Baldur's Gate 3: Best Circle Of The Spores Druid Build

There are a few classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 that allow you to raise an army to do your bidding. Perhaps the best of them is the Circle of Spores druid, which allows you to raise the dead through your reanimating spores. Your undead army will even surpass students of the School of Necromancy, provided you find enough corpses.

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But a Circle of the Spores druid isn't entirely about raising the dead. Your affinity for the cycle of death and rebirth will provide you with access to several necromantic spells, unnatural toughness through fungus, and area-of-effect spore clouds that damage anyone or anything unfortunate enough to breathe them in.

Circle Of The Spores Druid Overview

Hit Points Per Level

5 plus Constitution modifier

Saving Throw Proficiencies

Intelligence, Wisdom

Weapon Proficiencies

Clubs, Daggers, Javelins, Maces, Quarterstaves, Scimitars, Sickles, Spears

Armor Proficiencies

Light Armour, Medium Armour, Shields

Skill Proficiencies (Choose Two)

Arcana, Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, Survival

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom

Of all the classes and subclasses in Baldur's Gate 3, Circle of the Spores druid loves summons the most. At level five, you can cast Raise Dead. At level six, your Fungal Infestation ability lets you raise four zombies per long rest. At level seven, you can cast Conjure Minor Elemental and Conjure Woodland Being. At level nine, you can Conjure Elemental, and at level 11, you can conjure a myrmidon.

For those keeping track, that's a potential eight summons before your dryad starts summoning wood woads. Large fights against multiple enemies will cause even a decent PC to struggle.

Summoning a bajillion critters isn't all a Circle of the Spores druid can do. You're also remarkably tough thanks to Symbiotic Entity giving you a bunch of temporary hit points, and you deal extra necrotic damage too. Halo of Spores lets you use your reaction to deal yet more necrotic damage, and Spreading Spores lets you use your bonus action to deal even more necrotic damage.

If being a walking cloud of damage and summons wasn't enough, you can still Wild Shape and cast a wide selection of potent spells just like any other druid.

The efficiency of a Circle of the Spores druid cannot be overlooked. You'll almost always have an action, bonus action, and reaction to play on every turn, making this subclass feel much more impactful than others.

Starting Ability Scores

Strength

Dexterity

Constitution

Intelligence

Wisdom

Charisma

8(-1)

16(+3)

14(+2)

10(0)

16(+3)

10(0)

As with all druids, Wisdom is your most important stat by far. It increases your spell power and lets you prepare more spells. Dexterity is second most important as it increases your armor class, and you'll occasionally wish to attack someone with a weapon (usually a bow—more on that later).

Constitution is at 14 to provide a decent buffer of hit points and ensure that you can maintain concentration on your spells. Intelligence and Charisma are at 10 to avoid negative modifiers for mental saving throws, and Strength is at 8 as the minimum required to make certain jumps (although, you could just Wild Shape to be better at jumping).

Leveling The Build And Spell Choices

Druid Levels

Level

Class Features

Spells Prepared

Level 1

• +2 Cantrips
• +4 Spells
• +2 First-Level Spell Slots

• Guidance (Cantrip)
• Produce Flame (Cantrip)
• Faerie Fire (Level 1)
• Healing Word (Level 1)
• Ice Knife (Level 1)
• Speak with Animals (Level 1)

Level 2

• Choose Subclass: Circle of the Spores
• Subclass Features: Halo of Spires, Symbiotic Entity
• Wild Shape
• +1 Spell
• +1 First-Level Spell Slot

• Longstrider (Level 1)

Circle of the Spores Spells:

• Bone Chill (Cantrip)

Level 3

• +1 Spell
• +1 First-Level Spell Slot
• +2 Second-Level Spell Slots

• Moonbeam (Level 2)

Circle of the Spores Spells:

• Blindness (Level 2)
• Detect Thoughts (Level 2)

Level 4

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Wisdom
• Wild Shape Improvement
• +1 Cantrip
• +2 Spells
• +1 Second-Level Spell Slot

• Poison Spray (Cantrip)
• Hold Person (Level 2)
• Lesser Restoration (Level 2)

Level 5

• Wild Strike
• +1 Spell
• +2 Third-Level Spell Slots

• Call Lightning (Level 3)

Circle of the Spores Spells:

• Animate Dead (Level 3)
• Gaseous Form (Level 3)

Level 6

• Subclass Feature: Fungal Infestation
• +1 Spell
• +1 Third-Level Spell Slot

• Plant Growth (Level 3)

Level 7

• +1 Spell
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot

• Conjure Woodland Being (Level 4)

Circle of the Spores Spells:

• Blight (Level 4)
• Confusion (Level 4)

Level 8

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Wisdom
• Wild Shape Improvement
• +2 Spells
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot

• Conjure Minor Elemental (Level 4)
• Dominate Beast (Level 4)

Level 9

• +1 Spell
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Fifth-Level Spell Slot

• Conjure Elemental (Level 5)

Circle of the Spores Spells:

• Cloudkill (Level 5)
• Contagion (Level 5)

Level 10

• Subclass Feature: Spreading Spores
• +1 Cantrip
• +1 Spell
• +1 Fifth-Level Spell Slot

• Thorn Whip (Cantrip)
• Mass Cure Wounds (Level 5)

Level 11

• +1 Spell
• +1 Sixth-Level Spell Slot

• Heroes' Feast (Level 6)

Level 12

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose Feat: Warcaster
• +1 Spell

• Heal (Level 6)

As the best summoning subclass, your spells will be centered around creating lots of minions and keeping them alive. That said, you'll have very few summons at the start of the game, so you'll need to focus on keeping yourself alive first.

Healing Word helps a lot there, as does Faerie Fire when fighting invisible enemies. Ice Knife is a great level one damage spell that scales well when being upcast, and you can't call yourself a druid if you can't Speak with Animals on demand. Guidance is the greatest non-combat cantrip in the game, and Produce Flame is a decent ranged option for when you want something on fire.

At level two, Longstrider lets you increase the movement speed of your entire team (including your minions) for free. Bone Chill is a decent ranged cantrip option that's especially useful on undead, while Moonbeam at level three provides your first concentration-based damage spell. Blindness and Detect Thoughts are nice options provided by your subclass.

Level four brings Poison Spray as a decent short-range cantrip, while Hold Person can keep someone nailed down and Lesser Restoration cures what ails. Call Lightning at level five provides a lightning-flavored Moonbeam, while Animate Dead gives us our first minion. Gaseous Form is nice to have when you want to float into a pipe, but less useful otherwise.

At level six, Plant Growth provides incredible crowd control, and at level seven, Conjure Woodland Being lets you summon a dryad that can in turn summon a wood woad. You also get Blight and Confusion for more AoE crowd-control. Level eight brings Conjure Minor Elemental for your third spell-based summon and Dominate Beast in case you felt like your menagerie needed a wolf or two.

Conjure Elemental at level nine brings the biggest, baddest minion to the party. Cloudkill and Contagion provide yet more gross options to kill people, while Mass Cure Wounds help heal a wide area of minions. Thorn Whip also arrives as another cantrip, but feel free to pick whatever cantrip you prefer.

At level 11, Heroes' Feast provides an incredible array of buffs for your squadron of undead, elementals, and woodland beings. Heal does what it says on the tin, but to a single target.

Remember, increase your Wisdom at levels four and eight. At level 12, take Warcaster to make it easier to maintain concentration on your various concentration spells.

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Best Races For A Circle Of The Spores Druid

Several races provide beneficial bonuses to a Circle of the Spores druid. Below we have the potential races ranked best to worst.

Elf

You already have armor and shield proficiencies, so the bow proficiencies provided by being an elf help a ton. You also get charm and sleep resistance, perception proficiency, and Darkvision. Go with wood elf for the extra movement speed and stealth proficiency.

Drow

Drow is second best. Although the weapon proficiencies aren't too helpful, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, and Darkness are all good spells to have. Superior Darkvision is also a boon for exploring dark dungeons. Perception proficiency and charm and sleep resistance are also boons.

Dwarf

You're not likely to use an axe or a hammer, and you already have light and medium armor proficiency, so shield dwarf is a nonstarter. Duergar is best for advantageagainst being charmed, paralyzed, or fooled by illusions, Superior Darkvision, and the Enlarge and Invisibility spells. Poison resistance is nice too.

Halfling

Halfling Luck is great on any class, as is advantage against being frightened. Lightfoot provides advantage on stealth checks, while Strongheart provides resistance to poison. Both are good.

Gnome

Gnome Cunning can make for surprising resilience against spellcasters. Darkvision is nice to have. If you go Forest Gnome, you can take a different level one spell than Speak with Animals, while deep gnome provides Superior Darkvision and advantage on stealth checks. Rock gnome provides history expertise, which is probably the least exciting thing a gnome could do.

Githyanki

The armor proficiency is wasted, but swords can be fun to wield before you find a good staff. Astral Knowledge gives your druid skills it likely doesn't have, and Githyanki Psionics provides Mage Hand, Enhance Leap, and Misty Step—all great spells.

Half-Elf

You already have the shield and armor proficiency, and you're unlikely to use a spear, pike, halberd, or glaive. Everything else you can get from being an elf, but with useful bow proficiencies.

Half-Orc

You're not likely to be making melee attacks, so Savage Attacks is virtually useless. You'll probably have so many temporary hit points from Symbiotic Entity that you won't need Relentless Endurance, and intimidation proficiency is wasted on a character with little Charisma. Darkvision is nice though.

Tiefling

Resistance to fire and Darkvision is nice, but the spells are either melee-focused or something you already learn as a druid.

Human

Spear proficiency is pointless, and you already have the armor and shield proficiencies. That leaves one skill and 25 percent more carrying capacity, which isn't much.

Dragonborn

One damage resistance and a breath weapon makes Dragonborn outclassed by most other races.

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Early Game Build For A Circle Of The Spores Druid

Helmet

Cloak

The Shadespell Circlet

+1 to spell save DC when obscured in shadow.

None

N/A

Armor

Amulet

Adamantine Scale Mail

16 AC. All incoming damage is reduced by one. Melee attackers are sent reeling for two turns. Attackers can't land critical hits. Disadvantage on stealth checks.

Pearl of Power Amulet

As an action, regain a spell slot up to third level.

Gloves

Ring #1

Gloves of Dexterity

+1 to attack rolls. Dexterity is set to 18.

Shapeshifter's Boon Ring

+1d4 to all ability checks while shapeshifted or disguised.

Boots

Ring #2

Disintegrating Night Walkers

Cannot be enwebbed, entangled, or ensared, and can't slip on grease or ice. Cast Misty Step once per short rest.

Ring of Protection

+1 AC, +1 to all saving throws.

Main-Hand Melee Weapon

Off-Hand Melee Weapon

Melf's First Staff

1d6 bludgeoning damage. +1 to spell attack rolls and spell save DC. Cast Melf's Acid Arrow at level two once per long rest.

Safeguard Shield (if proficient)

+2 AC, +1 to all saving throws.

Main-Hand Ranged Weapon

Off-Hand Ranged Weapon

The Joltshooter (if proficient)

1d8 + 1 piercing, gain two Lightning Charges when dealing damage with this weapon.

None

N/A

In the early game, take advantage of your temporary hit points courtesy of Symbiotic Entity to be a front-line spellcaster. The Shadespell Circlet and Melf's First Staff add to your spell save DC, improving your Moonbeam and Call Lightning spells, while Pearl of Power restores the spell slot you just expended.

To get the most out of The Joltshooter, Gloves of Dexterity provides a Dexterity boost, improving your overall damage and chance to hit. Lightning Charges do the same, making you a decent ranged attacker, but don't confuse yourself with a ranger. Spells are still your best damage option.

If you didn't pick elf and are thus not proficient with bows, feel free to replace the Gloves of Dexterity and focus entirely on spell damage and cantrips for ranged attacks.

Defensively, it's hard to go wrong with Adamantine Scale Mail. Even though you're not getting the most out of your Dexterity score, it's just such a high armor class that anyone who can wear medium armor should wear it until they find better armor in Act Two and Act Three.

Disintegrating Nightwalkers is a free Misty Step and prevents most forms of movement obstruction, while Ring of Protection is yet more armor class and +1 to all saves. Safeguard Shield does the same thing.

Shapeshifter's Boon is nice to have in the early game and can be obtained from the weird ox in the Druid Grove so long as you're okay with cattle murder.

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Late Game Build For A Circle Of The Spores Druid

Helmet

Cloak

Hood of the Weave

+2 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls.

Cloak of the Weave

+1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls, cast Absorb Elements once per short rest.

Armor

Amulet

Armor of the Sporekeeper

13 AC light armor. +1 to spell save DC. Increase necrotic damage dealt by 1. Using Symbiotic Entity now spreads Bibberbang Spores, Timmask Spores, or Haste Spores to a target within 60 ft.

Spellcrux Amulet

Replenish an expended spell slot as a bonus action once per long rest.

Gloves

Ring #1

Helldusk Gloves

+1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls. +1 Strength saving throws. Weapon attacks deal an additional 1d6 fire damage, unarmed attacks deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage and can inflict bleeding. Cast Rays of Fire as a cantrip once per short rest.

Crypt Lord Ring

Cast Create Undead at level six once per long rest.

Boots

Ring #2

Helldusk Boots

You cannot be forcibly moved. When you fail a saving throw, use your reaction to succeed once per long rest. As a bonus action, teleport up to 60 feet once per short rest and deal 2d8 fire damage in a 10ft radius.

Ring of Protection

+1 to AC and all saving throws.

Main-Hand Melee Weapon

Off-Hand Melee Weapon

Markoheshkir

1d6 +2 bludgeoning damage. +1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls. Cast one spell without using a spell slot once per long rest. Cast Kereska's Favour once per short rest.

Ketheric's Shield (if proficient)

+2 AC, +1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls. You can use your reaction to knock a melee attacker prone unless they succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. Advantage on Dexterity saving throws.

Main-Hand Ranged Weapon

Off-Hand Ranged Weapon

Darkfire Shortbow (if proficient)

1d6 + 2 piercing, gain resistance to fire and cold damage. Cast Haste at level three once per long rest.

None

N/A

Into the late game, we'll abandon the pretense of being an armed attacker to allow our minions to do our dirty work. Instead of attack rating, focus on boosting your spells with Cloak of the Weave, Hood of the Weave, and Helldusk Gloves. This will provide a substantial boost to spell attack and spell save DC, ensuring your Call Lightning and Cloudkill spells deal maximum damage.

Circlet of Bones or Fistbreaker Helm in Act 2 is great to use until you find Hood of the Weave in Act 3.

Armor of the Sporekeeper is this subclass's preferred armor. It also increases spell save DC, but it also improves your Symbiotic Entity with additional spore features. Bibberbang Spores deal poison damage and can poison enemies, Timmask spores deal poison damage and can cause confusion, and Haste Spores give an ally a single turn of the Haste spell without the exhaustion that usually comes afterward.

On the jewelry side, Spellcrux Amulet provides another spell slot, Ring of Protection enhances your AC and saving throws, and Crypt Lord Ring provides yet another minion to add to your menagerie. Helldusk Boots provides a bonus action teleport that can be combined with your Halo of Spores to deal more damage to nearby enemies (although it does compete with Spreading Spores for your bonus action).

Markoheshkir is there to provide an extra spell slot and additional spell attack and spell save DC. Kereska's Favour provides access to several spells you don't have, such as Fireball, Lightning Bolt, and Hunger of Hadar. Ketheric's Shield further boosts spells and armor class, while Darkfire Bow is purely for the fire and cold resistance as well as the free Haste.

Outside of equipment, your squadron of summons can really benefit from having a paladin close by. Their auras will protect your minions fighting on the front lines while you support them with spells. The Phalar Aluve sword is also great to have on a companion as its Sing ability boosts attack rolls and saving throws.

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