Perhaps one of the toughest parts of any tabletop roleplaying game like Dungeons and Dragons is picking and choosing a race/class combo to stick out a full campaign with, and it's no different with Baldur's Gate 3. Coming straight out of DnD 5E's handbook, Baldur's Gate 3 offers 11 total races (39 subraces) and 12 classes (40+ subraces/specializations), which means "character creation paralysis" is in full effect. They may not all be created equally, but there is plenty of reason to choose just about any race or class, including the Warlock.
The Warlock is a popular spellcaster in Dungeons and Dragons, even if they have the reputation of being that class that constantly casts Eldritch Blast, and it'll be interesting to see how this popularity manifests in Baldur's Gate 3. Pairing-wise, any race that boosts magic or, specifically, charisma helps define a good build, giving players plenty of reason to choose races such as a human, a Half-Elf (a Drow Half-Elf, in particular), an Asmodeus Tiefling, and so forth. The lack of limitations, of course, means players are free to mix and match to their heart's desire.
Baldur's Gate 3: Warlock Roleplay Features
It should be noted that, aside from the custom character of Baldur's Gate 3, players are able to take on certain characters in the game to get their perspective and side of things more directly. Wyll is one of these Origin characters in Baldur's Gate 3, and is, of course, a Warlock. Wyll's story ties directly into the parasite in everyone's head, into Karlach the Tiefling Barbarian's story, and into a general Warlock background. Indeed, a Warlock's Patron will play some role in Baldur's Gate 3, but perhaps not so effectively outside Wyll's story. It should be noted that some may be turned off by his lack of "flavor" as a human character, but depending on choices, suffice it to say there's no lack of intriguing story elements to Wyll's potential identity.
Either way, Warlocks unlock special magic and devil/demon-oriented dialogue that adds to the flavor of its roleplay experience. Anyone wanting a solid DPS character from the get-go, but one that offers perhaps more in the way of roleplay than, say, a simple Fighter class in Baldur's Gate 3, can't go wrong with Warlock. However, the best Warlock builds are going to inherently lean on its Charisma proficiency. Even when factoring in Advantages and Disadvantages, having a solid Charisma bonus to add to Persuasion or Deception Checks can go a long way in ensuring verbal encounters go the way players envision. Still, a Critical Fail is going to help no one in these situations, but it's nice to be able to pseudo-rely on Charisma-based actions.
Baldur's Gate 3: Warlock Gameplay Features
Gameplay and combat-wise, there's a lot of flavor and fun to be had in a Warlock. Perhaps someone wants to cast Eldritch Blast every round, and there's nothing wrong with that given the number of Invocations a Warlock can learn to wield and shape their Eldritch Blast in different ways or give it different effects. For example, Agonizing Blast allows players to add their Charisma modifier to damage, while Repelling Blast can push the target back. These are also just the tip of the iceberg in the grand scheme of things. All the options for Eldritch Blast are combined with an extensive, effective, and powerful spell list, with the ability to use simple weapons and wear light armor, should the combat scenario call for something up close and personal.
Core Warlock Features and Stats
- Charisma and Wisdom Saving Throw Proficiencies
- Light Armor and Simple Weapon Proficiency
Furthermore, these gameplay options are expanded by the Warlock's subclasses: The Fiend, The Great Old One, and Archfey.
- The Fiend Subclass
- Initial Feature: The Dark One's Blessing
- The Great Old One Subclass
- Initial Feature: Mortal Reminder
- The Archfey Subclass
- Initial Features: Fey Presence, Misty Escape, and Beguiling Defenses
Of course, roleplay and combat are just two elements of Dungeons and Dragons (and thus Baldur's Gate 3). Traversal may not seem like that big of a deal, but the ability to get on top of buildings, get around tricky environments, or simply get closer to a far-away target can come in clutch. The Warlock may not be as efficient within city walls as a Way of the Shadow Monk in Baldur's Gate 3, but it does learn Misty Step pretty early. It's a small call out in the grand scheme of things, but that minor teleportation spell has a lot of utility. Indeed, a lot of the Warlock's spells help players lean into raw combat effectiveness or general utility, both of which are important.
There's really no going wrong with any class in Baldur's Gate 3, which makes the decision even tougher, but the Warlock would be a top-notch pick for someone wanting an all-around package for roleplay, combat, spells, simplicity, and utility.
Baldur's Gate 3 comes out on August 3 on PC and September 6 on PS5.