Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Druid Class Build

There are a total of 12 classes that players will be able to pick from in the full version of Baldur’s Gate 3, including the multi-faceted Druid Class. There are three subclasses, or Circles, for players to choose from, being the Circle of the Moon, the Circle of the Land, and the Circle of Spores.

Many builds in Baldur’s Gate 3 are based on a single subclass or mechanic of a class, and in the Druid’s case, this is the Circle of the Moon subclass and its enhancements to the class’ intrinsic Wild Shape ability.

Updated November 2, 2024 by Erik Petrovich: When going for the best Druid build BG3 players can make, you need to also consider factors beyond your character. After all, even with the best Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid build, it’s nearly impossible to beat BG3 without a balanced Druid party composition. Unless you are going for a solo run, it’s a good idea to consider your companion options before journeying out into the world – more often than not, this best BG3 Druid Build is improved with the right companions. This guide to the best Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid build has been updated to add a section covering our best BG3 Druid build companion and party composition recommendations, as well as to clarify some details so players can more easily follow this BG3 Druid Build guide.

Druid Class Introduction & Overview

The Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid Class, Explained

Druid Playstyle & Signature Abilities

“Druids channel the elemental forces of nature and share a deep kinship with animals. Mastery of Wild Shape allows them to transform into beasts from all over the Realms.”

Druids are one of the most diverse, complex classes in Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to the sheer variety of options available to the class. Druids are equally capable of being ranged spellcasters as they are close-up tanks, though the best BG3 Druid builds lean into buffing the latter. No matter which Circle BG3 Druids choose, they have access to the unique ability Wild Shape, which allows the class to shapeshift into an animal for different abilities and focuses in combat.

The Druid’s unique class feature Wild Shape is the backbone of this class, though its spell list is quite formidable in both offensive and defensive capacities. Even if you want to make a melee-only Druid (as this best BG3 Druid build guide will elaborate on), spells are still an important part of the class rotation. Plan to rotate in and out of Wild Shape to play the Druid most effectively in combat.

Base Druid Class Proficiencies: Armor, Weapons, Saving Throws, & Skill Choices

When you first start creating your Druid Build, BG3 offers a selection of basic Class Proficiencies, and a choice of two Druid Skill Proficiencies.

In addition to Armor, Weapon, and Saving Throw proficiencies that vary for each class, the pool of Skills you can choose from are different for each class. These cannot be changed once you get past character creation without resetting your build.

All Druid Subclasses

There are a total of seven BG3 Circles (subclasses) Druid players can try out, each of which focuses on different aspects of the class, and offers a selection of unique skills, proficiencies, and other features. As you level up in one of these BG3 Druid subclasses, you will gain more abilities that are unique to your subclass choice.

Your choice of Druid subclass can be changed by speaking with Withers, but you will start at Level 1 and have to make your BG3 Druid build from scratch. Though this chart displays information for all subclasses, if you want to make best Druid build BG3 has to offer, you should go for the Circle of the Moon.

Druid Class Features – Level By Level

The max level in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Level 12, and most of the time, each level you gain will grant something new for your Druid build. On character creation you gain the basics for the Druid class, then steadily gain Feat Choices, new spells and abilities, subclass features, and increase your Proficiency Bonus.

This chart displays everything you can expect to get at each Level-Up as a Druid in your Baldur’s Gate 3 journey. The only level when you do not get anything Druid-related specifically is from Level 10 to Level 11.

Druid Spell Slots & Prepared Spells – Level By Level

BG3 Druid Subclass Choice – Circle Of The Moon

Overview Of BG3 Druid Circle Of The Moon Subclass

What Makes Circle of the Moon the Best BG3 Druid Subclass?

“Druids sworn to the moon draw on its mercurial nature to transform into massive creatures and primal elementals.”

There are three subclasses Druid players can try out in Baldur’s Gate 3: Circle of the Land, Circle of the Moon, and the Circle of Spores. While Circle of the Land focuses on spellcasting and Circle of Spores is a multi-faceted support and damage role, Circle of the Moon improves on the Druid’s ability to use Wild Shape.

Circle of the Moon Druid builds tend to play the close-combat Tank role as they can shift into a Bear form with a Bonus Action, granting a Taunt ability, the Claws attack skill, and a boost to HP. Their other leveling choices make them both a controlling force in melee combat and a powerful support from a distance, though most of one’s time should be spent on maximizing damage output while in Wild Shape.

When not in melee combat Taunting enemies, Circle of the Moon Druids can rely on their other spellcasting skills. For the most part, though, a Circle of the Moon Druid thrives taking on enemies face-to-face rather than in ranged combat. Abilities like Thorn Whip, Entangle, and Shillelagh keep it going close-quarters when out of Wild Shape form.

Circle of the Moon Subclass Features – Level By Level

In addition to everything you unlock while leveling as a Druid, your Subclass also determines what you unlock at certain levels. As a Druid, you can select a subclass at Level 2.

For the purposes of this guide to the BG3 best Druid build, choose the Circle of the Moon when prompted to choose a Subclass.

Best BG3 Druid Build Character Creation Choices

BG3 Druid Build Race, Background, Proficiency, Feats, & Stat Choices

Best BG3 Druid Race: Half-Orc

The Half-Orc race is one of the best races in Baldur’s Gate 3 for Druids who spend most of their time in melee combat. The racial passives of the Half-Orc race still work when in Wild Shape form, letting a Druid tear through enemies with stronger Critical Hits and a resilience to Death unique to Half-Orcs.

The main benefits of Half-Orcs in BG3 are these two passives, called Savage Attacks and Relentless Endurance. Savage Attacks increases damage dealt by Critical Hits, while Relentless Endurance prevents Fighters from going down when they get to 0 HP once per Long Rest. For this Circle of the Moon build, which capitalizes on the Druid’s abilities in melee combat, Half-Orcs offer the most impactful racials.

Best Druid Backgrounds in BG3: Folk Hero or Outlander

The Folk Hero background grants proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival, and will trigger Inspiration for your character naturally as a Druid. Being a Folk hero provides the most RP opportunities and Inspiration possibilities as a Circle of the Moon druid because it just requires players to do things most good-aligned Druids would do, like help animals, save others, and explore the wilderness.

However, depending on how you like to play your Druid, the Outlander background might feel more fitting. This background grants proficiency in Athletics and Survival instead of Animal Handling and Survival, and Athletics can be very useful in combat. Ultimately, Folk Hero may trigger Inspiration more often, but the Outlander role is not too far off from it – kind of like a legendary wanderer rather than a local legend.

Best BG3 Druid Skill Proficiency Choices: Perception and Insight

The Folk Hero background grants Proficiency in the Animal Handling and Survival skills, leaving Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, and Religion available for the two Class choices. Here, choose Perception because of its useful passive boon to noticing important environmental details, along with either Insight or Medicine, though Insight is more useful in RP situations.

The Outlander background doesn’t give proficiency in Perception or Insight, so feel free to pick up these two skills with this background combination too. As a Druid, picking up Nature or Religion can be good for RP purposes, though there aren’t quite as many uses for these skills in the game.

Best Circle of the Moon Wild Shape: Owlbear

Druids gain several Wild Shape options as they level up, and Circle of the Moon builds get even more. For the first five levels as a Druid, the best Wild Shape transformation is the Bear, then the Raven. But at Level 6, Druids learn how to transform into an Owlbear, which is the most powerful Wild Shape form for the rest of the game.

The Owlbear has an enormous HP pool, the ability to increase its own Strength, a close-range AoE, and the ability to jump into battle and knock enemies prone. It’s an absolute brute, and becomes the backbone of the best BG3 Druid build soon after acquiring it.

Best BG3 Druid Feats: Alert, War Caster, and Savage Attacker

• Alert Effects: You gain +5 to Initiative and can’t be Surprised
• War Caster Effects: Grants two new passive abilities, War Caster: Concentration and War Caster: Opportunity Spell
  • Concentration is a passive that grants Advantage on Concentration Saving Throws
  • Opportunity Spell lets you cast Shocking Grasp on enemies that move away from melee range instead of attacking them normally
• Savage Attacker Effects: When making Melee Weapon attacks, roll all damage dice twice. The higher of the two results is used.

Best Druid Ability Scores & Stat Distribution

To create the best BG3 Druid build, we recommend putting the majority of points into your Wisdom, followed by Constitution and Dexterity. The primary stat for most Circle of the Moon Druid spells and abilities in BG3 is Wisdom, but Constitution and Dexterity should follow closely behind for survivability and secondary combat bonuses. Charisma, Strength, and Intelligence are not essential for the Circle of the Moon Druid build.

Best BG3 Druid Leveling Choices

Best Druid Spells, Feats, & Other Choices At Every Level

Best Druid Build Companions & Party Composition

Best Companions For Circle of the Moon Druid Builds

The best Druid companions in BG3 are Shadowheart as your primary Support, Wyll as your ranged damage-dealer and CC-inflicter, and Karlach as your primary melee damage dealer and Tank. Though you can change the class and specialization of any of your companions, these three come with strong pre-determined class and spec combos to balance out your Druid party composition.

• Shadowheart: A Trickery Cleric, Shadowheart serves as a good companion for hybrid damage and support, which mirrors (and complements) the Circle of the Moon Druid playstyle well.
• Wyll: A Fiend Warlock, Wyll’s spell list is somewhat limited compared to Gale, being a Warlock comes with its own benefits. Play Wyll as a hybrid of both ranged damage and ranged control, inflicting CC on enemies as often as you attack them
• Karlach: Best suited for the Berserker subclass, Karlach is capable of dealing some of the most consistent, highest-hitting melee attacks on her own, and with two supports you won’t be at a loss for HP or dispels

If you are dead set on including a character in your party, simply talk to Withers to respec them to one of the optimal Druid companion classes listed above. This way, you won’t miss out on that character’s questline, and you won’t have to suffer from an improperly balanced party.

Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Druid Build Equipment

Get The Best BG3 Druid Gear In All Three Acts

This section covers the best equipment for Circle of the Moon Druids in BG3 across all three Acts. Some pieces from early Acts may still be powerful in later ones, though, and will remain equipped through several Acts.

• Items with bolded names are new options for the build in each Act, and may replace older pieces of equipment.
• Items with unbolded names must be acquired in earlier Acts, but are strong enough that they don’t need to be replaced in Acts 2 or 3.

Best Circle of the Moon Druid Items & Equipment: Act 1

Best Circle of the Moon Druid Items & Equipment: Act 2

Best Circle of the Moon Druid Items & Equipment: Act 3

Best BG3 Druid Multiclass Choices

Maximize Your BG3 Druid Build With Complimentary Druid Multiclass Options

Players can choose to Multiclass beginning at Level 2. Look for the “Add Class” button on the top right of the level up overview menu – this will open up a new menu where players can allocate the level to any other class in
Baldur’s Gate 3
when selected.

Barbarian Multiclass – Druid 11/Barbarian 1

The Barbarian class has the ability to enter a Rage with a bonus action, granting the ability to use an extra attack with a bonus action on subsequent turns – the effect ends if players don’t take or deal damage on a turn. After using Rage, Druids can use Wild Shape, and the effect will persist while shapeshifted.

With just one point in Barbarian, for a Druid 11 Barbarian 1 build, the Druid will be able to use their bonus action for an additional attack while shapeshifted. Unfortunately, the Unarmored Defense passive of the Barbarian class doesn’t stack with the Druid’s AC while shapeshifted.

Ranger Multiclass – Druid 9/Ranger 3

The Ranger multiclass option for Druids is a bit more of a memey build, but a relatively effective one nonetheless. By dipping three levels into the Ranger class as a Druid, a character will be able to select a Ranger subclass. Choosing the Beast Master subclass unlocks the ability to summon an Animal Companion. One of the options for the Ranger summon is a Bear.

With the Druid’s intrinsic Wild Shape ability, a Druid 9 Ranger 3 build will be able to summon a Bear companion, then shapeshift into a Bear themselves. It’s always good to have more companions on the battlefield, so enemies have more targets to choose from. Having two bears in the party, alongside proper Support companions, makes for a fun and fearsome melee frontline.