BG3 Multiclassing Guide: How It Works and What to Know

To multiclass in Baldur's Gate 3, open the level up screen and use the Add Class button to take your next level in a different class. There are no ability score minimums, unlike the tabletop rules, so any character can take a level in any of the 12 classes. The total across all your classes is capped at level 12, and multiclassing is switched off on Explorer difficulty.

The rules are simple to use but easy to get wrong, because a multiclass gives you less than a new character of that class would get. This guide covers how levels, proficiencies, spell slots and feats work when you mix classes.

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

How do you multiclass in BG3?

1. Earn enough experience to level up.
2. On the level up screen, choose Add Class instead of continuing in your current class.
3. Pick the new class. You get its level 1 features, along with any subclass if that class picks one at level 1.
4. On later level ups, choose which of your classes to advance.

Each class is levelled separately. A character with three levels of Bard who takes a level of Sorcerer is a level 4 character, but they have Bard features for levels 1 to 3 and Sorcerer features for level 1. They do not get the level 4 Bard features.

Your proficiency bonus is the one thing that follows your total level. It rises as normal no matter how you split your levels.

There is even an achievement for it. Jack-of-all-Trades asks you to multiclass into every class in one playthrough without using Withers to change the character.

Can you multiclass on Explorer difficulty?

No. Explorer turns multiclassing off. If you lower the difficulty to Explorer partway through a run, any multiclass levels you already have stay, but you cannot add more. Balanced, Tactician and Honour all allow it, and Custom mode lets you choose. The difficulty guide explains each setting.

What do you get when you add a new class?

A multiclass never gives you every proficiency the class would normally start with. Your first class matters most here, because saving throw proficiencies come only from it: multiclassing never grants saving throws.

Here is what each class gives you when you add it as a second or later class:

Heavy armour is missing from that list, even for Fighter and Paladin. The way around it is a subclass: proficiencies granted by a subclass do carry over. A Cleric picks their domain at level 1, so a single level of Life Domain or War Domain Cleric brings heavy armour with it.

How do spell slots work with multiclassing?

Spellcasting classes share one pool of spell slots, based on what the game calls your effective spellcaster level. Each class adds to it differently:

The fractions are added together and rounded down. A Paladin 6 / Sorcerer 6, for example, counts as a level 9 caster (3 + 6) and gets the same spell slots as a level 9 Sorcerer would.

The spells you know still follow each class's own level. That Paladin 6 / Sorcerer 6 only knows Sorcerer spells up to what a level 6 Sorcerer could learn, so the higher slots are mostly used to cast known spells at a higher level, or to fuel abilities such as Divine Smite.

Warlocks are the exception. Their Pact Magic slots are always cast at the highest level the Warlock can manage, recharge on a short rest, and are tracked separately from everything else.

One more quirk: spells cast from scrolls and magic items use the spellcasting ability of the class you most recently took a first level in.

What do you lose by multiclassing?

The main cost is feats. Every class grants a feat at class levels 4, 8 and 12, with an extra one for Fighters at level 6 and Rogues at level 10. Because those count class levels, not total level, splitting your 12 levels can cost you feats. A Fighter 12 gets four feats. A Fighter 6 / Rogue 6 gets three: two from Fighter (levels 4 and 6) and one from Rogue (level 4).

You also delay the big class milestones:

• Extra Attack arrives at level 5 in Fighter, Barbarian, Ranger, Monk and Paladin, and in Warlock with Pact of the Blade. Extra Attack from two martial classes does not stack, so a Fighter 5 / Ranger 5 still attacks twice, not three times.
• Higher spell levels come later for a full caster who spends levels elsewhere, even if their spell slots keep growing.
• Late features need deep investment. The Fighter's third attack, for example, arrives at Fighter level 11, which leaves room for only one level elsewhere.

Common multiclass dips and why people take them

A "dip" is one or two levels in a second class taken for a specific feature. These are popular because the rules above make them efficient. They are not the only good options, and none of them are needed to finish the game.

Charisma-based combinations such as Paladin with Sorcerer, Bard or Warlock work well because one high stat feeds both classes. If you are splitting stats between two classes, plan the spread with the BG3 point buy calculator first.

Tips before your first multiclass

• Pick your starting class carefully. It decides your saving throws and full starting proficiencies.
• Get Extra Attack before dipping if you play a weapon character, since most builds want it by level 5.
• Mind your feat levels. Count where your 4th, 8th and 12th class levels will fall.
• Don't fear mistakes. Withers will reset a character for 100 gold, and you can rebuild the whole split from level 1. The respec guide shows how.

Frequently asked questions

How do you multiclass in Baldur's Gate 3?

Level up as normal, then click Add Class on the level up screen and choose a new class. You can switch between your classes freely on later level ups, and there are no ability score requirements.

What is the max level in BG3?

The level cap is 12, and it applies to your total level across all classes. A Fighter 8 / Wizard 4 is at the cap, just like a Fighter 12.

Can you multiclass on Explorer?

No. Explorer difficulty turns multiclassing off. Any multiclass levels you already took stay if you switch down to Explorer, but you cannot add new ones.

Do spell slots stack when multiclassing in BG3?

Yes, for most casters. Full, half and one-third caster levels add up to one shared spell slot pool. Warlock Pact Magic slots are the exception and stay separate, recharging on a short rest.

Does multiclassing give saving throw proficiencies?

No. Saving throw proficiencies come only from your first class. A new class also gives fewer armour and weapon proficiencies than it would at level 1, though proficiencies from a subclass do carry over.

Can you undo a multiclass?

Yes. Pay Withers 100 gold at camp to reset the character to level 1, then rebuild them with a different class split. You keep your experience, so you can level straight back up.