Every single class and subclass inBaldur’s Gate 3has a role to play, or several depending on the build. Each character is balanced in such a way that even the most creative player can create something that suits their unique playing style.
The Bard is one of the classes that can fill almost any role, including a healer, spellcaster, melee fighter, ranged damage dealer, or a combination of all of the above. This means that even after choosing a subclass there are several more important details to consider. Feats, gear, and the choices the main character makes along the way should be chosen to complement the Bard’s subclass.
Updated April 9th, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Larian Studios continues to make updates and bug fixes to everyone’s favorite CRPG, and with the recent changes in Patch 8, Bards have a new subclass. Players who are interested in multiclassing should favor other Charisma-based classes, like Paladins and Warlocks, and choose their subclasses accordingly to strengthen casting abilities or melee fighting skills. Starting as a Bard lets players get access to College of Sword’s Extra Attack feature, which serves as a bigger power boost in melee range.
4College of Valour
The Start Of A Combination Build
The idea behind the College of Valour Bards is that they combine the College of Lore’s support capabilities and the College of Swords' martial prowessinto a single package. College of Valour changes Bardic Inspiration into Combat Inspiration, an ability that lets allies add a modifier of 1d6 to their next attack roll, ability check, saving throw, or AC.
Combat Inspiration is a bonus action that consumes Bardic Inspiration charges to cast. College of Valour Bards also receives proficiency in Medium Armor, Shields, and Martial Weapons as a part of the bonus of choosing their subclass, as well as an Extra Attack at level 6.
3College of Glamour
The Entertainer, Face, Healer, And Support Class
The College of Glamour is the newest subclass added toBaldur’s Gate 3, andit was introduced recentlyinto the D&D universe with the release ofTasha’s Cauldron of Everything. This is a DPS-based build that focuses on spellcasting power, and the spellbook includes buffs, cures, and battlefield management as much as healing and damage.
This subclass has two signature abilities, and each one is an AoE ability that affects the whole party. Mantle of Inspiration gives the Bard’s allies temporary hit points and charms their enemies. Mantle of Majesty gives the Bard the power to use an ability similar to the Command spell on their foes, which means they can be charmed into dropping their weapons, running away, or staying in place.
2College of Lore
A Dedicated Caster
College of Lore Bards inBaldur’s Gate 3are pure support and spellcaster Bards who want to remain outside of melee range. They hurl spells from a distance and use Bardic Inspiration when needed. As a counterpoint to College of Valour’s Combat Inspiration, they receive an ability calledCutting Words, which is a reaction that can be used to debuff an enemy with a 1d6 penalty to their attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws. It also consumes Bardic Inspiration charges to cast.
Magical Secretsare spells from outside the Bard’s usual list, which the Bard class gains limited access to at certain levels. College of Lore Bards gets two additional level 3 Magical Secret spells at level 6, which allows them to shore up their weaknesses in spellcasting much earlier than other subclasses. This includes powerful spells like Fireball,Call Lightning,Haste, andSpirit Guardians.
Choosing the right Magical Secret is key to getting the full value out of the College of Lore Bard, as this can help them massively in the right scenario. It is also not a requirement to only pick level 3 spells at level 6; choosing a useful lower-level spell like Magic Missile orMisty Stepcan go a long way when spell slots become scarce.
1College of Swords
A Melee Combat Bard
InBaldur’s Gate 3, The College of Swords subclass turns Bards from ranged spellcasters to martial weapon-wielding enemies on the battlefield. This subclass fully leans into the combat role, forsaking spellcasting ability for martial prowess. That is not to say that College of SwordsBards cannot fling spellsbut it isn’t their main focus.
The defining feature of College of Swords is Blade Flourish,a unique weapon actionthat lets Bards increase their AC on hit, hit two targets with a single action, or teleport to the target after pushing them back a distance. These weapon actions require Bardic Inspiration charges to use. Not only that, but College of Swords Bards also gain access to two Fighting Styles, Dueling and Two-Weapon Fighting, increasing their effectiveness in combat even further.
A common misconception about College of Swords Bards is that they’re meant to use only melee weapons. In fact, one of the most powerful College of Swords builds revolves around dual-wielding two Hand Crossbows to turn the Bard into an artillery machine, thanks to the fact thatFlourishtriggers on ranged martial attacks and melee attacks.
