Best Staves In Baldur’s Gate 3

The quarterstaff in Dungeons & Dragons is described as a simple, two-handed melee weapon. Baldur’s Gate 3 uses the famous TTRPG’s rules and lore in its design and gameplay, which means the humble quarterstaff, which appears in a myriad of forms in all RPGs, has some creative and powerful incarnations in BG3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 includes a lot of unique gear for players to find and equip, including an impressive variety of staves looted from fallen enemies, found in locked chests, or rewarded for completing quests. Although the staff is often regarded as a spellcaster’s weapon, worn for buffs as opposed to combat, other classes like Druids, Barbarians, Hunters, or Monks can use it just as effectively.

Updated November 10, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: BG3 is still one of the most popular games on Steam and kept winning awards well into 2024. The title received Game of the Year from DICE and GLAAD Awards in January, along with several others. The detail in the game is still just as exquisite and fascinating as it was at launch, including the generous options players have to choose from when it comes to gear and weapons. Even though there won’t be any more updates or bug fixes past basic maintenance at this point, it’s useful to have a list of the best staves in the game.

15 Ritual Staff

Drops From Any Goblin Booyahg

As far as stats go, the Ritual Staffhas nothing other than the Topple ability that comes with every staff, and it’s of common quality. However, it’s one of the first staves that the player finds in Act 1, and the design that incorporates a bunch of skulls and bones makes it fun for a spellcaster just starting at level 1 anyway.

The Ritual Staff usually drops from a Goblin Booyagh, which is a class similar to a Druid or Shaman. Plenty will attack the party anyway, including several in Act 1, and the player can easily pick one up after the fight outside the Druid Grove if they wish.

14 The Spellsparkler

Reward For Rescuing Counsellor Florrick From Waukeen’s Rest

• Damage: 1d8 + Strength
• Electric Veins: Gives the spellcaster 2 Lightning charges every time they do damage with a cantrip.

Save Counsellor Florrick from the Burning Inn and players can choose a trident, a sword, or a staff as the reward. Each has a lightning-themed damage ability. Those who choose the staff will receive The Spellsparkler, a Rare staff that gives the wielder lightning charges every time they do spell damage.

Spellcasters don’t usually get within melee range, with some exceptions depending on the class, subclass, and Feats in their build, so it’s better to carry a weapon that grants a casting buff than a fighting one. For those looking to make the most out of their magic-users, the Spellsparkler is one of the best options available.

13 Nature’s Snare

Found In The Underground Passage In A Locked Chest

• Damage: 1d8 + Strength
• Fly Trap: Gives the wielder a chance to Ensnare humanoid targets. Beasts and plants are not affected.

The best thing about this quarterstaff is that players can find it early in the game in the Underground Passage, but the trick is that some players never find this area. It’s accessible via a cave in the Druid Grove and a secret passage in the Wilderness that’s not essential to the game and isn’t connected to any quests.

Unlike most of the Uncommon level gear players can find at this level, Nature’s Snare also gives the character a passive feature, specifically Fly Trap. Any other character that strikes at or targets the wielder in combat has a chance to become Ensnared. With this condition, they cannot move, and will take 1d6 Piercing damage each turn.

12 Corellon’s Grace

Bought From Ethel In The Druid Grove

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Natural Pugilist: +1 to Unarmed Attack Rolls and Damage
• Unhampered Resistance: The wearer receives a +2 bonus to Saving Throws provided they aren’t wearing armor.

Not everyone finds Auntie Ethel in the Emerald Grove, but for those who do, she can sell them this Uncommon-quality staff. Baldur’s Gate 3 players can also meet her and Mayrina’s brothers near the edge of the swamp or simply walk to her tea house, but that might be too late to buy anything from her depending on the options.

Corellon’s Grace grants the wielder two abilities, Natural Pugilist and Unhampered Resistance, but these abilities are only active if they aren’t wearing armor. It’s best for classes limited to clothing with an AC of 10, such as Monks, Sorcerers, and Wizards.

11 Pale Oak

A Reward For Completing “Investigate Kagha”

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Faithwarden’s Strides: Makes the wielder immune to Druidic spells that change the terrain
• Faithwarden’s Vines: Use of the level one Conjuration spell that causes the Entangled condition

The Pale Oakis a staff for Druids. Not only does it have effects that are specific to the abilities of this class, but it’s the reward from a quest that’s only open to Druids. After arriving in the Druid Grove in Act 1, the main character takes on the quest to Investigate Kagha, and after confronting her and sparing her, she gives up one of the best staves in BG3.

Just carrying the staff gives the wielder Faithwarden’s Stride, which makes them immune to Druidic spells that change the terrain. It also grants the use of the spell Faithwarden’s Vines, a level one Conjuration spell that entangles anyone standing in it or walking through it.

10 Mourning Frost

Assembled From Three Pieces Found In The Underdark

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Heart of Ice: +1 damage to any cold-based spell
• Insidious Cold: A chance to put Chill on the spell’s target
• Ray of Frost: An Evocation cantrip that does 1d8 cold damage and reduces the target’s speed

One of the few weapons in the game that is assembled from various pieces as opposed to being found or crafted, Mourning Frost is an essential tool for a frost-based caster along with being a Very Rare quarterstaff. All three pieces are found in various locations in the Underdark in Act 1.

It’s one of the best options for staves in BG3 due to the extra casting power it provides. Mourning Frost gives the wielder the ability to cast the Ray of Frost cantrip, of course, but it also grants two other handy damage-dealing buffs. Heart of Ice adds +1 cold damage to any cold-based spell the caster uses, and Insidious Cold gives players the chance to apply Chill to their target.

9 Staff Of Interruption

Reward For Completing “Help the Hag Survivors”

• Damage: 1d6 + 2
• Counterspell: The user can cast Counterspell once per Long Rest.

This might not seem like a powerful staff, but when the party needs it, Counterspell is an invaluable resource. Anyone who plays Gale’s Origin character or builds any kind of spellcaster knows that Counterspell needs to be in their spellbook at all times. It can be the difference between failing and surviving an encounter with any kind of magic user.

Hags are some of the most fearsome and powerful magical creatures in Fearun, and Auntie Ethel is one of them. She has to be killed more than once, and the second time she appears, it’s time to destroy her for good. The quest “Help The Hag Survivors” is available in Act 3 as long as Mayrina survives her initial encounter with the Hag in Act 1. She and some other survivors have gathered in a house in Old Garlow’s Place, a ruined home in the Lower City. If the protagonist can help Mayrina again, the reward is this staff.

8 Staff Of Spellpower

In A Vault In The Boudoir Of The House Of Hope

• Damage: 1d6 + 2 + Strength
• Arcane Enchantment: A Passive ability that provides +1 to spell saves and attack rolls
• Arcane Battery: Activate once a day to cast a spell without using a spell slot

The main reason most players go to the House of Hope is to get the Orphic Hammer, but there are several other treasures to be found there. The Staff of Spellpower is one of them. It’s one of the best staves in BG3 when it comes to a balance between power and quality, and it gives players yet another reason to visit Raphael and take all his stuff.

Arcane Enchantment is a passive ability that gives the wielder +1 to their spell saves and attack rolls. Arcane Battery is an ability that the caster can activate once a day to cast a spell without using a precious slot. Both are excellent for any kind of caster.

7 Staff Of The Emperor

Loot From Or Disarm The Emperor

• Damage: 1d6 + 2 + Strength
• Arcane Enchantment: +1 to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls
• Imperial Retaliation: A chance to stun an attacker after an attempted hit with a successful saving throw

The name of this staff betrays where the player gets it. When they pick it up, it resonates with the memory of the former owner. It can be obtained by disarming the Emperor while in combat and then picking it up from where it falls.

Carrying the staff gives the wielder the Arcane Enchantment ability, which provides +1 to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls, and another passive ability called Imperial Retaliation. The latter has a chance of stunning the attacker provided the holder of the staff succeeds in a saving throw.

6 Markoheshkir

Hidden In Ramazith’s Tower

• Damage: 1d6 + 2 + Strength
• Arcane Enchantment: +1 to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls
• Arcane Battery: Grants the wielder an extra spell slot
• Kereska’s Favour: A level 4 Evocation spell that gives the caster access to a choice of elemental spells and other related powers and resistances

This Legendary staff takes some legendary moves to obtain. It’s hidden in Ramazith’s Tower in Baldur’s Gate, and the only way to find it is by jumping to what would normally be an inaccessible balcony and seeing through an invisibility spell.

Any caster can use the two passive buffs granted by equipping the staff. Arcane Enchantment grants a +1 to Spell Save DC and spell attack rolls, and Arcane Battery grants the use of an extra spell slot. Last but not least, the wielder gains the ability to cast Kereska’s Favour, a level 4 Evocation spell that imbues them with the elemental power of the dragon god, Kereska.

5 Incandescent Staff

Purchase From Quartermaster Talli At The Last Light Inn

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Resistance to fire damage
• Fire Bolt: A handy Evocation cantrip that can be used once per Short Rest
• Fireball: A level 3 Evocation spell that can be used once per Long Rest

This Very Rare staff is one of the nicest weapons in the early game of Baldur’s Gate 3, and players don’t even have to kill a tough boss or dig through a long underground tunnel to get it. The real challenge is collecting enough gold to buy it. Even a character with a high Charisma can expect to pay around 700g.

For Wizards or Sorcerers who specialize in fire damage, the Incandescent Staffis a worthy investment. It’s one of the best staves in BG3 for any class, even those that aren’t casters, partly because of the fire resistance and the casting abilities it grants. Two spells are generous for any item. What’s more, it gives those spells a bonus, so the Ranger or the Monk can use them, too.

4 Staff Of Cherished Necromancy

Drops From Mystic Carrion In Lower City

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Extra 1d4 bonus to Necrotic damage
• Heightened Necromancy: Disadvantage on saving throws against the wielder’s Necromancy spells
• Life Essence Harvest: Kill a creature and gain its Life Essence

There isn’t a Necromancer class in Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s possible to build one with almost any casting class thanks to the variety of spells, gear, and weapons available. One example is the Staff Of Cherished Necromancy, which players can find in the Lower City via a character called Mystic Carrion.

This mysterious character can be found by exploring the Lower City, but the Save The Artist quest can also lead the party here. One way to get the staff is to kill him, but players can also do a few small tasks including helping him solve the problem of the wayward artist and recover some undead minions.

Once players prove themselves, he might be willing to do some trading. Those fond of using Necrotic abilities to tear through their foes will find this staff to be a great addition to a party member’s arsenal. This is especially thanks to the disadvantage it gives enemies when they are hit with Necrotic spells and the Life Essence Harvest ability, which allows the user to absorb a target’s life essence.

3 Melf’s First Staff

Buy Or Steal It From Blurg In The Myconid Colony

• Damage: 1d8 + Strength
• Melf’s Acid Arrow: Able to cast as an extra spell once per day.
• Arcane Enchantment: Grants the wielder a +1 to spell save DC and spell attack rolls.

This staff is a nice way to give a caster an extra spell, or give a character that doesn’t usually have magical abilities one handy ranged spell. It also has the passive ability Arcane Enchantment, which is ideal for a class that doesn’t wear a lot of armor. That includes Barbarians and Monks, along with Wizards and Sorcerers.

The name of the staff is a reference to the famous spell Melf’s Acid Arrow, a level two Evocation spell that’s also a common starter spell in D&D. The wielder of this staff can cast it once per Long Rest. The spell not only does damage upon impact, but also creates a small puddle of acid that hurts the target at the start of their next turn.

2 Bigboy’s Chew Toy

Purchased From Lann Tarv In Moonrise Towers

• Damage: 1d6 + 1 + Strength
• Whossa Large Fellow?: Allows the wielder to cast Enlarge on themselves once per Long Rest

Moonrise Towers is an area in the Shadow-Cursed Lands that players will eventually have to visit, but there are a lot of good reasons to go there before a fight breaks out, especially for those using a Dark Urge character. Lann Tarv is a vendor on the first floor, and he has a regular stock along with a special inventory only available to those who have earned Z’rell’s favor.

One of the nicer items he sells is this Rare staff, Bigby’s Chew Toy, which belonged to the beloved pet of a powerful Wizard. Formerly a chew toy, just like the name implies, it allows the wielder to cast the handy transmutation spell Enlarge on themselves once a day. This spell makes the target bigger and improves their Strength saving throws.

1 Woe

Reward For Defeating Cazador Szarr

• Damage: 1d6 + Strength
• Arcane Vampirism: Restores health to the caster when their target fails a saving throw
• Blight: A level 4 Necromancy spell that does 8d8 damage
• Bound Weapon: Can’t be dropped and returns automatically to the wielder’s hand when thrown

Woe is not only a powerful staff that drops from an intimidating vampire lord. It’s also got an equally chilling and elegant design. Any caster would be proud to carry this distinctive weapon around the classiest neighborhood of Baldur’s Gate. The only catch is that Cazador, Astarion’s former master, and a powerful undead being, has to be slain to drop it.

A Very Rare quarterstaff, Woe has some unique features that directly reference vampiric powers. Arcane Vampirism, for example, restores hit points to the caster every time their target fails any spell-related saving throws.