How to use multiclass in Baldur's Gate 3

Choose multiple classes in Baldur's Gate 3 is an extremely powerful tool that allows you to access skills from multiple classes at once. But as in Dungeons and dragonsMulticlassing can also limit your character's ultimate potential. Fortunately, it's a very simple process to classify your character into multiple classes and then respect them if you don't like it, so you can experiment as much as you want.

In this Baldur's Gate 3 guide, we will teach you how to use multiple classes; explain the multiclass requirements for, and the advantages and disadvantages of, multiclassing; and suggest some of the best multiclass builds.


How to use multiclass in BG3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

You can multiclass Baldur's Gate 3 as early as level 2and there are no restrictions on which classes you can combine – although some clearly play much better together than others.

When you level up, look for a button at the top right of the Level Up panel (on the left side of your screen). You are looking for a button with a ax and a staff crossed on it, with a plus sign above it. When you click that button, the game will open a panel showing how many levels you have in each class. From there you can select a new class and level up in it instead of your main class.

The next time you level up, you will see a new screen showing your two classes and their respective levels. You can then choose between these two or add a third subclass. Now, I don't recommend going for more than two classes for one character (unless you're going for the Jack-of-all-Trades achievement), but there's nothing stopping you from putting one level in all 12 classes.


Should you multiclass in BG3?

A Dragonborn Paladin increases his Bard skills to level 2 in Baldur's Gate 3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Multiclassing is a very complex decision Baldur's Gate 3and you need to weigh the pros and cons as you put together your build.

The positives are quite clear. By choosing multiclass you can:

  • Combine class functions together to create truly killer combinations
  • Improve some of the weaknesses of your main class
  • Get more resources that benefit your main class, such as extra spell slots
  • Fulfill a really cool role-playing fantasy of a heavily armored mage or a raging barbarian monk
  • Get even more attacks per turn

However, the disadvantages are slightly more nuanced.

Making the decision to multiclass means no matter what your main class will never reach level 12, which is the maximum level in the game. This may cause you to miss out on some truly amazing features, depending on your class and subclass. You have to weigh that against the great feature combinations you can get if you combine it with a second class.

Another negative – or at least something to be aware of – is that you acquire only the skills of your first class. So you can't start as a wizard, decide you want to wear heavy armor, and then dive into Paladin. What you need to do there is start as Paladin and then complete the rest of your 11 levels in Sorcerer. You can't just take a few classes and walk away with all the skills.

Finally, and this is a pro or a con depending on how much of a strategy fan you are: Multiclassing can make the game very easy when playing on the standard difficulty setting. Building a multi-classed character is usually a big investment, and you'll probably feel a little behind once you leave a level in your primary class and enter another. But once you're at max level and have a ton of magical items to combine – not to mention so much gold that you can easily customize your class to perfection via Withers – you can become an unstoppable monster quite easily.


Best multiclass builds in BG3

Multiclassing is a promising and lucrative business, if you make the right choices. The most powerful is built-in Baldur's Gate 3 mostly it involves multiclassing, and there's real fun to be had if you really think about your character or follow a building guide.

If you want to build your own combos, keep in mind that classes usually work best together when they share the same main stats, such as Paladin, Bard, Warlock, and Sorcerer all using Charisma.

If you'd rather get some recommendations, here are three of our favorite combos:

Paladin and Pact of the Blade Warlock

A Paladin Warlock levels up in Baldur's Gate 3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

This combination is extremely powerful. Start with a Paladin van any oath you like, and level it up to level 5 so you get your extra attack. Then start taking levels in Warlock. At Warlock level 3, take Pact of the Sword and make your Paladin's main weapon Pact weapon (this is extremely powerful when combined with a shield and the Blood of Lathander mace).

Once you reach Warlock level 5, you get another attack when you use your Pact weapon, and this stacks with your additional Paladin attack, giving you three weapon hits per turn. Take at least one more level in Paladin to get your hands on it Aura and the final level in whichever class you prefer. When you combine all those attacks that use your Charisma score, an aura to buff your allies, heavy armor, Eldritch Blast, and Warlock spell slots you can use for Divine Smite (which resets after a short rest, no less) , the Palock is truly one of the most impressive builds in the game.

Thief Rogue and Gloomstalker Ranger

Astarion takes a few levels of Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

While some multi-class combos are like putting chocolate and peanut butter together—two great flavors that somehow make the other even better—others are more like adding chocolate to even more chocolate. That's pretty much what you're dealing with when it comes to the Rogue and the Ranger.

The level-up process for this is quite simple. Start with a Rogue and level up your character three times so you can select your subclass: Thief. Thief is just a completely broken subclass on Rogue because it gives you a second bonus promotion which you can use to run, unplug and do various other things that go away.

Then you take the next eight levels in Ranger and get the Gloomy stalker subclass, the sneaky, stealthy ranger. This will deal massive bonus damage on your first turn of each battle (in combination with Surprise attack from Rogue you can take out a bunch of enemies with one hit to start the fight) and eventually get an extra attack. Once you reach Ranger level 8 and complete an achievement, take another dip into Rogue to round out your leveling experience with a new achievement.

This build essentially turns you into a burst damage, stealth, and mobility machine. It's a very popular build and a lot of fun to play.

Barbarian and fighter

Karlach takes a few levels of Fighter in Baldur's Gate 3

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Sometimes inside Baldur's Gate 3, you just want to create a character who is really, really good at hitting things really, really hard. Have Gale and Wyll cast some spells. You have a date with a big hammer, your own anger and Action Surge.

The Barbarian Fighter is a classic, powerful combo that lets you blast your way across the battlefield and beat enemies to a pulp.

To do this, start as a Barbarian and go up to level 5, when you get your additional attack. That should get you through the first two levels of Fighter. Take Fighter to level 3 and choose the Champion subclass, which allows you to critically attack when you roll 19 or 20 on the die. You also record Action wave, which allows you to regain your action once per short rest. That means at level 8 (five in Barbarian and three in Fighter) you can hit a boss four times in one turn. And you roll a critical hit of 1 in 10 rolls instead of 1 in 20.

Complete the leveling process with Barbarian all the way to level 9, which will grant you the Brutal Critical effect, causing you to deal more damage on a critical hit. As for your Barbarian subclass, I like to combine Champion Berserkerbecause you get another attack on which you can use your bonus action if you kill something.

This build essentially turns you into a whirlwind that can attack again and again, hitting critically all the time, causing massive damage. If you have a Cleric like Shadowheart backing you up, and a spellcaster like Gale to help you with ranged enemies, you'll be able to chew through bosses.