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With the release of Patch 8 forBaldur’s Gate 3, all kinds of new playstyles and builds have become possible. Patch 8 added 12 new subclasses to the game, one for each of the main classes, allowing players to put a new spin on their favourite class.
Players who favor support and buff/debuff builds inBaldur’s Gate 3will find lots to love in Patch 8’s new subclasses, with the Glamour Bard, Swashbuckler Rogue, and Circle of Stars Druid providing incredible new utility.
Swashbuckler Rogue with Glamour Bard
Combining the Swashbuckler Rogue with the Glamour Bardresults in a character that can easily neutralize enemies with enchantment, illusion, and Dirty Tricks. Using Mantle of Majesty: Command allows them to cast any variation of Command as a bonus action without using a spell slot, making it easy to leave enemies weaponless or prone on the ground. Creatures that have been charmed will automatically fail their saving throw against this version of Command, so utilizing spells like Charm Person and abilities like Mantle of Inspiration and Tadpole Charm will make it even easier to manipulate foes.
The Bard Spell list includes some really powerful options like Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, Hypnotic Pattern, and Confusion, which can be used to further hinder your foes, and they also have access to some limited healing through Healing Word. By making good use of Dirty Tricks and your assortment of spells, this setup can take you far.
We recommend starting as a Rogue, reaching level 4 to unlock Dirty Tricks, and then putting the rest of your levels into Bard. This means you can utilize Dirty Tricks to blind foes, disarm them, or inflict disadvantage on their next attack roll. The eight Bard levels will allow you access to 4th Level spells by the end of the game, including the aforementioned Confusion spell.
Equipment Recommendations
In Act 1,you’ll want to pick up the Bard-specific equipment available in the Emerald Grove and after rescuing Volo, namely the Cap of Curing and Blazer of Benevolence. You should also pick up Phalar Aluve from the Underdark to gain access to its powerful sing and shriek abilities, and the Wondrous Gloves from Grymforge to raise your AC and get an extra use of Bardic Inspiration. The Knife of the Undermountain King, which can be purchased at Creche Y’llek, is also an excellent weapon option and will let you land critical hits more reliably. Since you’ll usually be rolling with advantage, the improved critical chance will be even more effective than usual. The Diadem of Arcane Synergy is a good pick too, allowing you to add your Charisma to your weapon damage after inflicting a condition.
You should pick up either the Covert Cowl from beneath Last Light Inn, orthe Fistbreaker Helm from Moonrise Towers,during Act 2.The former will improve your critical hit chance even more, while the latter will raise your spell save DC so you can more reliably influence enemies with your spells. This is also a good time to pick up the Shadow Blade Ring, allowing you to conjure a shortsword that deals pure psychic damage, which very few enemies resist (excluding constructs). Another useful Ring is the Ring of Mental Inhibition, which applies mental fatigue to creatures that fail saving throws against your spells, which will make them more vulnerable to your mind-affecting spells.
you’re able to also get the Cloak of Cunning Brume, allowing you to create a cloud of smoke when disengaging to blind your foes. Pairing this with the Eversight Ring will let you set enemies up for easy sneak attacks even if your usual tricks fail, if necessary. You should head to Reithwyn Tollhouse to get the Gloves of Battlemage’s Power too, allowing you to build up stacks of Arcane Acuity by stabbing with the Shadow Blade, raising your Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Rolls.
Finally,you should pick up the Deadshot bow during Act 3to improve your critical chance even more, and Birthright to raise your Charisma by 2 (to a maximum of 22).You could also use the Helldusk Boots to enhance your mobilityand reroll a failed saving throw by spending your reaction.
Circle of Stars Druid with Life Domain Cleric
If you want to build a powerful healer with a secondary focus on buffing and crowd control, this multiclass is perfect.Ten levels in Circle of Starswill provide you with access to all the subclass’s abilities, allowing you to utilize the Starry Forms to great effect by healing with Chalice, or harming with Archer or Dragon, as a bonus action. You’ll mainly be utilizing Chalice to keep your allies healthy and Dragon for advantage on concentration checks and the power of flight, though when you’re a good distance away from your foes it can be worth swapping to Archer to blast them.
A two-level dip into Life Domain Cleric will get you access to Disciple of Life, greatly improving the potency of your healing spells, and Preserve Life, allowing you to use an AOE heal that scales with your character level. Since both classes are full casters, you’ll have access to sixth-level spell slots by the end of the game despite not having any sixth-level spells, meaning you can upcast many of your spells for greater effect. The Circle of Stars Cosmic Omen ability will allow you to influence dice rolls in your favor, further strengthening this setup.
By utilizing spells like Healing Word and Bless, you can empower your allies and keep them in the fight. Spells like Spike Growth, Sleet Storm, and Ice Storm will hinder your foes and prevent them from approaching, while Freedom of Movement will allow your allies to freely navigate the deadly terrain you conjure. You can also conjure elementals and woodland beings to fight alongside you, with the Dryad from Conjure Woodland Beings having access to Spike Growth, allowing you access to the spell without needing to concentrate on it yourself. You can utilize Insect Plague to create difficult terrain that inflicts piercing damage,and Mass Cure Wounds to top up the party in tougher fights.
If enemies get into melee range, you can upcast Inflict Wounds to deal a truly ludicrous amount of necrotic damage, or use Gust of Wind to push them right back into the nightmare terrain you’re creating.
During Act 1,you should gather all the available items that empower your healing abilities,like the Hellrider’s Pride Gloves and Wapira’s Crown, both of which can be acquired from Zevlor as rewards for dealing with Kagha and the Goblins, respectively. The Whispering Promise Ring, sold by Volo, will apply Bless to anyone you heal and thus strengthen this support build further. Omeluum in the Underdark sells the Ring of Salving, which allows you to heal two extra HP whenever you heal someone, which is a small but handy bonus early on. Speaking of the Underdark, verify to retrieve the Luminous Armor from the Selunite Outpost so you can apply radiating orbs to enemies up close. This will make their attacks less likely to hit anyone and light them up brightly, making it harder for sneakier foes to escape your sight.
During Act 2,pick up the Coruscation Ring from beneath Last Light Inn to apply even more Radiating Orbs with your spell attacks. If you prefer Radiating Orbs over applying Blade Ward with your healing, you could also swap out the Hellrider’s Pride Gloves for the Luminous Gloves available in this act. The Callous Glow Ring will let you deal additional Radiant Damage against Illuminated foes whenever you cause them to take damage, and can be found in the Gauntlet of Shar. This includes damage caused by surfaces you create, so Spike Growth and Insect Plague will now apply extra radiant damage.
In Act 3,it’s time to pick up the Armour of Moonbasking, applying 22 temporary hit points and reducing incoming damage by 1 whenever you’re in Wild Shape. Since Starry Forms count as Wild Shape and you can freely swap between them once per turn, you’ll be able to refresh these temporary hit points and the damage reduction whenever you want. You should also grab the Reviving Hands from Stormshore Tabernacle, allowing you to cast Revivify once per long rest and apply Blade Ward whenever you heal a creature. When casting Revivify while wearing these gloves, you’ll also apply Death Ward to the target until their next long rest, allowing them to survive a lethal blow with 1 hit point.
This is also a perfect time to increase your Spell Save DCs and Spell Attack Rolls, by picking up the Hood of the Weave. Alternatively, the Shapeshifter Hat will grant an extra Wildshape Charge, which applies to Starry Form.
