As players make their way through Baldur’s Gate 3, they’ll find that the fantasy world is brimming with no shortage of foes eager to impede their journey – but the game’s best legendary weapons can certainly tip the scales in their favor. The roleplaying game offers protagonists plenty of freedom when it comes to decision-making; with the right information and a silvery tongue, characters can often talk themselves out of sticky situations without having to resort to violence. But charisma and knowledge won’t always be enough to keep the peace, and so when push comes to shove, the best legendary weapons in BG3 can be real lifesavers.
[Warning: The following article contains minor spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]Since these armaments are some of the game’s most powerful, it’s no surprise that obtaining them will require some amount of exploring and effort on the player’s part. Most legendary weapons find their place in Act 3, closer to the end of the campaign. However, since some choices made as early as Act 1 can impact their availability, players with their sights set on a certain relic can benefit from planning ahead.
13 Orphic Hammer
Depending on the choices they make during Act 3, players may have the chance to receive a powerful relic called the Orphic Hammer. It’s certainly an item of legendary status, given its surrounding context, and its unique ability to help a significant story character.
However, when it comes to practicality, the Orphic Hammer pales in comparison to the rest of the game’s legendary weapons. Apart from a +3 enchantment and advantage on saving throws against spells, it doesn’t feature any passives or actions that will aid players in everyday battle, making it a weaker choice.
12 Devotee’s Mace
The process of obtaining Devotee’s Mace is also quite exciting, but it only proves to be a tad better than the Orphic Hammer. With +3 enchantment, it’s great for bashing enemies’ heads in, and it even grants access to the unique Healing Incense Aura spell, which provides a small amount of healing over the course of 10 turns.
In order to obtain it, though, players will have to use a cleric character’s Divine Intervention spell – an ability that unlocks at level 10 and can only be used once per playthrough. Since the Devotee’s Mace isn’t as powerful as other legendary weapons, it would be wise to make better use of Divine Intervention in BG3.
11 Silver Sword Of The Astral Plane
In the right hands, the Silver Sword of the Astral Plane is an absolute powerhouse, but it may as well be a toothpick for those who aren’t meant to wield it. Indeed, the greatsword has many fantastic passives that make it an appealing option; its wielder can’t be charmed, has resistance to psychic damage, has advantage on numerous saving throws, and even deals additional psychic damage with each swing.
Unfortunately, the catch is that only a githyanki character can make use of its perks. For players who are campaigning as a different race or don’t particularly favor Lae’zel as a party member, the Silver Sword of the Astral Plane quickly becomes far less impressive.
10 Gontr Mael
Contrarily, practically every character benefits from having a good ranged weapon on hand, and Gontr Mael has all the rest of BG3‘s bows beat. On top of its +3 enchantment, Gontr Mael has plenty of utility in a team fight, since it has a chance to impart Guiding Bolt and give advantage to the next attack roll against its target.
It also allows its wielder to cast Celestial Haste, giving a character an extra action for five turns (without receiving the Lethargic condition afterward, unlike the default version of the Haste spell). If not for its damage, Gontr Mael is a must-have for the extra support it offers in the midst of battle.
9 Shar’s Spear Of Evening
Depending on how players choose to deal with Nightsong in Act 2, they’ll have the opportunity to get their hands on Shar’s Spear of Evening. The legendary spear is just about as cool as it sounds, giving its wielder complete immunity to Blindness, as well as giving them advantages on all saving throws while obscured in the shadows. Shar’s Darkness is a spell that’s not to be underestimated either, creating a dark fog that blinds any enemies caught inside.
As well as having massive implications on the story, obtaining Shar’s Spear of Evening means that it’ll no longer be possible to romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3. But for those not interested in a romance with the cleric, it can certainly be a worthwhile trade.
8 Selûne’s Spear Of Night
On the other hand, players who take a different route with Nightsong will find themselves in possession of Selûne’s Spear of Night. Much like the two goddesses themselves, Selûne’s Spear of Night is the antithesis of Shar’s Spear of Evening, imbued with the power of moonlight rather than shadow.
The legendary spear grants its wielder Darkvision and two useful spells: Moonbeam, a powerful ray of moonlight that damages enemies that stand within it, and Moonmote, which illuminates a large area, simultaneously making allies harder to hit and increasing their damage. With more supportive capabilities than Shar’s Spear of Evening, Selûne’s Spear of Night outshines its counterpart and is overall a formidable weapon to have on hand.
7 Markohenshkir
For players who prefer to deal their damage through spells and incantations, Markohenshkir is a legendary weapon they won’t want to pass up. For one, Kereska’s Favour is a surprisingly helpful spell that’s unique to the legendary quarterstaff, allowing the wielder to gain resistance to a certain element, as well as granting them access to two free spells of that same element.
However, its most standout feature is Arcane Battery, a passive that can be toggled in order to cast the next spell without using a spell slot. In the (often inevitable) case where a mage runs out of enough spell slots to cast their best spells in Baldur’s Gate 3, Markohenshkir can truly save the day.
6 Bloodthirst
Daggers are a rogue’s best friend, and Bloodthirst is hard to beat in this regard. The legendary dagger is a menace to any enemy with their back turned, as it reduces the roll value required to score a critical hit by one. It might not seem like a huge difference on paper, but given that the effect can stack with other modifiers, it can easily change the tides of battle with a single jab.
Bloodthirst offers a pleasant amount of flexibility for dual-wielding characters, too, as its perks change depending on which hand it’s equipped in. Equipping Bloodthirst in one’s main hand will leave targets vulnerable to piercing damage, whereas using it in off-hand will allow the wielder to riposte with the advantage of True Strike.
5 Crimson Mischief
As strong as Bloodthirst is on its own, it’s even stronger when accompanied by its partner-in-crime, Crimson Mischief. The legendary shortsword is optimal for finishing off low-health targets, as it deals an additional few points of damage to any enemy that’s below half-health. Fortunately, it comes as a package deal with Bloodthirst.
Like its dagger counterpart, Crimson Mischief gains different perks in different hands. Using it as an off-hand weapon allows characters to add a modifier to their attack – but when wielding it in their main hand, characters inflict a whopping seven points of additional piercing damage, provided they attack with advantage. Regardless of how players choose to make use of the pair, it’s hard to find a better dual-wielding loadout than Crimson Mischief and Bloodthirst.
4 The Blood Of Lathander
Unlike most legendary weapons, The Blood of Lathander can actually be obtained in Act 1, and it’s no less powerful for it. The mace comes with some highly valuable passives; Lathander’s Light sheds light in a six-meter radius, potentially blinding any undead foes in range, and Lathander’s Blessing essentially grants the wielder a free automatic revive once per long rest, healing them and any nearby allies when their health drops to zero.
Finding The Blood of Lathander in BG3 can be a tad complicated, as it involves solving a ceremonial puzzle and infiltrating a secret chamber. However, the (literal) light waiting at the end of the tunnel is worth any trials and tribulations that may arise.
3 Duellist’s Prerogative
Although its associated quest is one of the hardest things to find during BG3‘s Act 3, Duellist’s Prerogative is a magnificent rapier that’s worth the scavenger hunt. Unlike Bloodthirst and Crimson Mischief, Duellist’s Prerogative is a weapon that’s best wielded on its own. This way, players can score critical hits when they roll a 19, and they even gain an additional reaction and bonus action to use each round.
Having an extra reaction works perfectly in tandem with the Duellist’s Prerogative’s Withering Cut perk, which allows the player to deal an additional few points of necrotic damage in exchange for a reaction. Combined with Challenge to Duel – which goads enemies into attacking the wielder, inflicting Bleed – the rapier is a serious force to be reckoned with.
2 Balduran’s Giantslayer
Balduran’s Giantslayer is another legendary sword that packs an even greater punch. Not only does it deal an unforgiving amount of damage to enemies that stand in its path, but it also comes with some powerful perks, too.
As its name implies, Balduran’s Giantslayer is particularly effective against larger creatures, and it even allows players to topple said creatures with the unique (and fittingly-named) “Topple The Big Folk” action. It doesn’t stop there, though – Balduran’s Giantslayer lets players become giants themselves with the “Giant Form” ability, which gives them 27 temporary hit points, advantages on strength checks and saving throws, and an additional 1d6 damage per hit for 10 turns.
1 Nyrulna
It’s hard to argue against Nyrulna being the best legendary weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3, though. The trident may not seem all that impressive while wielding it traditionally, but its power is made abundantly clear once thrown, as throwing Nyrulna creates a six-meter-wide blast of thunder damage (after which the weapon automatically returns to the player’s hands).
This makes it an effective tool for eliminating clustered up enemies. Plus, the wielder also gets to enjoy immensely helpful passives, such as three meters of additional movement speed, fall damage immunity, and complete protection against disarming attacks.
