Bladesinging Wizard Build - Blade Savant - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Bladesinger Build - Blade Savant

The Bladesinger subclass of wizard offers a very interesting setup, which turns the pure wizard caster into a semi-melee martial. The great thing is that all of the important wizard features are still ever-present - high-level spell slots, spellscribing, etc.

But the main highlight is Bladesong,​ which gives very high mobility, improved Armour Class, and on top Bladesong Climax​ to finish off with your accumulated charges. The good thing is that you will also get Extra Attack,​ which does not take anything from you to be a good combatant.

Still, if the situation calls for it, you can always turn to spellcasting. Your cleric can cast Create Water? Finish off foes with Lightning Bolt. You see a group of enemies stacked together, why not put them under Hypnotic Pattern​ and finish them off with your blades? Or just cast Fireball​ on a group of foes?

So the build truly offers a great mix of melee and spellcasting combat, and it is quite capable from the early levels.

So let's jump into the build!

Class Contribution

The core of the build consists of Wizard.

12 Bladesinging Wizard

• Spell Scribing is the main highlight of Wizards, allowing them to learn any spell from scrolls and put it into their spellbook. Later, it can be assigned to Prepared spells and used during exploration or combat.
• Arcane Recovery​ - a special feature that allows restoring spell slots, and prolongs your combat potential until long rest.
• Bladesong​ power, which improves movement speed, increases Armour Class, and improves saving throws.
• Training in War and Song​ - additional proficiencies allowing to wearing of light armor and some slick weapons.
• Extra Attack​ for 2 attacks per action, allowing you to be an effective combatant in melee range.
• Song of Defence​ - great feature, that can be used in crippling situation, to avoid immediate death by reducing incoming damage.

Synergy with other builds

Bladesinger does shine in various setups, as it is extremely versatile. It can have a wide array of spells, powerful melee damage, and good mobility. Here are some combo options:

Controllers

As this build uses Shadow Blade, it comes with a lot of dice rolls for damage 4d8 at a level 5 spell slot. The more the dice, the more the build benefits from critical hits. This makes it an excellent candidate for control builds that can guarantee a 100% critical chance via Hold Monster​/Hold Person. Here are the relevant builds:

• Fire Sorcerer - one of the most reliable builds for this type of setup with Hat of Fire Acuity + Scorching Ray​
• Lorecerer - similar to Fire Sorcerer, can use the same combo and can easily apply total control. Sadly, it is just limited to Hold Person.
• Spellsword build - Sorcadin, Bardadin, Swords Bard Archer, other caster related builds- Lore Bard or even Arcane Trickster with access to unlimited scrolls.

If none of these are for you, no worries. In Act 3, the Bladesinger can become a full controller with the correct gear, so check the equipment section on how to reach that.

Psychic party

This is another setup that can become ridiculously powerful thanks to Resonance Stone. The bladesinger can use Shadow Blade,​ so any other class that has access to psychic damage or uses Shadow Blade​ can play here:

• Psychic Assassin Monk - can get Shadow Blade Ring and use Shadow Strike.
• Eldritch Knight - a melee knight with Shadow Blade,​ can be an excellent addition and very powerful at that, with 3 attacks per action point.
• Hexblade - can use medium armor, minimizing the equipment overlap.
• Arcane Trickster - it also has access to Shadow Blade​ and other shenanigans to help in combat
• Open Hand Monk - from level 6, it has access to Manifestation of Mind, which gives additional psychic damage

Of course, you can use both Darkness​ and psychic damage together; what matters is whether you have enough gear and how you approach combat.

Lightning/Cold themed

This is another highlight of the build, that gives a kind of unique playstyle (and very powerful from early on) with a few spells - Witch Bolt, Lightning Bolt, Ice Storm, Cone of Cold, etc.

• Generally, any standard Cleric build will work as they can cast Create Water. However, for maximum efficiency, Tempest Cleric is the best pick. They get Call Lightning​ and more theme-related spells.
• Druids are also a good choice as they come with Create Water​and some lightning spells. The main highlight would be Land Druid. A very popular variation of it is Thundersnow Herald, which comes with both Cold and Lightning spells for total annihilation.
• Sorcadin with access to Lightning Bolt.
• And.... Many of the Sorcerer variations - Storm Sorcerer, Talos Dragonling Build, etc.
• My personal favourite - Abjuration Wizard Tank. It will be responsible for Create Water​, and dealing cold damage with Armour of Agathys. Of course, as a wizard, it can still cast all the Cold/Lightning spells. I would say this duo with a bladesinger is an excellent pick.

Just having Bladesinger and any one of these mentioned builds will allow you to steamroll through the game. Very few enemies will be able to stand up to the Wet​ + Cold/Lightning combo.

Leveling Overview

Here is a concise table with all the main picks during your leveling progression. For more detailed reasoning, I go further in the article. Also, do not forget to check the recommended gear, as it is crucial.

Level	Class	Selection
1	Wizard 1	Cantrips: Booming Blade, Ray of Frost, Toll the Dead​
		Spells: Mage Armour, Longstrider​, Shield​, Magic Missile​, Chromatic Orb​, Enhance Leap​.
		STR - 8, DEX - 16 (15+1), CON - 14, INT - 17 (15+2), WIS - 10, CHA - 8
		Skills: Arcana, History, Investigation
2	Wizard 2	Subclass: Bladesinging
		Spells: Witch Bolt, Feather Fall​
3	Wizard 3	Spells: Shadow Blade, Cloud of Daggers​
4	Wizard 4	Cantrips: Minor Illusion​
		Spells: Hold Person, Misty Step​
		Feat: Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity or +2 Intelligence
5	Wizard 5	Spells: Counterspell​, Lightning Bolt​
6	Wizard 6	Spells: Hypnotic Pattern​, Glyph of Warding​
7	Wizard 7	Spells: Ice Storm​, Confusion​
8	Wizard 8	Spells: Dimension Door​, any
		Feat: Savage Attacker​
9	Wizard 9	Spells: Hold Monster​, Cone of Cold​
10	Wizard 10	Cantrips: Friends​ or Bone Chill​
		Spells: Conjure Elemental​, any
11	Wizard 11	Spells: Chain Lightning​, Globe of Invulnerability​
12	Wizard 12	Spells: any
		Feat: Sentinel: Vengeance​ or Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity/Intelligence

Starting the Game - Level 1

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for the Bladesinging build. If you have already started playing, feel free to do a respec at Withers and follow along. This will make it easy to follow the build step by step.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc.

Race	Features	Description
Wood Half-Elf	Civil Militia Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	I think this race perfectly fits Bladesinger. With Bladesong,​ you will already have a lot of mobility, and this will take it a step further.
Wood Elf	Elven Weapon Training​ Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.
Zariel Tiefling	Darkvision​ Hellish Resistance​ Thaumaturgy​	Great race that offers unique looks and a few great features. I recommend Thaumaturgy​ as it helps immensely with dialogue checks without any negative consequences. The additional smites, like Searing Smite,​ can be helpful for a little more damage in the early and mid game.
Half-Orc	Darkvision​ Relentless Endurance​ Savage Attacks​	The most important part is Relentless Endurance,​ offering instant recovery if you are close to death.

Class

Overview
Wizard
Features
Arcane Recovery​	Provides a way to restore spell slots with Arcane Recovery Charges.
Spell Slots	These can be used to cast spells and are restored each long rest.

Cantrips

Cantrip	Description
Booming Blade​	This cantrip will be one of the core pillars of the build. For now, it will only deal damage when the enemy moves. However, after level 5, it will add 1d8 damage rider for free. This cantrip can be used together with Extra Attack.
Ray of Frost​	Uses attack rolls, choose this or Toll the Dead, depending on which one has the higher chance to hit.
Toll the Dead​	Targets enemy Saving Throw, great against those that will have low Wisdom.

There are other good choices here - Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Friends,​ etc. But I would prioritize the ones mentioned above, at least for the early game.

Spells

For Wizards, picking spells is not that important, because they can scribe and learn any of them via scrolls. Still, some good early choices will go a long way. I would prioritize utility, exploration, and maybe a few damage ones:

Spell	Description
Mage Armour​	Great spell, especially as you will wear Cloth for a long part of the game. This will set your Armour Class to 13 before any item, dexterity, or other bonuses apply.
Longstrider​	Very important spell to have in the party. It can be cast on all members to improve their mobility.
Shield​	Big survivability spell, that improves Armour Class for a single turn via reaction. This allows avoiding enemy attacks, greatly improving survivability, and only costs a level 1 spell slot.
Magic Missile​	Early in the game, this spell is a godsend. It has a 100% hit chance, improving your success in clearing enemies. Later, its scaling is not as good, and you will have better spell choices.
Chromatic Orb​	Great spell as you can choose different elements, especially if the enemy is Wet. Chromatic Orb: Thunder​ also has 3d8 very good damage.
Enhance Leap​	Mandatory utility spell, helping with exploration.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing, and you can pick whatever you prefer. If you want to optimize, then it would be good to pick backgrounds that are based on your ability points.

Background	Skills	Description
Acolyte	Insight Religion	These are all great, they give 1 intelligence-based skill, and others, either charisma or wisdom-related. I would give priority to Charisma ones, as they will help with dialogue rolls.
Guild Artisan	Insight Persuasion
Noble	History Persuasion
Sage	Arcana History	The most recommended pick as it comes with 2 intelligence-based skills.

Abilities

Now, let's take a look at the abilities of the Bladesinger build. Correct allocation will allow you to maximize the early gameplay and get good modifier bonuses.

The core mechanic to understand for ability points is that they give "ability modifiers" that apply to various skill checks. For example, Charisma works on Intimidation and persuasion checks. Wisdom on Survival or Animal Handling, and so on.

You get a higher ability modifier on even values - 10, 12, 14, etc. So keeping it on odd may be useless. However, there are various +1/2 modifiers in the game, specifically Auntie Ethel Hair or Feats that help round this up.

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	Not that relevant, you can either increase it with Elixir of Hill Giant Strength or just rely on Dexterity for finesse weapons.
Dexterity	16 (15+1)	One of the core abilities gives Armour Class, Initiative, and can act as a main weapon ability modifier.
Constitution	14	The Constitution will help with maintaining spell concentration and improving the HP pool.
Intelligence	17 (15+2) - With Auntie Ethel Hair 16 (14+2) - No Hair	The main spellcasting ability of Bladesinger gives an improved spell success chance.
Wisdom	10 - with Auntie Ethel Hair 12 - no hair	Just enough to remove the negative modifier for Wisdom.
Charisma	8	Sadly, in terms of combat performance, not that relevant. However, you can invest in it versus Wisdom if this is the main character.

Skills and Expertise

Overall, the skills should be impacted by your roleplaying and background decisions. However, you would still want those that will give you the best benefits. My recommendations are to pick those at which you have a high ability modifier or are useful in general:

• Arcana
• History
• Investigation
• Religion

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Bladesinging build to get you started. You can use it as a guideline because early games can be daunting and overwhelming. Later on, once you get a feel for the class, you can start picking your options.

Wizard Mechanics Disclaimer

As this build will heavily rely on Wizard, there are a few special mechanics to know before using it.

Scribing spells

One important aspect is that any spell scrolls you find can be learned. This consumes a scroll and some additional gold. As a result, the spell is added to the spellbook:

This means that you get those spells that you do not learn by leveling. Just wanted to tell you so that you would not be surprised in case the spells are talked about, and I did not suggest taking it.

Preparing Spells

The second stage, after you learn or scribe spells, is that you can then "prepare" them. This means that you have a limited number of spells active at a time.

This is a good thing as you can change them based on the situation outside of combat. For example, you will be fighting enemies that are weak to Fire. Just add Fireball​ or Wall of Fire. Fighting a large group of enemies, maybe include Glyph of Warding​ or Confusion​ to disable them.

Level 2

By this time, you should have landed in the Wilderness area already. The level-up gives some welcome improvements for your Bladesinger.

Subclass

Overview
Bladesinging
Features
Bladesong​	This core ability of this build is what gives all the meaty bonuses for melee playstyle.
Training in War and Song​	Gives proficiencies to the main weapons that the build uses.

Spells

I would finish the

Spells	Description
Witch Bolt​	Somewhat good early game spell, especially if enemies can get Wet​ from your allies.
Feather Fall​	An exploration utility spell to help land from high distances.

Level 3

The first level 2 spells are unlocked. You also gain some nice features that will be useful later on.

Level 2 Spells Recommendations

As a Wizard, you can obtain spells in a few ways, so it is hard to recommend the progression:

• Picking them in the leveling screen
• Scribing from the scrolls that you find or buy in the game.

Based on what you need or lack in the combat, you can prioritize these for different uses.

Core spells:

Spell	Description
Shadow Blade​	This is the most important spell to get with Bladesinger. The damage from it is staggering, and it will scale extremely well with higher-level spell slots.
Cloud of Daggers​	A solid spell for early game encounters. It can shred up grouped enemies and hit them twice - their turn, and yours. After level 5, it loses its potential, as the scaling and area effect are limited.
Hold Person​	For now, this spell can be situational. But it will serve you extremely well, later in the game, once you obtain some specific gear - Helmet of Arcane Acuity and Band of the Mystic Scoundrel. This effect guarantees critical hits, making Shadow Blade delete foes.

Additional Spells:

Spell	Description
Misty Step​	Extremely valuable spell to have on hand. Gives an easy way to move around the battlefield, to reach an enemy or escape.
Web​	Excellent early game control spell that can give an easy Advantage for you and allies.
Blindness​	The Blinded​ enemies are perfect targets for your allies as you get an easy Advantage against them.
Darkness​	It can be situationally useful if you have a Warlock with Devil's Sight​ or building a party around the darkness mechanic.
Mirror Image​	Excellent survivability spell that does not use Concentration, and allows you to avoid multiple hits.

Prepared Spells

Add the spells that you want to use or try. You can switch them out at any time. Be sure to add Shadow Blade.

Level 4

The 4th level unlocks the first feat for the build. This is generally a big improvement as it helps by providing stat improvement or unique effects.

Cantrips

Cantrip	Description
Minor Illusion​	It is my go-to recommendation. This cantrip can be extremely deadly, especially if used correctly to lure foes before combat.

Spells

Pick any of the level 2 recommended spells

Replace Spell

I would say nothing needs replacing yet.

Feat

Here you have a few options to choose from:

Feat	Description
Ability Improvement - +2 Intelligence	I think with both of these, you cannot go wrong. The intelligence bonus is great if you want to prioritize spellcasting capabilities, it also shines more in the later levels once you get Arcane Synergy​ effect from Diadem of Arcane Synergy or Ring of Arcane Synergy. I would also prioritize dexterity, especially now, if you are not using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.
Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity
Great Weapon Master: All In​	This feat is relevant if you decide to use Phalar Aluve for the early and mid-game. Later in Act 3, you will want to change to either Crimson Mischief or Shadow Blade, so it becomes irrelevant.

Level 5

Level 5 plays a pivotal role in most of the builds. You will get access to level 3 spells, which are very powerful and start unlocking the class's potential.

Level 3 Spells Recommendations

So, these spells I would say are game changers in terms of power play. Some of them can single-handedly change the encounter to your side, disable a group of foes, or instantly delete them.

Core Spells:

Spell	Description
Counterspell​	This spell is good on the Balanced and Tactician difficulties and mandatory on Honour Mode. It can save your run from a deadly enemy spell by fully cancelling it.
Lightning Bolt​	The lightning element spells are always mandatory in my spell arsenal. If enemies align perfectly and you have Wet​ applied on them, this will deal double damage. More or less, most of the non-boss enemies will be evaporated instantly.
Sleet Storm​	The spell is generally overlooked cause it doesn't deal any damage. But do not be fooled, it instantly Prone​ enemies, creates huge ice fields, creates Difficult Terrain,​ and more or less minimizes enemy movement and forces them to skip turns once they fall. A well-placed Sleet Storm​ can destroy enemies.
Hypnotic Pattern​	This spell is good now, but once you get access to Band of the Mystic Scoundrel it can be cast using a bonus action. This can disable a large group of foes, forcing them to do nothing and opening enemies to be dealt with instantly by your party members.

Additional Spells:

Spell	Description
Haste​	On one hand, this is a very powerful spell, on the other hand, it does have problems, like using Concentration and Potion of Speed is a cheaper alternative.
Glyph of Warding​	Versatile spell that can apply different elemental damage. The main problem is that its range is somewhat short. Glyph of Warding: Sleep​ is excellent for disabling multiple enemies at once.
Fireball​	Very popular spell with straightforward effect - large radius fire damage. I do recommend it, if you have a slot for it, but I think Lightning Bolt​ does a better job.
Slow​	This spell can be extremely useful in some boss fights later down the road. It lowers their number of actions, reduces AC giving, so needed bonuses for longer fights.
Fear​	Another powerful control spell that is especially effective against foes that use weapons. This leaves them outright defenseless and makes them flee.

Prepare Spells

With access to new spells, make sure to include Counterspell​ in the spellbook

Level 6

The level gives a big improvement that is needed to empower the Bladesinger build:

Feature	Description
Extra Attack​	A major uplift in the martial combat potential when in melee. Now your mainhand attack

Spells

Take any of the recommended spells that were suggested at level 5.

Prepare Spells

You can choose any of the newly picked spells or stay with the same ones.

Level 7

The new level unlocks level 4 spell slots, and a batch of new spells to learn for the Wizard.

Level 4 Spells for Leveling and Scribing

These spells are a good upgrade, but not as significant as level 3 ones. You will get some situationally good, but nothing that will be a game-changer. Learn these either through leveling or by obtaining scrolls.

Core Spells:

Spell	Description
Ice Storm​	I have a soft spot for this spell. It deals two types of damage, creates ice fields, applies control - everything that you need for many Act 2 encounters.
Confusion​	My favourite spell in the game with how it functions. It can disable large groups of enemies, does not target allies, and can be cast using a bonus action with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel.

Additional Spells:

Spell	Description
Dimension Door​	A very valuable spell to have on hand. It can help you and a companion move a long distance and reach targets or escape them.
Wall of Fire​	A somewhat good spell that can hit multiple times per turn, if enemies are forced to pass through it.
Greater Invisibility​	Mainly mentioning it here, as I don't think it is valuable alone. However, if you have something like a Gloomstalker Assassin build it can allow it to kill enemies even without entering combat.
Conjure Minor Elemental​	The spell can prove useful in some encounters, especially the Apostle of Myrkul fight late in Act 2, where every bit of support helps.

Prepare Spells

You can add any of the new spells; none of them are "mandatory".

Level 8

Learn more level 4 spells, and obtain an additional feat:

Spells

Learn any additional spells that you find relevant or useful.

Prepare Spells

Do any prepared spell changes that are needed.

Feat

There are a few relevant picks here:

Feat	Description
Savage Attacker​	As Shadow Blade​ should be becoming more and more the core of your combat, this feat will greatly improve its damage (30% on average).
Alert​	The feat can be useful, especially if no one in the party can take it. Having one member always going first and avoiding Surprised​ can mean an end to the Honour Mode run.

Level 9

A plethora of new level 5 spells can be learned, and additional Bladesong charges are added.

Spells

Good spell options are introduced. Learn them via leveling or through Scroll scribing.

Core Spells:

Spell	Description
Hold Monster​	This spell is an alternative to Hold Person​ against monsters. With Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, you can cast it using a bonus action. This will guarantee 100% critical hits and take your damage with Shadow Blade to the next level.
Cone of Cold​	If you have been using Wet​ + cold/lightning spell combos to any degree, this is an excellent addition to the spell list. It deals good damage and targets multiple foes.

Additional Spells:

Spell	Description
Conjure Elemental​	This spell allows to summoning of useful summons, like Conjure Elemental: Water Elemental,​ that works well with Wet​ condition. However, it also has some powerful summons if you upcast it with a level 6 spell slot (that you get at level 11) like Conjure Elemental: Water Myrmidon.
Telekinesis​	The spell can be cast multiple times and can be a source of control. Sadly, it only targets a single enemy, but you can throw them into chasms or water.

Prepare Spells

I would recommend adding Hold Monster; all the others are somewhat optional for now.

Level 10

A new feature is unlocked

Feature	Description
Song of Defence​	This can be a situationally good feature. In case an enemy might kill you, you can sacrifice some spell slots to reduce the damage and avoid being Downed​.

Cantrips

As most of the core aspects are covered, here are some suggestions:

Cantrip	Description
Friends​	It can help with dialogue checks, but it can make the enemy aggressive if you cancel the spell while near them.
Bone Chill​	The cantrip can be useful for the Apostle of Myrkul fight, if you have not done it yet.
Mage Hand​	Useful cantrip for exploration, or can be summoned to Throw​ items like potions or elixirs.

Spells

I covered most of the relevant level 5 spells in the previous level. Feel free to pick any of those, or any lower-tier ones.

Prepare Spells

Add/Remove spells that you might find relevant or useless to your playstyle.

Level 11

This level is an important one. It unlocks access to the most powerful spells in the game - level 6 spells.

Level 6 Spells for Leveling and Scribing

As wizard, you can learn all of these as you will get plenty of choices while leveling, and also you can scribe them. Sadly, with only 1 spell slot, their usage is limited. Still, you can use Arcane Recovery​ to restore it once per long rest.

Core spells:

Spells	Description
Globe of Invulnerability​	This one spell can make you invincible during its effect. It's excellent against numerous game bosses, where you can safely turtle away and chip them with your characters. After that, return to the globe.
Chain Lightning​	The strongest spell in the game in terms of damage. It hits 4 times, and with Wet​ this damage is doubled.

Additional spells:

Spells	Description
Wall of Ice​	It can be perfect to hit a well-stacked group of enemies with the wall effect and the ice particles. The problem is that it uses Concentration, limiting your other control spells.
Otto's Irresistible Dance​	The initial effect cannot be resisted. Enemies can only try to avoid it on the next turn via a Saving Throw.

Prepare Spells

My recommendation would be to add the Globe of Invulnerability​ instantly.

Level 12

The last level, third feat, and more spells to choose from.

Spells

Pick anything that you might be interested in having. Remember, you can scribe anything with scrolls, so no mistakes here.

Prepare Spells

Add final touches to your build

Feat

You have a few options to go here with:

Feats	Description
Sentinel: Vengeance​	This feat can indirectly grant you a free attack per turn. Just bring an ally or stay close to them to trigger this effect.
Ability Improvement	Going either +2 Intelligence or +2 Dexterity is the way to go if they are not yet maximized.
Alert​	It can be useful, but to be honest, if you have not picked it before, I would say it will not bring much purpose now.

That's it, the build is done!

Maximizing Ability Scores

Now, as the build progression is covered, there are a few aspects and important decisions you will have to make throughout the game. These will decide your final score for abilities.

Intelligence

1. 17 Intelligence - the base from character creation.
2. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Intelligence if you pick this choice.
3. Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Intelligence.
4. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Intelligence.

These will allow you to reach 22 natural Intelligence, which results in a +6 spellcasting modifier and improved Spell Save DC.

Dexterity

Dexterity also plays a vital role, in terms of maintaining initiative, armour class, but also being effective with Shadow Blade

1. 16 Dexterity - the base from character creation.
2. Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Dexterity, if you decide to pick this.

So you can end up with 16-18 dexterity, which is enough to go first in most game encounters, and maintain a healthy armour class.

Potions, Elixirs, and Consumables

Let's take a look at what consumables you can use to further empower the build.

Potions

As this is a spellsword build, you can use plenty of potion options

Consumable	Description
Potion of Speed	This is a very powerful potion. It gives an additional action point which can be used to cast a spell or attack. The activation is generally by drinking using a bonus action. However, you can stack together with party members and make one member Throw​ it on the ground, giving Hastened​ to everyone.
Potion of Invisibility	It can be used in two ways - the first one is to enter combat with a Surprised​ round, causing enemies to skip their turn. Another option is to leave combat if you see that it is not going in your favour.
Oil of Accuracy	The attack roll bonus is pretty good, which improves your success chances.
Diluted Oil of Sharpness	Helps with attack and damage rolls.

Elixirs

Unfortunately, only one Elixir can be active at a time. However, the good thing is that they last until a long rest, making them very useful and economical.

Be sure to activate them before combat, as otherwise, you will need to use Bonus Action.

Consumable	Description
Elixir of Bloodlust	The elixir gives an easy option to get an additional action point - just kill a foe. This can then be used to attack one more time or cast a full spell.
Elixir of Hill Giant Strength	As Shadow Blade can use either Strength or Dexterity, you can use this to maximize your combat effectiveness from early levels. This is optional, but perfect for those who want overpowering levels of combat potential. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.
Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength	The upgraded version of Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, gives the maximum possible strength value and makes the Shadow Blade have a higher hit chance and damage bonuses.
Elixir of Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
Elixir of Battlemage's Power	The bonus Arcane Acuity​ effect will help with landing spells, especially if you know you will use those a lot for this particular encounter.
Elixir of Peerless Focus	Another good choice that allows for better maintenance of spell Concentration.
Elixir of The Colossus	Provides bonus damage of 1d4 and some other good bonuses.
Elixir of Heroism	Boosts attack rolls by 1d4; this is good because Shadow Blade​ has no enchantment.
Superior Elixir of Arcane Cultivation	Grant's a single level 3 spell slot. It could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.
Supreme Elixir of Arcane Cultivation	Grant's a single level 4 spell slot. It could be useful in case you are preparing for a longer encounter.

Illithid Powers

This special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers.

At first, you can only use the base powers. As you move to Act 3, you will be able to unlock the outer ring powers, also called Elite.

Illithid Power	Type	Description
Favourable Beginnings	Base	Beneficial power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits with attack rolls.
Luck of the Far Realms​	Base	It's an easy way to ensure you land critical hits.
Cull the Weak​	Base	It can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Psionic Backlash​​	Base	A great way to weaponize your reaction before obtaining Counterspell.
Ability Drain​	Base	Decreases enemy ability score.
Shield of Thralls​	Base	Excellent option for bonus temporary HP. It can also apply Stunned on foes after it is destroyed.
Illithid Expertise​	Elite	It can be used to maximize the effectiveness of charisma-based skills, especially those relevant to the main character.
Black Hole​	Elite	Potent spell that can be used to pull enemies together. You can then follow up with area-of-effect spells or attacks. In general, it is a very effective action in the hands of any character.
Psionic Dominance​	Elite	It can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell. This is especially relevant as you will have a disadvantage on mental saving throws.
Freecast​	Elite	Remove the cost of spell slots or charges.

Equipment Recommendations

Now I would like to go through some gear recommendations to maximize the Bladesinging Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

Bladesinger can do both - attack with melee hits and cast spells. This poses some challenges. Before level 5, both of them are good picks. Shadow Blade​ does decent damage, but also spells like Cloud of Daggers, Magic Missile are good damage dealers.

My personal preference:

• Level 1-2 - Use the main staff with Magic Missile​ attacks
• Level 3-6 - use Shadow Blade​ and put it into main hand (if you cast less and want more melee combat) or off-hand (if you cast more spells, and want to attack with Off-Hand Attack (Melee)​).
• Level 6-10 - I lean more into Shadow Blade​ as Extra Attack​ helps a lot. Still, spellcasting is a powerful option.
• Level 10+ - with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, you can use Shadow Blade​ in main hand and cast illusion/enchantment spells with bonus action.

Act 1

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	Can be summoned every long rest by casting Shadow Blade​ from level 3.
	Knife of the Undermountain King	A solid stat stick weapon, giving an increased chance of critical hits.
	Phalar Aluve	This weapon can be wielded in both hands. It is useful due to Phalar Aluve: Melody,​ which allows you to buff your allies in terms of damage or attack rolls. If using it, I would recommend taking Elixir of Hill Giant Strength + Great Weapon Master: All In​ for a big damage boost in the early game.
	Hunter's Dagger	It can be dual-wielded with Shadow Blade. The main point is the Ruptured​ effect, which damages enemies while they move.
	Any +1 weapon	Get any weapon with +1 enchantment or with the highest damage rolls - Rapier, Longsword, Staff, etc., before you obtain Shadow Blade.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat.
	Gandrel's Aspiration	Gives easy Advantage against monstrosities, for all weapon attacks.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	Excellent headwear that gives Arcane Synergy. You can easily trigger it with Booming Blade.
	Haste Helm	Improves movement speed, allowing one to reach important targets easily, early in the game.
Cloak	The Deathstalker Mantle	Accessible if you are Dark Urge.
Armor	The Graceful Cloth	I think this is the best Act 1 armour, as it gives +2 Dexterity, which translates into multiple benefits. Make sure to cast Mage Armour​ on yourself.
	Spidersilk Armour	The main problem with Bladesinging is that you are limited to Cloth or Light Armour. This leaves you with not that many options in Act 1. If using cloth, remember to apply Mage Armour.
	The Protecty Sparkswall
Gloves	Gloves of Baneful Striking	Gives an easy way to apply Baneful Strike,​ which enables your casters (or yourself) to increase the chance of spell success.
	Gloves of Dexterity	A decent source of higher Dexterity and a bonus to attack rolls. In a sense, this is +1 to AC (as you already have 16 Dexterity) and +1 to attack rolls boost. You can also respec and dump dexterity to 8, but these gloves are only useful until you reach a major settlement in Act 2.
	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Pretty good gloves as they give an easy Advantage, however, Shadow Blade already provides it on Lightly Obscured​ targets, so the benefit is marginal in my opinion.
	Wondrous Gloves	Gives additional armour class for survivability.
	Gloves of Missile Snaring	Defensive gloves against ranged attacks.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	One of the best boots in the game with all the bonuses and easy use of Misty Step.
	Boots of Stormy Clamour	The boots can easily apply Reverberation​ via Booming Blade. Still, these might be taken by the Cleric if you have one in the group.
	Linebreaker Boots	These boots can be combined with Expeditious Retreat​ spell to get a damage boost from Wrath. This is especially good if you want to embrace the melee combat.
	Boots of Genial Striding	Allows movement without limits on Difficult Terrain.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	If you can acquire it, this can be the best amulet option for most of the game.
	Amulet of Misty Step	Gives a free Misty Step,​ which greatly improves your mobility.
Rings	Ring of Arcane Synergy	Use this ring or Diadem of Arcane Synergy. The Arcane Synergy​ effect is easy to activate with Booming Blade.
	Ring of Protection	Bonus armour for survivability.
	Caustic Band	Improves damage on each hit.
	Crusher's Ring	Movement speed boost, which is especially important in some big area fights in Act 1.

Act 2 - mid-game

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	Continues to be the best weapon
	Knife of the Undermountain King	If you are up for dual-wielding, especially early on, this can be a decent off-hand pick. Still, I prefer the shield at this time in the game.
	Phalar Aluve	I think this weapon can still play a significant role even in Act 2. The buff is significant for many of the fights here.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	The bonus initiative still plays a major role
	Darkfire Shortbow	Allows casting Haste.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	Still serves as the best headwear in terms of damage boost. If another character is using it, an alternative is Ring of Arcane Synergy.
	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	Allows stacking Arcane Acuity​ for increased Spell Save DC. This allows casting spells with a higher success chance.
	Covert Cowl	It can give a marginal boost to damage with a decrease in critical hit rolls.
	Fistbreaker Helm	A distant option to improve Spell Save DC and initiative. I would say this is a low priority and would rather use this on a dedicated caster.
Cloak	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Studded Leather Armour +2	It can be obtained late in Act 2, once you reach level 9. Solid armor, the main draw is its decent 15 Armour Class.
	Moon Devotion Robe	I will be called evil for recommending it. Still, this is a great armor with a Constitution Saving throw advantage and a free Lunar Bulwark.
	Shadeclinger Armour	The advantage to saving throws is usually overlooked. Still, this is an excellent bonus, enabling better spell and various effects resistance.
Gloves	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	All of these gauntlets are great options as they give a permanent damage rider. Just choose which damage you prefer - fire or necrotic.
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets
	Gloves of Battlemage's Power	The gloves can be useful to get Arcane Acuity​ with Shadow Blade attack.
	Braindrain Gloves	Can be excellent gloves for weakening foes, sadly, in terms of damage, they provide minimal improvements, and they are obtained at the end of Act 2.
Boots	Evasive Shoes	Gives +1 Armour Class, which is a significant survivability boost.
	-	Boots from Act 1 are still extremely good.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	Continues to be the best amulet in terms of damage boost.
	Amulet of the Harpers	Excellent pick with Shield​ spell, without using your spell slots.
	Periapt of Wound Closure	Excellent amulet that can help in tight situations when you are Downed.
Rings	Strange Conduit Ring	In terms of damage, this is one of the best rings. The main problem is that you might not have Concentration active all the time. If that is the case, check other ring options.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	A very good ring that inherits damage from your weapon and works especially well in Act 2.
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	Can be easily activated thanks to Booming Blade​ on the first attack. Use this ring or Diadem of Arcane Synergy.
	Caustic Band	Still good options from Act 1 that prove useful, especially in the first hours.
	Ring of Protection	Provides +1 Armour Class to avoid hits.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	The creme-de-la-creme of the build, it gets ridiculously powerful with level 5 spell slots, add Resonance Stone, and you get double damage.
	Crimson Mischief	Another weapon option if you want an alternative to Shadow Blade. This deals a lot of piercing damage, so using it together with Bhaalist Armour is mandatory.
	Duellist's Prerogative	Another weapon that can be used together with Bhaalist Armour. However, you should keep the off-hand empty to get all the benefits from it.
	Drakethroat Glaive	Only used to buff your main weapon with Draconic Elemental Weapon.
Melee (Off-Hand)	Belm	The goal is to equip Belm in off-hand, which gives Perfectly Balanced Strike​ and fully replicates main-hand weapon damage. The distant second option is Rhapsody with its Scarlet Remittance​ effect.
	Rhapsody
	Dolor Amarus	The dagger's critical damage bonus applies even if you are not attacking with it. You can easily guarantee critical hits with Hold Person​/Hold Monster.
Ranged	Vicious Shortbow	The ultimate bow for a stat stick. It gives a special effect, which inflicts additional critical damage with any weapon hit. You can easily guarantee critical hits with Hold Person​/Hold Monster.
	Hellrider Longbow	The bonus initiative is an excellent boost to go early in combat. If it is not a surprise round, it is almost guaranteed. I would only use this if you are concentrating on melee attacks and spell casting.
	Bow of Awareness	The +1 initiative is still good.
Head	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	Hands down the best helmet, works extremely well with Band of the Mystic Scoundrel. You pump up Arcane Acuity, making your spell success chance very high. After that, follow up with a bonus action for instant success!
	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	In case the other options are taken or you have not acquired them. Use this or Ring of Arcane Synergy.
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement	It provides an increased chance of avoiding enemy attacks with attack rolls.
Armor	Armour of Landfall	This is a solid armor, which is more intended for a pure caster. Still, I think it is relevant for Bladesinger with bonuses to Spell Save DC, and Advantage on Constitution Saves. This allows for better management of spell concentration.
	Bhaalist Armour	The armor serves a few purposes. First, it has a good armour class and gives an initiative bonus. However, the highlight is Aura Of Murder, which gives piercing vulnerability, making your archers deal double damage. On top of that, if you decide to use items that proc on Condition, like Diadem of Arcane Synergy, this results in instant activation. I also like this armour because, on the fly, you can switch to something like Crimson Mischief when you are fighting Steel Watchers.
	Robe of Supreme Defences	Improves spell concentration as you get a bonus to saving throws.
Gloves	Legacy of the Masters	The top gloves for martial builds, which rely on hitting with weapons. They add a bonus to attack rolls and damage.
	Craterflesh Gloves	These gloves can be ridiculously overpowered if you can guarantee critical hits.
	Helldusk Gloves	Gives additional fire damage and slightly boosts Spell Save DC.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	These remain the best boots in terms of their usefulness and various bonuses
	-	Boots from previous acts.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	In terms of offensive power, it is the best option.
	Amulet of The Devout	Gives +2 Spell Save DC, which is a significant bonus. However, this might be in demand by your cleric or other casters.
	Amulet of Greater Health	Increase HP and gives an advantage on Constitution saves. It works extremely well with Helmet of Grit for an additional bonus action
	Fey Semblance Amulet	Can be used to negate the effect of Resonance Stone.
	-	Options from previous acts
Rings	Band of the Mystic Scoundrel	I would say this is the best pick and almost mandatory. It will help you to cast spells like Hold Person, Hold Monster, and Hypnotic Pattern​ with just a bonus action. So you can freely attack, build up Arcane Acuity,​ and land a spell to disable multiple foes.
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	This ring is an alternative to Diadem of Arcane Synergy and helps improve damage by applying Arcane Synergy.
	Strange Conduit Ring	These rings are the best picks in terms of pure damage, as they deal psychic damage and will work well with Resonance Stone. Just remember to use the Concentration spell to activate Strange Conduit Ring.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	Deals additional damage that is inherited from your weapon. This does require the weapon to be Lightly Obscured, which is easy to achieve.
	Ring of Regeneration	Can work together with Broodmother's Revenge to apply the poison effect automatically during combat.
	Ring of Protection	Gives additional protection for improved survivability. I do think this has very low priority, as Bladesong​ already gives plenty.

Battlemage Setup with 2 bonus actions:

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-Handed)	Shadow Blade	The creme-de-la-creme of the build, it gets ridiculously powerful with level 5 spell slots, add Resonance Stone, and you get double damage.
Melee (Off-Hand)	Belm	The goal is to equip Belm in off-hand, which gives Perfectly Balanced Strike​ and fully replicates main-hand weapon damage. The distant second option is Rhapsody with its Scarlet Remittance​ effect.
Head	Helmet of Grit	This item can be used together with Amulet of Greater Health + Great Weapon Master: All In​ + Belm, to have 2 usable bonus action points with the main weapon.
Gloves	Gloves of Battlemage's Power	These can help you to obtain more Arcane Acuity​ for improved spell success chance.
Amulet	Amulet of Greater Health	Increase HP and gives an advantage on Constitution saves. It works extremely well with Helmet of Grit for an additional bonus action
Rings	Band of the Mystic Scoundrel	I would say this is the best pick and almost mandatory. It will help you to cast spells like Hold Person, Hold Monster, and Hypnotic Pattern​ with just a bonus action. So you can freely attack, build up Arcane Acuity,​ and land a spell to disable multiple foes.
	Ring of Arcane Synergy	The ring will be the source of the Arcane Synergy​ buff.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Bladesinging Build. This will help you utilize it to the fullest and correctly use various actions and spells throughout the game.

Important Mechanics and Combos

Let's go through key mechanics and tips on how to use the build effectively.

Scribing spells

One important aspect is that any spell scrolls you find can be learned. This consumes a scroll and some additional gold. As a result, the spell is added to the spellbook:

This means that you get those spells that you do not learn by leveling. Just wanted to tell you so that you would not be surprised in case the spells are talked about, and I did not suggest taking it.

Preparing Spells

The second stage, after you learn or scribe spells, is that you can then "prepare" them. This means that you have a limited number of spells active at a time.

This is a good thing as you can change them based on the situation outside of combat. For example, you will be fighting enemies that are weak to Fire. Just add Fireball​ or Wall of Fire. Fighting a large group of enemies, maybe include Glyph of Warding​ or Confusion​ to disable them.

Spell Slot Restoration

As a wizard, you get a neat mechanic that is generally forgotten or overlooked. It's nothing overpowered, but it can help maintain spell slots. This is Arcane Recovery, which allows you to restore spell slots.

I generally use it after a long rest, once I cast Mage Armour, Shadow Blade,​ and restore those lost spell slots. If I do not do that early, I generally forget it, and it is left unused.

Understanding Shadow Blade effectiveness

So Shadow Blade​ spell that you learn at level 3 is a major game-changer to the Bladesinging playstyle. You have a powerful magic weapon at your disposal from the early game. It gives an easy advantage on Lightly Obscured​ enemies, making it easy to hit them.

The overlooked aspect is its ability modifier. It can be both strength and dexterity, because it is a finesse weapon. This means that you have a few options to maximize your hit chance. Here is how you can maximize it:

• High Dexterity
• Elixir of Hill Giant Strength with 21 Strength from the early game
• Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength - fixed 23 strength.

So, based on your setup, you can choose which one you will go with.

Maximum Damage with Shadow Blade

Shadow Blade​ is a very powerful spell, and this enables you to use this unique psychic weapon. It has various ways to boost this type of damage throughout the game. Of course, some enemies are immune to it, so that might be a problem, but otherwise, your party members can cover for that:

• Strange Conduit Ring - gives 1d4 psychic damage bonus
• Shadow-Cloaked Ring - inherits the damage type of the weapon.
• Diadem of Arcane Synergy/Ring of Arcane Synergy - gives Arcane Synergy,​ which directly improves weapon damage
• Resonance Stone - doubles psychic damage. You heard that right, this doubles the damage, allowing one hit kill almost all grunt enemies.

Problems with Shadow Blade

Shadow Blade is very strong, and with multiple dice rolls, this is the perfect weapon for scaling throughout the game. However, there is one overlooked problem that you may encounter.

Many people run cleric or other revorb builds that apply Radiating Orb. This means that enemy becomes illuminated and an easy Advantage from the weapon is no more. Shadow Blade also has no weapon enchantment, meaning it does not give any bonuses to attack rolls.

This is not a huge problem, but you might be surprised why sometimes the hit rate goes down. Usually, this can be easily addressed with other effects like Bless​ or Blinded.

Minor Illusion to control enemies

On the other hand, you can also use something like Minor Illusion​ to pull enemies together, change their vision cones, and attack with the same spell, but hit all of them. This is a very powerful cantrip that can be overlooked.

First, it does not break Invisibility or stealth (unless you get seen). Second, enemies, when not in combat, will chase it, meaning they will change their vision direction. Third, on most occasions, they will come closer to investigate the illusion.

This creates various opportunities like landing a powerful Area of Effect spell from a caster or scrolls, or hitting with wide attacks.

Cold/Lightning with Wet ultimate combo

One setup to not overlook, and which I emphasize throughout the progression, is Wet​ + lightning/cold spells. Bladesinger does not get Create Water,​ which is, in one sense, problematic, as you have to use other means to do that.

One of the popular options is to drop Water from your inventory (which doesn't consume an action) close to the enemies. Then attack it with Off-Hand Attack (Melee)​. This applies Wet​ and opens up to attack them with your spells.

However, my sensible recommendation is to have either a Cleric, Druid, or any multiclass of these that can cast Create Water​. This simplifies things exponentially and makes the whole combo feel more natural.

For example, in my recent run, I used Bladesinger together with Abjuration Wizard, which made for a perfect duo setup. The Abjuration caster would apply wet, forcing enemies to hit them, and the Bladesinger could finish them with Lightning Bolt.

Psychic Damage problems

Some enemies, specifically in Act 3, have psychic immunity (looking at you Steel Watcher). This is kind of a problem, but there are ways to deal with that.

First, there are story decisions that allow you not to fight them, but this kind of limits you.

Another option is to carry some alternative weapons, specifically with piercing damage like  Shar's Spear of Evening, Nyrulna, Duellist's Prerogative, and equip Bhaalist Armour when needed. This is not perfect, but well, that's the only decent choice that you have.

Early Game Combat

Let's cover how you should progress through combat levels 1-6.

• For very early Magic Missile​ is your go-to option, 100% hit chance makes it easy to eliminate beginning enemies.
• Use Longstrider, Mage Armour, and Shadow Blade​​ to prebuff yourself after each long rest.
• Use Arcane Recovery​ to recover spell slots that you use on prebuffing
• Once you get Bladesong,​ use it to improve the Armour Class and mobility. For now, you have a limited amount, but as you level up, it will increase.
• Use Off-Hand Attack (Melee)​ to utilize a bonus action for an additional weapon attack.
• Once you get Shadow Blade,​ this is your go-to spell for weapon attacks.
• Booming Blade​ is best used on the initial attack, when you have Extra Attack. It will deal a decent amount of damage, and is free to use.
• Cloud of Daggers​ is a perfect spell to hit enemies that are stacked close together.
• At level 5, once you get Lightning Bolt,​ try to combo it on Wet​ enemies for maximum damage.

Mid to Late Game Combat

The mid and late-game setup unlocks more potential and options for Bladesinger.

• With Extra Attack,​ you should start relying more on your Shadow Blade.
• Be sure to activate Arcane Synergy​ from Diadem of Arcane Synergy or Ring of Arcane Synergy via Booming Blade​ initial attack.
• Utilize spells like Ice Storm​ or Sleet Storm​ to apply battlefield control.
• If enemies are Wet,​ use Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold,​ or Chain Lightning​ to evaporate them
• Globe of Invulnerability​ is your go-to spell in many of the endgame encounters as a safe spot.
• Once you get Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, you can use a bonus action to cast spells like Hypnotic Pattern, Hold Person, etc., to disable foes and make the fights very easy.
• If you use Belm be sure to activate Perfectly Balanced Strike​ for a bonus action attack using your main weapon stats.
• In some fights, enemies might be resistant to Shadow Blade psychic damage. Use spells or other weapons like Crimson Mischief.

Build Variations

Here are some variations that work similarly and utilize the same classes at their core.

Setup	Description
10 Bladesinger 2 Paladin	Excellent variation that offers Divine Smite​ for a large stack of radiant damage, to annihilate foes. You do get 1 less feat, but this might have minimal impact.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Bladesinger Build for Baldur's Gate 3. It is a truly amazing archetype and playstyle, offering high mobility, survivability, spellcasting, and weapon attacks, all in a simple and concise package. The wizard spell scirbing offers it unlimited versatility both in combat and while exploring.

Cheers!