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With so many potions, elixirs, magic items, and multiclass combinations, there’s no shortage of character builds inBaldur’s Gate 3. A critical hit build capitalizes on the already increased damage of crits to demolish enemies in just a few hits.
While there are a few classes which work particularly well for a critical hit build, you’ll be primarily reliant on specific items to reduce the number you need to roll a crit. These items come into the game late, so it takes a while for this build to become the best it can be. It’s well worth the wait, though, with the amount of damage you’ll be dealing out by the end.
Recommended Race And Starting Class For A Critical Hit Build
Half-Orc have a number of useful featureswhich make them an excellent race for this build, listed below. However, any race will work just fine.
See in the dark up to 12m
Relentless Endurance
When you reach 0 hit points, regain 1 hit point instead of becoming downed
Savage Attacks
When you land a critical hit with a melee weapon, deal an extra die of damage
For your starting class,select paladin. This will not only get you started on your class you’ll have the most levels in, but will grant useful weapon and armor proficiencies and ability scores right out of the gate.
How To Level A Critical Hit Build
This critical hit build will rely on a specific combination of many classes to gain as many attacks as possible per turn, alongside a few handy features to make crits more likely.
1
Paladin 1
Subclass:Oath of Vengeance
Select your paladin subclass. Your subclass will havea major impact on roleplay and story choices, so choose carefully. However, we recommend theOath of Vengeancesubclass, especially since it offersHold Personat level five, which gives automatic critical hits against affected enemies.
2
Mortal Reminder
Eldritch Blast
Select theGreat Old Onewarlock subclass. You get the passive Mortal Reminder, which means that when you land a critical hit, that creature and nearby creatures will need to roll a saving throw or become Frightened.
You’ll also getEldritch Blast, which is an excellent source of ranged damage. It alsoscales based on player level, not warlock level, so it has great utility throughout the build, not just in early levels.
3
Divine Smite
Level 1 Spells
For your Fighting Style,select Defense.This build recommends dual-wielding, so the other options won’t mesh with your endgame weapons.
Divine Smite is one of your greatest assets. You can expend a spell slot to deal +2d8 radiant damage, or +3d8 to fiends and undead at the cost of a level one spell slot. You can alsoconfigure this to appear as a reaction to a critical hit, adding this damage to any successful crit.
Top recommended level one spell:Bless
4
5
Paladin 4 / Warlock 1
Feat
TakeSavage Attacker. This causes melee weapon damage dice to be rolled twice, and takes the highest result. This gives you ahigher chance of rolling crits.
6
Extra Attack
Level 2 Spells
An extra attack is an extra chance to roll a critical hit, and more damage no matter what.
Hold PersonandMisty Stepare now always available for you. Despite requiring concentration,Magic Weaponis our top pick because of it’s +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
7
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 1
Sneak Attacks
Next, you’re going to start taking levels in rogue. This will give you the ability to makesneak attacks, but keep in mindyou can only do this with finesse weapons.
8
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 2
Cunning Actions
Bonus actions to dash and disengage greatly increase mobility in battle. Hiding gives you Advantage, which bothallows you to make sneak attacks, and increases your chance of rolling a crit.
9
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 3
Subclass:Thief
Select theThiefsubclass. An extra bonus action means an extra off-hand attack each turn, meaningyou can make up to four attacks per turn.
10
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 3 / Fighter 1
Fighting Style
Your final class will be fighter. SelectTwo-Weapon Fightingfor your fighting style, since you’re dual-wielding, and this increases off-hand damage.
11
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 3 / Fighter 2
Action Surge
Action Surge is another way togrant yourself extra attacks, once per short rest. The more attack rolls you make, the more chances to roll a crit. If you use Action Surge, your turn could havefour main hand attacks and two off-hand attacks.
12
Paladin 5 / Warlock 1 / Rogue 3 / Fighter 3
Subclass:Champion
Finally, to round out the build, take theChampionsubclass. Alongside the endgame gear you’ll be collecting, thisreduces the number you need to roll a critical hit by one.
Because this build only gets one feat, you may want to utilize thehag hairandMirror of Lossto boost your ability scores.
This race and class combination will alreadyincrease the number of critical hits you’ll makeandthe damage they’ll deal. To truly make the most of this build, though, you’ll need a carefully curated set of gear from your helmet to your boots.
Best Equipment For A Critical Hit Build
Most of the equipment you’ll want for this build appears in Act Three, though some of it is available as early as Act One. Any armor slots not mentioned below are open to be filled with any equipment you like.
Medium armor helmet
Gauntlet of Shar
Magical Durability: +1 bonus to saving throws against spells
Covert Critical: While obscured (either lightly or heavily) the number you need to roll a critical hit is reduced by 1
+1 to constitution saving throws
Act 3
Loot from Sarevok
Deathbringer’s Sight: You gain Darkvision, and the number you need to roll a critical hit is reduced by 1
Dauntless: You can’t be Frightened, or afflicted with other emotion-altering conditions
Guild Hall
Stealthy Critical: While hiding, the number you need to roll a critical hit is reduced by 1
Act 2
Executioner: Once per long rest, when you kill a creature, you can decide to make your next attack roll a critical hit.
House of Healing
Paralysing Critical: Once per long rest, when scoring a critical hit on a humanoid, you can use a reaction to paralyze a target for 2 turns
You should wear the Dark Justiciar Helmet only until you canreplace it with Sarevok’s Horned Helmet, since the Dark Justiciar Helmet only reduces your critical hit roll while obscured.
While two-handed weapons are an option for a melee crit build, go withdual-wielding. This allows you to havetwo weapons which decrease your critical hit roll. It also allows you to make sneak attacks, since your weapons will be finesse.
(One-handed)
Act 1
Creche Y’llek
Organ Rearranger: The number you need to roll a critical hit is reduced by 1. When you roll 2 damage or less, reroll the dice and take the highest result
Shadow Blade: You have Advantage on attack rolls against lightly or heavily obscured targets when using this blade
Temple of Bhaal
+1 AC
Improved Critical: The number you need to roll a critical hit is reduced by 1
Main hand only: Creatures hit with this weapon receive vulnerability to piercing damage
Off-hand only: When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can retaliate and gain True Strike
Sold by Fytz the Firecracker
Keen Attack: The wielder doubles their proficiency bonus when rolling for ranged attacks with this weapon, unless they have disadvantage
How To Play A Critical Hit Build
While this build is relatively straightforward once it’s been completed, there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re landing the most critical hits you can.
Early Game
Since this build doesn’t become truly viable until Act Three, it’s important to have a plan for the first two acts of the game. Luckily, most of your levels early on will be in paladin.Paladinsare a verypowerful class, andDivine Smite is particularly strongin Act Two.
Your single level in warlock will also pull a surprising amount of weight, sinceEldritch Blast scales on player level, instead of warlock level. At player levels five and ten,you earn an additional beam.
Another option for this build, instead of creating it as you go, is to respec once you reach Act Three, courtesy of Withers.
There’s also a number of consumables that can help you out, early on and later in the game:
Elixir of Viciousness
Reduces the number you need to roll a critical hit. Lasts until a long rest.
Elixir of Bloodlust
Once per turn when you kill an enemy, gain 5 temporary hit points and an additional action. Lasts until a long rest.
Potion of Speed
Gain the effects of Haste for 3 turns, which grants you, among other things, and additional action.
Late Game
By the time you’ve gathered all of your gear and maxed your level,the range you need to roll a critical hit will be 14-20 without an Elixir of Viciousness, and 13-20 if you’ve consumed one.
With this significantly reduced number to roll a crit, alongside your abilities which causeattack rolls to be re-rolled, you have a very significant chance of making critical hits.
Anything you can do to get Advantage on attack rolls will boost your crit chance as well, alongside opening up a possibility for sneak attacks, which further increases damage.
You’ll also end up with one warlock spell slot, four level one spell slots, two level two spell slots, and one channel divinity charge. This isplenty of spell slotsyou’ll be able to expend ondivine smiteand other spells.
