Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build Guide – In this Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build Guide, I’m going to cover my Sorcerer Build for Early Access, and show you what I’ve found to work best. I’ll be doing more Build Guides at the launch of Baldur’s Gate 3, but let’s look at how you can use a Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer effectively in the first Act of the game.

Be sure to check out our other Baldur’s Gate 3 Builds for Early Access including: Berserker Barbarian, College of Lore Bard, College of Valour Bard, Oath of Devotion Paladin, Oath of the Ancients Paladin, Oathbreaker Paladin!

Best Sorcerer Builds Features

• Abilities: Charisma, Dexterity, Constitution
• Subclasses: Draconic Bloodline & Wild Magic
• Unique Feature: Metamagic
• Spells: Ranged Attack Spells
• Hit Die: +6 HP + CON Modifier per level

Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build Guide

The Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer is a powerful Subclass due to a variety of factors including the extra AC they receive at Level 1, as well as their Metamagic Feature starting at Level 2. Metamagic allows them to manipulate the way Spells work, making them versatile at taking charge in Combat. For example, they can turn an Action Spell into a Bonus Action so that they’re able to cast another one in the same turn. Applying Metamagic costs Sorcery Points, which can be replenished by sacrificing Spell Slots or taking a Long Rest.

The Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer provides players with better stability and survivability because of the HP and AC bonuses they receive compared to the randomness associated with the Wild Magic Subclass.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Character Creation

In this section, we’ll take a look at how to set up your Sorcerer during Character Creation for the best results. You don’t have to follow this to the letter, and it’s likely this will change at the full launch of the game. However, this will hold you in good stead during Early Access.

Background

For Background, I suggest taking any that provides you with Charisma Skills since Sorcerers need a good amount of this Ability to hit targets with their Spells and to improve the chances of successfully negotiating with and convincing NPCs in dialogue. These are Deception, Persuasion, Intimidation, and Performance. Ideally, you’d have all 4 of these if possible, but you’re more likely to get 3 out of 4 should you choose Soldier, Entertainer, or Charlatan.

Race

The first Race that works well for the Sorcerer Class is the Wood Half-Elf. This is due to the +2 Charisma, which allows you to reach 16 Charisma in Character Creation, on top of the two Ability Score Points. Specifically, you ought to allocate 1 point each to Dexterity and Constitution. Dexterity is important to the Sorcerer because they’re not proficient with Armor. Any bonus added to this Ability improves their AC, making them more durable in combat. Constitution raises their max HP so it also contributes to their survivability. As such, you should have at least 16 Dexterity and 14 Constitution. Furthermore, the Wood Half-Elf has Darkvision to land Spells in the dark within a certain range, as well as increased Movement Speed and Stealth Proficiency.

Alternatively, you may want to consider the Lolth-Sworn or Seldarine Drow since it provides +2 Dexterity, +1 Charisma, and Superior Darkvision to see and attack better in the dark. Lastly, a Lightfoot Halfling grants the same Ability Bonuses together with its unique Lucky Racial Feature. This lets you make another roll for an Attack, Ability Check, or Saving Throw if you initially roll a natural 1.

Class

For this Build, we’re going to choose Draconic Bloodline, which will let us select a Dragon Ancestor with Draconic Resilience. Draconic Ancestor influences your initial Elemental Damage Type based on the specific Spell you gain. I highly prefer Draconic Ancestry: Black (Acid) compared to the others because it automatically gives you access to the Grease Spell. Together with Firebolt, it’ll incinerate a large area to burn multiple adjacent enemies while possibly making them Prone.

Meanwhile, Draconic Resilience not only raises your max HP every time you level up but your AC is also set to 13 + Dexterity Modifier since you won’t be wearing Armor.

Skills

For Skills, again, it’s not super important, but you’ll have high Charisma and Dexterity, so selecting Skills that fall under these Abilities is ideal. Dexterity has Acrobatics, Stealth, and Sleight of Hand, and I’ve already listed what Charisma Skills there are.

Abilities

Your primary Ability as a Sorcerer is Charisma as it makes your Spells more effective in combat. As such, you’ll want to increase this Ability to at least 16 in Character Creation, and likely 18 later on. Next, Dexterity and Constitution are the ones you should focus on for enhanced durability since you’re only proficient with Clothing, which doesn’t raise your AC.

You can then add points into Wisdom, Intelligence, or Strength but it won’t matter as much since they don’t influence your Spells’ effectiveness. However, it’s worth considering that they have an effect on the outcome of your Skill Checks. Your Ability Spread should look something like this:

Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Level 1

During Character Creation you’ll be given Cantrips and Spells to choose from. But unlike Wizards, you won’t have to “Prepare” Spells from a Known Spell List to use them. Instead, you learn a limited number of Spells, which are readily available. As such, you have to be very selective about the ones you intend to learn since Sorcerers don’t have access to ALL of their Spells.

Sorcerer Cantrips

At Level 1, you’ll be able to choose 4 Cantrips. The best ones are Dancing Lights if you didn’t pick the Drow Race, Firebolt, Acid Splash, and Chill Touch. Dancing Lights allows you to summon a wisp of light for allies who cannot see and hit well in the dark. Firebolt is a Ranged Attack Spell that works very well with Grease as I’ve mentioned before.

Acid Splash deals Acid Damage with an explosive AoE to inflict damage to other enemies near your intended target. And finally, Chill Touch deals Necrotic Damage while preventing targets from healing themselves. If you use this against the Undead, you also impose a Disadvantage on their Attack Rolls, making it harder for them to hit you.

Sorcerer Level 1 Spells

At Level 1, the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer can pick 2 Spells, and here, I highly recommend choosing Magic Missile and Chromatic Orb. Magic Missile is an essential Spell to have because it doesn’t miss and it can finish off enemies, especially when their HPs are low. Chromatic Orb, on the other hand, is another great Spell that makes you choose the type of Elemental Damage you want to inflict from a distance. Should you have extra Spell Slots, you can cast Chromatic Orb: Fire with Grease to deal massive Fire Damage instead of using Firebolt.

If you pick the Draconic Bloodline Subclass, you won’t need Mage Armour anymore since you start with 13 AC by default.

Concentration

Some Cantrips and Spells have effects that are dependent on the Sorcerer’s Concentration to remain active. Concentration is broken if you cast another Cantrip or Spell that also requires Concentration. You can tell which these are because it will say on the Spell itself. For example, if you cast Dancing Lights, but then you cast Witch Bolt, you would stop “Concentrating” on Dancing Lights and begin Concentrating on Witch Bolt.

Moreover, if you take damage while Concentrating on a Spell, you must make a Constitution Saving Throw, and if you fail, then the effect of that Spell ends. Should you succeed in your Saving Throw, however, you maintain your Concentration and the Spell continues. This is why it’s vital for Sorcerers to have average to high Constitution because of the Spells that require this Ability and is wasted if it’s constantly broken.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Level 2

Sorcery Points and Metamagic

Sorcery Points can be converted into additional Spell Slots and vice versa. It’s a Bonus Action so you can use it on top of casting Spells in the same turn. At Level 2, you gain 2 Sorcery Points, which increases at a rate of 1 point per level. Sorcery Points are used in Metamagic, which lets you choose ways to manipulate Spells. In the meantime, you’ll be able to pick 2 Metamagic options out of 4. These are Careful, Distant, Extended, and Twinned Spells. I suggest taking Twinned and Distant.

Twinned Spell allows you to target two creatures with Spells that would normally hit just one. It’s a potent Metamagic because what this essentially does is cast a Spell twice using only a single Spell Slot, which is huge for the Sorcerer that only has 3 Level 1 Spell Slots at Level 2. Because of this, you’re able to cast Chromatic Orb on two targets in the same turn. It even becomes more potent at Levels 3 and 4 because of the total number of Sorcery Points you have.

In an encounter against numerous enemies, Twinned Chromatic Orb can be cast twice at Level 2, thrice at Level 3, and so on. This is due to the low cost of Metamagic: Twinned Spell at only 1 Sorcery Point. So going back to Level 2, you’re able to use Chromatic Orb against 4 different enemies. Since Chromatic Orb lets you change the respective Elemental Damage at will, you can select the most appropriate ones given the situation, effectively having a ton of control on the battlefield.

Comparatively, Distant Spell lengthens the range of some of your Spells to allow you to hit enemies from a greater distance. For example, you’re able to attack any type of enemy with Magic Missile, Firebolt, and Acid Splash that’s difficult to reach such as Harpies.

Spell and Replacement Spell

At Level 2 onward, you’ll be able to unlearn and learn old and new Spells, respectively, via the Replacement Spell, similar to the Warlock. Unlearning a Spell lets you select what you wish to remove from your list. As a replacement, you’ll get to pick one Spell when you level up. Alternatively, if you want to keep your current list, you can simply ignore this feature and continue to learn new Spells. In this Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Build Guide, we won’t be unlearning any Spells since the ones we’ve chosen are essential in combat.

Lastly, I suggest learning Thunderwave or Burning Hands, which deal massive AoE damage up close. Thunderwave knocks enemies backward, potentially killing them as a result of the blast. Alternatively, you can go for Burning Hands if you prefer to cast a Spell with a narrower reach to avoid hitting nearby allies since upon reaching Level 2, Thunderwave can still hit them.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Level 3

At Level 3, you’ll be able to choose another Metamagic Spell out of 3. The three additional options are Heightened, Subtle, and Quickened Spells. Heightened Spell imposes a Disadvantage on the recipient if they need to make Saving Throw Rolls. Subtle Spell lets you continue casting Spells even when Silenced. And Quickened Spell converts all Spells that are considered an Action into a Bonus Action. Among these, it’s best to take Quickened Spell even if it costs 3 Sorcery Points unless you plan on frequently using Saving Throw Spells or you’re always being Silenced, which rarely happens.

In a single turn, Quickened Spell allows you to cast one Action Spell as a Bonus Action, thereby letting you cast another Spell. This is highly effective against tough encounters and bosses alike since you’re able to use whatever powerful Spell you have, twice. What goes well with it is Scorching Ray. This deals 2-12 Fire Damage against multiple enemies or 6-36 damage to the same target. Overall, it’s a lot of damage, making Scorching Ray very versatile and a must-have Spell.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Level 4

At Level 4, you’ll gain another Level 2 Spell Slot as well as a Cantrip. Furthermore, you can pick a Feat, and I highly recommend selecting Ability Improvement to increase Charisma to 18. As a Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer, you should prioritize boosting this as much as possible.

For the Cantrip, Shocking Grasp is a decent Melee Attack option that deals 1-8 Lightning Damage while preventing the target from reacting to any of your actions. For instance, enemies won’t be able to perform Attacks of Opportunity when you move away, making it multipurpose.

For the Spell, you can go with Misty Step, Hold Person, Cloud of Daggers, or Sleep. Misty Step is vital when you intend to change positions to gain Advantage prior to casting any of your Ranged Attack Spells. The only reason why you wouldn’t take this is if you already own the Amulet of Misty Step, which is located in the Underdark. You can also choose Hold Person to paralyze your target in place or Cloud of Daggers to damage adjacent enemies over time.

Lastly, Sleep is a good crowd control Spell since you can momentarily immobilize targets even if there’s a limit set because of their HP. Moreover, you can use Twinned Spell for Hold Person and Sleep to effectively utilize them against multiple enemies.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Sorcerer Level 5

At Level 5, you can select 1 Level 3 Spell. The great ones to consider are Counterspell, Fireball, and Haste. Counterspell is a Reaction that can significantly throw a wretch in your enemy’s plans as long as they’re located within 18m of you. Doing so will let you stop the corresponding Spell’s effects. But remember that since it consumes the Draconic Bloodline’s Level 3 Spell Slots, you can only use this at most 2 times before taking a Long Rest or converting 5 Sorcery Points into one Level 3 Spell Slot.

Next is the classic Evocation Spell known as Fireball, which deals a whopping 8-48 Fire Damage against multiple targets even against your allies so you’ll need to carefully cast it. And finally, Haste grants multiple benefits that greatly outweigh the disadvantage of briefly becoming Lethargic when the condition ends. Not only will your ally take one extra Action every turn, but they also gain +2 AC as well as an Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws. What’s more, is that if you use Twinned Spell beforehand, you’ll be able to target two allies! Specifically, when used on a Martial Class who has an Extra Attack at Level 5, they’ll be able to take a total of 4 Actions in a single turn, allowing them to slay multiple enemies.

Equipment

When it comes to the Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer’s Equipment, you don’t have to invest in Weapons and Armor as much compared to other Classes like the Wizard. So you can go for a Quarterstaff or Light Crossbow, which you’re proficient with.

Since the Sorcerer isn’t proficient with any Armor, you can continue wearing the Sorcerer Robe you’ve started off with because it contributes to your 16 AC. In terms of Accessories, you’ll want to obtain Absolute’s Talisman and Ring of Colour Spray. The Absolute’s Talisman from the Shattered Sanctum is good for survivability because it restores 1-8 HP when you deal damage, provided that your HP is already low. Next is the Ring of Colour Spray from the Secluded Cove grants you the Colour Spray Spell. This is useful to blind enemies who are nearby in order to hamper their chances of successfully attacking you.

Final Tips

The Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer is flexible when it comes to Metamagic since you’re able to select them before the start of an encounter to plan out the Spells to use. Remember, however, that when you reach Level 3, you can’t swap your two previous choices so it’s ideal to experiment with Careful, Distant, Extended, and Twinned Spells at Level 2 to determine the ones you like best. Furthermore, the corresponding Sorcery Points will only be spent after casting the Spells you’ve used it with.

One good alternative to Distant Metamagic is Extended depending on how you intend to play your Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer. Extended Spell doubles the duration of Spell effects including conditions and conjured surfaces. This synergizes well with Grease and Firebolt or Chromatic Orb: Fire for enemies to stay debilitated while taking damage over time longer. Furthermore, you can also use this same combination with Quickened Spell where Grease will be the Bonus Action. Doing so will let you cast both Spells in a single turn rather than waiting for the next round.

Lastly, make sure to cast Ranged Attack Spells such as Firebolt and Scorching Ray from a higher elevation compared to your target to gain the +2 High Ground bonus for your Attack Rolls. To identify this Spell type, you can refer to their respective descriptions.

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