Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer build guide – race, subclass, BG3 skills

With the help of our Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer build guide you’ll be ready to wield the very essence of magic. This class, which has been a mainstay in Dungeons & Dragons for several editions now, offers a good balance between the other Arcane casting classes. By manipulating the magical energies within them, they can provide solid damage and support to the rest of your party.

One of the joys of Baldur’s Gate 3 is that there are so many options to choose from when creating your custom character. Some of the most iconic characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 lore have been Sorcerers and the class remains one of the best options for pure damage dealing potential.

There aren’t very many poor Sorcerer builds, but there are some important features to the class that you need to remember. For a broader overview of all the classes, head to our Baldur’s Gate 3 classes and subclasses guide.

Baldur’s Gate 3 best Sorcerer build

Sorcerers in Baldur’s Gate 3 sit in a sweet spot between the other arcane spellcasters in the game. They know more spells than Warlocks but not as many as Wizards. While Wizards can learn new spells by studying scrolls or magical texts, Sorcerers can only gain new spells when they level up. However, because they don’t have to prepare their spells each day, they have more flexibility in how they operate.

Here are the skill proficiencies you’ll have access to a Sorcerer in BG3:

• Armour Proficiency – Clothing
• Weapon Proficiency – Dagger, Quarterstaff, Light Crossbow
• Sorcerer Skill Proficiencies – Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Religion
• Saving Throws – Constitution and Charisma

One of the most important choices you’ll make with your Sorcerer build is spell selection. Because they can’t change their spells very often, you need to make sure each one carries its weight. Some of the best spells to choose from are:

• Damage Spells – Fire Bolt, Magic Missile, Burning Hands, Shatter, Fire Ball, Cloudkill, Disintegrate, Chain Lightning, Cloud of Daggers
• Utility Spells – Minor Illusion, Light, Charm Person, Feather Fall, Sleep, Hold Person, Invisibility, Misty Step, Fly, Haste, Greater Invisibility, Polymorph, Hold Monster, 
• Defensive Spells – Expeditious Retreat, Mage Armour, Shield, Blink, Counterspell

Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Metamagic and Sorcery Points

While they don’t get access to as many spells as Wizards, Sorcerers in Baldur’s Gate 3 can use Sorcery Points to give their spells increased flexibility. This is a unique resource only available to this class starting at Level 2 and can be used in one of two ways.

Sorcerers can use a Sorcery Point to apply a Metamagic power to their spells. This can include extending a spell’s duration or range, using it twice with a single spell slot, or shielding their allies from Area of Effect spells like Fireball. The best Metamagics to choose are Heighten Spell, Quickened Spell, Careful Spell, and Twinned Spell.

Metamagics like Subtle Spell and Distant Spell are also good but more situational. Sorcery Points can also be used to regain expended Spell Slots, allowing you to cast more spells each day.

Best Sorcerer Race in BG3

Note that race no longer affects ability scores, letting any character use a +2 and +1 to spend on ability scores. Here are the best race options for a Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Dragonborn – Picking the Brass subrace gives you the Fiery Breath attack. It also pairs incredibly well with the Draconic Bloodline subclass thanks to Draconic Ancestry.
• Asmodeus Tiefling – This is a solid pick thanks to Hellish Resistance reducing incoming fire damage. Hellish Rebuke is a good reaction that damages enemy attackers. You also gain Darkvision up to 12m, making this character good for fights in the dark.

Background for a Sorcerer

Here are the best backgrounds to pick for a BG3 Sorcerer:

• Noble – Proficiency in History and Persuasion. Here’s the background’s official in-game description: “You were raised in a family among the social elite, accustomed to power and privilege. Accumulating renown, power, and loyalty will raise your status.”
• Guild Artisan – Proficiency in Insight and Persuasion. Here’s the background’s official in-game description: “Your skill in a particular craft has earned you membership in a mercantile guild, offering privileges and protection while engaging in your art. Repairing and discovering rare crafts will bring new inspiration.”

Equipment for a Sorcerer

Here are the best equipment you can find for a Sorcerer in BG3:

• Disintegrating Night Walkers – Can’t be Enwebbed, Entangled, or Ensnared and can’t slip on grease or ice. Misty Step once per Short Rest.
• Spellcrux Amulet – restores one expended spell slot per long rest.
• Shifting Corpus Ring – Gain access to the Invisibility and Blur spells.
• Potent Robe – Your cantrips deal additional damage equal to your Charisma Modifier. At the beginning of your turn, gain temporary hit points equal to their Charisma Modifier. Armor Class +1
• Birthright – Increase Charisma +2

Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Ability Scores

Be sure to make Charisma your best Ability Score, as it will give you more Spells to cast at each level and increase the Saving Throws against your own spells. It will also make many of your social ability checks like Intimidation and Persuasion easier to pass.

Ability	Scorer
Strength (Str)	8
Dexterity (Dex)	16
Constitution (Con)	14
Wisdom (Wis)	10
Intelligence (Int)	10
Charisma (Cha)	16

You’ll want to focus on increasing your Charisma when you level up and through equipment until you reach the ability cap of 20. Otherwise, focus on increasing your Dexterity to help boost your Armour Class at higher levels.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Sorcerer Subclass

Unlike most classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, Sorcerers have to choose their subclass at Level 1. Each of the three options currently available provides flavour to how the character came about their magical powers. These subclasses give unique powers.

• Wild Magic – If you want to embrace the chaotic side of magic, Wild Magic gives that in spades. Each time you cast a non-cantrip spell, there is a chance of a random magical effect taking effect. This can be either beneficial or harmful and is entirely down to luck so be ready to give up a bit of control in exchange for extra power.
• Draconic Bloodline – Somewhere in your character’s past they had a Dragon ancestor, which gives you a +2 to your AC and an extra hit point for each level in Sorcerer you take. You also get access to unique spells and energy resistance depending on the kind of dragon your ancestor was thanks to the Draconic Resilience feature.
• Storm Sorcery – The power of the storms is in your blood. Each time you cast a non-cantrip spell, you can use a Bonus Action to fly until the end of your turn.

Each Sorcerer subclass has its uses, though the most useful is the Draconic Bloodline. Making your magic user more durable and having more HP thanks to your draconic ancestry is never a bad idea.

Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Sorcerer build explained – Draconic Bloodline

Here are the best choices to make as a Draconic Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Level 1 – 4

At level 1, you can pick four cantrips and two spells. You also get to pick your subclass so go ahead and pick Draconic Bloodline. Your hitpoints will be higher than regular sorcerers thanks to this subclass choice. Draconic Resilience raises your armour class to 13 without any armour, raising your AC to 16 thanks to your high Dexterity. This makes you hard to hit without even using Mage Armour.

For the cantrips, we recommend Fire Bolt, Ray of Frost, Acid Splash, and Shocking Grasp. These offer a good degree of elemental attacks that can be used to gain an advantage in combat. As for the spells, Chromatic Orb lets you pick the kind of elemental damage you want to deal. Magic Missile hits multiple targets and has perfect accuracy so it’s perfect for finishing enemies off.

Level 2 lets you use Sorcery points, metamagic, and another spell. Thunderwave is a good option for thunder damage and pushing your enemies off heights. Metamagic lets you alter spells to improve range or cast them on multiple targets. And Sorcery points can be used as spell slots. Twinned spell and Distance spell are good metamagic picks.

Level 3 brings in more metamagic options and we recommend quickened spell as it lets you attack as a bonus action. Replace Thunderwave with Scorching Ray as it’s a more powerful spell and pick Misty Step to evade danger.

Sorcerer Level 4 lets you access Baldur’s Gate 3 feats. Boost Charisma by +2 with the Ability Improvement feat. As for the extra cantrip and spell, Poison Spray and Mirror Image are good picks. The latter lets you boost your armor class with three images, boosting your survivability in combat.

Level 5 – 8

Level 5 brings in level 3 spells for your Draconic Sorcerer. Fireball is a solid offensive choice. Moving to level 6 nets you another level 3 spell slot and we suggest getting Haste. Having an additional action can make a massive difference in combat. You also gain the Bend Luck class passive feature that gives a target a 1d4 bonus or penalty to Attack Rolls, Saving Throws, or Ability Checks.

Level 7 lets you access level 4 spells so pick Ice Storm for solid area damage. Moving up to level 8 opens up yet another feat alongside a level 4 spell slot. Magic Initiate: Warlock lets you double down with 2 Cantrips and a Level 1 spell from the warlock spell list. Eldritch Blast is a good source of Force damage and Blade Ward halves damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks. As for the level 4 spell, Blight deals solid single-target damage (8d8 necrotic).

Level 9 – 12

At level 9, pick Telekinesis as your level 5 spell. You can use this to throw a creature or object. And at level 10, you get another spell and cantrip in addition to a metamagic option. Careful spell lets you use area spells in cramped battlegrounds without harming your allies. The Mage Hand cantrip can help outside combat mostly. And Cloudkill is another massive area damage dealer.

Level 11 brings the most powerful spells to your fingertips. Among the level 6 spells available, opt for Disintegrate for 50-100 Force damage. Pairing it with Twinned Magic drastically amps up your offensive potential. You also gain the fly spell as a subclass feature that you can use for better positioning. Level 12 brings another feat, letting you raise your Charisma by +2 once more with Ability Improvement. As for the additional level 6 spell, pick Chain Lightning.

Not sure if magic is the way you want to go? Check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 Barbarian build guide to help you smash through enemies with ease. Otherwise, take a look at our Baldur’s Gate 3 spells list and Baldur’s Gate 3 races and subraces guide.

Our Baldur’s Gate 3 review will give you a good idea of what to expect from the sprawling RPG from Larian Studios. We’ve also got some handy Baldur’s Gate 3 cheats to shake things up. Those looking for a safer option can consider our best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods instead. Head out there and wreck some enemies as a Sorcerer!

Is the Sorcerer a good class in BG3?

The Sorcerer is a versatile damage-dealing class in BG3.

What is the best type of Sorcerer in BG3?

Draconic Bloodline is the best Sorcerer type in BG3.