Baldur’s Gate 3 can be played with co-op, but it’s also designed to allow solo players to embark on an epic journey through the Forgotten Realms with a party composed of up to three of the game’s pre-built Origin characters.
This begs an obvious question: which of Baldur’s Gate 3’s twelve classes is suitable for a solo player? Here are our picks for the best character classes for a solo Baldur’s Gate 3 campaign.
What is the Best Class in Baldur’s Gate 3?
- Druid
- Paladin
- Sorcerer
Knowing which classes are best for solo players in Baldur’s Gate 3 boils down to knowing which classes fill in gaps in a party comprised of Origin companions. Players will meet most of the game’s origin companions within the first few hours of gameplay, and they consist of a Fighter, a Barbarian, a Cleric, a Rogue, a Warlock, and a Wizard. It is possible to get a Druid and a Paladin on your party by recruiting Minthara or Halsin, but convincing either of them to join you is a long and tricky process. The same applies to the late-game companions Minsc and Jaheira.
The Origin companions’ classes and skills complement each other well, but there are a few significant gaps in the group’s armor that several classes can fill. After careful consideration, we’ve decided that the Druid, the Paladin, the Ranger, and the Bard are the best solo classes in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Review | A Tale for the Ages
Druid
The Druid is the best solo class in Baldur’s Gate 3 because they are versatile and extremely hard to down. The Druid’s main claim to fame is Wild Shape, which allows the Druid to transform into various animals. Each of the Druid’s animal forms has a unique health pool, and the Druid will revert to their proper form whenever they are knocked below 0 HP. Since only the damage that knocks them into heir humanoid form will apply to their primary health bar, Druids are one of the most durable classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 and can act as both a sidelines spellcaster and a frontline brawler.
The Druid is one of the most versatile classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, and there are countless ways to play them. Every Druid subclass gets access to incredible spells to help the party escape tight situations in and out of combat. Speak with Animals is particularly helpful during Act 1 since it allows you to talk to the animals of the Emerald Grove and learn secrets that “Archdruid” Kahga would rather keep hidden. With the ability to fight with both spells and class, the Druid is an excellent pick for solo players who want to play a less-specialized role in their party.
Paladin
Paladin is another excellent class for solo players in Baldur’s Gate 3 because of their sheer versatility. Paladins have a lot of health, heal themselves and their allies, and inflict massive damage on single targets by infusing their weapons with Divine Smite. If you want to fill your party with squishier members specializing in casting spells or sneaking around, being a Paladin is an excellent way to give your band of heroes some much-needed frontline offense.
Paladins are also incredibly fun to roleplay thanks to their high Charisma stat, allowing you to act as your party’s ambassador whenever you meet new people and giving you unique dialogue options thanks to their religious backgrounds. Roleplaying is integral to being a Paladin because they must follow a Divine Oath to keep their powers, and breaking it has unique consequences that can make your journey a lot more interesting.
Sorcerer
Arguably one of the most powerful spellcasting classes. Although it’s a class with less ritual spells than others, the Sorcerer is a powerhouse when it comes to burst damage from high level spells. Sorcerers can trivialize some fights with good positioning and the right spells. By using Quickened Spell and other Metamagic features, you can ensure your enemies start with low hit points by subjecting them to multiple area-of-effect attacks simultaneously.
Similar to Paladins, Sorcerers also possess a high Charisma ability score, which makes them effective in both combat and social situations. Since there are no sorcerers among the Origin characters, this might be an excellent opportunity to fill in a gap while enjoying the almighty powers of a spontaneous caster. Sorcerers are also known for their high compatibility with other Charisma based classes. It’s not unusual to see Sorcerer players acquire a few levels in Warlock or Bard to enhance their builds.
Ranger
There’s no “legit” way to get a Ranger on your team until Act 3, so a solo player can be a Ranger without stepping on any of their party member’s toes. Rangers specialize in long-ranged combat and are very customizable thanks to the diversity of their subclasses, with the Beast Master gaining an animal companion and the Gloom Stalker dipping into the territory of the Rogue by gaining proficiency in several stealth-based skills.
While Rangers don’t have the raw power of a Barbarian or the arcane Expertise of a Wizard, they are a well-balanced class that can do a little bit of everything while filling a niche as a long-range warrior. With Favored Enemy giving them a damage boost against enemies of a particular type, Rangers are an excellent option for players who want to embrace their inner wilderness survivor.
Bard
The Bard is widely regarded as the best class in Dungeons & Dragons, and the same is true for Baldur’s Gate 3. The Bard is a jack-of-all-trades who trades martial prowess and magical know-how for unparalleled mastery over a massive collection of skills, allowing them to fill almost any role in a party without copying (and therefore upstaging) other party members.
Depending on how you build them, a Bard can be a frontline fighter or a supportive spellcaster, but they always shine brightest in social situations. Bards’ high Charisma stat makes them excellent ambassadors, and their ability to double their Proficiency bonus with Expertise means that they can talk their way out of almost any situation. The Bard is perfect if you want to take the passive approach or see how far you can push people’s buttons until they draw weapons on you.
Multiclass
Before you commit to playing one solo class in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s worth noting that you can play multiple classes. You shouldn’t do it immediately, but some of the most potent solo builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 are a combo of two particularly compatible classes.
I have an excellent guide to some of the best multiclass builds in the guide on PC Invasion, so check it out if you want to experiment with multiclassing. Besides that, experiment with multiple classes and figure out which one you like best because all classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be great solo classes.
