In BG3, the best level 1 spells provide various different benefits in battle. These include making enemies passive, increasing the player’s defense, or temporarily increasing the player’s HP.
Key Takeaways
- These spells must be attained in order to perform well.
- Chromatic Orb is a great offensive level 1 spell as it is available in various different damage types.
- The Armour of Agaythys is especially powerful due to it inflicting Cold damage upon getting hit.
- Players can completely manipulate a creature using the Command spell.
- Also, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter is exceptionally powerful as it completely immobilizes an enemy for 10 turns.
- Combining all these spells is key to dominating the game’s combat encounters.
- Author’s Note: With more than dozens of hours of experience in Baldur’s Gate 3, I feel more than obliged to provide you with hands-on experience on the topic below.
BG3 Best Level 1 Spells
Following is a brief summary of the Level 1 spells in Baldur’s Gate 3:
| Spell Name | School | Effects | Used By | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Friendship | Enchantment | Makes a beast completely passive for 10 turns. | Bard Druid Ranger Nature Domain | The Best Beast Spell |
| Armour Of Agaythys | Abjuration | Grants 5 temporary hit points and deals 5 Cold damage upon getting hit. | Bard Warlock College of Lore | The Best Defense Spell |
| Charm Person | Enchantment | Makes a humanoid completely passive for 10 turns. | Bard Druid Trickery Domain Warlock Wizard Sorcerer | The Best Anti-Humanoid Spell |
| Command | Enchantment | Allows players to command a creature. | Cleric Paladin | The Best Control Spell |
| Cure Wounds | Evocation | Allows players to heal any creature that can be touched. | Bard Life Domain Druid Ranger Paladin | The Best Healing Spell |
| Entangle | Conjuration | Summons vines that has a chance of Entangling enemies. | Druid | The Best Capture Spell |
| Hellish Rebuke | Evocation | Deals Fire damage upon getting hit. | Bard Warlock College of Lore | The Best Fire Reaction Spell |
1. Animal Friendship
The Best Beast Spell
Why I Chose This: The Animal Friendship is a great level 1 crowd control spell against wild animals that may be hostile towards you.
- The Animal Friendship spell is from the Enchantmentschool with a range of 18m.
- It makes an enemy beast completely passive for ten turns.
- The effect ends early if the beast is hurt during this time.
- I recommend using this spell on any creatures you dont want to hurt.
Used By
- Bard
- Druid
- Ranger
- Nature Domain
- Works on a wide variety of beasts.
- The only level 1 spell that can pacify a living being.
- It lasts for 10 turns.
- It can only be used on beasts.
- It deals no damage nor buffs to your team.
2. Armour Of Agaythys
The Best Defense Spell
Why I Chose This: The Armour of Agaythysis is a good defensive spell for low level casters until they get some good light armor.
- The Armour of Agaythys is from the Abjuration school.
- It grants five temporary Hit Points and deals 5 Cold Damageupon getting hit by a melee attack.
- The effect of the Armor of Agaythys will end upon a Long Rest.
Used By
- Bard
- Warlock
- College of Lore
- It triggers passively whenever you’re hit by a melee attack.
- The effects last until a long rest.
- Low temporary HP count.
- Effects only trigger melee attacks, not ranged.
3. Charm Person
The Best Anti-Humanoid Spell
Why I Chose This: The Charm Person spell is a good tool in your arsenal for subjugating humanoid foes so you can focus on other key targets.
- Charm Person is from the Enchantment school with a range of 18m.
- This spell will charm a humanoid and ensure they do not attack you for ten turns.
- Charm Person is one of the best level 1 spells, thanks to its long duration.
Used By
- Warlock
- Wizard
- Sorcerer
- Grants advantage on Charisma checks against the target.
- Saves you and your allies from being damaged by the Charmed entity.
- It only affects one humanoid creature per cast.
- It is unreliable against high-Wisdom enemies.
4. Command
The Best Control Spell
Why I Chose This: The Command Spell is great for short-term crowd control to get into better positions.
- The Command spell is from the Enchantmentschool with a range of 18m.
- It allows players to command a creature for one turn.
- Players can command the creature to move closer, flee, or drop their weapons.
Used By
- Cleric
- Paladin
- Offers three diverse commands, making it versatile.
- It can also be used out of combat to trigger traps safely.
- It will only affect one target per cast.
- Success is based on enemies’ Wisdom Saving Throw.
5. Cure Wounds
The Best Healing Spell
Why I Chose This: The Cure Wounds Spell is perfect for some low-level healing in dire or threatening situations.
- Cure Wounds is from the Evocationschool.
- It allows players to heal any creature they can touch.
- In addition, Cure Wounds can receive an extra heal from 1-8, depending on the dice roll.
Used By
- Bard
- Life Domain
- Paladin
- Highly versatile, capable of healing any living being.
- The spell healing scales with levels.
- You can only heal one target per cast.
- It can quickly deplete your spell slots.
6. Entangle
The Best Capture Spell
Why I Chose This: The Entangle Spell is a great for capturing foes and resticting them where they stand.
- Entangle is from the Conjuration school.
- It has a range of 18m and a radius of 2m.
- It summons vines from the ground that have a chance of Entangling enemies.
Used By
- Druid
- It has a large AoE range, slowing all enemies within.
- This spell also generates difficult terrain, giving the enemies with a movement debuff.
- The entanglement effect is based on chance.
- It requires concentration to cast, making it restrictive.
7. Hellish Rebuke
The Best Fire Reaction Spell
Why I Chose This: Hellish Rebuke is a great reaction spell for low level casters to do some reflective damage.
- Hellish Rebuke is from the Evocation school.
- After activating this spell, receiving damage will envelop the attacker in flames.
- These flames can do between 2 and 20 damage, depending on the dice roll.
Used By
- Bard
- College of Lore
- Potentially deals fire damage in response to taking damage.
- Enemies don’t have a saving throw to resist the damage.
- Only activates after you take damage.
- Requires concentration so you cant use other sells while it is active.
My Thoughts
Casters have one of the toughest early game stages becuase they are weak in both damage as well as health. That is why it is important to strategize and pick your level 1 spells carefully. For me personally, hideous laughter and Chromatic Orb are the immediate picks because of their versatility and utility.
And there you have it; with the BG3 best level 1 spells guide, players can unlock the strongest level 1 spell to easily kill any enemy.
Take a look at all Companions in BG3. In addition, here is the Baldur’s Gate 3 Halsin companion guide. If you are curious about the max level in Baldur’s Gate 3, take a look at this guide. Lastly, you can browse Huzaifa’s review of BG3 to get a better idea of which spells to use.
NEXT:
- Baldurs Gate 3: Character Creator
- Baldur’s Gate 3: Stone Disc Puzzle
- BG3 Pact Of The Blade
- Baldur’s Gate 3: Ranger Gloom Stalker Build
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