Best BG3 Bard Build: Race, skills, subclass & more

Use our best BG3 Bard build guide to learn how to play your Bard to its fullest potential, taking into account a variety of elements like races, backgrounds, subclasses, spells, and more.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, there’s a special class called Bards. They are intriguing characters who blend music and combat skillfully. Bards can do many things, but it might be confusing to choose the best options for your character, like which race or spells to pick.

This article helps you understand how to make your Bard strong. It talks about races, backgrounds, subclasses, spells, and more. It’s like a guide that shows you the best way to play your BG3 Bard so you can have a great time on your adventure.

Best BG3 Bard Race

Just like other character classes, you can pick from various races for your BG3 Bard. These include:

• Asmodeus Tiefling: Tieflings connected to Nessus, a fiery place in the Hells, get power from Asmodeus. They can control fire and darkness due to their link to the archdevil’s infernal bloodline.
• Drow Half-Elf: This special type of Half-Elf can get a bonus magical skill called Dancing Lights Cantrip. 
• Human: Humans, widely spread across Faerun, lack unique racial traits but make with an extra skill proficiency. For Bards skilled in checks, this aids dialogue success. Humans are perfect for a “balanced” Bard build due to their versatile nature in Baldur’s Gate 3.

All these races can fit nicely with a Bard character. However, the top choice would be Drow Half-Elf. If you go with this kind of Half-Elf, you get an extra small magical skill called a cantrip. For this special skill, it’s a good idea to choose Dancing Lights.

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Best BG3 Bard Subclass

When your character reaches level 3, you can select the College of Valour as the finest subclass for your BG3 Bard build. This choice leans towards combat. As a warrior poet, you’ll access combat-focused spells and abilities, aligning with the name.

However, there are two other choices alongside the College of Valor, i.e. College of Lore and the College of Swords.

• College of Lore: If you like helping your friends by being really good at many things, this is for you. You become an expert in things like Magic, Intimidation, and being sneaky. You can even say things to distract enemies and make their attacks and skills less effective. This is a great choice if you want to support your team a lot.
• College of Swords: If you enjoy telling exciting tales and then living them out, this is your choice. While you’re not super strong in fights, you become more dangerous with medium armor and a curved sword called a Scimitar. You can decide between two ways of fighting: either being really good at fighting with one weapon or using two weapons at once, each with its own cool moves.

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Best BG3 Bard Background

For the BG3 Bard, the ideal background is the Entertainer. It’s an obvious choice because it fits Bards perfectly. With this background, your Charisma gets better, and you also learn Acrobatics, which is useful in fights.

Here are the skills you should focus on selecting for your Bard:

• Deception
• Persuasion
• Insight
• Perception
• Survival

Best BG3 Bard Spells

The most fun thing about being a Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3 is using spells. Bards have a special set of spells that are quite different from what other magic users have. Here’s a list of spells you should definitely get for your BG3 Bard character:

• Cantrip: Vicious Mockery
• Cantrip: Light
• Cantrip: Blade Ward
• 1st Level: Healing Word
• 1st Level: Thunderwave
• 1st Level: Dissonant Whispers
• 1st Level: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
• 1st Level: Heroism
• 2nd Level: Phantasmal Force
• 2nd Level: Lesser Restoration
• 2nd Level: Shatter
• 3rd Level: Glyph of Warding
• 3rd Level: Speak With Dead
• 3rd Level: Fear
• 4th Level: Greater Invisibility
• 4th Level: Polymorph
• 4th Level: Dimension Door
• 5th Level: Mass Cure Wounds
• 5th Level: Greater Restoration
• 6th Level: Otto’s Irresistible Dance

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Best BG3 Bard Multiclass Options

1. Bard and Paladin

Both Paladins and Bards share Charisma as their spell power factor, creating a great connection. Opting for the College of Swords, Paladins can boost their attacks using Bardic Inspiration dice via Blade Flourish. 

With just 1 Bard level, their spell variety expands, enhancing their usefulness across scenarios. They’ll also gain Inspiration Dice to aid allies in Ability Checks, Attacks, and Saves. This synergy between Paladins and Bards elevates their versatility and supportive abilities.

2. Cleric and Bard

Bards are strong at helping the team and have useful spells. If you want even better healing and a small defense boost, consider mixing with Cleric. 

This combo gives strong healing spells and lets you fight well up close or far away. Even if their stats aren’t exactly the same, the benefits make it a good choice.

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Best BG3 Bard Build

Given below are some of the best builds for BG3 Bard:

• Race: Wood Half-Elf
• Background: Entertainer
• Skills: Persuasion, Insight
• Ability (highest to lowest): Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Strength

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