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Baldur’s Gate 3 Subclasses List Guide

Each subclass within a class has its place within Baldur's Gate 3. This at-a-glance guide should make this decision a little easier.

Not every class has subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the ones that do are impactful enough to seriously give pause during character creation. While the Ranger has its favored enemies and the Fighter has its fighting style, Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, and Warlock all have subclasses to choose from to further tweak their capabilities. In this Baldur’s Gate 3 subclasses list, I’ll detail exactly what they are to give you an at-a-glance overview of your options.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Subclasses List

There’s a ton of customization per character, regardless of class. Between race, subrace, cantrips, background, abilities, deity — it’s a lot. I won’t be focusing on all that here, though. Baldur’s Gate 3 subclasses are the star in this guide, in large part because I’m sure others would like to have this information just listed out as I would. Clicking between classes and between subclasses in the character creation screen is less than ideal.

Each Baldur’s Gate 3 subclass has its own array (or lack) of features, spells, and cantrips. Choosing one is no small detail, as each has a role different from the others.

This guide is a work in progress and will grow considerably over the coming days as I add additional context to each subclass and their strengths!

Cleric Subclasses Overview

The Cleric has seven subclasses to choose from, and they’re delightfully varied.

Life Domain

This is the Cleric default, a pure healer. But any D&D player will tell you that they do much more than heal, as we’ll see in the other BG3 subclasses.

  • Life Domain Feature: Disciple of Life – Your Devotion empowers your healing spells. When casting a healing spell, the target regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
  • Life Domain Spells: Cure Wounds, Bless.

Light Domain

  • Light Domain Feature: Warding Flare – Shield yourself with divine light. Use your reaction to impose Disadvantage on an attacker, possibly causing the attack to miss.
  • Light Domain Spells: Burning Hands, Faerie Fire.
  • Life Domain Cantrips: Light.

Trickery Domain

  • Trickery Domain Spells: Charm Person, Disguise Self.
  • Trickery Domain Actions: Blessing of the Trickster.

Knowledge Domain

  • Knowledge Domain Spells: Command, Sleep.

Nature Domain

  • Nature Domain Features: Acolyte of Nature — You learn a druid cantrip, and become proficient in Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival.
  • Nature Domain Spells: Speak with Animals, Animal Friendship.
  • Nature Domain Cantrips: Shillelagh.

Tempest Domain

  • Tempest Domain Feature: Wrath of the Storm — Strike back at an attacking creature, potentially dealing 2 ~ 16 Lightning damage. On a failed Saving Throw you deal half of a 2 ~ 16 roll.

War Domain

  • War Domain Feature: War Priest — When you make an unarmed or weapon attack, you can spend a War Priest Charge to make an additional attack as a bonus action.
  • War Domain Spells: Divine Favour, Shield of Faith.

Paladin Subclasses Overview

Oath of the Ancients

  • Oath of the Ancients Tenets: Oath of the Ancients paladins abide by the following tenets:
    • Kindle the Light. Through acts of kindness, enkindle the light of hope in the bleakest hollows of despair.
    • Shelter the Light. Where love blooms, stand against the devilry that would snip its stem.
    • Preserve Your Own Light. Delight in culture and small joys to preserve the light in your own heart.
  • Oath of the Ancients Action: Healing Radiance.

Oath of Devotion

  • Oath of Devotion Tenets: Oath of Devotion paladins abide by the following tenets:
    • Courage. Stride dauntlessly into action.
    • Compassion. Show clemency when prudent, and lend your arm to those in need.
    • Duty. Tend your responsibilities, obey just laws, and support those entrusted to your care.
  • Oath of Devotion Action: Holy Rebuke.

Oath of Vengeance

  • Oath of Vengeance Tenets: Oath of Vengeance paladins abide by the following tenets:
    • Fight the Greater Evil. Exerting your wisdom, identify the higher morality in any given instance, and fight for it.
    • No Mercy for the Wicked. Chasten those who dole out their villainy by wiping their blight from the world forever.
  • Oath of Vengeance Action: Inquisitor’s Might.

Sorcerer Subclasses Overview

Wild Magic

  • Wild Magic Features:
    • Tides of Chaos: Activate to gain Advantage on your next Attack Roll, Ability Check, or Saving Throw.
    • Wild Magic: Wild magic stems from the forces of chaos. It churns within the sorcerers that wield it, waiting to burst free.

Draconic Bloodline

  • Draconic Bloodline Features:
    • Draconic Resilience: Hit Points — Your hit point maximum increases by 1 for each Sorcerer level.
    • Draconic Resilience: Dragon-like scales cover parts of your skin. When you aren’t wearing armour, your base Armour Class is 13.

Storm Sorcery

  • Storm Sorcery Feature: Tempestuous Magic — After you cast a Level 1 spell or higher you can Fly as a bonus action until the end of your turn without receiving Opportunity Attacks.

Warlock Subclasses Overview

The Fiend

  • The Field Feature: Dark One’s Blessing — when you reduce a hostile creature to 0 hit points, this gift from your patron grants you 4 temporary hit points.
  • The Field Spells: Armour of Agathys, Arms of Hadar.

The Great Old One

  • The Great Old One Feature: Mortal Reminder — When you land a Critical Hit against a creature, that creature, and any nearby enemies must succeed a Wisdom Saving Throw or become Frightened until the end of their next turn.
  • The Great Old One Spells: Dissonant Whispers, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter.

The Archfey

  • The Archfey Action: Fey Presence — Charm or Frighten nearby foes with the feywild’s beguiling, disturbing magics.
  • The Archfey’s Spells: Faerie Fire, Sleep.

And that’s our Baldur’s Gate 3 subclass overview guide. Every class may not have one, but those that do are heavily impacted by your choice. You’ll need to make it wisely to help your character live up to the ideal for them you want to see. We’ve got more BG3 guides coming here on GameSkinny, from builds to quest aid.


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Ashley Shankle
Ashley's been with GameSkinny since the start, and is a certified loot goblin. Has a crippling Darktide problem, 500 hours on only Ogryn (hidden level over 300). Currently playing Darktide, GTFO, RoRR, Palworld, and Immortal Life.