Classes We're Most Looking Forward to in Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been in early access for a while now, and while I absolutely loved it, there’s still a lot of content to be released. If you’re not familiar with Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition, the tabletop roleplaying game that Baldur’s Gate is based on, then you may be unfamiliar with the amount of content that’s yet to come in Baldur’s Gate 3.

While we don’t know the timetable or exactly how the classes will be implemented, it’s exciting to ponder how some of the best classes in Dungeons & Dragons will be converted into an in-game reality. Here are some of the classes we’re most looking forward to being added to Baldur’s Gate 3:

Baldur's Gate 3 - Bard

The jack-of-all-trades master of... some? In Dungeons & Dragons, the Bard is one class that will have you laughing from all the shenanigans it can pull off. Sing, dance, play the lute, or just cast a devastating spell. The beauty of the Bard comes in its ability to inspire other players using Bardic Inspiration. Essentially, you can give other teammates a die, starting with lowly d6 that increases over time, for just about anything that suits your fancy. Your teammates can add it to an attack roll or add it to a critical saving throw. Tack it on to a critical persuasion throw if the need arises.

It’ll be impressive to see how Larian Studios, developer of Baldur’s Gate 3, plans to implement this feature since it can impact so many different situations. On top of that, Bards can really do just about anything with their subclasses ranging from melee combat to spellcasting in the College of Lore subclass. If you’re feeling a bit undecided on what type of character you want to play, the Bard will be a great class to choose by giving you a ton of versatility in your play style.

Baldur's Gate 3 - Monk

Punch, punch, punch. Monks are known for, well, punching. Or kicking. Or if you pick the subclass Way of the Sun Soul, you basically become a Dragon Ball Z character shooting off energy blasts and punching your way across the realm. At the heart of Monks is their ability to use Ki Points, a consumable ability that’s akin to spell slots and that allows you to pull off a ton of awesome moves that would be suitable for slow motion.

The utility of the Monk is a little intimidating because of just how many different abilities they can utilize. Will Larian make every surface climbable and reward for exploration into quirky areas? Other classes can take advantage of the Jump spell, but if Divinity: Original Sin II is any indicator, Larian was completely fine with players skipping content on a playthrough. After all, remember in Divinity if you didn't have the Animal Speaking ability, you missed tons of quests and content. It will be interesting to see if Larian does the same by implementing the Monk's unmatched mobility abilities.

Run up walls, pummel your opponents with a Flurry of Blows, and make a Dungeon Master rage by utilizing the Stun ability. Monks are a good alternative to the Rogue and Fighter, and frankly, they are just way cooler. I mean come on, did I mention they can run up walls?

Baldur's Gate 3 - Barbarian

That awkward moment when the Barbarian hits Baldur's Gate 3 and the Fighter is left standing there will eventually come. Barbarians are the bigger, more destructive, and tankier version of the Fighter. Every level they add by far the largest hit points via a d12 die roll in the tabletop game. Stand-out abilities for the Barbarian include Rage. Yep, Barbarians get pissed off pretty easily, which gives them the insane ability to shrug off melee damage to half the normal amount. It makes them the ideal class to tank.

The Barbarian gains other useful perks such as Reckless Attacks which gives advantage, or the ability to essentially roll twice and take the higher score, on all your attacks for that round. The downside is enemies get advantage on attacks against you. Massive damage potential combined with Rage, which enables big time damage buffs, will make the Barbarian an ideal choice for those looking to absorb damage for the team.

Barbarians can be a blast to roleplay as well, and it will be interesting if Larian gives versatility for the Barbarian's player creation. If you've never made a Barbarian with low intelligence, losing the ability to read and making them useless on investigation checks, you have certainly missed out on an interesting experience roleplaying. We would love to see Larian allow more varied character creation options like this for the Barbarian to allow for more interesting situations over the course of the game.

Baldur's Gate 3 - Druid

The class that can morph into a dragon. Yes, an actual dragon. Good luck with balancing the game if Larian intends to add that. As a Druid, you can expect to be a fantastic spellcaster combined with gaining incredible versatility when switching into your animal forms. Druids have some awesome spells, such as Speak with Plants, so it will be intriguing to see just how far Baldur’s Gate 3 goes down the rabbit hole with all the utility spells Druids possess.

Druids tap into a variety of spells that can sling insane amounts of damage, but they have access to a large variety of healing spells as well. In the tabletop version, they’re the ultimate fit for any need. Need a tank? Morph into a bear. Need some damage? Cast Call Lightning. Then there’s that whole morphing into a dragon thing. Sign me up to be a young blue dragon and cast a massive area of effect lightning ability on a pile of enemies.

Baldur's Gate 3 - Paladin

Smite! Divine Smite, if you’re looking to get technical. In Dungeons & Dragons, Divine Smite is an incredible tool for Paladins. After you hit your opponent you have the option to burn a spell slot to add a ton of damage using Divine Smite. It’s a massive ability and one that’s perfect for bosses, who are harder to hit as it ensures large damage with a guaranteed success that almost no other class can claim.

Paladins are also one of the only classes that have an option to use passive area of effect buffs like Aura of Protection that can help make your entire party safer. Paladins are the ultimate team player with useful buffs, powerful Smite, and melee attacks, and they throw in some extra healing with their Lay on Hands ability.

Paladins are one of the heaviest roleplaying classes too, each having to adhere to their oath. An Oath of Vengeance Paladin relies on a more aggressive stance than an Oath of Devotion Paladin. In Dungeons & Dragons, you can even become an Oathbreaker Paladin if you deviate too far from your Oath's ideology, which could offer some tremendous opportunity for unique dialogue and roleplay if Larian intends to include this option.

Baldur's Gate 3 - Sorcerer

The Sorcerer, also known as the Wizards less studious but more talented and powerful sibling. What makes this class so different than the Wizard? Well, not too much, other than sorcery points! As original as the name is, sorcery points can make a big difference by allowing you to direct and alter your magic in a variety of different ways.

The downside is, unlike the Wizard, you’re generally stuck with the spells you select each time you level up and can’t mix or match based on the needs of your situation. More importantly, let us all take a moment to hope that Larian finds a way to include the Wild Magic subclass into the mix. Cast a spell? You get a chance to roll that d100 or percentile dice to see what crazy shenanigans your mistake-prone Sorcerer gets themselves into. Maybe you get turned into a plant. Perhaps you will blow up your entire team. The results are always enjoyable, or at least they’re always entertaining when playing the Sorcerer.

How are you enjoying the early access journey of Baldur's Gate 3 so far? What class are you looking forward to the most?