Summary
- The Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3 excels in mobility and spell versatility, making them a potent choice for support or DPS.
- Lightning Arrow is a top AoE ability for the Swarmkeeper Ranger, dealing extra damage for higher spell slots and bypassing target saving throws.
- Cure Wounds and Lesser Restoration provide healing support for Rangers in combat scenarios, making them versatile additions to the party.
The Ranger is an RPG class that lives in the wilderness and forms a deep kinship with animals. Baldur's Gate 3 includes the Ranger in its list of choices for building a daring adventurer, and as of Patch 8, there's a new subclass that prefers the company of bees, jellyfish, or moths.
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The Swarmkeeper Ranger is strong in terms of mobility, and the versatility of the class means that they have spellcasting abilities that can be used as support, healing, or DPS. A few careful choices when it comes to spell choices build on the strengths of this subclass and make the Swarmkeeper even more dangerous.
7 Lightning Arrow
Transmutation Level 3
- Properties: Does 4d8 Lightning damage to the Primary target and 2d8 Lightning damage to the secondary target.
There are many great AoE abilities available to this class, and Lightning Arrow is one of the best. For every spell slot the character uses above 3rd level, it deals an extra 1d8 of damage, and only by passing a Dexterity saving throw can the target reduce that damage to half.
Lightning Arrow doesn't need a physical arrow or to be cast on a ranged weapon, and other classes can learn to cast it from a scroll, but only Rangers have it as part of their dedicated spell list. Another way to learn this spell is by equipping the 
Hellfire Engine Crossbow, a crafted weapon that players can find in the Steel Watch Foundry.
6 Fog Cloud
Conjuration Level 1
- Properties: Make a cloud of fog on the ground to Heavily Obscure and cause Blindness to anyone inside.
Fog Cloud is a defensive spell that doesn't do any damage, but it is one of the best spells available when it comes to crowd control. It lasts for ten turns, provided that the Ranger can hold their Concentration, and enemies within have their attack rolls reduced and roll at a Disadvantage.
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Meanwhile, any attack rolls against Blinded enemies are made at an Advantage, but they can't be targeted if they're Heavily Obscured. This is where the other AoE powers of the Ranger or party come in handy, with a special shout-out to Wizards and Druids.
5 Cure Wounds
Evocation Level 1
- Properties: Touch a creature and restore 1d8 hit points.
Rangers can replace Clerics or Druids at this point when it comes to healing, and although the Swarmkeeper isn't a healing build, their spellbook has room for a few useful support spells. 
Cure Wounds is ideal for healers who also engage in melee combat because it's cast at arm's length.
Wizards and Warlocks are the only spellcasting classes that don't have access to this basic healing spell at level one, and for every additional spell slot used, another 1d8 is restored. Any class can learn this spell by taking the Magic Initiate Feat for Druids, Clerics, or Bards.
4 Hail Of Thorns
Conjuration Level 1
- Properties: Make a ranged attack and create an explosion that does 1d10 piercing damage to the target and nearby creatures.
Even when this spell misses the target, the explosions still do an impressive amount of AoE damage. Having the power to cast a spell like 
Hail of Thorns at level 2 feels overpowered, especially given the damage it does at this early point in the game.
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The radius of the damage is 7 feet, and even if the targets have to pass a Dexterity saving throw, they still get half damage. For every spell slot the Ranger uses, an additional 1d10 of damage is added, which can take out some enemies in one shot early in the game.
3 Conjure Barrage
Conjuration Level 3
- Properties: The Ranger uses a ranged or melee weapon to deal damage in a 30-foot cone in front of them.
Conjure Barrage is a level 9 spell, so players won't be able to access it until later in the game, but it's worth getting in order to complement the damage of the swarm for Rangers that engage in melee combat. The Ranger also has the option to use this spell at a ranged distance if their build is more about bows than blades.
A downside to this ability is that it damages anything that comes within its cone-shaped range, which includes friends as well as foes. It's better if the Ranger is in front of the party when using this spell in order to keep any allies safe from its deadly strikes.
2 Lesser Restoration
Abjuration Level 2
- Properties: Remove the Conditions of Diseased, Poisoned, Paralysis, Blinded, or Bloodless from a friendly target.
Players tend to underestimate the importance of certain spells dedicated to curing ailments and conditions, which is why it's useful for any Ranger to be able to use 
Lesser Restoration. This is another way a Ranger can replace the party healer or back them up, and any build can use a few defensive and healing spells.
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Lesser Restoration can heal the Conditions of Diseased, Poisoned, Paralysis, Blinded, and Bloodless for those romancing Astarion. It's even possible to have access to this spell early in the game with the 
Amulet Of Silvanus, which is found under a rock on the beach near the sad bear in the Druid Grove.
1 Daylight
Evocation Level 3
- Properties: Summon a globe of light in a specific area or enchant an item or weapon, and each option has a range of 60 feet.
The usefulness of 
Daylight depends on the environment, and the setting of the game makes it indispensable. If the Ranger doesn't have it, players should make sure someone does, because in every Act of Baldur's Gate 3, players are faced with the denizens of the Shadow-cursed Lands, the undead, and vampires.
When the party first enters the Shadow-cursed Lands, they need some kind of light and haven't found a Moonlantern yet. Daylight can be used to enchant an area or an item, so players should cast this on a character's helm or weapon, and the party will be able to proceed safely. It's also handy when fighting Cazador, a vampire, and Baltazar's minions don't like it either.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- Full cross-platform play.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
