Min-Maxing Your Hero: The Ultimate Guide to Feats in Baldur’s Gate 3

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Unlock the full potential of your characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 with our comprehensive Feats Guide. As you navigate the treacherous realms of this epic RPG, choosing the right feats can mean the difference between victory and defeat. From enhancing your melee prowess with Great Weapon Master to outsmarting foes with Lucky, discover how each unique feat can transform your gameplay and tailor your character to your preferred playstyle. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a newcomer to the Forgotten Realms, mastering feats is essential for crafting a formidable hero. Dive into our guide to explore the best feats for every class and elevate your gaming experience!

All feats

In Baldur’s Gate 3, feats are specialized skills that enhance character abilities, providing unique advantages and customization options. Players can select feats at specific levels—primarily at levels 4, 8, and 12—allowing for strategic development tailored to individual play styles. Each feat offers distinct benefits, such as improved combat capabilities, increased spellcasting options, or enhanced defensive skills. With a total of 42 feats available, players can mix and match to create diverse character builds that suit their preferred gameplay approach. This guide presents a comprehensive overview of all feats, detailing their effects and how they can be effectively integrated into various character classes.

In Baldurs Gate 3, feats can be defined as special passive talents unlocked at level 4 that provide characters with additional abilities or properties. Some of them require heroes to meet a certain condition, such as proficiency in medium armor, but the vast majority are available for all classes. Special attention should be paid to Ability Improvements, a feat that gives your character additional 2 ability points to distribute.

In the table below, we list and accurately describe all the Feats available in Baldurs Gate 3.

Ability Improvements

Increase the level of one ability by 2 points or two abilities by 1 point. You cannot increase the level of an ability above 20 points.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Notes: We suggest adding the ability points to full values like 16 or 18, because additional modifiers are counted from even numbers ( 1 to a modifier every 2 points).

Athlete

Increase Strength or Dexterity of the hero by 1 point to a maximum of 20 points. Getting back up after Prone uses less movement points.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Defensive Duelist

When your character is attacked by a melee attack, you use reaction to increase your armor class (KP), so that the attack may miss.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Dual Wielder

The hero receives a bonus of 1 armor class (KP) when he holds a melee weapon in each hand. The character can fight with two weapons even in a situation where the weapon is not light.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Great Weapon Master

When a melee attack is critical (score 20 on the attack dice) or kills a creature, the hero can perform another melee attack as an additional action. When attacking with a heavy weapon, which the character is fluent in, he receives a -5 penalty for attack rolls, but the damage done is increased by 10.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Heavy Armoured

The hero gains proficiency in heavy armor, and his level of strength increases by 1 point, to a maximum level of 20 points.

Requirements: Medium Armor Proficiency

Classes with proficiency in medium armor: Ranger, Fighter, Cleric.

Races with proficiency in medium armor: Shield Dwarves, Githyanki.

Lightly Armoured

The hero gains proficiency in light armor, and his strength or dexterity level increases by 1 point, up to a maximum of 20 points.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Magic Initiate: Cleric

The hero receives a level 1 spell slot, which is renewed after a long rest. The character also learns two cantrips and one level 1 spell from the Cleric’s spell list. The basis for these spells is Wisdom.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Magic Initiate: Warlock

The hero receives a level 1 spell slot, which is renewed after a long rest. The character also learns two cantrips and one level 1 spell from the Warlock’s spell list. Your spellcasting modifier for these spells is Charisma.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Magic Initiate: Wizard

The hero receives a level 1 spell slot, which is renewed after a long rest. The character also learns two cantrips and one level 1 spell from the Wizard’s spell list. Your spellcasting modifier for these spells is Intelligence.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Martial Adept

The hero learns two maneuvers from the Battle Master archetype and receives 1 (additional) superiority dice to fuel them. You retrieve a worn superiority dice after a short or long rest.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Mobile

It increases the speed of the character. During Dash, difficult terrain does not slow down your movement. Moreover, if your character moves after performing a melee attack, it will not provoke an opportunity attack from the opponent.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Moderately armored

The hero gains proficiency in medium armor and shields, and his level of strength increases by 1 point, to a maximum level of 20 points

Requirements: Light Armor Proficiency

Classes with proficiency in light armor: Ranger, Rogue, Fighter, Cleric, Warlock.

Races with proficiency in light armor: Shield Dwarves, Githyanki.

Shield Master

The hero gains a 2 bonus to Dexterity saving throws when wielding a Shield. If a spell forces the character to make a Dexterity saving throw, he can use the reaction to shield himself. After a Dexterity saving throw, you’re immune to damage.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Skilled

The hero gains proficiency in any combination of three skills of your choice.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Tough

The maximum number of health points is increased by 2 for each character level.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

Weapon Master

Increase your character’s Strength or Dexterity by 1 to a maximum of 20 points and become proficient with the four weapons you choose.

Requirements: available to all classes after reaching experience level 4.

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Best feats

In Baldur’s Gate 3, selecting the right feats can significantly enhance your character’s capabilities and overall effectiveness in combat. Key feats such as Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter are essential for melee and ranged classes, respectively, allowing players to maximize damage output while balancing risk. The Sentinel feat is invaluable for controlling the battlefield, enabling reaction attacks against enemies that threaten allies. Additionally, Lucky provides a crucial safety net by allowing rerolls on missed attacks, making it a versatile choice for any class. Each feat not only complements specific playstyles but also encourages creative character builds, enabling players to tailor their heroes to their unique strategies and preferences.

It is difficult to say unequivocally which Feats available in Baldurs Gate 3 are the best, because with their help everyone can adapt their characters to their own style of play. Surely Ability Improvements will always be a great choice for all character classes as they raise the value of the main attribute to the level of 18 points.

  1. Ranger: Mobile, Dual Wielder (if fighting with two weapons), Defensive Duelist (if your Ranger is a melee fighter), Sharpshooter;
  2. Rogue: Mobile, Dual Wielder, Sharpshooter, Mage Slayer;
  3. Fighter: Master of the Veil, Dual Wielder (if you want to use two weapons at the same time), Shield Master (for a defensive build), Sentinel, Savage Attacker;
  4. Cleric: Shield Master (Clerics often use a shield and a one-handed weapon – defensive set);
  5. Warlock : Ability Improvement, Ritual Caster;
  6. Wizard: Ability Improvement, Elemental Adept, Spell Sniper;
  7. Paladin: Great Weapon Master, Sentinel, Savage Attacker;
  8. Druid: Mage Slayer, Polearm Master, Magic Initiate: Cleric;
  9. Monk: Mobile, Taven Brawler, Martial Adept;
  10. Bard: Sharpshooter, Actor, Performer;
  11. Barbarian: Great Weapon Master, Sentinel, Savage Attacker;
  12. Sorcerer: Elemental Adept, Spell Sniper;
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What are the best feat combinations for maximizing damage in Baldur’s Gate 3

To maximize damage in Baldur’s Gate 3, certain feat combinations can significantly enhance your character’s offensive capabilities. Here are some of the most effective combinations:

Top Feat Combinations for Maximum Damage

  1. Great Weapon Master + Lucky
    • Great Weapon Master (GWM) allows you to take a -5 penalty on attack rolls in exchange for +10 damage. This is particularly powerful for characters using heavy weapons.
    • Lucky lets you reroll attacks that miss, mitigating the risk of the GWM penalty. This combination can lead to massive damage outputs, especially when combined with critical hits or additional attacks from abilities or spells.
  2. Polearm Master + Sentinel
    • Polearm Master grants an extra attack as a bonus action and allows opportunity attacks when enemies enter your reach.
    • Sentinel enhances your control over the battlefield by stopping enemies in their tracks when you hit them with an opportunity attack. This combo not only maximizes damage through multiple attacks but also restricts enemy movement, making it ideal for frontline fighters.
  3. Dual Wielder + Savage Attacker
    • Dual Wielder increases your damage potential by allowing you to wield two weapons effectively.
    • Savage Attacker lets you reroll damage dice and take the higher result, enhancing your overall damage output with each attack. This combination is particularly effective for characters who rely on dual-wielding melee weapons.
  4. Sharpshooter + Lucky
    • Sharpshooter allows ranged attacks to ignore disadvantage from long-range shots and gives a +10 damage bonus at the cost of a -5 penalty to attack rolls.
    • Pairing this with Lucky provides a safety net to reroll missed attacks, making it a powerful combination for ranged builds that want to deal significant damage while maintaining accuracy4.
  5. Elemental Adept + Spell Sniper
    • For spellcasters, Elemental Adept ensures that your spells deal full damage even against resistant enemies and prevents rolling a 1 on damage dice.
    • Spell Sniper increases your range and allows you to ignore cover penalties, making it easier to hit targets while maximizing spell damage output.
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These combinations leverage both offensive capabilities and tactical advantages, allowing players to create devastatingly effective characters in Baldur’s Gate 3.

What are the best feats for a rogue in Baldur’s Gate 3

For maximizing a Rogue’s effectiveness in Baldur’s Gate 3, selecting the right feats is crucial. Here are some of the best feats tailored for Rogues, enhancing their combat capabilities and versatility:

Best Feats for Rogues

  1. Sharpshooter
    • This feat is ideal for Rogues who prefer ranged combat. It allows you to ignore penalties from cover and increases damage by 10 at the cost of a -5 penalty to attack rolls. This is particularly effective when combined with sneak attacks, making your Rogue a formidable sniper.
  2. Dual Wielder
    • Perfect for Rogues who engage in melee combat, this feat allows you to wield two weapons effectively, even if they are not light. It also provides a +1 bonus to Armor Class (AC), enhancing survivability while maximizing damage output through additional attacks.
  3. Lucky
    • A versatile feat that grants three Luck Points per long rest, allowing you to reroll missed attacks or impose disadvantage on enemy attacks. This is particularly useful for ensuring your sneak attacks land, especially against high Armor Class (AC) targets.
  4. Mobile
    • This feat enhances your mobility in combat, allowing you to move freely without provoking opportunity attacks from enemies you’ve attacked. This is crucial for Rogues who rely on hit-and-run tactics to maximize their damage while avoiding retaliation.
  5. Athlete
    • Boosting your agility, this feat reduces movement costs when standing up from prone and increases jump distance by 50%. It also provides a +1 increase to either Strength or Dexterity, enhancing your overall effectiveness in both combat and exploration.
  6. Alert
    • An excellent choice for increasing initiative rolls, this feat ensures that your Rogue acts early in combat, allowing you to set up sneak attacks before enemies can react. It also prevents surprise attacks, keeping your Rogue safe during ambushes.
  7. Sentinel
    • This feat is beneficial for melee Rogues as it allows you to stop enemies from moving when you hit them with an opportunity attack. This can set up advantageous positions for future sneak attacks and control the battlefield effectively.
  8. Crossbow Expert
    • If you prefer using crossbows, this feat allows you to ignore the loading property of crossbows and makes it possible to use your sneak attack at close range without disadvantage, significantly increasing your damage potential.

These feats provide a balanced mix of offensive power and tactical advantages, allowing Rogues in Baldur’s Gate 3 to thrive in various combat scenarios while maximizing their damage output.

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Aneesh Shukla

Aneesh is a full-time professional writer, a career he’s grateful for every day. He’s currently working on his debut fantasy novel series, pouring his passion for storytelling into every page. When he’s not writing - a rare occurrence - you can find him spending quality time with his wife and their puppy. He also enjoys playing video games and traveling, having visited over 10 countries and explored countless virtual worlds.

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