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A Baldur's Gate III field guide

The Wayfarer's Ledger

A pure Fighter archer that banishes, blinds, frightens, and knocks enemies prone while stacking Arcane Acuity.

Collected0 / 16

Quick build guide

Arcane Archer

Stay with Arcane Archer Fighter for all 12 levels. The build combines Arcane Shots with reverberation and frightened to control entire encounters.

Watch Toyhouze's source video ↗

Character creation

Race
High Half-Elf
Background
Player choice
Start
Fighter
STR12
DEX16
CON14
INT16
WIS8
CHA8

Bonuses: +1 DEX, +2 INT.

Fighting Style: Choose Archer for +2 to ranged weapon attack rolls.

High Half-Elf cantrip: Choose Minor Illusion to group enemies before combat for Arrow of Many Targets.

Combat loop

  1. Open with Arrow of Many Targets to stack Arcane Acuity, then use Banishing Arrow or Shadow Arrow with a higher save DC.
  2. Use the Titanstring Bow early, then switch to the Bow of the Banshee for frightened-based control.
  3. Use the Amulet of the Harpers in Act II. In Act III, choose the Amulet of Bhaal to inflict Bleeding or the Amulet of the Devout for +2 Spell Save DC.
  4. Have a party member use the Drakethroat Glaive's Draconic Elemental Weapon on the Bow of the Banshee after each long rest. Choose thunder damage to enable the reverberation gear.
  5. Combine frightened from the Bow of the Banshee with prone from reverberation to prevent enemies from standing up.

Endgame equipment

Level 12 loadout

Select an item to jump to where and how to get it.

Level by level

What to pick

Take Fighter at every level. Dexterity comes first; raise Intelligence with the final feat.

  1. 1Fighter 1

    Archer Fighting Style, Second Wind

  2. 2Fighter 2

    Action Surge

  3. 3Fighter 3

    Choose Arcane Archer; Guidance; Banishing Arrow, Shadow Arrow, and Piercing Arrow

  4. 4Fighter 4

    Feat: Sharpshooter

  5. 5Fighter 5

    Extra Attack

  6. 6Fighter 6

    Feat: +2 DEX

  7. 7Fighter 7

    Curving Shot, Magic Arrow, Seeking Arrow

  8. 8Fighter 8

    Feat: +2 DEX

  9. 9Fighter 9

    Indomitable

  10. 10Fighter 10

    Three additional Arcane Arrows, Grasping Arrow

  11. 11Fighter 11

    Improved Extra Attack

  12. 12Fighter 12

    Feat: +2 INT

Acquisition checklist

Find every piece before moving on

Filter by act to see what to collect now and what to prepare for later.

Route notes contain names and locations. Major story outcomes are omitted unless they determine whether an item can be obtained.

Act I · The road to Moonrise

Prologue, Wilderness, Underdark, and the Mountain Pass

5 items

uncommon · BootsFinal loadout

Boots of Stormy Clamour

Ebonlake Grotto · X: 144, Y: 29

Complete Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite, then buy the boots from Omeluum in the Myconid Colony.

Shop with Omeluum before leaving the Underdark.

rare · ShortbowFinal loadout

Bow of the Banshee

Enchantment +1 · 1d6 + 1 Piercing

See BG3 Wiki

Travel to Grymforge on Gekh Coal's boat, keep Corsair Greymon alive during the crossing, then buy the bow from him near the Grymforge waypoint.

Do not shove Greymon into the lake. Buy the bow before leaving Grymforge or turning the duergar hostile.

uncommon · ClubFinal loadout

Club of Hill Giant Strength

1d4 Bludgeoning

Arcane Tower · X: -26, Y: -272

At the top of the Arcane Tower, find the Stool of Hill Giant Strength beneath the thatched roof and break it. Pick up the club it drops.

uncommon · GlovesFinal loadout

Gloves of Belligerent Skies

Crèche Y'llek · X: 1348, Y: -677

Open the elegant chest against the southern wall on the west side of the Inquisitor's Chamber in Crèche Y'llek.

Take the gloves before leaving the crèche after confronting the inquisitor.

rare · Longbow

Titanstring Bow

Enchantment +1 · 1d8 + 1 Piercing

Zhentarim Basement · X: 295, Y: -250

Complete Find the Missing Shipment, then buy the bow from Brem's special stock in the Zhentarim Basement.

Keep the shipment intact and shop before turning the Zhentarim hostile. If Brem's stock was not unlocked, Lann Tarv can sell the bow at Moonrise Towers in Act II.

Act II · Across the shadowlands

Last Light Inn, Moonrise Towers, and the Gauntlet of Shar

8 items

rare · Amulet

Amulet of the Harpers

Last Light Inn · X: -31, Y: 130

Buy it from Quartermaster Talli near the Last Light Inn waypoint.

Shop while Last Light Inn is safe and Talli is available.

rare · Glaive

Drakethroat Glaive

Enchantment +2 · 1d10 + 2 Slashing

Moonrise Towers · X: -174, Y: -179

Buy it from Roah Moonglow on the main floor before the assault on Moonrise Towers.

Shop before Moonrise Towers becomes hostile.

uncommon · HelmetsFinal loadout

Helmet of Arcane Acuity

Mason's Guild · X: 107, Y: -758

Open the locked and trapped Gilded Chest in the secret basement beneath the Mason's Guild.

rare · ShieldsFinal loadout

Ketheric's Shield

AC +2

Mind Flayer Colony · X: 861, Y: -23

Defeat Ketheric Thorm and loot the shield from him in the Mind Flayer Colony.

Loot Ketheric before leaving the colony for Baldur's Gate.

uncommon · RingFinal loadout

Ring of Mental Inhibition

House in Deep Shadows · X: 76, Y: 40

Open the locked chest in the ruined house just east of the Shadowed Battlefield waypoint.

uncommon · RingFinal loadout

Ring of Spiteful Thunder

Moonrise Towers · X: -174, Y: -179

Buy it from Roah Moonglow on the main floor before the assault on Moonrise Towers.

Shop before Moonrise Towers becomes hostile.

uncommon · CloaksFinal loadout

Thunderskin Cloak

Moonrise Towers · X: -128, Y: -193

Buy it from Araj Oblodra on the main floor before the assault on Moonrise Towers.

Fallback: if Araj survives and you miss it here, she can sell it at Crimson Draughts in the Lower City during Act III.

rare · Medium Armour

Yuan-Ti Scale Mail

AC 15

Last Light Inn · X: -31, Y: 130

Buy it from Quartermaster Talli near the Last Light Inn waypoint.

Shop while Last Light Inn is safe and Talli is available.

Act III · The city of Baldur's Gate

Rivington, the Lower City, and the places beneath

3 items

story · AmuletFinal loadout

Amulet of Bhaal

Murder Tribunal · X: -1248, Y: 503

At the Murder Tribunal, earn it from Sarevok by completing Impress the Murder Tribunal, or defeat Sarevok and loot it from him.

very rare · AmuletFinal loadout

Amulet of the Devout

Stormshore Tabernacle · X: 796, Y: 1159

Open the main Offering Chest in the basement of Stormshore Tabernacle.

very rare · Medium ArmourFinal loadout

Armour of Agility

AC 17

Stormshore Armoury · X: -41, Y: -71

Buy it from Gloomy Fentonson at Stormshore Armoury near the Lower City Central Wall waypoint.

Open on BG3 Wiki ↗