Warlocks are a hybrid of simple melee attackers and powerful casters in BG3. The Warlock subclass system is divided into Pacts. These Warlock pacts or subclasses are their links to supernatural beings that grant them powers. If your Warlock is following The Great Old One subclass in BG3, we have created this handy build and subclass guide to help you out.
How good is The Great Old One Warlock in BG3?
The Great Old One subclass of the Warlock build gets access to a vast array of cantrips and magic spells. They also get unique class actions that can scare the enemies into submission. The Great Old Ones are also capable negotiators and can utilize their Illithid powers to the fullest.
However, The Great Old One subclass of warlock suffers the same fate as the rest of the Warlock subclasses. They have extremely limited spell slots. Unlike their Fiend counterpart, the Great Old Ones are bad at crowd control and lack massive attack power. They also don’t get access to Fireball, one of the most effective AoE spells in BG3.
Starting abilities and skills for The Great Old One Warlock
Warlocks depend on their powerful magical ranged capabilities in battle and are primarily ranged fighters. The best thing players need for The Great Old One Warlock builds in BG3 is the ability to see far away and a basic melee capacity to be able to fight if the need arises.
| Race | Drow | Drow is the best Warlock race we can suggest for The Great Old One subclass in BG3. Drow have Superior Darkvision ability that allows them to see further in dark places and use their Cantrips as a light source to further increase their sight. Lastly, Drows can also use Rapiers as a weapon efficiently if needed. |
| Ability point Distribution | 8 Strength, 14 Dexterity, 15 Constitution, 10 Intelligence, 10 Wisdom, 17 Charisma. | – |
| Skill Proficiency | Acrobatics, Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Persuasion. | – |
Best Background for The Great Old One Warlock
The entertainer background for the Great Old One is the best background for Warlock. Entertainer background offers high proficiency in Acrobatics and Performance, History, Medicine, and Perception. Furthermore, your character gets +1 Inspiration Point and +25 XP when they perform any action that depends on their background.
The second-best option for background for The Great Old One Warlock is Soldier, where players get high proficiency for Athletics and Intimidation.
Best feats for The Great Old One Warlock
Since players can pick only three feats for their character, one feat every 4 levels, they need to pick the best feats that boost their existing arsenal and gain new skills and abilities that work in sync with their entire build. Following are the feats players can pick for The Great Old One Warlock in BG3.
| Level 4 | Ability Improvement | The feat allows players to invest 2 additional skill points in their abilities. It is best to invest in either Charisma or Constitution. |
| Level 8 | Spell Sniper | Learn a Cantrip spell, and your roll requirement for a critical hit is reduced by 1. As a spell user, players can stack Spell Sniper 4 times to deal easy critical attacks. The feat is perfect for making Warlock a beast at ranged battles. |
| Level 12 | Durable | Increase constitution by 1 and regen full HP for every Short Rest. The Warlock class is one of the weakest classes in BG3, making it a huge liability to go in the late game without high enough HP. This feat provides some much-needed survivability to your Warlock build. |
Best spells for The Great Old One Warlock
Warlock class in Baldur’s Gate 3 has a lot of good spells they can unlock and use. Unfortunately, you lack spell slots at the start, so you must be selective with what spells you pick. As you level up, I recommend the following spells for your The Great Old One Warlock subclass in BG3.
Dissonant Whispers: This level 1 spell allows players to cast Frightened on their enemy, making them weaker in offense and defense.
Tasha’s Hideous Laughter: Another level 1 spell that only works on enemies with intelligence above 5. If so, players can use the spell to disable them.
Hellish Rebuke: A level 1 spell that allows you to cast hellish flames on an enemy who attacks you as a reaction to their attack.
Crown of Madness: This level 2 spell allows players to cast madness on their enemy. An enemy inflicted with madness will attack the character closest to them on the battlefield.
Best Armor and Weapons for Great Old One Warlock
While gear mostly provides protection and weapon damage, I will recommend the following equipment for The Great Old One Warlock in BG3.
Weapon: Go with any Rapier, as the Drow race is proficient in Rapiers.
Helm: Dark Justiciar Helmet from Gauntlet of Shar gives you +1 on Saving throws against spells and increases your critical attacks roll by 1 if you are obscured.
Armor: Bhaalist Armor makes your enemies in a 2m range vulnerable to pierce damage, and you get a +2 bonus on Initiative Rolls.
Gloves: Daredevil Gloves to get +1 on throws for Spell attacks.
Amulet: Lofty Sorcerer Amulet as it increases your sorcery points by 1.
Ring: Burnished Ring to be able to cast Paralyzing Ray.
Bg3 The Great Old One Warlock build level progression
Level 2: Agonizing Blast, Beast Speech, and Level 1 Spell.
Level 3: Pact of Balde, one Level 2 Spell.
Level 4: Cantrip, One Spell from Level 1 or Level 2.
Level 5: Eldritch Invocations, Hunger of Hadar, Conter Spell.
Level 6: Dominate Beast, Blight, Book of Ancient Secrets.
Level 8: Banishment spell.
Level 9: Telekinesis, Otherworldly Leap, Whispers of the Grave, Beguiling Influence, Fiendish Vigour.
Level 10: Thought Shield, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion
Level 11: Mystic Arcanum
| Level | Unlocks | Description |
| 2 | Agonizing Blast, Beast Speech and one Level 1 Spell. | This eldritch Invocation increases the damage of Eldritch Blast by the amount of your charisma modifier. |
| 3 | Pact of Balde, one Level 2 Spell. | This pact changes your weapon into magical and adds spellcasting ability modifier to it as a bonus. |
| 4 | Cantrip, One Spell from Level 1 or Level 2, First Feat. | Ability Improvement to increase your Charisma. |
| 5 | Eldritch Invocations, Hunger of Hadar, Conter Spell. | Hunger of Hadar creates a black sphere that blinds enemies and deal both cold and acid damage at the beginning and end of turns respectively. |
| 6 | Dominate Beast, Blight. | Dominate Beast forces a beast to fight for you and blight hurts plants with damage up to 64. |
| 7 | Book of Ancient Secrets. | Add multiple magic rituals into your book and use them once per long rest without using any spell slots. |
| 8 | Banishment spell, Second Feat. | Spell sniper feat reduces critical hit by 1 while Banishment spell transport the enemies into another dimension temporarily. |
| 9 | Telekinesis, Otherworldly Leap, Whispers of the Grave, Beguiling Influence, Fiendish Vigour. | Otherworldly leap class feature allows you to cast Enhance Leap spell while Fiendish Vigour increases your HP by 7. |
| 10 | Thought Shield, Mage Hand, Minor Illusion. | Thought Shield is a subclass exclusive feature that protects you from psychic damage. |
| 11 | Mystic Arcanum. | This effect allows you to use one level 6 spell per long rest without spending spell slot. |
| 12 | Eldritch Invocation, Third Feat. | Durable feat increases HP by 1 and fully restores HP on every short rest. |
