As an avid Baldur‘s Gate 3 player with over 100 hours logged, I‘ve experimented extensively with various wizard builds and subclasses. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my insight on optimizing your wizard‘s subclass choice for defeating even the most dangerous foes in the Forgotten Realms.
Overview of Wizard Subclasses
Wizards in Baldur‘s Gate 3 can specialize into one of eight subclasses at level 2, each with their own unique magical focus. The subclass you select can greatly impact your spellcasting strategy and effectiveness in combat. Here‘s a quick rundown of what each option provides:
Abjuration: Expertise in protective spells and magical wards. Grants abilities like Arcane Ward and Projected Ward.
Conjuration: Mastery over summoning creatures and teleportation magic. Key skills include Benign Transportation and Focused Conjuration.
Divination: Power to unravel mysteries and alter fate itself. Gains prophetic dice through the Portent ability.
Enchantment: Specializes in manipulating minds and beguiling enemies. Unlocks skills like Hypnotic Gaze and Instinctive Charm.
Evocation: Channel raw elemental energies into devastating offensive spells. Sculpt Spells lets you protect allies from damage.
Illusion: Deceive enemies with phantasmal figments and invisibility. Improved Illusion and Illusory Self enhance trickery.
Necromancy: Control undead minions and draw strength from defeating foes. Animate Dead and Inured to Undeath are key powers.
Transmutation: Alter physical forms and properties. Experimental Elixirs and Shapechanger allow creative solutions.
Each has strengths in certain situations. But for overall power, two stand above the rest.
Why Evocation and Abjuration Are the Best
Through extensive experimentation across a wide range of encounters, I‘ve concluded Evocation and Abjuration are the strongest Baldur‘s Gate 3 wizard subclasses. Here‘s why:
Evocation: Unmatched Damage Potential
The Evocation tradition is all about harnessing deadly elemental energies to annihilate your foes. Between Sculpt Spells, Empowered Evocation, and cheaper access to the Evocation spell list, no other subclass can match its damage output.
Sculpt Spells gives you tremendous tactical control in hectic battles. By protecting allies from your high-damage AOEs like Fireball and Lightning Bolt, you can focus on nuking enemies without worrying about friendly fire.
Empowered Evocation then takes your spell damage to even greater heights. Adding your Intelligence modifier to every Evocation spell means those Fireballs hit even harder. Support this with the Elemental Adept feat to bypass resistance, and no enemy will withstand your onslaught for long.
You also gain earlier access to iconic spells like Cone of Cold, Chain Lightning, and Meteor Swarm to devastate enemy ranks. Combined with your other skills, an Evoker Wizard is simply the ultimate magical artillery platform.
Abjuration: Potent Protection Magic
In contrast, Abjuration specialists trade overwhelming firepower for powerful protective abilities. Your ward can soak tremendous damage, while Projected Ward and Improved Abjuration ensure you and your allies can weather even deadliest enemy assaults.
Arcane Ward is the star of the show here. A scaling damage absorption shield tied to your HP and slot levels, it‘s effectively a second health bar. If positioned correctly, you can bait enemies into attacking the ward first while your party counterattacks.
You further bolster the ward with Abjuration spells like Mage Armor, Shield, and Stoneskin. Cast them repeatedly to stockpile absurd ward charges forfeel nigh invincible. Projected Ward then lets you sacrifice the ward to protect wounded allies about to take savage hits.
Improved Abjuration completes the suite by boosting ward HP dramatically. Combined you get a formidable buffer that can turn even punishing enemy abilities into trivial nuisances. No other subclass grants such potent defense.
Honorable Mentions
While Evocation and Abjuration reign supreme, some of the other Baldur‘s Gate 3 specializations deserve discussion:
Divination offers unmatched control of fate itself through its Portent dice. But with only two uses per rest initially, the subclass lacks sufficient staying power for most encounters.
Necromancy provides excellent solo power via its undead minions. Ingroup play however, you‘ll likely kill enemies faster by focusing fire directly. Complex terrain also inhibits minion maneuverability.
Illusion brings fantastic subterfuge through deception spells. But many higher-level enemies have True Sight, negating this subclass‘ strengths in longer conflicts.
Each has situations where they excel. But Evocation and Abjuration‘s consistent excellence makes them the top choices for most challenging battles you‘ll face.
Best Wizard Multiclass Options
Wizard subclasses significantly impact playstyle, but only tell part of the story. Multiclassing allows even further customization for extreme power. Here are my top recommendations:
Fighter: Unparalleled Defense
A simple 2 level Fighter dip nets heavy armor and shield proficiencies most full wizards only dream of. Equipment limits won‘t restrict you either thanks to Arcane Armor Training. And the Action Surge ability enables shocking Nova turns where you cast multiple leveled spells simultaneously.
No other multiclass offers stronger defenses. Tank spells with Arcane Ward, while relying on Plate, Shield, and the Shield spell to laugh off even deadliest strikes. Just be mindful of Strength requirements when wearing heavy armor.
Rogue: Skill Expertise
Rogue offers cunning utility through Expertise. Doubling proficiency bonuses for key skills like Arcana, Investigation, Perception and Stealth makes you a consummate skill monkey. These shine both in and out of combat.
You also gain Cunning Action for disengaging or hiding after spell attacks, plus 1d6 Sneak Attack to supplement weapon strikes.Combine with Enchantment spells like Hold Person to enable devastating critical hits.
Finally, Blindsense, Evasion, Uncanny Dodgeand other Rogue abilities bolster durability. While less overtly powerful than a Fighter dip, Rogue offers tremendous skill and utility synergy.
Optimal Spell Selection By School
Regardless of subclass or multiclass choices, spells remain the Wizard‘s key strength. Tailor selections carefully to align with your preferred playstyle. Here are my top suggestions for each school:
Abjuration
- Mage Armor: Extended magical protection without concentration
- Shield: On-demand +5 AC with no action required
- Dispel Magic: Instantly end ongoing enemy buffs/debuffs
- Banishment: Disable dangerous foes for up to 1 minute
- Wall of Force: Block enemy movement completely
Conjuration
- Misty Step: Quickly reposition with a bonus action
- Web: Restrain groups of enemies
- Summon Lesser Demons: Swarm battlefield for numerical advantage
- Dimension Door: Teleport long distances rapidly
- Bigby‘s Hand: Versatile damage and control
Divination
- True Strike: Enable next attack to hit regardless of AC
- Detect Thoughts: Uncover enemy intentions before they act
- Clairvoyance: Scout distant locations undetected
- Arcane Eye: Perfect spying through inanimate objects
- Foresight: Advantage on everything plus uncanny dodging
Enchantment
- Dissonant Whispers: Opportunity attack trigger against boss enemies
- Suggestion: Manipulate humanoids with reasonable-sounding commands
- Hypnotic Pattern: Incapacitate groups in bursts
- Dominate Person: Completely control humanoids
- Dominate Monster: Bend even mighty creatures to your will
Evocation
Cantrips– Fire Bolt (single target), Toll the Dead (undead/damaged)
Level 1– Burning Hands, Thunderwave
Level 2– Scorching Ray, Shatter
Level 3– Fireball, Lightning Bolt
Level 4– Ice Storm
Level 5+ – Cone of Cold, Chain Lightning, Delayed Blast Fireball, Meteor Swarm
Illusion
- Silent Image: Divert enemies without speaking
- Blur: Impose disadvantage on incoming attack rolls
- Mirror Image: Duplicate decoys frustrate attacks
- Major Image: Craft convincing visible illusions
- Project Image: Create distracting doppelganger
Necromancy
- False Life: Temporary hit point buffer
- Blindness/Deafness: Shut down spellcasters
- Vampiric Touch: Siphon life force with melee attacks
- Blight: High damage single target burst
- Circle of Death: Destroy weaker enemies en masse
Transmutation
- Expeditious Retreat: Greatly enhanced mobility
- Alter Self: Assume alternate humanoid forms
- Haste: Bonus action surges and AC for your warriors
- Polymorph: Transform into dangerous giant beasts
- Shapechange: Assume virtually any form at will
Adjust selections based on your subclass, party composition,and Situational needs. But these form an excellent base for any wizard.
Conclusion
Ultimately Evocation and Abjuration stand as the strongest Baldur‘s Gate 3 specializations for battle mages seeking to dominate the opposition. Their consistent outputs enable wizards to control both ends of the damage spectrum like no other subclass.
Yet don‘t ignore the remaining options either. Illusion and Enchantment in particular bring uniquely potent guile and subversion. While Transmutation and Conjuration offer unmatched versatility and mobility.
Hopefully this guide has given you fresh perspective on optimizing your next wizard. Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments! I‘m always happy to discuss builds and theorycraft new powerful spellcasting strategies.
