Best Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons, ranked - types, proficiencies, skills in BG3 (2024)

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Looking for a primer on Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons? Players have been scouring Faerun for rare loot and gear to outfit their party. If you want a comprehensive look at all the weapon types in the game, we’ve got you covered.

While these weapons aren’t as elusive as Baldur’s Gate 3 legendary items, understanding weapons is an important step in improving your combat prowess. They can help you clear challenges such as the Baldur’s Gate 3 Arcane Tower without reverting saves.

What are the types of weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 consist of three types: simple weapons, martial weapons, and improvised weapons. They can also be split into melee and ranged weapons. These BG3 weapons can also be one-handed, two-handed, or versatile in nature. Versatile weapons can be used with one hand or with both hands for a damage boost. A player can dual-wield two Light weapons. If you’re looking to dual-wield bigger weapons, consider the Dual Wielder feat.

While weapons can deal elemental damage at higher levels, they traditionally deal Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. Elemental damage like thunder damage lets you sidestep regular resistances or target weaknesses. Other weapons grant lightning charges that deal extra damage with consecutive attacks. And some bonuses improve on existing effects like Celestial Haste.

They can have other unique properties too that determine how they can be used in combat. For instance, Arcane Enchantment improves spell attack rolls (or spell check DC) and Heart of Ice boosts cold damage. Some also protect the wielder like Blind Immunity.

You can get rare weapons like Gontr Mael (Steel Watch Foundry) and Nyrulna from special bosses like Raphael (House of Hope) or as a reward for completing a quest. You can also find them in chests after solving puzzles or slaying mighty foes. Some weapons like the Adamantine Longsword (Grymforge) are forged in specific quests.

Best Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons ranked

While most weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 are of the regular variety, you’ll find rare and even legendary gear as you explore the D&D Forgotten Realms. Some of these are perfect for companions like Shadowheart or Karlach. Legendary weapons like Bloodthirst of Orin and Shar’s spear deal devastating amounts of damage. Here are the best BG3 weapons:

• Blood of Lathander
• Selune’s Spear of Night
• Crimson Mischief
• Orphic Hammer
• Balduran’s Giantslayer

5. Blood of Lathander

Here are the effects of the Blood of Lathander:

• Weapon Type – Mace
• Damage – 1d6 +3 bludgeoning
• Lathander’s Blessing – One per long rest, if your HP reaches zero, you restore 2-12 HP; nearby allies also regain 1-6 hit points (HP).
• Lathander’s Light – Sheds holy light in a six-meter radius; fiends and undead within the radius are blinded unless they succeed in a Constitution saving throw.
• +3 weapon enchantment
• Spell – Sunbeam

4. Selune’s Spear of Night

Here are the effects of Selune’s Spear of Night:

• Weapon Type – Spear
• Damage – 1d8 (1d6) + 5 piercing
• Selune’s Blessing – Gain advantage on Wisdom saving throws and Perception checks.
• Darkvision – Can see in the dark up to 12 meters.
• +3 weapon enchantment
• Spells – Moonbeam and Moonmote

3. Crimson Mischief

Here are the noted effects of the Crimson Mischief in BG3:

• Weapon Type – Shortsword
• Damage – 1d8+7 piercing, +1d4 necrotic, +1d4 piercing
• Prey Upon the Weak – Deals +1-4 piercing damage against targets with less than 50% HP.
• Redvein Savagery – As a main hand weapon, make an attack with advantage to inflict an additional 7 piercing damage against your target.
• Crimson Weapon – As an off-hand weapon, make an attack to add your ability modifier to the damage roll.
• +2 weapon enchantment

2. Orphic Hammer

Here are the effects offered by the Orphic Hammer:

• Weapon Type – Warhammer
• Damage – 1d10 (1d8) + 3 bludgeoning
• Spell Resistance – Advantage of saving throws against spells.
• +3 weapon enchantment
• Class Action – Unshackling Strike

1. Balduran’s Giantslayer

Here are the unique effects of the Balduran’s Giantslayer:

• Weapon Type – Greatsword
• Damage – 2d6+3 slashing
• Giantslayer – On hit, double the damage from your Strength modifier; gain advantage on attack rolls against large, huge, or gargantuan creatures.
• +3 weapon enchantment
• Class Action – Giant Form

Best Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons in the early game ranked

Naturally, you can’t get the above weapons easily. They usually involve clearing major parts of the campaign before solving a nuanced puzzle or beating a powerful foe. Here are some early game Baldur’s Gate 3 weapons like Mourning Frost that we recommend:

• Sussur Greatsword
• Sword of Justice
• Everburn Blade
• Sorrow
• Shortsword of First Blood

5. Sussur Greatsword

Here are the properties of the Sussur Greatsword in BG3:

• Weapon Type – Greatsword
• Damage – 2d6 slashing damage plus one guaranteed point
• Bonus – Silence, Pommel Strike, Lacerate, and Cleave

4. Sword of Justice

Here’s what makes the Sword of Justice special in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Weapon Type – Greatsword
• Damage – 2d6 slashing damage plus one guaranteed point
• Bonus – Tyr’s Protection, Pommel Strike, Cleave, and Lacerate

3. Sorrow

This is why the Sorrow weapon is a big deal in BG3:

• Weapon Type – Glaive
• Stats – 1d10 slashing damage plus one guaranteed damage
• Bonus – Regret, Ensnaring Strike

2. Everburn Blade

Here’s why you need to get the Everburn Blade from Commander Zhalk:

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

1. Shortsword of First Blood

Read on for a list of the Shortsword of First Blood’s stats:

• Weapon Type – Shortsword
• Stats – 1d6 piercing damage
• Bonus Traits – Break the Unbroken

Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon list

All classes except the Druid, Wizard, and Sorcerer, are proficient with all simple weapons right at level 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3. These classes can gain this with the right feat at level 4, level 8, or level 12. Some classes also have proficiency with specific weapons. Here’s a list of all the simple weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Mace
• Greatclub (Two-handed)
• Club (Light)
• Quarterstaff (Versatile)
• Dagger (Finesse) (Light)
• Handaxe (Light)
• Javelin
• Light Hammer (Light)
• Spear (Versatile)
• Shortbow
• Sling
• Dart (Finesse)
• Light Crossbow

Martial weapons are harder to wield but hit harder. Classes like the Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, and Ranger have proficiency in all martial weapons from level 1. Others can use the right feat to gain this weapon proficiency. Here’s a list of all the martial weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Rapier (Finesse)
• Scimitar (Finesse) (Light)
• Whip (Finesse) (Reach)
• Shortsword (Finesse) (Light)
• Longsword (Versatile)
• Greatsword (Two handed)
• Battleaxe (Versatile)
• Flail
• Glaive (Reach) (Two-handed)
• Greataxe (Two-handed)
• Lance (Reach) (Special)
• Maul (Two-handed)
• Morningstar
• Pike (Reach) (Two-handed)
• Warhammer (Versatile)
• Longbow (Two-handed)
• Hand Crossbow (Light)
• Heavy Crossbow (Two-handed)

Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon proficiencies granted by race and class

Baldur’s Gate 3 classes have their own strengths, meaning that while not all characters can wield a greatsword, they can instead use powerful spells or other tricks. Some Baldur’s Gate 3 races also have racial traits that grant proficiency in specific weapon types. Here’s a list that covers all the weapon proficiencies granted by race in BG3:

• Drow – Rapiers, Shortswords, Hand Crossbows
• Dwarf – Battleaxes, Handaxes, Light Hammers, Warhammers
• Elf – Longswords, Shortswords, Longbows, Shortbows
• Githyanki – Greatswords, Longswords, Shortswords

And here’s a list that covers all the weapon proficiencies granted by class in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Barbarian – All Martial and Simple weapons
• Fighter – All Martial and Simple weapons
• Paladin – All Martial and Simple weapons
• Ranger – All Martial and Simple weapons
• Bard – Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords
• Rogue – Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers, Shortswords
• Cleric – Simple Weapons
• Warlock – Simple Weapons
• Druid – Clubs, Daggers, Javelins, Maces, Quarterstaves, Scimitars, Sickles, Spears
• Sorcerer – Daggers, Light Crossbows, Quarterstaves
• Wizard – Daggers, Light Crossbows, Quarterstaves
• Monk – Simple Weapons, Shortswords

Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon properties explained

Here’s a handy list that covers the properties of BG3 weapons:

• Enchantment (+1, +2, +3) – Magically enchantments let these wepons bypass resistances to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from non-magical weapons. You add these bonuses to any attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.
• Finesse – You use the higher one of your Strength and Dexterity ability scores for attack and damage rolls. Perfect for Dexterity-based classes like the Rogue or Bard.
• Light – Can be wielded in your off-hand as a secondary weapon, if your main-hand weapon is also light.
• Range – Every ranged weapon has a normal range and a long range. Creatures that are beyond normal range but within long range can be attacked with Disadvantage Creatures outside of long range cannot be attacked by the player.
• Reach – A melee weapon with this property can be used to attack enemies up to 2.5 m away. This is up from the regular 1.5 m.
• Thrown – A melee weapon with this property can be thrown for a ranged attack and will benefit from the Ability Score Modifier (Strength) and Proficiency Bonus as usual, instead of being treated as an Improvised Weapon. This combines with the Finesse property: if you throw a Dagger, you can use your Dexterity Modifier for the attack and damage rolls.
• Two-handed – It has to be wielded with both hands when making an attack with it.
• Versatile – It can be used with one hand or both hands. Using a versatile weapon with both hands increases damage.

And here’s an elaborate list of all the weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3 and their weapon properties:

Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon actions list

Weapon actions are skills granted by wielding specific weapons in combat. For instance, a greatsword lets players use the Cleave attack to strike three enemies. They can only be performed once per Short Rest. To use these, a character needs to wield the weapon in their main hand and have proficiency in using it. Here’s a list of all the weapon actions in Baldur’s Gate 3:

That covers everything you need to know about weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3. Knowing the range of weapons could let you keep track of your jump distance to evade attacks. Just be wary of fall damage. Check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 Nightsong guide if you’re looking for this mysterious being in Act 2. And if you’ve got the weapons, check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 armour guide to complete your build.

Where are the best weapons in BG3?

The Blood of Lathander, Bloodthirst, and Balduran’s Giantslayer are the best weapons in BG3.

What is a heavy weapon BG3?

All two-handed non-versatile weapons are considered heavy in BG3.