Ranger Beast Master Build - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Beast Master Ranger Build

The build at its core is a ranger. This means that you are versatile with using various weapons and are effective in combat. Although you do not get as many direct benefits as other subclasses - Gloom Stalker or Hunter.

However, where you shine, is being able to call help from your beast companions with Ranger's Companion. At first, they are okay, but as you level up, they get additional features. The top potential is reached at level 11 with Bestial Fury.

There are some very powerful actions that your summons can do - disarm enemies, call for help, create fields of darkness, or summon a spectral sword with your wolf. Cool, right?

I would like to add a unique twist to the build and go with Two-Handed weapons. The build works perfectly with Ranged ones, but I think this gives something interesting to play around. I will, of course, include a section on how to do this with a bow if you are interested.

Thank you to Rookie [Magus Amogus] for optimization tips regarding abilities from Larian BG3- Builds discord.

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	Ranger 1	STR - 17, DEX - 10, CON - 16, INT - 8, WIS - 14, CHA - 8
		Skills: Animal Handling, Perception, Insight, Medicine
		Favoured Enemy: Ranger Knight​
		Natural Explorer: Beast Tamer​
2	Ranger 2	Spells: Hunter's Mark, Longstrider​
		Fighting Style: Defence​
3	Ranger 3	Spells: Ensnaring Strike (Ranged)​
		Subclass: Beast Master
		Scribe Spells: Cloud of Daggers​
4	Ranger 4	Feat: Great Weapon Master: All In​
5	Ranger 5	Spells: Spike Growth​
6	Ranger 6	Favoured Enemy: Keeper of the Veil​
		Natural Explorer: Wasteland Wanderer: Fire​
7	Ranger 7	Spells: Pass Without Trace​
8	Ranger 8	Feat: Ability Improvement +2 Strength
9	Ranger 9	Spells: Plant Growth​
10	Ranger 10	Favoured Enemy: Bounty Hunter​
		Natural Explorer: Urban Tracker​
11	Ranger 11	Spells: Conjure Barrage​
12	Ranger 12	Feat: Savage Attacker​

Starting the Game - Level 1

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for the Beast Master build. Some of these choices are impactful as you cannot respec them.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc. Also, keep in mind whether your picked race has Shield proficiency as this can improve survivability, especially in the early game.

Race	Features	Description
Dwarf Duergar	Dwarven Combat Training​ Superior Darkvision​ Dwarven Resilience​ Duergar Resilience​	I love this choice Invisibility​ may be redundant with multiple companions, but you can still cast Enlarge​ which is a good buff-up without any concentration cost.
Wood Elf	Elven Weapon Training​ Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry​ Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	Comes with improved movement speed which is extremely useful for melee builds.
Wood Half-Elf	Civil Militia​ Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry​ Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	Comes with improved movement speed which is good, but extremely useful for melee builds. You can also equip a shield, which is great for improving AC early in the game.
Half-Orc	Savage Attacks​ Relentless Endurance​ Darkvision​	A great choice, especially if you plan on going melee. The critical damage bonus is okay, but Relentless Endurance​ is what will make you exceptional in close combat.

Class

Overview
Ranger
Rangers are unrivaled scouts and trackers, honing a deep connection with nature in order to hunt their favoured prey.

Favoured Enemy

This is a set of abilities unique to the Ranger class. Based on your selection you can get new spells or unique effects against specific enemy types. Generally, anything works here based on your roleplaying choices. I would choose:

Passive Feature	Description
Ranger Knight​	I recommend this one at least when starting the game. You want the build to use Heavy armor, to accompany that low Heavy Armor. Later on, with some gear adjustments, this will become redundant.

Natural Explorer

You also get these nature-related boons for the Ranger. These are based on the class experience in nature and how it can survive in different conditions. None of these provide any game-breaking bonuses so pick what you prefer:

Feature	Description
Beast Tamer	Allows summoning a Familiar. They take animal forms and have unique effects both in combat and outside. You can use them for scouting or debilitating effects like blindness

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 of Wisdom.

Abilities

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

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	17 (15+2)	This will be the main ability that the build uses. It will give a good boost to damage output and unlock some great options for two-handed weapons.
Dexterity	10	Although this primary ranger ability, I am leaving it low for now. The build will be using Heavy armor, for the start of the game, but it will have minor adjustments once you obtain Gloves of Dexterity.
Constitution	16 (15+1)	Having a good Constitution is useful both for survivability and keeping spell Concentration.
Intelligence	8	No need for this ability.
Wisdom	14	This is the main spellcasting ability of Ranger and some skill proficiencies will depend on it.
Charisma	8	Although it is important for dialogues, this would leave the Beast Master build weaker in other aspects.

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 and these are Wisdom-related.

• Animal Handling - this is the mandatory one in my opinion as it fits the build theme so well.
• Insight
• Medicine
• Perception
• Survival

Leveling Progression - Levels 2-12

Here is the detailed progression for the Ranger Beast Master 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

This is where you will have left the tutorial area, and will start exploring the world. 

Spells

Spell	Description
Hunter's Mark​	A solid spell, that will be your go-to option for bonus action for at least a few levels. It gives bonus damage, which is a great improvement early in the game.
Longstrider​	I recommend getting this spell, as it is a Ritual one, and does not cost a spell slot to cast. Moreover, this can be used to buff up yourself, beasts, and companions. If you have someone else in the group who can cast it, feel free to take anything else.

Fighting Style

Here, you can make a few important choices, that depend on your playstyle:

Styles	Description
Defence​	Take this option if going with melee, and specifically two-handed. The bonus armor class is a great boost.

Optional Elixir of Hill Giant Strength progression

Well, there is a trick early in Act 1, after you reach the first settlement - Druid's Grove. There you can stock up on some really powerful potions for Acts 1, and 2 - Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.

What do they do? They increase the Strength to 21 until a Long rest. More or less this negates any need to have strength investment if you plan to use them till the late game. This is somewhat gimmicky. If you are interested here is a guide on how to farm Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.

With this option, you could set Strength to 8, and pump up that Dexterity. This would result in higher initiative, and you could wear Medium armor from the start of the game. So think about it.

Level 3

You can now choose a subclass for the build and gain additional goodies.

Spells

Spell	Description
Ensnaring Strike (Ranged)​	A decent action that also works with melee.

Subclass

Overview
Beast Master
Features
Ranger's Companion​	Gives access to unique beasts with their unique set of actions and skills.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace yet.

Level 4

Now, you get some other great choice picks - the first feat is unlocked.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace.

Feat

Feat	Description
Great Weapon Master: All In​	This is the strongest feat if you are using 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, that comes with a -5 penalty to attack rolls. This is problematic in the early game but can be overcome in various ways. I recommend checking my guide on Attack Roll Increase, to get ideas on how to mitigate it.
Ability Improvement	Get +2 Strength, which is a safe choice in my opinion. It increases the hit chance and gives +1 damage. Only take this if not using Strength Elixirs, otherwise, skip it.

Level 5

This level is a major improvement for the Beast Master as the new class feature is unlocked - Extra Attack. This almost doubles your damage output per single turn.

Feature	Description
Extra Attack	Can make an additional free attack after making an unarmed or weapon attack.

In addition, you also unlock the Beast Master feature:

Feature	Description
Companion's Bond​	A good improvement to the stats of your Companion. This is based on a proficiency bonus, which grows as you level up.

Spells

Ranger can also now pick level 2 spells:

Spell	Description
Spike Growth​	A good crowd control spell, that can easily just outright murder some of your foes.

Replace Spells

If you stopped using or did not use any spells from the Level 1 spell list now is the perfect time to switch. I utilized them all, so decided not to take any replacements. I recommend checking these out:

Spell	Description
Silence​	Creates a sphere that silences enemies. Although they can move out from this, it will require them to waste their movement or even use Dash and skip the attack
Lesser Restoration​	This spell can come in handy in some situations, so I recommend that at least one party member has it. It can remove paralysis, disease, poison, and blindness
Pass Without Trace​	In the build context, this is not a huge improvement but can be welcome to have in some encounters where you want to sneak past with the whole group.

Level 6

Overall, level 6, is nothing big. We get some additional choices for unique ranger bonuses. However, there is one thing that I would like to cover and I think is the perfect time:

Level 1 Dips for the Build

As I mentioned, the build can accommodate level 1 dips into a class via multiclassing. This can be helpful to improve some aspects of Beast Master, but overall, it won't give anything huge. So here are a few options:

• Cleric (War Domain) - gives War Priest​ feature, allowing to attack with bonus action. Because you have Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack, this is not as important. You could also be interested in the Guidance​ spell, which is usually cast by a cleric (if you do not have one).
• Sorcerer - it gives access to a few level 1 spells, one powerful is Shield. Moreover, you can pick a few utility cantrips like Friends​ to help with dialogues.

So level 6 is a perfect time to take this 1-level dip. But, you will be delaying an upgrade to your companion's upgrade to level 12. You can also do this dip at level 12, instead of level 6.

Favoured Enemy

You can pick any 1, my recommendations:

Feature	Description
Keeper of the Veil	You get a spell - Protection from Evil and Good. It does not use any spell slot. it is very useful in some encounters, just don't forget to activate it.

Natural Explorer

Pick one of the below:

Feature	Description
Urban Tracker​	Could be a good choice, if you would like to concentrate on making Beast Master the main pick locker and trap disarmer.
Wasteland Wanderer: Fire​	Fire spells are abundant throughout the game. Getting resistance to them will give a big survivability boost.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace for now.

Level 7

Overall, nothing significant at this level, just general progression with some bonuses.

Feature	Description
Exceptional Training​	Overall, a good upgrade, that can help you with picking up downed allies using the summon, instead of the main characters.

Spells

As the core, of the spells are picked, you can choose anything that you prefer. I would go with:

Spell	Description
Pass Without Trace​	In the build context, this is not a huge improvement but can be welcome to have in some encounters where you want to sneak past with the whole group.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace.

Level 8

The main highlight of this level is the 2nd feat. The build is slowly but steadily reaching its full potential.

Feature	Description
Land's Stride: Difficult Terrain​	Great passive, that will be especially useful for the melee approach of this build.

Replace Spell

Nothing to replace now.

Feat

Feature	Description
Great Weapon Master: All In​	This is mandatory if you have not taken it at level 4. The damage boost of 10 is very important.
Ability Improvement	Take the +2 Strength, to maximize your damage output. Skip this if you are using Strength Elixirs.
Alert​	Another option so that you would be guaranteed to always go first and avoid any surprise rounds with ambushes.

Level 9

The ranger gets access to its highest tier spells - level 3.

Spells

Spells	Description
Plant Growth​	I recommend this spell as it does not use a Concentration slot. Overall it's a solid action to have in an arsenal. You can combine this with other similar spells like Hunger of Hadar​ for total control of the field.

Replace Spell

Generally, you could take any level 3 spell and switch to something that you do not use, as the next spell will be accessed only at level 11. Here are some choices that are good to get:

Spells	Description
Conjure Barrage​	A solid damage spell that attacks in a wide code. The good thing is that you cannot miss using this action.
Daylight​	Great spell in some situations. You can use it to illuminate areas and get the effect of Callous Glow Ring or Coruscation Ring both for yourself or companions.

Level 10

Unlock class-related passives and features of Ranger.

Action	Description
Hide in Plain Sight​	Become invisible, however, this is inferior to what Gloom Stalker and Shadow Monk have access to, as you cannot move while invisible.

Favoured Enemy

At this stage in the game, it won't matter much what you pick.

Feature	Description
Bounty Hunter​	The Investigation proficiency is useful, otherwise nothing special.

Natural Explorer

Pick any of the options.

Level 11

This is the major level where you unlock the full potential of your companions. Be sure to check the mechanics section lower in the guide, where I explain their mechanics.

Feature	Description
Bestial Fury​	Companions gain Extra Attack, which doubles their effectiveness.

Spells

Spells	Description
Conjure Barrage​	A decent option to hide enemies in a wide area.

Replace Spell

For spell replacement, I don't think it is needed, feel free to try out something if you would like.

Level 12

The final level of the build. As I mentioned before, you can use this to take a dip into War Domain Cleric or Sorcerer for some additional goodies. However, this only holds if you do not need a third feat.

Replace Spell

You can replace any of the spells, I leave this to your discretion.

Feat

Be sure to have other two feats mentioned earlier - Great Weapon Master: All In​ and Ability Improvement +2 Strength (if not using Strength Elixirs)

Feats	Description
Savage Attacker​	Excellent feat to be taken late into the game. It gives about 30% more damage to your damage rolls.
Alert​	If you did not take this, you can get it for an increased initiative and being able to take a turn on Surprise rounds.

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.

1. Act 1 - Auntie Ethel Hair - you will want to get +1 Strength if you pick this choice.
2. Feat - Ability Improvement - +2 Strength
3. Act 2 - Potion of Everlasting Vigour - +2 Strength.
4. Act 3 - Mirror of Loss - pick +2 Strength.

This will allow you to reach 24 natural Strengths. The only way to reach it higher is using the Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength, this will result in 27 Strength.

Potions, Elixirs and Consumables

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

Potions

These are general consumables, and most of them are activated for a few turns. Potions are separate from Elixirs and can be active together.

Consumable	Description
Oil of Accuracy	Gives +2 to attack rolls, which minimizes the negative impact from Great Weapon Master: All In.
Diluted Oil of Sharpness	Gives a bonus attack roll and damage. It is a good coating if you can apply it before combat.
Potion of Speed	You can chug this potion before combat, or during combat using bonus action. It gives another action point that gives an additional attack or one more spell cast. Sadly its duration is only 3 turns.
Potion of Animal Speaking	Although not something powerful, it is worth stocking up and saving a spell slot.
Potion of Invisibility	Can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts.

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	As you will be able to easily kill at least the weakest foe, this ensures additional attacks per turn. I would go with this option once you have 22 base strength, otherwise look at the options below.
Elixir of Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
Elixir of Hill Giant Strength	Sets strength value to 21 until the Long Rest. With this option, you can easily gimp on strength in the early game. You can put those points in Dexterity or Strength. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength
Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength	An upgraded version that is available mostly in Act 3 via crafting or purchasing. Sets Strength to 27, the highest value possible. if using this one, you could set the strength to 8 via respec.

Illithid Powers

This special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3 allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers. These range from somewhat useful, to extremely deadly. I would like to leave a few recommendations:

Base Illithid Powers

Order	Illithid Power	Description
1	Favourable Beginnings​	Beneficial power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits.
2	Luck of the Far Realms​	Amazing passive feature that grats a critical hit without any requirements once per long rest.
3	Concentrated Blast​	Taking only for progression, to unlock the next power.
4	Cull the Weak​	Passive feature that does not cost anything and automatically deals bonus psychic damage around the target, once it is close to death.
5	Psionic Backlash​	A decent use for reaction to deal some bonus psychic damage.
6	Transfuse Health​	Taking it for progression
7	Shield of Thralls​	Taking for progression, to unlock the next power, but it also provides a good bonus as temporary health, that can be cast before combat.
8	Charm​	Mainly taking for progression.

Elite Illithid Powers

These become unlocked later in the game as you progress. They are extremely powerful additions to the build.

Order	Illithid Power	Description
0	Fly​	Automatically unlocked. You can use this to initiate attacks of opportunity without spending any movement.
2	Freecast​	Removes any cost of spell slots or consumable resources.
3	Mind Sanctuary​	Extremely valuable power that can also help other casters to use up their Bonus action effectively.
4	Psionic Dominance​	Great action, that can negate spell casting of some foes.
5	Illithid Expertise​	A decent buff to improve dialogue outcomes. Especially helpful due to the low Charisma of the build.

Equipment Recommendations

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

The key item to optimize this build is Gloves of Dexterity. They set your Dexterity to 18, allowing you to wear some powerful medium armor. Also, in the late game, you can access Bhaalist Armour, but without good Dexterity, you will suffer with a low armor class.

However, if you plan on using these gloves elsewhere, you can continue playing with the initial setup, and use Heavy armor throughout the playthrough.

Act 1

The game beginning will be interesting. First, you will need to obtain some kind of Heavy Armor, to have a decent Armour Class with only 10 Dexterity.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Phalar Aluve	I like using this sword, as it has its unique action Phalar Aluve: Shriek. What makes it special is that you will have two beast companions there would be an additional 2d8 damage every turn.
	Unseen Menace	Solid choice as it increases the critical chance and provides an advantage on attack rolls.
	Svartlebee's Woundseeker	One of the best greatswords that you can get in Act 1. The bonus to attack rolls is great for counteracting Great Weapon Master: All In​ effect.
	Sword of Justice	A solid greatsword, that gives bonus armour class with Shield of Faith​ action.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat. I recommend this for the early games, as you will have low dexterity.
	Hand Crossbow +1	Equip two of these so that you can attack with your bonus action. This is an amazing weapon as you can use bonus action to break water bottles to apply wet.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	This is the best helmet in terms of damage improvements. It activates off Threatened status.
	Haste Helm	I think the melee aspect of the build greatly benefits from this helmet, so I recommend it.
Cloak	-	Nothing really of note here.
Armor	Adamantine Splint Armour	The best heavy armor in Act 1. Gives good Armour class, and enemies cannot critically hit you.
	Chain Mail +1	Becomes available at about level 4 in trader inventories. It has 17 Armour Class.
	Chain Mail	Although it is a common rarity, 16 Armour Class early in the game will be a solid option.
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	The best gloves for this build. With them equipped, you can decrease Dexterity to 8 via respec and put those points into any other ability.
	Gloves of the Growling Underdog	Very strong gloves as they give Advantage. It is the best way to counteract the Great Weapon Master: All In​ -5 attack roll effect.
	Bracers of Defence	These are the best early-game gloves, giving you a +2 Armour class if you are not using a shield.
	Gloves of Missile Snaring	Defensive gloves to reduce the damage of incoming ranged attacks.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	One of the best boots, giving a total advantage for movement on difficult surfaces. It also gives Misty Step​ to increase that mobility.
	Boots of Speed	These boots can allow you to move into key targets without getting hit with Opportunity attacks.
	Boots of Genial Striding	Good boots that allow moving without slowing down on difficult terrain.
Amulet	Amulet of Branding	This is a good amulet that can double your damage with a cost of bonus action. For example, it would work perfectly against bosses where Great Weapon Master: Bonus Attack​ may not activate every time.
	Broodmother's Revenge	The only amulet in the game that gives direct damage increase, can be activated with a single health potion before combat.
	Amulet of Misty Step	Gives mobility improvement thanks to the Misty Step​ spell.
Rings	Strange Conduit Ring	As you have some concentration spells, this ring can be easily activated for a little bonus damage.
	Ring of Protection	The best option for Act 1. The bonus Armour Class is a great boost for survivability.
	Caustic Band	A solid ring with a +2 acid damage bonus on your weapon attacks.
	Crusher's Ring	A good movement boost makes it easier to reach those targets.

Act 2 - mid-game

For Act 2, you will be dropping that heavy armor for some great medium ones. Some of the items will still be the best ones even if they are from Act 1.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Shar's Spear of Evening	This is a very strong weapon, you can start using it now, or wait till level 11 and unlock the improved Raven companion. After that, this will be an extremely powerful weapon.
	Selûne's Spear of Night	A strong weapon that has unique actions - Moonbeam​ hits targets in small areas and Moonmote, buffs allies, particularly your beasts.
	Phalar Aluve	The sword is still a solid two-handed weapon choice through most of Act 2.
	Drakethroat Glaive	You can imbue a weapon with any element 1d4 damage and gain a +1 to attack rolls. You can get the bonus elemental damage on any weapon. For example, drop another weapon on the ground, cast the spell with this glaive, and equip the said weapon. This is a very powerful combo, although it may be a bug.
Ranged	Darkfire Shortbow	Amazing bow that allows to precast Haste​ before combat. This may not seem big as you can use Potion of Speed, but sometimes its short duration is not enough. Otherwise, stay with bows from the previous act.
Head	Diadem of Arcane Synergy	This is the best helmet in terms of damage improvements. It activates off Threatened status.
Cloak	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success. You want to equip this cloak to maintain that good Armour Class.
Armor	Yuan-ti Scale Mail	Medium armor that will reach 19 Armour class together with Gloves of Dexterity. Moreover, the bonus initiative is a great boon.
	Dwarven Splintmail	A solid heavy armour, that can take you to Act 3.
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	Still the best option to use if you can afford it.
	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	Gives a bonus of 1d4 damage, which is a good boost to melee damage.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	The boots are still the best ones you can equip.
	Evasive Shoes	Optional boots if you need a little bit more Armour Class.
Amulet	Amulet of the Harpers	Allows casting a Shield​ spell, and can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
Rings	Risky Ring	I would say this is the best Ring, that you can get, to eliminate the effect of Great Weapon Master: All In.
	Caustic Band	Still a good ring to use, for easy +2 damage.
	Strange Conduit Ring	If you are using Concentration spells, this would give 0.5 more damage than Caustic Band.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

This is the last act of the game, where you will get access to the most powerful items. To get them as early as possible you will need some planning, but overall, it should not be a problem.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (Two-Handed)	Nyrulna	A truly powerful weapon that gives a 1d6 thunder damage bonus. Moreover, it comes with unique weapon actions that can inflict bleeding and knockback foes. This is the best weapon to use if you plan on equipping Bhaalist Armour.
	Balduran's Giantslayer	The strongest greatsword in the game. It gets a big damage boost from your strength modifier.
	Shar's Spear of Evening	If you plan on utilizing the Darkness effect from Corvus Celer (Raven), this spear is a perfect match. It gives blindness immunity and bonus damage while being obscured.
Ranged	The Dead Shot	Improves critical range for attack rolls.
	Hellrider Longbow	I would pick this bow if you are using Heavy Armour. The bonus initiative would be a huge boost to do some damage early in the turn.
Head	Helm of Balduran	This helmet synergizes well with Broodmother's Revenge to activate the 1d6 poison bonus.
	Helldusk Helmet	This helmet is a great option if you want to fully utilize the Darkness from Corvus Celer (Raven) companion. You could then freely see in the magical darkness.
	Sarevok's Horned Helmet	Increases critical range for attack rolls.
	Steelwatcher Helmet	Great helmet that makes you immune to blindness and gives a Constitution saving throw advantage.
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement	Great way to avoid attacks and reduce the chance of enemy attacks landing.
	Fleshmelter Cloak	Deal additional damage to the attackers.
Armor	Bhaalist Armour	Best armor as it doubles damage with Piercing weapons. This includes weapons like Nyrulna or Shar's Spear of Evening.
	Armour of Agility	The best medium armor in the game. It also does not limit your Armour class bonus from dexterity.
	Armour of Persistence	If you are looking for solid heavy armor, this is the one to go with. It gives a big damage reduction with Blade Ward.
Gloves	Gloves of Dexterity	The best gloves till the end of the game, to ensure high initiative and free up points for Strength.
	Legacy of the Masters	Gives bonuses to attack and damage rolls.
	Helldusk Gloves	Very good gloves, but might be contested by other builds, specifically, martial ones.
Boots	Helldusk Boots	An alternative boot to Disintegrating Night Walkers. It's not better by any means just an alternative.
Amulet	Broodmother's Revenge	The only amulet that gives a direct damage boost.
	Amulet of Greater Health	Could be used to improve the survivability of the Beast Ranger build. If using it remember to set your constitution to 8 using respec.
Rings	Risky Ring	The best Ring, that you can get, to eliminate the effect of Great Weapon Master: All In.
	Eversight Ring	The ring could be used together with the Dire Raven darkness effect, in case you are not using other items that make you immune to blindness.
	Caustic Band	I used this till the late game, due to the uncompromised damage boost.

Ranged setup

Of course, you may be interested in going all-in with a ranged setup. I may to a separate build for this in the future, but for now, this will have to do. The setup requires some adjustments and picking particular items.

Update ability points:

Set your ability scores: STR - 8, DEX - 17, CON - 14, INT - 8, WIS - 16, CHA - 10

Choose your weapons

Slot	Item	Description
Ranged	Titanstring Bow	The best bow in the game if you plan on getting high strength value from Strength Elixirs or Club of Hill Giant Strength. This bow works till the end of the game. I also recommend getting War Cleric dip, for a bonus action attack.
	The Dead Shot	A good bow with a critical range increase and bonus attack rolls.
	Bow of the Banshee	The bow applies the frightened status on targets, making them immobile.

And you are ready to go more or less for the game.

Build Mechanics

In this section, I would like to dive deep into how to play the Beast Master. 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 effectively use the build.

Familiars

These are initial summons that you can get early in the game from Find Familiar. I will not go too deep into these, but my general recommendation is to use Raven. None of them deal substantial damage, but the bird can make enemies Blind, allowing for higher attack rolls against them.

Beast Companions

Okay, these beasts are only accessible to the Beast Master subclass. They are okay at the start of the game, and become much stronger as you level up. To reach their full potential you need to be Ranger level 11.

All of them get bonus damage if the target is marked with Hunter's Mark.

Beast	Description
Wolf	In my opinion, this is the coolest-looking beast. However, I think it is fairly weak. The wolf does get access to some offensive attacks, but none of them give a big control advantage, especially in later levels.
Bear	At level 5, this summon becomes very powerful. It gets access to Honeyed Paws​ that can disarm targets if they hit. So it has no saving throw, making it a very effective action. At level 11, it can summon a second bear that is automatically controlled by AI.
Boar	Great companion to have as it has access to plenty of actions that offer both increased damage and some debuffing. For example, Kick Up Muck​ is great for reducing enemy armor class.
Wolf Spider	One of the stronger beasts. It has two things going for it: Web​ - which slows foes if they do not have immunity to it, giving you a battlefield advantage Cocoon​ - great for removing a particular enemy from the encounter for a few turns
Dire Raven	I think this is the best companion to use. It can blind enemies, which is an extremely effective debuff. It can also curse foes with Bad Omen, to allow you to get an advantage on attacks. The last upgrade is at level 11. This is where the Raven can create Darkness​ fields just by flying. Moreover, it can summon two more raven allies that are controlled by AI.

Phalar Aluve for buffing

In Act 1, I recommended using Phalar Aluve weapon. It gives a unique Shriek ability that you can buff all incoming attacks with 1d4 thunder damage. Now you also have two summons - familiar and ranger companion. So in total, you could do 4 attacks per turn which would result in additional 4d4 thunder damage (if all of them hit)

This is a solid damage boost, that is exceptionally good in Act 1 and most of Act 2. Later on, this falls, especially as the familiars will have low attack rolls.

Managing Great Weapon Master

One of the more important feats of the build is Great Weapon Master: All In. It gives a flat damage boost at the cost of decreased attack rolls. Generally, it is best to take this later in the game at level 8+, when you have higher attack bonuses and better gear.

However, if you can effectively use it at level 4, you will be able to easily kill most of the enemies you encounter, especially as it is easy to die in Act 1. So if you are up for putting in additional effort the benefits are immense. Here are the main ways to increase your attack rolls:

• 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 1 and 2 attack roll bonus.
• Gloves of the Growling Underdog - can be obtained in Goblin Camp, and gives an advantage for attack rolls.
• Svartlebee's Woundseeker - early game greatsword that you can get before engaging in any of the major battles of Act 1.

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.

Darkness Synergy with Dire Raven

At level 11, your Dire Raven can create Darkness​ fields by utilizing its Fly​ mechanic. This can create some amazing synergies and give you a safe zone for yourself. It is also great to be used on enemies, to make them blinded.

To get the most out of it, I recommend having blindness immunity with Ranger. There are plenty of items that provide this - Shar's Spear of Evening, Eversight Ring, Steelwatcher Helmet, etc.

Maximizing Companion amount

Once you reach level 11, your beasts will get additional actions and they allow summoning more lesser beasts. For example, to get the maximum amount of those you can do:

1. Summon Bear
2. Activate Ursine Reinforcements​
3. Dismiss the main bear
4. Short Rest
5. Summon Dire Raven
6. Activate On Black Wings​

This will not be a huge game-changer, but it can be useful to have additional distractions in late-game battles.

Buffing your companions

An important aspect of making the companions useful is buffing them up. Here is the list of spells and consumables:

1. A cleric or other support character that can cast Mass Healing Word​ while wearing The Whispering Promise and Hellrider's Pride or The Reviving Hands.
2. An alternative is the Bless​ spell.
3. Longstrider​ buff
4. Aid​ or Heroes' Feast​ for bonus HP.

Early Game Combat

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

• Early game combat, is somewhat standard Ranger. You use Hunter's Mark​ and attack with your two-handed weapon. This will also buff your beasts.
• If there are multiple clustered enemies, you can use Spike Growth​ to greatly damage them before they reach you.
• Be sure to increase your attack rolls with Advantage or other ways to effectively use Great Weapon Master: All In​ Effect.
• Summon Raven familiar with Find Familiar.
• From level 3 utilize your beasts with Ranger's Companion.
• I would recommend precasting Phalar Aluve: Shriek before combat so that you would save the action point and attack on the first turn.

Late Game Combat

Overall, nothing much changes from the early game, just that your beasts get buffed up.

• If using Dire Raven, make sure to create Darkness​ fields every turn, so that enemies would have a hard time moving around or attacking you.
• If using Bhaalist Armour your ravens will deal double damage from Aura Of Murder.
• Use spells only with a second action point (if Haste​) or evaluate carefully if it's worth over 2 attacks.

Build Variations

There are a few variations that the build could be changed about. I think it is more for advanced players who are likely doing some deeper optimizations.

Setup	Description
11 Lv Ranger 1 Lv Cleric	I like this setup as it can be used as an alternative to Druid or Cleric who have Guidance​ cantrip. You also get an option to attack with bonus action 3 times per long rest if taking the War Domain subclass.
11 Lv Ranger 1 Lv Sorcerer	This setup gives additional utility cantrips like Friends. Moreover, you get access to the Shield​ spell which is an excellent use of Ranger spell slots.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the best Beast Master Ranger build for Baldur's Gate 3. Although it is not a powerhouse as some top-tier builds, it's still a solid and interesting take to find synergies with your beast companions.

Cheers!