Baldur's Gate III: Classes / Characters

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Barbarian

Mighty warriors for whom their rage is as potent a weapon as any blade or bludgeon. Barbarians forego armor and protection in exchange for increased fighting prowess, with "Unarmored Defense" increasing their Armor Class with their Constitution modifier. Their signature ability, "Rage", grants them additional damage with melee and improvised weapons, as well as bolstered Physical Resistance and Advantage on Strength Checks and Saving Throws.

The Barbarian has access to three subclasses at level 3:

Wildheart: In addition to the ability to cast "Speak With Animals", Wildheart Barbarians gain access to "Bestial Heart", which confers new abilities depending on which of five animals they take the inspiration for their rage from.
Berserker: Berserkers change their "Rage" ability to "Frenzy", which grants them the ability to use their Bonus Action to make an additional melee attack with "Frenzied Strike", albeit at the cost of increasing "Frenzied Strain" which reduces their attack power. Berserkers can also use "Enraged Throw" to toss objects and creatures as projectiles.
Wild Magic: Wild Magic Barbarians release their magic when activating Rage, causing a random effect. They also possess "Magical Awareness", which adds nearby allies' Proficiency Bonus to Saving Throws against magic spells.

Adaptation Name Change: "Wildheart" is a renamed "Totem Warrior", as the creators considered the use of totems to be cultural appropriation.
Barbarian Hero: The basic idea. Savage warriors, usually (though not always) from more primitive cultures, who fight through raw force, instinct and anger rather than any formal training.
Unstoppable Rage: The Barbarian's signature ability, Rage, grants them greater attack power and defense. At higher levels, for Berserkers, their variation of Rage, Frenzy, makes them immune to being Frightened, Calmed, or Charmed.
Stone Wall: Compared to the other two front-line tank classes, Fighters and Paladins. Barbarians typically don't put out as much damage, but they have more HP, and while Raging they have resistance to physical damage types and certain status effects. Bear Heart Barbarians take this a step further, gaining resistance to elemental damage types on top of all that.
Wild Magic: As the name implies, Wild Magic Barbarians unleash wild magic upon activating their Rage, the effects of which range from magically enhancing your weapon to unleashing vines that can impede enemies.

Bard

For the bard, their gift for song and dance is magic unto itself, which they can wield in battle as well as a sword or crossbow. Bards are jacks-of-all-trades, equally adept at fighting with weapons, assailing enemies with magic, and using spells to aid allies. Their signature ability, "Bardic Inspiration", allows them to empower allies, granting them an additional 1d6 bonus to their next Attack Roll, Saving Throw, and Ability Check

The Bard has access to three subclasses at level 3:

College of Lore: Along with proficiency in Arcana, Intimidation, and Sleight of Hand, College of Lore Bards gain "Cutting Words", a reaction ability that adds a 1d6 penalty to an attacker's Attack Roll, Saving Throw, and Ability Check. They are also the most powerful spellcasters of the Bard class, gaining two additional Magical Secrets spells.
College of Valour: In addition to proficiency with Martial Weapons, Medium Armor, and Shields, College of Valour Bards change their Bardic Inspiration to "Combat Inspiration", which, in addition to Bardic Inspiration's bonuses, also ads a 1d6 bonus to weapon damage or Armor Class.
College of Swords: In addition to proficiency with Medium Armor and scimitars, College of Swords Bards gain new combat abilities, including Slashing Flourish (which lets them strike two enemies at once), Mobile Flourish (which lets them knock back enemies and teleport to them), and Defensive Flourish (which grants a +4 bonus to Armor Class on hit). These Blade Flourishes (as they're collectively called) use Bardic Inspiration charges as a resource.

Back from the Dead: Bards can use Magical Secrets to learn Revivify, which is otherwise only available to Clerics and Paladins.
Combat Medic: Bards can be capable healers. They can even use the Magical Secrets feature to learn the Mass Healing Word and Revivify spells.
The Face: By design. Bards use Charisma as their primary stat, can be proficient in all three of Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation, and are the only Charisma-focused class to have access to Expertise, which allows their proficiency bonus to be applied to their chosen skills twice. This makes Bards the ideal class for dialogue. Another unstated benefit is that Bards have, by far, the most class specific dialogue choices in the entire game (as befits their status as Jack of All Trades and keepers of lore), which furthers their use as the party Face.
Fighter, Mage, Thief: Within the bard class, each subclass fits one. College of Lore bards gain an additional Magical Secrets spell and are the most powerful spellcasters, making them the Mage subclass. College of Valour bards gain Medium Armor, Shields, and Martial Weapons proficiency, making them the most versatile and durable warriors and hence the Fighter subclass. Lastly, College of Swords bards gain extra damage and trickery abilities with their Blade Flourish, making them the Thief subclass.
I Shall Taunt You: Vicious Mockery entails slinging sordid insults towards your foes to inflict damage. The insults are fully voiced, as well.
Jack of All Trades: They have a class feature named exactly this, which grants half their proficiency bonus to all skill checks they are not proficient in. They can also learn more skills than any other class, with the Lore bard specifically gaining 3 additional skill proficiencies. And of course, they are very versatile in combat, learning a wide variety of damage, healing, and support spells, as well as being competent weapon users (particularly the Valour or Swords Colleges).
Magic Music: All bard spells, including Bardic Inspiration, are cast with the bard's equipped musical instrument. In a more thematic sense, a bard player can also tell Gale that they view magic as a kind of music or harmony.
Mundane Utility: All bards start proficient with an instrument. While this lets them cast spells and inspire allies, it also lets them just play normal music, which allows them to attract NPCs and distract them for another party member to sneak by or steal things.
The Red Mage: Bards learn Wizard, Cleric and even a few Druid spells, albeit not as many as any of those alone. They can even use their Magical Secrets feature to learn spells that aren't part of their own spell list, which Lore Bards can do more often than the others.
Swashbuckler: The College of Swords is all about fancy swordplay.
Support Party Member: Regardless of subclass, Bards have a variety of support powers via spells and Bardic Inspiration.

Cleric

In service to their chosen deity, the Cleric is a holy soldier that aids allies with potent healing magic while bringing their lords' wrath upon their foes. In addition to being able to recover two level 1 Spell Slots per Short Rest, Clerics can choose their subclass immediately from level 1 from one of seven Domains:

Domain of Life: Clerics in the Domain of Life have proficiency with Heavy Armor and more potent healing abilities which recover an addtional two HP. They also gain access to the spells Cure Wounds and Bless.
Domain of Light: Clerics in the Domain of Light can use Warding Flare as a reaction to impose Disadvantage on enemies that attack them. They also gain the Light cantrip and access to the spells Burning Hands and Faerie Fire.
Domain of Trickery: Clerics in the Domain of Trickery can use Blessing of the Trickster to to grant an ally Advantage on Stealth checks. They also gain access to the spells Charm Person and Disguise Self.
Domain of Knowledge: Clerics in the Domain of Knowledge gain access to the spells Sleep and Command.
Domain of Nature: Clerics in the Domain of Nature have proficiency with Heavy Armor. They also gain Acolyte of Nature, which grants them a Druid cantrip, as well as proficiency in either Animal Handling, Nature, or Survival.
Domain of the Tempest: Clerics in the Domain of the Tempest have proficiency in Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons. They also gain access to the spells Thunderwave and Fog Cloud.
Domain of War: Clerics in the Domain of War gain proficiency in Martial Weapons and Heavy Armor, as well as the War Priest attribute which lets them use a Charge to make an additional action. They also gain access to the spells Divine Favor and Shield of Faith

Back from the Dead: One of only three classes capable of learning the Revivify spell.
Bolt of Divine Retribution: The Tempest Domain specializes in smiting enemies with divine lightning.
Boring, but Practical: The Life Domain compared to the alternatives. All of its Domain spells are part of the default Cleric spell list, but it has passive abilities that make those spells stronger than other Clerics are capable of, and its Channel Divinity is the game's strongest multitarget heal.
Combat Medic: Regardless of their Divine Domain, Clerics are powerful healers who fight on the front lines. The War Domain goes furthest into the Combat side, while the Life Domain goes the furthest into the Medic side.
Divine Intervention: Once per playthrough, a Cleric can call upon their patron deity for one of four effects. The options are a powerful AOE Radiant attack, a full party heal equivalent to a full rest, a unique weapon, or a large number of supplies. The ability in question is even called Divine Intervention
Fire, Ice, Lightning: Nature Domain Clerics can choose from any of these three options for their Divine Strike feature.
Hammer of the Holy: They are the main Religious Bruiser-cum-Church Militant class in the game, and a mace is depicted on their class icon. Additionally, the only martial weapons they are proficient with by default are flails and morningstars.
It Only Works Once: Divine Intervention can only be used once in a single playthrough.
Light 'em Up: Clerics are one of the primary sources of Radiant damage. The Light Domain makes this its main focus alongside fire.
Loophole Abuse: The one use per playthrough rule of Divine Intervention only applies to the individual Cleric. It's technically possible to use it as many as twenty-two times in a single playthrough by reclassing other characters into Clerics. ^note
Magic Knight: The War Domain and Tempest Domain give proficiency in heavy armor and all weapons, making powerful physical fighters in addition to their spellcasting abilities.
Master of Illusion: The Trickery Domain focuses on stealth, illusions, and mind control to move around the battlefield without drawing enemy attention.
Playing with Fire: The Light Domain specializes in burning enemies with holy fire.
Religion is Magic: The basic concept of the class. A cleric is a priest strong enough in their faith that their deity grants them use of magical powers.
Religion of Evil: Several of the available gods are evil beings and the game does track if the player is following such a deity, offering unique conversation options as a result.
Saintly Church: As much as following an evil god offers unique conversation options following one of the available good aligned gods does too.
Spell Blade: Some high-level Clerics gain the Divine Strike ability, which adds elemental damage on a successful weapon attack. The element is determined by the Cleric's Domain.
White Mage: Regardless of Domain, Clerics are the game's healing specialists and fulfill this role better than any other class. The Life Domain represents the absolute zenith of this role.

Druid

Nature heeds the call of the Druid, allowing them to use the trees around them, the animals close to them, and even the earth beneath their feet as weapons. At level 2, Druids gain the power of "Wild Shape", which allows them to morph into an animal, gaining their strength. Additional Wild Shape forms are unlocked at levels 4, 6, and 10.

Druids have access to three subclasses at level 2:

Circle of the Land: Land Druids gain Natural Recovery, which allows them to regain Spell Slots outside of combat.
Circle of the Moon: Moon Druids can use Lunar Mend to spend Spell Slots in exchange for Wild Shape charges.
Circle of Spores: Spore Druids gain access to the Bone Chill cantrip, as well as the spell Symbiotic Entity and the reaction ability Circle of Spores.

Animorphism: Druids are capable of turning into animals for both combat and exploration. The Circle of the Moon specializes in this ability by gaining additional forms and being able to transform as a bonus action.
Combat Medic: Druids can learn various healing spells and are also skilled combatants.
Druid: Well obviously. The main traits of the trope focused on are the nature aspects, with shapeshifting into animals being a large focus in game.
Elemental Shapeshifter: At level 10, Circle of the Moon Druids gain the ability to transform into one of the four Elemental Myrmidons.
Jack of All Stats: Druids in general, especially the Circle of the Land, do a bit of everything reasonably well, but specialize in nothing.
Magic Knight: Circle of the Land Druids specialize in magic, but also have a respectable selection of weapons even before accounting for race.
Nature Hero: Adventurers who call upon the powers of nature to fuel their abilities.

Fighter

When it comes to all matters martial, the Fighter is the authority on how best to win a fight, with access to a wide array of weapon and armor proficiencies that grants them unparalleled versatility on the battlefield.

Fighters have access to one of three subclasses at level 3:

Battle Master: Battle Masters gain four Superiority Dice, which can be spent on special abilities that either increase their own lethality or empower their allies.
Eldritch Knight: Eldritch Knights gain access to a selection of spells to use in combat.
Champion: Champions have a lower threshold to land critical hits, starting at 1 and stacking.

Boring, but Practical: Of all classes, the Fighter has the fewest frills and is generally the most user friendly. Within the class, the Champion requires the least understanding of the game's mechanics to be effective.
Difficult, but Awesome: Compared to the other two subclasses, Battle Masters can learn Maneuvers that can turn the tide of battle if the player understands how to use them.
Magic Knight: Eldritch Knights learn a small amount of magic to enhance their fighting abilities.

Monk

Monks do not need a weapon, because their bodies are weapons unto themselves. The Monk's signature feature is Ki, their body's own natural life force, which they can weaponize, such as in the ability "Flurry of Blows", which lets them attack twice in rapid succession. They also have Unarmored Defense, which adds their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class when not wearing armor.

Monks have access to three subclasses at level 3:

Way of the Four Elements: Monks who follow the Way of the Four Elements gain access to Ki abilities that replicate magic spells, in addition to being able to recover Ki outside of combat.
Way of the Open Hand: Monks who follow the Way of the Open Hand gain new abilities for Flurry of Blows, allowing them to topple, stagger, or push their opponents.
Way of Shadows: Monks who follow the Way of Shadows gain the Minor Illusion cantrip, as well as access to "Shadow Arts" which increase their stealth abilities.

Bare-Fisted Monk: Monks have many passive abilities and specialized equipment that encourage them to fight without weapons.
Boring, but Practical: The Way of the Open Hand relies exclusively on hand-to-hand combat with no extra frills or arcane mechanics compared to the alternatives.
Ice-Cream Koan: Some of the class-specific dialogue can veer into this.
Goblin: Are... are you the True Soul?
Monk: We are all everything, and yet nothing, at the same time.
Goblin: Uh...
Kamehame Hadoken: The Fist of Unbroken Air, one of the spells available to Way of the Four Elements Monks, fires a projectile composed of compressed air at an opponent.
Kung-Fu Wizard: The Way of the Four Elements focuses on unarmed combat mixed with renamed versions of various arcane spells that run off the Monk's main stats.
Lightning Bruiser: Monks can hit hard and often, develop a very high Armor Class despite only wearing clothes, and can move alarming distances in a single turn. The Way of the Four Elements Subclass can possibly make this literal
Martial Arts Staff: Monks aren't very proficient with Martial Weapons starting off. If they do use a weapon, it will typically be a Quarterstaff.
Stealth Expert: The Way of Shadows relies on stealth and misdirection to take down their enemies without being noticed.

Paladin

Holy warriors who bind themselves to an Oath, so that they may aid others and fulfill a chosen purpose. Paladins use Oath Charges to power their unique abilities, including "Lay on Hands", a powerful healing technique that recovers HP and purges disease and poison.

Paladins may choose a subclass at level 1 from one of three Oaths, as well as an additional subclass under certain conditions:

Oath of the Ancients: Paladins who take the Oath of the Ancients vow to be a beacon of hope for those in need, to protect the sanctity of life and be a light in the dark for those suffering. With this Oath, they gain the spell Healing Radiance.
Oath of Devotion: Paladins who take the Oath of Devotion vow to protect those who cannot protect themselves, to offer aid and succor to those most in need. With this Oath, they gain the spell Holy Rebuke.
Oath of Vengeance: Paladins who take the Oath of Vengeance vow to set right the scales of justice, to ensure all who perpetrate evil are given their just punishment. With this Oath, they gain the spell Inquisitor's Might.
Oathbreaker: Paladins who break their Oath have their holy abilities revoked, leaving them powerless. Should this happen to the player, they will be approached by the Oathbreaker Knight, who offers to make them an Oathbreaker Paladin in turn, replacing their original abilities with deadly necromantic spells.

Adaptational Heroism: Oathbreaker Paladins are almost always evil for having broken their oaths to commit evil acts. Not so much the case here. The game even bends the rules a bit in regards to paladins who break evil oaths to commit acts of good; in the source material, this would not make them an Oathbreaker.
Anti-Hero: Oath of Vengeance paladins have significantly more leeway in "evil" actions than either of the other oaths. Minthara, for instance, has the Oath of Vengeance.
Anti-Magic: The Oath of the Ancients' Warding Aura is a lesser form of this, halving all incoming spell damage.
Back from the Dead: One of the three classes capable of learning Revivify.
Bad Powers, Good People: An Oathbreaker has access to powers that draw on traditionally villainous motifs such as darkness, fear and spite, as well as actual necromancy. Nothing is actually stopping them from using these powers for a good cause.
Black Knight:
- Oath of Vengeance Paladins are a more violent form of Paladin, and even wear black by default. They are not necessarily evil but can fall into it much more easily than their counterparts.
- Oathbreaker Paladins have violated their oaths and replaced their holy powers with necromantic effects that focus on hurting and disabling their enemies. Again, an oathbreaker isn't necessarily evil, but they are likely to be.
Boring, but Practical: Paladins can use their spell slots to produce a wide variety of buffs and heals, on top of all the unique and more flashy spells that specific subclasses gain. They can even employ smite spells to produce more varied effects than Divine Smite can, such as blinding or knocking enemies prone. However, most will still settle for a vanilla Divine Smite. Why? It hits the hardest, does not cost a bonus action, does extra damage to Undead and Fiends, two very common enemy types, and does not take up a slot of your total list of prepared spells. Being prepared for niche situations is well and good, but there is rarely ever a situation where the Paladin does not benefit from simply hitting harder.
Combat Medic: Leaning more toward the combat side, Paladins are powerful fighters that can heal their allies when needed.
Dark Is Not Evil: Oathbreaker Paladins possess deadly necromantic abilities in lieu of their original powers, but are not necessarily evil: they are just as capable of doing good as Paladins who still adhere to their oaths. The Oathbreaker Knight is one such example.
Didn't Think This Through: One of the possible excuses a fallen Paladin can give for breaking their oaths is that their actions had unforeseen consequences. The Oathbreaker Knight describes it as a lapse in judgment.
Draw Aggro: The Paladin spell Compelled Duel forces enemies to prioritize the Paladin as a target.
Everyone Has Standards: Even the Oath of Vengeance requires some logic in justifying morally questionable acts. For example, when Glut demands they take "revenge" on another Circle, the Vengeance Paladin who previously called revenge a noble cause can demand an explanation. Vengeance is well and good, but Glut stretches the logic too far for the Paladin to reconcile with. Indeed, while the Oath of Vengeance may be more permissive, acts of unambiguous evil still run the risk of turning them into an Oathbreaker.
"Retribution requires righteous cause, Glut. Why betray Spaw?"
Good Is Not Soft: The Oath of Vengeance in particular, but all of them have shades of this. Vengeance Paladins may be brutal, but typically only evil-doers earn their ire. And conversely, a traditional Paladin may be heroic, but living up to their Oath often means being willing to start fight. A great number of unique Paladin dialogue options involve threats of, if not actual violence, to stop evil-doers or cow them into submission.
Healing Hands: Lay On Hands is the signature ability of Paladins, allowing them to heal allies and cure them of what ails them.
Knight in Shining Armor: Oath of Devotion Paladins are heavily armored warriors dedicated to protecting the weak.
Magic Knight: Paladins are proficient in all armors and weapons, have respectable bulk and are incentivized to get up close and personal in combat. They also have access to spellcasting and healing, allowing much greater versatility too.
Nature Hero: Oath of the Ancients Paladins rely more on protecting nature and wielding its power, as opposed to protecting the innocent or smiting evil with holy power.
The Oathbreaker: Oathbreaker Paladins have violated their oaths in some way, and have the option of either atoning to regain their powers, or inverting the traditional Paladin abilities.
The Paladin: Natch. Oath of Devotion Paladins are the traditional upstanding crusaders for good and protectors of the weak.
Pay Evil unto Evil: A core tenet of Oath of Vengeance Paladins is to show No Mercy for the Wicked. Which often means ridding the world of evil permanently and brutally.
Right Makes Might: A more literal example than most. Paladins are powered by their Oaths, two out of three of which are traditionally heroic. They run the risk of losing their divine power if they partake in villainous acts. Downplayed, however, as being an Oathbreaker makes them no less powerful, just fueled by "darkness" instead.
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: One of the possible excuses a fallen Paladin can give for breaking their oaths is that said oaths require them to act against their own conscience. This is how the Oathbreaker Knight came to be in the first place, having killed his lord and breaking the Oath of Conquest in the process.

Ranger

When it comes to tracking prey and dispatching them from afar, few can match the Ranger's cunning and instincts. Rangers are versatile combatants that can determine how they fight by selecting a Favored Enemy, their choice granting proficiencies and special attacks and/or spells suited to hunting their preferred prey. They may also choose a Natural Explorer trait that grants them further proficiencies and resistances.

Rangers have access to three subclasses at level 3:

Beast Master: Beast Masters may call upon an animal companion to join them in battle.
Gloom Stalker: Gloom Stalkers have the skill "Dread Ambusher", which gives them bonus initiative, as well as extra movement speed and 1d8 damage on the first turn of combat. They also gain spells and abilities that aid in stealth.
Hunter: Hunters may select one of three Hunter's Preys: "Collosus Slayer" (deal an extra 1d8 damage to enemies with less than maximum HP), "Giant Killer" (can use a reaction to strike larger enemies in melee range), or "Horde Breaker" (may attack two enemies close to each other in quick succession).

The Beastmaster: The Beast Master subclass may choose an animal companion to fight beside them.
Combat Medic: Rangers can learn basic healing spells for emergencies.
Forest Ranger: The general idea. Rangers are guardians of the wild, though what exactly about the wild they are guarding varies.
Nature Hero: Compared to the more magical Druids, Rangers are primarily physical combatants who prefer to remain away from civilization.
Stealth Expert: Gloom Stalker Rangers rely on stealth to attack their enemy from any range without notice.

Rogue

Sometimes, it takes a sneaky, slippery, and disreputable ally to get an advantage in battle, which one can find in the Rogue. The Rogue's signature ability is "Sneak Attack", which allows them to inflict additional damage against enemies when the Rogue has Advantage, or if an ally is in close range of the enemy: just so long as the Rogue, themself, does not have Disadvantage.

The Rogue has access to three subclasses at level 3:

Thief: Thieves gain an additional Bonus Action, as well as the skill "Second Story Work", which mitigates falling damage.
Arcane Trickster: Arcane Tricksters gain access to spells that aid in sneaking and attacking their enemies.
Assassin: Assassins can deal extra damage against enemies that are surprised and/or have yet to take their turn in combat.

Back Stab: The Rogue's core mechanic is their ability to cause extra damage with Sneak Attacks when they have advantage against an enemy.
Boring, but Practical: Assassins just make themselves better at killing things. Thieves gain just an additional bonus action, but that is incredibly versatile and useful for mobility and damage.
Death by a Thousand Cuts: Thieves rely on their extra bonus actions to wear down their opponents.
Lovable Rogue: If played as generally heroic they tend to end up this way.
Master of Illusion: Arcane Tricksters primarily rely on Illusion magic to set their enemies up for surprise attacks.
Master of None: The Arcane Trickster, somewhat infamously so. It attempts to supplement its sneak attacks with magic, but ends up just being the weakest of the three subclasses in terms of damage, and its magic only goes up to Level 2 and can't compare to a true caster.

Sorcerer

Whether by an inherited trait in their bloodline or a gift of supernatural origin, Sorcerers are natural-born spellcasters. Because of their innate ability to cast magic, their spells are always prepared, albeit at the cost of knowing fewer spells.

The Sorcerer has access to three subclasses at level 1:

Wild Magic: Sorcerers with Wild Magic may unleash randomly-determined additional effects when casting spells. They also gain the ability "Tides of Chaos", which grants Advantage on their next Attack Roll, Saving Throw, or Ability Check.
Draconic Bloodline: Sorcerers with a Draconic Bloodline earn one additional HP to their maximum value per level, and a base Armor Class of 13 when not wearing armor. At level 6, they also learn an additional spell, depending on their chosen dragon bloodline.
Storm Sorcery: Sorcerers with Storm Sorcery may cast Fly as a Bonus Action after casting a spell, and also avoid Opportunity Attacks while flying.

Dragon Ancestry: Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers gained their magic from a distant dragon ancestor.
Elemental Powers: Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers rely on one form of elemental damage corresponding to the color of their dragon ancestor.
Little Bit Beastly: Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers may have scales on their face as a result of their dragon heritage. The player has the option of hiding this.
Randomly Gifted: Unlike other magic users, who rely on either training or pacts with other beings, Sorcerers are born with the ability to use magic.
Shock and Awe: Storm Sorcerers are masters of using thunder and lightning to attack their foes.
Squishy Wizard: Sorcerers are tied for the lowest base HP of all classes, though Draconic Bloodline sorcerers are able to get around this. They are also one of two classes (the other being the Wizard) with no inherent armor proficiencies.
Weather Manipulation: Storm Sorcerers control the weather to attack their enemies with thunder and lightning, or to use rain or sleet to control the battlefield.

Warlock

There is great power that can be unlocked by making a deal with the right supernatural entity, as Warlocks know well. Warlocks gain their own specialized Spell Slots which always cast magic at the highest possible level, and can be regained on a Short Rest.

The Warlock has access to three subclasses at level 1:

Pact of the Fiend: Warlocks under the Pact of the Fiend gain "The Dark One's Blessing", which grants them four temporary HP when they defeat an enemy in combat.
Pact of the Great Old One: Warlocks under the Pact of the Great Old One can frighten enemies against whom they inflict critical damage should the enemy fail a Wisdom Saving Throw.
Pact of the Archfey: Warlocks under the Pact of the Archfey can use "Fey Presence" to charm or frighten nearby enemies.

Adaptational Wimp: The Pact of the Blade is expanded to be more the answer to the tabletop game's Hexblade patron, but lacks many of the latter's features, including heavy armor and shield proficiency. This makes melee-oriented warlocks much less powerful and durable.
Boring, but Practical: Eldritch Blast. It can hit multiple times, each individual hit can be powered up with the caster's charisma modifier, it can knock enemies prone or off ledges, and as a cantrip it never runs out of uses.
Deal with the Devil: The source of their powers. Warlocks have made a pact with some form of supernatural being in order to use magic, though the results vary; Fiends will almost always screw over their warlocks in the end and greatly enjoy it and Great Old Ones will probably do so by accident but Archfey can be (stress can be) more benevolent.
Magic Knight: The Pact of the Blade allows the warlock to be a much more effective melee fighter, using their spellcasting modifier for weapon attacks, and gaining proficiency with any weapon they like as long as they bind it.
Master of None: They're the most limited of the magic focused classes, and while okay in physical combat, they're outshined by the physical classes.
Squishy Wizard: Averted. Warlocks have higher HP than the other magic focused classes and can augment this with an armour evocation. They pay for this with having a lot less spell usages per day.
Summon Magic: The Pact of the Chain allows the warlock to summon a familiar to aid it in combat.

Wizard

Knowledge is power, and in the hands of a learned Wizard, knowledge can also be dangerous. Being dedicated students of the Weave, Wizards have the most Spell Slots out of all magic-using classes.

The Wizard has access to one of eight subclasses at level 2. Their chosen subclass also reduces the cost of learning spells of their matching school from scrolls:

Abjuration: The school of casting wards, stopping magic, and banishing enemies. Wizards in the School of Abjuration gain the ability "Arcane Ward", which improves their defenses after casting a spell.
Evocation: The school of bending elemental forces to one's will. Wizards in the School of Evocation gain the ability "Sculpt Spells", which guarantees any allies potentially affected by their spells take no damage and succeed in all resultant Saving Throws.
Necromancy: The school of raising the dead as one's personal army. Wizards in the School of Necromancy gain the ability "Grim Harvest", which recovers HP equal to double the Spell Slot of a spell used to kill an enemy — triple, with Necromancy spells (but only against living enemies: undead and constructs do not confer this bonus).
Conjuration: The school of summoning aid, whether from creatures or objects. Wizards in the School of Conjuration earn the spell Minor Conjuration: Create Water.
Enchantment: The school of befuddling the senses and manipulating others to do one's bidding. Wizards in the School of Enchantment gain the spell Hypnotic Gaze.
Divination: The school of foreseeing the future and bending fate to provide more favorable outcomes. Wizards in the School of Divination gain the ability "Portent", which grants special dice after a Long Rest that can be used to change the roll of nearby Attack Rolls and Saving Throws.
Illusion: The school of conjuring images and sounds to deceive and distract. Wizards in the School of Illusion gain Improved Minor Illusion, which allows the caster to remain hidden and can be used even when Silenced.
Transmutation: The school of understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing matter. Wizards in the School of Transmutation can make two additional alchemical solutions upon passing a Medicine Check with a Difficulty Class of 15.

Awesome by Analysis: Wizards are the only spellcasting class capable of learning new spells from scrolls, in exchange for a nominal fee (with discounts for spells of your chosen subclass).
Barrier Warrior: The Abjuration School focuses on protecting the caster and their allies with magical barriers.
Boring, but Practical: The Evocation School. It makes allies immune to friendly fire, makes cantrips do half damage if they would otherwise miss, and applies the casters intelligence modifier to damage, three simple but extremely useful effects.
Black Mage: Evocation School Wizards are the traditional elemental attack mages.
Elemental Powers: The Evocation school focuses on attacking enemies with the elements.
Master of Illusion: The Illusion School focuses on using magical illusions to confuse and misdirect enemies.
Multiple Life Bars: Played with. The Abjuration School's Arcane Ward functions as a second health bar that regenerates when you cast Abjuration spells. Uniquely, you can gain the ability to cover allies with it.
Summon Magic: The Conjuration School makes it easier to maintain summoned allies.
Squishy Wizard: Wizards are tied for the lowest base HP of all classes. They are also one of two classes (the other being the Sorcerer) with no inherent armor proficiencies.

Characters / Baldur's Gate III: Classes

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