Summary
Magic users inBaldur’s Gate 3have a lot of powerful spells to choose from. Classes like wizards, sorcerers, and clerics use spells to attack and defend against enemies. As you level up, your spellcaster will gain access to stronger abilities, including abjuration spells, which focus on defense.
Spellcasters wielding these spells keep their party from being destroyed in battle. With shields, magical armor, and other defensive abilities, your companions are more likely to survive combat and crush your enemies. Here are the best defensive spells available in Baldur’s Gate 3.
11Blade Ward
Blade Wardis one of the simplest defensive cantrips in the game. Available to most magic users, casting this abjuration cantrip makes your character less vulnerable to damage. If an enemy tries to attack, you only take half of the incoming bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage for two turns.
This spell keeps your caster up for longer in combat. Most classes earn this cantrip at Level 1, so it’s a great early-game defense for spellcasters.
10Sanctuary
Sanctuary is another early-game spell helpful in combat. The level 1 abjuration spell allows your caster to ward themselves or others against incoming attacks. When you or an ally has sanctuary, enemies cannot target you until you harm an enemy yourself. In other words, you cannot be attacked as long as you aren’t attacking others.
This spell protects vulnerable party members from damage when they need a break during combat. It’s particularly useful to cast on your healer, as they are focused more on helping than harming.
9Death Ward
Death Ward is a level 4 defensive spell available to clerics and bards. The spell allows your spellcaster to protect a party member from dying in combat. If a hit would reduce that companion to zero hit points, they remain conscious with one hit point left.
This spell is helpful during particularly difficult fights when you need your healer to remain upright for as long as possible. While it’s not a guarantee you won’t need the Help or healing spell, it saves valuable time during long combat.
8Stoneskin
Stoneskin is another level 4 abjuration spell that protects party members during combat. Available to most magic users, this spell allows you to harden the skin of an ally, making them Resistant to non-physical damage.
With flesh as hard as a stone, your ally only takes half the damage of bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. It helps boost natural defenses, extending the party member’s lifespan during battle.
How to get this spell:
Classes
Class Level 7: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard, War Domain Cleric (Domain Spell), and Circle of the Land Druid (Mountain)
7Shield
The Shield spell is another early-game option available to sorcerers and wizards. The level 1 spell keeps you from getting hit by an enemy attack at the last moment. When your spellcaster is about to be hit by an attack, you’re able to use the Shield spell as a reaction, nullifying the damage for one turn.
In addition, the caster cannot be hit by Magic Missile, making it a powerful defensive option for magic users.
6Fire Shield
Fire Shield is available to wizards, warlocks, and bards. The level 4 spell shields its caster with luminous energy, providing Resistance to Fire and Cold damage. This means the incoming damage is reduced.
It also retaliates against melee attacks, sending Fire damage at the enemy who attacked you. This retaliation doesn’t cost you a reaction, leaving you free to make an Opportunity Attack on your enemy.
5Counterspell
Counterspell is a level 3 abjuration spell focusing on incoming spell attacks. It’s available to most, but not all, magical classes. When an enemy spellcaster tries to send a spell at you or an ally, you may use counterspell to try and stop it. This can cause it to falter, resulting in no effect on you or your companion.
If the spell is higher than level 3, you have to succeed in a Check to nullify it. This is particularly useful in bigger fights with multiple spellcasting enemies.
Staff of Interruption (Recharge: Long rest)
4Armour of Agathys
The Armour of Agathys is a level 1 abjuration spell available to certain warlocks, sorcerers, and bards. Increasing your defensive abilities, it creates a magical armor of frost around the caster. This armor gives you temporary hit points while dealing out additional Cold damage to enemies.
This spell is also granted by theIcebite Robe, a special item particularly advantageous to magical classes. While it may seem weak at first, this spell levels up as your caster does, making it more powerful as the game progresses.
Icebite Robe (Recharge: Long rest)
3Protection From Evil And Good
The Protection from Evil and Good spell is available to most magical classes. The level 1 abjuration spell allows your spellcaster to imbue themselves with magical protection from Aberrations, Celestials, Elementals, Fey, Fiends, and Undead.
This means your targets cannot be Charmed, Frightened, or Possessed by those beings. When they attack, they will also have a Disadvantage, giving you a higher chance of survival during combat. This spell is particularly helpful in battles with large amounts of skeletons, zombies, and other supernatural creatures.
2Mage Armour
The Mage Armour spell is available for a lot of magic users, though there are other ways to acquire it, such as the Moon Devotion Robe. The level 1 abjuration spell lets your spellcaster surround an unarmed creature, including themselves, with magical armor.
To use this, the creature targeted cannot be wearing any armor. This magical protection layer increases your AC to 13 plus your Dexterity modifier. It’s particularly good for classes with higher Dexterity stats, such as bards and druids.
