Best Baldur's Gate 3 Subclass For Every Companion In Patch 8

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Updated Apr 12, 2026, 5:30 PM EDT

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After almost two years of updates, the final patch has now been released for Baldur’s Gate 3, and the game will no longer receive any further large updates beyond bug fixes. Along with adding cross-play and photo mode, Patch 8 added 12 awesome new subclasses, one for each class. So, it is the perfect time to look at each companion to see what subclass would be right for them.

With 10 companions to recruit in Baldur's Gate 3, choosing the right subclass for each of them can be daunting, especially when playing for the first time. Luckily, a small gold payment to Withers allows you to respec whenever you want. For this list, the "best" subclass for every companion is not only that's fun to play, but fits the character thematically based on their story.

The Best Subclass For Minsc — Swarmkeeper Ranger

Default Subclass — Hunter

Minsc is the last companion to be recruited, not appearing in BG3 until Act 3, where he must be saved from the Absolute’s cult. For Minsc, I think the new Swarmkeeper ranger subclass is a great fit and I like the idea of Minsc drawing swarms of small creatures to fight alongside him and Boo. Swarmkeepers are fun to play with, able to summon swarms of bees, jellyfish, or moths to deal different damage and teleport Minsc to safety if needed.

Swarm Type

Level 3 Options

Level 11 Options

Legion of Bees	Deal 1d6 Piercing damage. Push target back.	Deal 1d8 Piercing damage. Push target back and prone.
Cloud of Jellyfish	Deal 166 Lightning damage. Shock target.	Deal 1d8 Lightning damage. Shock and disarm target.
Flurry of Moths	Deal 1d6 Psychic damage. Blind target.	Deal 1d8 Psychic damage. Blind and slow target.

With this subclass, Minsc's swarms will deal extra damage to enemies marked by Hunter's Mark, and he will gain the spells Mage Hand and Faerie Fire. Swarmkeeper gets even more fun at level seven, where Writhing Tide will allow Minsc to be lifted up and flown around the battlefield by the swarms. Finally, at level 11, Minsc's swarms will become even stronger, dealing more damage and gaining more utility options such as disarming enemies.

The Ideal Subclass For Jaheira — Circle Of The Stars

Default Subclass — Circle Of The Land

Like Minsc, Jaheira is a returning character from previous Baldur’s Gate games; however, unlike her previous incarnations, she appears in BG3 as just a druid instead of a fighter/druid multiclass. In Act 2’s assault on Moonrise Towers, Jaheira will use her wild shape as well as her dual scimitars, so I wanted a subclass that would give her some good weapon-based options.

I think the new Circle of the Stars subclass is a great fit for Jaheira as it will give her wild shapes more versatility beyond beast forms. This added flexibility gives you bonus actions for extra damage, usually tied to Circle of Stars unique spells that can be added onto regular weapon attacks.

Starry Form

Description

Spell

Archer	As a bonus action cast Luminous Arrow.	1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage (attack roll)
Chalice	Whenever you cast a heal spell that uses a spell slot, you can cast Chalice Healing.	1d8 + Wisdom modifier healing
Dragon	When you make a saving throw for concentration, results 9 or lower are considered to be 10. As a bonus action, you can cast Dazzling Breath.	2d6 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage (Dex save)

This Circle is a great alternative to Jaheira's default subclass, giving more spellcasting options with Star Maps functioning as extra spell slots. Jaheira will also gain the Guidance cantrip and Guiding Bolt, both very useful spells.

Eventually at Level 10, the Circle of Stars forms can be switched between as free actions, giving Jaheira even more flexibility with her weapons, spells, Wild Shapes, or other Druid options.

At level six, she will gain Cosmic Omens, which are very similar to the Wild Magic sorcerer's Bend Luck, allowing her to boost attack rolls and saving throws or impose a penalty on the same for enemies. At the pinnacle of this subclass, Jaheira will have 3 Cosmic Omens and 4 Star Maps to spend, giving her far more adaptable options that most multiclass builds ever acheive.

The Perfect Subclass For Minthara — Oath Of Vengeance

Default Subclass — Oath Of Vengeance

Available for recruitment if she is sided with in Act 1 or knocked out and spoken to in Act 2, Minthara is seen as the evil companion, but makes a powerful ally during any playthrough. Minthara's default subclass is Oath of Vengeance, and honestly, it's perfect for her. Although there is an argument to be made that Oathbreaker would also work well thematically for Minthara, the Oath of Vengeance paladin's tenets suit her so well.

Oath of Vengeance is a really solid subclass, with its spells being able to buff allies and debuffs enemies easily. Bane, Hunter's Mark, and Hold Person are all excellent pieces of magic to set up your allies, giving them the means to making enemies fail saving throws or deal more damage. Haste is already one of the best spells in the game anyway, so gaining it for free as a Paladin can make Minthara an excellent frontliner in your party.

Other Oath abilities are simple yet strong, such as Vow of Enmity or Inquisitor's Might as Channel Oath options. Inquisitor's Might lets you deal extra Radiant damage and Daze enemies, while Vow of Enmity helps you gain advantage on attack rolls against a target. In addition, Abjure Enemy is another Channel Oath that will impose disadvantage to a target's ability checks and attack rolls as well as prevent them from moving.

With Relentless Avenger later, you can even increase Minthara's speed on her next turn if she hits an enemy with an opportunity attack. Out of all the available Paladin options for Minthara, Oath of Vengeance supports her relentless offense the most, rather than Oath of the Crown's protective skills or the Oathbreaker's darker deeds.

The Most Powerful Subclass For Halsin — Circle Of The Moon

Default Subclass — Circle Of The Moon

Just like Minthara, Halsin’s default subclass is perfectly tailored to his backstory and character. Although Halsin will join the party’s camp once he’s been rescued in Act 1, you will need to lift the Shadow-Curse in Act 2 to fully gain him as a companion. Since you meet him as a Wild Shaped Bear the first time you meet him, keeping Halsin as the subclass that supports Wild Shape the most makes the most sense.

Circle of the Moon, by default, gains the additional Bear Wild Shape as a stronger option than Circle of the Land, Spores, or Stars.

This Druid subclass is focused on using Wild Shapes, giving you more options to transform into than the default provided by the class. While other Druid archetypes gain more magic to compensate, the Circle of the Moon is all about strong transformations first. With the Circle of the Moon, you'll gain access to these Wild Shapes:

Badger (Level 2 - Default)
Cat (Level 2 - Default)
Spider (Level 2 - Default)
Wolf (Level 2 - Default)
Polar Bear (Level 2 - Circle of the Moon)
Dire Raven (Level 4 - Circle of the Moon)
Deep Rothe (Level 4 - Default)
Panther (Level 6 - Default)
Owlbear (Level 6 - Default)
Sabre-Toothed Tiger (Level 8 - Circle of the Moon)
Air Myrmidon (Level 10 - Circle of the Moon)
Earth Myrmidon (Level 10 - Circle of the Moon)
Fire Myrmidon (Level 10 - Circle of the Moon)
Water Myrmidon (Level 10 - Circle of the Moon)
Dilophosaurus (Level 10 - Default)

With the damage of these Wild Shapes increasing as you level up Halsin in Druid, the Circle of the Moon improves very rapidly. This subclass even lets Halsin spend spell slots to recover Hit Points while in a Wild Shape using the Lunar Mend feature. In addition, the Circle of the Moon can Wild Shape as a bonus action instead of an action, letting Halsin use his transformations more often as the best combat-focused option at his disposal.

The Top Early Subclass For Karlach - Giant

Default Subclass — Wildheart

Karlach can be recruited in Act 1 by either following Wyll's quest to find her or discovering her by exploring the Risen Road to the north of the map. Karlach has spent the last 10 years as the personal attack dog of Zariel in Avernus, so I chose a barbarian subclass that would make the most sense for that. The new Giant subclass works very well, as it feels fitting for a frontline fighter in the Blood Wars.

Giant Barbarian Level

Ability Gained

Description

Level 3	Giant's Rage	When you enter a Rage, you increase in size. Your Rage damage bonus is doubled on Throw attacks.
Level 3	Vaprak's Greed	Your carrying capacity is increased by a quarter.
Level 3	Thaumaturgy	Gain advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks.
Level 5	Boot of the Giants	Try to kick a Target away, with your chance of success being tied to your character's Athletics, and whether you are hidden or invisible.
Level 6	Elemental Cleaver	Until the end of your Rage, your weapon can deal 1d6 additional Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder damage and gain the Thrown property. If thrown, it will immediately reappear in your hand.
Level 10	Mighty Impel	You can throw a creature or object that is Medium-sized or smaller.

Tavern Brawler is a fantastic feat to pair with the Giant subclass for even more damage.

Being able to throw pretty much any creature you want (of Medium size or smaller) at Level 10 makes this build a blast for Karlach. It's fun to just toss your enemies over tall ledges, dealing increased damage as your larger size creates greater strength when Karlach rages. With the Thaumaturgy cantrip, Karlach can be far more intimidating too, reflecting a hardened warrior who once represented Zariel in the Nine Hells.

This build may not be focused for melee combat, but Elemental Cleaver giving you more throw options creates wonderful mayhem Karlach is sure to enjoy. The towering Tiefling's ability to kick and throw enemies, deal elemental damage, and carry more items gives the Path of Giants subclass a lot of flavor for Karlach, combining might with chaotic fun that fits her character.

How To Best Kit Out Wyll — The Hexblade

Default Subclass — The Fiend

Wyll and Karlach’s personal quests and backstories are intertwined, so it made sense to me to take a look at the new subclasses for the Blade of Frontiers as well. While Wyll’s original subclass of The Fiend is very fitting for his pact with Mizora, I feel like the new Hexblade subclass is a better fit for his skill set.

The Hexblade will give Wyll proficiency in medium armor, shields, and martial weapons, giving him far more options when it comes to equipment. This subclass also focuses heavily on a melee-based warlock, and as Wyll has been primarily using his rapier, this lets him use his Charisma for better damage. For the Blade of Frontiers, this build already makes more sense connecting to Wyll's background as a well-trained fighter rather than a spellcaster as a Fiend Warlock.

Hexblade Warlock Level

Expanded Spells Gained

Level 1	Shield Wrathful Smite
Level 3	Blur Branding Smite
Level 5	Blink Elemental Weapon
Level 7	Phantasmal Killer Staggering Smite Dominate Beast Greater Invisibility
Level 9	Banishing Smite Cone of Cold

Along with some great additions to expand his spell list, Wyll will also gain the Hexblade's Curse for a better chance to crit, and some healing if the target of the curse dies. By becoming a Hexblade, Wyll also can bind himself to a particular weapon, making it impossible to drop against Baldur's Gate 3's craftiest enemies.

At later Levels, Wyll even gains the ability to summon an Accursed Spectre through his Hexblade status, raising a Feeble, Mundane, or Primordial Specture to fight alongside your group. This only works on a target he's cursed, but it becomes easier to slay cursed targets as Wyll's power grows. Level 10's Armor of Hexes ability even lets Wyll nullify attacks against him as a Reaction if the enemy striking is cursed, giving him combat mastery he promises from the moment you meet him.

A Versatile Option For Gale - Divination School

Default Subclass — Evocation

There are arguments to be made for most of the schools of magic available in BG3 being a good match for Gale's backstory, and overall, the wizard class is very versatile. However, after much consideration, I settled on the school of Divination for Gale, as its focus is on fate and knowledge, two things I associate Gale with. The Divination subclass is a powerful addition to any party, and most importantly, a lot of fun to play.

The main feature of the Divination School is the Level 2 ability Portent, which gives Gale two Portent Dice per long rest. These can be used as a reaction to change the result of attack rolls and saving throws for both the party and enemies. This is fantastic at higher difficulties, to negate a crit against a party member, or when the difference between a hit or a miss can change the course of a battle.

Gale's association with the goddess Mystra only makes Divination a natural choice for him, as Portent predictions reflect his higher knowledge of magic based on his past relationship.

Portent only gets better at later Levels too, as Gale gains more uses of the subclass' signature ability. At Level 6, Gale will even gain Prophecies during a Short Rest, which gives you a list of tasks to complete to regain Portent uses. This adds a mini-game of sorts to Gale's gameplay, making Divination an interesting angle that other Wizard builds don't utilize.

With the Third Eye feature at Level 10, Divination Wizards also gain the abilty to see past darkness and naturally detect invisible creatures, which works greatly against enemies seen in Act 3 of Baldur's Gate 3. Overall, this subclass fits Gale well, giving him a wide range of utility that reflects his unique insight into magic of all kinds.

How To Pump Up Fan-Favorite Astarion — Swashbuckler

Default Subclass — Arcane Trickster

For over 200 years, Astarion was sent out into Baldur's Gate to lure back victims for Cazador, and I wanted to find a subclass for him that was not only fun to play but made sense. Prior to Patch 8, I found the Thief to be the best choice for Astarion, giving him an extra bonus attack for more damage. However, the introduction of the Swashbuckler rogue subclass means I have a new favorite, and the features and general feel of this subclass have Astarion written all over them.

Swashbuckler Astarion will gain the new ability Fancy Footwork at Level 3, which will allow him to move away from targets that he's made a melee attack against. In addition, he'll also get Rakish Audacity, giving him a slight bump to Initative rolls to start combat sooner than others. Since this scales with his Rogue Level, Astarion will likely always get the first cutting word, suiting his natural wit.

The Swashbuckler bypasses one of the Rogue's biggest weaknesses, allowing Astarion to trigger Sneak Attack as long as they are within 5ft (1.5m) of a target and don't have disadvantage. He no longer needs advantage on that target to gain the Rogue's most damaging ability.

The table below goes over the Swashbuckler's Dirty Tricks, or a series of maneuvers similar to the Battle Master Fighter for Astarion to learn within the subclass:

Dirty Trick

Description

Flick o' the Wrist	Flick your weapon at a target to possibly disarm them.
Sand Toss	Toss sand at a target to possibly blind them.
Vicious Mockery	Cast the Vicious Mockery cantrip.

Formidable and fun, Astarion's rogueish charm only increases through the Swashbuckler, especially as the archetype gains Panache at Level 9. Panache can beguile a humanoid creature, causing those with poor Insight to be charmed and have disadvantage against Astarion when attacking. With this feature also preventing a charmed creature from making Opportunity Attacks on anyone other than Astarion, the vampire can take center stage as they deserve.

The Initial Companion Lae'zel — Eldritch Knight

Default Subclass — Battle Master

As one of the first companions met and recruited, Lae'zel benefits from having a good subclass that can not only keep the party alive, but also herself. The Eldritch Knight subclass is fantastic for this, even if it isn't the "strongest" Fighter archetype you could choose. In some ways, Lae'Zel fits the Eldritch Knight more than her Battle Master default, as it reflects the magical nature of her Githyanki heritage more.

One of the best boons from the Eldritch Knight Fighter features is the Level 3 Weapon Bond ability, which will prevent Lae'Zel from having her weapon knocked out of her hand. It also returns to Lae'Zel when thrown, allowing your party's Fighter to always be armed.

At Level 3, Lae'zel will be able to learn two wizard cantrips and a first level spell, and I recommend Bone Chill, Shocking Grasp, and Shield. She will be able to learn one more spell at each new level before level two spells are unlocked at level eight. Here I recommend Misty Step for increased mobility. However, Lae'zel will continue to add spells to her repertoire each level until level 12.

Since the Eldritch Knight pulls mostly from the Wizard spell list, the variety Lae'Zel has in her magic is astounding. When combined with the magical resistance and spells she gains as a Githyanki, other spells like Shadow Blade, Hold Person, Mirror Image, and Blur can add to her combat prowess in fascinating ways. At Level 10, Lae'Zel grows even stronger, with her Eldritch Strike giving a creature disadvantage for the saving throw against the next spell you cast against it.

Change Shadowheart As Soon As You Can — Death Domain/Life Domain

Default Subclass — Trickery Domain

The final companion here is Shadowheart, who, like Wyll, will already have her subclass set when she is first recruited. The Trickery Domain is by far the weakest cleric domain in BG3, and I highly recommend respeccing Shadowheart as soon as Withers is available. For Shadowheart, I have two options: Death Domain if she stays loyal to Shar, and Life Domain if she embraces Selûne.

These two subclasses mirror each other well, as you can see in the tables below showing off the unique spells they gain in their Domains:

Cleric Level

Life Domain Spells

Death Domain Spells

Level 1	Bless Cure Wounds	Bone Chill Bursting Sinew Toll the Dead False Life Ray of Sickness
Level 3	Aid Lesser Restoration	Blindness Ray of Enfeeblement
Level 5	Revivify Beacon of Hope	Animate Dead Vampiric Touch
Level 7	Guardian of Faith Death Ward	Blight Death Ward
Level 9	Greater Restoration Mass Cure Wounds	Cloudkill Contagion

The new Death Domain gives you a huge range of spells, with a choice between Toll the Dead, Bursting Sinew, and Bone Chill already setting Shadowheart up for strong options at an early Level. The flavors of each subclass are very different depending on what role you want Shadowheart to fulfill, either as a supportive character or damage dealer in your group. To reflect this, the Death Domain grants Shadowheart martial weapon proficiency, while the Life Domain gives her Heavy Armor proficiency.

With abilities like Preserve Life and Blessed Healer, a Life Domain Shadowheart can easily become one of the best healers in the game. Alternatively, the Death Domain allows Shadowheart to deal greater necrotic damage against more enemies, skills like Reaper giving Necromancy cantrips an additional target and Inescapable Destruction ignoring a target's necrotic resistance.

Death Domain Clerics use Channel Divinity to inflict a Touch of Death to their enemies, injecting them with higher necrotic damage that only grows as Shadowheart levels up. Depending on what path you want Shadowheart to take in Baldur's Gate 3, these Domain subclasses represent two extremes, showing sharp contrasts that embody the two distinct paths the character can take within the events of the RPG's story.