Barbarians are a violent class that can crush any opponent that they face against them in BG3. They can swing large weapons and have very strong melee attacks. Barbarians are mostly melee characters, but the Wild Magic build combines some mechanics from the Sorcerer class in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Not only do you unleash rage building inside you, but you can also sense magic around you. It makes the barbarian into an excellent scout. With a perfect Wild Magic build, you will be unstoppable, and anyone who faces you will be defeated in no time.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Barbarian Wild Magic Build in BG3
Race: The best race for Barbarian Wild Magic is Half-Orc. With Half-Orc, you can use Relentless Endurance (Trait) that will allow you to regain one hit point and come back to life if your HP drops to zero. In addition, you will become proficient in Intimidation, which is good for dialog purposes. You also get Darkvision, which enables you to see in the dark, and you will not be surprised by enemies hiding in the shadows.
Ability Points Distribution: 17 STR, 13 DEX, 16 CON, 8 INT, 12 WIS, 8 CHA.
Skills: Perception and Survival.
Best Background
The most suitable backgrounds for a Barbarian Wild Magic build are Soldier and Outlander in Baldur’s Gate 3. Having a Soldier means you have experience in battle and know tactics that will help as you play with this build. Selecting the Soldier background will give you proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation.
The second choice is Outlander, where you know how to survive in the wilderness and how to navigate through it. With this background, you can calmly survive in any environment and do the job quickly. With this background, you will become proficient in Athletics and Survival.
Best Feats for Barbarian Wild Magic Build in Baldur’s Gate 3
As you reach level 4, you can choose a feat from a list. Feats are like talents that can aid your party members in the battle, increase any ability, or add a skill. With every four-level gap, you will have to choose a feat. Below are some of the recommendations of Barbarian Wild Magic Build.
Level 4: Ability Improvement: Increase Dexterity and Strength by +1 each.
Level 8: Great Weapon Master: You will get a melee bonus action in the same turn if you kill a target and perform a critical hit on it. Attacking the heavy melee weapon you are proficient in can deal ten additional damage. However, this will cost you a -5 Attack Rolls.
Level 12: Ability Improvement: Increase your Strength to 20.
Best Alternative for Barbarian Wild Magic Build in BG3
Since Barbarians can use spells while enraged, some actions and features unlock that cover the loss of spells. Below are the actions and the features that will unlock at a certain level and what it does.
Level 3: At level 3, Barbarian Wild Magic, a couple of actions (Rage: Wild Magic and Magic Awareness) unlocks. Rage: Wild Magic allows you to enter Rage, where you become stronger, and Magic within you starts to release. You get resistance against Piercing, Slashing, and bludgeoning damage. Your strength checks and saving throws will have an advantage in the Rage. However, you cannot cast a spell in the Rage. With Magic Awareness, you can add the Proficiency bonus to saving throws to anyone within range. This way, your allies will be saved from spells.
Level 6: In Level 6, a few actions are unlocked for the Wild Magic sub-class, which are Bolstering Magic: Boon, Bolstering Magic: level 1 spell slot, and Bolstering Magic: level 2 spell slot. An additional 1d4 bonus to attack rolls and ability checks will be given to you or an ally with Bolstering Magic: Boon. You or a party member can regain a spell slot using the remaining actions.
Level 9: An action (Bolstering Magic: level 3 spell slot) unlocks, which allows you or an ally to regain the level 3 spell slot.
Level 10: In level 10, a new feature (Unstable Backlash) unlocks where if you are in Rage, and you miss a saving throw or take damage, a new Wild Magic releases, which replaces the current one.
Best armor and weapons
Helm: Circle of Bones – This allows the companions within a 6m distance from the wearer to gain resistance to piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage. You can also use the Animate Dead spell and make an undead servant.
Back: Fleshmelter Cloak – This allows users to deal up to 4 acid damage when performing a melee attack.
Armor: Torment Drinker Armor – This allows you to have Bolstering Critical, which gives you temporary hit points after you perform a critical hit or kill a target.
Shield: None
Hands: Dark Justiciar Gauntlets – This allows the wearer to deal additional necrotic damage of up to 4. Wearers of the gloves also get +1 in Strength Saving Throws.
Trident: Ketheric’s Warhammer – This warhammer deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage with one hand and 1d10 bludgeoning damage when wieleded with two hands. Moreover, you will deal 1d4 Psychic Damage on top of your normal hits.
Barbarian Wild Magic Build Level Progression in Baldur’s Gate 3
Level 1: In the starting level, you will choose the race, background, and ability points distribution in character creation. After choosing Barbarian, you will get a feature (Unarmored Defense) and a bonus action (Rage). Even if you are not wearing any armor, with Unarmored defense, your armor class will reach 10 + your Dexterity and Constitution modifier.
Level 2: In this level, you will get a feature (Danger Sense) and an action (Reckless Attack). With Danger Sense, you can sense any danger nearby or things not going according to your plan. Against spells and traps, you will get an advantage on Dexterity saving throws. Reckless Attack allows you and your enemy to have an advantage against each other on Attack Rolls.
Level 3: Choose Wild Magic as your sub-class, and you get a couple of actions (Rage: Wild Magic and Magic Awareness).
Level 4: Choose Ability Improvement as the feat. Increase Dexterity and Strength by +1.
Level 5: In level 5, two new features (Extra Attack and Fast Movement) unlock. You will get to strike again for free, and your movement speed increases.
Level 6: You will get an additional Rage Charge. You will also get a few actions (Bolstering Magic: Boon, Bolstering Magic: level 1 spell slot, and Bolstering Magic: level 2 spell slot).
Level 7: At level 7, you will get a class feature (Feral Instinct), which allows you to increase your instinct to the maximum. With instinct maximum, surprise attacks will nullify against you.
Level 8: Choose Great Weapon Master as your second feat of Wild Magic Build.
Level 9: You will get a class feature (Brutal Critical) and an action (Bolstering Magic: level 3 spell slot). Brutal Critical allows you to strike more swiftly, and if you perform a critical strike, you will get a chance to roll a damaged dice with a critical dice.
Level 10: In level 10, you will get a new feature (Unstable Backlash).
Level 11: A new class feature (Relentless Rage) unlocks at his level. While in Rage, if your hit points reach zero, they will increase to one, so you won’t be down. You can use it once after a short rest.
Level 12: At this level, you will get another Rage Charge and choose a new feat. Choose Ability Improvement and increase your Strength to 20.
