Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide
Aug. 15, 2023Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide
Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide– In thisBaldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide, I’m going to be covering the Sorcerer Class, including all 3 Subclasses, and providing you some useful information. I’ll be doing moreBuild GuidesforBaldur’s Gate 3, but for now, let’s just look at how Sorcerers function and its basics.
Sorcerers in BG3 are an offensive-mindedSpellcasting Class, that learns lessSpellsthan theirWizardcounterparts, but they can wield the spells they know more effectively thanks to theirMetamagic Class Feature. Metamagic allows theSorcererto change the properties of a spell, extending its reach, increasing its duration, or even making it cast again on a second target. While Wizards have a broader range of Spells they can cast, Sorcerers are specialists in their chosen spells because of this Feature.
Sorcerers gain their magic from a magical source, unlike Wizards who study arcane knowledge, and unlike Warlocks who make a Pact with a powerful being. This can be from their Dragon blood, or it can be from a spontaneous occurrence, but they contain magic inside of them.
Sorcerers have no Armour Proficiencies and almost no Weapon Proficiencies, making them terrible in martial combat if they don’t Multiclass. However, they do have Proficiency in Constitution Saving Throws, which allows them to pass Concentration Saving Throws more easily than any other Spellcasting Class.
In this section, we’ll take a look at how to set up your Sorcerer duringCharacter Creationfor the best results. We’ll begin with Abilities first, since this is arguably the most important part, aside from choosing your Subclass.
Your primary Abilities as a Sorcerer are Charisma, and Constitution.
For this reason, I strongly recommend that you invest 16 in CHA and 16 in CON during Character Creation. 14 DEX is also not bad to improve your Initiative, which helps you to take your turn sooner in combat, as well as provide some Armour Class.
Note I’ve changed this from the recommendations as it more optimizes your Character during the early goings of the game.
Race
Githyanki provides the Sorcerer withMedium Armour Proficiencythey wouldn’t otherwise get, as well as Astral Knowledge, allowing them to gain Proficiency in one Ability each Long Rest. They will also gain Misty Step at Level 5, which can help with Sorcerer positioning.
Half-Elfis good for Light Armour andShield Proficiency, as well as Fey Ancestry. They also gainDarkvision, which can help land your attacks in dark places.
Human is also good for similar reasons, but they don’t gain Fey Ancestry or Darkvision, but will gain an extra Skill Proficiency instead.
Drow is also not a bad idea, since you pick up Faerie Fire and Darkness as once per day casts at later levels, along withSuperior Darkvision,Perception ProficiencyandFey Ancestry.
Shield Dwarf can also work for Light and Medium Armour Proficiencies, along with Darkvision, and Dwarven Resilience.
ForSkillsyou’ll minimally wantProficiencyin Persuasion, Intimidation andDeception, since you should be handling the dialogue in your group if playing a Sorcerer, unless you bringWyllalong. You can use yourBackgroundto takeGuild Artisanfor Persuasion and Insight, and then selectIntimidationand Deception for your Skills.
Level 1 is a huge level for Sorcerers since they will select their Subclass here, and gain a Subclass Feature that varies from each Subclass. We’ll cover what these do and what is unique about each in the Subclass section, but for now let’s look at what else they gain.
Sorcerers will gain access to 4 Cantrips and 2 level 1 spells at this level, along with 2 level 1 Spell Slots. Remember that Sorcerers don’t need to Prepare their spells like Wizards, so they can always cast any spell they know as long as they have the Spell Slot for its level.
You can see below how many Spell Slots the Sorcerer has at each level.
At level 2, Sorcerers gain a resource called Sorcerer Points that they can use to manipulate their spells in various ways using their Metamagic Class Feature. They will gain 2 Sorcery Points at this level, and they will gain 1 Sorcery Point per Sorcerer level from this point onwards, for a total of 12 Sorcery Points at level 12. These replenish every Long Rest.
Sorcerers will also be able to exchange Sorcery Points for a Spell Slot as a Bonus Action, with higher level Spell Slots costing more Sorcery Points. This means they can cast more spells in a single combat than all other Spellcasters by converting Sorcery Points into additional spells. Note that you cannot convert Sorcery Points into level 6 Spell Slots, nor can you convert level 5 or 6 spells into Sorcery Points.
However, they can also convert a Spell Slot into Sorcery Points, as a Bonus Action, in order to manipulate another spell if they want as well. This gives them Flexible Casting, as they can use their Spell Slots and Sorcery Points in whatever combination makes the most sense for the situation.
Also at this level, Sorcerers will gain access to Metamagic, allowing them to manipulate their spells in various ways. This is a toggleable Feature on the right-hand side of your Action Bar, and you simply toggle on what Metamagic you want to cast a spell with and the Sorcery Points will be consumed automatically when you cast. It’s automatically toggled off after casting, and you cannot select more than one Metamagic per spell.
Sorcerers can select 2 choices from the following:
At Level 3, Sorcerers gain access to Level 2 Spells and gain Level 2 Spell Slots, and can upcast Level 1 Spells with these Slots if they can be. Many spells in BG3 can be upcast for additional damage, or increased targets. Pay attention to which spells they are, so you don’t waste higher level Spell Slots on ones that can’t be.
Sorcerers will also be able to select another Metamagic at this level from the previous list, as well as from three new additions:
Sorcerers gain one Feat from the Feat list at Level 4. They could choose Ability Improvement, taking Charisma to 18, which impacts dialogue, and Spell Difficulty Class. Sorcerers don’t need Resilient Constitution like many other casters, because they already have Proficiency in CON Saves. Alert though is not a bad option to help you go sooner in combat, allowing you to wipe out enemies with deadly AoEs before they can even take a turn.
Sorcerer Level 3 Spell Slots & Spells
At Level 5, Sorcerers gain access to Level 3 Spells and gain Level 3 Spell Slots, and can upcast Level 1 & 2 Spells with these Slots if they can be.
Subclass Feature
At level 6, all Sorcerers gain another Subclass Feature based on the Subclass they chose. We’ll cover these in the Subclass section, so we won’t get into them here.
Sorcerer Level 4 Spell Slots & Spells
At Level 7, Sorcerers gain access to Level 4 Spells and gain Level 4 Spell Slots, and can upcast Level 1, 2, & 3 Spells with these Slots if they can be.
Feat
Sorcerers gain another Feat from the Feat list at Level 8. Once again Ability Improvement is a good choice for more CHA, or Alert. Elemental Adept is not bad either if you plan to specialize in one damage type.
Sorcerer Level 5 Spell Slots & Spells
At Level 9, Sorcerers gain access to Level 5 Spells and gain Level 5 Spell Slots, and can upcast Level 1, 2, 3, & 4 Spells with these Slots if they can be.
Metamagic
Sorcerers will select their final Metamagic at level 10 from the same list they got to select from at level 3. This gives them a total of 4 Metamagics.
Sorcerers Level 6 Spell Slots & Spells
At Level 11, Sorcerers gain access to Level 6 Spells and gain 1 Level 6 Spell Slot, and can upcast Level 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 Spells with this Slot if they can be. This is the highest Level of Spells Sorcerers can learn in BG3.
Subclass Feature
All Sorcerers gain their final Subclass Feature at this level, based on the Subclass they chose. We’ll cover these in the Subclass section as well.
Feat
Sorcerers gain their final Feat from the Feat list at Level 12. They could choose Ability Improvement, taking Charisma to 20 if they haven’t already, or still take Alert or Elemental Adept.
The Equipment Sorcerers use will vary greatly depending on whatRaceyou selected. They generally wear no Armour, but since they can cast spells in any Armour they have Proficiency in, if you have Light or Medium from a Race, you should definitely use that if you can (unless you are playing aDraconic BloodlineSorcerer which gains 13 AC base when Unarmoured). The same goes for Shields, so if they have Shield Proficiency from Human or Half-Elf they should definitely use one to beef up theirArmour Class.
When it comes toweapon, it’s not super important because Sorcerers will likely cast Cantrips when they don’t want to use Spell Slots, not attack with weapons. However, look for something that gives you a spell you can use or perhaps some passive bonus to Spellcasting.
Choosing a Sorcerer Subclass in BG3 comes down to a few factors: Do you mind random effects happening in your game world in exchange for more control over combat in general? Do you plan to wear Armour (from Race or Multiclass)? Do you want increased mobility? And do you plan to focus on Lightning or Thunder spells?
If yes to the first one, thenWild Magicis the way to go. If you plan to wear Armour Draconic Bloodline is less optimal since it has higher base Armour Class than the other Subclasses. Both Draconic Bloodline and Storm Sorcery improve mobility, but Storm Sorcery does it much sooner, and Storm Sorcery is ideal if you plan to focus on Thunder and Lightning Spells.
All Sorcerers in BG3 gain an initial Subclass Feature at level 1 when they select their Subclass, and once again at level 6, and finally one last time at level 11. These Subclass Features are what distinguish Sorcerer Subclasses from one another, though Storm Sorcery does gain more Spells than the other two Subclasses.
At level 1, Wild Magic Sorcerers gain the Wild Magic Class Feature, which gives them a chance to trigger a Wild Magic Surge when casting a level 1 spell or higher (any spell that consumes a Spell Slot). Wild Magic Surges have random effects, and some of these are great, like gaining the effects of Shield, and some of them are not, like turning into a sheep. Currently the chance to trigger a Wild Magic Surge is 5% per level 1 or higher spell cast.
Note that Barbarians also have this Subclass, except they trigger Wild Magic EVERY time they Rage, and there is no chance involved.
Tides of Chaos is another Subclass Feature Wild Magic Sorcerers gain at this level, and it allows them to gain Advantage on an Attack Roll, Ability Check or Saving Throw once per Short or Long Rest.
Most Sorcerers won’t be using Weapons to makeAttack Rolls, however, manyCantripsmake Attack Rolls. These include:Fire Bolt,Ray of Frost,Shocking Grasp, andBone Chill. All of these spells can trigger Tides of Chaos, along with Scorching Ray, so if you want to use Tides of Chaos on an Attack Roll, these are the best spells to use for it. Otherwise, you’ll use it defensively or outside of combat entirely.
Once you’ve used Tides of Chaos the next level 1 spell or higher you cast will have a MUCH higher chance to trigger a Wild Magic Surge. Currently, the chance to trigger a Wild Magic Surge after using Tides of Chaos is ~45%. This means the more you use Tides of Chaos, the more unexpected things will happen when you cast spells using Spell Slots. So expect the unexpected if you’re using this Class Feature, which you should, since it’s a good one.
Make sure you setup Tides of Chaos under your Reactions to on and “Ask” so that you are prompted in combat when you’ll miss an Attack Roll or fail a Save, so you can use this if needed.
At level 6, Wild Magic Sorcerers are able to Bend Luck. This Subclass Feature allows them to consume 2 Sorcery Points and use a Reaction to add or subtract 1d4 from any creatures Attack Roll, Ability Check or Saving Throw. This means you can use this offensively, or defensively, whichever is needed, giving Wild Magic Sorcerers the power to change outcomes in combat.
Note that Bend Luck can only be used once per turn, as long as you have the Sorcery Points, and is not a once per Short or Long Rest Feature. Additionally, it does not increases the chances of Wild Magic Surge triggering.
At level 11, Wild Magic Sorcerers can sometimes cause opposing magic users to trigger Wild Magic Surges when those characters cast their own spells.
At level 1, Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers gain 1 HP, increasing by an additional 1 HP per Sorcerer level taken, and also improve their Armour Class to 13 when not wearingArmour. This makes them a bit tankier than other Sorcerers, and is a good choice if you’re worried about your Sorcerer being too squishy.
Note that Draconic Resilience’s increase to Armour Class does not stack with Unarmoured Defence of the Barbarian or Monk Classes, and does not stack with the Mage Armour spell.
Also at this level Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers will get to choose a Dragon Ancestor that affects their appearance, but also allows them to learn one spell based on their choice and also a damage type that they will gain Elemental Affinity with at level 6.
At level 6, as I just mentioned, Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers will gain Elemental Affinity with the damage type of their Dragon Ancestor, allowing them to add their Charisma Modifier to the damage of spells cast that deal its type of damage. Additionally, as a Reaction, they can spend 1 Sorcery Point to give themselves Resistance to that damage type until their next Long Rest. Make sure you set this to ask in Reactions so you can use this Feature effectively.
Fly
At level 11, Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers can use Fly, allowing them to move much further than they would normally, and allowing them to go up or down in elevation. This allows them to have ideal positioning, helping with proper spell placement.
At level 1, Storm Sorcery Sorcerers can useFlyas a Bonus Action without taking any Attacks of Opportunity if they cast a level 1 spell or higher. This helps with their mobility, and allows them to get out of dangerous situations rather easily where they might be engaged with a hard to kill enemy, or possibly surrounded.
At level 6, Storm Sorcery Sorcerers gain Resistance to Lightning and Thunder Damage, cutting it in half. Additionally, whenever they cast a level 1 spell or higher that deals Lightning or Thunder Damage, they deal damage in a small AoE around them equal to 1/2 their Sorcerer level rounded down. Make sure you set this up under your Reactions so you can use this efficiently.
Storm Sorcery Sorcerers also learn 5 spells automatically at this level, and these are:
If you already know these spells then you I suggest you replace them with other ones, so you can know more spells. Note that enemies doused with Create Water will become Vulnerable to Cold and Lightning Damage, doubling the damage of these types that they take.
At level 11, Storm Sorcery Sorcerer’s deal Lightning Damage to melee attackers that strike them equal to their Sorcerer level. This is nice, but ideally you wouldn’t be getting hit in by melee units.
In this section of our Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide we’ll take a look atMulticlassinga Sorcerer in BG3, and what other Classes you might Multiclass with. Keep in mind this is not a complete list, but rather helpful suggestions to that make good pairings.
The first most likely place a Sorcerer might Multiclass is after level 1, though it may not seem like it. Sorcerers gain their first Subclass bonus at this level, and they are all quite strong. Tides of Chaos for example could be great on a Bard, Paladin or Warlock that uses traditional attacks orEldritch Blast, giving them Advantage when they need it. And Tempestuous Magic gives you Fly as a Bonus Action whenever you cast a level 1 spell or higher which is great. This is on top of the CON Proficiency that Sorcerers have that help with Concentration Saving Throws.
The next most likely place for them to Multiclass is level 3 if they don’t at level 1, because they will have 3 Sorcery Points and 3 Metamagic choices at this level, along with level 2 Spell Slots. The best Metamagics cost 3 Sorcery Points, so you can’t even use these if you don’t go at least level 3.
If you don’t Multiclass at level 3, the next place you might is level 6, since Sorcerers gain another Subclass Feature at this level, and again they are quite good. For instance, Storm Sorcery picks up 5 spells and Heart of the Storm here. Bend Luck is also really really good if you went Wild Magic, and you can use it up to 3 times before Long Rest.
And lastly, if you don’t Multiclass there, you will likely go 11 levels of Sorcerer in order to pick up another Metamagic, more Sorcery Points, a level 6 spell, and a final Subclass Feature. This leaves 1 level for picking up some Proficiencies from other Classes, etc.
Paladins, Bards and Warlocks all Multiclass exceptionally well with Sorcerers due to Charisma being their Spellcasting Ability as well. However, you can mix and match with some martial Classes to pick up some Features and Proficiencies.
6 levels of Paladin and 6 of Sorcerer gives you Divine Smite, Heavy Armour if you went Paladin first, or Constitution Proficiency if you went Paladin second. You’d also gain Extra Attack, Aura of Protection and Heart of the Storm, Bend Luck, or Elemental Affinity and tons of Spell Slots for your Divine Smite. Though you would miss out on higher level spells.
1 level ofWild MagicSorcerer and 11 levels ofCollege of LoreBard gets you Constitution Proficiency and Tides of Chaos, which you can use to help manipulate combat. Pair this with a College of Lore Bard, that has Cutting Words, allows to you absolutely control everything. Or you could go 6 and 6, and get Bend Luck as well, giving you even more control. The only downside being Wild Magic.
3 Levels of Warlock and 9 levels of Sorcerer will get you a ton of spells, 2 Pact Magic Spell Slots, your Pact Boon and access to Eldritch Blast and 2 Invocations which you can use to buff it, on top of all other Sorcerer Features and Spells. Remember that Eldritch Blast increases beams with Character Level, not Class level.
Since martial Classes have no real reason to pick up Sorcerer as a second Class, since they typically won’t have high enough Charisma for Spellcasting, you will usually take mostly Sorcerer levels when Multiclassing with them, dipping a level or two into martial Classes to gain something useful, like Armour Proficiencies or other Class Features.
For instance, you could take 11 Storm Sorcery Sorcerer and 1 Tempest Cleric forHeavy Armour Proficiency. Tempest Cleric also gives you a Reaction that deals Lightning or Thunder Damage once per turn, so is a great fit for Storm Sorcery Sorcerers. And that’s on top of the Thunderwave and Fog spells they get for free. If you end up taking 2 levels of Tempest Cleric and 10 Storm Sorcerey you can make one Lightning or Thunder Damage spell deal maximum damage once per short rest, which can be devastating with the right spells.
10 levels of Sorcerer and 2 of Fighter gives you Action Surge as well as an additional AC from the Defence Fighting Style if you take it, and a lot of Proficiencies. You can take Fighter first if you want since it has CON Proficiency as well, that way you end up with Heavy Armour Proficiency if you want it.
I hope you found these tips helpful, and we’ll have some more Builds out really soon that showoff more of these Multiclassing aspects!
That wraps up our Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Class Guide! Stay tuned for more Baldur’s Gate 3 content as we update the otherBuilds, and be sure to drop by ourTwitch Channelif you have questions about the game. If you need something specific, check out ourBaldur’s Gate 3 Wikiwhich is being worked on night and day, as well as ourBaldur’s Gate 3 Guides.
Castielle
Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.
Fixed, thank you!
The hyper Link for “Wild Magic” in the Bard MultiClass, links to the barbarian’s Wild magic page
