Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Subclass Tier List (BG3 Best Subclasses Patch 8)

Latest Update: September 15, 2026 – Categories: Baldur’s Gate 3

This is every Baldur’s Gate 3 subclass ranked from best to worst in the latest Patch 8 update. See where each one lands and why, so you can pick the build that actually makes you feel powerful in combat.

Related Baldur’s Gate 3

• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Builds for 2026
• BG3 Best Multiclass Builds Explained
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Class Tier List
• All Subclasses Ranked List
• Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Solo Class
• Ultimate BG3 Companion Tier List

This list covers all 58 subclasses across every class, updated for Patch 8, Community Update #36. The focus is combat power and how strong you feel in a fight, not pure dialogue or roleplay. Where a subclass has a full build guide on the site, there is a link so you can jump straight to the setup.

How We Rank

Every subclass is scored on six factors:

• Power ceiling (peak strength)
• Late game strength (Act 3, levels 10 to 12)
• Act 1 strength
• Party versatility
• Uniqueness over the base class
• Ease of play and low setup

The S-tier bar is simple. Can it carry or even solo Honour Mode? Here is what each tier means.

• S Tier: Top of the meta. These carry or even solo Honour Mode. Pick these to feel the strongest.
• A Tier: Excellent and reliable. Not quite game-breaking, but strong from start to finish.
• B Tier: Solid and playable. Good in the right party or as a multiclass piece, just not a standout.
• C Tier: Weak. Niche, RP, or a multiclass crutch to stay relevant.
• D Tier: Avoid. Trap picks that hamstring you inside and outside of combat.

BG3 Best Subclasses Tier List Overview

BG3 Best Subclasses Ranked

Circle of the Moon Druid  [S Tier]

• Key feature: Wild Shape into stronger forms like the Sabre-toothed Tiger and the Myrmidons.
• Pro: Can solo Honour Mode, and drops back to your own form instead of dying in beast shape.
• Con: Low Charisma, and it needs pre fight buffs and an elixir to peak.
• Best for: Players who want a Wild Shape bruiser that dominates combat.

Any subclass that can solo Honour Mode earns S tier, and believe it or not the Circle of the Moon can. It focuses entirely on Wild Shape and hands you a stack of bonuses as you level, including unique forms like the Sabre Toothed Tiger and the Myrmidons that other Druids do not get.

The build leans on the Tavern Brawler feat, which doubles your Strength on unarmed attacks and pushes your to hit numbers sky high.

When you drop to zero HP in Wild Shape you just revert to yourself, so it is forgiving. The downsides are low Charisma, so you are not the party face, and some pre planning to buff and keep an elixir ready. Put this build in the right hands and it dominates combat. S tier.

Build guide: Halsin (Moon Druid) build guide

Eldritch Knight Fighter [S Tier]

• Key feature: Wizard spellcasting on a Fighter, plus War Magic and the Booming Blade cantrip.
• Pro: Free extra thunder damage from Booming Blade, and Shield for the best Fighter survivability.
• Con: Easily the most complex Fighter subclass to play.
• Best for: Players who want the strongest Fighter as a main class or a level 3 dip.

The Eldritch Knight is the best Fighter subclass because it gains spellcasting. What rockets it up the rankings is not that it is new, it is not, it is access to the Booming Blade cantrip. That is extra thunder damage at no cost since it is a cantrip. Add Shield and you get the most survivability of any Fighter.

War Magic gives you a weapon attack after casting a cantrip, perfect for the Booming Blade combo when Great Weapon Master does not proc. And if you use spellcasting mostly for buffs and a cantrip, you do not need to stack tons of Intelligence.

The one real downside is complexity. Unlike the other Fighter subclasses, this one is intricate and feels more like a Paladin than an easy Fighter. But the new cantrip and added spells make it incredible as a main class or a level 3 dip. S tier.

Build guide: Eldritch Knight Fighter build guide

Gloom Stalker Ranger [S Tier]

• Key feature: Dread Ambusher adds a bonus attack, +3 initiative, and extra movement on turn one.
• Pro: The best turn one burst in the game, and one of the strongest level 3 dips anywhere.
• Con: A lot of its power is front loaded, so it wants a multiclass after level 5.
• Best for: Players who want to wipe a team on turn one, and a top Honour Mode pick.

The Gloom Stalker is the strongest Ranger subclass in BG3 and one of the best level 3 pickups in the entire game. Dread Ambusher gives you a bonus attack with extra damage, a +3 initiative bump, and extra movement on your first turn, which turns you into an ambush specialist who acts first and hits hardest.

The reason it hits S tier is turn-one power. Built with the Gloom Stalker, Assassin, and a Fighter or Champion split, the so-called stealth trinity, you get guaranteed crits, an extra bonus action, and a wider crit range. Trigger surprise and you can wipe an entire group before they act. BG3’s special arrows only add to it, letting you hit multiple targets or put a pack to sleep.

Because its power is front-loaded, the Gloom Stalker is also the best Ranger to multiclass after level 5. Four levels of Rogue Thief add a bonus action for an offhand attack every turn and smooth out its damage beyond the opening burst. This is the build to run if you want to complete Honour Mode. S-tier.

Build guide: Gloom Stalker Ranger build guide

Hexblade Warlock [S Tier]

• Key feature: Hex Warrior lets you attack with Charisma, and Hexblade’s Curse lowers your crit threshold.
• Pro: One stat powers your attacks, spell DC, and dialogue, with huge doubled psychic Shadow Blade crits.
• Con: Melee exposure early, and psychic-immune enemies need a backup plan.
• Best for: Players who want a Charisma melee carry that deletes priority targets.

The Hexblade is the best Warlock build in the game and our top S tier pick, usually a Warlock 9 and Sorcerer 3 Charisma melee duelist built around the Shadow Blade spell. Hex Warrior hands you medium armor, shields, and martial weapons at level 1, and lets you attack with Charisma instead of Strength or Dexterity. One stat powers your attacks, your spell DC, and your dialogue, which is rare.

The core combo is nasty. Hexblade’s Curse lowers your crit threshold, Pact of the Blade gives you two swings a turn, and the Resonance Stone in Act 2 doubles all of your psychic damage. Shadow Blade needs no concentration and lasts until a long rest, so you cannot lose your weapon to a broken concentration check. The Sorcerer dip adds Quickened Spell so you can swing and still cast Darkness or Hex in the same turn.

Its only real weakness is melee exposure, which crit-immunity armor early and the Amulet of Greater Health late fully cover. If you want the strongest Warlock in the game, this Shadow Blade duelist is it. S tier.

Build guide: Hexblade build guide

Light Domain Cleric [S Tier]

• Key feature: Radiance of the Dawn plus Spiritual Guardians for stacked radiant AOE.
• Pro: Radiant debuffs tank enemy attack rolls so hard they can barely hit anyone.
• Con: Cleric mobility is poor, and it wants specific gear to fully come online.
• Best for: Players who want the strongest overall Cleric, a tank that also does damage.

The offensive-minded Light Domain Cleric is the best overall Cleric because of its upside. With built-in light damage from spells and Radiance of the Dawn, you can lean on gear as early as Act 1, like Luminous Armor, to trigger the radiant debuff and lower enemy attack rolls. Stack it enough and they simply cannot hit anything. Add Spiritual Guardians for constant radiant AOE ticks and you become a tank that deals tons of damage while your whole team becomes nearly impossible to hit.

The two downsides are mobility, which is baked into the Cleric, and gear. If you try to respec into this in Act 3, you may need Act 1 and Act 2 gear sets to fully unlock it, so it has gear requirements and some debuff micromanaging. Even with that, it is the strongest Cleric in the game and lands at S tier.

Build guide: Light Cleric build guide

Oath of Vengeance Paladin [S Tier]

• Key feature: Inquisitor’s Might and Vow of Enmity give strong bonus action damage and advantage.
• Pro: Everything it does is efficient, and Misty Step and Hold Person come online early.
• Con: No second power aura like Oathbreaker, and you must keep your oath.
• Best for: Players who want the best Paladin subclass, ideal for a multiclass.

Our highest-rated Paladin is Vengeance at S tier, because everything it does is effective. First, Inquisitor’s Might is a bonus action Channel that grants your Charisma modifier as radiant damage and can daze enemies, so you have real bonus action utility at level 3.

At level 3, you also gain Vow of Enmity, another bonus action that grants advantage against a target, so you do not need the Risky Ring to get it. On top of that, Hunter’s Mark adds passive damage while you attack the same target.

At level 5, you get two more strong picks, Misty Step and Hold Person. Misty Step solves your mobility, and Hold Person hands you automatic crits against a held target in melee. The downsides are no overpowered second aura like Oathbreaker, and the need to keep your oath or get forced into Oathbreaker. The proper way to play it is to multiclass after you have Extra Attack and Misty Step. S tier.

Build guide: Oath of Vengeance guide

Path of the Giants Barbarian  [S Tier]

• Key feature: Giant’s Rage doubles thrown attacks and adds elemental damage, and Boots of the Giants let you kick enemies away.
• Pro: One of the highest damage builds in the game, able to solo Honour Mode from Act 1 to Act 3.
• Con: Complex and gear-dependent, and low Charisma does nothing for dialogue.
• Best for: Players who want maximum combat and Honour Mode power.

The Giant Barbarian is S-tier, mostly because of its unique throwing bonus and the weapons and armor in BG3 that let it solo Honour Mode from Act 1 through Act 3. Yes, it is the bread-and-butter complex build, but the power ceiling is insane.

Giant’s Rage is your unique feature and it doubles thrown attacks. Add the Tavern Brawler feat and you get twice your Strength modifier on throws. Stack a Hill Giant Strength elixir to push Strength to 27 and you are one-shotting enemies from across the map.

It gets better at level 5. Boots of the Giants let you kick a target away, knocking them off ledges for instant kills, and Elemental Cleaver binds an elemental effect to your weapon and your throws for even more damage. The result is one of the most powerful builds in BG3 if pure combat is the intent.

The downside is complexity. It leans on advanced gear knowledge, and low Charisma means it does nothing for you in dialogue. If you want max power for Honour Mode and combat, this is your pick.

Build guide: Giant Barbarian build guide

Shadow Sorcerer [S Tier]

• Key feature: Darkness plus the ability to see through it, on the full Sorcerer chassis.
• Pro: Nearly unhittable in your own Darkness, with double Fireballs and the Shadow Blade burst combo.
• Con: Very complex, juggling spell slots, Metamagic, Sorcery Points, and pre buffs.
• Best for: Players who want the best overall subclass in the game and will manage its complexity.

The best overall subclass in all of BG3 is the Shadow Magic Sorcerer. Combo one, cast Darkness on yourself and become nearly unhittable. Combo two, use Metamagic to throw two Fireballs on turn one at level 5 and wipe a group. Combo three, use the Resonance Stone and Shadow Blade for the highest burst in the game. And you still have Metamagic, great spells, and the option to double a single target with Twinned or cast again with a bonus action.

The ultimate cheese is the Shadow Blade setup inside Darkness, which is nearly impossible to beat for damage and survival. You have range, spellcasting, and almost no weaknesses.

The one real drawback is complexity. You are managing spell slots, Metamagic, constant pre-buffs, and Sorcery Points. Do not pick this if you want a zero effort build. Pick it if you want to shred a boss from inside a Darkness cloud while it flails at you. This is our number one subclass in BG3.

Build guide: Sorlock (Shadow Magic) multiclass guide

Way of the Open Hand Monk [S Tier]

• Key feature: Flurry of Blows adds bonus action strikes that can stagger, push, or knock prone.
• Pro: Huge damage with almost no gear dependence, and great survivability from Unarmored Defense.
• Con: Complex Tavern Brawler and elixir setup, and almost no ranged options.
• Best for: Players who want a melee monster that does not babysit gear.

The Way of the Open Hand Monk is perfect for players who do not want to babysit gear to optimize a build. It benefits from gear but does not depend on it. Throw on some clothing and a pair of gloves and you are hitting as hard as a Fighter.

Open Hand gets a unique Flurry of Blows. You attack with your bonus action and can knock back, stun, or stagger, and at level 6 you add elemental damage through Manifestations. The result is huge damage with an emphasis on your bonus action, without the gear dependence of other melee builds.

It is complex, though. You want the Tavern Brawler feat and the elixir trick that adds your Strength modifier twice to unarmed damage. It is also movement dependent and has no real range. We rank it S tier because it can wipe an entire group with just clothing and stay incredibly survivable thanks to Unarmored Defense.

Abjuration Wizard [A Tier]

• Key feature: Arcane Ward absorbs damage and refills as you cast Abjuration spells.
• Pro: The tankiest Wizard, nearly unhittable with Shield, Mage Armor, Mirror Image, and Blur.
• Con: Focused on staying alive rather than dealing damage.
• Best for: Players who want a survivable Wizard that shrugs off punishment.

The Abjuration subclass is the true tank of the Wizard. You get an Arcane Ward, a projected ward that absorbs a huge amount of damage. Build around Shield, Mage Armor, Mirror Image, and Blur and you become nearly unhittable, as long as you keep casting Abjuration spells to feed the Ward.

The upside is a strong tank even in clothing. The tradeoff is that you focus on surviving each turn rather than dealing damage. You still have the full spell list though, so expect a survival-focused subclass to pick when you feel too squishy on an Evocation Wizard. A tier.

Arcane Archer Fighter [A Tier]

• Key feature: Arcane Shots add magic effects like banishing, poison, or psychic damage to arrows.
• Pro: A simple ranged sniper, and Fighter 12 reaches three attacks per action.
• Con: Limited Arcane Shots per rest, and the Gloom Stalker combo out damages it.
• Best for: Players who want a straightforward ranged Fighter.

The Arcane Archer was added in Patch 8 and it is the ranged sniper Fighter. The subclass grants arcane arrows with magic effects like banishment, poison, and psychic damage. It feels like using a special arrow on a Ranger, and the results are close to the same. Stay 12 levels in Fighter for Improved Extra Attack and three attacks per action.

What holds it back from S-tier is the limited number of arcane shots, which will not sustain a long fight, and the Gloom Stalker multiclass, which is more powerful and can solo Honour Mode. If you like a simple ranged Fighter, the Arcane Archer is for you. A-tier.

Build guide: Arcane Archer Fighter build guide

Battle Master Fighter [A Tier]

• Key feature: Superiority Dice fuel Maneuvers that stun, knock back, or disarm.
• Pro: Dead simple and strong, works with any weapon or armor, great for beginners.
• Con: Low mobility and low Charisma, so it is not your party face.
• Best for: New players and anyone who wants a clean, powerful martial base.

The Battle Master is the best build for a new BG3 player. Pick any weapon and armor, though the default is a two handed greatsword in heavy armor charging into melee and swinging with Great Weapon Master. At level 3 you get Maneuvers that stun, knock back, or disarm. The result is a super simple build that is great in combat.

The two drawbacks are low mobility and low Charisma. This is not your party face, but the Fighter is a go to combat martial. Battle Master is also a great multiclass piece purely for the Superiority Dice and Maneuvers, which add utility in melee or at range.

Pick this subclass if you are new to BG3 or DnD and do not want to wrestle with complex rules.

Build guide: Battle Master Fighter build guide

Berserker Barbarian [A Tier]

• Key feature: Frenzy grants Frenzied Strike and Enraged Throw as bonus actions while raging.
• Pro: Great bonus action economy for melee or thrown attacks, and Enraged Throw can knock enemies prone.
• Con: Weak level 10 payoff, so it wants a multiclass to keep scaling.
• Best for: The best all around Barbarian and a great starting point for new players.

The Berserker is your all-around Barbarian subclass, and it works for both melee and thrown attacks. Rage turns into Frenzy, which hands you two bonus action abilities, Frenzied Strike and Enraged Throw. That makes you far more effective with your bonus action instead of leaning only on Great Weapon Master.

The big strength is Enraged Throw. Once you are raging, it can knock enemies prone. A prone target gives attacks within 3 meters advantage, and it eats part of their turn, so it doubles as a soft stun and a burst tool.

The downside is a weak level 10 payoff, which pushes you to multiclass into Rogue Thief for more bonus action utility or Fighter for Action Surge. What holds it back from S tier is the Giant, whose thrown damage and instant-kill kicks are just higher. Berserker is great and the best place to start, it just falls behind the Giant, which can solo Honour Mode.

Build guide: Berserker Barbarian build guide

Bladesinging Wizard [A Tier]

• Key feature: Bladesong grants bonus AC and Constitution saves, plus light armor, swords, and Extra Attack.
• Pro: A survivable melee Wizard that competes with martial classes while keeping spells.
• Con: You lose Bladesong in medium or heavy armor, and it does not top the best melee builds.
• Best for: Players who want a durable gish that mixes swords and spells.

Added in Patch 8, the Bladesinging Wizard is unique in that it wants to fight in melee. You gain light armor, proficiency with long and short swords, and Extra Attack at level 6, so you can trade blows with martial classes. Bladesong itself grants bonus AC and Constitution saving throws, giving you real survivability instead of the usual squishy Wizard.

The downsides are armor, identity, and ceiling. You cannot Bladesong in medium or heavy armor, which is your main survival tool, and you do not really feel like a Wizard when you are swinging a sword every turn. It is powerful, just not as much as an Eldritch Knight Fighter or a Giant Barbarian, so we rank it A tier.

College of Swords Bard [A Tier]

• Key feature: Blade Flourish adds effects to your attacks, plus medium armor and scimitars.
• Pro: High single-target and crit damage in Act 3 with legendary gear, while keeping spells and Charisma.
• Con: Locks you into melee range without heavy armor survivability.
• Best for: Players who want a melee Bard with a higher ceiling than Valour.

Where the Valour Bard is the jack of all trades, the College of Swords leans into melee with Blade Flourish. Your attacks can hit two enemies, raise your AC, or grant mobility, and you pick up medium armor and scimitars while keeping all the juicy spells and Charisma in the Bard kit.

You also choose a fighting style, either dueling or two-weapon, and you gain Extra Attack. In Act 3 you can grab legendary gear that keeps your damage and crits extremely high. The downside is that it lives in melee range without the survivability of heavy armor.

We rank it A tier because the upside is higher than the Valour Bard, just with less flexibility since it commits you to a melee playstyle.

Build guide: Bardadin (Swords Bard) multiclass guide

Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer [A Tier]

• Key feature: Draconic Resilience adds built in Mage Armor and bonus HP, plus elemental damage scaling.
• Pro: Strong from level 1, with high AC and boosted Fireball-style damage.
• Con: Does not reach the absolute ceiling of the Shadow Blade Resonance Stone combo.
• Best for: Players who want a durable, consistent spellcaster without a fragile gear chase.

The Draconic Bloodline is a solid spellcaster that starts strong and holds an A tier spot. You get built in Mage Armor, so you can sit at 18 AC with a shield and 16 Dexterity at level 1. You can also ramp your elemental damage, taking subclass bonuses that add fire damage to spells like Fireball.

As a pure caster, using Twinned Metamagic to hit two targets with Disintegrate feels like what this subclass was designed to do.

The downside is that you will not see the top end Shadow Blade and Resonance Stone numbers. On the flip side, you are not dependent on grabbing that one specific item at the end of Act 2 either. If you want a durable, consistent elemental Sorcerer, pick this. A tier.

Build guide: Sorcadin (Draconic) multiclass guide

Evocation Wizard [A Tier]

• Key feature: Sculpt Spells lets your allies auto succeed against your area spells.
• Pro: Throw Fireball into a melee without hitting your own team, with a wide spell list.
• Con: Weak bonus action economy compared to a Sorcerer’s Metamagic.
• Best for: Players who want the classic fireball throwing blaster Wizard.

Evocation is your classic Gandalf, fireball throwing Wizard. Its main benefit is Sculpt Spells, which removes friendly fire. Launch a Fireball into a pack and any ally inside just succeeds on the save. That gives you far more freedom and fun than babysitting your reticle.

The Wizard’s downside next to other casters is weak bonus action utility. The Wizard trades strong bonus actions for a wide spell list, where a Sorcerer uses Metamagic to cast a spell a second time with a bonus action at the cost of fewer spells.

So if a wide spell range and Intelligence skills are your flavor, pick Evocation for the traditional blaster. A tier.

Build guide: Gale (Evocation Wizard) build guide

Life Domain Cleric [A Tier]

• Key feature: Preserve Life is a big AOE heal that spends Channel Divinity instead of a spell slot.
• Pro: The strongest pure support in the game, and simple to play with healing gear.
• Con: Low damage compared to Light, and no debuff stacking.
• Best for: New players and anyone who wants a no fuss healer, a great Shadowheart respec.

The Life Domain Cleric is still the best pure support in all of BG3. Preserve Life is a huge AOE heal that runs off Channel Divinity instead of a spell slot. Combo it with a bonus action mass heal and you bring the whole party back to full in one turn. Add the healing gear sets that trigger extra effects like Bless on a heal, and it stays simple to play.

The downside is a lack of damage and none of the debuff stacking that Light brings. It makes up for that by not needing a complex gear setup where one missed item in Act 2 breaks the build.

What keeps Life out of S tier is the radiant damage and debuff stacking that the Light Domain has. Life is simpler for new players, and it should be your default Shadowheart respec on a first playthrough.

Build guide: Cleric build rankings

Necromancy Wizard [A Tier]

• Key feature: Summon undead and raise an army, with necrotic spell support.
• Pro: A literal horde of undead followers, and a staff in Act 3 that casts Necromancy spells for free.
• Con: Same Wizard weakness, low bonus action utility and no Metamagic.
• Best for: Players who love a summon heavy, RP driven Wizard.

The Necromancy subclass is about summoning undead and casting necrotic spells. What makes it fun is a literal army of undead critters following you, between your subclass features and other summoning spells.

There is also a quarterstaff in Act 3, Cherished Necromancy, that lets you cast Necromancy spells without spell slots. That means casting big Circle of Death more than once.

The downsides are the usual Wizard ones, no Metamagic like a Sorcerer and weak bonus action utility, but a wide spell list. It is an ultra fun, RP heavy subclass, especially if you love raising corpses. A tier.

Oathbreaker Paladin [A Tier]

• Key feature: Aura of Hate adds your Charisma modifier to melee weapon damage.
• Pro: The highest damage aura in the class, plus Dreadful Aspect fear and undead control.
• Con: Weaker spell list than Vengeance, no Misty Step, and you must break your oath.
• Best for: Players who want an evil, damage-stacking Paladin.

The evil Paladin subclass, the Oathbreaker, lands at A tier, mostly for its offensive spells and Aura of Hate, which adds your Charisma modifier to melee weapon attacks. That is by far the highest damage aura in the class, and it melts things when both Strength and Charisma are high.

You also get Dreadful Aspect to frighten nearby enemies, or you can control undead with your oath charge. Both are useful throughout the game, so the subclass stays strong.

The downsides are a weaker spell list than Vengeance and the need to break your oath. For non-RP players, breaking the oath does not matter. For others, it is a deal breaker. Without Misty Step, you also move slowly or lean on a gear piece to close distance, especially early. It is hard not to rank Oathbreaker higher, but the oath breaking, the evil turn, and the missing Misty Step hold it at A.

Build guide: Oathbreaker Paladin build guide

Storm Sorcerer [A Tier]

• Key feature: Tempestuous Magic grants flight after a leveled spell, and Storm damage scales with water.
• Pro: Water plus lightning or cold doubles your damage, with high mobility built in.
• Con: No built in Mage Armor, so AC is low, and elements can be resisted.
• Best for: Players who want a mobile, elemental blaster, and a strong one level dip for flight.

Storm Sorcery is the peak of thunder and lightning damage. The main combo is water, from a spell or a bottle, which doubles lightning or cold damage. Some players solo boss fights with this and a Ray of Frost cantrip, though that takes a very specific gear setup.

There is another reason to use it. At level 1, casting a leveled spell lets you Fly as a bonus action, which solves the Cleric’s mobility problem with a single level dip and makes it very splashable.

The downsides are no built-in Mage Armor, so clothing leaves your AC low, and elements that specific bosses resist. Past that it is a highly mobile, fun style that is gear-dependent to hit its top damage. A tier.

Swashbuckler Rogue [A Tier]

• Key feature: Rakish Audacity adds sneak attack without advantage and rewards fighting alone.
• Pro: Reliable sneak attack damage, plus Dirty Trick to disarm, blind, or debuff.
• Con: Still a Rogue, so weak proficiencies, no Extra Attack, and it wants a multiclass.
• Best for: Players who want the strongest standalone Rogue subclass.

The Swashbuckler is the strongest Rogue subclass, added in Patch 8. At level 3 you unlock Rakish Audacity, which deals extra damage to a foe you have advantage on. With Act 2 gear like the Risky Ring and other ways to get automatic advantage, that is a ton of burst over the other subclasses.

You also no longer need advantage to trigger sneak attack as long as you are within 1.5 meters, which makes your damage far more reliable. On top of that, level 4 gives you Dirty Trick to disarm, blind, or debuff a target’s attack roll. All of it adds up to a more powerful melee Rogue than any other subclass.

The Rogue still has the same problems though: weak weapon and armor proficiencies, no Extra Attack, and a need to multiclass to scale. We rank it A tier because at level 5 you can multiclass into a strong Fighter setup, just not as high as others on this list.

Assassin Rogue [B Tier]

• Key feature: Assassinate grants auto crits on surprised enemies and restores your turn on the first round.
• Pro: Incredible turn one alpha strike, especially paired with a Gloom Stalker.
• Con: Falls off hard after level 4, like the other Rogue subclasses.
• Best for: Stealth burst multiclass builds.

The Assassin is a strong pick if you value going first and alpha striking. You get auto crits on surprised enemies, advantage on anything that has not acted yet, and restored action and bonus action on turn one. That pairs perfectly with a Gloom Stalker, since the two together can wipe a whole enemy group on the opening turn. Away from a multiclass, though, it is another weak Rogue after level 4, with no strong proficiencies, no Extra Attack, and nothing unique to keep you in the class. B tier.

Build guide: Gloom Stalker / Assassin build guide

Beast Master Ranger [B Tier]

• Key feature: A summoned animal companion that adds pressure and control every round.
• Pro: Consistent, forgiving, and strong in Honour Mode, with companions like the Dire Raven or Wolf Spider.
• Con: Lower peak burst than the Gloom Stalker, and the companion scales best at full Ranger.
• Best for: Players who want reliable, sustained pressure and extra bodies on the field.

The Beast Master is the most consistent Ranger subclass. Where the Gloom Stalker is all about turn one burst and the Hunter is about AOE, the Beast Master applies steady pressure every round through its animal companion. That makes it far more forgiving in Honour Mode.

The companions are the draw. A Dire Raven can blind a whole group with darkness, and a Wolf Spider can web targets to hand you advantage. You still get the heavy hitting Ranger perks like Sharpshooter and Extra Attack, so you bring ranged damage on top of the pet. More bodies on the field means more health across the party and more targets for the enemy to waste attacks on.

Its power peaks at level 11 with Bestial Fury, which doubles the companion’s attacks, so it wants full Ranger levels rather than an early dip. The main downside is lower peak burst than the Gloom Stalker. If you want reliable, sustained pressure over a big turn one, this is your Ranger. B tier.

Build guide: Beast Master Ranger build guide

Champion Fighter [B Tier]

• Key feature: Improved Critical lowers your crit threshold at level 3.
• Pro: A fantastic crit dip for a Gloom Stalker or other crit build.
• Con: The level 7 and 10 payoffs are weak next to other Fighter subclasses.
• Best for: Multiclass crit builds rather than a full 12 level class.

The Champion is B tier mostly because of its crit bonus. You need one less number to crit at level 3. That is great for a multiclass Gloom Stalker or any crit-focused setup, but the level 7 and 10 bonuses are weak compared to other Fighter options.

So the Champion makes a great dip rather than a full build. You can still be effective because the Fighter base kit is so strong, there is just little reason to pick this over another subclass beyond the passive crit bonus.

Build guide: Champion Fighter build guide

Circle of the Land Druid [B Tier]

• Key feature: Circle spells unlock unique picks not on the Druid list as you level.
• Pro: Wide spell variety, and difficult terrain control with spells like Plant Growth.
• Con: It ignores Wild Shape, the class identity, and other casters do the damage better.
• Best for: Players who want a spellcasting Druid with big area control.

The Circle of the Land Druid is the spellcasting Druid, not the Wild Shape Druid. Different circle choices unlock unique spells the Druid does not normally get. That sounds fun at first, but it defeats the point of the class, which is Wild Shape.

Sure, you can cast Mirror Image, Invisibility, and more, but a Sorcerer can do the same with far more upside from Metamagic, firing off two big spells with an action and a bonus action.

There are fun combos here. You ignore difficult terrain, so in big maps with choke points you can lock down an area with Plant Growth. But who cares about control when you can Fireball the whole pack twice on turn one and kill them? A decent subclass thanks to spell variety, but weak next to other casters. B tier.

Circle of Spores Druid [B Tier]

• Key feature: Halo of Spores deals reaction necrotic damage, doubled with a Wild Shape charge.
• Pro: Fun cloud of necrotic damage, plus you can raise zombies for a mini army.
• Con: Necrotic resistance is common, and you skip the Wild Shape the Druid is known for.
• Best for: Players who want a gassy necrotic Druid with summons.

The Circle of Spores is a unique Druid that uses reactions to release a cloud of necrotic spores. You spend Wild Shape charges to double the damage on Halo of Spores. The result is a fun subclass built around necrotic damage, and you can raise zombies from corpses for a little army.

The downside is that necrotic resistance or immunity is common, which erases the benefit, and you are not using Wild Shape, the thing the Druid is known for.

We rank it B tier. It is a fun and moderately effective build that does not do much beyond average spellcasting.

College of Lore Bard [B Tier]

• Key feature: Magical Secrets at level 6 lets you learn spells from outside the Bard list.
• Pro: Cutting Words drops an enemy roll by 1d6, and you get extra skills and spell flexibility.
• Con: No high end power spike, so it lags the Swords Bard and the Valour Bard.
• Best for: Players who want the most skills and the widest spell options.

The Lore Bard leans into spellcasting and hands you Magical Secrets at level 6, so you can learn non Bard spells and tailor your kit for combat or for the Charisma dialogue hacker.

You also get Cutting Words, forcing a 1d6 penalty on an enemy attack roll or ability check. It is a fine use of Bardic Inspiration, but it never feels powerful.

The main reason to play Lore is skill proficiencies and spell choice. It just does not deliver the high upside of the Swords Bard or the flexibility of the Valour Bard, so it lands at B tier.

College of Valour Bard [B Tier]

• Key feature: Medium armor, shields, martial weapons, and Extra Attack at level 6.
• Pro: A flexible weapon and armor Bard that still keeps spellcasting and high Charisma.
• Con: Not fully specced into Charisma, and it lacks the raw power of the Gloom Stalker.
• Best for: Players who want a jack of all trades Bard with weapons and spells.

The College of Valour Bard is a good all around subclass that never becomes ultra powerful. You gain medium armor, shields, martial weapons, and Extra Attack at level 6. Most players run dual crossbows or a ranged weapon, which makes it play like a Ranger, but with spellcasting and the high Charisma of a Bard.

That flexibility is also the downside. You are not fully specced into Charisma dialogue, and you do not reach the overall power of a Gloom Stalker Ranger. What you get is a solid Bard with weapon and armor flexibility plus some good spells.

We rank it B tier because it does not have the power of other builds on this list, and it feels a little meh next to other Charisma characters.

Death Domain Cleric [B Tier]

• Key feature: Touch of Death adds necrotic damage to melee, plus martial weapons.
• Pro: A hybrid caster that swings weapons and ignores necrotic resistance.
• Con: Necrotic is a weak damage type, with many enemies resistant or immune.
• Best for: Players who want to RP a martial necromancer Cleric.

The Death Domain Cleric mixes necrotic damage with martial weapons. You play a hybrid caster who leans on necrotic while blasting enemies with a weapon. The main draw is Touch of Death, which adds necrotic damage to a melee hit, and you can ignore necrotic resistance.

The spells and combos are cool, but the build falls short because necrotic is an ineffective damage type against a lot of enemies. Ignoring resistance is nice, but when enemies are outright immune, and many are, the build stalls.

Use Death Domain if you want to RP a necromancer Cleric gone rogue who enjoys spellcasting plus martial weapons and medium armor. It lands at B tier.

Build guide: Death Domain Cleric build guide

Hunter Ranger [B Tier]

• Key feature: Volley at level 11 hits every enemy in an area, plus Colossus Slayer and Horde Breaker.
• Pro: The best AOE damage in the class once Volley is online.
• Con: Your best tool arrives at level 11, so it starts slow and wants full Ranger levels.
• Best for: Players who want a late game army killer.

The Hunter is the AOE Ranger and a consistent, straightforward damage subclass. Colossus Slayer at level 3 adds damage to wounded enemies, Horde Breaker gives a free attack when two enemies stand close, and Extra Attack at level 5 smooths out the early game. The payoff is Volley at level 11, which lets you hit ten or more targets in a single turn.

That level 11 breakpoint is the catch. Unlike the Gloom Stalker, the Hunter does not want to multiclass early, since its best tool needs full Ranger levels. A common finish is 11 Ranger and one level of War Cleric for an extra bonus action attack.

The downside is a slow start. You will not get your signature tool until level 11, so expect a weaker early game than the Gloom Stalker or Beast Master. Once Volley is online you become the ultimate area killer, but that wait keeps it at B tier.

Build guide: Hunter Ranger build guide

Oath of the Ancients Paladin [B Tier]

• Key feature: Misty Step on the spell list, plus Aura of Warding at level 7.
• Pro: Halves spell damage for you and nearby allies, and helps the Paladin’s weak mobility.
• Con: Its Channel Oath only restrains, and its spell list leans toward Druid style utility.
• Best for: Players who want a defensive, support leaning Paladin.

The Oath of the Ancients gives you unique spells like Misty Step, which helps the Paladin’s weak mobility and bonus action options. At level 7 you gain Aura of Warding, halving spell damage, which is nice near an ally or against a spellcasting boss. The subclass also grants odd, Druid-leaning spells like Plant Growth, Ensnaring Strike, and Speak with Animals.

Your Channel Oath only restrains an enemy. Who cares about restraining a target when Vengeance and Oathbreaker just kill it?

The upside is early self-healing, Misty Step, and a good defensive aura. It does not outweigh Vengeance’s spell list or Oathbreaker’s damage aura, so it falls behind on the power curve at B tier.

Build guide: Ancients Paladin build guide

Oath of the Crown Paladin [B Tier]

• Key feature: Champion’s Challenge acts as a soft taunt, plus Spirit Guardians later.
• Pro: Good tanky tools like Command and Compelled Duel for a sword and board Paladin.
• Con: The Light Cleric tanks and debuffs better while dealing more damage.
• Best for: Players who specifically want a taunt style Paladin tank.

The Oath of the Crown Paladin is the newest, added in Patch 8, and it leans defensive rather than offensive. Your main tool is Champion’s Challenge, a soft taunt that forces targets to attack you or take Disadvantage. You also get useful tank spells like Command and Compelled Duel.

You even gain Spirit Guardians, so you can sort of run the Light Cleric radiant and debuff setup. The problem is the Light Cleric does both the debuffing and the tanking far better. What you end up with is a middling tank that trades damage for weak taunts. If you want a sword-and-board Paladin tank this is your pick, but outside of that it does not offer much. B tier.

Build guide: Crown Paladin build guide

Oath of Devotion Paladin [B Tier]

• Key feature: Sacred Weapon adds your Charisma to attack rolls with a Channel Oath.
• Pro: Solid melee DPS boost, plus defensive spells like Sanctuary and Turn the Unholy.
• Con: The weakest aura in the class, and no Misty Step for mobility.
• Best for: Players who want a simple, classic good aligned Paladin.

Oath of Devotion is a solid melee DPS subclass thanks to Sacred Weapon. With an action and a Channel Oath you add your Charisma to attack rolls, which is passive damage and even better if you cast it before combat instead of burning an action.

You also get good defensive spells like Sanctuary and Turn the Unholy, an AOE that forces undead and fiends to flee, similar to the Cleric.

The main downside is one of the weakest auras in the class, Aura of Devotion, which only stops charm and is situational. It also has no movement spell like Misty Step, so you will sit through turns where you cannot reach a target. If you want a simple, devoted Paladin, this is it. B tier.

Build guide: Devotion Paladin build guide

Swarmkeeper Ranger [B Tier]

• Key feature: Gathered Swarm adds bonus damage plus a movement or control option on each attack.
• Pro: Strong environmental control, and it does not rely on stealth or surprise.
• Con: Lower DPS than the Gloom Stalker, and it is labor intensive to pilot.
• Best for: Players who love tactical, control heavy combat.

The Swarmkeeper is the Patch 8 Ranger, and it is all about control. Gathered Swarm triggers after your attacks and lets you pick one of a few options each time, adding bonus damage, forcing movement, or setting up a combo. Pair it with Hunter’s Mark and Spike Growth and you can pull enemies around and shape the whole fight.

The upside is that it does not need stealth or a surprise round, so it plays fine even when a fight starts in the open. It is one of the more tactical Ranger subclasses in the game.

The downsides are real. Its overall DPS is lower than the Gloom Stalker, and it is labor-intensive since you make a choice on every attack, which can be exhausting. Its power also fades past level 5, so it wants a multiclass, usually three levels of Fighter or four of Rogue Thief, or even a single War Cleric level. We rank it B tier as a fun, control-first Ranger that trades raw damage for battlefield manipulation.

Build guide: Swarmkeeper Ranger build guide

Tempest Domain Cleric [B Tier]

• Key feature: Destructive Wrath spends Channel Divinity to max out thunder or lightning damage.
• Pro: Massive lightning and thunder burst, and Reverberation gear can AOE chain stun.
• Con: Slower start, less survivability than Light, and it wants advanced gear.
• Best for: Players who want flashy AOE damage and stuns at higher levels.

The Tempest Cleric earns its spot with a massive lightning and thunder combo. Like the Light Cleric, you can build around the Reverberation debuff with a range of gear sets to AOE chain-stun enemies.

Your main feature spends a Channel Divinity charge to deal max damage on a thunder or lightning spell. The best target is Destructive Wave, an AOE stun that also hits hard. Tempest falls just short of Light because it does not have the same survivability. It is flashier and a lot of fun once you hit level 9 and unlock Destructive Wave, but expect a slower start and advanced gear knowledge even in Act 1 to make it work. We rank it B tier.

Build guide: Tempest Cleric build guide

The Fiend Warlock [B Tier]

• Key feature: Dark One’s Blessing grants temporary HP on every kill, plus a strong fire spell list.
• Pro: Durable and beginner-friendly, self healing while it nukes packs with Fireball and Wall of Fire.
• Con: Lower single target ceiling than the top builds, and a squishy clothing caster underneath.
• Best for: New players who want a tough AOE caster that stays alive.

The Fiend is the most durable and beginner-friendly Warlock. Dark One’s Blessing hands you temporary HP every time you kill something, so you top up your own health in the middle of a fight. Build around AOE, clear packs, and keep refreshing that buffer. It also has the best elemental toolkit of any Patron, adding Scorching Ray, Fireball, Wall of Fire, and even Cone of Cold on a deep Warlock. A Fighter 2 dip adds Action Surge to chain two nukes in a turn.

So why only B tier on a list of every subclass? Because durability and ease do not beat the raw ceiling of the true S and A damage dealers. Its single-target damage is lower than the Hexblade, and under the temp HP it is still a clothing caster leaning on Mage Armor for AC.

That said, this is the Warlock I recommend most for a first-timer. It nukes groups, heals itself, and is very hard to kill. If you want a tough, forgiving caster, the Fiend is the pick, it just sits at B against the whole field.

Build guide: Fiend Warlock build guide

The Great Old One Warlock [B Tier]

• Key feature: Mortal Reminder frightens the target and nearby enemies whenever you land a crit.
• Pro: With Champion and Darkness, crits become reliable and each one is a mass fear button.
• Con: Plays almost exactly like a Hexblade, which usually wins the straight comparison.
• Best for: Players who want a melee crit duelist whose crits also control the pack.

The Great Old One is a melee crit and fear duelist, usually a Warlock 8 and Fighter 4 Champion Shadow Blade build. Its signature, Mortal Reminder, frightens the target and every nearby enemy whenever you land a crit, so the whole build is engineered to crit as often as possible. Champion lowers your crit threshold, a Darkness cloud with Devil’s Sight gives you advantage on every swing, and a Pact of the Blade Shadow Blade attacks with your Charisma.

Entropic Ward at Warlock 6 is a strong reaction too, imposing Disadvantage on an attacker and feeding your own advantage when they miss.

It ranks B, and lowest of the four Patrons, not because it is weak but because it is outclassed at its own game. It plays so much like a Hexblade that the Hexblade’s cleaner Charisma scaling usually wins, and it gives up Mystic Arcanum by stopping at Warlock 8. Take it when you specifically want crits that frighten whole packs. B tier.

Build guide: Great Old One Warlock build guide

Thief Rogue [B Tier]

• Key feature: Fast Hands grants an extra bonus action every turn at level 3.
• Pro: The extra bonus action supercharges almost any melee or thrown multiclass.
• Con: Almost no reason to stay past level 4, and no Extra Attack as a full class.
• Best for: A three or four level dip on another build, not a 12 level class.

The Thief on its own is not that impressive, which is why it sits at B tier. What everyone uses it for is the level 3 bonus, Fast Hands, which grants an extra bonus action every turn. That fuels all sorts of builds, a melee Great Weapon Master setup, extra attacks per turn, Barbarian Frenzied Strike, Monk, and on and on.

The downside is that there is almost no reason to play Rogue Thief past level 4, so most players multiclass after grabbing Fast Hands and a feat at level 4. Done that way it is great, but as a 12 level class it is poor, especially with zero Extra Attack from the Rogue. B tier.

Build guide: Astarion (Thief multiclass) build guide

War Domain Cleric [B Tier]

• Key feature: Guided Strike adds +10 to an attack roll, and War Priest grants a bonus action attack.
• Pro: Big melee burst with heavy armor and martial weapons.
• Con: No Extra Attack, and it needs both Strength and Wisdom to shine.
• Best for: Players who want a burst-focused melee Cleric.

If you want the most burst in melee, the War Domain delivers thanks to Guided Strike, a +10 to an attack roll. Add War Priest for a bonus action attack and you get solid action economy with your action and bonus action.

You also gain heavy armor and martial weapons, so it feels like a true melee build.

The downside is stat spread. You want Strength for weapon attacks and Wisdom for your Cleric side, so you have to favor one. It also has no Extra Attack, which forces a multiclass or leaves you with a single attack per action. The War Domain is a fun martial Cleric with huge burst, but it falls short of something like a Fighter. B tier.

Build guide: War Domain Cleric build guide

Way of the Four Elements Monk [B Tier]

• Key feature: Spends Ki on elemental spells like Sweeping Cinder for ranged damage.
• Pro: Solves the Monk’s range problem with a spread of elemental options at level 9.
• Con: Hybrid casting lowers the combat ceiling compared to Open Hand.
• Best for: Players who want a Monk with some ranged spellcasting.

The Way of the Four Elements is the odd spellcaster of the Monk subclasses. It trades Open Hand’s bonus action attacks for spells. That solves Open Hand’s range problem, but it drops the combat ceiling a lot, which makes the subclass feel meh by comparison.

At level 9 you do get a strong spread of spells to pick from, like Sweeping Cinder for 4d6 fire damage. The catch is that a hybrid limits your effectiveness somewhere else instead of fully optimizing unarmed melee. Play this if you want some spellcasting or you are tired of having no ranged attacks. B tier.

Way of Shadow Monk [B Tier]

• Key feature: Shadow Arts grants Darkness, Pass Without Trace, and other stealth tools.
• Pro: Sit inside your own Darkness cloud and attack while avoiding incoming damage.
• Con: You must stay mobile, so you risk stepping out of the cloud and losing the advantage.
• Best for: Players who want a stealthy, defensive Monk.

Another odd Monk subclass is the Way of Shadow. You gain illusion, darkness, and invisibility options. The main strength is dropping a Darkness cloud on yourself and attacking from inside it while dodging incoming damage. That combo is the draw, but you sacrifice either spellcasting or heavy melee to pull it off.

A Shadow Magic Sorcerer or a Warlock with Devil’s Sight does the same thing, and they have the ranged spellcasting to sit and hold concentration turn after turn. The Shadow Monk has to stay mobile and risk stepping out of the Darkness and losing the advantage.

Overall it is a moderate subclass if you want stealth and invisibility with a good defensive feature, but it gives up too much to reach A tier. B tier.

Wildheart Barbarian [B Tier]

• Key feature: Bestial Heart lets you pick an Animal Aspect like Bear, Wolf, Eagle, or Elk when you rage.
• Pro: The Bear aspect gives resistance to almost all damage while raging, making you extremely tanky.
• Con: Lower damage ceiling than the Berserker or Giant, and the aspects lean defensive or utility.
• Best for: Players who want a durable front-line barbarian or a party buff with the Wolf aspect.

The Wildheart Barbarian trades the Berserker’s bonus action attacks for Animal Aspects. When you rage you take on a totem like Bear, Wolf, Eagle, or Elk, and each one changes how you play. This is the tanky, utility flavor of the Barbarian.

The standout is the Bear aspect. While raging you resist almost every damage type in the game, so you soak hits that would drop other characters. The Wolf aspect is the team player pick, handing your melee allies advantage against nearby enemies, and Eagle and Elk help with the Barbarian’s weak mobility.

The catch is damage. Wildheart does not push the same numbers as the Berserker’s thrown burst or the Giant’s one-shots, so you are picking survivability and utility over a high ceiling. It is a solid B tier. Great if you want an unkillable front line, just not the pick if raw power is the goal.

Build guide: Wildheart Build Guide

Arcane Trickster Rogue [C Tier]

• Key feature: Wizard spellcasting on a Rogue, using Intelligence.
• Pro: A few utility spells for a stealthy caster fantasy.
• Con: Splits Dexterity and Intelligence, and a real Wizard just does it better.
• Best for: RP as a spell slinging thief, not much else.

The Arcane Trickster is the spellcasting Rogue, and it runs into a lot of problems. It uses Intelligence for spellcasting, so you have to balance Dexterity for weapon attacks and Intelligence for spells. You also need to stay in the class to level 8 for any decent spells. Meanwhile, you could just play a Wizard with powerful spells, high AC from Mage Armor, Shield, and Mirror Image, all at much longer range.

The only real reason to play this subclass is RP, larping as a stealthy rogue who opens doors with spells instead of a lockpick. C tier.

Circle of the Stars Druid [C Tier]

• Key feature: Starry Form spends a Wild Shape charge for extra radiant damage, healing, or a reaction.
• Pro: A bonus action Luminous Arrow hits reasonably hard.
• Con: A weaker caster than the Light Cleric with less healing and less damage.
• Best for: Not many, the Light Cleric covers this better.

The Circle of the Stars is the weakest Druid subclass because of its odd Starry Form. Added in Patch 8, you spend a Wild Shape charge to take a form that grants extra radiant damage, healing, or a reaction, and you can add some reaction damage to attack rolls, which seems fine.

You have to ask why you would play this over a Light Cleric. Yes, you get a bonus action Luminous Arrow that hits decently, but does that beat Spiritual Guardians debuffing a whole enemy group, dealing damage, and protecting your team? No, and you end up a weaker caster without the raw healing or damage of a Cleric. C tier.

Conjuration Wizard [C Tier]

• Key feature: Conjure elements and hold concentration on Conjuration spells more easily.
• Pro: A little utility around summoning and elements.
• Con: Weak bonuses, with almost nothing outside a teleport at level 6.
• Best for: Niche Conjuration concentration builds.

When you think conjuration you think summoning, but this is more about conjuring elements like Create Water, and it does not really fit its own name. It is very weak next to Evocation and Necromancy for spellcasting because you get almost no bonuses outside a teleport at level 6. There is little reason to pick it unless you specifically want to hold concentration on Conjuration spells. C tier.

Divination Wizard [C Tier]

• Key feature: Portent replaces rolls with pre-rolled dice at a key moment.
• Pro: Portent can swap in a guaranteed hit or miss when it matters.
• Con: Thin payoff on a class that already lacks bonus action utility.
• Best for: Not many, the other schools give more.

The Divination Wizard’s trick is Portent. You bank a couple of pre-rolled dice and swap them in for an attack, save, or check later, forcing a hit or a miss at a key moment. It is a fine tool, but it is thin on a class that already lacks bonus action utility.

Next to Evocation or Necromancy for spellcasting, or Bladesinging for melee, there is little reason to commit here. I would rather run Abjuration with Shield, Mirror Image, Mage Armor, and 30 plus AC. C tier.

Enchantment Wizard [C Tier]

• Key feature: Hypnotic Gaze charms a nearby enemy, and Instinctive Charm redirects an attack.
• Pro: Some single target lockdown for a turn.
• Con: Weak school bonuses that only touch one enemy at a time.
• Best for: Almost nobody, the other schools do more.

The Enchantment Wizard is built around charming a single target. Hypnotic Gaze lets you lock down one adjacent enemy so it cannot act, and Instinctive Charm is a reaction that redirects an attack to another creature. Those are the two real bonuses, and both only affect one enemy at a time.

That is the problem. On a class that already has weak bonus action utility, the Enchantment school hands you situational, single-target control when Evocation and Necromancy give you damage and Abjuration gives you a wall of survivability. I would rather run Abjuration with Shield, Mirror Image, Mage Armor, and 30 plus AC than charm one enemy. C tier.

Knowledge Domain Cleric [C Tier]

• Key feature: Extra skill proficiencies and out of combat spells like Read Thoughts.
• Pro: Strong outside of combat with a lot of skills.
• Con: Weak in combat, and it does not use Charisma for the skill checks it wants.
• Best for: Players who want an exploration and dialogue Cleric, though a Bard does it better.

The Knowledge Cleric focuses on skills and power outside of combat. You gain a lot of extra skills and spells that help while exploring, including Read Thoughts. You can even add your Wisdom modifier to Cleric cantrips, but you are not a Warlock with Eldritch Blast, so that barely matters.

The problem is you do not use Charisma as your main stat, yet you want to be the out of combat expert. A Bard or another class simply does that better, and you are left with a weak combat Cleric that should just respec to Life or Light. C tier.

Build guide: Knowledge Domain Cleric build guide

The Archfey Warlock [C Tier]

• Key feature: Fey Presence charms or frightens a whole area, and Misty Escape teleports you when hit.
• Pro: Real mass crowd control and one of the best panic buttons in the game.
• Con: The CC is situational, it is squishy, and dedicated controllers or blasters do it better.
• Best for: Players who want a mobile control caster and will lean on a Sorcerer split.

The Archfey is the control-focused Warlock, at its best as a Warlock 6 and Sorcerer 6 Storm caster. Fey Presence charms or frightens every enemy in an area as an action, a real mass crowd control button, and Misty Escape turns you invisible and teleports you as a reaction when you take damage, which is a great panic button.

Paired with a Storm Sorcery split it adds Fireball and mobility, so you disable a pack and then blast it. Against a single boss, though, the mass CC loses most of its value and you fall back on Scorching Ray and Eldritch Blast for single target work.

On a list of every subclass, that situational ceiling is why it lands at C. It is a squishy clothing caster whose best trick, area charm and fear, is covered by dedicated controllers and blasters that also do more elsewhere. Fun and slippery, but outclassed. C tier.

Build guide: Archfey Warlock build guide

Transmutation Wizard [C Tier]

• Key feature: Transmuter’s Stone grants a resistance or bonus, and you can brew two alchemical potions at once.
• Pro: Extra potions from a hireling, and a stone that hands out elemental resistance.
• Con: An odd grab bag that adds very little power.
• Best for: Players who want potion and utility flavor.

This subclass’s unique bonus is brewing alchemical solutions two at a time instead of one. The fun trick is parking a hireling to only make potions for you and save materials. You also get a Transmuter’s Stone you carry that grants elemental resistance, which is useful. Outside those two perks it is an odd subclass that does not grant much power. C tier.

Wild Magic Barbarian [C Tier]

• Key feature: Wild Magic rolls a random magical effect every time you rage.
• Pro: Can hand allies extra spell slots, and some of the effects are genuinely useful.
• Con: The effects are random, so you cannot count on them in the fights that matter.
• Best for: Players who want chaos, RP, or a fresh challenge run.

Wild Magic grants a random magical effect every time you rage. This is a bizarre subclass. Some of the effects are cool, but the whole thing is unpredictable. That important boss fight is exactly when you randomly roll Vine Growth and cover yourself in difficult terrain, right when the Wizard next to you needs to move away.

You can also hand allies spell slots. The catch is this maxes out at a level 3 slot at Barbarian 9, so it is a weak bonus when you could just short rest, and it is nowhere near the level 6 slot ceiling.

The only reason to play this Barbarian is fun, RP, or boredom. We rank it C tier because the Barbarian is strong on its own, but random effects in combat do not equal power; they equal chaos.

Build guide: Wild Magic Barbarian build guide

Wild Magic Sorcerer [C Tier]

• Key feature: Wild Magic Surge rolls a random effect as you cast.
• Pro: Some surges are useful, and the Sorcerer base kit stays strong.
• Con: Random effects, some of which hurt you, add chaos instead of power.
• Best for: Players who want an extra challenge or a chaotic run.

The Wild Magic Sorcerer is the same idea as the Wild Magic Barbarian. The subclass feature is random, which is an odd design at best. You roll random magical effects, some of which hurt you, which makes it annoying, frustrating, and close to useless.

We rank it C tier only because the Sorcerer is so strong with or without a goofy subclass feature.

College of Glamour Bard [D Tier]

• Key feature: Mantle of Inspiration grants temporary HP, plus a Command spell at level 6.
• Pro: Very little, though the temporary HP can save a squishy ally in a pinch.
• Con: Weak bonuses, and you give up the weapons, armor, and spells other colleges bring.
• Best for: Almost nobody, pick another Bard subclass.

The Glamour Bard is the weakest subclass introduced in Patch 8. You get a weak temporary HP bonus and a Command spell at level 6. Both are terrible, and you give up weapons, armor, and better spell options. What is left is a hollow Bard begging you to pick a different subclass. D tier.

Build guide: College of Glamour build guide

Drunken Master Monk [D Tier]

• Key feature: Drunken technique and Tipsy Sway built around the Drunk status effect.
• Pro: Some extra AC and mobility, and you can pop up from prone.
• Con: No spellcasting, weaker melee, and nothing that beats another subclass.
• Best for: Players who want the goofiest run in BG3.

If you want the goofiest build in BG3, it is the Drunken Master Monk, built around the Drunk status effect. You get bonus action mobility and Life of the Party perks like extra AC and attack rolls, and at level 6 you can leap up when knocked prone.

It was a fun Patch 8 addition, but there is almost no mechanical reason to take it over another subclass. No spellcasting, weaker melee, and nothing unique beyond a silly drunk theme. Avoid it unless you want to chug wine and beer before every fight for a laugh. D tier.

Illusion Wizard [D Tier]

• Key feature: Improved Minor Illusion and a set of illusion and invisibility options.
• Pro: A little stealth and distraction utility.
• Con: Terrible bonuses with almost no combat value.
• Best for: Almost nobody.

Another weak, odd subclass that leans on Minor Illusion and invisibility. There is almost no reason to take it with bonuses this thin. D tier.

Nature Domain Cleric [D Tier]

• Key feature: Dampen Elements uses a reaction to halve incoming elemental damage, plus some Druid spells.
• Pro: Heavy armor and a few Druid tools on a Cleric chassis.
• Con: The bonuses point at Druid spells, so you keep asking why not just play a Druid.
• Best for: Almost nobody, play a Druid instead.

The Nature Domain Cleric is one of the weaker subclasses because its bonuses point toward Druid spells and skills. You get heavy armor and some Druid spells, but you quickly wonder why you are not just playing a Druid.

The main tool is Dampen Elements, a reaction that halves incoming elemental damage. It sounds nice, until you remember a Sorcerer or Warlock with Counterspell can negate all of it outright, which makes this feel useless.

It is hard to recommend. Skip it and play a Druid if you want the nature vibes and spellcasting. D tier.

Build guide: Nature Domain Cleric build guide

Trickery Domain Cleric [D Tier]

• Key feature: Illusion and invisibility spells, plus Blessing of the Trickster.
• Pro: Some stealth gear synergy while invisible.
• Con: Illusion and stealth clash with a class built to heal, support, and deal radiant damage.
• Best for: RP as Shadowheart, not much else.

Trickery is the default subclass for Shadowheart and the worst of the Clerics. You get illusions and invisibility spells and features, which is odd for a class that wants to heal, support, and deal radiant damage. The only real use is RP as Shadowheart and her chosen deity. There are gear sets that reward stealth and invisibility, but you can always drink an invisibility potion or have a caster use Mage Hand or Minor Illusion.

Avoid this subclass unless you want to RP with Shadowheart, or you will hamstring yourself inside and outside of combat. D tier.

Build guide: Trickery Domain Cleric build guide

Looking for more Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) Guides and Content?

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• Hack’s YouTube Channel
• Best BG3 Builds 2026 (Top 5)
• Ultimate Light Cleric Build
• Best Beginner Classes in BG3
• Best Class for Solo Play
• All BG3 Guides & Builds (category hub)