Top 10 Best Damage Spells in Baldur’s Gate 3

Spells can do a lot of things like influence dialogue, crowd-control, aid exploration but sometimes you just need pure DPS. Every class has at least a couple of great DPS options and some are even shared between classes. Here are my top 10 best damage spells in Baldur’s Gate 3.

What Are the Top 10 Best Damage Spells in Baldur’s Gate 3

Eldritch Blast (Cantrip)

In terms of pure damage, Eldritch Blat is the best cantrip in the game. While usually for Warlocks, if you ever get a chance to grab it like with the Magic Adept feat, you should. It has an amazing range, a superb damage die of d10, and its multiple attacks mean more reliable damage and more chances to crit. If you’re a Warlock, the Agonizing Blast invocation is a must-have, and it’s even sometimes worth it to multiclass into Warlock for two levels, like with the Sorcerer gatling-gun build.

Chromatic Orb (Level 1)

Among Level 1 spells, Chromatic Orb reigns supreme due to its superb damage and flexibility. Essentially, this spell has the highest single target DPS, and you can change its damage type at will. This is incredibly useful for exploiting weaknesses and hitting a target vulnerable to a specific element, like with Thunder and Scrying Eyes.

Alternatively, if you notice a target is Wet, use the Cold or Lightning version for double damage. Chromatic Orb is your versatile elemental arsenal. Besides the Magic Adept feat, you can get it on Eldritch Knight Fighters, Sorcerers, Wizards, and Arcane Trickster Rogues.

Heat Metal (Level 2)

There are a lot of useful Level 2 DPS spells like Shatter or Flaming Sphere but Heat Metal does it for me. It’s both reliable DPS every turn and a massive debuff on enemy attacks. Foes will regularly either take 2d8 fire or more with higher slots per turn or drop all weapons they’re carrying, which you can pick up to disarm them completely.

Furthermore, Heat Metal also makes the challenging Grym boss fight in the Underdark trivial by automatically superheating it, thus lowering resistances. Get this spell on Bards and Druids.

Lightning Bolt (Level 3)

Lightning Bolt is Fireball’s rival for the best Level 3 damage spell. Both are amazing AOE spells that do incredible damage for their level. It’s up to personal preference since they do the same damage of 8d6, but Lightning Bolt is a line, and Fireball is a circle that can potentially hit your allies. That said, Lightning Bolt has the advantage of dealing double damage to Wet enemies.

Furthermore, if you’re multiclassing into Tempest Cleric for 2 levels you can maximize its damage once per Short Rest with Destructive Wrath. Get it on Sorcerers, Wizards, Circle of the Land Druids (Mountain), and Bards with Magical Secrets.

Fireball (Level 3)

Fireball is a Dungeons & Dragons classic that continues its usefulness in BG3. The massive AOE combined with 8d6 fire damage crushes almost any encounter in Act 2. This is a must-have spell if you’re going for pure DPS. I wouldn’t upcast it regularly because the damage doesn’t scale very well with only a d6 increase but it can be worth it in a pinch. Get this on Sorcerers, Wizards, Light Domain Clerics, Fiend Warlocks, and Bard with Magical Secrets.

Spirit Guardians (Level 3)

Spirit Guardians is one of the best sustained DPS spells in the entire game. It lasts for 10 turns, and each turn, you’ll deal 3d8, or up to 6d8 with upcasting, Radiant damage in a small AOE around you. Even with just two enemies hit, this is 6d8 to 12d8 damage each turn, and the AOE even slows enemy movement. This makes it incredible for upcasting.

You can choose between Necrotic and Radiant to suit enemy Resistances. This is a must-have for tanky frontline Clerics but you can get it on any Cleric subclass as well as Bards with Magical Secrets. Besides Clerics, I highly recommend it for Sword and Valor Bards at Level 10 through Magical Secrets. It’s even better when combined with Luminous Armor.

Blight (Level 4)

Blight is a specialized single target burst damage Necrotic spell dealing 8d8 to 10d8 damage with upcasting. It’s perfect for when you want a boss dead fast since they still take half damage even if they fail the save. Combine it Woe or the Staff of Cherished Necromancy for multiple free castings. Get this spell on Druids, Sorcerers, Warlocks, Wizards, and Bards via Magical Secrets.

Wall of Fire (Level 4)

If you’re not a Cleric, a great alternative to Spirit Guardians is the Level 4 spell Wall of Fire, which is also a sustained DPS spell. You place down a burning wall, and anyone standing in it or passing through it on their turn takes 5d8 fire damage each turn. In two turns, this spell deals Fireball-like damage to a single target, not counting for multiple enemies being caught in the wall.

Interestingly, they’ll also start burning, taking additional damage each turn from the status effect. Overall, this is a great AOE control and DPS spell that is highly worth upcasting. Get it on Druids, Sorcerers, Wizards, Light Clerics, Fiend Warlocks, and Bards via Magical Secrets.

Cloudkill (Level 5)

Cloudkill is your very own portable gas chamber, which you can move. It deals 5d8 Poison damage in a 20-foot radius AOE. Creatures caught in it each turn take the same amount of damage, so this is a very similar spell to Wall of Fire. The difference is that you can move it or even combine it with Undead allies who are immune to Poison to keep enemies in.

With high-Strength characters, you can even Shove and Throw enemies back into the AOE. This means that with the right team and a bit of work, this can potentially be one of the best damage-per-round spells in the game. It’s available on Sorcerers, Wizards, Spore Druids, and Land Druids through Swamp and Underdark.

Chain Lightning (Level 6)

Chain Lightning is, without a doubt, the best damage spell in the game. It deals 10d8 Lightning damage to multiple targets standing close to each other. It’s reliable, avoids allies, and damages enemies even if they succeed on their saving throw. While it’s a superb choice for Sorcerers and Wizards, I recommend stacking scrolls of this spell on your Tempest Clerics and maximizing its damage with Destructive Wrath for massive nukes in Act 3.

Disintegrate is a strong single-target damage contender in terms of Level 6 spells, but unless you’re a Sorcerer using Heightened Spell, chances are enemies will save and take no damage. Chain Lightning is, therefore, better in most cases through great and reliable AOE damage.

That’s it for my top 10 best damage spells in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more specific Baldur’s Gate 3 guides, check out the best spells for Warlocks and Wizards as well as Druids.