There are countless pieces of armor for Fighters inBaldur’s Gate 3, as it is an incredibly versatile class. The game is constantly feeding the player new items for melee classes throughout all 3 acts, sothere’s never a shortage of optionsfor Fighters. However, many of the best-in-slot pieces of gear aren’t found until Act 3.
To get the most out of the Fighter, players should prioritize gear that grants bonuses to Armour Class and Saving Throws since they will be in the thick of the battle more often than spellcasters.Fighters excel at close-range combat, so items that allow Fighters to tank as much damage as possible become vital asBaldur’s Gate 3progresses. This also means that Fighters benefit from items that provide additional movement speed, so they can get up close to their enemies in fewer turns.
10Cloak of Protection
Bonus to Armour Class and Saving Throws
The Cloak of Protection is a perfect cloak for Fighters to stack Armour Class as high as possible. This cloak can be bought in Act 2 from Quartermaster Talli in the Last Light Inn. It grants the wearer a+1 to Armour Class and a +1 to Saving Throws, which is invaluable for frontline classes.
Being at the front of a combat encounter means Fighters will often be hit by the most enemy attacks, meaning they have to roll for Saving Throws and dodge more often than non-martial classes. This means thatstacking Armour Class and Saving Throw bonusesare more valuable on frontline classes like Fighters. This also combos well with the Indomitable reaction thatFighters get at level 9, which allows Fighters to reroll any Saving Throw once per Long Rest.
9Ring of Protection
Keep Stacking Armour Class
TheRing of Protectionis a fantastic all around bonus for every character, but best for melee classes stacking Armour Class. According toIanistoocommon’s video, the Ring of Protection can be acquired by helping the Tiefling children inBG3’s Emerald Grovein order to gain Mol’s approval. This will have Mol ask the player tosteal the Idol of Silvanus from the Druids, which can be done without angering the Druids once the Rite of Thorns has been stopped.
The Ring of Protection grants its wearer a +1 to Armour Class and Saving Throws, which is the exact same passive as the Cloak of Protection. Therefore,using these items in tandem grants the wearer double effectiveness, which is quite strong when very few items boost Armour Class. Some players might see value in spreading these items across two different characters, but I prefer to use them at the same time on a Fighter build.
8Killer’s Sweetheart
Guaranteed Critical Hit Per Long Rest
TheKiller’s SweetheartRing is used most commonly in burst damage builds to destroy a boss as quickly as possible. This ring is found in Act 2 after completing the Self-Same Trial withinBG3’s Gauntlet of Shar.Make sure Shadowheart is with your partyand offering her blood to the Goddess Shar.
The Killer’s Sweetheart will always be better for Melee classes, as they typically have more actions and therefore can stack up the most burst damage in one turn.
It provides the user with the Executioner ability, whichguarantees one critical hit on an enemy per Long Rest. It is the same ability as the Illithid power Luck of the Far Realms. This ability is invaluable in boss fights, as it can be used in conjunction with buffs and debuffs to ensure maximum damage to the target.
7Amulet of Greater Health
Increase Constitution to 23
TheAmulet of Greater Healthis found very late in the game withinRaphael’s House of Hope, within the Archive. Convince the Archivist that you belong there in order to explore the Archive at your leisure.They will be located on a pedestal on the right side of the room, triggeringa trap if the amulet is stolen before the trap is disarmed.
If the player decides to use this amulet, I recommend respeccing and dumping stat points out of Constitution to put these extra points into Strength or Dexterity or to spread them out for Saving Throws.
The Amulet of Greater Healthsets the wearer’s Constitution stat to 23, which is an incredibly strong effect. This boosts the wearer’s health by a significant margin, especially if used in tandem with the Tough feat that provides additional HP per level. If this amulet is uncontested by the other members of the party, it should go to the tankiest member.
6Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength
Increase Strength to 23
TheGauntlets of Hill Giant Strengthare an interesting piece of armor, as they automaticallyset the wearer’s Strength stat to 23. As seen inNico Gaming Live’s video, these gauntlets are found extremely late in the game in Raphael’s House of Hope, where they must be stolen from the left side pedestal in the Archive, just like the Amulet of Greater Health. Either swap a piece of unwanted gear for the gauntlets to prevent the trap from triggering or just simply steal them.
8
16
17
10
12
Charisma
Most Fighters will already have a high Strength stat, so one might assume there’s no reason to give these gauntlets to a Fighter. However,players can respec their Fighter to dump Strengthso they can put those extra stat points into Constitution and Dexterity. This allows Fighters to increase their initiative through Dexterity while still maintaining 23 Strength with these gauntlets.
5Legacy of the Masters
Permanent Attack Bonus Buff
TheLegacy of the Mastersgauntlets are the true endgame pick for all melee classes, given how phenomenal its passive effect can be. These gauntlets can be bought or stolen fromDammon in Act 3at the Forge of the Nine in the Lower City.If Dammon does not make it to Baldur’s Gate, then these gauntlets are unobtainable without mods.
Gauntlets Honorable Mentions
Gauntlets of the Warmaster
Targets have Disadvantage on Saving Throws against your manoeuvre and weapon actions. Attack +1
Set the wearer’s Dexterity score to 18. Attack +1
Gloves of the Automaton
Circuitry Interface Class Action (Advantage for 10 Turns). Strength Saving Throws +1
Gloves of the Growling Underdog
The wearer gains Advantage on melee attack rolls while surrounded by 2 or more foes. Strength Saving Throws +1
The Legacy of the Masters provides the wearer with a+2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with all weapons, which can contribute to Critical Hits occurring more often, as well as higher base damage. It also provides a +1 to the wearer’s Strength Saving Throws. Some might consider the Gauntlets of the Warmaster to be stronger because they grant a boost to Fighter maneuvers, but I prefer passive buffs over active buffs.
4Viconia’s Walking Fortress
+3 Shield With Spellguard
Viconia’s Walking Fortressis a Legendary shield that can be looted in Act 3 from Viconia DeVir, the Mother Superior of theHouse of Griefin Baldur’s Gate. This shield isone of the few +3 shields in the game, with the others being rare shield variants with otherwise no special effects. Many fighters end up using two-handed weapons by the endgame to take advantage of Great Weapon Master, but for those who don’t, this shield is a must.
Viconia’s Walking Fortress has a lot going on, as seen inGame Guides Channel’s video. With its special Shield Bash called Rebuke of the Mighty that deals additional Force damage. It also has a passive effect that grants its wielderAdvantage on Saving Throws against spellsand Spell Attack Rolls against the user have Disadvantage. It also has a free cast of the Warding Bond spell and the unique Class Action Reflective Shell, which reflects all projectile damage back to its point of origin.
3Boots of Persistence
Increase Movement Speed
The Boots of Persistence are one of the best pairs of boots in the game and can bebought or stolen in Act 3 from Dammonat the Forge of the Nine. If Dammon had never made it to Baldur’s Gate, this is yet another item that would have been unobtainable without using mods. An alternative option is the Boots of Psionic Movement, but these are only best for Githyanki Fighters.
Fighters typically struggle more than other melee classes at making their way across arenas, especially without spells such as Misty Step or Fly.
The Boots of Persistence grant the wearer the effects ofFreedom of MovementandLongstriderpermanently. This means that the wearer is no longer impeded by difficult terrain,cannot be paralyzed or restrained, and gains an additional 3 meters of movement speed. This is an amazing pick for Fighters who need to get in close in order to do as much damage as possible.
2Armour of Persistence
Gain All Physical Damage Resistances
TheArmour of Persistenceis arguably the best Heavy Armor in the game and is the final piece of gear on this last that can be bought or stolen from Dammon in Act 3. Some might think that theHelldusk Armouris better, but that chest piece is best for characters that aren’t proficient with Heavy Armor, because it grants proficiency to whoever is wearing it. As such, for Fighters who are already proficient with Heavy Armor, theArmour of Persistence is essential.
The Armour of Persistence grants the wearer the effects ofResistanceand Blade Ward permanently. Resistance provides a +1d4 bonus to all Saving Throws, and Blade Ward provides resistance to Slashing, Piercing, and Bludgeoning damage. This makes the Fighter absurdly tanky, especially when the base Armour Class of this chest piece is already 20.
1Helm of Balduran
Ignore Critical Hits and Stuns
TheHelm of Balduranis the quintessential Legendary item that makes all other helmets seem terrible in comparison. This helmet can be acquired in Act 3 afterslaying the Bronze Dragon Ansurunderneath Wyrm’s Rock. It is by far the best helmet in the game, but can only be used by classes proficient with Medium Armour.
+20 AC
+3 AC
+1 AC
Cloak of Protection
The Helm of Balduran heals the wearer for 2 HP at the start of every turn, meaning it can self-revive the wearer. It also grants a +1 bonus to Armour Class and Saving Throws, meaning this effect can be triple-stacked with the Protection items. It also provides immunity to being Stunned and Critical Hits, which is perfect for battling Mind Flayers. With all of these items together, players can become practically invincible inBaldur’s Gate 3.
