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Baldur's Gate 3

Every Classes' Starting Gear in Baldur's Gate 3

By
Nathan Garvin

Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances you find yourself in at the start of the game, you do begin with some passable starting gear, varying depending on your chosen starting class. This page will cover all the gear each class starts with in Baldur’s Gate 3.

While your gear will vary depending on your starting class, all of it is very basic - none of the starting classes are really getting away with anything extraordinary. Aside from cosmetics, about the only uncommon bits of gear are the Bard’s chosen Musical Instrument and the Rogue’s Thieves’ Tools, tied to their Perform and Sleight of Hand skills, respectively. Whatever gripes one may have about discrepancies in initial armaments won’t likely last longer than the prologue.

In addition to whatever equipment every class starts out with, all characters will begin with the following consumables:

  • Potion of Healing x2
  • Scroll of Revivify
  • Supply Pack (40)

The Barbarian starts out with a greataxe - no other class possesses a two-handed melee weapon.

Barbarian Starting Gear

As simple as you’d expect, the Barbarian starts out with the most powerful weapon of all the characters, but their clothing protects little more than their modesty. Fortunately their Constitution score should make up for that, somewhat. They also have two Handaxes, in case you need a ranged option. Keep in mind, you need to use the “Throw” command to toss these weapons - equipping them will just cause you to use them as melee weapons. Also, after they’re thrown they must be recovered for further use. This functionally limits you to two ranged attacks per battle (assuming you’re not going to bother using actions to pick them up), but when you have a great big honking axe, throwing little axes is something you shouldn’t fuss with unless you just can’t reach your targets otherwise.

  • Barbarian Clothes
  • Greataxe
  • Handaxe
  • Handaxe
  • Leather Boots

(1 of 2) During character creation, Bards can pick between several musical instruments.

During character creation, Bards can pick between several musical instruments. (left), Whichever you pick will be included in your starting gear, including a Rapier and a Hand Crossbow. (right)

Bard Starting Gear

While the Bard doesn’t start out with any armor, their starting weapons are at least interesting. Despite its low power, the Hand Crossbow is a solid ranged option (although who can resist the urge to spam Vicious Mockery?), and the Rapier is a fine starting weapon that can make use of either Strength or Dexterity. The Bard also gets their choice of Musical Instrument (made during character creation) of either a Hand Drum, Flute, Lute, Lyre or Violin. This is pure preference.

  • Hand Crossbow
  • Leather Boots
  • Musical Instrument (player’s choice)
  • Rapier
  • Simple Jerkin

Cleric Starting Gear

A no-frills loadout for the most underappreciated warrior/caster in gaming, the Cleric begins with a Chain Shirt, a Mace and a Studded Shield. Everything you’d expect, really.

  • Chain Shirt
  • Leather Boots
  • Mace
  • Studded Shield

Druid Starting Gear

An unsurprisingly spartan loadout for the dedicated naturalist, the Druid’s starting loadout is a stick to whack things with, one of the weakest suits of armor in the game, and some shoes.

  • Druid Leather Armor
  • Leather Boots
  • Quarterstaff

Fighter Starting Gear

More robust than the gear most other warriors start with, the Fighter begins the game with a suit of Scale Mail - medium armor - a Longsword, and a Shortbow. A shield would have been nice, but all in all, the Fighter’s kit is a decent start for an all-rounder.

  • Leather Boots
  • Longsword
  • Scale Mail
  • Shortbow

Paladins start out with medium armor, a warhammer, a shield and two javelins.

Paladin Starting Gear

Similar to the Fighter, the Paladin dons a suit of Scale Mail, but has the good sense to bring a shield along, too. The Warhammer is a solid starting weapon, leaving the Paladin only really lacking a good ranged option. Two Javelins are… something… but keep in mind that these weapons must be reclaimed after you throw them, functionally limiting how many times you can use them in battle unless you’re willing to burn actions recovering them.

  • Javelin
  • Javelin
  • Leather Boots
  • Scale Mail
  • Warhammer
  • Wooden Shield

Ranger Starting Gear

Forfeiting the heavier armor of a Fighter and Paladin for… a weaker melee weapon and the same bow as the Fighter is certainly an odd choice, but the Ranger makes an attempt at evening the odds by starting with an Arrow of Ice - a one time use bit of ammunition that’ll deal a bit of cold damage when used. Honestly just kind of an odd starting kit.

  • Arrow of Ice
  • Leather Armor
  • Leather Boots
  • Shortbow
  • Shortsword

Rogue Starting Gear

One of the surprisingly few characters to start out with a Dagger, the Rogue also brings along some other staples - Leather Armor and a Shortbow. In addition, they have Grease Bottles, which can be used to make a section of ground treachers to cross - ideally you’ll accomplish this by throwing it. Finally, Rogues are the only characters who start out with Thieves’ Tools, which allow them to attempt to open locks with their Sleight of Hand skill.

  • Dagger
  • Grease Bottle x2
  • Leather Armor
  • Leather Boots
  • Shortbow
  • Thieves’ Tools

Sorcerer Starting Gear

The Sorcerer makes good on their class lore by focusing on their inner power and eschewing pretty much any beneficial gear they could bring along. You’re getting some clothes and a whacking stick, the latter of which should be a weapon of last resort. With their cantrips, however, you’ll probably never feel compelled to actually hit anything in melee.

  • Quarterstaff
  • Simple Boots
  • Sorcerer Robe

Warlock Starting Gear

A caster with a flair for knavery, this consummate middle child tries their best to stand out by bringing a Dagger instead of a Quarterstaff, and donning the lightest possible armor in the game. Yes, Warlock, here’s that attention you wanted. You’ll be Eldritch Blasting everything anyways, so their starting gear is fairly irrelevant.

  • Dagger
  • Padded Armor
  • Simple Boots

Wizard Starting Gear

As simple as it gets - even two of their starting items bear the word “simple”! They’ve got a staff, robes and shoes. That’s fine, though - they’re a spellcaster. If it can’t be done with magic, it probably doesn’t need doing.

  • Quarterstaff
  • Simple Robe
  • Simple Boots
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Guide Information
  • Publisher
    Larian Studios
  • Platforms,
    Mac, PC, PS5, XB X|S
  • Genre
    Adventure, RPG
  • Guide Release
    6 April 2023
  • Last Updated
    14 June 2024
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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Baldur’s Gate 3 is an immersive roleplaying game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. It features a rich story with multiple outcomes for almost every encounter, and plenty of character customization features including more races, classes, subclasses and party combinations than you are ever likely to explore. The seemingly endless possibilities and numerous choices that you can make throughout your journey make a helping hand always welcome, and that’s where we come in! This guide features the following:

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