Choosing between Wizards and Sorcerers in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be challenging due to their apparent similarities but there is a clear frontrunner of which is the better pick.
While Wizards rely on Intelligence and Sorcerers on Charisma in the Larian Studio’s RPG, each class offers unique gameplay, making the decision a matter of personal preference.
So, to help you choose between the two and understand what the differences between the classes are, here’s everything you need to know about the Wizard and Sorcerer class in this expansive game, and which one you should choose.
Should you play Wizard or Sorcerer?
It’s technically better to play as a Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3 but what individual players want out of their playthrough will ultimately be a huge factor in which class you should choose. Wizards are a lot more flexible when it comes to experimenting with different spells for example.
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We’ve put together a full pros and cons list for both Sorcerers and Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3 below which should help make your decision a bit easier:
Sorcerer
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Sorcerers can use Sorcery Points to add new spell slots. | Sorcerers only gain new spells by leveling up. |
| The Sorcerer has more damage scaling when compared to a Wizard. | Sorcerers aren’t a good class to pick if you’re new to Baldur’s Gate as the finite amount of spells might force you to respec your character if you’re not satisfied with the spells later in the game. |
| Sorcerer has access to Metamagic, which can enhance combat abilities such as casting spells twice in a battle. | The low variety of spells doesn’t leave much room for experimentation with this class. |
| Sorcerers have very high Charisma which comes in handy for persuasion, intimidation, or deception. You can make your way out of fights through good dice rolls and Charisma can help you with that. | – |
| While a Sorcerer might not have a large variety of spells, the power of the spells more than makes up for it. | – |
Wizard
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Wizards are much easier to go for as a new player since you can effortlessly change your spells. | Wizards have low HP and have no armour proficiency forcing you to use clothing as defensive items. |
| Wizards have more spell options, be it offensive, defensive, healing or support. You can even change before fights. | Wizards deal less damage when compared to Sorcerers. |
| The large variety of spells at Wizards’ disposal allows you to experiment with the build and not feel boxed in. | Using Wizard effectively relies on you to stay back and cast spells from a distance which might not be fun for some players. |
| Getting Gale as a companion early on in the game helps you understand the Wizard class much better. | – |
| Wizards have very high Intelligence which helps with uncovering secrets, exploration and arcane arts. | – |
Differences between them in Baldur’s Gate 3
| Class | Sorcerer | Wizard |
|---|---|---|
| Unique class feature | Sorcery Points | Arcane Recovery |
| Hit Points (Level 1) | Constitution Modifier +6 | Constitution Modifier +6 |
| Hit Points (On level up) | Constitution Modifier +4 | Constitution Modifier +4 |
| Weapons | Daggers, Light Crossbows, Quarterstaffs | Daggers, Light Crossbows, Quarterstaffs |
| Saving Throws | Charisma, Constitution | Intelligence, Wisdom |
| Best Skills | Deception & Intimidation | Insight & Investigation |
| Clothing | Sorcerer robe, Simple boots | Simple robe, Simple boots |
A Sorcerer and Wizard differ in various ways in Baldur’s Gate 3. Here’s a breakdown of all the core differences between the classes when it comes to their main features:
- Sorcery Points are exclusive to the Sorcerer class and can be used to replenish spell slots or modify spells using Metamagic. Arcane Recovery on the other hand is an action exclusive to the Wizard class that lets you recover extended spell slots once per long rest.
- Constitution is an ability score that affects your maximum hit points (HP) and concentration saving throws. Constitution modifier +1 lets you gain +1 Hit Point per character level and so on as you level up.
- A Sorcerer and Wizard’s default proficient weapons are Daggers, Light Crossbows, and Quarterstaffs with Mourning Frost or Spell Sparkler being some good early-on weapons to choose from.
- Saving Throws are the defense of a character against any Spell, Effect, trap, poison, disease, or any other threat. Each class is proficient in two saving throws which lets them add a proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a particular ability score.
- Skills are talents that determine how good your character is at doing certain tasks. Sorcerers and Wizards are proficient in two skills, you can either choose to add a bonus to these skills or add new skills altogether. However, the skills you choose to be proficient in depend on your character’s class, background, race, and feats.
- Since Wizards and Sorcerers aren’t proficient in armor, they’re forced to use clothing as armor.
Now you know which class to pick between Wizard and Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can check out our best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list if you want to see how these classes fare against the others or take a look at the best multiclass builds if you wish to combine two classes.