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Baldur’s Gate 3builds typically favour Thunder, Cold, and Lightning builds, but the Wrath build flies under the radar of many players due to its less flashy nature. But for those of you looking for simple builds that prioritize bonk over boom, the Wrath Barbarian might be a good fit for you.
This unique build favors slow but steady build-up while tanking damage. It is the perfect frontline melee unit, and no team will want to be without this meat-shield Barbarian who has a bone to pick with those who think spellcasting is the only viable method of damage. After all, sometimes it’s better to speak softly and carry a giant stick.
What Is A Wrath Build, And How Does It Work?
Wrath builds are not the most intricate or popular build by far. On its surface, it isvery simple:
Wrath build-up equals +1 damage for every turn of Wrath remaining.
So,if you have three turns of Wrathin your status bar,you deal +3 damagewith your melee weapon attacks.This canonly stack up to +7,but the raw damage output can be a huge bonus.
Due to the mechanics of Wrath, the best builds will be melee fighters on the front lines, but theonly way to gain Wrath is through the use of specific armour pieces:
Cap of Wrath
When the wearer is below 50% health, gain 2 stacks of Wrath.
Bloodguzzler Garb
When an enemy strikes and damages the wearer, the wearer gains 2 stacks of Wrath.
Linebreaker Boots
Generate 3 turns of Wrath after using Dash.
For this build, however, we willonly be using two of these items:
Best Wrath Build Starting Race And Background
The best race for this will certainly be the Half-Orc,allowing you to take advantage ofSavage Attacks.
Savage Attacks - When you land a Critical Hit with a melee weapon attack, your damage dice are tripled instead of doubled.
This will allow you to pour as much raw damage as you’re able to into this build.Otherwise, alternatively good but not as optimized racesfor this build might include:
The best background for a Wrath Build will likely be any that ties in with Strength.Soldier is the best Backgroundfor this build,but Outlander is equally beneficial.However, Backgrounds aren’t so important with this build as it isn’t very good at anything except combat.
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Araj Oblodra’s Potion +2, Ability Score modifier +2, Auntie Ethel’s Hair +1, Mirror of Loss +2
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23
“Reclass” and set stat to 10 after gaining the Amulet of Greater Health.
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10
“Reclass” and set stat to 14 after gaining the Amulet of Greater Health
Strength is the primary concernfor this build. Everything will be poured into it, including:
Dexterity is the second-highestto account for going as early in a turn as possible and to avoid slipping on dangerous surfaces.Intelligence and Charisma are dump stats.
Constitution is a bit complicated. Itshould be your third-highest stat if starting this build from the beginningof the game. However,once you have your paws on theAmulet of Greater Healthin Act Three, you’ll want tochange your stats.
Talk to Withers after you equip the amulet,swapping your Constitution and Wisdom stats.
Best Wrath Build Class And Feat Progression
For this particular Wrath build, we’ll follow theBarbarian: Wild Heartpath and take atwo-level dip into Roguefor access to its Bonus Action features (very important).
There are alternative methods of making a successful Wrath build. So long as you’re working with a melee fighter, you can get a semi-decent build off the ground with almost any melee class.
Theexception to this appears to be Monk.In our testing attempts with several types of classes, Monk suffered the most as Unarmed Attacks do not receive Wrath damage bonuses.
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Barbarian
Unarmoured Defense will allow you to have adecent ACdespite the Clothing status of our chosen gear.
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Danger Senseincreases survivabilityon the frontlines while Reckless Attack will act as anemergency Advantagewhen needing to make an important hit.
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Subclass Choice: Wildheart - Tiger
This will allow access to the Tiger’s Bloodlust attack, granting you a 3-target attack thatcauses Bleeding.
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Feat Choice: Great Weapon Master
Allows you to increase your damage with a penalty to your Hit rate (which will be fixed soon) and gain a new bonus action attack after a Critical Hit.
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Increase your mobility and your number of attacks per round.
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Aspect of the Beast: Tiger
Doubles your Strength modifier on Attack Rolls to Hit against enemies Bleeding or Poisoned, allowing you to completely undo the deficit of Great Weapon Master.
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Feral Instinct
Gives you +3 to Initiative and immunity to Surprised, allowing greater Turn-Order dominance.
Increase your Strength further, increasing damage and Hit chance.
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Rogue
Only Expertise is important, allowing you to double your Athletics proficiency. Sneak Attack isn’t important for this build.
Bonus Action
You can now Dash as a Bonus Action, allowing you to freely stack Wrath buffs.
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Aspect of the Beast: Wolverine
you may Maim Bleeding targets now, Reducing movement to 0. If a target is also knocked Prone, they will be unable to stand on their next turn.
Additional Feats To Take
There areother permanent featsgained through quests you might want to take for this build:
These are optional,however, and if you aren’t a fan of BDSM or human sacrifice, you can skip over these feats without issue.
Horns of the Berserker
Gain +2 to Attack Rolls against creatures that have already taken damage, and deal an additional 2 Necrotic damage with each attack so long as you are not at full health. If you have not taken any damage in a turn, you are dealt 1d4 Necrotic damage.
Sold by Entharl Danthelon at Danthelon’s Dancing Axe (the Harper’s Hideout) in Wyrm’s Crossing.
Bloodguzzler’s Garb
After taking damage from a melee attack, the wearer gains 2 stacks of Wrath.
Bonespike Gloves
Ignore resistances against Piercing, Slashing, and Bludgeoning damage with weapon attacks.
Dropped by Strangler Luke in the Undercity Ruins. Requiresdefeating him first before Farslayer Ghislev.
After Dashing, the wearer gains 3 stacks of Wrath.
Dropped by Beastmaster Zurk in the Shattered Sanctum Worg Pens(where Halsin is held).
Fleshmelter Cloak
When attacked by a melee attack, the attacking creature is dealt 1d4 Acid damage.
Amulet of Greater Health
Increases Constitution of wearer to 23 and gain Advantage on Constitution saves.
Heal 1d4HP at the start of each turn.
Sold by Rolanor Lorroakan’s astral projection in Sorcerous Sundries until Lorroakan is challenge. IfLorroakan is killed, it must be pickpocketed from Rolan.
Balduran’s Giantslayer
Double the damage added by your Strength modifier on attacks with this weapon and gain Advantage on Large, Huge, or Gargantuan creatures. You also gain the ability to Enlarge yourself, deal an extra 1d6 damage, gaining Advantage on Strength-related Saving Throws, and increase your health by 27HP.
The Dead Shot
1d8 + 2 Piercing damage. Lower required Critical Hit by 1 (stacking effect). Double proficiency bonus when attacking with this weapon unless you have Disadvantage. +2 weapon.
Sold by Fytz the Firecracker in Lower City.
Themain center of this build is the Bloodguzzler and Linebreaker combo.Without these two pieces, there could be no effective Wrath build.
You could attempt this build with only the Linebreaker if you are willing to use Bonus Actions more frequently in return for other pieces of equipment. If you are not a fan of the Blooguzzler Garb, you can try theBonespike Garbfor extra temporary hit points, reduced incoming damage, and dealing 2 Piercing damage against all melee attackers with each hit.
TheCaustic Band is an extra way to deal some damagewith each weapon attack,working with the Horns of the Berserkerhelm which gives a similar bonus.
Dead Shot lowers your Critical Hit DC by oneand also provides a way to do Sneak Attack damage if the opportunity presents itself. With Dead Shot in hand, you’ll havetwo options for your cloak:
Balduran’s Giantslayeris the icing on the cake with itsshowy Giant form and additional Strength damage.You’ll deal +14 damage to any weapon attack you make with this sword.
With theBonespike Gloves, that extra damage willignore any resistancesyour enemies may have.
We recommendadding additional Healing Potions and/or Speed Potionsto this character’s inventory. Haste will double the amount of attacks you can do while Healing Potions will ensure your Barbarian doesn’t become too penalized for their Barbarian ways.
24 (+7)
16 (+3)
23 (+6)
8 (-1)
10 (0)
157 (184 in Giant form)
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Feats
Darkvision, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks, Danger Sense, Extra Attack, Fast Movement, Feral Instinct, Brutal Critical, Tiger Heart and Aspect of the Tiger, Land’s Stride: Difficult Terrain, Aspect of the Wolverine, Great Weapon Master
This build is thankfully relatively simple. There areonly three actions you’ll needto make to set this up:
you may also use your sword’s Lacerate to inflict the same status on a single target.
You’ll want tosend your Barbarian into the heat of combat.The more hits you take, the more damage you’ll dish out due to the Bloodguzzler’s Garb unique feat. With your Ring of Regeneration, you’ll be able to offset some of the damage you take.
When you need to,use your Bonus Action to Dash and replenish any Wrath charges you may need.Otherwise, you cancontinue striking your opponentsuntil they’re defeated with little strategizing or further great effort on your part.
Do as the Barbarian does:BONK.
Synergy:You can useTopple the Big Folkto cause Large or greater creatures to be knocked Prone. Other teammates that can cause the Prone condition are useful here as it synergizes with this character’s Maim condition. With Prone and Maim, enemies will not be able to stand on their next turn.
