Two-Hander Eldritch Knight Build - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Two-Handed Eldritch Knight Build

Eldritch Knight, with the introduction of Booming Blade,​ became one of the top choices for this kind of build. At level 11, it can easily land 4 attacks with War Magic, in most cases destroying any kind of enemy positions or greatly weakening them. To further empower your combat capabilities, Action Surge​ is always there.

The class does offer some interesting aspects, like spellcasting, specifically Shield,​ which increases the chance of avoiding enemy attacks. Moreover, you get other survivability spells like Mirror Image,​ and together, these are an excellent way to soak damage from enemy attacks.

Of course, if you stock up on scrolls, Eldritch Knight can be an effective spellcaster all thanks to the Eldritch Strike. The weakened enemies are perfect targets for Scroll of Hold Monster or Scroll of Hold Person, which then ensures that all of your attacks are critical hits. This allows for reaching some ridiculous damage numbers...

So let's jump into the build!

Class Contribution

The build does have variations, whether it is a pure or multiclass build. I do see merit in some variations to ensure that you can freely use all of the capabilities.

12 Eldritch Knight

• Whooping 4 feats, to customize the build based on your preferences.
• Second Wind​ for an easy heal when the situation requires, works well in the early game, where bonus action usage is limited.
• One of the simplest and most powerful actions in the game - Action Surge, giving a full action point that works with Extra Attack.
• Weapon Bond is a nice feature that forces the weapon to return to hand if dropped.
• Access to up to level 2 wizard spell list. These are great spell options, like Shield​ or Mirror Image, to improve defensive capabilities.
• Extra Attack​ and Improved Extra Attack​ for 3 attacks on the main action point, this is the highest number of any class.
• A free action Indomitable, which allows you to reroll a saving throw in case you fail it.
• The main highlight is the ability to attack with a bonus action using Booming Blade​ + War Magic, without needing much effort.
• Semi spellcaster setup, with the passive Eldritch Strike,​ you can cast spells (be it normal ones or scrolls) to highly increase your chances of landing them.

Synergy with other builds

Eldritch Knight, as a fighter can fit in any standard party composition. Its power comes from the reliability of landing multiple attacks, which will either kill an enemy or leave them with low health. They can also do some spellcasting, so they can be adjusted to almost any party.

Controllers

Almost any party can benefit from good controllers that use Hold Person, Glyph of Warding: Sleep,​ or Hold Monster. They guarantee a 100% critical chance and allow you to maximize the whole group's damage. As a Two-Hander EK with 8 attacks on Nova round, and all of them being critical hits, you can vaporize any foe.

• Fire Sorcerer - one of the most reliable builds for this type of setup, with Hat of Fire Acuity + Scorching Ray​ to build Arcane Acuity. After that, use the control spell witha  100% success chance.
• Lorecerer - similar to Fire Sorcerer, can use the same combo and can easily apply total control. Sadly, it is just limited to Hold Person and Glyph of Warding.
• Spellsword build - Sorcadin, Bardadin, Swords Bard Archer is the standard option for spellsword controllers. Also, other caster-related builds- Lore Bard or even Arcane Trickster with access to unlimited scrolls.
• Eldritch Knight by itself can act as a controller, as you get access to Hold Person. For monsters, use Scroll of Hold Monster. To make this effective, you will need Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, which allows for bonus action casting. Still, I think this is not as good in terms of damage, as EK can use its bonus action for effective weapon attacks.

Piercing party

The Eldritch Knight's best armour is Bhaalist Armour, which not only improves its damage but also anyone else who uses piercing weapons - spears, daggers, shortswords, and ranged weapons:

• For Archers - Arcane Archer, Swords Bard Archer
• Thrower builds - Eldritch Knigh Thrower, Berserker Thrower
• Melee martials with piercing weapons - Bardadin, Battle Master, Sorcadin, Bladelock

So if you have an Eldritch Knight with a piercing weapon, and another party member also using this damage type, the results will speak for themselves, as you will be able to easily kill any foe with double damage.

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	Fighter 1	Fighting Style: Defence​
		Abilities: Natural Strength setup: STR - 17 (15+2), DEX - 14, CON - 10, INT - 16 (15+1), WIS - 8, CHA - 8 Strength Elixir setup: STR - 8, DEX - 16 (15+1), CON - 14, INT - 17(15+2), WIS - 8, CHA - 8
		Skills: Intimidation, Athletics, Acrobatics
2	Fighter 2	-
3	Fighter 3	Subclass: Eldritch Knight
		Cantrips: Booming Blade, Friends​
		Spells: Shield, any
		Expanded: Expeditious Retreat​
4	Fighter 4	Spells: Protection from Evil and Good​
		Feat: Great Weapon Master: All In​
		Replace Spell: unused spell -> Longstrider​
5	Fighter 5	-
6	Fighter 6	Feat: Savage Attacker​ or Ability Improvement - +2 Strength
7	Fighter 7	Spells: Darkness​
8	Fighter 8	Expanded: Mirror Image​
		Feat: Savage Attacker, Athlete: Standing Up​ - +1 Strength, Alert​
9	Fighter 9	Replace Spell: any unused spell -> Misty Step​
10	Fighter 10	Cantrips: any
		Spells: any
11	Fighter 11	Spells: any
12	Fighter 12	Replace Spell: any spell you don't use -> Hold Person​
		Feat: Ability Improvement - +2 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 Two-Handed Eldritch Knight 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
Half-Orc	Savage Attacks​ Relentless Endurance​ Darkvision​	The half-orc features are a good addition for this kind of build, where you will engage in frontline combat. The instant resurrection and bonus critical damage will help immensely.
Wood Half-Elf	Civil Militia Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	The improved movement speed from this race is one of the best passive features to help reach targets on melee builds.
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.
Gale	Civil Militia​ Human Versatility​	If you want to transition into the Eldritch Hexknight Build, Gale is one of the best origins for this playthrough, as he gets a level 3 spell slot, which allows upcasting Shadow Blade.

Class

Overview
Fighter
Features
Second Wind​	You can use this to heal yourself in tight encounters, to get a little bit more of survivability.

Fighting Style

Style	Description
Defence​	Effective stat boost compared to other fighting style options, as a result, improving armour class.

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 high-value ability points - Strength, Intelligence.

Abilities

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

I would like to go through two setups - Natural Strength and Elixir Setup, choose the one that fits best what you are doing and what results you want:

Natural Strength Setup

This one is for those who want to avoid consuming Elixir of Hill Giant Strength every long rest and are okay with less "optimal stats":

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	17 (15+2)	The base stat that is relevant for weapon damage.
Dexterity	14	These two stats somewhat intertwine. With high strength, the build is limited by ability points. As a Fighter, you will not be concentrating on spells a lot, so I do not see 14 Constitution as mandatory. However, 14 Dexterity gives more options for armour and increases initiative. Going early in combat allows you to inflict damage or even kill enemies.
Constitution	10
Intelligence	16	So, Intelligence will play an important role, later on, once you get Diadem of Arcane Synergy as this will activate Arcane Synergy​ and improve your damage. However, as the item will be obtained at about level 6-7, you can just put these points into Wisdom or Constitution, which are better investments at this stage. Nonetheless, leaving it at 16 for simplicity will not have any major negative aspects.
Wisdom	8	With limited options for stat allocation, Wisdom is left at 8.
Charisma	8	Not relevant stat.

Strength elixir and Strength gloves setup

This is a more optimal setup, and makes this type of build shine from early on. In Act 1, after you reach the first settlement - Druid's Grove. There, you can stock up on powerful elixirs for Acts 1 and 2 - Elixir of Hill Giant Strength from a specific vendor, Auntie Ethel.

What do they do? They increase the Strength to 21 until a Long rest. More or less, this negates any need to have an investment in Strength if you plan to use it till the late game. This enables a better stat split and maximizing combat potential early on.

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	Strength becomes irrelevant.
Dexterity	16 (15+1)	Helps with initiative and gives a boost to the armor class when wearing medium armor.
Constitution	14	Helps with a higher health pool. Depending on your priorities, you can set it to 16.
Intelligence	17 (15+2) - with Auntie Ethel Hair +1 Intelligence 16 - no hair	Later, you will obtain Diadem of Arcane Synergy, which allows you to use the spellcasting modifier for bonus damage.
Wisdom	10 - with Auntie Ethel Hair +1 Strength 12 - no hair	This will remove the negative modifier against Wisdom Saving Throws.
Charisma	8	Not relevant for the build

Later in the game, once you reach the second part of Act 3, you can obtain Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength, which set strength to 23, and opens up an elixir slot. This simplifies the setup further and makes the build even stronger.

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:

• Intimidation
• Acrobatics
• Athletics

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Two Hander EK 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.

Level 2

By this time, you should have landed on the Ravaged beach already. The Fighter gives good features from the very start:

Feature	Description
Action Surge​	The iconic action of a fighter is extremely popular for its simplicity and effectiveness. You get additional action with full bonuses from Extra Attack.

Level 3

This level brings the important choice of subclass

Subclass

Overview
Eldritch Knight
Features
Weapon Bond​	Your weapon cannot be knocked out from the hand and returns when thrown.

Cantrips

You can choose two options. Here are my suggestions:

Cantrips	Description
Booming Blade​	One of the core cantrips that later will deal additional damage, and provides an easy way to activate War Magic​ each turn.
Friends​	Although risky to use, it can help immensely with dialogue checks, which are important. Do not cancel the cantrip near the target NPC, as they will attack you. Move away before doing that.

Spells

I recommend concentrating on utility spells rather than offensive or control ones, which will have limited effectiveness.

Spells	Description
Shield​	One of the best level 1 spells, giving a high boost to armour class to help with avoiding attacks.
Any	Take any of the other spells; it does not matter much, it will be replaced next level

Expanded

Spells	Description
Expeditious Retreat​	Can be used together with Linebreaker Boots for a slight damage boost.

Level 4

Level 4 brings a new feat, slightly improving the build capabilities

Spells

Spells	Description
Protection from Evil and Good​	The only other spell in the list that makes sense for the setup and the build.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
The spell that was preivously taken	Longstrider​	Excellent utility spell, that can also be applied to other party members and even summons.

Feat

Feat	Description
Great Weapon Master: All In​	One of the best feats for two-handed weapons. First, it gives a bonus attack using a bonus action if you kill an enemy or land a critical hit. Second, it gives a big 10 damage boost, which comes with a -5 penalty to attack rolls. I recommend checking my guide on Attack Roll Increase, to get ideas on how to easily overcome this penalty.

Level 5

The level gives an important feature for a melee build:

Feature	Description
Extra Attack	Can make an additional free attack after making a hit with your main action point.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace

Level 6

The second feat is already being unlocked as a special feature of the fighter, compared to other classes

Replace Spell

Feel free to make any adjustments if needed.

Feat

Feat	Description
Savage Attacker​	This is the best option in terms of damage boost if going with the Elixir of Hill Giant Strength setup.
Ability Improvement - +2 Strength	The best pick for those with a Natural strength setup, which improves the main damage stat.

Level 7

A new subclass feature is unlocked:

Feature	Description
War Magic​	This is the main highlight of why you would take Eldritch Knight. With Booming Blade,​ you will have a very easy of activating additional bonus action attack in case Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​ doesn't activate.

Spells

To be fair, none of these spells matter much for what the build is aiming. The most relevant one would be:

Spells	Description
Darkness​	In case you have a darkness party that has Blinded​ immunity, this spell can be a decent option for covering more of the field. Still, you are more motivated to hit with a weapon, so only use this either before combat or when Hastened.
Any	Take any spell

Replace Spell

Sadly, no level 2 replacements yet

Level 8

Good level 2 spell options become available, and a new feat is accessible

Expanded

Feat	Description
Mirror Image​	Excellent defensive spell, which gives increased Armour Class for a limited number of hits.

Another spell could be Shadow Blade,​ but I have a separate variation of this build to utilize it.

Feat

For the third feat, the options are situational depending on your picks:

Feat	Description
Savage Attacker​	This is a priority if you did not get it
Athlete: Standing Up​	​A perfect option if you didn't get Auntie Ethel's Hair for +1 Strength. This helps you to round up the strength modifier.
Alert​	Excellent feat for ensuring that you are immune to Surprised​ and can start nice and early in combat sequence.

Level 9

An additional feature is unlocked for the Fighter class:

Feature	Description
Indomitable​	Greatly improves chances of succeeding in Saving Throws, minimizing the impact of various actions and spells.

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Any spell that you rarely use	Misty Step​	Gives a significant mobility boost, in case you are not able to reach targets.

Level 10

This level unlocks another Eldritch Knight feature:

Feature	Description
Eldritch Strike​	This is an excellent feature, even if you don't plan on using it heavily. In some cases, with applied disadvantage and the landing of Scroll of Hold Monster will easily win an encounter.

Cantrips

The build should be fully melee, and by this stage, it does not matter which cantrip you take

Spells

Feel free to take any spell, none of them has a major impact.

Level 11

This level is a big stepping stone, making the fighter one of the strongest martial builds:

Feature	Description
Improved Extra Attack​​	Now, a third attack can be used, tripling your base damage. Especially in the late game, where you have multiple sources of additional damage, this will stack up for easy kills against most foes.

Spells

Take any spell

Level 12

Nothing major on this level, just a few choices to round up and finish the build

Replace Spell

Remove Spell	Add Spell	Description
Any spell that you rarely use	Hold Person​​	A decent spell to have in the arsenal, especially with the Eldritch Strike​ effect.

Feat

Feat	Description
Ability Improvement - +2 Intelligence	With access to Arcane Synergy,​ this is an excellent way to boost your weapon damage.
Previous feats	Any feats from the previous levels suggestions.

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.

Natural Setup

Strength

So this ability score is quite important, and as we talked already, there are a few main ways to maximize it

1. 17 Strength - the base from character creation.
2. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Strength if you pick this choice.
3. Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Strength.
4. Act 2 - Potion of Everlasting Vigour - +2 Strength.
5. Feat 2 - if not taken Auntie Ethel Hair, then you can take Athlete: Standing Up​ and get +1 Strength
6. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Strength.

This results in 24 Strength, with +7 modifier, which can only be higher with Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength.

Intelligence

• 16 Intelligence - the base from character creation.
• Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Intelligence.

This results in a +4 modifier, which is a good value for spellcasting and Arcane Synergy​.

Hill Giant Elixir and item setup

Strength

For the early game, just use Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, and in Act 3, switch it with Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength and have strength set to 23. This is still a good value and makes the setup very easy, without worrying about any feats or other variables.

Intelligence

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

The total is result is 22 Intelligence with +6 modifier, a very good value both for casting spells via scrolls and Arcane Synergy​ damage bonus

Potions, Elixirs, and Consumables

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

Potions

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.
Oil of Accuracy	The attack roll bonus is pretty good, which improves your chances of hitting.
Diluted Oil of Sharpness	Helps with attack and damage rolls.
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.
Terazul	Gives Hastened​ and stacks with other sources of it. This is a late-game consumable.

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	With the elixir, you can skip any strength investment by drinking it after each long rest. This simplifies the build and gives a significant combat performance boost. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.
Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength	Improved version of Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, which can be temporarily used until you obtain Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength in Act 3.
Elixir of Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even Surprised​ mechanics.
Elixir of The Colossus	Provides bonus damage of 1d4 and some other good bonuses.
Elixir of Heroism	Boosts attack rolls by 1d4; this is a good boost to increase the likelihood of landing attacks.

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, especially good with Divine Smite.
Cull the Weak​	Base	It can help to kill an enemy faster if it is left with a few HP.
Psionic Backlash​​	Base	Excellent way to deal additional damage with reaction, early and mid game.
Ability Drain​	Base	Decreases enemy ability score, free use, so worth getting it.
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.
Psionic Dominance​	Elite	It can be used to save yourself from a deadly spell.
Freecast​	Elite	Allows for freely casting a spell without resource limitation.

Equipment Recommendations

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

Act 1

Act 1 is pretty generous with weapon options, so choose based on what you prefer:

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Unseen Menace	Gives a very easy advantage option, greatly increasing hit chance.
	Svartlebee's Woundseeker	One of the best early game weapons with a boost to attack rolls against enemies that have already received damage.
	Larethian's Wrath	Excellent sword, which has a powerful Razor Gale​ action, easily hitting multiple foes in its cone.
	Sword of Justice	A solid greatsword option with special shield action.
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	One of the best headwear for pure weapon damage increase.
	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	Adamantine Splint Armour	One of the best Heavy armor choices, with solid Armour Class, Reeling​ debuff, and damage reduction.
	Githyanki Half Plate	The starting armor that is surprisingly good is worn by Lae'zel. It gets +2 Armor Class from at least 14 Dexterity.
Gloves	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Gives easy advantage on attacks, making it an easy choice to counteract the effects of Great Weapon Master: All In​ penalty to attack rolls.
	Gloves of Dexterity	One of the best picks if you are doing a Natural Strength setup. This allows for a reduction of Dexterity investment to 8, and puts other points into Constitution or Wisdom.
	Gloves of Baneful Striking	Applies the Baneful Strike​ effect, which weakens foe saving throws, making them perfect targets for control actions or spells. This can make many bosses easier, as you can now land spells with a higher chance.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	The best boots in the game for walking on Difficult Terrain.
	Boots of Genial Striding	Excellent boots to help move through Difficult Terrain.
	Linebreaker Boots	Can work well with Expeditious Retreat​ on the initial turn to get Wrath​ stacks. However, I would not use it very often, as it can interfere with the Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​ effect.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	If you can acquire it, this can be the best amulet option for most of the game.
	Amulet of Branding	Excellent amulet that gives an easy vulnerability source, for the mid-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 to get the Arcane Synergy​ effect.
	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 (Two-Handed)	Shar's Spear of Evening	Depending on your decision on Nightsong, you will obtain one of these. The Shar's Spear of Evening is considerably stronger in Act 3, when also using Bhaalist Armour.
	Selûne's Spear of Night
	Charge-Bound Warhammer	A solid weapon that gets an additional damage rider and an enchantment bonus with Weapon Bond.
	Halberd of Vigilance	One of the first weapons with a +2 enchantment comes with a Force damage rider.
	-	Previous Act weapons still play a decent role and can be used effectively.
Ranged	-	Bows from previous Acts.
Head	-	Previous Act headwear
Cloak	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Dwarven Splintmail	A semi-upgrade to Adamantine Splint Armour with a boost to Constitution and AC, but lower damage reduction.
	Yuan-ti Scale Mail	I would only wear this if you have 16 dexterity, to make it a competitive armour.
Gloves	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	Solid gloves for weapon damage boost.
	Gloves of Dexterity	You will want to wear these gloves if you are using the Natural Strength setup, to invest dexterity points into Constitution.
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets	Both of these gloves are a decent option, the higher ones give additional action to curse creatures in at least Lightly Obscured​ areas.
	Dark Justiciar Gauntlets
Boots	Evasive Shoes	Gives +1 Armour Class, which is a significant survivability boost.
	-	Boots from Act 1 are still perfect.
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	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	Gives additional damage boost while the target is at least Lightly Obscured.
	Strange Conduit Ring	Gives psychic damage rider while you are concentrating on a spell. This can be anything, like Protection from Evil and Good​ or Enlarge​
	Risky Ring	If you have a hard time getting Advantage on your attacks, this is the easiest fix, although it comes with a disadvantage on mental saves.
	Ring of Protection	Improves armour class, making it easier to avoid enemy attacks.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

If you have been running Elixir of Hill Giant Strength with 8 strength, your direct upgrade is Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength for 23 strength.

If you did the Natural Strength setup, you would want to maximize your Dexterity, and to do this, you either use Gloves of Dexterity or Amulet of Greater Health. The amulet is used to funnel all points from Constitution into Dexterity. So you end up with high strength, constitution, dexterity, and intelligence.

Without those two items, the build ends up not as well optimized

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Shar's Spear of Evening	The best spear in terms of pure damage with Bhaalist Armour.
	Nyrulna	Alternative to Shar's Spear of Evening, if you did not obtain it. The weapon has good special actions, besides its good damage.
	Balduran's Giantslayer	This is an alternative weapon in case you do not want to use the Piercing setup. The weapon wants high strength; the build setup already maximizes its damage potential.
	Silver Sword of the Astral Plane	Githyanki's specific greatsword comes with +a 3 enchantment and special Soulbreaker​ action.
Ranged	Vicious Shortbow	In terms of pure damage boost, this is the best bow, especially as you can easily guarantee critical hits via Hold Monster​/Hold Person.
	Hellrider Longbow	Gives a whooping +3 to initiative, I would only use it without the Alert​ feat.
	The Dead Shot	Reduces the critical roll requirements, giving a slight average damage boost.
Head	Helmet of Grit	The best option in terms of combat damage potential. The additional bonus action can be utilized both with War Magic​ and Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​ effects. This does require you to have HP at less than 50% and you must wear Amulet of Greater Health or have a good investment in Constitution.
	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	In case the Ring of Arcane Synergy is taken, and you want to avoid using Helmet of Grit this is the most relevant option.
	Helmet of Arcane Acuity	A powerful spellsword setup option, making each of your weapon attacks give 2 stacks of Arcane Acuity.
	Horns of the Berserker	A good helmet with a flat necrotic damage rider on weapon attacks.
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement	The best cloak in terms of defensive capabilities, as it gives the enemy a disadvantage on attack rolls.
Armor	Bhaalist Armour	The best armour in terms of combat damage potential. This gives Aura Of Murder​ a doubling of damage of all piercing attacks. Even if you do not use these weapons, your archers can benefit from this effect.
	Armour of Persistence	An alternative heavy armour that also gives Blade Ward​ to reduce incoming damage.
	Adamantine Splint Armour	The only option to wear if you would like to negate critical hits from the enemies. This greatly improves survivability, especially when you are running Helmet of Grit.
Gloves	Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength	Allows you to just skip any strength investment and continue point investment into spellcasting modifier.
	Legacy of the Masters	One of the best offensive gloves, giving a decent damage boost, which gets doubled if you use Bhaalist Armour + a piercing weapon, as the damage bonus type is inherited from the weapon.
	Helldusk Gloves	Improves Spell Save DC and gives a fire damage rider. This is an excellent option if you want to lean into spellcasting, but still retain damage potential.
	Gloves of Dexterity	These gloves are an option if you will go with natural strength, and will not use or have access to the Amulet of Greater Health yet.
Boots	Helldusk Boots	Both of these are some of the best boots in the game. Use any of these to improve your movement on various terrains and avoid negative effects.
	Disintegrating Night Walkers
Amulet	Amulet of Greater Health	My go-to pick for an amulet, mandatory if you are using Helmet of Grit.
	Broodmother's Revenge	Best offensive amulet, giving poison damage rider. You will need to get healing from another source to activate it, like a potion or a cleric's Healing Word.
Rings	Ring of Arcane Synergy	Very powerful accessory that gives direct damage boost via Arcane Synergy. Use this or Diadem of Arcane Synergy. The bonus depends on spellcasting modifier, so that is why Intelligence is so high on the build.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	Excellent ring that easily gives a damage boost while enemies are at least Lightly Obscured.
	Band of the Mystic Scoundrel	This ring option is in case you want to lean into spellcasting with scrolls to apply illusion and enchantment spells via a bonus action. This allows the Eldritch Knight to utilize its Eldritch Strike.
	Strange Conduit Ring	Great ring option, as you have good options for activating Concentration, like Enlarge.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Crow Paladin 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.

Managing Great Weapon Master

The most important aspect of most two-handed builds is correctly utilizing Great Weapon Master: All In​ and its -5 attack roll penalty. By putting an effort into minimizing the debuff, from level 4, you can get 10 flat damage boosts, making most of the enemies a cakewalk.

• Bless​ from Cleric or Paladin, for a 1d4 bonus.
• Spells like Faerie Fire, and Blindness​ give an advantage to attackers.
• Oil of Accuracy or Diluted Oil of Sharpness, for a 1 and 2 attack roll bonus.
• Gloves of the Growling Underdog - can be obtained in Goblin Camp and give an advantage for attack rolls.
• Phalar Aluve: Sing​ gives 1d4 to attack rolls.

Now, if you want more in-depth information, I have a guide covering how to increase attack rolls, which lists a lot of options and combinations. You can then pick the bonuses based on your party setup.

Use Utility and defensive spells

The easiest way to utilize the Eldritch Knight well is to utilize its access to various utility spells: 

• Mirror Image​ - best used to buff up before combat
• Longstrider​ - use it every long rest to increase movement speed on all party members not just yourself
• Enlarge​ an easy 1d4 damage boost on each attack.

There are a few other options, but these already provide nice value for the EK spell slots, and why you took this subclass.

Control and offensive spellcasting

So at first glance, you may think that melee attacks are the only thing that you should concentrate on. Of course, you would be right, in terms of "optimal setup" and doing the most damage, that's probably what you would go with.

However, you can be a pretty good spellcaster thanks to Eldritch Strike, which gives the enemy disadvantage on saving throws. With a decent spellcasting modifier and having Band of the Mystic Scoundrel, you can cast illusion and enchantment spells with just a bonus action.

The main problem is that you are limited to Hold Person. However, it is easy to stock up on scrolls by having a dedicated Pickpocket Build. Now you can cast Scroll of Hold Monster, Scroll of Hypnotic Pattern, etc, almost for free and with just a bonus action.

Weapon Bond

Similar to a warlock, an Eldritch Knight can bind its weapon with Weapon Bond. This doesn't give any direct damage boost, but it ensures that you can't drop your weapon. This is an excellent defense against Disarmed​ effects.

Maximizing the number of attacks

The build can land a high number of attacks late in the game, especially once you get the Improved Extra Attack​:

• Base attack
• Bonus action attack War Magic.
• Helmet of Grit (if you take it) - additional bonus action for - Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​
• Haste​ or Potion of Speed for an additional action point with a single attack.
• Elixir of Bloodlust - one more action point for a single attack if you kill an enemy.
• Extra Attack​ - gives another attack for the main action point.
• Improved Extra Attack​ - one more attack for the main action point, resulting in 3 of them
• Action Surge​ - gives an action point which can be used for 3 attacks with Improved Extra Attack​
• Terazul - a late-game consumable that gives another attack.

So you can have 8+ attacks easily with a fighter, which can take out most enemies or bosses with a single nova round.

Early Game Combat

This part would cover how the build plays up until level 6

• The early game is pretty simple; mostly, you just hit with your weapon against the target, which has lower Armour Class.
• Use Action Surge​ to gain additional action points and land another attack, perfect for when you really want that specific enemy dead.
• With Eldritch Knight unlocked, use Shield​ reaction to avoid getting hit. This is one of the best ways to survive direct attacks.
• Once you unlock Great Weapon Master: All In,​ try to get attack rolls advantage, to increase your hit chance. The +10 damage boost is huge in the early game.
• From level 5 Booming Blade​ gives free thunder damage, so always use it when you can.

Late Game Combat

• More or less continue the same playstyle. After level 8, you can start prebuffing with spells like Mirror Image​ or Enlarge​ before combat, to save your action points.
• Make sure to use Booming Blade​ every turn, as it will activate War Magic,​ giving an easy way to use a bonus action. Of course, your Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​ can also activate.
• If you decide you want some spellcasting, stock up on scrolls and equip Band of the Mystic Scoundrel. To take this further, get additional bonus action with Helmet of Grit.

Build Variations

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

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Two-Handed Eldritch Knight Build for Baldur's Gate 3. This is simple yet effective frontline build with a lot of damage potential. The special features of subclass not only add a bit of spellcasting options but also easy way to get bonus action attacks.

Cheers!