Spell Tier List For Full Release

Baldur's Gate 3 Spell Tier List featuring S+ and S tier spells like Hold Monster, Healing Word, and Fireball. Learn about the best CC and damage spells.

S+ Tier Spells in BG3:

• Healing Word
• Hold Monster
• Hold Person

Hold Person and Hold Monster offer extensive crowd control (CC) by forcing enemies to roll saves to escape, or by breaking the caster's concentration. These can last longer than Petrify or Polymorph if successful. Held creatures are guaranteed critical hits from spells or melee attacks cast within melee range. This CC and damage utility is unrivaled, especially when combined with Paladin reaction smites for top party damage. Healing Word is a bonus action spell that can be upscaled for decent healing, and its bonus action nature allows for significant action economy when reviving allies, trading a bonus action for an action spell, provided spell slots are available.

Note that Hold Person is limited to humanoids, making Hold Monster necessary for other creature types. Other CC spells like Command, Banishment, and Sleep may have more value until Hold Monster becomes available.

S Tier Spells in BG3:

Clerics often have access to many of the best spells on this list, with a range of support and healing spells contributing to their effectiveness.

• Aid (Level 2): Grants Temporary HP to allies in an area around the caster. Use after a long rest for free temp HP.
• Armor of Agathys (Level 1): Provides a thorn-type effect dealing 5 damage per 5 temporary HP. Each spell upscale grants an additional 5 damage and temporary HP. This is the best thorn-type skill in the game with excellent upscaling.
• Artistry of War (Level 5): A scroll found in Act 3 within the Sorcerer’s Vaults. Wizards can learn this for a powerful spell that functions as a superior arcane missile, dealing (2d6 + 6) x 6 Force Damage.
• Banishment (Level 4): A Charisma save CC effect that sends a target to another dimension for 2 turns. It's a strong CC effect, but feels detrimental if it fails due to its spell cost.
• Beacon of Hope (Level 3): Ensures the maximum possible healing received on a target when casting a healing spell. A solid healing option for needed burst healing from potions, spells, or other sources.
• Bless (Level 1): Grants a bonus 1d4 to attack rolls and saving throws. This is a god-tier spell, made even better by the Staff of Arcane Blessing.
• Cloud of Daggers (Level 2): A 10-turn damage aura spell dealing 4d4 damage to enemies that move into or collide with the spell's area. Very strong early-game AOE spell.
• Conjure Elemental (Level 5): Considered the best summon spell in the game, outside of Woodland Being and Planar Ally.
• Disintegrate (Level 6): Deals 10d6 +40 damage. This is the strongest single-target spell on average compared to Force and Fire spells. Lightning Spells can still out-damage it, depending on water and good rolls.
• Dissonant Whispers (Level 1): Deals 3d6 Psychic damage (half on save) with 1d6 additional damage per upcast level. It also Frightens enemies who fail their save. A strong early-game spell with potent CC capabilities.
• Fireball (Level 3): An 8d6 Fire spell with 1d6 upscaling per level. A Dexterity save halves the damage. A very strong level 3 spell with great upscaling, only outdamaged by specific Force spells or when targets are Vulnerable to Lightning Spells.
• Fog Cloud / Darkness (Level 1/2): Fog Cloud creates a large blind zone preventing enemies from seeing in or out to attack. Darkness operates similarly. Fog Cloud is easier to use, but Darkness can be beneficial for creatures with Magical Darkness, Gloom Stalkers, etc.
• Globe of Invulnerability (Level 6): Creatures inside the globe are immune to all damage but can still be affected by status effects. Very strong for the final fight and many challenging Act 3 encounters.
• Heal (Level 6): The strongest Heal in the game, dealing 70 healing and removing Blindness and Diseases. Available for Druids and Clerics.
• Hunter’s Mark (Level 1): Grants an additional 1d6 damage when hitting an enemy with a weapon attack. The skill can be refreshed on an enemy's death to use on another target. Very strong early on and remains a solid concentration skill for Fighters and Barbarians with specific item combinations like the Hunting Shortbow, Grymskull Helm, and Ranger concentration.
• Ice Storm (Level 4): Deals 2d8 Bludgeoning and 4d6 Cold damage (half if a Dexterity save is made). It also creates Icy Surfaces that last 2 turns. Another great AOE skill, which can be even more effective if targets are wet, doubling damage and creating AOE terrain issues in certain fights.
• Mass Cure Wounds (Level 5): An AOE healing spell dealing 3d8 healing, with upscaling granting an additional 1d8 per level. A very efficient healing spell that combos well with Beacon of Hope for significant party-wide healing throughput.
• Misty Step (Level 2): Allows the caster to teleport to a visible location within range. A great skill that appears on items, and many classes can learn it, serving as a genuinely useful map traversal and combat skill for both defensive and offensive maneuvers.