Those who want to play as Legolas in Baldur’s Gate 3 have great options for archery builds, where you can rain arrows down on your enemies from afar. It’s best to do this with at least one tanky party member or someone who can summon pets, as you’ll need someone to run interference while you use your bow.
Baldur’s Gate 3 will quickly give you access to magical bows, offering you a bonus to attack rolls and damage while often possessing an additional status effect boost. The bows will quickly give you a leg up, but if you’re looking to optimize your archer to the fullest, you’ll want to pair it with the best class. Here’s the best class for archery builds in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Fighter/Rogues Are the Best Archers in Baldur’s Gate 3
The Ranger is a fine choice for a solo archer build, but a Fighter & Rogue class mix is the most effective option for ranged weapon users. You should aim to put five levels in Fighter first, then switch over to Rogue until you hit the level cap. By the end of the game, you should be a Level 5 Fighter/Level 7 Rogue mix.
The reason you want to focus on Fighter first is so you can get Longbow and Medium Armor Proficiency straight off the bat. Throughout your Fighter progression, you’ll get great hit points, the Archery Fighting Style, Second Wind (a self-healing power), Action Surge (lets you perform an additional action), a Feat, and most importantly, a second attack. For your Feat, you should select either Sharpshooter or Lucky, with the former making you a better archer, while the latter will make it easier to hit/avoid enemies.
Once you start taking Rogue levels, you’ll add Sneak Attack damage to your attacks, which will add up over long battles. You’ll also get access to many amazing defensive skills, with Cunning Action allowing you to zip around the battlefield without worrying, Uncanny Dodge halving incoming damage, and Evasion reducing the harm from spells.
Best Feats for Archers in BG3
There are two feats that we consider mandatory for archers in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Sharpshooter
- You don’t have disadvantage when attacking enemies that have the high ground. You can also take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to deal extra 10 points of damage on a hit.
- Lucky
- You have 3 luck points that you regain at the end of a long rest. These points can be used to gain advantage on attack rolls. It’s especially powerful when combined with Sharpshooter.
Please, note that there’s a level cap in BG3, so your feat choices are limited. Keep that in mind so you won’t miss the opportunity of taking Sharpshooter and Lucky.
Best Archer Subclasses in BG3
In terms of subclasses, the Battle Master is the better choice for the Fighter, as you can use Precision Attack to increase your damage even further, use Evasion Footwork to protect yourself, and Distracting Strike to give allies Advantage on their attacks. For the Rogue, the Assassin is the better choice, as its features are tailored around combat.
The Fighter & Rogue selection is one of the best multiclass mixes in Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D 5E, so it’s only fitting that they make for the best archers in the game. If you want this mix for someone other than your protagonist, then Astarion is a great choice, considering that he starts as a Rogue, and can easily benefit from a Fighter shift.
Best Race for Archers in BG3
The best race for archers is Wood Elves. Not only is their entire lore about archery, but Wood Elves also have excellent skills and abilities for ranged gameplay. Wood Elves get Fey Ancestry by default, which makes you immune to sleep and charm. This is excellent for increasing your DPS output and survivability, given that archers tend to have lower defense.
Wood Elves boast incredible movement speed (10.5m) as well, meaning you can make quick work of large maps and reposition to the best possible vantage spots.
Best Archer Build in BG3, Summarized
- Class Combination: Fighter (5 levels) and Rogue (7 levels)
- Starting Class: Fighter for early proficiency in longbows and medium armor
- Fighter Benefits:
- Archery Fighting Style
- Second Wind
- Action Surge
- An extra attack
- Transition to Rogue:
- Adds Sneak Attack for increased damage
- Defensive abilities include Cunning Action, Uncanny Dodge, and Evasion
- Essential Feats:
- Sharpshooter: Increases damage output significantly
- Lucky: Improves accuracy and defensive capabilities
- Recommended Subclasses:
- Fighter: Battle Master for enhanced damage and defense
- Rogue: Assassin for focused combat efficiency
- Best Race: Wood Elves for their speed, resistance to sleep and charm, and enhanced mobility
Playing as an archer in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a blast if you set up your character properly. Check out our guide on the best feats for the Ranger class as well for more tips and tricks.
