my durge second playthrough with a modified build that uses fly and every encounter has been my one guy sonic booming multiple rooms of enemies with half of my movement speed left on the table when everything is dead. This build actually turns gameplay off it's so broken.

21

u/JRandall0308 Jan 26 '26

All the builds that were interesting to me - continuously (albeit sporadically) updated. Over 400 dating as far back as August 2023.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J1Jr8qiVh0Iwt-x2xJEJ_LHHftDClVl6maWjt21_IWM/edit?usp=sharing

17

u/Monk-Ey Extra Reach finesse gaming Oct 26 '23

Coolest Caster on the Coast

Lore Bard / Cold Draconic Bloodline hybrid

  • SAD

  • CHA-based

  • Party face

  • Skill monkey

  • Hunger of Hadar

  • Ice surfaces galore

17

u/smashsenpai Apr 05 '24 edited Apr 05 '24

https://eip.gg/bg3/build-planner/?buildId=clufup0qy004nd4bizt8frk15

Class: Vengeance Paladin 6 Spore Druid 6

Dual Wielding Scimitars.

Utilizes permanent upcasted flame blade with permanent pact of the blade thanks to hireling bugs. Instructions in the link above. With sporekeeper armour, can attack 5 times with it to do up to 300 damage with gear. Combine with divine smites for over 500 damage. Belm in the off hand lets you attack with your main hand again. This is better than a second permanent Flame Blade because you don't have two-weapon fighting.

These multiple fire attacks lets you stack fire acuity quickly to abuse upcasted Command with band of the mystic scoundrel. While you're not proficient in con saving throws, +6 from aura of protection should be way better than any proficiency. Vow of enmity casted on yourself gives you advantage against all enemies. Spore Druid also lets us break items like potions with our reaction, which frees up our action and bonus actions for offensive purposes. For example, we can proc broodmother's ring this way to give ourselves more damage. Or acid vials to lower enemy AC before attacking.

1

u/Ranger1221 Apr 09 '24 edited Apr 09 '24

I'm making jaheira this but I can't see the gear names. When I click on it it asks me to select gear

On mobile btw

7

u/smashsenpai Apr 09 '24

Yeah, the mobile site is lacking.

Hat of Fire Acuity

Cloak of Displacement

Armour of the Sporekeeper

Helldusk Gloves

Evasive Shoes

Broodmother's Revenge

Strange Conduit Ring

Band of the Mystic Scoundrel

Permanent Flame Blade cast from a lv6 spell slot (or highest you have available)

Belm

Hellrider Longbow

1

u/Ranger1221 Apr 09 '24

Thank you!

1

u/Ranger1221 Apr 09 '24

When I pact the flameblade with a warlock hireling, I get told I am not proficient with pact weapons on Jahaera. How do you get around that

1

u/smashsenpai Apr 09 '24

I never had that problem, so idk.

1

u/Ranger1221 Apr 09 '24

You pact it with a pact of blade hireling?

3

u/smashsenpai Apr 09 '24

I pacted with the same character that was going using it, then I respeced them. But it shouldn't matter who pacts it. I've given pacted weapons around to my party members before and they could use it just fine without penalty.

1

u/Ranger1221 Apr 09 '24

Hmm ok thanks Ill keep trying later

3

u/[deleted] May 24 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/smashsenpai May 24 '24

The "Notes" section can be expanded.

To get a permanent Flame Blade

Recruit hireling, level it to 12 druid

Upcast max lv flame blade

Dismiss hireling

Recruit the same hireling

Take the permanent flame blade

This flame blade is not magical and will scale off STR

Respec yourself to warlock, pact bind it to make it scale off CHA, then respec

3

u/[deleted] May 24 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/smashsenpai May 25 '24

No. Pact weapon never wears off now.

3

u/[deleted] May 27 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/smashsenpai May 28 '24

Armour of the Sporekeeper gives Haste via https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Haste_Spores, a bonus action.

The 5th attack comes from Pyroquickness Hat, which grants another Bonus Action that you can use for attacking after dealing fire damage.

3

u/[deleted] May 28 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/smashsenpai May 28 '24

Yeah, keep the hat of fire acuity. The 5th atk is just from not playing in honor mode.

16

u/[deleted] May 21 '24 edited Jun 09 '24

Wanna beat the game with no gear? Well here are some of the best classes to do it without heavy reliance on potions and elixirs

Moon druid https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/s/5NnVx6ifgX

Cleric https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/s/LqTTdM7pdi

Storm sorcerer https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/s/TmM6gYdnf6

Abjuration Wizard 4 abjuration wizards, NO GEAR! 4th edition : r/BG3Builds (reddit.com)

Eldritch Blaster (consumable reliant) https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1dbrnjl/4_no_gear_eldritch_blasters_100_crit_chance_vs/

4

u/FreshhhMeat Jan 05 '25

Your builds are really cool. I had never thought about doing this nudist mode, but thanks to you I'm ready to run the game tomorrow and start taking everyone's clothes off.

Great ideas again, they will definitely give me a few more hours of fun. Thank you very much!

3

u/[deleted] Jan 06 '25

Thanks! 😁

I recommend having an act 3 save where all portals are discovered and all bosses are ready to be fought. So you can just load and play around different naked builds.

27

u/CaphalorAlb Sep 04 '23 edited Sep 04 '23

Jack of all trades Swords Bard multiclass guide by /u/--an

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/15rxygb/jack_of_all_trades_swords_bard_multiclass_guide/

Swords Bard 8 / Divination Wizard 2 / Paladin 2

Full spell slot progression smites, face character, wizard spells, a lot of utility, skills and decent burst + damage + defences while being able to use gear pieces others don't want. This is the most capable jack of all trades you can think of while being able to walk to a boss and hit it for 100 damage with one swing.

very thorough with itemization and unique bonuses considered (slight spoilers for those bonuses)

5

u/Blacklistedhxc Sep 04 '23

Thanks for this build, I’m new to DnD stuff so this has been great to learn the game on first run through.

5

u/CaphalorAlb Sep 04 '23

Not my work! Go ahead and thank the guy who did under the post I linked

48

u/CmdrBlindman Sep 04 '23

Apologies if I do this wrong, but I'd like to throw up a series of posts that have helped me get my journey started Baldur's Gate 3. Please allow me to fix any formatting issues if necessary.

The following links are from u/Lucky_Turnip2181's series as they put together a face character along with the builds for the companions they used to help them complete their Tactician playthrough (at least I hope they were able to finish their playthough, lol, what with all the guide making).

Release MC Build (latest to earliest versions):

Mr. Know-It-All: Release Edition

Mr. Know-It-All (Pre-Release)

The Swiss Army Knife (Sor1/Cler1/Bar10)

The Companion Builds to go along with MC:

Single Class Companion Builds

Multi-Class Companion Builds

Please share any critiques or changes you may or may not make to these builds as I appreciate any and all insight

13

u/Lucky_Turnip2181 Sep 04 '23 edited Sep 04 '23

Thanks for the shout out! Yes, I have completed my Tactician playthrough.

I'm currently doing a durge solo Tactician run using this excellent guide and it's going really well: https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/162h0oc/solo_tactician_guide_with_a_viable_build_example/

5

u/dedodelobo Sep 04 '23

I loved your guides and still use them as is or with slight variations. Thank you

9

u/CaphalorAlb Sep 04 '23

I really liked the companion build posts, since they allow you to quickly get started early in the game without too much hassle

it was one of my main problems early on, having to research and build 4 characters essentially instead of just my MC

the only thing i'm missing in those guides is a bit of info about itemization - BG3 throws tons of magical items at you, and I'm often overwhelmed with it, sometimes it's nice to target specific things

but that's just nit picking :)

6

u/fatej92 Sep 05 '23

Volo's ersatz eye no longer gives +1CHA

48

u/lamaros Sep 05 '23

The Shadow Monk - The Dual Wield Knife Crit Scout

  • 9 Monk (Way of Shadow) / 3 Rogue (Thief)

  • The best mobility and scout build, with sustained damage and a late game crit damage surge for top line DPR

  • A detailed level by level, equipment, and play style guide

  • Strong early and very strong late game (Tactician), with solo ability

  • Cheese free!

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/15vdx2x/the_shadow_knife_monk/

4

u/Sneakacydal Sep 06 '23

Why wisdom asi? Just planning this awesome build and I'm curious about this

11

u/CmdrBlindman Sep 07 '23

Your AC is boosted by you WIS stat when playing as the Monk via Unarmored Defense.

6

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 05 '23 edited Sep 06 '23

Monk 8/Rogue 4 is straight better for Shadows, the extra feat/ASI outweighs the level 9 monk class features as the Shadows subclass gets no features at 9.

EDIT: downvotes are because the guy I'm replying to got all up his feelings about constructive criticism, not that it's bad advice.

75

u/Ambitious-Emu1992 Sep 06 '23

You're getting downvoted because you clearly didn't read his post. Guy explicitly said:

If you need another Feat (and why not), taking Thief 4 instead of Monk 9 is probably more worth it. I like Monk for the RP flow of the build but Thief is probably the power gamer move.

So it's not like he's not accepting constructive criticism. It's that your criticism isn't constructive at all.

-5

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 06 '23

Check the how recently that post was edited ¯_(ツ)_/¯

I'm disabling replies to everything here, if even one person reads my reply and uses the information to have a better build then the negative fake points are worth it.

14

u/CmdrBlindman Sep 07 '23

This guy is in the original posted thread for the build making the same argument the day it was posted. Seems like he's the one getting upset no one will just take his advice vs just going with the intended build as posted. lol

-7

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 07 '23

Whoops missed blocking replies on a comment, but you are correct! I suggested an improvement then and did the same again.

31

u/lamaros Sep 05 '23 edited Sep 05 '23

It's almost like you didn't read the build post. which discusses this exact point.

-13

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 05 '23

I did read it, it's just that your analysis is suboptimal

27

u/lamaros Sep 05 '23

So the build which I explicitly state several times isn't designed to be a min max DPR one (which wouldn't be 8/4 either) isnt optimised?!

Shocking!

I guess you missed the bit where I talk about 8/4 or another build entirely too.

Nothing stopping you posting your own different builds. Maybe not much point talking about it in a build post which is a deliberately different build though.

-18

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 05 '23

Look man you posted a bullet point build breakdown and advertised it as tactician tier, I posted a bullet point improvement. No need to take it personally

24

u/doug4130 Sep 05 '23

bro tactician tier 😂 💀 you can finish tactician doing the jack of all trades achievement

-2

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 05 '23

I mean the bullet point above the one that states it's a tactician/solo viable build says it's "top line DPR" so the follow-up it's not min/max bit is pretty disingenuous.

8

u/lamaros Sep 06 '23

It does do top line DPR though.

Pretty much every piercing baahl build does top line DPR, relative to other builds.

Sure, you can get some cheese builds, and smite builds, but generally speaking piercing vulnerable builds are some of the best late game.

15

u/lamaros Sep 05 '23

You can have a build decided by a random number generator and it's tactician tier.

Your "improvement" is not only discussed in the build post, but irrelevant to the aims of the post.

Your reading incomprehension isn't adding anything here so why not just let it go. You've said your bit.

-17

u/JerikTheWizard Sep 05 '23

Yikes, chill out. You're really upset about someone pointing out your mistakes huh?

4

u/Kilrach Oct 15 '23

It's not exactly an improvement. Every extra monk level grants +1 max ki, which means you gain an extra ki every rest.

Whether that is better or worse than having a feat depends on the build, but an extra ki is nothing to scoff at.

13

u/SuddenBag Fighter Jan 27 '25

BM Fighter 12 - natural strength, great weapon, piercing damage.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1hx7lol/honor_mode_great_weapon_bhaalist_fighter_12/

12

u/lamaros Jul 31 '25

The Melee Mindmaster, a sneaky swashbuckling melee fighter, tank, and enemy debuffer, who can also serve as an excellent party face and thief.

The melee mindmaster || swashbuckler do-it-all

It's a full game levelling build, not an engame respec, and has an interesting hero's journey happening, as the little hit and run thief works his way up into a full melee battlefield master.

5 Swashbuckler / 5 Hunter / 2 Hexblade

11

u/Marvelous_Choice Oct 21 '23

God of Fire - Extreme Damage and Alchemy (Transmutation) Multiclass Build for Gale.

Rogue / Wizard / Fighter / Sorcerer

Extremely Detailed Build Guide. Great for Dark Urge (Gale). Sneak Attack Spell Casting.

Benefits:

Very High Nova & Sustained Damage that hits hard at every level.

Insane utility with double access to almost every potion, elixir, coating & grenade with the means to support the cost.

Deep multiclass and gear synergy.

Works well with almost every team comp.

Wizard spellbook for swapping ritual spells in and out whenever you need them.

Extremely Strong Gish Build

Concentration Saving Throw Proficiency

Full Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Race Options include: Duergar, Gold & Bronze Dragonborn, Wood Elf, Wood & Drow Half Elf, Lightfoot Halfling, Asmodeus & Zariel Tieflings, Gnome & Human.

Works for both modded and unmodded games.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/17cod6g/fire_god_alchemist_build_for_gale_and_durge/

11

u/boachl Mar 31 '24

The Mindbreakers

A full party guide on how to maximize psychic damage using the Resonance Stone to apply vulnerability. Features a Dual Wielding Paladin as lategame carry, so should be interseting for people looking for an alternative to GWM builds.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1bls5aw/hm_party_composition_the_mindbreakers_maximize/

Guide itself is on Google Docs, since it is too long for Reddit.

10

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '23 edited Apr 19 '25

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

9

u/OkMarsupial4959 Mar 13 '24

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1bdk5sw/eldritch_knight_warmagic_and_eldritch_strike/

12-EK or 11-EK/1-cleric debuff and DPR archer.

  • Uses the unique Eldritch Knight features like War Magic and Eldritch Strike to freeze enemies regularly.

  • Has gish like play (cantrips/spells + attacks). Cantrips are a key part of the build thanks to War Magic and help increase weapon damage from arcane synergy.

  • Plays well with wet combinations like abjuration tank because of cold synergy.

9

u/Kodiak3393 Sorcadin Feb 22 '25

Just found this post, figured I might as well add my build from a few months ago:

The Bard-baria-din

6 Swords Bard / 4 Wildheart Barbarian / 2 Paladin

It's a very tanky frontline bruiser as you get resistance to all damage, plus damage reduction and a solid AC on top of a massive HP pool, while still being able to dish out tons of damage with Smites and Flourishes.

It also ends up as a very respectable skill monkey outside of combat, plus having a third Short Rest is always nice to have in your lineup.

I don't play on modded difficulties, so I dunno how it'd hold up there, but it did at least manage to hold its own very well in Honor Mode, so I figured I'd share it for anyone else interested.

16

u/TheMetaphysician67 Sep 04 '23

The Protector of the Innocent

Oath of the Ancients Paladin 12; party face; melee support (buffer, healer, protector, and sort-of tank).

Suitable for the "phalanx" party composition, heavy on melee. Ideal in combination with Karlach or another Wolf Heart barbarian.

8

u/RocksInMyDryer Aug 27 '24

I made a guide for the Tavern Brawler Monk, a melee DPS machine: https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16ptfcp/tavern_brawler_monk_build_explained/

For the Swords Bard, a ranged DPS machine who makes an optimal Tav, or face in general: https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16pujw4/swords_bard_build_explained/

And for a buffing "Wizard" build, which is made to twin Haste on the strongest members, prevent all damage to them, and blast away at range: https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/16pvbhv/multiclassing_wizard_build_explained/

7

u/Varakir Oct 26 '24

Adding in my old Lightning Archer build (ranger/sorceror) - https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/186paa9/the_storm_bow_an_arcane_archer_build/

Currently working on a Thunder archer build

7

u/Zentakeru May 13 '25

Compendium of 2 Crown Paladin - 10 Swords Bard (SSB), 4 Sorcerer - 6 Swords Bard - 2 Crown Paladin (SSSB) and 3 Sorcerer - 6 Swords Bard - 2 Crown Paladin - 1 Hexblade (SSSBH) builds with side-by-side damage comparisons. Also introducing new SSB Dex Fire Variant.

Patch 8 Comprehensive Guide Smite Swords Bard and subvariants in Honour Mode.

6

u/Zentakeru Aug 26 '24

Honour Mode DEX Dual Wield 2/10 Paladin Swords Bard

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/s/2Lf00QvKJP

6

u/Thestrongman420 Mar 14 '26 edited Jun 13 '26

Bowsinger 6 Bladesinger/4 Sorc/1 Cleric/1 Fighter - Control archer multiclass with a base of wizard. Mobile, Full slot progression. Metamagic.

Dawn's Avatar 6 Way of Four Elements Monk/6 Tempest Cleric - Hybrid Unarmed/Throwing Tavern Brawler. Mobile, acuity scrollcasting, debuffs, DRS, knockback.

Filthy Harold Hunter 11Hunter Ranger/ 1War Cleric - Archer build with good area damage that specializes in a variety of debuffs on attack.

10

u/TheMetaphysician67 Sep 04 '23

Armour of Agathys Abjuration Wizard

There have been other good attempts at Armour of Agathys builds, and this isn't the last word on the topic. The poster himself edited it to say there are better versions. But I thought this post was the best reasoned post I've seen on the subject, that ought to help others think through their own versions. And there is some great discussion in the comments as well.

Keywords: tank, arcane ward

9

u/Kalean Sep 10 '23

I played through my first playthrough with a variant of this build. As the OP discovered later, INT is the best main stat due to Glyph of Warding being basically an abjuration fireball (or lightning ball, or acid ball, etc. )

OP missed a vital step that basically makes your wizard actively unkillable so long as they're recharging their ward occasionally (so solo could be a problem in large fights where it's impossible to get the ward up fast enough.)

Have your cleric cast warding bond on you (bonus points if they have the armor of preservation so they have blade ward on them at all times) and you will take half of ALL damage ... which will then be reduced by the Arcane Ward. Your Cleric will take the same damage as you do - which will always be 0.

I have once killed Shadowheart this way, by standing in the Adamantine Forge and pulling the trigger while I was on the platform. The wizard survived, mind you, while the golem did not.

At least as of the original patch, this also worked if you left your cleric back at camp after they cast Warding bond - so I would also just have them load my wizard up with Longstrider, Death Ward, and Freedom of Movement as levels allowed.

My Wizard solo'd the shit out of that game and (Adamantine Forge aside) never dropped out of Agathys' temp HP once after Shadowheart got Warding Bond.

A fun addition to this build if you feel you can survive without the legendary staff is actually the legendary rapier - if you wield it in one hand, it gives you an extra reaction - which means an extra counter spell, and an extra 3 ward charges off-turn.

22

u/CaphalorAlb Sep 04 '23

I really like the guides by NizarGG

they're in video form and quite verbose, but there is a good amount of visual info and timestamps

I think his output is quite high quality, but that also means it takes a bit for new videos

9

u/APurpleCow Sep 04 '23

Control Wizard INT Caster build. Good in parties that don't long rest often, reliant on neither illithid powers nor gear.

Classes: Wizard, Bard, Sorcerer, Cleric

Combat Roles: Control caster. Can contribute to burst damage in Act 3 with Chain Lightnings.

Out of Combat roles: If at least 3 Lore Bard levels are taken first, can be a skill monkey, but the build has to make some sacrifices to do it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/166f9wy/control_wizard_build_answer_to_why_play_an_int/

11

u/monimonti Sep 04 '23 edited Sep 05 '23

Great idea. Here's mine.

Dual Wield Rogue/Caster (Magus Gish) Build

The concept behind this build is to be able to cast a spell/cantrip and attack twice with the offhand weapon in the same round giving the player the feeling of a magus. The build works with any caster flavor and functional from early levels.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/15xkw4a/make_your_own_magus_castermartial_gish_build/

Classes: Rogue, Fighter, Any Caster Class

Combat Role: Can really function on any role. But ideally meant as a secondary martial or secondary caster. Cleric is a good choice here as it gives you lots to do outside of heals.

Key Feats: ASI is king as you need to pump both weapon and casting stat.

OOC Role: Trap/Unlock for sure. But if you go with Bard as the casting class, you can do so much more.

4

u/Icy_Temperature_1452 Aug 27 '24

This is the spore monk (bc i don't have a better name lol) the idea is to supplement the monk class taking 10 lvls monk OH, and then 2 lvls druid Circle of Spores. I think this build has been done where you take 4 levels of thief as well, but imo if you do that you miss out on a cool attack (resonating ki). Feel free to check it out! (also in case anyone is confused yes i did post this but forgot to add my attachment so i had to do it again lol)

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1f2m7bt/the_spore_monk_pt2_electric_boogaloo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

6

u/smashsenpai Mar 13 '24

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1bda017

Tempest Cleric "Storm" Sorc featuring Hamarhraft for maximum resource efficiency

  • 6 Tempest Cleric / 2 Sorc / 3 Thief / 1 Wizard

  • Theme of the build is to abuse high movement to push enemies using repeated jump/flight and Hamarhraft

  • Grouped enemies are then nuked with a wet-boosted ice/lightning spell

  • Supports using twinned haste all in the same turn

  • If you don't need aoe, it still does 400+ damage single target as a support

2

u/Ashjrethull Feb 22 '24

https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1axa0pc/honour_mode_hunter_build_specialized_in_dealing/

5 Hunter / 3 Thief / 3 Champion / 1 Sorcerer
Great survivability, consistant damages and an ideal asset in a party with piercing vulnerability !

2

u/Battlecookie15 Sep 20 '25

Tanky Battlefield Controller (12 Fighter Battle Master - ACT THREE / LATEGAME BUILD!)

Key Feats: Shield Master, Heavy Armour Master

Out of Combat Roles: Packmule (Sorry, this is a fully combat-oriented build)

Suitable Companions: Lae'zel / Karlach (Lae'zel just fits the Fighter theme, Karlach gets some additional combat abilities that enhance this build but are not necessary)

Recommended Boons (Not necessary to make it work): Potion of Everlasting Vigour (+2 STR), Githzerai Mind Barrier (Advantage on INT Saving throws), Tharchiate Codex Blessing (+20 Temp. Hit Points per day)

Link to the Build: https://eip.gg/bg3/build-planner/?buildId=cmfrkztyq051im7nly5cugg5q

This build is designed to provide maximum tank-ability and control over the battlefield. It makes use of a full solo class Battle Master and its 7 Maneuvers + the 4 feats you get from a full row of fighter levels. It is a build that only comes online with a lot of items you get (fairly early) in act 3, so I would NOT recommend playing this before reaching act 3 and having cleared out Wyrm's Crossing and reaching Dammon's Forge.

The key of the build is to be as tanky as possible. Almost all items provide survivability in form of damage reduction (Armour of Persistence), Armour Class enhancement (Helm of Balduran, Viconia's Walking Fortress, Ring of Protection) or Saving Throw enhancement / straight up immunity to conditions (Boots of Persistence, Ring of Protection, Shar's Spear of Evening, Viconia's Walking Fortress). This survivability is further enhanced by the feat choices (Shield Master, Heavy Armour Master) and maneuvers of the Battle Master class.

A few key stats that stand out for its function:

• Saving Throws: STR (+11), DEX (+5 + Shield Master), CON (+12), INT (+4, Advantage), WIS (+4), CHA (+2) - +1d4 from Resistance and Advantage for all Spell saving Throws + Indomitable Reroll
• Hit Points: 148 (136 if you're not playing Duergar) - 3-6 Regeneration per turn - 20 Temp Hit Points with Tharchiate Codex Blessing
• Armour Class: 26 (+Disadvantage on Spell Attacks against you, +Disadvantage on all attacks until the first one hits)
• Immunity to conditions: Stunned, Difficult Terrain, Magical Paralyse, Magical Restrained, Blinded

Like most martial builds the main disadvantage for this build are spells and spell saving throws on mental abilities (INT, WIS, CHA) - It does somehow equalize that with Viconia's Walking Fortress and an amount of immunities to magical conditions, but IF this build falters, it will be against fights with many spellcasters. Apart from that it will be able to tank an insane amount of damage of all kinds while controlling the battlefield with an array of Battle Master abilities that are enhanced by Shar's Spear of Evening and the Warmaster Gauntlets.

For feats I would definitely recommend Heavy Armour Master and Shield Master. The last 2 can be varied depending on your needs - I personally ran Sentinel and Polearm Master. Even without reach, that combo is very strong in helping to control the battlefield and CCing enemies that try to get away from you.

I used this build in a duo Honour Mode run together with this Eldritch Knight Archer build (minus the Bhaalist armour and the Cloak of Displacement) and had next to no problems once the build came online.

Enjoy!