George R.R. Martin may have been involved with Elden Ring, but Final Fantasy 16 is the game most inspired by his work. Its grand story focuses on personal tragedies amongst an epic fantasy conflict. Alongside this is gameplay rooted in the studio’s other epic, Final Fantasy 14, resulting in an enjoyable action game with both the good and the bad from its MMO parent.

Final Fantasy 16 takes the series another step into the action game genre. It resembles Devil May Cry more than it does anything released before Final Fantasy 14. Those who have played Final Fantasy 15 will find the gameplay more familiar with agility, anime flash steps, and avoiding massive enemy AoE attacks being the order of the day. This is a game where flashiness is just as important as substance. It puts some of the most impressive-looking visuals of the current generation of systems on display.

Final Fantasy XVI: Key Details

• Developer: Square Enix
• Platform: PlayStation 5 and PC
• Release Date: June 22, 2023 (PS5)/ September 17, 2024 (PC)
• Price: $69.99 (PS Store)/$49.99 (Steam)

Final Fantasy 16 Merges A Song Of Ice And Fire With Familiar Entities From The Series

Final Fantasy 16 is set in a world called Valisthea. It’s home to warning nations claiming different mountain-sized crystals known as Mothercrystals. In Valisthea, the iconic Final Fantasy summons (Shiva, Bahamut, Odin, etc.) are all-powerful beings known as Eikons. They choose human hosts to manifest their powers in the world. These hosts are called Dominants, and they possess the magical gifts of their Eikons and the ability to transform into them if the need arises.

The story of Final Fantasy 16 follows Clive Rosfield, the eldest son of the noble Rosaria family. He’s often had Dominants of the Phoenix Eikon in their bloodline. However, the Phoenix passed Clive over in favor of his younger brother, Joshua. The world is plunged into chaos when a new Dominant called Ifrit appears and kills Joshua. This leads to Clive being enslaved by an enemy army, kicking off a years-long search for answers, where entire continents go to war and Dominants are called into the biggest conflict in history.

To say more about Final Fantasy 16’s story would involve going into spoiler territory. This is a game where the plot is the highlight of the experience. It’s clear that the developers took a lot of inspiration from A Song of Ice and Fire and A Game of Thrones, with its much darker and more mature tone than previous Final Fantasy games. There’s a greater focus on political intrigue and exploration of its heroes and villains. The story in Final Fantasy 16 is among the best in the series, and it’s worth seeing through to the very end.

Special thanks also need to be given to the voice actors in Final Fantasy 16, who all provide incredible performances that elevate the game. Clive’s story wouldn’t be as impressive if not for the work these performers put into their craft.

The Final Fantasy 14 Influence Is Clear In Final Fantasy 16, Both The Good & The Bad

A great story is all well and good, but what about the gameplay between the dialogue? The same studio that worked on Final Fantasy 14 has created Final Fantasy 16. While Final Fantasy 16 might be closer to a Kingdom Hearts game than something like Final Fantasy 6. In a way, it’s much closer to Eorzea than to Mickey Mouse.

You control Clive Rosfield throughout most of Final Fantasy 16, and while NPC party members often join you. However, Clive will be doing the bulk of the work in combat. Luckily, Clive is an extremely agile character. He can rush in for sword attack combos or blast enemies from afar with basic spells. As the game goes on, Clive starts gaining the powers of different Eikons, which he can switch between in combat. These Eikons shake up his moveset in different ways. For example, Titan gives him powerful stunning, and counter-block moves. All the while Garuda lets you rip apart flying enemies or dive in for swift attacks against foes. A skill point system ties all of the abilities, where Clive can buy upgrades or new powers for his respective Eikon forms.

Final Fantasy 16 Combat is Too Smooth For A Challenge

The biggest issue with Final Fantasy 16’s combat is that it’s too easy. This is especially true for action games or Soulslike veterans, with enemy attack animations feel like they’re in slow motion. This lets other players have ample options for evading/blocking attacks. It’s also possible to use healing items at any time by pressing the D-pad. While there are limits to the number you can carry, the fact is that there’s no animation or vulnerability tied to using them. This means you have a guaranteed way to survive enemy onslaughts, save for the longest fights.

There is a more difficult mode available in Final Fantasy 16, called “Final Fantasy” mode, but you need to complete the game once to unlock it. Final Fantasy 16 has several accessibility features that make the game easier. However, it really could have used options to make it harder, like Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin did.

Luckily, the combat in the game is a lot of fun, even with the MMO DNA. The combat essentially breaks down to managing the rotations of your special moves. There are also some harder challenges to seek out in the form of Final Fantasy 16’s hunts, with most of the easy fights involving the regular mobs that you meet across the map.

Final Fantasy 16 Side Quests Lack Deeper Purpose

One aspect in which Final Fantasy 16 drops the ball is its side quests. It’s here where the Final Fantasy 14 DNA really comes out, as the bulk of the sidequests consist of pointless fetch quests and tedious combat encounters with the same mobs you’ve been meeting everywhere else. A few of the late-game quests are a little better, as they cap off the storylines of some of the major NPCs, but as a whole, they feel like busywork, and I’d much rather have a game with a few excellent sidequests than a lot of mediocre ones.

The crafting system in the game leaves a disappointing impression, as we mostly create items that feel like an afterthought. This is because, like Final Fantasy 14, the loot barely affects your character’s performance. The swords that Clive uses in combat look pretty, and they bring up big numbers, but that’s it. It’s only the very late-game items that you have to grind for that feel truly impressive, and by the time you unlock them, there’s not much left to use them on.

Final Fantasy 16 Might Be The Best-Looking Game On PlayStation 5

Outside of the story, the most impressive aspect of Final Fantasy 16 is its visuals. This game looks incredible on every level, from the character models to the game world to the colossal Eikons as they clash in the sky. This game is a technical powerhouse on nearly every level, as it does suffer from stuttering and frame rate dips during busier moments. These blips are forgivable, however, when a game looks as gorgeous as this.

The boss arenas also deserve a special shoutout, as they evoke the epic scale of the major story battles from Final Fantasy 14. The Eikon battles are also gorgeous to behold, acting as Final Fantasy Kaiju battles, where giant summon monsters tear each other to shreds. These fights are incredible to witness, and they’ll stick with me for a long time after the credits have rolled.

The Final Fantasy 14 inspirations also come out in the maps, though not in a positive way. While Final Fantasy 16 looks stunning on every level, there is also a distinct lack of exploration or puzzles in the game world. The dungeons suffer in this regard, with most of them consisting of a straight line with a few minor deviations, where you fight groups of enemies and nothing more. The overworld is more open, but there aren’t any interesting secrets to uncover or tasks to take part in outside the side quests and the hunts.

The Verdict

Final Fantasy 16 works on many levels, with a fantastic story and addictive combat system that keeps you coming back for me, along with incredible visuals that bring the world of Valisthea to life like no entry in the series before it, and I’m including Midgar from FF7 Remake in that comparison. On the other hand, you also have some of the MMO traits that hold it back from being a true classic. Final Fantasy 16 has a lot of pointless side quests and a few underwhelming game systems that feel as if they’re designed to waste time. The game is already as long as it is.

In a year filled with potential classics, Final Fantasy 16, in its current state, falls just short of reaching that lofty title, but it’s still an amazing game and well worth your time if you own the game on your PS5 or PC. Clive’s story is one of the best in the series, and if that’s the most important aspect of a game for you, then maybe you will consider it worthwhile to stand alongside the greats of the Final Fantasy franchise.

Gamepur team received a PS5 and a PC code for the purpose of this review.

Those who want to play as Legolas in Baldur’s Gate 3 have great options for archery builds, where you can rain arrows down on your enemies from afar. It’s best to do this with at least one tanky party member or someone who can summon pets, as you’ll need someone to run interference while you use your bow.

Baldur’s Gate 3 will quickly give you access to magical bows, offering you a bonus to attack rolls and damage while often possessing an additional status effect boost. The bows will quickly give you a leg up, but if you’re looking to optimize your archer to the fullest, you’ll want to pair it with the best class. Here’s the best class for archery builds in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Fighter/Rogues Are the Best Archers in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Ranger is a fine choice for a solo archer build, but a Fighter & Rogue class mix is the most effective option for ranged weapon users. You should aim to put five levels in Fighter first, then switch over to Rogue until you hit the level cap. By the end of the game, you should be a Level 5 Fighter/Level 7 Rogue mix.

The reason you want to focus on Fighter first is so you can get Longbow and Medium Armor Proficiency straight off the bat. Throughout your Fighter progression, you’ll get great hit points, the Archery Fighting Style, Second Wind (a self-healing power), Action Surge (lets you perform an additional action), a Feat, and most importantly, a second attack. For your Feat, you should select either Sharpshooter or Lucky, with the former making you a better archer, while the latter will make it easier to hit/avoid enemies.

Once you start taking Rogue levels, you’ll add Sneak Attack damage to your attacks, which will add up over long battles. You’ll also get access to many amazing defensive skills, with Cunning Action allowing you to zip around the battlefield without worrying, Uncanny Dodge halving incoming damage, and Evasion reducing the harm from spells.

Best Feats for Archers in BG3

There are two feats that we consider mandatory for archers in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Sharpshooter
  • You don’t have disadvantage when attacking enemies that have the high ground. You can also take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to deal extra 10 points of damage on a hit.
• Lucky
  • You have 3 luck points that you regain at the end of a long rest. These points can be used to gain advantage on attack rolls. It’s especially powerful when combined with Sharpshooter.

Please, note that there’s a level cap in BG3, so your feat choices are limited. Keep that in mind so you won’t miss the opportunity of taking Sharpshooter and Lucky.

Best Archer Subclasses in BG3

In terms of subclasses, the Battle Master is the better choice for the Fighter, as you can use Precision Attack to increase your damage even further, use Evasion Footwork to protect yourself, and Distracting Strike to give allies Advantage on their attacks. For the Rogue, the Assassin is the better choice, as its features are tailored around combat.

The Fighter & Rogue selection is one of the best multiclass mixes in Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D 5E, so it’s only fitting that they make for the best archers in the game. If you want this mix for someone other than your protagonist, then Astarion is a great choice, considering that he starts as a Rogue, and can easily benefit from a Fighter shift.

Best Race for Archers in BG3

The best race for archers is Wood Elves. Not only is their entire lore about archery, but Wood Elves also have excellent skills and abilities for ranged gameplay. Wood Elves get Fey Ancestry by default, which makes you immune to sleep and charm. This is excellent for increasing your DPS output and survivability, given that archers tend to have lower defense.

Wood Elves boast incredible movement speed (10.5m) as well, meaning you can make quick work of large maps and reposition to the best possible vantage spots.

Best Archer Build in BG3, Summarized

• Class Combination: Fighter (5 levels) and Rogue (7 levels)
• Starting Class: Fighter for early proficiency in longbows and medium armor
• Fighter Benefits:
  • Archery Fighting Style
  • Second Wind
  • Action Surge
  • An extra attack
• Transition to Rogue:
  • Adds Sneak Attack for increased damage
  • Defensive abilities include Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, and Evasion
• Essential Feats:
  • Sharpshooter: Increases damage output significantly
  • Lucky: Improves accuracy and defensive capabilities
• Recommended Subclasses:
  • Fighter: Battle Master for enhanced damage and defense
  • Rogue: Assassin for focused combat efficiency
• Best Race: Wood Elves for their speed, resistance to sleep and charm, and enhanced mobility

Playing as an archer in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a blast if you set up your character properly. Check out our guide on the best feats for the Ranger class as well for more tips and tricks.

The Slayer form has returned in Baldur’s Gate 3 but is unavailable from the start. The Slayer Form debuted in Baldur’s Gate 2, as the protagonist of the game is a Bhaalspawn, one of the many children of Bhaal. The game’s protagonist gained the Slayer Form when their soul was stolen, and divine darkness rushed in to fill the void. The Slayer Form was incredibly powerful in that game, but the player lost control of the character, so it was incredibly risky to use. Here’s how to unlock the Slayer Form in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s: How to Unlock the Slayer Form in Act II

To unlock the Slayer form in Baldur’s Gate 3, you must take the Dark Urge origin at character creation. Then you’ll have to do a series of tasks for Sceleritas Fel, eventually killing Isobel after rescuing her. After you take a long rest, Sceleritas Fel will grant you the Slayer form.

The Dark Urge origin is where your character is filled with a desire to commit murder and inflict grievous wounds on people. You can resist the dark side, but diving into the pool and embracing a truly evil character is much more fun.

As you progress through the Dark Urge storyline, you will eventually murder Isobel. When that happens, embrace the deed as much as possible, and you’ll be visited at night by a mysterious man named Sceleritas Fel, who will reward you for your actions with a magic cloak called the Deathstalker Mantle.

Full Walkthrough for Acquiring the Slayer Form in Act 2

Once you travel through the Underdark route in Act 2, you will visit the Last Light Inn, protected by a priestess named Isobel. When you first meet Isobel, someone will try and capture her, and a battle will ensue. While difficult, it is possible to save Isobel.

After Isobel is saved, you will be visited by Sceleritas Fel, who will ask you to kill her. This is no easy task, as slaying Isobel will lead to her barrier Shattering and the Harpers in the Last Light Inn being cursed and turned into monsters. As such, save your game and take a Long Rest before attempting this task.

Luckily, you do have other options, as Sceleritas Fel will also ask you to kill your lover or, failing that, your closest companion. Killing Isobel might be more worthwhile, depending on how important this other character is to you.

Once you kill Isobel and defeat the enemies in the Last Light Inn or slay the chosen target given by Sceleritas Fel, visit the camp and take a Long Rest. You will be visited by Sceleritas Fel again, who will reward you with the Slayer form.

Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Unlock the Slayer Form in Act III

If the player ignores all the demands made in Act II, they can still unlock the Slayer Form in Act III. However, it happens near the end of the game and won’t be as useful to the player, as they will likely have hit the max level and already be prepared for the final gauntlet of bosses.

Once the player tracks Orin the Red down to the Temple of Bhaal, the Dark Urge Origin character will have their memories restored. They will have the chance to challenge Orin as the true champion of Bhaal. When prompted, select “Show Orin the splendor of Bhaal’s favourite: Call upon the Slayer.”

The Dark Urge will transform into the Slayer, where they face Orin in a duel. If the player wins this battle, they will become Bhaal’s new chosen, retaining the power of the Slayer to use for the rest of the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3: How the Slayer Form Works

You can transform into the Slayer form as an Action, and it will last you next take a Long Rest, are dropped to zero hit points, or dismiss the form. The immediate benefit of this form is that it bumps your hit points up to 98, making you hard to kill, and like a Druid’s Wild Shape, you return to your original hit point count if the Slayer is killed. You also gain several unique attacks:

• Multiattack: Perform multiple regular attacks on your turn.
• Slay: A powerful single attack that deals 9-29 damage.
• Sumptuous Blood Bath: An attack that can deal the Bleeding condition on enemies.
• Let The Slaughter Begin: Applies the Dazed condition to nearby enemies for one turn.

The Slayer form is powerful, but it’s not unstoppable. A group of enemies can still defeat you, as they can abuse the action economy to whittle down your hit points. One benefit of this form that wasn’t present in Baldur’s Gate 2 is that you can control it, so think of the Slayer as another part of your arsenal.

Is the Slayer Form Worth it?

No, we don’t think the Slayer Form is worth it in BG3, and we’re not alone. As many other players have said, there’s far too much setup required to do even modest damage. It is also incredibly limiting as a form. You can’t speak nor cast stuff like spells and Illithid powers. It also only works once every long rest. You also get limited attack functionality, so missing any single attack is a great waste. There are just significantly better builds and transformations to use instead, like Druid’s Owlbear form.

The Dark Urge in BG3 is a strange yet dark storyline that only experienced players should check out. We have a guide on all deranged Dark Urge impulses one can experience.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finished. With it, the Xbox brand has grown its gaming catalog with some of the biggest titles in the industry, including the Diablo series. But does that mean Diablo IV is coming to Xbox Game Pass?

After nearly a year of legal issues and regulatory blocks, the Activision Blizzard acquisition by Microsoft has finally been completed. This is great news for Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers, as it means that Microsoft can put a ton of games on the service. It’s just a question of timing, as there’s no rush to put everything on at once, as Microsoft can gradually bolster the Game Pass line-up with titles.

Related: Diablo 4 – Should You Salvage or Sell Gear in Diablo 4?

When Will Diablo 4 Arrive On Xbox Game Pass?

After a long wait and many hopeful fans clamoring for confirmation, it has finally been revealed that Diablo 4 will be coming to Xbox Game Pass on March 28, 2024.

This news comes via the Xbox Podcast, which featured Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty revealing a business update regarding Xbox’s future, in which they revealed that Diablo 4 would be coming to the game streaming platform and be the first Activision Blizzard title to do so. Now, even more players will be able to dive into the demon-slaying action than ever before.

Will We See Other Activision Blizzard Games Come to Game Pass?

While it is currently only the first title from Activision Blizzard to come to Game Pass, we imagine there will be many more to come in the future now that Microsoft officially owns the company.

Fans have been asking and speculating about what titles could come to the streaming platform since the deal closed in October last year. Phil Spencer quickly told fans that it wouldn’t be until 2024 that we might see games like Diablo 4, Call of Duty, and other titles from Activision Blizzard come to Game Pass.

Related: Is Diablo in Diablo 4?

With Diablo now coming to the platform, it seems that the ball is rolling, and we imagine there will be other announcements, potentially during the summer showcase, of other major titles from the company landing on Xbox Game Pass. All of this is to say that the service will likely look a lot more valuable and worthwhile to players if it wasn’t already.

Necromancers are an option for the Wizard class in Baldur’s Gate 3. The Necromancer is a powerful archetype for your protagonist, so long as you build it correctly.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, all classes have access to Necromancer spells as well. Here’s the best BG3 Necromancer build.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Benefits of Playing a Necromancer in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Wizard is a primary spellcaster class with the ability to learn all the spells on its list, so long as you can find enough spell scrolls and gold to scribe them into your book. If you select the School of Necromancy subclass, then you’ll receive the following benefits as you level up:

• Grim Harvest (Level 2) – If you kill a non-Undead/Construct enemy with a spell, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell’s level, or three times if it’s a Necromancy spell.
• Animate Dead (Level 6) – You add the Animate Dead spell to your spellbook. This can be cast on an enemy corpse to turn them into a skeleton or a zombie under your command. You can cast it at a higher level to summon stronger undead.
• Undead Thralls: Additional Undead (Level 6) – You can now raise an additional undead when casting Animate Dead.
• Undead Thralls: Better Summons (Level 6) – The undead you summon with Animate Dead now add your Wizard level to their Maximum hit point score and add your Proficiency Bonus to their damage.
• Inured to Undead (Level 10) – You now resist Necrotic damage, and your maximum hit point score cannot be lowered.

With all these abilities in hand, the Necromancer is the best summoner build in Baldur’s Gate 3, as you also gain access to most of the Conjuration summoning spells, such as Conjure Elemental. This means that you’re the master of summoning pets to run interference, to give your Rogue the extra body that will let them perform Sneak Attacks, and to rush enemy mobs.

The Best Race & Feats for a Necromancer in Baldur’s Gate 3

As Baldur’s Gate 3 dropped the racial stat bonus rules when it left Early Access, your choice of race isn’t as important as before. You should always play the race that appeals to you the most, but if you care more about mechanical benefits, then these are your best options:

• Asmodeus Tiefling – This race gives you Fire resistance, Darkvision, and extra spells as you level up (Produce Flame at level 1, Hellish Rebuke at level 3, and Darkness at level 5), all of which are extremely useful tools for your character.
• Githyanki – This race gives you Astral Knowledge (pick a Skill proficiency when you Long Rest), Martial Prodigy (several weapon proficiencies, as well as Light and Medium Armor Proficiency), and several spell-like abilities over your progression, with Githyanki Psionics: Mage Hand at level 1, Githyanki Psionics: Jump at level 3, and Misty Step at level 5.
• Shield Dwarf – This race gives you Advantage on Poison saving throws and resistance to Poison damage, Darkvision, and several weapon proficiencies. More importantly, it gives you Light and Medium Armor Proficiency, allowing you to equip better gear and turn Dexterity into a dump stat.

Regarding Feats, you’ll have access to three of them throughout your progression, as you get one at level 4, level 8, and level 12. These are the best Feat choices for your Necromancer:

• Ability Score Improvement – You should use this to boost your Intelligence stat to 20 as soon as possible, which means you might need to take it twice. Boosting your Intelligence stat will increase your Spell Attack and Spell Save DC bonus, which are vital tools to use in combat.
• Ritual Caster: Use this to cast spells like Longstrider (to give you extra movement) or Find Familiar (summon an extra monster to fight in battle) without spending precious spell slots.
• Spell Sniper – Use this Feat to learn Eldritch Blast, as it’s the best Cantrip in the game and is usually exclusive to Warlocks. You now have a powerful Cantrip to spam on turns when you’re not burning spell slots, and you also crit on a 19-20.

Best Stat Distribution for Necromancer

Since Necromancers are wizards, you’ll want to prioritize the Intelligence stat. The Intelligence stat increases spell damage and a chance to hit. It will also improve Intelligence based dice rolls. Dexterity is the second most important, as this improves your mage armour and chance to avoid enemy spell damage. Here’s our recommended stat distribution down below.

• Strength: 8
• Dexterity: 16
• Constitution: 14
• Intelligence: 16
• Wisdom: 10
• Charisma: 10

Best Spells to Pick for Your Necromancer

As Baldur’s Gate 3 has a level cap of 12, your Necromancer will only ever be able to cast level 6 Wizard spells. Luckily, you can learn all of the spells on your list, but you are limited in how many you can prepare each day. These are the best spells for your Necromancer to use in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Cantrip: Bone Chill, Friends, Poison Spray
• Level 1: Find Familiar, Ray of Sickness, Magic Missile, Sleep, Grease
• Level 2: Blindness, Ray of Enfeeblement, Shatter, Web
• Level 3: Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch, Fireball, Haste, Counterspell
• Level 4: Blight, Banishment, Polymorph, Confusion, Wall of Fire
• Level 5: Contagion, Dethrone, Conjure Elemental, Planar Binding
• Level 6: Circle of Death, Create Undead, Eyebite, Disintegrate

The Best Party Members to Aid Your Necromancer in Baldur’s Gate 3

If your protagonist is going to be the Necromancer of the group, then it’s best to stick with the classic four-man D&D archetypes. You’ll need to ditch Gale and Wyll, as you’re the primary spellcaster of the group. Instead, you’ll need Shadowheart as your healer and buffer, Astarion as your striker and designated trap/lock breaker, and Lae’zel or Karlach as your warrior. Both are excellent choices, but Lae’zel’s extra Feats and better armor options make her the superior choice, in my opinion. That being said, Karlach can still fill the role without issue.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the Level Cap?

If you plan on turning Gale into the Necromancer, your protagonist’s class will determine the rest of the party’s makeup. If you want to play a warrior, then bring Astarion and Shadowheart with you; if you want to play a Rogue or Ranger, then bring Shadowheart and Lae’zel/Karlach with you; or if you want to play a healer, bring Astarion and Lae’zel/Karlach with you.

Necromancers in BG3 are one of the most powerful magic-based classes one can pick. Don’t forget that Sorcerers and Wizards are also very powerful in their own right, and you should consider them too when deciding on a class.

Baldur’s Gate 3 lets you select Feats for your characters, and the Rogue benefits the most from them. With Feats, your Rogue can become very powerful.

As the Rogue, your main goal is to use skills outside of combat for traps and locks. Here are the best Feats for Rogues in BG3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Best Feats for Rogues in Baldur’s Gate 3

In Baldur’s Gate 3, you get Feats at levels 4, 8, and 12, allowing you to acquire three throughout the game. These are the best Feats for Rogues in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Dungeon Delver: This Feat gives you Advantage on Perception check to find traps and on Saving Throws to avoid traps, as well as Resistance to any damage dealt by traps. The Rogue in your party is most likely to search ahead for traps and disarm them whenever possible, so they will benefit the most from this Feat.
• Lucky: This Feat gives you 3 Luck Points that refresh on a Long Rest. They can be used to gain Advantage on Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, Saving Throws, or make an enemy reroll their Attack Roll. This is so good for Rogues because giving yourself Advantage means that you have three guaranteed Sneak Attacks per day, as spending Luck Points lets you bypass the usual requirements for setting them up.
• Mobile: This Feat increases your movement speed, your Dash ignores difficult terrain, and if you move after performing a melee attack, you won’t provoke an Attack of Opportunity. Rogues can Dash by spending a Bonus Action when they hit level 2, which means this is a very useful Feat, especially in a game where so many spells and items can create difficult terrain.
• Sharpshooter: This Feat removes the penalties from the high ground rules, and you can choose to take a -5 to your attack roll to deal an extra 10 points of damage. If your Rogue uses ranged attacks, this is a great option, as you can pile on tons of damage with a single action as long as you risk a miss.
• Skilled: This Feat gives you any three Skill Proficiencies. The Rogue already gets many Skill Proficiencies, but you can stretch your range of abilities even further and fill any holes in your arsenal with this Feat.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?

Best Stats for Rogue in BG3

As a rogue, you’ll want to heavily prioritize Dexterity. Your goal is to get it to 20 as quickly as possible. Afterwards, Constitution should be your next focus. Your attacks are Dex-based, so you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of damage and health to get through most fights. Here is our stat distribution for Rogue in BG3:

• Strength – 8
• Dexterity – 17
• Constitution – 14
• Intelligence – 12
• Wisdom – 14
• Charisma – 10

The Rogue has a few Feat options that help them, but it depends on how you’re using them. If the Rogue is a ranged warrior, then Mobile and Sharpshooter are key picks, but if they’re the protagonist and acting as the leader, then Dungeon Delver and Skilled are the better choice. Ultimately, the best picks are determined by how you want them to work.

Baldur’s Gate 3 involves forming a party of adventurers, and some party builds are better than others. This is because Baldur’s Gate 3 uses the D&D 5E rules.

You can have four party members in Baldur’s Gate 3. With this framework, we’ll give you the best party builds and composition in BG3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Four Class Groups in D&D/Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 classes fall into four D&D 5E categories: Warrior, Expert, Mage, and Priest. Warriors are the tanks that fight enemies up close, and they tend to wear the best armor and have the highest hit points. Experts have lots of skills you use outside of combat, though they can still hit hard when pressed. Mages are arcane spellcasters who control the battlefield with magic that harms enemies or inflicts status effects. Priests are the healers and buffers of the group, though they have some specialist combat options available to them. These are how the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 fit into the four groups:

• Warrior – Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Paladin
• Expert – Bard, Ranger, Rogue
• Mage – Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
• Priest – Cleric, Druid

There is some bleedover between these groups, as Paladins are decent healers, Bards are primary spellcasters, and certain Warlock builds can turn them into melee fighters, but those are just extra benefits from the overall intention of the class.

Your Character’s Class is Vital for Determining Party Composition in Baldur’s Gate 3

The class you choose for your main character will determine your best party build. The intention is for you to have one Warrior, one Expert, one Mage, and one Priest. This means you’ll always have a frontline fighter, someone sneaky to deal with traps/locks, a damage dealer, and a healer.

• If your character is a Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, or Paladin, pick a character from the Expert, Mage, and Priest list.
• If your character is a Bard, Ranger, or Rogue, pick a character from the Warrior, Mage, and Priest list.
• If your character is a Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard, pick a character from the Warrior, Expert, and Priest list.
• If your character is a Cleric or Druid, pick a character from the Warrior, Expert, and Mage list.

If you’re playing a multiplayer game with your friends, consider the roles above when forming your party and adjust accordingly. Being able to shape your group across multiple characters means you’ll likely have a stronger group than one created using party members.

Warrior Characters in Baldur’s Gate 3

From the early hours of Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll have access to Lae’zel, a githyanki Fighter with some extra psionic powers. Not long after, you’ll have a chance to hire Karlach, a tiefling Barbarian with a fiery temperament. Both characters have pros and cons:

• Lae’zel – She can wear better armor, can take multiple actions per turn at level 2 (via Action Surge), and her psionic jump makes her the best explorer during Act 1.
• Karlach – She can hit like a truck, has a sidequest where her abilities are improved over time, and has access to the Wild Magic Barbarian subclass, which is a ton of fun, especially for people who enjoy chaotic playthroughs.

When choosing between the two, the deciding factor should be defense vs offense. Lae’zel can get decked out in the best armor and use a shield, making her very hard to hit. Meanwhile, Karlach is easier to hit, but she has many hit points, can resist damage while raging, and deals lots of damage. If you have a defense-heavy healer, like Shadowheart, then go for Karlach, but if your party is squishy, choose Lae’zel.

It bears mentioning that Minthara (one of the three bosses of the goblin faction) is also a potential party member, as she’s a Paladin sworn to Lolth. It’s much more difficult to acquire Minthara than the other characters, as she’s tied to an evil route, but she’s a great replacement for Lae’Zel if you’re running the Dark Urge origin or plan to give in to the Mind Flayer parasite.

Best Warrior Stats

Here is the best stat distribution for warriors in BG3:

• Strength – 16
• Dexterity – 14
• Constitution – 16
• Wisdom – 10
• Intelligence – 8
• Charisma – 10

You Basically Need Astarion (Unless You’re Playing a Bard/Ranger/Rogue)

Much like Tomi Undergallows in Neverwinter Nights, if you’re not playing a Bard, Ranger, or Rogue, then you need Astarion in your party. This is because there are tons of locked doors and chests in Baldur’s Gate 3, as well as traps that need disarming and hidden secrets that need spotting. This is where Astarion shines, so put him in your group and never look back. Astarion’s Sneak Attack and Cunning Action also make him extremely useful on the battlefield.

Minsc from Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 is available later on, but keep Astarion in your group until you meet him, as he’s pretty much vital to players who don’t take one of the Expert classes.

Mage Characters in Baldur’s Gate 3

You’ll be given your first arcane caster early on in Baldur’s Gate 3, as you can unlock Gale when you reach the first Waypoint. Once you reach the Emerald Grove, you can unlock Wyll. The arcane spellcaster classes are popular with fans, so don’t feel bad about benching one of these guys if you don’t need them. They have strengths and weaknesses if you’re not playing an arcane caster.

• Gale – He has access to way more spells and spell slots than Wyll. You can choose his subclass, offering many customization options for his progression.
• Wyll – He can recover his spell slots when taking a Short Rest. You can turn him into a half-decent warrior with some tweaks (such as taking Pact of the Blade and giving him Medium Armor Proficiency with a Feat). His Patron being a part of the story leads to some interesting cutscenes.

Overall, Gale is the better choice due to the sheer number of spells he offers. Wyll’s warrior build shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you’re playing a magic-using subclass like the Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster, but he’s not great as a primary caster. Baldur’s Gate 3 is too combat heavy, and its battlefields are too big for you not to have a primary arcane caster.

Best Wizard Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for wizards in BG3

• Strength – 8
• Dexterity – 13
• Constitution – 15
• Intelligence – 17
• Wisdom – 10
• Charisma – 12

Best Warlock Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Warlocks in BG3

• Strength – 8
• Dexterity – 13
• Constitution – 16
• Wisdom – 10
• Intelligence – 10
• Charisma – 17

Priest Characters in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you a Cleric straight off the bat, as Shadowheart is available as soon as you finish the tutorial dungeon. You’ll unlock Halsin way later in the game, as you have to complete several quests in Act 1 before you can get him. This means that Shadowheart will likely be your healer throughout most of Act 1, though you don’t necessarily need to keep her, especially if you’re playing a Priest, as both she and Halsin have benefits:

• Shadowheart – You get her early on, and she comes with Cure Wounds and Healing Word, the two best healing spells throughout Act 1. You can deck her out in heavy armor, and she can deal decent damage in combat.
• Halsin – His Wild Shape gives him powerful forms that let him deal and absorb a lot of damage. Druids get lots of great exclusive spells to use in combat.

Honestly, both characters are a great choice, and the decision should be whether you prefer defensive or offensive options. Shadowheart can wear great armor, but she can’t do much damage, while Halsin can go on the front lines as a bear, but his Armor Class score is bad, especially when he uses Wild Shape. If healing is your main concern, then take Shadowheart, but if you have characters who can otherwise Heal (such as if you’re playing a Bard or a Paladin), then go for Halsin when you unlock him.

You will also unlock Jaheira from Baldur’s Gate 2 later in the game, but it depends on whether you want to switch out one of your familiar characters with her, as you will have used Shadowheart or Halsin in your group for a long time by this point. The retro Baldur’s Gate fans might just want Jaheira back because they loved her in the older games, which is totally understandable.

Best Cleric Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Clerics in BG3.

• Strength – 10
• Dexterity – 14
• Constitution – 16
• Intelligence – 8
• Wisdom – 16
• Charisma – 10

Best Druid Stats in BG3

Here is the best stat distribution for Druids in BG3.

• Strength – 10
• Dexterity – 17
• Constitution – 12
• Intelligence – 10
• Wisdom – 16
• Charisma – 10

Baldur’s Gate 3: Suggested Party Builds

Unless you’re playing a Bard, Cleric, Druid, or Rogue, you will likely need Astarion and Shadowheart throughout Act 1. If not one, then both, as they’re just too useful to have around, Astarion for his trap/lock solutions and Shadowheart’s healing. Your choice of protagonist will determine your crew throughout Act 1 and Act 2.

• If The Protagonist Is A Barbarian/Fighter/Monk/Paladin – Pick Astarion, Shadowheart, and Gale.
• If The Protagonist Is A Bard/Ranger/Rogue – Take Shadowheart (replace with Halsin if you get him), Karlach, and Gale.
• If The Protagonist Is A Cleric/Druid – Pick Astarion, Lae’Zel, and Gale.
• If The Protagonist Is A Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard – Take Astarion, Lae’Zel, and Shadowheart.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?

Ultimately, you can complete Baldur’s Gate 3 with any party build. This is because the game gives you many items that can help you in combat, such as gimmick arrows, grenades, potions, and spell scrolls. If you do go for a balanced mix of characters, then you’ll have a much easier time in combat and when exploring dungeons, but don’t let it define your choice. If you really want to keep certain party members around, then use them, as your enjoyment of the NPCs is more important than min-maxing your way through the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has a multitude of party compositions and builds you can experiment widely with. Check out our guide on all classes ranked based on skills and abilities here.

If your Bard feels underpowered in Baldur’s Gate 3, you might need to change the feats they’ve been given. Smart feat selection is key to getting the most out of this class.

This is because the Bard is a jack-of-all-trades class, but they need a little extra push to match the other primary spellcasters in the game. Here are the best feats for Bards in BG3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Best Feats for Bards in Baldur’s Gate 3

In Baldur’s Gate 3, you get Feats at levels 4, 8, and 12, giving you access to three throughout the game. This means you’ll only have a few options to boost your beloved Bard, and they’ll need it, as their spellcasting powers need to be at the top of their game. The best Feats for the Bard class in Baldur’s Gate 3 are:

• Ability Improvement Feat: You can use this Feat to try and max out your Charisma stat. As a primary spellcaster, you should get your Charisma stat to 20 as soon as possible. If your Charisma is 17, then use Ability Improvement to put one point into Charisma and another into a stat that will gain a modifier improvement. This is because the modifier is the same for a stat when it’s 18 or 19. You can use this method to gain two boosts at once, then use Ability Improvement to boost up to 20 when you reach Level 8.
• Alert: This Feat gives +5 to Initiative rolls and prevents you from being surprised. Alert is useful to everyone, but Bards can benefit from it more than other classes, as their whole MO is throwing out buffs, debuffs, and status effects. The earlier you can get out a debilitating effect on the enemy, the more you’ll benefit from it over the course of a battle.
• Medium Armor Master: This Feat removes the Disadvantage on Stealth checks when wearing medium armor and increases your potential Dexterity Armor Class bonus from +2 to +3. Only take this if you’re playing a College of Valor Bard or your race gives you Medium Armor Proficiency. If you take this Feat, then you can keep the stealthy aspects of the Bard and retain a decent Dexterity score without being penalized for wearing better armor.
• Skilled: This Feat lets you master three more Skill proficiencies. As Bards already gain three (and you get two from your Background), this will give you a chance to master nearly every Skill in the game. As the protagonist, this will be very useful for you, as they’ll be the character used the most throughout the game.
• War Caster: This Feat gives you an Advantage on Concentration Saving Throws and lets you spend your Reaction to cast Shocking Grasp on opponents moving out of your melee range. The Bards are one of the best classes for using buffing spells, and all of the best buffs require Concentration (to avoid a Pathfinder situation, where you spend ages enchanting the party before a fight). With War Caster, you’re more likely to keep your Concentration in check during battle.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?

It helps to boost the Bard’s spellcasting powers first and treat their martial prowess & Skills as secondary talents. Hopefully, you’ll be able to utilize all of their talents throughout your playthrough, but the Bard’s ability to heal and inspire their allies is where their true strength lies. While they can fight on the frontlines and sneak about, they’ll serve you best as magical powerhouses.

Best Stats for Bards in BG3

Bards are going to want to focus on maximizing Charisma as fast as possible. This is your main stat that influences most of your abilities. With that being said, you shouldn’t neglect other stats like Dex and Con either. Here is our recommended stat distribution for BG3 Bards.

• Strength – 8
• Dexterity – 15
• Constitution – 13
• Intelligence – 12
• Wisdom – 10
• Charisma – 17

Now that you know the best feats and stats for Bards, you’ll need to know the best race as well. Check out our guide for best race for Bards in BG3 next.

Fighters receive the most Feats out of any class in Baldur’s Gate 3. This power boost helps create some incredible builds.

In case the name wasn’t a dead giveaway, the Fighter’s job is to fight. Here are the best feats for fighters in BG3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return In Baldur’s Gate 3

The Best Feats for Fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3

Fighters get the most Feats out of any class in Baldur’s Gate 3, as they receive a bonus one from their class progression. This means Fighters receive Feats at levels 4, 6, 8, and 12. These are the best Feats for Fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Ability Score Improvement: This Feat lets you add 2 to any single stat or 1 to two stats. Chances are, you’ll be playing a Strength-focused Fighter in Baldur’s Gate 3, but there is a way to plan ahead. In Act II, it’s possible to gain a permanent Strength boost by letting Astarion drink Araj’Oblodra’s blood. If you use this Feat to increase your Strength to 18, you can boost it to 20 (the maximum) if you talk your way into Moonrise Towers in Act II.
• Charger:  This Feat gives you the Charger: Weapon Attack and Charger: Shove actions, allowing you to move and attack in one maneuver. The Charger moves are especially useful to melee Fighters as it’s all about rush down: your job is to head enemies off at the pass before they can get to the archers and spellcasters. It’s also great for pursuing foes running away or making the most of a gap in the enemy line, allowing you to hit their ranged units.
• Great Weapon Master: This Feat lets you make an extra melee weapon attack as a Bonus Action after you crit or kill an enemy. You can also deal an extra 10 points of damage by taking a -5 penalty to hit. When coupled with the Polearm Master Feat (mentioned below), Great Weapon Master can let you deal a ton of damage in a single turn, especially if you mix it with Action Surge.
• Heavily Armored Master: This Feat increases your Strength by 1 and reduces all damage by 3 when wearing heavy armor. As Fighters are the most likely to be wearing heavy armor, this Feat can save you a ton of damage over the course of a battle.
• Polearm Master: This Feat lets you use your Bonus Action to perform an extra attack when using a halberd, quarterstaff, or spear, as well as giving you an Attack of Opportunity when enemies come within range. If you’re running a two-weapon user, this Feat combined with Great Weapon Master is essential, especially as plenty of magical halberds in the game are tailor-made for this build.
• Savage Attacker: This Feat lets you roll damage twice when making a weapon attack, allowing you to take either result. Savage Attacker is pretty explanatory, as it will raise your average battle damage over the course of the game. Savage Attacker is probably the best choice for your first Feat if you can’t think of anything else.
• Sentinel: This Feat lets you spend your Reaction to make a weapon attack an enemy in melee range attacking an ally. You gain Advantage on Attacks of Opportunity, and if you hit a creature, it has to stop. Sentinel is a great Feat to take if you have another warrior on the frontlines, such as a battle Cleric, a Wild Shape-loving Druid, or a Rogue that comes in for Sneak Attacks. If you don’t have other close-range allies, then skip this Feat.
• Shield Master: This Feat gives you +2 to Dexterity Saving Throws when using a shield. You can use your Reaction to take half damage from a spell that gives a Dexterity Saving Throw, taking half damage on a fail, or no damage on a success. If you’re going for a shield build, this is an amazing Feat to pick, as it will make you less susceptible to most damaging spells, especially AoE ones.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?

Ultimately, your best bet playing a Fighter is to select the two-handed weapon approach, which will give you more opportunities to deal damage, or one weapon with a shield, which makes you harder to kill. Both playstyles are powerful in their own ways, and the Feats exist to make them even strong than they normally would be.

Best Stats for Fighters in BG3

Given that your fighter will be fighting, you should pick melee-oriented stats to suit that purpose, like Strength. The Fighter is a fairly diverse class, so you might want to check out an optimal build that will set you up for many subclasses.

• Str – 17
• Dex – 8
• Con – 16
• Int – 10
• Wis – 14
• Cha – 8

As we said, there are few ways to do a fighter build wrong, so feel free to mix and match on the fly, allocating more points into another stat for your playstyle.

We love Fighters for their high damage, large health pools, and ability to completely hold down a frontline for your more vulnerable team members. Check out our mega guide on all feats and classes for more tips and tricks in BG3.

Paladins are incredible melee fighters in Baldur’s Gate 3. And you can make them even stronger by picking the best feats.

However, there are many feats available, and it can be difficult building out your Paladin for the first time. We’re here to help. Here are the best feats for Paladins in BG3.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return In Baldur’s Gate 3

The Best Feats for Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3

In Baldur’s Gate 3, you get Feats at levels 4, 8, and 12, giving you access to three throughout the game. This will give you several chances to power up your Paladin protagonist, be they a holy avenger or an unholy blackguard. The best Feats for the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3 are:

• Ability Score Improvement: This Feat allows you to add +2 to one stat or +1 to two separate stats. One thing to bear in mind is that you can gain +2 to your Strength stat by allowing Astarion to bite a certain NPC, so you only need to increase it to 18 to hit the maximum score in Act II. This gives you the chance to focus on Charisma, which powers a lot of your abilities.
• Alert: This Feat gives +5 to Initiative rolls and prevents you from being surprised. As you can afford to turn Dexterity into a dump stat, you can use Alert to ensure you’re not always going last in the Initiative queue.
• Heavily Armored Master: This Feat increases your Strength by 1 and reduces all damage by 3 when wearing heavy armor. As the class best suited for heavy armor builds, this is a great choice for the Paladin, as the Strength will boost your damage and reduce all enemy hits, possibly removing chip damage altogether.
• Savage Attacker: This Feat lets you roll damage twice when making a weapon attack, allowing you to take either result. As you’ll be whacking enemies with divine/magic-infused attacks, this Feat will improve your baseline damage across the entire game.
• Sentinel: This Feat lets you spend your Reaction to make a weapon attack an enemy in melee range attacking an ally. You gain Advantage on Attacks of Opportunity and if you hit a creature, it has to stop. Chances are, your Paladin will be fighting alongside allies on the frontlines, where they can make the most of their healing powers & spells. With Sentinel, you’ll be getting free attacks whenever enemies take a shot at your friends.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s The Level Cap?

You may have noticed that Feats like Great Weapon Master and Polearm Master are not on the list. The reason for this is Paladins need their Bonus Action on their turn to use their Smiting spells, which are the best attacks in their arsenal, so having Bonus Action attacks isn’t as useful to them as it is for other classes. This is why it’s better to focus on passive effects that will be useful in more situations.

Best Stats for Paladins in BG3

Figuring out what stats to pick for Paladins can be as difficult as picking feats. We’ve curated what we think are the best stats to go for below:

• Strength – 17
• Dexterity – 8
• Constitution – 14
• Intelligence – 8
• Wisdom – 10
• Charisma – 16

Check out the Zariel Tiefling race as well for Paladin, as they get initial bonuses to Str and Cha, making them a solid pick for Paladin.

Want to try something other than a Paladin in BG3 for numerous reasons. Check out our guide on best feats for Cleric as well for even more tips and tricks.