Best Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3: Race, skills, spells & more
Larian StudiosIn Baldur’s Gate 3, the Bard is a strong spellcaster who can expertly control the battlefield, if you’re using the right build. Here’s the best Bard build to use in Baldur’s Gate 3, including the ideal spells, race, and multiclass options.
Bards are without a doubt one of the best classes in the game. In this class, you essentially take on the enemy with the power of music, casting controlling spells, damaging enemies with words, and holding your own with a little healing.
However, with so much versatility and power, making the ideal Bard can be pretty tricky. Luckily, we’ve got you covered, with the best subclass, spells, background, multiclass, and more for your loveable Bard.
Contents
- Best race to choose for a Bard
- Best subclass for a Bard
- Best background for a Bard
- Best Ability Score spread for a Bard
- Best spells for a Bard
- Best multiclass options for the Bard
- Best build for a Bard
Larian StudiosBest race to choose for a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3
There’s a few completely different races you could choose as your Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3, each providing different features and abilities:
- Asmodeus Tiefling
- Drow Half-Elf
- Human
Despite the three different races that work for the Bard, we recommend using the Drow Half-Elf for that extra Dancing Lights cantrip.
Best subclass for a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Although you won’t need to worry about this until level 3, the best subclass for your Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the College of Valour.
With a focus on combat-based spells and offensive abilities, you can take on the battlefield whether you’re alone or with a group of friends.
Best background for a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Naturally, the best background for the Bard is Entertainer. It provides a fantastic bonus to some of your Charisma-based skills like Performance, and the vital Acrobatics.
Along with this background, we suggest prioritizing these skills to help you on your journey:
- Deception
- Persuasion
- Insight
- Perception
- Survival
Best Ability Score spread for a Bard
The recommended Ability Score spread for the Bard is pretty good, so there’s nothing wrong with opting for that one. However, if you want to fully optimize your character, these are the scores you should use:
- Strength: 12
- Dexterity: 14
- Constitution: 16
- Wisdom: 10
- Intelligence: 8
- Charisma: 16
Charisma is the main stat for a Bard, so it’s only natural to place that at the highest. Then, matching that is Constitution which is responsible for both health and your concentration checks, which is vital for a spellcaster like this one.
Best spells for a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian StudiosThere are tons of spells to choose from in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the Bard has some great choices. So, here are the spells we recommend looking at:
- Cantrip: Vicious Mockery
- Cantrip: Light
- Cantrip: Blade Ward
- Cantrip: Friends
- 1st Level: Healing Word
- 1st Level: Thunderwave
- 1st Level: Dissonant Whispers
- 1st Level: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
- 1st Level: Heroism
- 2nd Level: Phantasmal Force
- 2nd Level: Lesser Restoration
- 2nd Level: Shatter
- 3rd Level: Glyph of Warding
- 3rd Level: Speak With Dead
- 3rd Level: Fear
- 4th Level: Greater Invisibility
- 4th Level: Polymorph
- 4th Level: Dimension Door
- 5th Level: Mass Cure Wounds
- 5th Level: Greater Restoration
- 6th Level: Otto’s Irresistible Dance
Best multiclass options for the Bard
Bard and Cleric
The Bard is already an extremely powerful support character, complete with tons of useful spells and a little healing. So, if you want to take that healing to a completely new level, as well as gaining a little bonus to your AC, the Cleric is the ideal multiclass.
It can grant you some ideal healing spells and lets you deal some great damage in melee or ranged situations, making it extremely versatile. Sure, they might not share the same stats, but there are enough bonuses here to make it worth it.
Bard and Paladin
If the Cleric wasn’t for you, then you could try the Bard / Paladin multiclass option. It works in a similar way to the Cleric, granting you a little more healing and some protection should the fight end up right in front of you.
Sure, it’s not as good as the Cleric, and mainly works if your main class is the Paladin rather than the Bard, but it’s still a fun option to try.
Best build for a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3
Race: Wood Half-Elf
Background: Entertainer
Skills: Persuasion, Insight
Ability order from highest to lowest: Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength
Best build:
| Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bardic Inspiration — Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Light — Spells: Healing Word, Thunderwave, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Dissonant Whispers |
| 2 | Jack of All Trades — Song of Rest — Spells: Heroism |
| 3 | Bard College: College of Valour — Expertise: Deception, Perception — Spell: Phantasmal Force |
| 4 | Ability Improvement: Charisma — Cantrip: Blade Ward — Spell: Lesser Restoration |
| 5 | Improved Bardic Inspiration — Font of Inspiration — Spell: Glyph of Warding |
| 6 | Countercharm — Spell: Speak With Dead |
| 7 | Spell: Dimension Door |
| 8 | Ability Improvement: Charisma to 20 — Spell: Polymorph |
| 9 | Spell: Mass Cure Wounds |
| 10 | Improved Bardic Inspiration — Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Deception — Magical Secrets Spells: Fireball, Counterspell — Cantrip: Friends — Spell: Greater Restoration |
| 11 | Spell: Otto’s Irresistible Dance |
| 12 | Feat: Warcaster — Spell: Eyebite |
So there you have it, that’s the best Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3. While creating your next great musician, take a look at some of our other handy Baldur’s Gate 3 guides and content:
Best Sorcerer build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they? | How to unlock Displacer Beast in Baldur’s Gate 3