It’s easy to get lost for hours in a character creator, and Baldur’s Gate 3 has a beefy one right out of the gate. While customizing appearance is one thing, picking your starting class is another. And for those new to D&D, there are a few starting classes we can recommend for Baldur’s Gate 3.
Something important to understand with character creation is that you need to craft toward your wants and needs. In role-playing systems like Dungeons & Dragons, combat isn’t the only option to consider; dialogue, ambient checks for Perception, and even Insight are all part of the gameplay too. Sometimes combat proficiency and out-of-battle prowess line up, and other times, they don’t.
Because of this, I’ve found that Charisma-based classes tend to be the best starting classes for newcomers to Baldur’s Gate 3. They offer plenty of dialogue options for being the “face” of the party, and can still offer assistance on the battlefield. Additionally, with one exception, these are classes you won’t get from your Origin character pick-ups. So you won’t be in too much trouble of having overlap.
With that, here are some picks for the best starting class for the newer Baldur’s Gate 3 player.
Bard
I personally think Bard is the easiest class to excel with in Baldur’s Gate 3. This support caster is a jack-of-all-trades, able to cover just about any weakness in a team and fill gaps wherever needed.
In battle, a Bard can wield a litany of spells. Their selection is solid from the get-go, with healing, debilitating, boosting, and damaging options all on deck. Through their subclasses, a Bard can specialize even more in what you want them to do, without losing any efficacy.
And outside of combat, a Bard is a natural leader and face, able to clear a lot of checks with ease thanks to high Charisma and the right background. If you fully do not know what you want to play, it’s hard to go wrong with a Bard as your starting class in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Warlock
This is a personal favorite of mine and my own personal choice for my first run. Warlocks center around their casting to start, using a modified spell slot system that makes it easy to track and use any spell you want, at the cost of having fewer slots than a Wizard might. The magic doesn’t end with the slots, however, as Warlocks can acquire and significantly boost one of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s best cantrips, Eldritch Blast.
Aside from the magical cannon of Eldritch Blast, Warlocks can expand their skillset even further. The Blade option allows them to get up close and personal, a Book offers even more spells, or a Familiar can add a new ally to the mix. Add in decent Charisma, and again, you’ve got a great build both in and out of combat.
Paladin
While coming in at the tail-end of our starting class recommendations for Baldur’s Gate 3, the Paladin is still a compelling option. For one, being a Paladin will up your beefiness quite a bit. Newer players might like having some extra life to work with, and an extra frontliner helps if you want to field characters like Wyll and Gale in the same party.
Smiting also ensures you’re always outputting solid damage, too. And despite being a Strength-first class, Paladins pack a surprising amount of Charisma. There’s just one big asterisk: being a Paladin means going all-in on the role-playing. You’re going to have a vow, and to keep your holy powers of pummeling, you’ll to adhere to the vow. Stray, and your deity will take your power. Well, still, there’s always the Oathbreaker option.
While these three classes make for easy starts, it’s important to remember that the best starting class in Baldur’s Gate 3 will always be the one that interests you most. No amount of min-maxing or theorizing can beat genuine passion for the character you’ve created, and hey, that’s why we role-play in the first place. Even if you don’t like your pick, you can always respec.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is out now on PC.
