The Gloomstalker Ranger and the Assassin Rogue are two great subclasses that dish out damage and have great utility in Baldur's Gate 3; high initiative makes the package even more appealing. I like classes that have a lot of versatility, so the Gloomstalker Assassin has become one of my favorite additions to a party in Baldur's Gate 3.
The Gloomstalker Assassin build can be great for your main character, but can also a great choice for one of your companions, with Astarion the natural choice. Here is how to make the Gloomstalker Assassin build.
Gloomstalker Assassin Best Stats
For your Gloomstalker Assassin to be most effective, you will want to focus on Dexterity to hit more with finesse weapons, have higher Initiative, and increase AC. You will also want some Constitution for your health and Concentration saves. Finally, you will want your Wisdom a little high to benefit saves and Ranger spells.
- Strength: 8
- Dexterity: 17
- Constitution: 16
- Intelligence: 10
- Wisdom: 14
- Charisma: 8
Gloomstalker Assassin Levelling Guide - BG3
To start off, take Rogue for your first two levels so you have Sneak Attack and Cunning Actions, which are extremely helpful early on. Next, take Level 3 Rogue to unlock the Assassin subclass, or start dipping into Ranger. Overall, you will want to aim to get to Rogue Level 4 and Ranger Level 5.
Related: Eldritch Knight Build Guide BG3
By reaching Level 4 Rogue, will have upgraded Sneak Attack damage and be able to take a feat. You will also have the Assassin abilities unlocked at level 3, which are some of the most important abilities for this build. The Assassinate abilities will allow you to dish out tons of damage before enemies can get a turn.
You will want to reach Ranger Level 5 to unlock another attack action and benefit from the Gloomstalker abilities. Dread Ambusher is a Gloomstalker ability unlocked at Level 3 that adds a +3 to your Initiative, increases Movement Speed by 3 meters, and gain an additional attack that deals +1d8 damage. Combined with the Assassinate ability, you will have much higher Initative than your enemies and be able to add on a lot of bonus damage to your first attacks.
Best Feats for Gloomstalker Assassin in BG3
You will be able to select two feats by the time you reach Level 9 with the Gloomstalker Assassin multiclass. Increasing ability scores is very helpful, but there are other strong options. Here are the best feats to take for the Gloomstalker Assassin build:
| Feat | Description |
| Alert | You gain a +5 bonus to Initiative and can't be Surprised. |
| Defensive Duelist | When attacked while wielding a Finesse Weapon you're Proficient with, you can use a reaction to add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armour Class, possibly causing the attack to miss. |
| Mobile | Your movement speed increases and difficult terrain doesn't slow you down when you Dash. If you move after making a melee attack, you don't provoke Opportunity Attacks from your target. |
| Savage Attacker | When making weapon attacks, you roll your damage dice twice and use the highest result. |
The advantages of being a Gloomstalker Assassin are sneaking, surprise enemies, and dealing a lot of damage in the first round. With that in mind, these feats will help with early combat, navigation, and keeping you from taking too much damage when attacked.
For more on Baldur's Gate 3, check out Baldur’s Gate 3 Finesse Weapons Guide here on Pro Game Guides.
Bishop Lister is a writer and sports data analyst covering video games since 2019 after graduating from Arizona State University with a bachelor's in Sports Business, minoring in Digital Media Literacy. Bishop enjoys covering RPGs, sports, fighting, strategy titles, and FPS titles, with a focus on Apex Legends.