What Is The Best Beast Master Ranger Build In BG3?

One of the classes you can choose in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the ranger. Those of the ranger class have an affinity with nature and have the ability to cast spells. Reaching level three as a ranger will allow you to pick a subclass, and one of those subclasses is the beast master.

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A beast master ranger has the ability to summon animal companions that can deal damage and provide support in combat, or help aid in exploration, especially when it comes to getting to hard-to-reach areas. This is a great subclass to pick if you want extra support in battle and a variety of companions to choose from.

Beast Master Ranger Features Overview

Baldur's Gate 3 the subclass selection menu for rangers

The highlight of the beast master subclass is the ability to summon animal companions. As you level up in this subclass, your bond with your animal companions will deepen, making them stronger.

Level	Subclass Feature
3	Summon Companion Bear Companion: Summon a black bear that can endure heavy attacks and draw the enemy’s attention with its Goading Roar. Boar Companion: Summon a boar that can sweep through the battlefield and knock enemies off their feet with its Charge. Dire Raven Companion: Summon a dire raven that can fly and blind its enemies. Wolf Companion: Summon a wolf that can inflict devastating wounds and knock down enemies with its Lunging Bite. Wolf Spider Companion: Summon a wolf spider that can shoot webs and poison enemies with its bite.
5	Companion’s Bond: The bond between you and your animal companion grows stronger. Your proficiency bonus is added to its armour class and damage rolls. Your companion will have increased hit points.
7	Exceptional Training: Your companion can dash, disengage, and help as a bonus action.
8	Your companion will have increased hit points.
11	Bestial Fury: Your bond with your companion has deepened, unlocking their inner strength and giving them an extra attack. Your companion will have increased hit points and better abilities.

Your animal companions won’t be heavy hitters when it comes to damage. Instead, they can provide a distraction while dealing attacks.

What you’ll need to do for them is to cast spells or attacks of your own to chip away at the enemies’ health or to restrain them.

Best Race For Beast Master Rangers

There are no specific races that will improve the strength of your summoned companions as a beast master ranger, so you should choose a race that offers you balance.

A wood elf is the best pick for your beast master ranger because of their exceptional movement speed at 10.5m/35ft.

They also enjoy Fey Ancestry which gives them an advantage against being charmed and immunity to magical sleep.

They also have Darkvision, which allows them to see in the dark up to 12m/40ft.

Best Background For Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 the outlander background in the background selection menu

Beast master rangers make great explorers thanks to their summons that can get to hard-to-reach spaces. That being said, the outlander and folk hero backgrounds can perform best in this subclass.

Folk Hero

A folk hero is proficient in animal handling and survival. The proficiency in animal handling makes sense roleplaying-wise for beast master rangers, as they work with summoned animal companions.

The proficiency of survival is useful, because it’ll help in detecting buried treasure in the area.

Outlander

The outlander is also a great choice for beast master rangers thanks to their proficiency in athletics and survival.

Athletics will make you more difficult to shove and will make it easier for you to shove others. This is useful in battle, especially ones that take place on the edge of a building.

Best Abilities For Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 a wood elf ranger in the ability score menu

Rangers will need high ability scores in dexterity, constitution, and wisdom. Dexterity is a must to improve your damage as a ranged attacker, which is the recommended build for a beast master ranger.

Constitution will help you stay standing with your increased hit points, and it’ll also help you succeed concentration checks.

Wisdom is important for animal handling and survival checks. You’ll also be a more effective spellcaster with this ability.

Important Abilities
Dexterity (at least 16)
Constitution (at least 16)
Wisdom (at least 14)

Best Feats For Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 sharpshooter and ability improvement feats

Unlock the full potential of your Beast Master Ranger with these best feats, enhancing your abilities and unleashing a formidable force.

Feat	About
Sharpshooter	This feat is perfect for making your beast master a powerful ranged unit. It’ll remove the penalty for being on lower ground, and the All In passive will allow you to deal an additional 10 damage with ranged weapons for a -5 penalty to your attack roll.
Ability Improvement	Use this feat to increase your dexterity by 2 points.
Alert	You can pick alert as a third feat in order to gain a +5 bonus to initiative and to prevent being surprised.

Best Level-By-Level Build Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 a ranger leveling up to level 5

As you level your beast master ranger up, you should make choices that will enhance your damage as a ranged attacker.

You should also pick options that will make you sturdier on the field by adding resistance to certain types of damage.

Level	Build
1	Favoured Enemy: Bounty Hunter Natural Explorer: Beast Tamer
2	Best Spell: Ensnaring Strike Fighting Style: Archery
3	Subclass: beast master
4	Feat: sharpshooter
6	Favoured Enemy: Ranger Knight Natural Explorer: Wasteland Wanderer (Fire)
8	Feat: Ability Improvement (+2 Dexterity)
10	Favoured Enemy: Mage Breaker Natural Explorer: Wasteland Wanderer (Cold)
12	Feat: Alert or Ability Improvement (+2 Dexterity)

Best Equipment For Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 A full body view of a wood elf ranger

In picking equipment for your beast master ranger, you should pick armour that will give you boosts in dexterity or advantage as an archer. You can encounter plenty of these throughout your journey.

Best Early-Game Equipment For Beast Master Rangers

Equip your Beast Master Ranger for success right from the start with these top picks for the best early-game gear.

Equipment	Features	Location
Armour: Sharpened Snare Cuirass	Armour Class: 14 + dexterity modifier Exotic Material: Add your full dexterity modifier to your armour class. Additionally, this armour does not impose disadvantage on stealth ability checks. Sharpened Snare: Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws when resisting your attacks and spells that inflict Restrained.	Can be purchased from Roah Moonglow at Moonrise Towers.
Cloak: Cloak of Protection	+1 to armour class +1 to saving throws	This can be purchased from Quartermaster Talli in the Last Light Inn.
Headwear: Fistbreaker Helm	High Spellcasting: You gain a +1 bonus to spell save DC Seldom Caught Unawares: You gain a +1 bonus to initiative rolls	This can be purchased from Lann Tarv in Moonrise Towers.
Gloves: Gloves of Dexterity	Sets the wearer’s dexterity score to 18. The enchantment has no effect if their dexterity score is higher without it. +1 to attack	This can be purchased from A’jak’nir Jeera in Crèche Y’llek.
Footwear: Disintegrating Night Walkers	Night Walker: can’t be enwebbed, entangled, or ensnared and can’t slip on grease or ice. Spell: Misty Step	Can be looted from Nere’s body in Grymforge.
Amulet: Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet	Paralysing Critical: When scoring a critical hit on a humanoid, the wearer can paralyze the target for 2 turns.	Can be looted from Malus Thorm’s body in the House of Healing.
Ring: Crusher’s Ring	Movement speed increases by 3m/10ft.	This ring can be obtained by using sleight of hand and stealing it from Crusher, or by looting it off Crusher’s dead body in the Goblin Camp.
Ring: Strange Conduit Ring	Strange Conduit: When concentrating on a spell, the wearer’s weapon attacks deal an additional 1d4 psychic damage.	Can be looted from a chest in the Inquisitor’s Chamber in Crèche Y’llek.

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Best Late-Game Equipment For Beast Master Rangers

Gear up for triumph in the final stages of your journey with these curated selections of the best late-game equipment

Equipment	Features	Location
Armour: Armour of Agility	Armour Class: 17 + dexterity modifier Exotic Material: Add your full dexterity modifier to your armour class. Additionally, this armour does not impose disadvantage on stealth ability checks. +2 to Saving Throws	Can be purchased from Gloomy Fentonson at the Stormshore Armoury.
Headwear: Sarevok’s Horned Helmet	Deathbringer’s Sight: You gain Darkvision up to a range of 3m/10ft or 15m/50ft if you already have it. The number you need to roll a critical hit while attacking is reduced by 1. This effect can stack, Dauntless: You can’t be frightened and cannot be afflicted with other emotion-altering conditions.	This can be looted from Sarevok’s body at the Murder Tribunal.
Gloves: Helldusk Gloves	Infernal Acuity: +1 bonus to spell attck rolls and spell save dc. Infernal Touch: weapon attacks deal an additional 1d6 fire damage unarmed attacks deal an additional 1d6 necrotic damage, and can possibly inflict bleeding +1 to strength saving throws Cantrip: Rays of Fire	This can be looted from Haarlep’s body in the House of Hope.
Footwear: Helldusk Boots	Steadfast: You cannot be forcibly moved by a foe’s spells or actions, and you ignore the effects of difficult terrain. Infernal Evasion: When you fail a saving throw, you may use your reaction to succeed instead. Hellcrawler: Teleport to an area and deal 2d8 fire damage where you land. The impact blast spreads in a 3m/10ft zone.	This can be looted from a locked chest on the top floor of Wyrm’s Rock Fortress.
Amulet: Amulet of Greater Health	Sets the wearer’s constitution to 23. Wearer gains an advantage on constitution saving throws.	This can be looted from a pedestal in the archive room of the House of Hope.
Ring: Killer’s Sweetheart	Executioner: When you kill a creature, your next attack roll will be a critical hit. Once spent, this effect refreshes after a long rest.	Can be found on the ground in the room of the Self-Same Trial in the Gauntlet of Shar after defeating the player’s character copy.

Best Weapons For Beast Master Rangers

Baldur's Gate 3 a beast master ranger with two hand crossbows

It’s recommended that you equip your beast master ranger with a hand crossbow in each hand. This will allow you to deal two ranged attacks per turn. Make sure your more powerful hand crossbow is in your primary hand.

Weapon	Features	Location
First Hand Crossbow: Hellfire Hand Crossbow	1d6 + 2 (3~8) + Dexterity modifier (piercing damage) Hellstalker: Possibly inflict burning when attacking while hiding or invisible. Scorching Ray Piercing Shot Mobile Shot	Can be looted from Yurgir’s body at the Gauntlet of Shar.
Second Hand Crossbow: Ne’er Misser	1d6 + 2 (3~8) + Dexterity modifier (piercing damage) Magic Missile Piercing Shot Mobile Shot	Can be purchased from Roah Moonglow in Moonrise Towers.

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