Baldur's Gate 3: Best Draconic Sorcerer Build

Quick Links

• Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Overview

• Best Races For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

• Early-Game Equipment Build For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

• End-Game Equipment Build For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

Most wielders of magic in Baldur's Gate 3 must learn how to manifest the Weave over years of practice. Sorcerers, however, are magic incarnate, able to wield spells almost instinctually. Sorcerers with draconic lineage can trace the source of their magic to one of the ancient dragons--creatures so steeped in magic they can't help but pass it on as a genetic trait.

Baldur's Gate 3: How To Disable The Guardian Statues In The Underground Cave

Here's how to disable the Guardian Statues in the Underground Passage beneath the Druid's Grove in Baldur's Gate 3.

Draconic Bloodline sorcerers are generally more resilient than your average spellcaster owing to their draconic parentage. They also gain certain innate magics corresponding with the color of their dragon bloodline and later the dragon's ability to magically fly. If that all sounds appealing, here's how to make a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer in Baldur's Gate 3.

Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer Overview

Hit Points Per Level

4 plus Constitution modifier

Saving Throw Proficiencies

Charisma, Constitution

Weapon Proficiencies

Daggers, Quarterstaves, Light Crossbows

Armor Proficiencies

None

Skill Proficiencies (Choose Two)

Arcana, Deception, Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion, Religion

Spellcasting Ability

Charisma

With only six hit points per level, sorcerers are tied with wizards for the lowest potential hit point pool. However, where Wild Magic and Storm Sorcery sorcerers struggle to survive, sorcerers of the Draconic Bloodline receive an innate armor class of 13 and receive an extra hit point per level. This allows Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers to be a little more aggressive on the battlefield than their counterparts.

We can also further enhance this natural resilience by choosing the right race. More on that later.

In return for this natural resilience, Draconic Bloodline sorcerers learn fewer spells than most other spellcasters. Your Draconic Ancestry will present you with one extra spell, but other than that, you're limited to learning a single spell each time you level up.

Like all sorcerers, Draconic Bloodline sorcerers receive Metamagic abilities that further enhance their magical powers. While this can effectively allow you to cast more spells per turn than most spellcasters, it can also be a significant drain on limited spell slots. Thankfully, you can also spend Sorcery Points to regain spent spell slots.

Starting Ability Scores

Strength

Dexterity

Constitution

Intelligence

Wisdom

Charisma

8(-1)

14(+2)

16(+3)

10(0)

10(0)

16(+3)

With Charisma as your spellcasting modifier, you'll want this ability score to be as high as possible. We'll be pumping this to 20 first, with other ability scores to follow later.

Putting Constitution on par with your Charisma (at least to start) will provide you with a healthy hit point buffer that will out-class Gale and even lesser spellcasters like Wyll and Shadowheart. Having 14 Dexterity also provides you with an additional +2 to armor class, providing almost as much protection as Lae'zel.

Intelligence and Wisdom can be left at a reasonable amount (enough to avoid negative modifiers) and Strength can take a -1 hit as your damage will be entirely spell-based. That's enough Strength to make a few important jumps, but only barely.

Choosing Your Draconic Ancestry

Draconic Ancestry

Level One Spell

Level Six Damage Bonus And Resistance

Red (Fire)

Burning Hands

Add Charisma modifier to fire-based spells, resistance to fire damage.

Black (Acid)

Grease

Add Charisma modifier to acid-based spells, resistance to acid damage.

Blue (Lightning)

Witch Bolt

Add Charisma modifier to lighting-based spells, resistance to lightning damage.

White (Cold)

Armour of Agathys

Add Charisma modifier to cold-based spells, resistance to cold damage.

Green (Poison)

Ray of Sickness

Add Charisma modifier to poison-based spells, resistance to poison damage.

Gold (Fire)

Disguise Self

Add Charisma modifier to fire-based spells, resistance to fire damage.

Silver (Cold)

Feather Fall

Add Charisma modifier to cold-based spells, resistance to cold damage.

Bronze (Lightning)

Fog Cloud

Add Charisma modifier to lightning-based spells, resistance to lightning damage.

Copper (Acid)

Tasha's Hideous Laughter

Add Charisma modifier to acid-based spells, resistance to acid damage.

Brass (Fire)

Sleep

Add Charisma modifier to fire-based spells, resistance to fire damage.

Upon deciding to play a Draconic Bloodline sorcery, you'll immediately have to choose your Draconic Ancestry--that is, which type of dragon provided your Draconic heritage. At level one, this decision will grant one additional level-one spell, and later on, will provide bonus damage and resistance to the element associated with your Draconic Ancestry.

You'll want to pick the element that will benefit you the most throughout the game. As both fire and cold elements have a plethora of potent spells and cantrips, it's recommended to pick either Red, White, Gold, Silver, or Brass for your Draconic Ancestry.

Gold and Silver ancestries each offer a utility spell (Disguise Self and Feather Fall) that remains useful throughout the game. For this reason, these two are the best Draconic Ancestries to pick.

Leveling The Build And Spell Choices

Sorcerer Levels

Level

Class Features

Spells

Level 1

• Choose Subclass
  • Draconic Bloodline
  • Subclass Feature: Draconic Resilience
  • Subclass Feature: Draconic Ancestry
    • Choose Gold or Silver
• +4 Cantrips
• +2 Spells

• Fire Bolt (Cantrip)
• Ray of Frost (Cantrip)
• Minor Illusion (Cantrip)
• Friends (Cantrip)
• Chromatic Orb (Level 1)
• Shield (Level 1)

Level 2

• Metamagic
  • Choose Careful Spell, Twinned Spell
• +1 Spell
• +1 First-Level Spell Slot
• +2 Sorcery Points

• Magic Missile (Level 1)

Level 3

• Metamagic
  • Choose Heightened Spell
• +1 Spell
• +1 First-Level Spell Slot
• +2 Second-Level Spell Slots
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Scorching Ray (Level 1)

Level 4

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Charisma
• +1 Cantrip
• +1 Spell
• +1 Second-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Shocking Grasp (Cantrip)
• Misty Step (Level 2)

Level 5

• +1 Spell
• +2 Third-Level Spell Slots
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Fireball (Level 3)

Level 6

• Subclass Feature: Elemental Affinity - Damage
• Subclass Feature: Elemental Affinity - Resistance
• +1 Spell
• +1 Third-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Haste (Level 3)

Level 7

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

• Ice Storm (Level 4)

Level 8

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose +2 Charisma
• +1 Spell
• +1 Fourth-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Counterspell (Level 3)

Level 9

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

• Hold Monster (Level 5)

Level 10

• Metamagic
  • Choose Quickened Spell
• +1 Cantrip
• +1 Spell
• +1 Fifth-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Bone Chill (Cantrip)
• Spell of your choice

Level 11

• Subclass Feature: Fly
• +1 Spell
• +1 Sixth-Level Spell Slot
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Disintegrate (Level 6)

Level 12

• Ability Score Improvement or Feat
  • Choose Elemental Adept (Fire or Cold)
• +1 Spell
• +1 Sorcery Point

• Spell of your choice

You'll start your Draconic Bloodline sorcerer build by picking your attributes (defined above), your Draconic Ancestry (either Gold or Silver preferred), and your starting spells. Fire Bolt and Ray of Frost provide ranged attacks with utility, while Friends gives you advantage in most conversation checks (but beware of using this cantrip at higher difficulty levels). Shield provides you with a useful reaction that further enhances your resilience.

At level two, your Metamagic comes online. Twinned Spell works perfectly with Chromatic Orb and can be absolutely devastating in the early portions of Baldur's Gate 3. Choose Magic Missile as your next spell as it provides something no other spell in the game can: guaranteed damage.

Just don't use Magic Missile against mages. The only thing that stops a Magic Missile is the Shield spell.

At level three, another Metamagic feature comes online. Heightened Spell helps ensure your enemies fail their saving throws. Scorching Ray provides another damage spell that scales extremely well even into the late game.

Pick Shocking Grasp as your level four cantrip for a decent melee spell and Misty Step as your spell for a get-out-of-jail-free ability. Your first feat should be an Ability Score Improvement of +2 to your Charisma, bringing it to 18.

Fireball at level five provides your first target for Careful Spell, and at level six, it gains additional damage equal to your Charisma modifier (if you picked Gold as your Draconic Ancestry). Level six also brings Haste, which when combined with Twinned Spell, can turn your martial characters into whirling dervishes of destruction.

Ice Storm is the level seven equivalent of Fireball with additional crowd control applications (and also receives a damage bonus if you picked Silver as your Draconic Ancestry). At level eight, max out your Charisma at 20 and also learn Counterspell for another potential reaction that can save your bacon.

At level nine, Hold Monster can utterly trivialize certain encounters when combined with Heightened Spell. At level 10, choose Quickened Spell as your Metamagic option for more bonus action potential, and Bone Chill for another damage type that helps against undead.

At level 11, Disintegrate is so strong that it simply cannot be ignored, even if it doesn't deal an elemental damage type. Finally, at level 12, pick Elemental Adept as your feat to prevent your cold or fire spells from being resisted.

You can also pick Toughness if you think you don't have enough hit points, orincrease your Constitution to 18 if you want your twin-cast Haste to stand up to a bit more punishment.

Baldur's Gate 3: How To Disable The Guardian Statues In The Underground Cave

Here's how to disable the Guardian Statues in the Underground Passage beneath the Druid's Grove in Baldur's Gate 3.

Best Races For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

Several races provide beneficial bonuses to a Draconic Blood Sorcerer. Below we have the potential races ranked best to worst.

Dwarf

Skip Shield Dwarf as those armor proficiencies are unnecessary. Gold Dwarf, however, can give you more hit points than a bard or warlock (almost as much as a fighter), while Duergar provides most of the benefits of being a Gnome but also the Enlarge and Invisibility spells. Poison resistance is also a big benefit here.

Half-Elf

You get most of the benefits of being an Elf, but you also have proficiency with shields to further enhance your armor class. Drow Half-Elf is the best choice for the extra spells.

Human

Weapon and light armor proficiencies are unnecessary, but you can use shields to further boost your AC. A skill proficiency and 25 percent additional carrying capacity are also nice bonuses.

Halfling

There is a lot of poison damage in Baldur's Gate 3, which makes Strongheart Halfling an excellent choice for its poison advantage. Halfling Luck cuts out critical misses, and Brave provides advantage against being frightened. A good pick overall.

Githyanki

Sword and armor proficiencies are largely wasted, but Astral Knowledge can help provide missing skill proficiencies while Githyanki Psionics offers three useful spells. A decent choice.

Drow

The additional spells and Superior Darkvision make Drow a better choice than either a High Elf or Wood Elf, but not by much.

Elf

Elf provides the same advantages as Half-Elf, but you get perception proficiency instead of shield proficiency. Keep in mind that High Elf gets a wizard cantrip that uses Intelligence as its modifier, so be sure to pick a cantrip that doesn't require a roll.

Tiefling

Tiefling can be a great way to gain access to more spells as a sorcerer, but be sure to avoid picking a Draconic Ancestry associated with fire as you already have fire resistance.

Gnome

Advantage against all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws can significantly improve a sorcerer's magic defenses, but that's about all Gnomes provide.

Dragohborn

So long as your Dragonborn Draconic Ancestry doesn't match the Draconic Ancestry of your Draconic Bloodline, then you'll wind up with two elemental damage resistances and a breath attack. Neat, but that's all you get.

Half-Orc

Savage Attacks is completely wasted as sorcerers rarely attack with weapons. Relentless, Darkvision, and intimidation proficiency are nice, but you get more out of other races.

Baldur's Gate 3: Find The Githyanki Creche Quest Walkthrough

If you're looking for the Githyanki creche in Baldur's Gate 3, here's where to find and enter it.

Early-Game Equipment Build For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

Helmet

Cape

The Lifebringer

When you gain Lightning Charges, gain 3 temporary hit points.

None

N/A

Armor

Amulet

The Protecty Sparkswall

+1 to spell save DC, +1 AC and saving throws so long as you have Lightning Charges.

Silver Pendant

Cast Guidance once per long rest.

Gloves

Ring #1

Bracers of Defence

+2 AC so long as you're not wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Ring Of Color Spray

Cast Color Spray at level one once per short rest.

Boots

Ring #2

The Watersparkers

When standing in water, it becomes electrified. If you start the first turn of combat on an electrified surface, gain 3 Lightning Charges.

Crusher's Ring

Increase movement speed by 3m/10ft.

Main-Hand Weapon

Off-Hand Weapon

The Spellsparkler

1d8 + Strength Modifier bludgeoning Gain 2 Lightning Charges when dealing damage with a spell or cantrip.

None

N/A

The early game uses a bit of a Lightning Charge-based build simply because you're not able to use armor and there are few non-armor options during Act One.

The Spellsparkler will ensure a steady supply of Lightning Charges, which will provide temporary hit points thanks to The Lifebringer as well as an AC and saving throw bonus thanks to The Protecty Sparkswall. The Watersparkers are more situational, but still a potential source of Lightning Charges.

Since you're not wearing armor, Bracers of Defence will provide even more armor class, bringing your total to 18. Your rings and amulets largely provide spells you otherwise don't have access to.

If you're a Human or Half-Elf, you can use the Safeguard Shield to provide as much of a bonus to your AC as Bracers of Defense but also a bonus to saving throws. You can then use different gloves, like Gloves of Missile Snaring.

Baldur's Gate 3: Steal A Githyanki Egg Quest Walkthrough

There are a few ways to complete the Steal a Githyanki Egg quest in Baldur's Gate 3, so here's what you need to know.

End-Game Equipment Build For Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer

Helmet

Cape

Hood of the Weave

Gain +2 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls

Cloak Of The Weave

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

Armor

Amulet

Robe of the Weave

12 AC Clothing. Gain +1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls. Regain 1d6 hit points whenever you successfully succeed in a saving throw against a spell.

Spellcrux Amulet

Restore any expended spell slot as a bonus action once per long rest.

Gloves

Ring #1

Gemini Gloves

Cantrips can target an additional creature, or the same creature twice.

Ring of Protection

Gain +1 to AC and all saving throws.

Boots

Ring #2

Bonespike Boots

+1 to AC and saving throws when not wearing armor or holding a shield. Jump distance increased by 1.5m/5ft, can leap at a target to possibly knock it prone.

Killer's Sweetheart

Once per long rest, after killing a creature, your next attack roll will be a critical hit.

Main-Hand Weapon

Off-Hand Weapon

Markoheshkir

Gain +1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls. Arcane Battery: Once per long rest, the next spell cast doesn't cost a spell slot. Kereska's Favour.

None

N/A

For the end game, you'll want to lean into what makes the sorcerer great: incredible cosmic power.

Hood, Cloak, and Robe of the Weave all provide bonuses to spell attack and spell save DC rolls, while Spellcrux Amulet and Markoheshkir offer a free spell slot, potentially providing three level six spell slots per long rest.

Even with all those spells, you'll likely find yourself casting cantrips half the time. Gemini Gloves and Killer's Sweetheart ensure that those Fire Bolts and Rays of Frost are multiplicatively more destructive thanks to being cast twice and potentially for a critical hit.

After you receive the ability to fly, Bonespike Boots really only offers armor class and saving throws, but that's still pretty good for a pair of boots. Ring of Protection likewise improves your armor and saving throws, giving you an armor class of 19. Quite respectable for a spellcaster.

If you're a Human or Half-Elf, you can use Ketheric's Shield in your off-hand to gain an additional two armor class and a bonus to your attack and spell save DC.

Baldur's Gate 3: Complete Guide And Walkthrough

All of our Baldur's Gate 3 guides in one convenient place!