Baldur's Gate 3: Best Gale Build in 2024

Gale of Waterdeep stands out as one of the most iconic companions in Baldur's Gate 3, and we're here to guide you on crafting an effective OP build for him. Being a wizard, Gale may seem a bit squishy, but his spells have the potential to do significant damage on your enemies. While Gale starts off relatively weak in BG3, by the conclusion of the game, he can evolve into a formidable force, posing a threat to anyone on your party's path. Here's a guide on how to the best build for Gale in Baldur's Gate 3:

Best Gale Build in Baldur's Gate 3

When taking on the role of a wizard in BG3, it's essential to keep two crucial elements in mind.

• Firstly, make effective use of scrolls to learn spells, granting you access to a broad spectrum of magic for upcoming battles.
• Secondly, integrate potions into your strategy.

By following these guidelines, Gale can evolve into a crucial companion within your party. As previously mentioned, this wizard from Waterdeep may initially be quite weak, but his abilities see a substantial boost as the game progresses.

Gale Ability Score

In this guide we will be sticking to Gale's original ability score in BG3:

Gale at Level 1:

• +3 Cantrips / +6 Spells / Arcane Recovery
• Wizard Cantrips: Fire Bolt, Rey of Frost, Acid Splash.

Fire Bolt is a must-have Gale Cantrip, and it will become one of your most powerful tools. However, you can consider replacing the other two with Mage Hand or Minor Illusion.

• Level 1 Wizard Spells and Spell Slots - Magic Mistle, Witch Bolt, Grease, Sleep, Shield, Mage Armor

Gale's Magic Missiles are incredibly potent and can target enemies regardless of obstacles. Additionally, you can cast Mage Armor before leaving the camp, saving the mage from wasting an action point.

Gale at Level 2:

• +2 Spells / +1 First-level spell slot
• Subclass: School of Evocation
• Spells: Lonstrider and Ice Kinfe

Just like Mage Armor, you can cast Longstrider out of combat to save an action point.

Gale at Level 3:

• +1 Arcane Recovery charge / +2 Spells / +1 First-level spell slot / +2 Second-level spell slots
• Spells: Flaming Sphere, Cloud of Daggers, Sorching Rey

All of these spells are quite useful and around level 3 is where Gale starts becoming more useful to the party. Grab the two which suit your playstyle better.

Gale at Level 4:

• +2 Spells / +1 Cantrip / +1 Second-level spell slot
• Wizard Cantrips: Mage Hand or Minor Illusion
• Spells: Misty Step and Gust of Wind
• Feat: Ability Improvement +1 in Constitution and Intelligence

Gale at Level 5:

• +1 Arcane Recovery charge / +2 Spells / +2 Third-level spell slots
• Spells: Fireball and Counterspell 

Fireball! Level 5 is where Gale truly starts to shine in Baldur's Gate 3. This is when he unlocks his most powerful spells, capable of easily wiping out lower-level enemies with a single hit.

Gale at Level 6:

• Subclass feature: Potent Cantrip / +2 Spells / +1 Third-level spell slot
• Spells: Haste and Lightning Bolt

Gale at Level 7:

• +1 Arcane Recovery charge / +2 Spells / +1 Fourth-level spell slots
• Spells: Conjour Minor Elemental / Conjour Elemental, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire

It seems that many Gale builds overlook his Conjuring spells. Including one of them can be incredibly useful, as they serve dual purposes - dealing damage and distracting enemies.

Gale at Level 8:

• +2 Spells / +1 Fourth-level spell slot
• Feat: Ability Improvement +2 in Intelligence
• Spells: Blight and Banishment

At level 8 you can pick any spell you want, as long as it fits your playstyle.

Gale at Level 9:

• +1 Arcane Recovery charge / +2 Spells / +1 Fourth-level spell slot / +1 Fifth-level spell slot
• Spells: Hold Monster, Dominate Person, or Cone of Cold (instead of Hold Monster)

Dominate Person is exceptionally powerful in Baldur's Gate 3, compelling an enemy to fight on your side. This spell has the potential to completely turn around any fight.

Gale at Level 10:

• Subclass feature: Empowered Evocation / +1 Cantrip / +2 Spells / +1 Fifth-level spell slot
• Cantrip: Poison Spray (or anything which fits your playstyle)
• Spells: Telekinesis, Confusion or Cone of Cold

Gale at Level 11:

• +1 Arcane Recovery charge / +2 Spells / +1 Sixth-level spell slot
• Spells: Chain Lightning and Disintegrate

Gale at Level 12:

• Feat: War Caster
• Spells: Otto's Irresistable Dance and Wall of Ice

Best Gale Gear to Look Out For

We hope this guide for building Gale helps you make better use of him in your next Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough.