Baldur’s Gate 3 offers players a wide range of character creation options, including several spellcasting classes. One of the most popular is the sorcerer, which relies on innate magic and powerful spells to control the battlefield. In this extensive guide, we’ll explore 3 of the best early game sorcerer builds to help you create a formidable arcane character.
The Single-Class Wild Magic Sorcerer
Going with a single-class wild magic sorcerer is one of the strongest options for early game. Reaching 3rd level spells is critical, as picks like Fireball and Lightning Bolt vastly improve AOE damage potential. Multiclassing can delay this, so staying single-class sorcerer to start is often recommended.
Some key advantages of the wild magic subclass:
- Tides of Chaos – This ability lets you gain advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws once per short rest. Use it to more reliably land a critical spell when you need it most. Tides of Chaos is great for ensuring a cantrip hits or a dangerous save is made.
- Bend Luck – Upon reaching 6th level, wild magic sorcerers gain the incredibly useful Bend Luck ability. As a reaction, you can impose disadvantage or grant advantage to an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw by spending 2 sorcery points. This gives you great control over the battlefield, influencing the outcome of enemy attacks against your party or ally attempts to land a crucial spell.
- Metamagic – Options like Quicken Spell allow you to cast two spells per turn by making one a bonus action. This combos perfectly with AOE spells like Fireball or Lightning Bolt, enabling you to dish out insane multi-target damage.
For feats, Alert helps guarantee you can act early in combat to unleash your spells first. Going before enemies allows landing a devastating opening salvo. Alternatively, boosting Charisma further with Ability Score Improvement is never a bad idea, improving your spell attack rolls and saving throw DCs.
Overall, the wild magic sorcerer makes an excellent single-classed option in the early game. Focus on unlocking Tides of Chaos, Bend Luck, and Metamagic like Quicken Spell for maximum impact.
Sorcerer 5/Fighter 1 Multiclass
Introducing some fighter levels to your sorcerer offers several benefits. You gain Constitution saving throw proficiency for stronger concentration checks when maintaining spells under fire. Heavy armor proficiency also means not having to invest in Dexterity for defense, letting you focus on Charisma and Constitution.
The main tradeoff is delaying access to crucial 3rd level spells like Fireball and Lightning Bolt. But once you get those picks, the payoff is huge. Armored up with a shield in heavy armor, this build can be extremely tanky for a spellcaster. You can withstand enemy blows to channel devastating spells from the heart of battle.
Options for which class to start with:
- Fighter 1 first – Heavy armor proficiency right away. Downside is slightly slower spell progression. However, you’ll be sturdy during the initial squishy low levels.
- Sorcerer 5 first – Get those 3rd level spells quicker. You can still gain heavy armor at level 6 by starting fighter. This gets your offensive power online faster.
No matter which order you choose, this multiclass offers a durable battle mage that excels at close-quarters combat. Metamagic like Quicken Spell enables unleashing devastating spell combos. Twinned Spell is also useful for targeting two foes with effects like Hold Person.
In terms of roleplaying, you could flavor it as your sorcerer heritage manifesting later in life after already being trained as a fighter. Or your family could have insisted you learn fighting skills to complement your magical talents. There are plenty of fun backstory options!
Sorcerer/Tempest Cleric Multiclass
Combining storm sorcerer with a 1 level tempest cleric dip is another strong option. Tempest clerics get heavy armor proficiency, so this build can be a hardy armored spellcaster.
Some synergies gained from this multiclass:
- Storm Sorcerer – Grants flight speed increases when casting spells and eventually lightning/thunder damage resistance. Excellent thematically with tempest cleric’s storm abilities.
- Tempest Cleric – Provides useful 1st level domain spells like fog cloud and thunderwave for free. Channel Divinity option can maximize lightning/thunder damage rolls.
Similar to the fighter multiclass, tempest cleric provides Constitution save proficiency to help maintain concentration when struck. Elemental Adept is a great feat for this build to overcome lightning resistance and boost thunder/lightning damage dealt.
The cleric dip also brings nice abilities like Wrath of the Storm, which zaps enemies for lightning damage when they hit you in melee. Metamagic like Quickened Spell enables unleashing a maximized lightning bolt and fireball in the same turn, demolishing groups of foes.
In terms of backstory, this blend could be reflavored as your sorcerer tapping into their storm heritage after receiving cleric training. Or your tempest domain powers not manifesting until later in life after discovering your draconic bloodline’s true capabilities.
Additional Tips and Tricks
Here are some extra tips to optimize your sorcerer:
- Carefully select your limited spells known. Focus on picks that scale well with higher spell slots for upcasting.
- Metamagic like Twinned Spell and Subtle Spell have great utility. Heighten Spell also Shut Down saves.
- Prioritize boosting Charisma first for stronger spells, Constitution second for concentration. Dexterity is a dump stat for armored builds.
- War Caster is a superb feat for sorcerers, boosting concentration checks when struck. Allows casting with hands full.
- Damage types like cold, lightning and poison excel early game before foes gain resistance.
- Cantrips like Ray of Frost slow enemies, enabling kiting and battlefield control.
- Use Mage Armor if not building an armored sorcerer. 13 + Dex Mod AC.
- Learn battlefield manipulation spells like Web, Hypnotic Pattern, and Levitate.
- Manage sorcery point usage between Metamagic and flexible abilities like converting points to slots.
- Seek spell scrolls and wands to expand your limited spells known selections.
Wrapping Up:
Sorcerers bring phenomenal raw spellcasting potential, particularly once they gain access to heavy-hitting 3rd level picks. While single-class is optimal for hitting this power spike quickly, multiclassing with cleric or fighter offers some nice perks.
With Metamagic enhancing their spells, sorcerers can eliminate packs of foes in a single turn once they pick up options like Fireball. Carefully selecting your subclasses, Metamagic choices, and feats will enable you to wield impressive mystical powers on the field of battle!
Let us know if you have any other questions about optimizing your Baldur’s Gate 3 sorcerer in the comments! We hope this guide gives you some great early game builds to consider. Now get out there and start bending luck and unleashing elemental fury against your foes!
