Best Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3: Race, skills, spells & more

❘ Updated: 2024-03-03T08:00:00

Larian Studios

Unlock the full potential of your Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3 with the perfect build guide. Dive into the best Bard build in BG3 featuring race, subclass, spells, and essential strategies.

In the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Bards may be known for their comedic flair. But they wield power comparable to other classes like Druids, Sorcerers, or Wizards, armed with a versatile spell arsenal.

On top of this, they’re seen as charismatic spellcasters who can talk their way out of or into anything they choose. This is no different in Baldur’s Gate 3, making the class extremely versatile and important in a group, especially considering there are no Bard companions to lean on.

So, if you’re looking to master the Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3, then you’ll need to know the best spells, race, subclass, and Ability Scores. Luckily, all you need to know about the best Bard build in Baldur’s Gate 3 is below.

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 Illithid powers for a Bard
Best multiclass options for the Bard
Best build for a Bard

Best 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

Baldur's Gate 3 Concert Symphony of the Realms

There 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 Illithid powers for a Bard

There’s a tonne of Ilithid powers to access if you don’t mind sticking tadpoles to your brain.

The Illithid powers aren’t for everyone, but they can be a wonderful boon to those who want to use them. Here are the best Illithis Powers for the Bard.

Charm

When it comes to a Bard, no Illithid spell is better than Charm. It’ll essentially prevent an enemy from attacking you until their next turn, granting your character key protection just in case something gets past the front lines.

Shield of Thralls

Bards are notoriously squishy, with a lower armor class and smaller health to match. So, being able to cast a shield around yourself, or an ally to get temporary hit points could be a game-changer. Add that to the fact that the shield will explode when it’s destroyed, and you have a fantastic last-ditch lifesaver.

Freecast

As a spellcaster, there’s no better power than being able to free cast. It means your “spell slots, charges, and similar resource costs for your next spell are removed” essentially allowing you to cast multiple spells or certain powerful spells as a bonus action.

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

Check out some of our other Baldur’s Gate 3 guides: