Brandon Collins 
The world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is packed with magical weapons and choosing the best one for your character can be daunting when you’re early in the game in Act 1. Thankfully, every class has a great option available.
Players will quickly realize that some characters are more high-maintenance than others and that’s just as true when it comes to securing weapons. Some have an elaborate questline for an ideal weapon, while others can be found in short order. Here is the best option for each class and how to get them.
The best early-game weapons for each class in Baldur’s Gate 3
Each character has a class that sets the general trajectory for their stats as the game progresses and dictates which weapons they can use effectively. Naturally, this means that each class has its own ideal weapon.
To help clarify things, each of the selections for the best early weapon can be obtained in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1. The weapons listed here can make a solid foundation for any build and can carry characters deep into Act 2. A special few can even scale into the endgame.
Barbarian- Blooded Greataxe and Returning Pike
The Returning Pike is a fantastic ranged option for Barbarians when things are too far away to pound into a paste. Sold by Grat the Trader in the Goblin camp, make sure to pick this weapon up before beginning the gobbo massacre, as Grat will be hostile after that begins. This Returning Pike returns once thrown, making it the ideal ranged attack to take advantage of a barbarian’s beefy strength modifier.
For when you get into smacking distance, the Blooded Greataxe makes a good pick. This weapon deals extra damage when its holder drops below 50% health, ideal for a barbarian who is likely going to be an early-game tank. It can be sold by one of a few merchants early on including Dammon in the Druid’s Grove, the aforementioned Grat the Trade in the Goblin Camp, or Roah Moonglow inside the Shattered Sanctum temple in the Goblin Camp.
Bard- Phalar Aluve or Sword of Screams
The Phalar Aluve is a finesse longsword that can pulled from a stone in the Underdark with a DC 15 strength or religion check. Like other finesse longswords, Phalar Aluve has a dexterity modifier instead of strength, and it grants a +1 to performance checks while also providing a unique buff and debuff with its weapon action. The Shriek debuff is particularly powerful, with all affected enemies taking an additional 1d4 Thunder damage.
Another great grab is the Sword of Screams. The Sword of Screams is dropped by True Soul Nere in the Grymforge just before Act 2. Because the Phalar Aluve is viable on several characters, players might want to use the Sword of Screams on their bard, as its additional 1d4 Psychic damage is nothing to scoff at.
Cleric- Blood of Lathander and Staff of Arcane Blessings
Chances are Shadowheart is going to be packing the Blood of Lathander for much of Act 1 and using it all the way into Act 3. Players can get the Blood of Lathandar from the aptly named “Find the Blood of Lathander” quest, which comes down to collecting the Dawnmaster’s Crest in the Rosymorn Monastery and then finding the secret chamber beneath Créche Y’llek.
Ignoring the legendary mace, another great pick is the Staff of Arcane Blessings. The Staff of Arcane Blessings is found in the basement of the Arcane Tower by equipping the Guiding Light ring found at the tower’s zenith, which reveals a secret button on the elevator. The weapon allows a character to cast an enhanced version of the Bless spell, adding an extra 2d4 to spell attack rolls which is a major buff. For supportive Clerics backing up a team of spellcasters, this can be a game-changer.
Druid- Pale Oak
Player druids can get a unique weapon by making a specific decision when resolving the situation at the Grove. The player must complete the Investigate Kagha quest and then spare Kagha at its conclusion to be rewarded with the Pale Oak staff. This must be done before rescuing Halsin, as his return to the grove ends the quest. The Pale Oak allows its holder to summon druidic vines to entangle enemies, giving all attacks against them advantage while also making the wielder immune to similar ensnaring effects.
Fighter- Skinburster
The fighter’s extra feats make it the ideal class to use a combination that has ravaged tabletops the world over. The classic set-up of Sentinel and Polearm Master turns any character into a bulwark, using opportunity attacks to stop enemies approaching them in their tracks. The only caveat is that the character must wield a polearm weapon, and the Skinburster is the best weapon for fighters as a result.
The Skinburster is found in Créche Y’llek in the inquisitor’s chamber, and it’s an ideal weapon to make use of this powerful combination. The Skinburster builds up stacks of Force Conduit with each instance of damage, reducing physical damage until five stacks. After five stacks, there’s an AOE explosion that deals big damage.
Monk- Corellon’s Grace or Vision of the Absolute
Monks love versatile weapons, making spears and quarterstaves ideal for swinging around between wheel-kicks and complaining about being out of ki-points. Corellon’s Grace is the best early-game weapon for Monks in Baldur’s Gate 3, providing +1 to unarmed attacks and a +2 to saving throws when unarmed. It can be bought from the affable Auntie Ethel in the Druid’s Grove.
For the spear aficionado, The Vision of the Absolute applies blinds to targets that fail a dex save (not to be confused with Baldur Gate 3’s cross-save function, hilariously) and also deals an additional 2d6 damage to any enemies that have more than two eyes including spiders and beholders. Players can get Vision of the Absolute by piecing together the Shaft of a Broken Spear and the Head of a Broken Spear, looted from Edowin west of the Druid’s Grove and from the Owlbear mother in her nest, respectively.
Paladin- Everburn Blade and Harold
The Everburn Blade is the best early-game weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3, and players can get it by killing Commander Zhalk on the Nautiloid at the start of Act 1. That or they can have Shadowheart cast Command: Drop on him and then snatch it before the crash. The weapon provides a tidy +1d4 fire damage to every strike, which mops up most early-game bothers.
But what if the thing that needs to die is a little further away? Harold is great on any character who can use it but works especially well for Paladins before they engage in melee. The Harold crossbow is given by Zarys in the Zhentarim Hideout beneath Waukeem’s Rest by finishing the “Find the Missing Shipment” questline without turning on the smugglers. The big appeal of Harold is that any enemy it hits must succeed on a charisma saving throw or suffer the effects of Bane. This gives enemies a -1d4 to both their attack rolls and their saving throws, making the Paladin’s powerful Smites far more likely to land once they get into melee range.
Ranger- Speedy Reply and Joltshooter
Rangers get access to the full kit of martial weapons, but more than likely they’ll take dexterity as their primary stat as the few fighting styles they pick up synergize better with finesse weapons. Sporting both the light and finesse properties, dual-wielding scimitars like a Drizzt Do’Urden cosplayer is a strong backbone for a ranger build. The Speedy Reply can be picked up from the corpse of a caravan agent on The Risen Road north of the Blighted Village, close to the cave where the Gnolls have the caravan’s survivors pinned down. The extra movement speed gained when it hits an enemy makes it an ideal pick for rangers specializing in hit-and-run tactics.
If the ranger in question prefers to deliver death from across the battlefield, the Joltshooter can be grabbed as a reward for saving Counsellor Florrick from a burning building in Waukeen’s Rest. The extra stacks of lightning damage can add up fast, but it is mutually exclusive with The Spellsparkler, a powerful weapon in its own right. In that case, a player can buy the Spellthief from Arron just inside the gate of the Druid’s Grove, which restores a level one spell slot with a critical hit, supporting the Ranger’s Hunter’s Mark spell.
Rogue- Phalar Aluve, Knife of the Undermountain King, and Sussur Dagger
For massive single-hit sneak attacks, the Phalar Aluve packs a wallop. As mentioned earlier, this finesse longsword can be pulled from a stone early in the Underdark with a DC 15 strength or religion check, and is usable until deep into the game. This makes it arguably the best weapon that’s available in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1 in terms of its staying power.
For dual-wielding assassins, the Knife of the Undermountain King comes with a host of bonuses including higher crit-chance and advantage when you’re obscured. This lethal blade can be picked up in the Créche Y’llek from Quartermaster.
The Sussur Dagger used as an off-hand or thrown weapon has great utility for shutting up spell casters with its silence effect. Players can get the Sussur Dagger as the reward for the Finish the Masterwork Weapon questline by bringing Sussur Bark from the Underdark to the forge in the Blighted Village.
Sorceror- Spellsparker or Mourning Frost
An average spellcaster will be standing as far away as possible from the enemies and slinging spells, so pointy metal sticks aren’t of much interest. Luckily, there are a few staves with some outstanding effects.
The Spellsparkler is a reward for saving Counsellor Florrick from the burning inn in Waukeen’s Rest and it is outstanding. That the staff applies lightning charges per hit rather than per spell creates outstanding synergy with Magic Missile, a staple spell for low-level casters. It’s possibly the best DPS weapon option for Sorcerors until deep into Baldur’s Gate 3.
Another great pick is the Mourning Frost, which amplifies all cold damage spells used by the wielder. This very rare quarterstaff is assembled by finding the three individual pieces scattered across the Underdark, looted from three separate Drow. Players can assemble the Mourning Frost staff by combining the Icy Helve, Icy Metal, and Icy Crystal.
Warlock- The Baneful
Spellcasting Warlocks can be grouped with the other sorcerors and wizards, but their access to the Pact of the Blade opens up unique avenues for the class. The Baneful is sold by the Hobgoblin Blurg in the Myconid colony. When attuned as a pact weapon, it gains the standard +1 to damage and attack, but can possibly Bane opponents on hit at a DC 14 saving throw. This averages to a -2.5 on opponents’ attack rolls against the Warlock, increasing the Warlock’s survivability in melee combat.
Wizard- Spellsparker or Mourning Frost
While they’re a different class, wizards, warlocks, and sorcerors can all be used as ranged DPS characters in Baldur’s Gate 3, and share many of the same best early-game weapons as a result. Players are best served getting the Spellsparker or Mourning Frost staff for their wizard
