Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Help Tips & Tricks Easiest Class/Subclass for a Beginner?

Hail, and well met, all.

What class/subclass do you think is the easiest with which to start, and learn the game for a beginner?

Example... I'm not sure the spellcasters qualify due to needing to prepare, hopefully the correct, spells.

Something more straightforward to begin.

I'm thinking either Rogue/Thief or Fighter/Champion?

Thoughts and suggestions?

Thank you.

Take care.

IMO Fighter - I found Eldritch Knight (Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands, Magic Missle) easier to wrap my mind around than Battlemaster.
But unless part of a multiplayer party, you are forced to learn how to use casters anyway.

But worry not - even if not using various Classes with reasonable effectiveness, you will plough through
Maybe it will take you more saves to pass several clashes, but you'll still push ahead

True dat, good point.

I'm not new to D&D 5E, I regularly play an Arcane Trickster in my weekly campaign, and despite everything I've read, and I'm pretty sure I've read everything, lol... about how sucktastic AT is compared to Theif with Fast Hands... I'm bringing my High Elf AT into BG3, lol.

My buddy, who has never played D&D, (at least not since High School, and we're both 55 now 😁), was asking for my opinion, and Fighter/Champion, or Rogue/Thief seem to me to be the most straightforward, little decision making, characters to play.

With Eldritch Knight you still need to pick spells, know when to use them, juggle stats to have INT high enough to cast offensive spells, or not and just stick to buffs.

Put a gun to my head and I think Fighter/Champion is even more straightforward than Rogue/Thief because you don't have to worry about stealth and trying to get advantage as much.

Ranger/Hunter is perfect for learning, imo. Good HP, good damage, good saving throws, a lot of skills to use out of combat, all martial proficiencies, all or almost all armor proficiencies, has spells, but not a lot of them!

Edit: definitely more newcomer friendly than an Eldritch Knight. EDs need to invest in INT or stick with utility spells only. Rangers need to invest in WIS. Wisdom is much better as a secondary stat for a martial frontliner because their only weakness is getting controlled by something like Hold Person (resisted by WIS).

Just pick one you like from a role-playing standpoint. You don't have to be the most efficient player ever, what matters is to have fun (and yeah, depending on what companions you bring along, you will have to learn how to manage different classes anyway).
The first character I ever played 17 years ago when I was a literal kid was a bard. Definitely not the easiest class to grasp but it's still my favourite after all these years.

I play Bard/Minstrel classes in every MMO I play, and for me that will be another class I start with... but him... I've recommended Fighter/Champion but wanted to gather thoughts from others.

I'm sure he will play whatever he likes, but he wants an "easy" class with which to start. I told him he'll probably have a pretty good handle on the game by the end of Chapter 1, if not sooner, and can always respec... an idea he likes.

IYou are correct - Fighter/Champion or Battle Master seems to be the simplest one can get.
Heh - I'm also 55