Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard build: Race, background, spells, more

❘ Published: 2023-09-06T15:03:11

gale the wizard origin character in baldur's gate 3

Larian Studios

One of the best damage-dealing builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 that can engage targets from afar and support the entire team is the Wizard. So if you want to be a Wizard, here’s how to optimize this class in BG3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has several different classes and subclasses, and some of these are quite similar to each other. The Wizard and the Sorcerer, for instance, are both spellcasters, but while the former relies on Intelligence for spellcasting, the latter depends on Charisma.

The Wizard is one of the most versatile builds that can be modified in a variety of ways. While these are fine from a roleplay perspective, they may not be the best for expert difficulties.

Here’s the best Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Best race for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Best subclass for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Best background for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Best spells for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Best build for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

Best race for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

gale is a human wizard in baldur's gate 3

Not all races are suitable to be Wizards.

High Elf is the best choice of race for a Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, there are three races that can qualify as the best choices for a Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3. These provide certain bonuses that make it easier to play as a Wizard.

High Elf
Half-Elf
Deep Gnome

High Elf is still the best choice because you receive one cantrip of your choosing from the wizard spell list.

Best subclass for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

The best subclass for this build is the Evocation School. Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3 choose their subclass at level 2, so you don’t get to pick it during character creation.

This subclass reduces the cost of spellcasting and grants an additional spell. It also has some bonuses for playing as a support class.

Best background for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Sage is the best background for a Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3 as it grants you proficiency in History and Arcana. Both of these are Intelligence skills that help with exploration and grant you additional options in your playthrough.

When picking your skills, you might want to consider the following, which are the most useful ones for Wizards.

Insight
Investigation
Stealth
Acrobatics

What spells you choose as a Wizard will affect your playthrough.

Best spells for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

Here are the best spells for a Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you should take if you want to breeze through the game.

Cantrip: Fire Bolt
Cantrip: Ray of Frost
Cantrip: Dancing Lights
Cantrip: Chill Touch
Cantrip: Acid Splash
Level 1: Grease
Level 1: Mage Armor
Level 1: Magic Missile
Level 1: Thunderwave
Level 1: Chromatic Orb
Level 2: Scorching Ray
Level 2: Shatter
Level 2: Cloud of Daggers
Level 2: Misty Step
Level 3: Counterspell
Level 3: Fireball
Level 3: Haste

This is a long list, as the core gameplay of a Wizard involves spellcasting.

Best build for Wizard in Baldur’s Gate 3

Here’s the best Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Race: High Elf
Background: Sage
Skills: Perception and Insight
Abilities (highest to lowest): Intelligence, Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma, and Strength

LEVEL	FEATURE
1	Cantrips: Ray of Frost, Dancing Lights, Acid Splash — Spells: Thunderwave, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Grease
2	Subclass: Evocation — Spell: Chromatic Orb
3	Spells: Scorching Ray, Misty Step
4	Cantrip: Chill Touch — Spells: Cloud of Daggers, Shatter — Ability Improvement: Intelligence +2
5	Spells: Fireball, Counterspell

So that was all you needed to know about the best Wizard build in Baldur’s Gate 3. This guide will be further updated to include all levels. For more guides on the game, refer to the links below: