Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Weapons Ranked: Which is the Best Weapon for You? - RPG Informer (2024)

Baldur’s Gate 3 features so much for players to see and do, including collecting various equipment. There are so many weapons you can get in this game across various categories, such as short swords, spears, maces, bows, and the like.

It can get quite overwhelming pretty fast, but I have your back when it comes to narrowing them down. Here are the Baldur’s Gate 3 best weapons you need to know about.

As you might expect, the best weapons in this massive RPG are the ones that have unique names and rarities. These usually come with special bonuses and passive traits, making using them even more valuable than the average weapon.

Oddly enough, you’ll find that there aren’t too many unique weapons worth your time in this game. That said, here are the Baldur’s Gate 3 best weapons you should know about.

Bottom Line Up Front

The Baldur’s Gate 3 best weapons are ones that offer uniqueness for their category. There are so many weapon categories in this game, each with its own named weapons that offer more than a way to inflict damage upon someone. Some might deal extra elemental damage, while others might give access to a new spell.

Regardless, the point of using the best weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 is to gain the upper hand. If I were to pick a single weapon out of this list to be the best of the best, it would be the Sussur Greatsword.

This weapon is a challenge to get but it is worth it for the damage and bonus it has. Being able to silence your enemies and stop their spells in their tracks is incredible. If there’s a sword on this list you should get, it’s this one.

Selection Criteria

When coming up with a list like this one, it can be a challenge considering how many unique weapons Baldur’s Gate 3 has. While it is a bit easy since most of the unique weapons are pretty throw-away, there are still some amazing ones that exist. Here are the selection criteria I used to narrow down the search:

• Power: The point of a weapon in this game is to deal damage. If it doesn’t have fantastic stats that rival all of its competitors, it doesn’t deserve to be on this list in the first place.
• Extras: It isn’t enough to be powerful to be among the best weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3. You also need to have some bonus traits, passives, or spells that the player gets from using it. These also need to be better than the competition.
• Accessibility: There is something to be said about a weapon that is relatively easy to find in the game or, alternatively, is one that many players are able to use no matter the class or race. That open-ended nature makes the best weapons even better.
• Uniqueness: Standing out is crucial among the massive swathes of weapons you’ll pick up and find throughout your time in this game. Having a unique feature or theme can help a weapon rise through the ranks.
• Variety: Lastly, I tried to have some semblance of variety. Unfortunately, most of the best weapons in this game are swords but there are some additional weapons on this list that don’t fall into the most traditional fantasy weapon category.

General Weapon Tips

Before you pick up any of the weapons below, there are some general tips I’ve learned during my time playing this game for about 50 hours and counting. Here are some of the tips you should know about when it comes to weapons, including how to equip any of the ones below no matter what:

• It is possible to equip every single weapon on the list below, even if you aren’t initially proficient in it. There are two main ways to become proficient in a weapon you aren’t currently able to use. The first is through feats when you level up or by multiclassing with a class that knows how to use it. Yes, this means you can be a Wizard with a greatsword.
• Technically, you can use a weapon you aren’t proficient in, but you should never do this. You will get a considerable penalty; the game even warns you in the weapon’s description.
• Dual-wielding is an impressive way to slice someone up quickly, and some of the below weapons can be used in that way. But make sure to be an expert in this, such as some Rogues, or it might not be worth it.
• Try to equip a melee and ranged weapon on most of your party members. If someone is a mage class, they might not need a ranged weapon, so a melee one will work better in that case, but it is possible to prepare for all scenarios.
• Some weapons even give you unique actions and skills. This may not be obvious until you pull up your hot bar or cross-radial menu and see the new skills there. Some of these are even often bonus actions you can use at the end of your turn.

Top 10 Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Weapons Ranked

Without further ado, let’s dive right in and take a look at the top ten best weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3. I will be sure to note what type of weapon it is, why I think it’s so amazing, what it does, and even how you are able to get it for yourself in the game. Let’s take a look.

10. Harold

• Weapon Type: Heavy Crossbow
• Stats: 1d10 piercing damage
• Bonus Traits: Haroldish Doom
• Rarity: Rare

I am starting off this list with a banger. If you are a mage like me or someone who prefers to stick to the back of the party, this is a weapon you should certainly consider. The heavy crossbow is an excellent ranged weapon choice and arguably the best overall one in the game, alongside the light crossbow.

The Harold is even better for its trait, which allows the player to deal damage and has a high chance of casting Bane on the enemy every single time you use it unless they pass a Charisma saving throw check. Bane is a fantastic status effect that can turn the tides of battle in your favor.

If you want to get the Harold weapon for yourself, be sure to go to the Zhentarim Hideout and take on the quest Find the Missing Shipment. After you complete this quest, you’ll earn this weapon as a reward.

9. Mourning Frost

• Weapon Type: Quarterstaff
• Stats: 1d6 bludgeoning (1d8 if two-handed) plus 1d4 cold damage
• Bonus Traits: Heart of Ice and Insidious Cold
• Rarity: Very Rare

If you want to be a spellcaster or hybrid magical warrior with a bit of offense up close, this is the weapon to pick. Its initial damage does not seem like much, but when you couple this with the extra cold damage you are guaranteed to get each hit, it suddenly becomes a lot more impressive.

But that is not even the best part about this quarterstaff. You get not one but two traits that also deal with mastering the freezing temperatures. On the one hand, you get an additional point of cold damage each time you deal some freezing damage. This means you pretty much deal two to five extra damage each time you hit.

The point is that it doesn’t matter if you are using this weapon, though, so it boosts the cold damage of your spells as well.

In addition to that, any cold spells you use to benefit from Insidious Cold, which gives a boosted chance of chilling the target. If you don’t have a cold spell, such as being a Fighter or Barbarian, no problem, as it also gives you Ray of Frost for free.

If that all sounds good to you, the way you get this unique weapon is to head to the Underdark and find the Icy Crystal, Icy Metal, and Icy Helve materials. You can craft them together to make this staff.

8. Vision of the Absolute

• Weapon Type: Spear
• Stats: 1d6 piercing one-handed (1d8 if two-handed)
• Bonus Traits: Absolute Night
• Rarity: Uncommon

Don’t let the weak rarity of this weapon fool you, as it is one of the most powerful weapons you’ll find in this entire game. It is arguably the best spear in all of Baldurs Gate 3, dealing decent damage but having the versatility of letting you use it in melee or even throw it from afar.

This flexibility is already great on its own, which means you shouldn’t have to switch between a melee and ranged weapon or have both equipped at once. However, the best part about this weapon is its trait, which grants you an additional 2d6 piercing damage to particular creatures you face in the world.

That makes this damage a lot more palatable, and better yet, this trait also means you have a chance to blind the target. If you want to pick up the Vision of the Absolute Spear for yourself, you’ll have to find the individual parts and craft them together.

The head part is looted from the Owlbear mother creature, while the shaft is found looted on the body of Edowin near the Emerald Grove. Combine them to make this spear.

7. Adamantine Longsword

• Weapon Type: Longsword
• Stats: 1d8 slashing damage plus one guaranteed one-handed (1d10 plus one slashing damage if two-handed)
• Bonus Traits: Lethal Weapon, Versatile Hitter, and Diamondsbane
• Rarity: Rare

There are several Adamantine weapons in this game and all of them are worth getting. I just happen to like the Longsword version more for its damage. You get a whopping three unique traits with this weapon, all of which will make this weapon even better than it already is.

To start with, Lethal Weapon means you ignore any enemies that have resistance to slashing damage, meaning you’ll deal the exact same damage no matter what the enemy is or what armor they have.

Better yet, each hit you deal will have the enemy reeling for one turn if one-handed or two turns if two-handed, which is quite lovely for crowd control.

But these still don’t compare to the best part of it all: Diamondsbane. This Adamantine ability ensures every hit you land with this sword will be a critical hit.

This means you’ll always be dealing much more damage than the basic one-to-eight or one-to-ten damage that was quoted above. This is the primary choice of weapon for Fighters who can learn to attack twice per turn.

6. Corrosive Flail

• Weapon Type: Mace/Flail
• Stats: 1d8 bludgeoning plus five extra
• Bonus Traits: Tenacity
• Rarity: Rare

The Corrosive Flail is a poison-dripped weapon that deals some intense damage. Unfortunately, you don’t have the poison to inflict on enemies, which would likely toss it higher on this list, but it does ensure you will always deal damage no matter what happens.

While the initial damage looks like you only have a range of one to eight damage points, the reality is you get a boost of five no matter what the dice say to you, so your actual damage reality is more like six to 13. Six damage, no matter what, is quite lovely, and you have the potential to hit even harder.

That said, we all know that dice rolls don’t always land on our side, so there is a chance with accuracy problems that you’ll miss your hit and not deal anything.

This happens way too much in this game, but Corrosive Flail makes up for that by allowing you to hit someone for four damage even if you miss. So, even when you fail, Corrosive Flail allows you to deal some damage.

You can get this by purchasing it for 310 gold from the NPC trader Derryth Bonecloak in the Underdark.

5. Shortsword of First Blood

• Weapon Type: Shortsword
• Stats: 1d6 piercing damage (can be up to 1d8 piercing damage)
• Bonus Traits: Break the Unbroken
• Rarity: Uncommon

As the name implies, this is the sword you want to have on your characters who will strike first and ask questions later.

You get the most out of this Shortsword by attacking foes first with the character who is using it, so I suggest it for your Rogues, Fighters, Paladins, Barbarians, and anyone who has fantastic speed and movement.

On its own, you deal a mere one to six damage, which is not anything too wild. That said, if you attack someone who has total health, you’ll deal one to eight damage instead. This makes it perfect for Fighters who can hit twice in one turn or Rogues who can sneak up and use a sneak attack on foes for some extra damage.

You also get the welcome potential bonus action moves like Flourish and Piercing Strike. If you want to get the best short sword in this game, you’ll want to find it on the dead bodies of enemies in the Underdark. There are a couple of them here, so you can even potentially dual-wield it if you want.

4. Sorrow Glaive

• Weapon Type: Glaive
• Stats: 1d10 slashing damage plus one guaranteed damage
• Bonus Traits: Regret, Ensnaring Strike
• Rarity: Rare

This is a possible weapon for mages and other defensively-weaker classes in Baldurs Gate 3. As a Glaive, you have longer reach with this weapon, so even though it is a melee weapon, you can hit from pretty far away and deal that glorious bonus damage whenever an enemy in your range tries to move away.

It deals solid damage, too, getting up to ten on its own, plus the extra one slashing damage you can get no matter what. This means you get at least two per hit and up to 11 in total.

You also get Ensnaring Strike for free, which helps you to keep an enemy in check. This makes it also great for less-magical classes that may not have access to this spell.

To be fair, the trait for this weapon means you get one psychic damage each time you use it. But in the right hands, such as a Warlock or another class that has great survivability, this amount won’t matter much in the face of the excellent damage you’ll be able to inflict on foes.

3. Everburn Blade

• Weapon Type: Greatsword
• Stats: 2d6 slashing damage plus 1d4 additional fire damage
• Bonus Traits: Cleave, Lacerate, and Pommel actions
• Rarity: Uncommon

It is hard to find a weapon in this game that deals as much damage as the Everburn Blade. The wildest part? You can get it within the first two hours of the game.

To do it, though, you have to take on one of the most challenging optional bosses in Commander Zhalk aboard the Nautiloid ship. If you miss it here, you’re sore out of luck.

This two-handed sword deals an impressive potential double roll of one to six damage each for basically two to 12 damage in total. And that’s not all, either.

You also get an extra one to four damage for a grand total of possibly three to 16 damage every single time you hit with this weapon. Have a Fighter that can hit twice in one turn? Good luck, enemies.

You also get the basic attack actions of Cleave, Lacerate, and Pommel, which are all great options to deal some extra damage or even put some status effects on the enemies. It is all-around one of the, if not the, most purely powerful weapons you can use in this game.

2. Sword of Justice

• Weapon Type: Greatsword
• Stats: 2d6 slashing damage plus one guaranteed point
• Bonus Traits: Tyr’s Protection, Pommel Strike, Cleave, and Lacerate
• Rarity: Rare

This is the sword you want to use if you want to be the tank for the team. This greatsword deals solid damage of two to 12 damage plus the extra guaranteed point for solid damage. It might not be on the level of the previous sword on this list, but it doesn’t have to be.

The point here is you still get three solid extra actions you can use this sword for, plus the Tyr’s Protection spell.

This increases your overall armor by two points automatically, which you don’t have to do anything to gain, so this makes it the primary weapon for your tank character. You can get it by doing the quest Hunt the Devil.

Whether you side with Karlach or not, either killing the Paladin Anders or siding with him will grant you this weapon. If you do kill him, though, be sure to loot his body to find it.

1. Sussur Greatsword (Any Sussur Weapon)

• Weapon Type: Greatsword (there are many other options as well)
• Stats: 2d6 slashing damage plus one guaranteed point (for the greatsword variant)
• Bonus Traits: Silence, Pommel Strike, Lacerate, and Cleave
• Rarity: Rare

You can pretty much ignore the three other sword actions you get from this sword, as they are pretty much guaranteed for these top few weapons. The main draw here is the impressive damage that is pretty much second on this list to the Everburn Blade and is tied with the past entry for overall damage.

Again, none of those compare to the actual point of this weapon and its lineup, which is the silence trait. When you hit a weapon with this sword, you are guaranteed to silence them. This stops them from being able to use their spells for a time, which is arguably broken.

There are other variants of this sword, such as a dagger, and they should all be in consideration for your team. Being able to silence any mage in battle can make some of the most brutal fights almost nothing. If you want a somewhat more manageable way to play this game, this is the weapon to choose.

FAQs

Use Those Weapons to Dominate the Mind Flayer Ship

Baldur’s Gate 3 is filled to the brim with weapons for players to discover as they venture across the various maps in this gigantic RPG.

Your knowledge and eventual mastery of weapons will, ultimately, mean the difference between passably getting by in the game and dominating the battlefield. If you don’t have solid and unique weapons, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

That is why it is crucial you have at least one or two of the best weapons listed above. Honestly, though, you should aim to have one of those ten weapons on each of your party members.

But if you can only aim for one, for whatever reason, I say go with the Sussur Greatsword. Many mages are in this game, and nullifying their spells is arguably broken.

But if you can’t get that one, you could aim for one of the swords, like the Everburn Sword, which you can miss in the earliest part of the game. When trying to escape the Nautiloid in the prologue, you can get this sword optionally, but it is a challenge. Thankfully, I have your back with a guide.

Continue reading:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Spells Ranked: Magic Missile, Healing Word, More

Baldur’s Gate 3 Getting Started Guide: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 Classes Guide: Which is the Best Class for You?

Baldur’s Gate 3 Escape the Nautiloid Guide: How to Beat the Prologue