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Wizards have access to the largest array of spells inBaldur’s Gate 3, and as a prepared caster, it can swap these spells in and out during any long rest. Choosing the best Wizard spells inBG3is difficult because of thesheer number of options the class has, but some still rise to the top – and, generally, are considered the most useful spells in the game among all classes.
Spells likeCounterspellandHasteare so powerful that every caster, including Wizards, should learn them as soon as possible. Others, like Fireball and Summon Elemental, can be acquired in the middle of the game at levels 5 and 7. But some of the bestBG3Wizard spells aren’t available until nearly the end ofBG3, as they require level 6 Spell Slots.
Range or Area
18m (30ft)
N/A
For the most part,Counterspellis the best Reaction inBaldur’s Gate 3, and should be the first choice for Wizards upon hitting Level 5. Counterspell, as its name suggests, allows its caster to completely nullify the effects of another creature’s spell. InBG3this Reaction can be used for as many spell slots are available, and Wizards have quite a few at their disposal.
Counterspell should be picked up early because the number of casters that the party will face begins to ramp up in Acts 2 and 3. Counterspell quickly becomes an invaluable part of the Wizard’s toolkit, so much so that it’s a good idea to avoid castingspell slot lvl 3 spellsto keep Counterspell available.
18m (60ft)
Until Long Rest
Summoning allies inBG3is always a good choice. Whether it’s a simple Mage Hand or an angel sent down from on high, summons add meat to your side of the board, so to speak. They give enemies something else to target, and if the summon can dish damage back as hard as it takes it, then that’s just the cherry on top.
At Level 9, Wizards get access to theConjure Elementalspell,one of the strongest Summon spellsinBG3. There are four choices across the Air, Water, Earth, and Fire elements, each with its own suite of abilities suited to different encounters. The best part of this summon is that it lasts until the next Long Rest, essentially functioning as a party member for the day – Warlocks can Short Rest to recover all their spell slots after a fight, and keep their Summon too.
9m (30ft)
10 turns
Wizards are both one of the best enemy CC and party support classes inBG3, and one ofthe most important support spellsit has access to isHaste. At Level 5, Wizards should pick up this spell because of just how powerful it can make certain characters. Not only does it give a boost to AC, advantage on DEX saves, and double movement speed – it also grants an additional Standard Action.
Melee fighters can get another Extra Attack on top of their other Level 5 Extra Attack with this, while casters can sling two spells each turn it’s active. The one drawback of Haste is that when it runs out (either by Concentration interruption or 10 turns elapse), its recipient will become Lethargic, which essentially skips their next turn entirely.
18m (60ft), with an area of 4m (13ft)
One of the most powerful AoE abilities inBG3is madeavailable to players relatively early, and it scales well into the endgame because of upcast improvements. When cast, the Fireball will encapsulate a large area in fire, dealing a huge amount of instant Fire damage and setting the area ablaze for environmental effects, too.
Unlike Sorcerers, Wizards don’t have a way to prevent Fireball from affecting party members, so be careful when aiming this extremely unpredictable spell. Be sure to scan its impact area for explosive items, like barrels, which can make the explosion significantly larger than expected.
Otto’s Irresistible Danceis arguably themost powerful single-target CCinBaldur’s Gate 3, as it forces its target to break out into dance and skip all of its turns. Aside from making saving throws against the effect every turn, the target can do nothing as incoming attacks gain Advantage.
The best part of this effect is that, because it’s such a high-level spell at spell slot lvl 6, there are very, very few enemies that can resist its effect. Try this spell on bosses like the three Chosen, Raphael, or other endgame enemies you wouldn’t think could be CCed to trivialize their fights by forcing them to boogie.
The best Wizard spell inBG3is hard to choose, because technically Wizards can learn just about every single other spell in the entire game as long as there is a Scroll for it. But of all the many choices,Chain Lightningproves itself from the moment it becomes available at Level 11.
Chain Lightning, like Fireball, deals an immense amount of damage in an area, but the way that it works is different. Fireball is indiscriminate, while Chain Lightning will only chain to other enemies within a medium-close range. Chain Lightning can chain between enemies to travel much, much further than anticipated, but it can also be used on enemies in melee combat without harming allies.
Up to four total enemies can be struck by Chain Lightning in one go, and it often outright vaporizes low-HP enemies. But the one downside is that it is a lvl 6 spell, and Wizards only have one of those at Level 12. Chain Lightning can only be used once before Wizards have to use Arcane Recovery for another lvl 6 slot.
