Baldurs Gate 3: Best Druid Build [Gameplay Trial And Tested]

As a Druid, you can demonstrate versatility by transforming into various animals and harnessing nature’s power. Drawing from my 26 Hours of experience, I have compiled common suggestions to help you create the ultimate Druid build.

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Key Takeaways

In Baldurs Gate 3, players can build any character they want. However, if you are playing a Druid, here are our recommendations for some of the best builds.

1. Circle Of The Moon (Shapeshifter Build):
   • Subclass Choice: Opt for Circle of the Moon for enhanced wild shape abilities.
   • Benefits: Bonus action wild shape, ability to cast spells while in animal form.
   • Versatility: Suitable for frontline tanking, ranged damage, or support roles.
   • Recommended Stats: Strength 10, Constitution 14, Dexterity 14, Wisdom 17.
2. Circle Of The Spores (Damage Over Time Build):
   • Subclass Choice: Circle of the Spores focuses on necrotic damage and creating zombie allies.
   • Stat Prioritization: Wisdom for spellcasting, Constitution for durability.
   • Skills: Medicine, Insight, Stealth, and Arcana for versatility.
   • Recommended Spells: Infestation, Cloudkill, Summon Fungal Creature.
3. Circle Of The Land (Spellcaster Build):
   • Subclass Choice: Circle of the Land emphasizes spellcasting.
   • Benefits: Expanded Spell List based on chosen land type, ritual casting without spell slots.
   • Wisdom Priority: Vital for spellcasting abilities.
   • Skills: Insight, History, Investigation, and Persuasion are recommended.
   • Feats Consideration: Spell Focus for increased spell saving throw DC or Observant for perception and investigation.

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Build Overview

Features	Best Choice
Subclass	Circle of the Moon
Race	Wood Elf
Cantrips	Produce Flame, Shillelagh
Spells	Entangle, Thunderwave, Iceknife
	Barkskin, Call Lightning, Freedom of Movement
	Conjure Animals, Speak with Animals, Greater Restoration
	Mass Cure Wounds, Conjure Woodland Beings, Polymorph
Background	Folk Hero, Gold Dwarves
Feats	Warcaster, Resilient, Elemental Adapt, Lucky
Skills	Animal Handling and Nature
Equipment	Shapeshifter Hat, Knife of the Undermountain King, Medium Armor and Shield

Overview Table.

Subclass 

Circle Of The Moon – Build 1

The essential advantage is that you can use rough shapes as a bonus action and cast spells while in animal form. This versatility makes Circle of the Moon Druid a formidable class, suitable for frontline tanking, ranged damage dealing, or support roles, depending on the situation. 

Recommended Stats for this Subclass are given in the table below.

Ability	Scores
Strength	10
Constitution	14
Dexterity	14
Wisdom	17
Intelligence	8
Charisma	10

Druid Stats.

These stats will give you a good balance of survivability, damage, and spellcasting ability. 

Here’s how to set up and play with this Subclass:

• Prioritize Wisdom for spellcasting as a Druid.
• Focus on Animal Handling, Perception, Nature, and Survival skills.
• Choose spells that boost wild shape forms or offer crowd control (e.g., Entangle, Spike Growth).
• Access powerful wild shape forms early as a Circle of the Moon Druid.
• Use tanky animal forms like bears or wolves for melee combat.
• Maximize your hit points in beast form for survival.
• Consider the War Caster feat to cast spells with hands full.

Circle Of The Spores – Build 2

• Prioritize Wisdom for spellcasting but also invest in Constitution for durability.
• Recommended skills include Medicine, Insight, Stealth, and Arcana for versatility outside combat.
• Select spells like Infestation and Cloudkill for consistent damage over time, with Summon Fungal Creature for extra help in battles.
• Consider taking the Spell Sniper feat to increase spell range.
• Utilize the Symbiotic Entity feature for bonus poison damage and temporary hit points during combat.
• The Halo of Spores ability deals necrotic damage to nearby enemies to discourage melee engagement.

Circle Of The Land – Build 3

• Wisdom is vital for spellcasting abilities.
• Recommended skills include Insight, History, Investigation, and Persuasion for role-playing and knowledge.
• Spell selection depends on the chosen land type, like Forest or Swamp, tailoring abilities to the environment.
• Consider taking the Spell Focus feat for increased spell saving throw DC or the Observant feat for better perception and investigation.
• Select a land type like Arctic or Grassland, each granting extra spells and terrain benefits.
• The Expanded Spell List lets access additional spells related to the chosen land type.
• Druids can cast certain spells as rituals without using a spell slot, which is handy for utility and exploration.

Spells & Cantrips

• Spells are gained as you level up, but at first, you will have limited spell slots to increase with your build level.
• Choices must be made at each level, and prioritize those spells that suit your playstyle and needs.

Druid Level	Spells
1	Cantrips: Produce Flame
	Spells: Entangle, Thunderwave, Iceknife
2	Spells: Speak with Animals
3	Spells: Barkskin, Call Lightning
4	Cantrips: Shillelagh
	Spells: Sleet Storm, Moon Beam
5	Spells: Freedom of Movement, Conjure Animals
6	Spells: Greater Restoration
7	Spells: Transport via Plants
8	Spells: Conjure Woodland Beings, Polymorph
9	Spells: Mass Cure Wounds
10	Spells: Wall of Thorns
11	Spells: Plane Shift
12	Spells: Animal Shapes

Druid Spells Table.

For the best Druid build in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s essential to consider various aspects, including spells, abilities, race, feats, and background. Here’s a concise summary of these elements:

Cantrips

• Produce Flame: A ranged fire attack that can also serve as a light source.
• Shillelagh: Empowers a quarterstaff, allowing you to use your Wisdom for attack and damage rolls.

Spells

• Entangle: Restrains enemies in a 20-foot area, making them vulnerable to melee attacks.
• Thunderwave: Deals thunder damage and pushes enemies away, ideal for close combat.
• Iceknife: Throws an ice shard that deals cold damage in a small area.
• Speak with Animals: This Spell allows you to communicate with beasts for approximately ten minutes.
• Barkskin: Boosts your AC to 16 for an hour, enhancing defense.
• Call Lightning: Summons a storm cloud to strike foes with lightning.
• Freedom of Movement: Grants players immunity to various conditions for an hour.
• Conjure Animals: Summons up to eight friendly beasts to aid you.
• Greater Restoration: Heals different conditions and curses.
• Transport via Plants: Allows for teleportation between plants.
• Conjure Woodland Beings: Summons-friendly fey creatures with multiple abilities.
• Polymorph: Transforms creatures for strategic advantage.
• Mass Cure Wounds: Heals various targets within a 30-foot radius.
• Wall of Thorns: Creates a barrier of thorny vines.
• Plane Shift: Moves creatures to different planes of existence.
• Animal Shapes: Transforms creatures into animals.

Race And Subrace

• Wood Elf: Ideal for Druids due to Dexterity and Wisdom bonuses, dark vision, and Mask of the Wild ability

Feats

• War Caster: Enables spellcasting in melee and provides an advantage on concentration saves.
• Resilient: Enhances an ability score and grants proficiency in relevant saving throws.
• Elemental Adept: Allows spell damage type selection for better damage output.
• Lucky: Provides three lucky points for rerolling dice.

Background

• Folk Hero: Offers Survival proficiency, tool proficiency, and Rustic Hospitality.
• Hermit: Grants Medicine and Religion proficiency and a unique secret.
• Outlander: Provides ability in Athletics and Survival, along with the Wanderer trait.

Skills

As a druid, you have access to four skill proficiencies: 

Skills	Attributes
Animal Handling	Helps with communication and bonding with animals.
Insight	Allows you to read emotions, intentions, and lies.
Medicine	Enables healing, stabilization, and diagnosis.
Nature	Assists in identifying plants, animals, and nature.

Skill Proficiencies Table.

You can choose any two, but Animal Handling and Nature are the most useful. Insight and Medicine are also good choices, especially if you want to play as a healer or a supporting character. 

Equipment

• Shapeshifter Hat: This unique item increases your Wild Shape charges by one, allowing you to transform into animals more frequently. You can obtain it in Druid Grove, specifically in Kagha’s room.
• Knife Of The Undermountain King: This dagger proves helpful for dealing extra melee damage, especially when combined with the Shillelagh cantrip to enchant the dagger. It can be found in the Underdark, near a corpse in the Drow fort.
• Medium Armor & Shield: As a Druid, you can wear medium and non-metal shields without drawbacks. Various types of medium armor and shields, such as leather armor, hide armor, and wooden shields, will become available throughout the game.

What Build I Consider Optimal?

I consider the Shapeshifter the best Druid build.

Druids is one of the most versatile characters I have played in Baldurs Gate 3. I was surprised to see how much variety in skills this class has. Most players want to utilize all essential skills when selecting the best build.

As a result, this Shapeshifter Build uses the best of the skills presented, creating a character that can adapt to any situation.

My ability to shapeshift into different creatures adds a layer of complexity and excitement to the gameplay. Therefore, if you decide to play Druids, I suggest you try this build.

To find more exciting builds for Baldurs Gate 3, visit our other Guides:

• Baldurs Gate 3 Best Cleric Build.
• Baldurs Gate 3 Best Sorcerer Build
• Baldurs Gate 3 Best Fighter Build.