Best Magical Secrets Spells In Baldur’s Gate 3

Summary

• Bards in Baldur’s Gate 3 can become powerful by choosing the right Magical Secrets spells.
• Counterspell, Banishing Smite, and Hunger of Hadar are top picks for versatile Bards.
• Upcasting spells like Command and Magic Missile can enhance a Bard’s crowd control abilities.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, Bards enjoy a massive power leap when they unlock Magical Secrets and claim some of the strongest spells from every spellcasting class. Whether players opt for the Lore Bard’s strategic head start—gaining two Magical Secrets at Level 6 and another two at Level 10—or empower the already strong Swords Bard with two Magical Secrets at Level 10, these choices transform the Bard from a support role into a versatile powerhouse.

For Lore Bards, Magical Secrets bridge some small gaps in their spellbook, adding devastating control and damage options. On the other hand, Swords Bards become even more versatile, gaining tools to shut down spellcasters or control the battlefield. Even the often-forgotten Valor Bard can leverage Magical Secrets to achieve surprising viability. Here are the best Magical Secrets for Bards in Baldur’s Gate 3—spells that elevate them into masters of control and transform them into indispensable party members.

8

Counterspell

Shuts Down Enemy Spellcasters

• Reactionary Dominance: Cancels enemy spells instantly of equal or lower level.

College of Lore Bards can learn Counterspell

through Magical Secrets when they reach level 6, making them excellent allies alongside mages to counter most enemy spellcasters in late Act 1 and throughout Act 2.

Counterspell scales cleanly with a Bard’s level progression. At level 12, mono-class Bards can effectively upcast Counterspell using a 6th-level slot, countering the most powerful endgame enemies. Additionally, Bards benefit from their Jack of All Trades passive ability, which can occasionally help them succeed Intelligence checks when attempting to counter a higher-level spell.

7

Banishing Smite

Swords Bards Best Single Target Burst

• The Ultimate Finisher: Deals massive force damage and potentially removes enemies below 50 HP from combat for two turns.

Banishing Smite is a spell that can only be learned by Warlocks and Bards, with Bards gaining access to it through Magical Secrets. This spell offers the highest single-target burst damage that melee or ranged Bards can output, dealing an extra 5d10 force damage and potentially banishing a target below 50 HP for two turns.

However, Banishing Smite consumes both an Action and a Bonus Action, so it’s best reserved for enemies who pose the greatest threat to the party. Swords Bard Archers can deal a serious amount of damage with Banishing Smite, especially if their next hit is a critical.

6

Hunger Of Hadar

AoE Summon That Blinds & Damages Enemies

• Layered Disruption: Creates difficult terrain in a 20-foot radius, damaging anyone inside it with cold and acid damage.

Hunger of Hadar

is among the rarest spells in Baldur’s Gate 3, with only Warlocks and Bards able to learn it. It is a level 3 concentration spell that creates difficult terrain in a 20-foot radius, blinding everyone within. Whenever a creature inside the spell’s affected area takes a turn, it suffers 2d6 cold damage, and creatures that end their turn there must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 acid damage.

Hunger of Hadar complements the control playstyle that Bards typically enjoy. While most crowd control spells for Bards rely on Spell Save DC, Hunger of Hadar does not, making it a solid pick for consistent damage and control.

5

Command

Crowd Control Without Concentration

• Selective Enemy Control: Shuts down strong enemy melee attackers and spellcasters, causing them to lose their turns.

Command

is one of the strongest control spells available to Clerics, Warlocks, and Paladins. While Bards are masters of crowd control, they don’t learn Command naturally as they level up, leaving them to rely on concentration-based crowd control spells like Hypnotic Pattern

, Hold Person

/Monster, and Confusion

.

However, Bards can select Command as one of their Magical Secrets spells, filling a minor gap in their already strong spellbook. Despite being a level 1 spell, upcasting it with a 6th-level spell slot can potentially incapacitate six enemies without requiring concentration, making it a valuable option for Bards who want to maximize their versatility.

4

Conjure Elemental

Summon An Elemental Ally To Fight On The Bard’s Side

• Force Multiplier For Bards: Summon a powerful and durable elemental combatant to draw enemy attention.

Bards gain tremendous versatility when selecting Conjure Elemental

as one of their Magical Secrets spells, allowing them to bolster their party with a summonable ally that lasts until a long rest. Bards can use a 5th-level spell slot to summon one of the four elementals (Air, Earth, Water, or Fire) to meet specific combat needs.

Conjure Elemental is an excellent choice for Lore Bards, who typically lack martial prowess, as it grants them a powerful frontline ally. Upcasting Conjure Elemental with a 6th-level spell slot allows one to summon a powerful elemental variant known as Myrmidon.

3

Magic Missile

Break Concentration Of Enemy Spellcasters

• Guaranteed Hits: Magic Missile bypasses enemy armor class and always hits its target.

Even though Magic Missile

is a level 1 spell, its efficiency at disrupting enemy spellcasters cannot be understated. The late-game in Baldur’s Gate 3 introduces powerful enemy spellcasters who can disrupt even the strongest parties with debilitating concentration spells.

When enemy Warlocks cast Hunger of Hadar or high-Charisma Sorcerers or Bards threaten the party with Hold Person or Dominate Person

, Magic Missile becomes a reliable tool for breaking their concentration. Each Magic Missile dart forces the target to make a Constitution saving throw, increasing the chances of disrupting their spell. Moreover, upcasting Magic Missile with a 6th-level spell slot increases the total dart count to eight, making it much harder for enemies to maintain concentration.

2

Fireball

Essential AoE Damage For Bards

• Bard’s Missing AoE Power: Grants Bards access to an AoE damage spell, allowing them to not only control enemies but also wipe them out entirely.

Bards typically lack strong AoE damage spells, with the closest option being Glyph of Warding

, making Fireball

a compelling choice when gaining access to Magical Secrets. Fireball deals 8d6 fire damage when cast with a standard level 3 spell slot, but upcasting it with a higher-level slot increases its damage by an additional 1d6 for each level above three.

Lore Bards hugely benefit from picking Fireball at level 6, improving their viability in Act 2. They can also combine items like Spellmight Gloves

to deal additional damage or the Hat of Fire Acuity

to stack Arcane Acuity.

1

Spirit Guardians

Damaging Radiant Or Necrotic Aura That Complements Martial Bards

• Martial Bard’s Deadly Aura: Movement itself becomes a weapon for martial Bards, dealing either radiant or necrotic damage as they close the gap to their enemies.

Spirit Guardians

redefines melee combat for Swords and Valor Bards, allowing them to weaponize their movement as they defend the front lines. Bards can combine a variety of gear, like the Luminous Armor and Callous Glow Ring

to take advantage of Spirit Guardians and stack Radiating Orbs on enemies that approach them.

Since mono-class Bards gain access to 6th-level spells, they can upcast Spirit Guardians to deal an additional 2d8 radiant or necrotic damage, maintaining pressure on high-health targets.