Baldur's Gate 3 has a phenomenal cast of companions, and each has its own interesting personalities as well as unique quests that link perfectly to the main story. Players are able to select between twelve different classes and customize them with a variety of Feats, subclasses, and multi-classed with others for intriguing combat situations.

Each class has a wide array of choices for armor or weapons, which means players should also be on the lookout for new gear that will work perfectly with their build as they explore the Sword Coast.

Some armor combinations are better and more rewarding than others, so players may need to experiment with the gear they find to uncover the best combinations.

Updated on November 15th, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: Finding the best combinations of chest pieces, boots, gloves, weapons, and jewelry for that perfect build is one of the features that keep Baldur's Gate 3 popular more than a year after its initial launch.

Awards and accolades are still rolling in as recently as late 2024. Each class has unique armor or weapons to match their proficiencies, which means players should also look out for gear that works perfectly with their build.

11 A Battle Necromancer

A Wizard That Sits Comfortably On The Frontlines

• Ideal Classes: Wizards of the Necromancy School, Paladins, or Clerics

Players who want to experience what it's like to be the death knight opponents they may commonly face in Baldur's Gate 3 should look no further than using this combination of armor choices when deciding on what their character should wear.

• To wear the Reaper's Embrace, a Wizard first needs a level in a class such as Paladin to allow them to equip it while still being able to use their spells.
• Feats like Moderately Armored will give a character medium armor proficiency, and players can follow this up with Heavily Armored.
• The Gloves of Dexterity will mean players can remove all their skill points from dexterity and instead invest them into their intelligence for hard-hitting spells while still being able to hold their own with a versatile weapon.

10 Bold Bard Build

Their Spells Are Just As Deadly As Their Sword

• Ideal Classes: College of Swords Bards, Rogues, or Rangers

Bards that choose the subclass of College of Swords may find themselves regularly in the way of damage.

Some players may at first struggle to keep their bard alive because of this. Fortunately, with the right armor combo, this can be avoided.

• Armor of Agility is an armor piece players earn later in the game.
• Crèche Y'llek is in the Mountain Pass, which is easy to miss should the party travel through the Underdark.
• The combination of the helmet of Arcane Acuity and the Daredevil Gloves will allow the player to increase the amount of damage done by their spells after dealing melee damage.

The effect can stack, meaning players can use these ranged spells up close and destroy their opponent.

9 Rage And Wrath

Increases The Barbarian's Damage

• Ideal Classes: Barbarians of any subclass

Players tend to struggle to find the perfect gear to put on their Barbarians, especially as it's best when they rely on their unarmored defense.

Thankfully, all four of these pieces of gear don't require any sort of armor proficiency. No Feats or other changes are required for any Barbarian using this gear.

• Gear like the Bloodguzzler Garb and Linebreaker Boots will give the player the feature known as Wrath. This will increase the Barbarians' melee damage by one, so they do even more damage to surrounding opponents.
• Combining these two pieces with the Bonespike Gloves means even those that are resistant to slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage will also be damaged by these attacks.
• The Bonespike Helmet helps the Barbarian directly when they Rage, as each surrounding creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or take psychic damage.

8 Supporting Clerics

Protection And Healing On The Frontlines

• Ideal Classes: Life, Trickster, or Light Domain Clerics

Clerics can be excellent frontline units, but sometimes, it's better to have an individual who will mainly focus on support.

• Wapira's Crown can be earned early into a player's adventure and will allow a player to regain their own hit points while also healing another.
• The Reviving Hands add further protection to those the Clerics bring back to life.
• The Adamantine Scale Mail is by far the best medium armor available in Baldur's Gate 3, with not only its high AC but additional perks.
• The Boots of Speed may not seem that special compared to everything else, but it allows the team's medic to quickly across the battlefield or out of harm's way.

7 A Bard's Bravery

Increased Amount Of Bardic Inspiration

• ​Ideal Classes: Designed for Bards, with gear specific to the class

There may be no Bard companion for players to recruit in Baldur's Gate 3, but the class is still available for players to choose for themselves or change a companion into by using Withers.

There are plenty of interesting armor combinations that work perfectly for such a class, but this is one of the best.

• Birthright may not add anything too special, but it can increase the player's Charisma modifier past the threshold of 20.
• When using their Bardic Inspiration on an ally, the Bard will receive four temporary hit points.
• Bardic Inspiration can then be refreshed outside of combat by using the Boots of Brilliance.

6 Grand Elemental Wizard

A Wizard That Does Even More Damage

• Ideal Classes: Wizard Schools of Conjuration, Evocation, Abjuration, or Necromancy

Wizards are one of few classes in Baldur's Gate 3 that have no armor proficiencies, this means they are forced to use the clothing that is available otherwise they are unable to cast spells.

Thankfully, there are countless clothing items for players to experiment with.

• Hood of the Weave or the Robe of Supreme Defenses increases the Wizard's spell save DC and attack bonus.
• The Boots of Arcane Bolstering increase spell power and give the wearer an extra defensive ability.
• Cloak of the Weave does this and more as players can use Absorb Elements once per short rest.

When the wearer of the cloak is attacked using an element damage, they can choose to absorb this damage allowing them to take half that damage during that turn but also increasing the damage they do using that same element.

5 The Storm Cleric

Also Known As The Thunder God Build

• Ideal Classes: Tempest or War Cleric

These Clerics are often used as frontline fighters or DPS dealers as opposed to support or healing roles.

The wide variety of Domains and the gods that rule over them give Clerics the freedom to do almost anything. Tempest Clerics often serve Talos, the chaotic Storm Lord, while War Clerics often serve Tyr, the blind god of justice.

• The Hat of Storm Scion's Power is light armor, but it's ideal for the ability of Arcane Acuity because this is also a DPS build with some spell power behind it.
• The Jolty Vest is Medium Armor, but it still gives decent protection with reduced slashing damage and a way to slow down attackers.
• A defender or melee DPS build benefits from carrying Corpsegrinder.

Even if they miss, they still hit.

4 A Great Defense

A Strong Frontline Fighter

• ​​​​​Ideal Classes: Any Fighter class, but the defense and hit difficulty lean to more defensive builds.

Fighters have the potential to either be incredible damage dealers or brilliant defensive units. With this build, the player can have the best of both worlds.

• The Adamantine Splint Armor has some of the same effects while also having an even higher AC.
• Search for a second piece of Adamantine ore to craft both the Splint Armor and the Longsword.
• The Cloak of Protection then boosts this AC even further, making the wearer nearly impossible to hit.
• The Gauntlets of Surging Accuracy increases the player's chance to hit their target by one d4 for the rest of their turn when they use their Action Surge.
• If the battle is too much for the player to handle, or if that unit's health goes lower than 50%, the Helmet of Grit gives them a bonus action to heal away the pain.

3 Free In The Wild

A Ranger With Freedom Of Movement

• ​​​​​​Ideal Classes: Any Ranger, also works well for College of Valor Bards

Players unlock the only Ranger companion in Baldur's Gate 3 during the final act of the game.

In the meantime, players should be collecting these pieces to make this Ranger one of the most powerful units in their party.

• Hunter's Mark is one of the most powerful spells a Ranger can wield through purchasing the Circlet of Hunting. Any foe that is marked by this spell has a plus 4 attack roll when attempting to hit it.
• This attack roll is increased further through equipping the Legacy of Masters gauntlets, which increases the attack roll by another +2, even if the spell does not mark them.
• Rangers who fight in melee range will also benefit.
• The Marksmanship Hat is specifically for Ranged physical attacks, which include thrown daggers and axes in addition to bows and crossbows.
• A simple pair of Boots like the Genial Striding ones also means the player never needs to worry about difficult terrain ever again.

2 A Cunning Rogue's Gear

Increased Critical Hits

• Ideal Classes: Any Rogue, Bard, or Ranger

Rogues are the perfect combination of stealth attackers who can deal a lethal amount of damage as long as they have the upper hand.

That's why many of the armor pieces chosen for them allow them to obtain this advantage.

• The Cloak of Cunning Brume allows the player to become invisible. Through this advantage, they can successfully stealth attack.
• Once they have hit their target, they can safely Misty Step away by using the Disintegrating Night Walkers.
• The Covert Cowl will increase the likelihood of a player getting a critical hit, as it reduces the threshold by one.
• The main piece of Studded Leather armor may seem simple, but an increase in the unit's initiative allows them to get into position faster.

1 Masterful Monk

Improve Damage And Reactions

• Ideal Classes: Designed and intended for Monks of any class

Monks are all about the soul, and that's why many of the greatest armor combinations for them all share similar names.

• Combining the likes of the Mask of Soul Perception, Vest of Soul Rejuvenation, and the Gloves of Soul Catching will allow a player to react faster, be more likely to hit, and deal even more damage with their unarmed attacks.
• The Helldusk Boots and the Cloak of Displacement also mean that although the player isn't wearing any actual armor, they are still unlikely to be hit, with the player even choosing to use their reaction to reroll a saving throw.