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

Rajarshi Acharya
gale the wizard origin character in baldur's gate 3

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

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
spellcasting in baldur's gate 3
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
LEVELFEATURE
1Cantrips: Ray of Frost, Dancing Lights, Acid Splash — Spells: Thunderwave, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Grease
2Subclass: Evocation — Spell: Chromatic Orb
3Spells: Scorching Ray, Misty Step
4Cantrip: Chill Touch — Spells: Cloud of Daggers, Shatter — Ability Improvement: Intelligence +2
5Spells: 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:

Baldur’s Gate 3 best Paladin build | Baldur’s Gate 3 best Druid build | Baldur’s Gate 3 best Ranger build | Baldur’s Gate 3 best Fighter build | Baldur’s Gate 3 best companions | Baldur’s Gate 3 best PC settings | Baldur’s Gate 3 PC system requirements | Baldur’s Gate 3 difficulty settings | How to revive characters Baldur’s Gate 3

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