Baldur's Gate 3: Best Level 1 Spells For Each Class

Level 1 spells may not be the flashiest magic in Baldur's Gate 3, but that doesn't mean they can't be useful in both the early and late game.

Baldur's Gate 3 has arrived, transforming the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition system into a sprawling CRPG. Faithful to its tabletop inspiration, Baldur's Gate 3 allows players to craft characters ranging from greataxe-wielding human barbarians to gnomish fencing masters to cunning elven warlocks.

More than half the classes in Baldur's Gate 3 have access to some form of spellcasting, with the Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard being particularly focused around magical prowess. Of course, even the most powerful archmage begins at level 1, and has to choose which spells they'll master as they take their first steps into the world of Faerun.

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The Bard spell list in Baldur's Gate 3 combines healing, buffing, debuffing, and utility spells, for a well-rounded list that lacks significant damage options. Here are three of the Bard's best level 1 spells for most builds:

The Cleric spell list combines buffing, healing, and damage. Unlike most classes in Baldur's Gate 3, Clerics always have access to their full spell list and can change which spells they have prepared at any time outside of combat. As Clerics can switch to utility spells whenever they like, here are three of the Cleric's best level 1 spells to have prepared for combat encounters:

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The Druid spell list in Baldur's Gate 3 combines control, buffing, healing, and utility spells. Like the Cleric, the Druid can change which spells they have prepared from their full list at any time outside of combat. Because of this, here are three of the best Druid spells to have prepared for combat encounters:

The Sorcerer spell list combines damage, utility, and a few crowd-control spells. Although their list is extensive, Sorcerers in Baldur's Gate 3 learn fewer spells in total than the other spellcasters. This means that picking well-rounded spells is a must, and here are three of the best:

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The Warlock spell list has several unique choices, and contains a blend of debuffing, damage, and control. Warlocks in Baldur's Gate 3 get very few spell slots but regain them on a Short Rest, making their spell selection strategy a little different. Here are three great spells that no Warlock will regret taking:

The Wizard spell list is the most versatile in Baldur's Gate 3, containing almost every kind of spell imaginable. Compounding this versatility is the fact that Wizards can learn many spells and have the option to swap which ones they have prepared at any time out of combat. With that versatility in mind, here are three great choices that all Wizards should consider at level 1:

Baldur’s Gate 3 is available now for PC and is scheduled to release on September 6, 2023, for PS5.

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John has been writing about videogames for almost a decade, and playing them for almost three. His greatest passion is for Grand Strategy and immersive RPGs, but he's dabbled in pretty much every genre out there.