BG3 Gloomstalker Assassin Build – Ranger Rogue Fighter Multiclass Build

GLOOMSTALKER ASSASSIN PROS

GLOOMSTALKER ASSASSIN CONS

BG3 Multiclass Explainer:

• How it works: New classes can be added as you level up. They are added on a level-by-level basis.
• Example: If you are a level 6 Ranger and decide to add 1 Rogue level, you will only get the features of Rogue level 1.
• Example 2: If you want the features of a level 6 Ranger and Rogue, you need to be max level and add 6 levels of each class. (We’re not using this class distribution for our build; this is only an example!)

Ranger

• Provides the Archery Fighting Style and access to basic magic, improving your accuracy and damage.
• The Gloom Stalker subclass allows you to become Invisible and gain an extra attack on the first turn of combat.
• We’ll take five Ranger levels, enough to reach the Extra Attack feature.

Rogue

• Allows you to Hide, Dash and Disengage with a Bonus Action.
• Provides access to Sneak Attacks, yielding powerful damage bonuses.
• Grants powerful bonuses when you Surprise enemies, including restoration of your resources at the start of combat, and guaranteed Critical Hits on the first turn.
• We’ll take four Rogue levels, enough to get the Assassin subclass and unlock a Feat.

Fighter

• Allows you to take an additional Fighting Style, such as Defence, which gives you a small Armour Class increase.
• We take two Fighter levels, just enough to unlock Action Surge.

Cleric

• We take one Cleric level to unlock the War Domain subclass, granting you an additional attack three times per Long Rest.

Gloomstalker Assassin Levelling Progress Overview

• Level 1: Ranger 1
• Level 2: Ranger 2
• Level 3: Ranger 3 (Gloomstalker subclass)
• Level 4: Ranger 4
• Level 5: Ranger 5
• Level 6: Rogue 1
• Level 7: Rogue 2
• Level 8: Rogue 3 (Assassin subclass)
• Level 9: Rogue 4
• Level 10: Fighter 1
• Level 11: Fighter 2
• Level 12: Cleric 1 (War subclass)

Core Ranger Features

• Favoured Enemy – Choose one of five options to enhance your character.
  • The best option for the build is Bounty Hunter. It gives Investigation Proficiency and imposes Disadvantage on Saving Throws against Ensnaring Strike.
• Natural Explorer – Choose one of five options to enhance your character.
  • Choose Urban Tracker unless another party member will have Sleight of Hand Proficiency, in which case Wasteland Wanderer (Fire or Poison) is better.

Entertainer Background

 Acrobatics (DEX) – You are better at resisting enemy attempts to shove you. Can be a life-saver.

 Performance (CHA) – Occasionally used in conversations to impress an NPC or make them like you more.

Important Tips:

• The “Even Number” Rule: In Baldur’s Gate 3, only even numbers (12, 14, 16) increase your ability modifier. This means an 11 is functionally the same as a 10, so we aim for even numbers to maximise efficiency.
  • If you plan to take a Feat that adds a +1 to an Ability, then you can break this rule.

New Ranger Features

Fighting Style – Choose one

• We strongly recommend  Archery, which gives you a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls with Ranged weapons.
• This will make your ranged attacks more accurate.

Ranger Spellcasting

• You start with two first-level Spell Slots and can learn two spells.

New Spells

We recommend unlocking these two spells to begin with:

 Ensnaring Strike

• Your weapon attack summons thorny vines that Ensnare your target.
•  Ensnared targets cannot move and take 1d6 Piercing Damage at the start of their turn.
• Enemies roll a Strength Save to resist the effect. Their allies can Help them out of the vines.
• Requires Concentration.

 Hunter’s Mark

• Mark the target, dealing 1d6 extra damage whenever you hit them with a weapon attack.
• You can reapply the spell without spending another spell slot, after the existing target dies.
• Requires Concentration.

Ranger Subclass – Gloom Stalker Features

 Dread Ambusher

• +3 to Initiative, helping you to move sooner in each turn.
• 3m extra Movement Speed on the first turn of combat.
• On the first turn of combat, you can make an extra weapon attack for 1d8 damage.

 Dread Ambusher: Hide

• You can hide with a Bonus Action.

 Superior Darkvision

• See in the dark up to 24 metres away.

 Umbral Shroud

• Become Invisible if you are already obscured.
• Once per Short Rest.

 Disguise Self

• Temporarily change your character’s appearance so others will not recognise you.
• Always prepared and doesn’t count towards your prepared spell limit.
• Can cast for free outside of combat.

New Ranger Spell

 Longstrider

• Increase the target’s Movement Speed by 3m.
• Lasts until Long Rest and does not require Concentration.
• Can cast for free outside of combat.
• You should cast it on all party members after every Long Rest to boost everyone’s Movement Speed.

New Feat – Sharpshooter

• Allows you to gain +10 damage on all ranged attacks, but with a -5 penalty on Attack Rolls.
• You can toggle the effect on or off at will.
• To negate the penalty, attack with as many bonuses as possible (high ground, Advantage, etc.)

New Ranger Features

Extra Attack

• Your Actions now yield two weapon or unarmed attacks instead of one.

New Gloom Stalker Features

 Misty Step

• Teleport to a visible and unoccupied space within 18 metres.
• Uses a Bonus Action.
• Always prepared. Does not count towards your prepared spell limit.

New Ranger Spell

 Spike Growth

• Creates a large AoE of spikes.
• The spikes deal Piercing Damage and slow down anyone who tries to walk through them.
• Requires Concentration.
• This spell can trivialise some fights if you find a good chokepoint to put the spikes in.

Starting Rogue Features

 Expertise

• Choose 2 of your Proficient Skills and permanently double your Proficiency bonus for those Skills.
• Make sure you choose Stealth for one of the options.

 Sneak Attack

• Deal bonus damage when attacking with Advantage.
• The most common way to gain Advantage is via stealth, but any other method also works.
• Has a melee and ranged version.

Rogue Features

 Cunning Action: Dash

• Dash with a Bonus Action.

 Cunning Action: Disengage

• Disengage with a Bonus Action.

 Cunning Action: Hide

• Hide with a Bonus Action.

Assassin Subclass Features

 Assassin’s Alacrity

• You replenish your Action and Bonus Action at the start of combat.
• This allows you to open combat with an attack, then immediately make another attack when combat starts.

 Assassinate: Ambush

• Any Attack Roll against a Surprised Creature is a guaranteed Critical Hit.

 Assassinate: Initiative

• When in combat, you have Advantage on Attack Rolls against creatures that haven’t taken a turn yet.
• This means you still get a strong bonus even if you fail to Surprise the enemies.

Rogue Class – New Feat

Ability Improvement

• Put both points into Dexterity, giving you 18 points in total.
• This will add +1 to the result of your damage and attack rolls.

Starting Fighter Features

 Second Wind

• Spend a Bonus Action to regain 1d10+1 HP.
• Once per Short Rest.

Fighting Style – Choose one

• We already chose Archery for the Ranger class.
• The only remaining useful option is Defence.
• Gives you a +1 bonus to Armour Class when you are wearing armour.

New Fighter Features

Action Surge

• Gain an extra Action to use this turn.
• Once per Short Rest.

War Domain Cleric Starting Features

 War Priest

• You can make an additional attack using your Bonus Action.
• You can do this three times per Long Rest.
• Best used in conjunction with Action Surge and the Hastened buff (either from an allied Haste spell or a Potion of Speed) to finish off enemies before the end of the first turn.

•  Potion of Speed – Gives you Haste for 3 turns, granting an extra Action on each turn. This is ideal for hitting enemies fast and hard at the start of combat. Beware that when the effect ends, you’ll become  Lethargic and be forced to skip a turn.
  • To craft: Combine Ashes of Hyena Ear with any Salt.
•  Elixir of Hill Giant Strength – Boosts your Strength score, increasing the bonus damage from the Titanstring Bow. In Act 3, you can also use Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength, but the ingredients are very rare. See our Elixir of Hill Giant Strength guide for more information about where to find the ingredients for these powerful consumables.
  • To craft Elixir of Hill Giant Strength: Combine Salts of Hill Giant Fingernails with any Suspension.
  • To craft Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength: Combine Salts of Cloud Giant Fingernails with any Suspension.
•  Elixir of Bloodlust – When you kill an enemy, you get an additional  Action. This can happen once per turn. The downside is you cannot have this at the same time as the Giant Strength – only one elixir can be active at a time.
  • To craft: Combine Ashes of Worg Fang with any Salt.
•  Elixir of Viciousness – Reduces the number required for a Critical Hit by 1. Once you’ve unlocked the Assassin subclass, you are guaranteed Critical Hits while ambushing Surprised enemies. But before then, this is a decent choice. I still prefer the aforementioned Elixirs, but this one is a good backup choice.
  • To craft: Combine Vitriol of Shadowroot Sac with any Ashes.

Here’s how to Surprise enemies in BG3:

• Your entire party must be hiding, including any pets and summoned creatures.
• Ungroup the entire party, including pets and summons, and select the most skilled Stealth character to be the ambusher.
• With your ambusher, sneak towards the enemies. You must initiate combat from within the line of sight of the enemies, but stay hidden until your first attack lands.
• After initiating combat, you can move your other party members to join the fight.

Mind Blast

• A conal blast of Psychic Damage that can also stun several targets at once.
• If you are outnumbered by several advancing enemies, then Mind Blast can help to swing things back in your favour.

 Cull the Weak

• When you reduce a creature’s hit points below a certain threshold, this power instantly kills it and deals 1-4 Psychic Damage to nearby enemies.
• This is particularly effective when engaging groups of weaker foes, enabling you to thin their numbers rapidly.

 Fly

• This can be used to reach hard-to-get-to places or change positions in combat.

Mind Sanctuary

• Creates an area that allows all within to use Actions and Bonus Actions interchangeably.
• This typically means you can deal more damage, since you can use your Bonus Action as a normal Action.
• However, enemies within the area will also benefit from its effects.

 Psionic Backlash

• This is a top-tier reaction from the Illithid Powers skill tree in BG3.
• This allows you to deal psychic damage when a nearby enemy casts a spell.
• This is especially useful if the target is casting a Concentration Spell.
• The damage from Psionic Backlash can immediately break their Concentration, ending the spell’s effects.