Best Baldur S Gate 3 Wizard Build

If you’re just picking up Baldur’s Gate 3, or starting a new runthrough, it’s time to start theory-crafting your BG3 class build; what race will you choose? Where do you allocate your stats? What weapons can they use? Lucky for you, we’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting for you, and if you’re considering a powerful magic-user, here is the best BG3 Wizard build, so you can fry your enemies from the inside out.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard character creation overview

Wizards are true scholars of magic and have a multitude of powerful spells at their disposal to both harm their foes and protect their party. Wizards have two subclasses to choose from, but these aren’t available until you hit level 2.

Class features

Intelligence saving throw proficiency Wisdom saving throw proficiency Dagger proficiency Dart proficiency Sling proficiency Quarterstaff proficiency Light crossbow proficiency

Evocation school subclass

The Evocation school subclass can be accessed once you hit level 2, and focuses on enchantments and powerful magical attacks. This is the more offensive of the two subclass options for Wizard. The additional features of this subclass are:

Evocation spells Evocation Savant Sculpt Spells

Abjuration school subclass

The Abjuration school subclass is for those Wizards who need their party to support them, rather than be a damage dealer. It revolves around protecting both themselves and the people around them. The additional features of this subclass are:

Abjuration spells Arcane Ward

Best BG3 Wizard build

The best Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard build is:

Subclass – Evocation school Race – High-Elf Background – Guild Artisan Skills – Intelligence and Wisdom Weapon – Quarterstave

Subclass and spells

The best subclass for Wizard is the Evocation school due to its high damage potential. While healing and protection can be vital in a tough fight, the amount of damage available to a Wizard of the Evocation school means that this is nearly always the best choice of subclass. Obliterating your enemy before they have a chance to act is infinitely better than giving them a chance to attack you, or your party.

Abilities

Here are the best abilities for the Wizard:

Strength – 8 Dexterity – 13 Constitution – 14 Intelligence – 16 Wisdom – 11 Charisma – 14

As you won’t be wearing much in the way of armor, or dealing much damage with weapons, the strength ability isn’t going to be of much. We do suggest putting some points into constitution, so you don’t get one-shot by the first enemy you see. Intelligence is the Wizard’s key ability, so dump as much as you can into that during the character creation process, and upgrade it whenever you can in-game.

Race

The Half-Elf race is perhaps the most suited to the Wizard class due to their ability to further customize their starting abilities with the ability improvements race feature. This allows us to put an extra point into both intelligence and wisdom.

Best background

The best background for Wizard is Guild Artisan. The Guild Artisan background gives your Wizard proficiency in both insight and persuasion – couple this with the already high base charisma ability and you will be a proficient spokesperson for your party. Wizards are scholarly by nature, so having them come from a learning background also makes roleplaying sense and should be natural to follow during your playthrough.

Spells and leveling

There are a lot of spells at your disposal should you play as a Wizard, many of which are tied to your subclass. Here are the best spells for Wizard by level:

Level 2

Colour Spray Burning hands

Level 3

Flaming Sphere Misty Step

Level 4

Blade Ward Melf’s Acid Arrow Cloud of Daggers War Caster

Level 5

Animate Dead Counterspell

Level 6

Bestow Curse Fireball

Level 7

Banishment Evard’s Black Tentacles

Level 8

Blight Confusion Alert

Level 9

Conjure Elemental Telekenisis

Level 10

True Strike Cloudkill Planar Binding

Level 11

Chain Lightning Create Undead

Level 12

Circle of Death Globe of Invulnerability Spell Sniper (Eldrich Blast)

Equipment

Due to not being able to wear most armor sets, the best equipment for the Wizard is a magical robe. You’re vulnerable as a Wizard, but thankfully there are a lot of robes that have magical properties. While you’ll still be vulnerable to physical attacks, your spacing on the battlefield and your arsenal of spells should keep you safe from harm.
Now that you know the best Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard build, get your robe on, find your best staff, and start exploding mindflayers. If you aren’t set on your class, we have the best BG3 Cleric build, and the best BG3 Paladin build here, and if you’re more of a lover than a fighter, we’ve got a rundown of romance in Baldur’s Gate.