Unlock the arcane secrets of the Warlock class in Baldur’s Gate 3 with our comprehensive guide. Delve into the intricate mechanics of spellcasting, from the ever-reliable Eldritch Blast to the cunning Hex, and discover how to maximize your character’s potential through strategic ability scores and Eldritch Invocations. Whether you choose the path of the Fiend, Great Old One, or Archfey, this guide will illuminate the best spells and builds to dominate the battlefield and weave your dark magic with finesse. Prepare to enchant, control, and obliterate as you step into the shadows!
Warlocks, bound by a pact with an all-powerful patron, receive the ability to wield dark and dangerous magic. The spells that can be found on your character are divided into levels, which means that you can only access more powerful spells once you have gained a certain level of experience.
Spells – Level 1
Level 1 spells for Warlocks in Baldur’s Gate 3 set the foundation for a versatile and powerful spellcasting experience. At this level, Warlocks can choose two cantrips and one spell from the first level spell list. Eldritch Blast is the standout cantrip, providing a reliable source of damage without expending spell slots, while Hex offers both offensive and utility benefits by cursing a target to take extra damage and imposing disadvantage on ability checks. Additionally, Warlocks gain access to spells like Armor of Agathys, which enhances survivability by granting temporary hit points and retaliatory damage against attackers. This combination allows Warlocks to engage effectively in combat while maintaining their unique magical prowess.
The table below shows all of the Warlock’s spells from the first level that are available when creating a new character in Baldur’s Gate 3.
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Eldritch Blast Effect: summon an energy ray that will cause 1D10 Force damage. Range: 18 meters. |
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Blade Ward Effect: you gain immunity to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing injuries caused by weapon attacks. |
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Chill Touch Effect: assail a creature with the chill of the grave. The target receives 1d8 Necrotic and cannot regain hit points. Undead creatures also get disadvantage on attack rolls. Range: 18 meters. |
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Friends Effect: enchant a non-hostile creature to gain advantage on Charisma checks against it. Range: 9 meters. Concentration: required |
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Mage Hand Effect: create a spectral hand that can manipulate and interact with objects. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required |
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Poison Spray Effect: project a puff of noxious gas that deals 1d12 Poison. Range: 3 feet. |
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True Strike Effect: detect the target’s defensive properties to have an easier time when attacking it. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required |
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Armour of Agathys Effect: the hero is covered in frost and gains 5 temporary health points. In addition, the hero causes 5 Cold damage to all creatures that attack them with a melee attack. |
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Arms of Hadar Effect: summon the dark energy. Targets receive 2d6 Necrotic damage and cannot respond. Range: 3 feet. Additional information: after a successful defense throw the target receives only half of the damage. |
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Charm Person Effect: Magically charm a humanoid in your field of vision. Range: 18 meters. Additional information: a charmed creature can’t hurt a character casting a spell. |
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Expeditionary Retreat Effect: turn Sprint into an extra action allowing the character to move at extraordinary speed. Concentration: required |
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Hellish Rebuke Effect: the next time your hero gets injured, they will unleash infernal flames, which cause 2d10 Fire damage to the enemy attacking them. Additional information: after a successful defense throw the target receives only half of the damage. |
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Protection from Evil and Good Effect: protect the benevolent being from aberrations, celestial, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. Range: 1.5 meters. Concentration: required Other information: the attacks of the creatures listed above aimed at this target are hindered and they cannot inflict Charm, Frightened or Possessed statuses. |
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Hex Effect: cast a curse on an enemy to inflict additional 1d6 Necrotic damage with each attack ending with a hit. The target also has difficulties with passing skillchecks for an attribute of your choice. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required |
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Witch Bolt Effect: the hero summons a beam of energy that causes 1d12 Lightning damage and connects to the target with an electric arc. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required Additional information: you can activate the arc of lightning in each round to automatically inflict 1d12 electrical injuries. |
Spells – Level 2
At Level 2, Warlocks in Baldur’s Gate 3 gain access to a selection of powerful spells and Eldritch Invocations that significantly enhance their combat capabilities. Key spells to consider include Hex, which curses enemies to take extra damage and imposes disadvantage on ability checks, and Hellish Rebuke, a reaction spell that punishes attackers with fire damage. Additionally, the defensive spell Armor of Agathys provides temporary hit points and retaliates against melee attackers with cold damage. With these spells, Warlocks can effectively balance offense and defense, making them formidable opponents on the battlefield while also allowing for strategic gameplay through their unique spell mechanics.
The table below shows Warlock’s level two spells. Your hero will get access to them after reaching experience Level 3 regardless of the chosen specialization (subclass).
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Blindness Effect: magically Blind an enemy creature. Range: 18 meters. Additional information: the blinded creature may try to recover from this condition at the end of each tour. |
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Hold Person Effect: paralyze a humanoid. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required Additional information: at the end of each round, the creature may try to free itself. |
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Ray of Enfeeblement Effect: the character shots a ray of weakening energy from his or hers hand. Target that is hit can deal half damage of Strength-based weapon attacks. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required |
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Darkness Effect: a character creates a cloud of magic darkness that will hide and blind creatures inside it. Darkness makes it impossible to perform ranged attacks. Range: 18 meters. Concentration: required |
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Burning Hands Effect: fire shoots from your outstretched fingers. It ignites anything flammable and deals 3d6 Fire. Range: 5 meters. Additional information: after a successful defense throw the target receives only half of the damage. |
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Misty Step Effect: the character becomes surrounded by a dark mist and he or she teleports to a free spot in his or hers sight. Range: 18 meters. |
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Shatter Effect: cause an intense, painful noise that deals 3d8 Thunder damage for creatures and items. Range: 18 meters. Additional information: after a successful defense test, the target receives only half of the initial damage. Inorganic creatures build from materials like rocks will have their defense throws harder. |
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Invisibility Effect: touch a creature to make it invisible. Range: 1.5 meters. Concentration: required Additional information: the spell ends prematurely if a creature attacks or uses magic. |
What are the top spells to prioritize for a Warlock in Baldur’s Gate 3
When playing as a Warlock in Baldur’s Gate 3, certain spells are essential for maximizing your effectiveness in combat. Here are the top spells to prioritize:
- Eldritch Blast: This is the quintessential cantrip for Warlocks, dealing 1d10 force damage and scaling with level. It’s versatile and doesn’t consume spell slots, making it your primary source of damage throughout the game. Pair it with the Agonizing Blast Eldritch Invocation to add your Charisma modifier to its damage, significantly boosting its effectiveness as you level up.
- Hex: A staple spell that allows you to curse an enemy, giving you extra damage on attacks against them and imposing disadvantage on one ability check of your choice. This spell synergizes well with Eldritch Blast, enhancing your damage output while providing crowd control.
- Armour of Agathys: This spell grants temporary hit points and deals cold damage to attackers when you are hit, providing both defense and offense. It’s particularly useful in early levels to help mitigate the Warlock’s inherent squishiness.
- Hellish Rebuke: A reaction spell that allows you to deal fire damage to an attacker when hit, making it a great way to punish melee enemies. It is especially effective when combined with other defensive strategies.
- Misty Step: This 2nd-level spell allows for quick repositioning by teleporting you up to 60 feet, which can be crucial for avoiding danger or gaining tactical advantages during combat.
- Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (if available through subclass): This spell can incapacitate an enemy for several turns without requiring concentration, effectively removing a threat from the battlefield temporarily.
These spells form a robust foundation for any Warlock build, allowing for both powerful offensive capabilities and essential defensive measures. Prioritizing these will enhance your gameplay experience and effectiveness in various combat scenarios.
What are the best Eldritch Invocations for maximizing damage
To maximize damage as a Warlock in Baldur’s Gate 3, focusing on the right Eldritch Invocations is crucial. Here are the best options to consider:
- Agonizing Blast: This is the most essential invocation for any Warlock. It allows you to add your Charisma modifier to the damage of each beam of your Eldritch Blast, significantly increasing your damage output. Given that Eldritch Blast is a staple cantrip for Warlocks, this invocation ensures consistent high damage across multiple attacks.
- Repelling Blast: While primarily a control feature, Repelling Blast allows you to push enemies back when you hit them with Eldritch Blast. This can create advantageous positioning and keep enemies at bay, but it also complements your damage strategy by allowing you to maintain distance while dealing damage.
- Eldritch Smite: Exclusive to Pact of the Blade Warlocks, this invocation lets you expend a spell slot to deal an additional 1d8 force damage on a hit with your pact weapon, scaling with the level of the spell slot used. This adds significant burst damage potential during melee encounters.
- Lifedrinker: Available at level 12, this powerful invocation adds necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier to your melee attacks. This is particularly effective for builds that incorporate melee combat, enhancing both your survivability and damage output simultaneously.
- Thirsting Blade: If you are focusing on melee combat as a Pact of the Blade Warlock, Thirsting Blade allows you to attack twice instead of once whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. This effectively doubles your damage potential in close combat situations.
By prioritizing these Eldritch Invocations, you can significantly enhance your Warlock’s damage capabilities in Baldur’s Gate 3, whether you’re casting spells from a distance or engaging in melee combat.
