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 and is arguably the best Barbarian build in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Not only do you unleash rage building inside you, but you can also sense magic and manipulate it. This makes our barbarian an excellent scout. With a perfect Wild Magic build, you will be unstoppable, and anyone who faces you will be defeated in no time.
Is Barbarian Wild Magic any good in BG3?
Barbarian Wild Magic combines the best parts of a barbarian with the sorcerer class. While Barbarians can’t use magic spells, each time you rage, a random magic effect is created, making each encounter unique and interesting. They also inherit all the strengths and immense attack power of their parent class, Barbarian.
However, the effect generated is not always positive. Sometimes, it ends up hurting you more than the enemies. This makes Wild Magic barbarian a hard sell to the safe players. You can multiclass this build with Fighter class (10/2) to unlock Action surge class action, but you will end up losing the third feat slot.
Starting Abilities and Skills for Barbarian Wild Magic Build in BG3
| Class | Barbarian | – |
| Sub-Class | Wild Magic | – |
| Race | Half-Orc | The best race for Barbarian Wild Magic is Half-Orc. With Half-Orc, you can use Relentless Endurance (Trait), which 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 dialogue 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 | 15+2 STR, 13 DEX, 15+1 CON, 8 INT, 12 WIS, 8 CHA | – |
| Skills | Perception, Survival, Athletics, and Intimidation | – |
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 gain, you get a chance to choose a feat. Below are some of the recommendations of Barbarian Wild Magic Build.
| Level | Feat | Description |
| 4 | Ability Improvement | Invest one ability point in both Dexterity and Strength. |
| 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 with the heavy melee weapon you are proficient in can deal +10 additional damage. However, this will cost you a -5 Attack Roll. |
| 12 | Ability Improvement | Invest both skill points in strength to increase it up to a maximum of 20. |
Best Features for Barbarian Wild Magic Build in Baldur’s Gate 3
Since Barbarians can’t 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 this level for Barbarian Wild Magic, a couple of actions (Rage: Wild Magic and Magic Awareness) unlock. Rage: Wild Magic allows you to enter Rage, where you become stronger, and the magic within you starts to be released in the form of effects. 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: At 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: At 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.
Main Hand Weapon: Ketheric’s Warhammer – This Warhammer deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage with one hand and 1d10 bludgeoning damage when wielded 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 | Unlocks | Description |
| 1 | Race, Background, and Ability Points Distribution. Unarmored Defense class feature. | Select the ones we recommended above for these categories. With Unarmored Defense, you get 10+Dex modifier AC even if you are not wearing any armor. |
| 2 | Danger Sense class feature, Reckless Attack action | With Danger Sense, you can sense any danger nearby or if things are 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. |
| 3 | Wild Magic sub-class becomes available | You can now access Rage: Wild Magic and Magic Awareness. |
| 4 | The first Feat slot unlocks | Increase both Strength and Dexterity abilities by 1. |
| 5 | Extra Attack and fast movement class features | You will get to strike again for free, and your movement speed increases. |
| 6 | Additional rage charge. Bolstering Magic: Boon, Bolstering Magic: Level 1 and 2 spell slots unlock as sub-class feature. | – |
| 7 | Feral Instinct class feature | This allows you to increase your instinct to the maximum. With maximum instinct, you can nullify any surprise attacks. |
| 8 | the second Feat slot unlocks | Great Weapon Master |
| 9 | Brutal Critical class feature, Bolstering Magic: Level 3 spell slot sub-class feature | 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. |
| 10 | Unstable Backlash class feature | While in your rage mode, taking damage or failing a saving throw unleashes another magic effect that replaces the current one. |
| 11 | Relentless Rage class feature | Meanwhile, in Rage, if your HP reaches zero, it will automatically increase to one, so you won’t be down. You can use it once per long rest. |
| 12 | Additional rage charge, Final Feat slot unlocks | Ability Improvement to increase your Strength skill to 20. |
