Everything You Should Know About the Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer and its Subclasses
Sorcerers are one of the 12 classes available in Baldur’s Gate 3 and are spellcasting powerhouses known for their innate magical abilities and dynamic spellcasting.
Unlike Wizards, who study spellbooks, or Warlocks, who attain magical abilities from their Patron, Sorcerers draw magic from their very essence, making them versatile and unpredictable casters.
Sorcerers will learn fewer total spells than their mage counterparts but they do not have to prepare their spells. This means you’ll have access to every spell you know, affording you the perfect choice for any given moment.
In this class overview, we’ll be covering all of the Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer’s pros and cons, mechanics, and subclasses.
Find out where the Sorcerer ranks in our Baldur’s Gate 3 class tier list.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Best resource economy in the game with Sorcery Points converting into Spell Slots.
- Charisma as a main ability score allows you to often problem solve without altercations
- Storm Sorcery is one of the best subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3
Cons
- Limited spell list compared to a Wizard, but no preparing spells so you have access to all of your spells during a fight.
- Positioning is critical as survival can be challenging if you’re the “face” of your party and things go wrong as you have limited defensive capabilities.
- Requires preparation to ensure impact at all levels due to limited variety of spells.
Sorcerer Mechanics
Sorcerers know spells based on their innate magical powers and, unlike Wizards, are somewhat limited to the total number of known spells. For this reason, consider choosing spells that suit your playstyle and the needs of your party.
Similar to the Wizard and unlike the Warlock (who replenishes with Short Rests), the Sorcerer relies on Long Rests to refill their slots but they do have some additional flexibility with Metamagic exchanges.
Spellcasting, Metamagic, and Sorcery Points
Sorcerers know spells based on their innate magical powers and, unlike Wizards, are somewhat limited to the total number of known spells. For this reason, consider choosing spells that suit your playstyle and the needs of your party.
Similar to the Wizard and unlike the Warlock (who replenishes with Short Rests), the Sorcerer relies on Long Rests to refill their slots but they do have some additional flexibility with Metamagic exchanges.
As you progress in Sorcerer levels you will gain access to Metamagic and Sorcery Points.
Metamagic allows you to modify and enhance the spells you cast while Sorcery Points represent the amount of innate magical ability you have.
Similarly to Spell Slots, Sorcery Points are restored after a long rest and are consumed to alter your spells.
With Sorcery Points you are able to:
- Convert Sorcery Points into a Spell Slot
- Convert a Spell Slot into Sorcery Points
- Activate your Metamagic Options
Metamagic is where the true power of the Sorcerer comes into play as the ability to alter spells can completely change the course of an encounter. The Metamagic Options in Baldur’s Gate 3 include:
Metamagic Options Available at Level 2 and beyond:
- Careful Spell: Allows Sorcerers to ensure their spell does not damage their allies.
- Distant Spell: Allows Sorcerers to increase the range of their spell.
- Extended Spell: Allows Sorcerers to extend the duration of the magical effect of their spell.
- Twinned Spell: Allows Sorcerers to target two creatures with a spell instead of one.
Metamagic Options Available at Level 3 and beyond:
- Heightened Spell: Allows Sorcerers to empower the magical effects of their spell.
- Quickened Spell: Allows Sorcerers to cast multiple spells in a single turn.
- Subtle Spell: Allows Sorcerers to cast spells while silenced.
The Sorcerer’s Party Role
In Combat
As a Sorcerer you would ideally be behind a frontline tank since you have fewer armor proficiencies as well as a smaller health total. You’ll most likely spend your turn casting ranged spells to maintain distance from your enemies in combat. Be mindful of your spell slots and sorcery points as they only reset during a long rest.
Prioritize which spell to cast based on the impact it will bring to the battlefield. This includes leveraging your Metamagic abilities. Sorcerers can be the single most impactful Mage class in Baldur’s Gate 3, so plan ahead when faced with a combat encounter.
While you will likely have damage-dealing spells, you may also have spells to help provide allies with buffs, healing effects or you may even be able to apply crowd control to your enemies providing your party with advantage on their attacks.
Out of Combat
As mentioned before, the Sorcerer’s primary ability score is Charisma, allowing you to be a great “face” of the party. You will naturally be better at the following skill checks because of your high Charisma:
- Deception
- Intimidation
- Performance
- Persuasion
For this reason, you may find yourself to be the best team member to talk the party out of a tricky situation. Be cautious though because if you’re unsuccessful, there is a chance you will end up in the center of conflict, which is not necessarily the ideal positioning for a Sorcerer.
In addition to skill checks, you can cast your spells outside of combat, so consider all of the various applications of your magic as you progress through Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Subclasses
During character creation, you choose your Sorcerer’s Origin, which defines your magical lineage. This is ultimately the innate source of your magical powers and is referred to as your Subclass.
There are three subclass choices for the Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3, each enabling new features and mechanics for your Sorcerer:
- Draconic Bloodline
- Wild Magic
- Storm Sorcery
Here’s a breakdown of the three Sorcerer subclasses and their playstyles.
Draconic Bloodline
Draconic Bloodline provides your Sorcerer with dragon-like powers and enhanced defensive abilities, something which Sorcerers drastically need. If you select this Sorcerer Origin, your innate magical abilities comes from the dragon-type of your choosing, resulting in the following:
| Level | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Draconic Resilience |
|
| 1 |
Draconic Ancestry |
|
| 6 |
Elemental Affinity |
|
| 11 |
Flight |
|
Wild Magic
The Wild Magic Sorcerer Origin provides you with surges of incredible powerful magic which is entirely unpredictable and is itching to burst out of you at any moment.
If you select this Sorcerer Origin, your innate magical abilities comes from the forces of chaos resulting in the following:
| Level | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Wild Magic |
|
| 1 |
Tides of Chaos |
|
| 6 |
Bend Luck |
|
| 11 |
Controlled Chaos |
|
Storm Sorcery
The Storm Sorcery Origin allows you to harness the power of storms and unleash it upon your enemies. If you select this Sorcerer Origin, your innate magical abilities come from the mightiest storms in Faerun resulting in the following:
| Level | Feature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Tempestuous Magic |
|
| 6 |
Heart of the Storm |
|
| 11 |
Storm’s Fury |
|
So, which Sorcerer subclass should you play?
If you’re new to the Sorcerer class or Baldur’s Gate 3, Draconic Bloodline is the recommended Sorcerer Origin to select. It offers you some critical defensive abilities as well as amplifying your choice of elemental damage.
If you’re looking for unpredictability and anticipate living within chaos, Wild Magic is the Sorcerer Origin for you. Recommended for a player who is looking for random insanity. You should expect the unexpected and your enemies won’t know what hit them!
If you’re interested in the elemental magic related to storms, the Storm Sorcery Origin provides some of the best subclass features for all classes within Baldur’s Gate 3. You’ll have mobility, crowd control and the opportunity to inflict some serious damage to your foes on the battlefield.
So, which Sorcerer subclass should you play?
If you’re new to the Sorcerer class or Baldur’s Gate 3, Draconic Bloodline is the recommended Sorcerer Origin to select. It offers you some critical defensive abilities as well as amplifying your choice of elemental damage.
If you’re looking for unpredictability and anticipate living within chaos, Wild Magic is the Sorcerer Origin for you. Recommended for a player who is looking for random insanity. You should expect the unexpected and your enemies won’t know what hit them!
If you’re interested in the elemental magic related to storms, the Storm Sorcery Origin provides some of the best subclass features for all classes within Baldur’s Gate 3. You’ll have mobility, crowd control and the opportunity to inflict some serious damage to your foes on the battlefield.
Conclusion
Mastering the Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer class requires a blend of strategic thinking and adaptability. They can be extremely flexible with how they can cast their spells but their challenge continues to be longevity and survival.
The best Sorcerers will utilize all of their abilities and skills to completely neutralize opponents both in and out of combat. Those players likely have a deep understanding of both the Sorcerer class and the game mechanics of Baldur’s Gate 3.
That being said, Sorcerer may be the most enjoyable mage class considering the potential for what they can do with their Metamagic. Embrace the chaos of magic and let your innate power shine!
