Baldur’s Gate 3 presents numerous challenges that can be tackled efficiently with the right party composition. Mastering the game, especially in its most demanding setting, known as Honour Mode, requires strategic character selection and class synergy. In Honour Mode, players face heightened difficulties, where every party wipe results in a complete Game Over, intensifying the need for a well-thought-out team.
While many individual classes excel in Honour Mode, creating a cohesive team can significantly enhance overall performance by leveraging unique builds that thrive on collaboration. This approach can particularly benefit newcomers who may find the heightened challenges daunting.
5. Brute Force with Lae’zel, Karlach, & Gale
Stomp Through Any Situation with Raw Power
This powerhouse trio of Lae’zel, Karlach, and Gale advocates for an aggressive gameplay style, emphasizing constant offensive maneuvers. By focusing on raw damage supplemented by minimal supportive abilities, this composition can swiftly dispatch bosses and navigate most combat scenarios, provided the party is sufficiently geared.
- Lae’zel, Battle Master 11 / War Cleric 1
- Karlach, Wildheart Barbarian 8 / Fighter 4
- Gale, 12 Evocation / Divination Wizard
- Tav/Durge, 12 Oath of Vengeance Paladin
4. Casters’ Paradise with Halsin or Jaheira, Gale, & Wyll
A Spell for Every Situation
This composition excels in ranged damage and crowd control, with each member proficient in spellcasting. The Druid (either Halsin or Jaheira) serves as the frontline presence, capable of wild shaping and casting crucial spells. Wyll focuses on single-target damage, while Gale provides essential Area of Effect spells, ensuring that the team is well-equipped for diverse combat scenarios.
- Gale, 12 Divination Wizard
- Wyll, 2 The Great Old One Warlock / 10 Draconic Sorcerer
- Halsin, 12 Circle of the Moon Druid
- Tav/Durge, 12 Storm Sorcerer
The Tav/Durge should prioritize a Sorcerer build dedicated to high damage output. Opting for a combination of Storm Sorcerer and Tempest Domain Cleric can conserve spell slots while maximizing early combat abilities, allowing players to engage more frequently without needing to rest.
3. Obscured in Darkness with Astarion, Shadowheart, & Minthara
Striking Your Enemies Hard from the Shadows
The strategic choice of Astarion, Shadowheart, and Minthara creates an effective, stealth-oriented team with a thematic flair. This trio excels at utilizing darkness to stay undetected and ambush enemies. While gear dependence is higher in this setup, it remains a reliable option once established.
- Shadowheart, 7 Trickery Domain Cleric / 5 Gloomstalker
- Astarion, 6 Shadow Monk / 4 Thief Rogue / 2 Warlock
- Minthara, Oathbreaker Paladin 10 / 2 Warlock
- Durge/Tav, 11 Beastmaster Ranger / 1 War Cleric
This combination leans heavily on darkness, aided by the Beast Master’s companion for additional concealment. Shadowheart provides the necessary support and versatility, while Astarion can capitalize on his vampiric enhancements. Minthara fulfills the role of damage dealer, combining high output with utility spells.
Essential gear includes the Spear of Evening for maximizing performance and effectiveness in the dark. This composition thrives on dark-themed gameplay, allowing players to leverage the peculiar advantages associated with evil decisions.
2. Extreme Safety with Gale, Shadowheart, & Lae’zel
Slow Pace, but Never Die
Focusing on defense, this composition is designed for survival over speed. Gale, Shadowheart, and Lae’zel create a robust foundation of support and healing, ensuring that the team remains in the fight longer, albeit at a slower pace.
- Gale, 12 Divination Wizard
- Shadowheart, 12 Life Domain Cleric
- Lae’zel, 11 Battle Master Fighter / 1 War Cleric
- Durge/Tav, 12 College of Eloquence Bard
With the ability to manipulate dice rolls and negate harmful occurrences, Gale’s Divination Wizard spells allow for a tactical advantage. Shadowheart provides essential healing, while a Bard offers crowd control and buffing. This blend enables consistent damage output along with survivability.
Flexibility within this build permits changes, such as swapping Karlach for a more aggressive playstyle while maintaining the team’s healing and defensive mechanisms. Gale usually acts as a damage dealer but must be cautious with certain spells to avoid unintentionally harming allies.
1. Necrotic Summoners with Wyll, Jaheira/Halsin, & Gale
Tons of Summons to Overwhelm the Enemy
This formidable ensemble prioritizes creating an army of summons, specifically necrotic ones, to dominate battlefields. With the right build and skill set, characters like Wyll, Gale, and either Jaheira or Halsin can unleash a horde of skeletal minions to assist in combat, offering both overwhelming force and tactical placement.
- Wyll, 7 Oathbreaker Paladin / 5 The Great Old One Warlock
- Gale, 6 Necromancer Wizard / 6 War Cleric
- Jaheira/Halsin, 11 Spore Druid / 1 War Cleric
- Durge/Tav, 8 Wildheart Barbarian / 4 Battle Master Fighter
Despite the unusual subclass choices, this team synergizes to pose a significant threat, especially in later stages of the game. The Spore Druid acts as the primary summoner, capable of calling various creatures to the battlefield, while the Oathbreaker and Necromancer support with skeleton summons.
Wyll and Gale also provide vital buffs like aid and Aura of Hate, enhancing the effectiveness of the summons. The Durge/Tav serves as a frontline presence with strong support abilities, enabling additional attacks through features like Commander’s Strike.
Although the team can manage without additional summon options, including allies such as Scratch can be advantageous, particularly during Act 2. Mastering this composition can effectively simplify the challenges of Honour Mode in Baldur’s Gate 3.