Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3features dozens of magic items for players to collect and equip on their party members. Some of them have specific prerequisites in order to function, such as only working for a certain race or class. Theclass-specific items, in particular, are often very powerful, with ways to boost certain class abilities. Anyone who has played through the entire game probably noticed that some classes seem to get more items specific to them than others.
The bard and monk classes each have a ton of items that correspond to their abilities, as well as to their play styles. From gloves and boots that boost bardic inspiration to tons of gauntlets that improve unarmed damage, items that enhance these specific classes are unavoidable in any playthrough. However, there is still the question of whether there is an actual significant difference in the number of class-specific items or if it’s just player perception.
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Many Magic Items Seem Intended For Certain Classes
But Actual Restrictions Are Quite Rare
It might surprise people to learn that there areonly four items in the entire game that affect monk-specific features. These include various robes and boots that affect a monk’s patient defense and step of the wind abilities, as well as one necklace that restores ki points. People often think that the game is full of more monk-specific items than it is because of the prolific appearance of gear that boosts unarmed attacks.
There are around a dozen magic items in the game that specifically improve unarmed attacks.
Whilemonks do focus on unarmed attacksmore than any other class, feats like tavern brawler make it so that any class can be effective when unarmed. Thus, any class could benefit from gloves that add fire damage to those attacks, for instance. There are around a dozen magic items in the game that specifically improve unarmed attacks.This gives the illusion that monks have a ton more options for magic items than other classes, especially from the perspective of players whose party includes neither a monk nor an unarmed fighter of any kind.
Items Focusing On Certain Ability Scores Can Be Misleading
Cause Lots Of Items Can Improve Abilities
This same phenomenon applies to other classes, such as the bard.Bards likewise only have four magic items that specifically enhance their class abilities, mainly focused on bardic inspiration. However, there are a ton of other items that boost things like movement speed and damage based on one’s charisma score, as well as items that improve charisma checks.
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Any class can benefit from these items, and with warlocks and sorcerers being in the game, bards aren’t even the only class with a focus on charisma. Still, players with a bard in their party will have a ton of useful options to pick from. Meanwhile, parties without a charisma-focused member will likely get annoyed athow many items center on the ability score.
The Class That Actually Has The Most Magic Items
Lots Of Armor Sets, Staffs, Weapons And Shields Available
The druid is actually the class with the most magical itemsthat pertain to its specific abilities and features. There are a number of armor sets and apparel options thatenhance theirwild shape, a staff that only grants a defensive buff to druids, and several weapons and a shield that boosts their spell and Shillelagh damage. This may seem odd at first, but it actually makes perfect sense forBaldur’s Gate 3.
Of the nine default characters in the game that can join the player’s party, two of them start out as druids: Halsin and Jaheira. Plus, the player themselves may decide to be a druid, meaningthere is a high likelihood that any given party will benefit from some or all of these items. After all, the developers want their items to be useful, so it makes sense to make the most options for the classes they anticipate being played the most.
With that logic in mind, looking back on the monk and bard, it seems like the developers anticipated many players making custom characters with either of those classes. Not only would they fill in certain gaps within a party’s balance, but they would also go unusedunless a player makes a custom character with them or has another character multiclass into those fields. A custom “Tav” character who is a bard or monk would also gain access to dialogue options specific to those classes, of which there are many.
Which Classes Are Players “Supposed” To Pick?
Only Two Classes Don’t Have Any Specific Items For Them
The whole idea ofBaldur’s Gate 3and RPGs like it is that players can build any kind of character or party they want. That being said,it seems like the bard, barbarian, druid, fighter, monk, and paladinhave the most items that specifically support their class features. Several of those options are the default choices oforigin characters like Karlach and Lae’zel, but others may be more directed at certain players who pick those unused classes.
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Notably, the ranger and wizard are the only two classes that don’t have any items corresponding to their specific features. This is a little odd, given that Minsc and Gale are both characters that start out as those classes and presumably, there should be some item options geared at them. Though honestly,the wizard is probably powerful enough without additional magic just for them, and Minsc doesn’t appear until the late game, which might explain that absence.
Magic Items May Be Intended To Compensate For Class Imbalance
But Strategy And Preparation Can Make Any Class Powerful
Another explanation for this imbalance is thatclasses like barbarian and monk may just feel underpowered without them. Unarmed builds can be really powerful, but only because of how much content in the game focuses around buffing them. No one class is the “intended” option for players to pick inBaldur’s Gate 3, and while some may benefit more from magic items than others, every one of them can become insanely powerful with enough preparation and creativity.
