Baldurs Gate 3 has 12 lessons so that you can select from whenever you create your character. The Bard is a performance-based caster that may play both offensive or assist roles.
Bards combine music with magic to deal out harm like another caster class, or to encourage (and sometimes heal) their allies. Their main stat is Charisma.
There’s no single finest class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the sport offers you as many alternatives for artistic downside fixing because it does for punching. Discovering the perfect class actually simply boils right down to the way you need to play. Even when enjoying solo, you’ll nonetheless handle the remainder of your get together, so that you’ll get to experiment with a number of lessons without delay.
Learn on to search out out every thing it is advisable to know concerning the Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3, and study all about the perfect Bard subclass, feats, and construct.
Replace (April 15): Added particulars of the brand new subclass launched in Patch 8, which additionally provides cross-play assist and a photograph mode.
Is Bard the perfect class for you in BG3?
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Bards are spellcasters with pizazz. They’re not frontline fighters, and serve a lot better as a assist class. Dealing harm with a Bard entails a mix of a restricted number of spells and Dexterity-based assaults — with a finesse weapon like a rapier or a ranged weapon like a crossbow. Their Bardic Inspiration characteristic means they will assist teammates in most rolls (besides harm rolls — normally).
Bards thrive exterior of fight. Since their spellcasting means is Charisma, meaning they’re additionally good with expertise like Deception, Efficiency, and Persuasion — all of which make them helpful in non-combat encounters and regular conversations.
Bards aren’t the simplest class to play particularly beginning out. It’s a must to handle spells and spell slots, they usually’re not the strongest fighters. Nevertheless, Bards are nice for whenever you need to flex your non-combat muscle mass in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Hit Cube — 1d8 per Bard degree
- Hit Factors at 1st Degree — 8 + your Structure modifier
- Hit Factors at larger ranges — 5 + your Structure modifer per Bard degree after 1st
Bards can grant allies Bardic Inspiration as soon as per Lengthy Relaxation. This works just like the Steerage spell, however lets your allies roll a d6 as a substitute of a d4.
Bards begin with 2 degree 1 Spell Slots per Lengthy Relaxation.
- Weapons — Easy Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords
- Armor — Gentle Armor
- Abilities — Deception, Perception, Efficiency, Persuasion, Faith
- Saving Throws — Charisma, Dexterity
Bards begin with 2 cantrips from the Bard spell record.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard cantrip record
Identify | Description |
|---|---|
| Vicious Mockery | Insult a creature: it has Drawback on its subsequent Assault Roll (WIS Save) |
| Blade Ward | Take half harm from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing assaults |
| Mage Hand | Create a spectral hand that may manipulate and work together with objects |
| True Strike | Achieve Benefit in your subsequent Assault Roll |
| Pals | Achieve Benefit on Charisma Checks in opposition to a non-hostile creature |
| Dancing Lights | Illuminate a 30ft radius |
| Gentle | Infuse an object with an aura of sunshine |
| Minor Phantasm | Create an phantasm that compels close by creatures to analyze |
Bards additionally begin with two degree 1 spell slots per lengthy relaxation. They know 4 spells out of the record of 15.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard spell record
Identify | Description |
|---|---|
| Animal Friendship | Persuade a beast to not assault you (WIS Save) |
| Bane | As much as 3 creatures recieve a -1d4 penalty to Assault Rolls and Saving Throws |
| Allure Particular person | Allure a humanoid to forestall it from attacking you. You achieve Benefit on Charisma Checks in dialogue |
| Treatment Wounds | 1d8+3 therapeutic |
| Disguise Self | Magically change all elements of your look |
| Dissonant Whispers | Frighten a creature for two turns and deal 3d6 Psychic harm |
| Faerie Fireplace | All targets inside the gentle flip seen, and Assault Rolls in opposition to them have Benefit |
| Feather Fall | You and close by allies achieve Immunity to Falling harm |
| Therapeutic Phrase | 1d4+3 therapeutic |
| Heroism | Make your self or a goal resistant to the Frightened situation and achieve 5 non permanent hit factors every flip |
| Longstrider | Enhance a creature’s motion pace by 10ft. |
| Sleep | Put creatures right into a magical slumber. |
| Converse with Animals | Achieve the flexibility to understand and talk with beasts |
| Tasha’s Hideous Laughter | Go away a creature Susceptible with laughter, with out the flexibility to stand up |
| Thunderwave | Launch a wafe of thunderous power that pushes away all creatures and objects for 2d8 Thunder harm (CON Save) |
At degree 3, Bards can select a subclass (referred to as a Faculty).
Faculty of Lore Bards love tales — each listening to them and telling them. You achieve Proficiency within the Arcana, Intimidation, and Sleight of Hand expertise, in addition to getting Chopping Phrases (use a Bardic Inspiration die and subtract the quantity rolled from an enemy’s roll).
Faculty of Valor Bards are a bit extra heroic. Bardic Inspiration die can now be added to wreck rolls as properly.
The Faculty of Sword Bard fights as properly with a weapon as they do their instrument. They will select:
- Slashing Flourish (melee) — assault as much as two creatures without delay
- Defensive Flourish (melee) — assault defensively, growing your AC by 4 if you happen to hit
- Defensive Flourish (ranged) — assault defensively, growing your AC by 4 if you happen to hit
- Cell Flourish (melee) — thrust your weapon with sufficient power to push your goal again 20ft. Afterwards, you’ll be able to teleport to the goal.
- Cell Flourish (ranged) — Shoot a goal with sufficient power to push your goal again 20 toes. Afterwards, you’ll be able to teleport to the goal.
- Slashing Flourish (Ranged) — assault as much as two creatures without delay
Added in April 2025’s Patch 8, this can be a subclass with a giant command and attraction focus. Mantle of Inspiration not solely offers your allies 5 hit factors for a brief time period, however any enemies who then assault might be charmed. Any charmed enemies can then be commanded with Mantle of Majesty to drop their weapon, flee, freeze, or transfer round.
Greatest Bard subclass and construct in BG3
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Baldur’s Gate 3 races don’t actually have any direct influence in your class, however sure races and subraces include options that play properly with sure lessons like further motion or proficiency with sure weapons. For Bards, it’s finest to concentrate on padding out your spell record:
- Excessive Elves and Excessive Half-Elves get the Fireplace Bolt cantrip
- All three of the Tiefling subraces get a cantrip — Produce Flame, Mage Hand, and Thaumaturgry respectively
- Each subraces of Drow get the Dancing Lights cantrip
While you’re creating and leveling up your Bard, Charisma (for being Charming) is your most essential stat adopted by Dexterity (for dealing harm). Make Charisma your highest stat and Dexterity your second highest.
You’ll decide your Bard subclass at degree 3. Faculty of Valor is the best way to go — you’ll get an additional assault every flip, proficiency in additional weapons and medium armor, and your Bardic Inspiration turns into much more useful to your allies. This may allow you to play your Bard rather less as a assist character and extra as an all-around fighter.
Each 4 ranges, you’ll get the choice to both improve your stats or select a Feat. Feats are particular skills that add options to your character. In the event you’re blissful together with your stats and begin taking Feats, Bards can profit from:
- Actor. Your Charisma Will increase by 1, to a most of 20. Your Proficiency Bonus can also be doubled for Deception and Efficiency Checks.
- Crossbow Knowledgeable (In the event you combat with a crossbow). While you make crowssbow assaults inside melee vary, the Assault Rolls shouldn’t have Drawback. Your Piercing Shot additionally inflicts Gaping Wounds for twice as lengthy.
- Defensive Duellist. When attacked whereas wielding a Finesse Weapon you’re Proficient with, you should use a response so as to add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, probably inflicting the assault to overlook.
- Performer. You achieve Musical Instrument Proficiency, and your Charisma will increase by 1, to a most of 20.
- Sharpshooter. Your ranged weapon assaults don’t obtain penalties from Excessive Floor Guidelines. Ranged weapon assaults with weapons you might be Proficient with have a -5 penalty to their Assault Roll, however deal an extra 10 harm.
For extra info on the lessons in Baldur’s Gate 3, seek the advice of our overviews on the Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard lessons. In the event you’re stumped by the selection, seek the advice of our information on what class to start out with.
Why it issuesBaldur’s Gate 3 is nearly singlehandedly accountable for reviving the pc RPG style. Set on this planet of Dungeons and Dragons, it’s additionally helped bridge the hole between video players and tabletop players.
— Ryan Gilliam, Service Author
