When you level up in Baldur’s Gate 3, the event itself can be an afterthought or incredibly stressful, depending on your class. Most Rogues and Fighters rarely have to make major decisions, but for Wizards each level counts, since they keep expanding their ever-growing arsenal of spells.
Wizards, in fact, are spoiled for choice; not only can they get new spells per level up, but they can also learn them from scrolls found while exploring, ending up with a massive (albeit expensive) spell book for every situation. It’s in your best interest to learn all about the best spells out there and their uses, so you’ll know what to prepare in the battles ahead.
10 Fireball
A classic for a reason, Fireball is cheap (being only a level three spell) and impactful. If you have the spell slots to spare, you can upcast it for even more damage. The range is quite nice and the impact radius generous, making it a great spell for dealing with crowds.
You can combine it with Grease or such surfaces for even more damage, forming a simple combo that’s always nice to carry around. In keeping with its destructive nature, Fireball can also be the bane of any party. If you have allies close to the enemy, it might be wise to use a different spell or risk downing your own companions.
9 Chain Lightning
Considered the 'safer Fireball,' Chain Lightning can hit multiple targets without having to worry about it targeting allies. The range allows you to cast it from a very safe distance, allowing you to impact up to five enemies with a single cast. The damage type is also helpful; water sources to amplify it are plenty, and there are nearly no enemies resistant to it, as opposed to fire damage.
It is, however, a very late game spell. As such, while it deals a lot of damage, it won’t appear as often in battles, unless you strategize around it with certain magic items. Yet the impact and safety of the spell alone can carry it to any Wizard build, no matter their approach or school.
8 Wall Of Fire
Being able to summon an imposing Wall of Fire is already merit enough for the spell, yet the amount of battlefield control it gives is outstanding. If you can lure your enemies through it, it can and will deal a lot of damage. Since it is a persistent effect, you can push your enemies back past the wall, making the most out of the spell.
The radius of the wall is slightly bigger than expected, which more often than not it’s quite a boon. But if you’re not careful, your own units might take damage from the Wall. Be careful when placing the wall down, and remember to cancel it once combat ends; the companion AI won’t try to dodge it once it’s out of combat.
7 Wall Of Stone
Compared to the other walls, Wall of Stone might seem like the lesser of them all, since it doesn’t do any damage. Expert Wizards, however, will know how to make the most of it, and the value that creating structures brings to the battlefield.
Depending on the area you’re fighting on, a single wall can remove entire enemies for the duration, forcing them to either destroy the wall or go around it (if you placed it correctly, the latter should be impossible). This alone can already give you an advantage, but if you box them inside other harmful effects like Cloud Kill, what would’ve been only a single trigger of the spell becomes at least three.
6 Outiluke’s Freezing Sphere
Outiluke’s Freezing Sphere might seem like just a frozen version of Fireball, and that alone can have its benefits. A lot of enemies are resistant to fire in Baldur’s Gate 3, not to mention that frozen enemies move slower, having a harder time reaching your own units. Yet, as a level six spell, you’d expect it to do more beyond a large area and more damage.
What the sphere actually brings is versatility, allowing you to turn the cast into an item. This item explodes after ten turns or when you throw it, meaning you can prepare the sphere in one turn (or even out of combat) and throw it later. You can even throw the sphere while silenced, as long as you created it beforehand.
5 Telekinesis
Baldur’s Gate 3 contains a lot of verticality, making the shove action crucial in making combat encounters far more simple. Throwing enemies down cliffs is a very effective way of killing them without spending too many resources, but to do that effectively you need a lot of strength, something spell casters commonly lack.
Telekinesis is a way to circumvent that limitation and throw around enemies at will, particularly since you can recast it without expending another spell slot. When enemies are too heavy to be thrown around, you can always throw things at them; you’d be surprised by how many explosive things are lying around Faerun.
4 Glyph Of Warding
If you’re the type of player who enters all combat encounters guns blazing, Glyph of Warding might seem like a boring spell, but that’s only because of how much hindsight and set up it requires. And if you want to play a Wizard properly, you’ll need a lot of set up.
The Glyph has many variants, including types that throw enemies through the air, so it’s great for luring enemies onto traps. Keep in mind that while it can only be triggered by enemies, it will affect all creatures within range, so keep your companions clear of the blast radius. It can also be used during combat, aiming for a group of enemies. Once one of them walks, they all explode.
3 Conjure Elemental
While Wizards have a lot of ways to deal with crowds, sometimes the best solution is to take a crowd of your own. Conjure Elemental can be combined with all other summoning abilities like familiars, undead and even lesser elementals; with so many numbers, your enemies will use their precious attacks on units that you don’t mind being damaged.
Out of all minions, the Elementals have to be the best ones. They can reposition themselves instantly, most of them having a range attack and a melee multi attack. The earth elemental is a particularly strong creature, being able to block enemies with its size and letting you do all the damage.
2 Artistry Of War
If all you want is raw, unparalleled damage, Artistry of War is for you. This legendary spell is unique in many ways, primarily because you won’t earn it by simply leveling up, but by entering a certain vault. Only Wizards can learn this spell. Everyone else can use the scroll, but only once.
Artistry of Way summons six projectiles that deal a lot of damage each, and they don’t miss. This spell is so damaging and reliable that it needs an added condition: you can only cast it once per short rest. Even then, it’s a great way of dealing with crowds of enemies or even to shred the health of even the mightiest bosses.
1 Misty Step
The one spell that reigns above all as the most useful has to be the one that allows you to cast all others. Relocating yourself instantly is already a powerful ability, and it’s what makes spell casters so slippery; once you think you’ve caught up, they vanish to the top of the hill.
And that’s the other use of positioning: gaining the high ground, improving your chances of hitting enemies below you. Consider, on top of all that, the fact that it’s a minor action, so in one fell swoop you can escape danger, improve your chances to hit and rain fire upon your enemies. Misty Step is likely to be the only spell you’ll never remove from your prepared list.