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The Ultimate Guide to the Best Race for Magic in Baldur’s Gate 3

The best race for magic in Baldur’s Gate 3 is highly dependent on your chosen class and playstyle. However, for a blend of versatility and consistent power, the High Elf remains a top contender, especially for Wizards. The High Elf’s access to an extra cantrip at level 1 provides early-game utility and damage options. Additionally, their Fey Ancestry grants advantage on saving throws against being charmed, a valuable defensive perk for any spellcaster facing mind-altering enemies. This combination of offensive and defensive advantages makes them a strong choice for many magic-focused builds. But several other races offer unique and powerful benefits depending on whether you’re playing a Sorcerer, Warlock, Cleric, or another magical class.

Diving Deep: Races and Magical Classes

While the High Elf is a generally strong choice, let’s explore how different races synergize with specific spellcasting classes to unlock their full potential. The key is to consider how racial traits complement class features and playstyle.

Wizards: The Scholarly Spellcasters

For Wizards, the High Elf’s extra cantrip is incredibly useful, especially early on. This cantrip can provide a valuable damage option or utility spell, freeing up your prepared spells for more specialized situations. Other strong contenders for Wizards include:

Githyanki: Their access to medium armor proficiency can significantly improve survivability, especially for Wizards who tend to be fragile. They also get the Mage Hand cantrip and Jump spell at level 1, and Misty Step spell at level 5.
Human (Variant): Humans offer a flexible feat at level 1, which can be used to take impactful feats like Magic Initiate for even more cantrips and spells, or Resilient for saving throw proficiency.
Drow: The Faerie Fire spell at level 1 is a great boon to the team. Then Darkness spell at level 3 provides a strong defensive option, and Drow Magic can easily control enemies to buy time.

The best Wizard subclass is a matter of debate. While the Evocation school is a solid damage dealer, as mentioned earlier, the School of Divination’s Portent ability allows you to manipulate dice rolls, dramatically increasing your control over combat encounters. The School of Divination is a good subclass choice because it provides powerful control abilities.

Sorcerers: Innate Magical Power

Sorcerers are all about raw magical power. Their metamagic abilities allow them to manipulate spells in ways that other classes can only dream of. When choosing a race for a Sorcerer, consider races that boost Charisma, the Sorcerer’s primary stat, or that provide additional magical abilities that complement their spellcasting.

Tiefling (Asmodeus): Tieflings, particularly those with the Asmodeus subrace, gain fire resistance and access to powerful fire-based spells, aligning well with certain Sorcerer subclasses like Draconic Bloodline.
Half-Elf (Drow): This subrace gets Faerie Fire spell at level 1. Then Darkness spell at level 3 provides a strong defensive option, and Drow Magic can easily control enemies to buy time.
Dragonborn (Any): The breath weapon ability provides an additional damage option and can be scaled into a powerful force with the right subclass and feats. It’s especially effective with the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer.

The best Sorcerer subclass in BG3 can vary depending on your playstyle, but the Draconic Bloodline is known for its tankiness and ability to boost damage with specific elemental types. Wild Magic Sorcerers offer high risk-high reward gameplay.

Clerics: Divine Servants

Clerics are powerful spellcasters who derive their magic from deities. Races that offer bonuses to Wisdom, the Cleric’s primary stat, or that grant divine-themed abilities are excellent choices.

Wood Elf: Wood Elves gain increased movement speed, allowing them to better position themselves on the battlefield to support their allies or unleash powerful spells. They also gain Perception proficiency, an important skill for a character who needs to be aware of their surroundings.
Dwarf (Gold): Dwarves gain bonuses to Constitution, making them more resilient in combat. They also gain proficiency with specific weapons, potentially allowing them to act as effective melee combatants when necessary.
Lathanderian Githyanki: Provides an advantage on death saving throws to avoid death.

For Clerics, the choice of domain is crucial. The Tempest Cleric combined with a Sorcerer multiclass, can create a devastating spellcasting build focused on lightning and thunder damage.

Warlocks: Pact Magic

Warlocks draw their power from otherworldly patrons, gaining unique spells and abilities depending on their chosen pact. Races that enhance Charisma or provide utility abilities are strong choices for Warlocks.

Tiefling (Zariel): The Zariel Tiefling gains access to Thaumaturgy cantrip, Searing Smite spell at level 1, and Branding Smite spell at level 3 which adds excellent utility and damage to the Warlock’s arsenal.
Half-Elf (Drow): Just as for Sorcerers, the Half-Elf, particularly the Drow Half-Elf, provides access to Faerie Fire spell at level 1. Then Darkness spell at level 3 provides a strong defensive option, and Drow Magic can easily control enemies to buy time.
Human (Variant): The flexible feat can be used to take the Actor feat which is a strong boon to Warlock roleplaying.

The Fiend Warlock subclass is powerful due to its ability to grant temporary hit points upon killing an enemy. This survivability boost makes them resilient in combat.

Multiclass Considerations

Multiclassing opens up even more possibilities for creating powerful and unique spellcasters. The Tempest Cleric/Sorcerer multiclass is known for its burst damage potential. Combining levels in both classes allows you to maximize lightning and thunder damage spells. This can take advantage of the Tempest Cleric’s ability to maximize damage rolls and the Sorcerer’s metamagic to cast more spells in a single turn.

Conclusion

Choosing the best race for a magic user in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a nuanced decision that depends on your preferred class, subclass, and playstyle. While the High Elf provides a solid foundation with its extra cantrip and charm resistance, other races offer unique benefits that can synergize with specific classes to create powerful and versatile spellcasters. Experiment with different combinations to find the race and class combination that best suits your needs, and remember that the most important thing is to have fun and create a character that you enjoy playing.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about races and magic in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Does race really matter for spellcasters in Baldur’s Gate 3? Yes, race can significantly impact your spellcaster’s performance. Racial traits can boost key stats like Charisma, Wisdom, or Intelligence, provide additional spells or cantrips, and grant valuable defensive abilities.
Which race is the absolute best for all spellcasters? There isn’t one “best” race for all spellcasters. The ideal race depends on your chosen class and playstyle. The High Elf is a generally strong choice.
Is the Human’s versatility worth it for a spellcaster? Yes, the Human’s +1 to all stats is helpful, but the Variant Human’s feat at level 1 offers more customization and can be incredibly powerful, allowing you to pick up useful feats early on.
How important is Charisma for Sorcerers and Warlocks? Charisma is extremely important. It’s their primary spellcasting stat, determining their spell attack bonus, spell save DC, and the effectiveness of many of their abilities.
What are the best feats for spellcasters in Baldur’s Gate 3? Some popular feats for spellcasters include Magic Initiate for extra cantrips and spells, Spell Sniper for increased spell range and ignoring cover, Warcaster for maintaining concentration, and Resilient for saving throw proficiency.
Does it matter which Tiefling subrace I choose for a spellcaster? Yes, Tiefling subraces offer different abilities and spells. Choose a subrace that complements your class and playstyle, such as Asmodeus for fire-based spells or Zariel for martial abilities.
Are Drow good choices for spellcasters? Drow are a viable option, offering access to Faerie Fire and Darkness, which can be strategically useful for spellcasters.
What is the best background for spellcasters? The best background for spellcasters depends on their class. For example, Noble and Sage are good options for Sorcerers, while Acolyte is a strong choice for Clerics.
How does multiclassing affect my race choice? When multiclassing, consider how your race complements both classes. Choose a race that provides benefits that synergize with both classes’ strengths.
Are Githyanki a good option for spellcasters? Yes, Githyanki can be a good option, offering medium armor proficiency for added survivability and access to the Jump and Misty Step spells for mobility.
Why is High Half-Elf a good choice for a spellcaster? High Half-Elves get an extra cantrip, making them particularly useful for Wizards.
How does race affect roleplaying in Baldur’s Gate 3? Your race can significantly impact the story and interactions with NPCs in Baldur’s Gate 3. Different races may trigger unique dialogue options and reactions from other characters.
What stat should I prioritize for a spellcaster? Intelligence for Wizards, Charisma for Sorcerers and Warlocks, and Wisdom for Clerics and Druids.
Are there any races that are bad for spellcasters? No race is inherently “bad” for spellcasters, but some races are less optimal than others due to their lack of synergy with spellcasting classes.
Can I change my race after starting the game in Baldur’s Gate 3? No, you cannot change your race after starting the game, so choose carefully during character creation.

What is the best race for magic Baldur’s Gate 3?