Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock build: Race, skills, subclass, background & more

Crafting the best Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock build requires you to make a lot of decisions, starting with your race, skills, sublass, and background at the start of the game, and then your spells, Eldritch Invocations, and feats when levelling.

Baldur's Gate 3 is an impossibly large game, with so many choices and things to do across its massive runtime. From the time you'll spend building your character, to the time spent with companions, and the various main and side quests you'll complete, there's so much to engage with consistently.

So, ensure you have a solid build at your ready with our coverage of the best Warlock build in Baldur's Gate 3.

Not a fan of the Warlock build? Check out our recommendations for other best builds in Baldur's Gate 3:

• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Barbarian build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Bard build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Cleric build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Druid build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Monk build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Rogue build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Sorcerer build
• Best Baldur's Gate 3 Wizard build

Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock explained

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The Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock is a Charisma-based spell-casting class that has been gifted their magic by an outer entity. As a result, Warlocks have access to a unique spell list featuring a number of Warlock-exclusive spells.

One thing you should remember when playing a Warlock is their relation with spell slots. Like all mages, Warlocks use spell slots when casting magic, but unlike other mages, they have fewer spell slots to use.

The trade-off for this is that Warlocks regain all their spell slots after a Short Rest rather than a Long Rest at camp. Although the Warlocks in Baldur’s Gate 3 might not have access to as many Short Rests as those in the tabletop versions might, this still means that they can take two Short Rests a day before needing a long one.

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All Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock subclasses

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There are currently three subclasses for Warlocks: Fiend, Great Old One, and Archfey. Although Warlocks have access to the same spells regardless of which Patron you choose, they both offer different abilities.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock - Fiend

Warlocks in service to fiends work towards corrupting, destructive ends – intentionally or otherwise – and receive hellish blessings in turn. Fiend Warlocks have access to the spell Burning Hands and Command, but they also get the feat Dark One’s Blessings.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock - The Great Old One

Warlocks bound to Eldritch entities work towards inscrutable goals, gaining powers over entropy and the mind. One of the first things that The Great Old One Warlocks get that Fiend Warlocks don’t is access to two very powerful spells:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock - Archfey

Warlocks who choose the Archfey subclass are in service to a lord or lady of the fey, a creature of legends whole holds secrets that were forgotten before the mortal races were born. Archfey Warlocks are immediately given the following action:

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What is the best Warlock subclass?

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Our pick for the best Warlock subclass is The Great Old One, due to the two extra spells you have available to you, and the passive, Mortal Reminder. 

As you level up further, the later passive features from the Great Old One subclass are also excellent, giving you a free reaction that lets you impose Disadvantage.

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock: Eldritch Invocations

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The Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock's main class feature is their access to Eldritch Invocations, which are features that grant you specific bonuses and boons.

You gain two Eldritch Invocations at level 2, and then further ones at levels 5, 7, 9, and 12. Each time you are allowed to select your invocation, and further levels see you unlock even more options.

Although the Invocation you should choose depends on your playstyle, we recommend passive Invocations such as Agonizing Blast, Beast Speech, and Devil's Sight.

Here are all of the Eldritch Invocations available at level 2:

• Agonizing Blast - When you cast Eldritch Blast, add your Charisma modifier to the damage it deals, unless it is negative (Level 2)
• Armour of Shadows - You can cast Mage Armour on yourself at will, without expending a spell slot (Level 2)
• Beast Speech - You can cast Speak with Animals at will, without expending a spell slot (Level 2)
• Beguiling Influence - You invoke your patron’s bewitching charm. You gain proficiency in the Deception and Persuasion Skills (Level 2)
• Devil’s Sight - You can see normally in darkness, both magical and non-magical, to a distance of 18 m (Level 2)
• Fiendish Vigor - You can cast False Life on yourself at will as a 1st-level Spell, without expending a spell slot (Level 2)
• Mask of Many Faces - You can cast Disguise Self at will, without expending a spell slot (Level 2)
• Repelling Blast - When you hit a creature with Eldritch Blast, you can push the creature up to 4.5m away from you (Level 2)
• One with Shadows - Cast One with Shadows, and turn invisible for two turns (Level 2)
• Thief of Five Fates - Once per long rest, you can cast Bane using a Warlock spell slot (Level 2)
• Mire of the Mind - Cast Slow with a Warlock spell slot (Level 5)
• Sign of Ill Omen - Cast Bestow Curse with a Warlock spell slot (Level 5)
• Sculptor of Flesh - Cast Polymorph with a Warlock spell slot (Level 7)
• Dreadful Word - Cast Confusion with a Warlock spell slot (Level 7)
• Book of Ancient Secrets - Gain Ray of Sickness, Chromatic Orb, and Silence. You can cast these once per long rest without expending a spell slot (Level 7)
• Whispers of the Grave - Cast Speak with Dead without expending a spell slot (Level 9)
• Otherworldly Leap - Can cast Enhance Leap (Level 9)
• Minions of Chaos - Can cast Conjure Elemental with a Warlock spell slot (Level 9)
• Lifedrinker - Your melee attacks deal additional Necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (Level 12)

We don't recommend the invocations that let you cast spells without a spell slot until you level up further.

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Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlock build 

With all these features in mind, you might now be wondering what is the best build for Baldur’s Gate 3 Warlocks? Here is everything you need to keep in mind. 

It's worth noting that you can respec your character in Baldur's Gate 3 if you have already started the game but want to try out some of the options below too.

Level 1

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Level 2

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Level 3

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Level 4

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Level 5

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Level 6

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Level 7

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Level 8

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Level 9

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Level 10

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Level 11

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Level 12

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That’s it for the best Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock build, and now you know what it takes to build a powerful character. For more guides, be sure to check out our Baldur's Gate 3 homepage, or check out our explainer of the Strange Ox in BG3.