Best BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build – Ranger Rogue Fighter Multiclass Build
Welcome to our BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Guide. This is a multiclass build combining the Ranger , Rogue and Fighter classes. It also works great for Astarion.
The Dual-Hand Crossbow uses the Ranger, Rogue and Fighter classes to create a rapid-firing ranged character, stacking up several damage bonuses on each shot to rapidly bring down enemies.
This build is up to date with the latest version of BG3 (Patch 8). It was last updated in April 2026.
Table of Contents:
- Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Overview
- Character Creation – Level 1
- Dual-Hand Crossbow Levelling Guide (2-12)
- Dual-Hand Crossbow Best Equipment
- Dual-Hand Crossbow Extra Info
- Dual-Hand Crossbow Build FAQ
BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Strengths & Weaknesses:
DUAL-HAND CROSSBOW PROS
DUAL-HAND CROSSBOW CONS
Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build Overview
BG3 Multiclass Explainer:
- How it works: New classes can be added as you level up. They are added on a level-by-level basis.
- Example: If you are a level 6 Ranger and decide to add 1 Rogue level, you will only get the features of Rogue level 1.
- Example 2: If you want the features of a level 6 Ranger and Rogue, you need to be max level and add 6 levels of each class. (We’re not using this class distribution for our build; this is only an example!)
This means that we have to be sure that the payoff of adding new classes to your build is worth it, because every level of a secondary class reduces the highest level we can reach with our primary class.
In this Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build, we’ll be combining the following classes:
- Provides the Archery Fighting Style and access to basic magic, improving your accuracy and damage.
- The Gloom Stalker subclass allows you to become Invisible and gain an extra attack on the first turn of combat.
- We’ll take five Ranger levels, enough to reach the Extra Attack feature.
- Allows you to Hide, Dash and Disengage with a Bonus Action.
- Provides access to Sneak Attacks, yielding powerful damage bonuses.
- We’ll take four Rogue levels, enough to get the Thief subclass (grants an extra Bonus Action) and unlock a Feat.
- Allows you to take an additional Fighting Style, such as Defence, which gives you a small Armour Class increase.
- We take three Fighter levels, enough to unlock Action Surge and the Battle Master subclass.
Here is a quick overview of which class we pick when, this is important!
Dual-Hand Crossbow Levelling Progress Overview
- Level 1: Ranger 1
- Level 2: Ranger 2
- Level 3: Ranger 3 (Gloomstalker subclass)
- Level 4: Ranger 4
- Level 5: Ranger 5
- Level 6: Rogue 1
- Level 7: Rogue 2
- Level 8: Rogue 3 (Rogue subclass)
- Level 9: Rogue 4
- Level 10: Fighter 1
- Level 11: Fighter 2
- Level 12: Fighter 3 (Battle Master subclass)
Dual-Hand Crossbow Character Creation (Level 1)
In this section, we will guide you through the best starting choices for creating your BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build.
Starting Class (Ranger)
We’ll start by choosing the Ranger class. The Rogue class and other features of the build will be added later.
The Ranger starts the game with the following features, which we’ll build on over the course of this guide:
Core Ranger Features
- Favoured Enemy – Choose one of five options to enhance your character.
- The best option for the build is Bounty Hunter. It gives
Investigation Proficiency and imposes 
Disadvantage on Saving Throws against 
Ensnaring Strike.
- The best option for the build is Bounty Hunter. It gives
- Natural Explorer – Choose one of five options to enhance your character.
- Choose Urban Tracker unless another party member will have
Sleight of Hand Proficiency, in which case Wasteland Wanderer (Fire or Poison) is better.
- Choose Urban Tracker unless another party member will have
Best Race
While this build will work fine with any race in the game, there are a few choices that stand out above the rest and can be chosen if you want to optimise the build as much as possible. See also: BG3 Races List
Here are the five best race choices for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build:
| Race | Strengths | Info |
|---|---|---|
Duergar |
|
With their wide choice of armour and weapon proficiencies, and resistances to poison, charm, and paralysis, Duergar are one of the strongest races in BG3. From level 5, they can make themselves invisible at will, making them a perfect fit for this build.
The only downside of Duergar is their small stature, which reduces their base Movement Speed to 7.5 metres per turn (most races get 9 metres). |
Wood Elf |
|
Wood Elves are a great choice for most build types in BG3, thanks to their superior movement speed. Natural Proficiency in Perception is always useful, and immunity to magical Sleep will help you out a lot, especially in the early game, where enemy mages love to spam this spell. |
Githyanki |
|
Githyanki have excellent mobility thanks to Enhance Leap and Misty Step, allowing you to relentlessly pursue ranged enemies. |
Lightfoot Halfling |
|
The Lightfoot Halfling has Advantage on Stealth Checks and is very unlikely to land a Critical Fail/Miss thanks to their Halfling Luck. However, they suffer from reduced movement speed. |
Deep Gnome |
|
Deep Gnomes enjoy Advantage on a wide range of Saving Throws, which helps to protect you from a wide range of negative conditions.
Like the Lightfoot Halfling, you are very good at sneaking but have reduced movement speed. |
Duergar
With their wide choice of armour and weapon proficiencies, and resistances to poison, charm, and paralysis, Duergar are one of the strongest races in BG3. From level 5, they can make themselves invisible at will, making them a perfect fit for this build.
The only downside of Duergar is their small stature, which reduces their base Movement Speed to 7.5 metres per turn (most races get 9 metres).
- Can wear
Medium Armour - Can wield axes and hammers
Dwarven Resilience
Advantage against 
Poisoned- Resistance to
Poison Damage
Superior Darkvision
Duergar Resilience
- Advantage on
Saving Throws against illusions - Advantage against
Charmed and 
Paralysed
- Duergar Magic
Enlarge (Level 3)
Invisibility (Level 5)
Wood Elf
Wood Elves are a great choice for most build types in BG3, thanks to their superior movement speed. Natural Proficiency in Perception is always useful, and immunity to magical Sleep will help you out a lot, especially in the early game, where enemy mages love to spam this spell.
- Proficiency in
Stealth and 
Perception - Extra Weapon Proficiencies:
Shortswords
Longswords
Shortbows
Longbows
Fey Ancestry
- Advantage against Charmed
- Immune to
Magical Sleep
Darkvision
Fleet of Foot – 1.5 metres of extra Movement Speed
Githyanki
Githyanki have excellent mobility thanks to Enhance Leap and Misty Step, allowing you to relentlessly pursue ranged enemies.
- Can wear
Light Armour & Medium Armour - Extra Weapon Proficiencies:
- Shortswords
- Longswords
Greatswords
Astral Knowledge
- Gain Proficiency with all Skills belonging to a selected ability, once per Long Rest.
- Githyanki Psionics
Mage Hand (Level 1)
Enhance Leap (Level 3)
Misty Step (Level 5)
Lightfoot Halfling
Halfling Luck
- Reroll Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, and Saving throws that land on 1.
Brave
- Advantage on Saving Throws against
Frightened.
Naturally Stealthy
- Advantage on Stealth Checks
-
The Lightfoot Halfling has Advantage on Stealth Checks and is very unlikely to land a Critical Fail/Miss thanks to their Halfling Luck. However, they suffer from reduced movement speed.
Deep Gnome
Gnome Cunning
- Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma Saving Throws.
- Superior Darkvision
Stone Camouflage
- Advantage on Stealth Checks
Deep Gnomes enjoy Advantage on a wide range of Saving Throws, which helps to protect you from a wide range of negative conditions.
Like the Lightfoot Halfling, you are very good at sneaking but have reduced movement speed.
Background & Skills
For your Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Background, we recommend choosing Entertainer.
The Entertainer background gives us the following Skill Proficiencies:
Entertainer Background
Acrobatics (DEX) – You are better at resisting enemy attempts to shove you. Can be a life-saver.
Performance (CHA) – Occasionally used in conversations to impress an NPC or make them like you more.
You can choose two more Skills in addition to those granted by your Background. The best options are Stealth and Perception. Stealth is essential for this build, and Perception is useful because it allows you to detect enemy ambushes, traps and other dangers.
Ability Points
We’ll be using Dexterity for the Dual-Hand Crossbow’s attack rolls, so that is the most important ability. But we also need points in Constitution to ensure you have enough HP, and Wisdom to aid your Ranger spellcasting.
All in all, we recommend this ability distribution to start with:
Strength – 10 Points
- Low importance for this build.
Dexterity – 16 Points
- Very important. Boost your attack rolls and damage.
- Boosts Armour Class (AC) and Initiative.
- Helps you act sooner in combat.
Constitution – 14 Points
- Increases Max HP.
- Also used for some Saving Throws against debuffs, especially those involving poisons or disease.
Intelligence – 8 Points
- Not relevant for our build.
Wisdom – 16 Points
- Boosts your base Armour Class.
- Used for Ranger spellcasting.
- Used in some Saving Throws.
Charisma – 10 Points
- Low priority for our build.
- Putting 10 points here ensures you won’t get a penalty when attempting to persuade NPCs. But ideally, a different character in your party should do the talking.
| Ability | Points | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Strength |
10 | Low importance for this build. |
| Dexterity |
16 | Improves accuracy and damage. Gives you a higher Armour Class and improves initiative. |
| Constitution |
14 | Increases HP and helps with some Saving Throws. |
| Intelligence |
8 | Not relevant for our build. |
| Wisdom |
16 | Boosts Ranger spellcasting. Helps with some Saving Throws. |
| Charisma |
10 | Low priority. Switch to a different character for dialogue when possible. |
Important Tips:
- The “Even Number” Rule: In Baldur’s Gate 3, only even numbers (12, 14, 16) increase your ability modifier. This means an 11 is functionally the same as a 10, so we aim for even numbers to maximise efficiency.
- If you plan to take a Feat that adds a +1 to an Ability, then you can break this rule.
BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build Levelling Guide (2-12)
Now, we are going to look at how to level up your Dual-Hand Crossbow Build for Baldur’s Gate 3.
Early-Game Levelling (2-4)
In this section, we’ll cover the first four levels.
Level 2
We’ll be levelling up the Ranger class for the first few levels; multiclassing will be added later on.
The Ranger gains several new features at Level 2:
New Ranger Features
Fighting Style – Choose one
- We strongly recommend
Archery, which gives you a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls with Ranged weapons. - This will make your ranged attacks more accurate.
Ranger Spellcasting
- You start with two first-level Spell Slots and can learn two spells.
New Spells
We recommend unlocking these two spells to begin with:
- Your weapon attack summons thorny vines that
Ensnare your target. - Ensnared targets cannot move and take 1d6
Piercing Damage at the start of their turn. - Enemies roll a Strength Save to resist the effect. Their allies can
Help them out of the vines. - Requires Concentration.
- Mark the target, dealing 1d6 extra damage whenever you hit them with a weapon attack.
- You can reapply the spell without spending another spell slot, after the existing target dies.
- Requires Concentration.
Level 3
We will add another Ranger Level to the build here, granting access to a subclass. The Gloom Stalker subclass is essential for this build.
Ranger Subclass – Gloom Stalker Features
- +3 to Initiative, helping you to move sooner in each turn.
- 3m extra Movement Speed on the first turn of combat.
- On the first turn of combat, you can make an extra weapon attack for 1d8 damage.
- You can hide with a
Bonus Action.
- See in the dark up to 24 metres away.
- Become Invisible if you are already obscured.
- Once per Short Rest.
- Temporarily change your character’s appearance so others will not recognise you.
- Always prepared and doesn’t count towards your prepared spell limit.
- Can cast for free outside of combat.
New Ranger Spell
- Increase the target’s Movement Speed by 3m.
- Lasts until Long Rest and does not require Concentration.
- Can cast for free outside of combat.
- You should cast it on all party members after every Long Rest to boost everyone’s Movement Speed.
Level 4
We will add another Ranger level. You don’t gain many new features at this level, but you can unlock a Feat which will be vital for our build.
New Feat – Sharpshooter
- Allows you to gain +10 damage on all ranged attacks, but with a -5 penalty on Attack Rolls.
- You can toggle the effect on or off at will.
- To negate the penalty, attack with as many bonuses as possible (high ground, Advantage, etc.)
Mid-Game Levelling (5-8)
In this section, we’ll cover the mid-game. During these levels, the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build will become much more powerful, unlocking features that will allow you to make several more attacks every turn.
Level 5
We’ll add a final Ranger level. This one is very important because it gives you an additional attack on every turn.
New Ranger Features
- Your
Actions now yield two weapon or unarmed attacks instead of one.
New Gloom Stalker Features
- Teleport to a visible and unoccupied space within 18 metres.
- Uses a Bonus Action.
- Always prepared. Does not count towards your prepared spell limit.
New Ranger Spell
- Creates a large AoE of spikes.
- The spikes deal Piercing Damage and slow down anyone who tries to walk through them.
- Requires Concentration.
- This spell can trivialise some fights if you find a good chokepoint to put the spikes in.
Level 6
We will now switch to the Rogue class for the next few levels. Check the image above if you don’t know how to add a new class to your character.
Starting Rogue Features
Expertise
- Choose 2 of your Proficient Skills and permanently double your Proficiency bonus for those Skills.
- Acrobatics and Stealth are good choices for this build, but it’s up to you.
- Deal bonus damage when attacking with Advantage.
- The most common way to gain Advantage is via stealth, but any other method also works.
- Has a melee and ranged version.
From now on, remember to use your Sneak Attack whenever it’s available, especially when ambushing enemies!
Level 7
We will add another Rogue level to the build.
Rogue Features
Cunning Action: Dash
- Dash with a Bonus Action.
Cunning Action: Disengage
- Disengage with a Bonus Action.
Cunning Action: Hide
- Hide with a Bonus Action.
Level 8
We’ll add a third Rogue level to the Dual-Hand Crossbow. You can now unlock your Rogue subclass. For this build, we’ll use Thief because it synergises well with our dual-wield playstyle.
Thief Subclass Features
- You gain an additional Bonus Action.
- This synergises very well with our build:
- You can use Cunning Actions twice per turn.
- You can use your offhand crossbow attack twice per turn.
- You have resistance to falling damage.
Late-Game Levelling (9-12)
We will now complete the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build by adding another Rogue level and then incorporating the Fighter class.
Level 9
We will add a fourth Rogue level here, which grants you another Feat.
Rogue Class – New Feat
Ability Improvement
- Put both points into Dexterity, giving you 18 points in total.
- This will add +1 to the result of your damage and attack rolls.
Level 10
We will now add the Fighter class to our build. We are primarily aiming for 
Action Surge, which comes at Fighter level 2, and the Battle Master subclass, which comes with special weapon attacks.
Starting Fighter Features
- Spend a Bonus Action to regain 1d10+1 HP.
- Once per Short Rest.
Fighting Style – Choose one
- Two-Weapon Fighting – You will now add your Dexterity modifier to the damage of your off-hand attacks, increasing their damage by 4 points (5 if you use the Mirror of Loss to reach 20 Dexterity)
Level 11
We’ll add the second Fighter level, unlocking one powerful action that can help you to finish off an enemy before they can react.
Level 12
This is the maximum level for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build. We will add a final Fighter level to the build, giving you access to a Fighter subclass. We recommend choosing Battle Master, which allows you to use several powerful attacks to debuff enemies.
Fighter subclass – Battle Master
Battle Manoeuvres – Choose 3:
Disarming Attack – Potentially 
Disarm your target. Only use this against enemies with a strong weapon.
Menacing Attack – Potentially Frighten your target. Makes them much weaker in combat, and more vulnerable to further debuffs.
Trip Attack – Potentially knock the target 
Prone. Melee attackers will have Advantage on Attack Rolls against them until they get back up.
These attacks have both melee and ranged versions.
BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Equipment
Now, let us take a look at some of the equipment choices you can make for your BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build.
Early Game Equipment
This is the early-game gear setup that you can use for your Dual-Hand Crossbow Build. This build is quite gear-dependent, so you should at least try to obtain all of the items marked in Bold Italic. Otherwise, you will miss out on some important damage modifiers, and your attacks will be noticeably weaker.
| Slot | Icon | Item | Effects | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head |  |
Haste Helm |
|
In a wooden chest next to a cart, by the Blighted Village Waypoint |
| Cloak |  |
Cloak of Protection |
|
Purchased from Quartermaster Talli in Last Light Inn |
| Chest |  |
The Graceful Cloth |
|
Buy from Lady Esther on the Rosymorn Monastery Trail |
| Gloves |  |
Gloves of Archery |
|
Buy from Grat the Trader inside the Goblin Camp |
| Boots |  |
Disintegrating Night Walkers |
|
Looted from True Soul Nere in the Grymforge |
| Necklace |  |
Broodmother’s Revenge |
|
Looted from Kagha in the Druid Grove. |
| Ring 1 |  |
Strange Conduit Ring |
|
Inside an elegant chest in the Inquisitor’s Chamber of the Githyanki Creche. |
| Ring 2 |  |
Caustic Band |
|
You can purchase the ring from Derryth Bonecloak |
| Ranged Weapons |  |
Hand Crossbow +1 (Dual Wield) |
|
In Act I, sold by Derryth Bonecloak, Dammon, Roah Moonglow and Jeera. |
| Melee Mainhand |  |
Knife of the Undermountain King |
|
Sold by A’jak’nir Jeera in the Githyanki Creche. |
| Melee Offhand | Any Dagger or Shortsword |
|
N/A |
Head: Haste Helm
- Increases your Movement Speed
- Can be found inside a Wooden chest, next to a cart, near the Blighted Village Waypoint.
Cloak: Cloak of Protection
- +1 to
Armour Class and Saving Throws - Leave empty for now if another character needs the cloak more.
- Purchased from Quartermaster Talli in Last Light Inn
Chest: The Graceful Cloth
- +2 Dexterity
- +1 to Dexterity Saving Throws
- 1.5m extra Jump Distance
- Buy from Lady Esther on the Rosymorn Monastery Trail
Hands: Gloves of Archery
- Your ranged weapon attacks deal 2 extra damage
- Buy from Grat the Trader inside the Goblin Camp
Feet: Disintegrating Night Walkers
- You cannot be
Enwebbed, Ensnared or 
Entangled, and cannot slip on ice or grease. - You can cast Misty Step to teleport to a valid location within line of sight.
- Loot from True Soul Nere in Underdark: Grimforge
Necklace: Broodmother’s Revenge
- When you are healed, your next attack does an extra 1d6 Poison Damage
- This is tricky to activate reliably in the early-game, but later on this item will be very powerful.
- Looted from Kagha in the Druid Grove.
Ring 1: Strange Conduit Ring
- When concentrating on a spell, your weapon attacks deal 1d4 extra
Psychic Damage. - Inside an elegant chest in the Inquisitor’s Chamber of the Githyanki Creche.
Ring 2: Caustic Band
- Your attacks have +2
Acid Damage - You can purchase the ring from Derryth Bonecloak
Ranged Weapons: Hand Crossbow +1 (Dual Wield)
- A solid early-game Hand Crossbow.
- Obtain two and dual wield them.
- In Act I, sold by Derryth Bonecloak, Dammon, Roah Moonglow and Jeera.
Melee Mainhand: Knife of the Undermountain King
- Reduces the number needed for a Critical Hit by 1. This effect can stack.
- When you roll 2 damage or less, reroll the dice and use the highest result.
- This blade has Advantage on Attack Rolls against obscured targets.
- Sold by A’jak’nir Jeera in the Githyanki Creche.
Melee Offhand: Any Dagger or Shortsword
- Later in the game there will be better options, but for now just fill this slot with any spare dagger or shortsword.
Endgame Equipment
The endgame gear for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build can be obtained either in late Act 2 or Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3. If you manage to complete all the items below, you will be an unstoppable force of power. Essential items are written in Bold Italic.
| Slot | Icon | Item | Effects | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head |  |
Helm of Balduran |
|
Defeat the Dragon Ansur beneath Wyrm’s Rock Fortress. |
| Cloak |  |
Cloak of Displacement |
|
Sold by Entharl in Danthelon’s Dancing Axe |
| Chest |  |
Bhaalist Armour |
|
Sold by Echo of Abazigal |
| Gloves |  |
Legacy of the Masters |
|
Sold by Dammon in Act III. |
| Boots | |
Disintegrating Night Walkers |
|
Looted from True Soul Nere in the Grymforge |
| Necklace | |
Broodmother’s Revenge |
|
Looted from Kagha in the Druid Grove. |
| Ring 1 | |
Strange Conduit Ring |
|
Inside an elegant chest in the Inquisitor’s Chamber of the Githyanki Creche. |
| Ring 2 | |
Caustic Band |
|
You can purchase the ring from Derryth Bonecloak |
| Ranged Mainhand |  |
Hellfire Hand Crossbow |
|
Loot from Yurgir in Gauntlet of Shar. |
| Ranged Offhand | |
Hand Crossbow +2 |
|
In a wall vault in an office on the first floor of Lady Jannath’s Estate |
| Melee Mainhand | |
Knife of the Undermountain King |
|
Sold by A’jak’nir Jeera in the Githyanki Creche. |
| Melee Offhand |  |
Dolor Amarus |
|
Carried by Dolor in Highberry’s Home.
Alternatively, sold by Echo of Abazigal. |
Head: Helm of Balduran
- Heals you at the start of every turn, activating the bonus damage from Broodmother’s Revenge.
- Also protects you from Critical Hits.
- Defeat the Dragon Ansur beneath Wyrm’s Rock Fortress.
Cloak: Cloak of Displacement
- Every turn, enemy Attack Rolls against you have Disadvantage until you take damage.
- This is one of the best defensive items in BG3. If you’re doing a good job of keeping this character safe from enemy attacks, you can transfer this item to someone who needs it more.
- Sold by Entharl in Danthelon’s Dancing Axe
Chest: Bhaalist Armour
- Enemies within 3m become vulnerable to Piercing Damage, unless they are immune to it.
- +2 bonus to Initiative.
- Only available if you ally with Bhaal.
- You can use an exploit to try to obtain it without allying Bhaal. Pickpocket the ghost that spawns (switch character mid-dialogue) while you are being judged by Sarevok.
- Sold by Echo of Abazigal
Hands: Legacy of the Masters
- +2 to Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls with weapons.
- Sold by Dammon in Act III.
Feet: Disintegrating Night Walkers
- You cannot be Enwebbed, Ensnared or Entangled, and cannot slip on ice or grease.
- You can cast Misty Step to teleport to a valid location within line of sight.
- Loot from True Soul Nere in Underdark: Grimforge
Necklace: Broodmother’s Revenge
- When you are healed, your next attack does an extra 1d6 Poison Damage
- This is tricky to activate reliably in the early-game, but later on this item will be very powerful.
- Looted from Kagha in the Druid Grove.
Ring 1: Strange Conduit Ring
- When concentrating on a spell, your weapon attacks deal 1d4 extra Psychic Damage.
- Inside an elegant chest in the Inquisitor’s Chamber of the Githyanki Creche.
Ring 2: Caustic Band
- Your attacks have +2 Acid Damage
- You can purchase the ring from Derryth Bonecloak
Ranged Mainhand: Hellfire Hand Crossbow
- +2 to Attack and Damage Rolls (versus standard Hand Crossbow)
- Chance to inflict
Burning when attacking from stealth. - Cast
Scorching Ray once per Short Rest. - Loot from Yurgir in Gauntlet of Shar.
Ranged Mainhand: Hand Crossbow +2
- +2 to Attack and Damage Rolls (versus standard Hand Crossbow)
- In a wall vault in an office on the first floor of Lady Jannath’s Estate
Melee Mainhand: Knife of the Undermountain King
- Reduces the number needed for a Critical Hit by 1. This effect can stack.
- When you roll 2 damage or less, reroll the dice and use the highest result.
- This blade has Advantage on Attack Rolls against obscured targets.
- Sold by A’jak’nir Jeera in the Githyanki Creche.
Melee Offhand: Dolor Amarus
- You deal 7 bonus damage when you land a Critical Hit with a weapon attack.
- This bonus applies to your bow attacks.
- Carried by Dolor in Highberry’s Home.
- Alternatively, sold by Echo of Abazigal
Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Extra Info
Here is some extra information that will help you to get the most out of this Dual-Hand Crossbow Build in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Best Potions and Elixirs for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build
All of these potions are great choices for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build, and I recommend stockpiling a few of each when you can:
Potion of Speed – Gives you 
Haste for 3 turns, granting an extra Action on each turn. This is ideal for hitting enemies fast and hard at the start of combat. Beware that when the effect ends, you’ll become 
Lethargic and be forced to skip a turn.
- To craft: Combine Ashes of Hyena Ear with any Salt.
Elixir of Bloodlust – When you kill an enemy, you get an additional Action. This can happen once per turn. Note that on Honour difficulty, the extra Action granted by this Elixir can only yield one attack.
- To craft: Combine Ashes of Worg Fang with any Salt.
Elixir of Viciousness – Reduces the number required for a Critical Hit by 1. The Elixir of Bloodlust is a better option, but you won’t have enough of them to use constantly, so this is a good backup option.
- To craft: Combine Vitriol of Shadowroot Sac with any Ashes.
Mirror of Loss Choice (Optional)
If you access the Mirror of Loss during your playthrough, you can get two additional ability points to allocate.
You should choose to put the extra points into Dexterity, as this will give an additional boost to your attack damage and accuracy. If you’re using the Graceful Cloth for your chest armour, you can get a score of 22 Dexterity this way (but it is better to have the Bhaalist Armour and settle for 20 Dexterity).
To learn more about the Mirror of Loss and how to use it to make your party stronger, see our Mirror of Loss Guide.
How to Play this Dual-Hand Crossbow Build
The Dual-Hand Crossbow Build is best played with a stealthy playstyle. To get the most out of this setup, you should utilise stealth as much as possible, aiming to catch enemies unawares to impose the 
Surprised condition on them in the first round.
Here’s how to Surprise enemies in BG3:
- Your entire party must be hiding, including any pets and summoned creatures.
- Ungroup the entire party, including pets and summons, and select the most skilled Stealth character to be the ambusher.
- With your ambusher, sneak towards the enemies. You must initiate combat from within the line of sight of the enemies, but stay hidden until your first attack lands.
- After initiating combat, you can move your other party members to join the fight.
You can make this process much easier by making your ambusher invisible, usually with the Invisibility spell or a potion.
If your party detects an enemy ambush ahead of time, you can Surprise the ambushers if you manage to sneak up on them and attack them before they spot you.
Check our Hidden Mechanics Guide to learn more about the Surprise mechanic in BG3, along with other aspects of gameplay such as stealth.
So, Is Stealth Mandatory for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build?
No! While this build is quite similar to our Gloomstalker Assassin Build, which is completely reliant on stealth and ambushes, you can play the Dual-Hand Crossbow build without using stealth; it will just be a little weaker. But you will still enjoy powerful ranged attacks and a very satisfying combat experience thanks to your rapid-firing Hand Crossbows.
Dual-Hand Crossbow Build Illithid Powers (optional)
Illithid Powers are unlocked later in BG3 when you learn more about Mind Flayers and Tadpoles. By eating Jars of Mind Flayer Parasites you gain one point. This is another optional skill tree that you can get access to if you want. Here are some of the best Illithid Powers for the BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Build:
Mind Blast- A conal blast of Psychic Damage that can also stun several targets at once.
- If you are outnumbered by several advancing enemies, then Mind Blast can help to swing things back in your favour.
- When you reduce a creature’s hit points below a certain threshold, this power instantly kills it and deals 1-4 Psychic Damage to nearby enemies.
- This is particularly effective when engaging groups of weaker foes, enabling you to thin their numbers rapidly.
- This can be used to reach hard-to-get-to places or change positions in combat.
Mind Sanctuary- Creates an area that allows all within to use Actions and Bonus Actions interchangeably.
- This typically means you can deal more damage, since you can use your Bonus Action as a normal Action.
- However, enemies within the area will also benefit from its effects.
- This is a top-tier reaction from the Illithid Powers skill tree in BG3.
- This allows you to deal psychic damage when a nearby enemy casts a spell.
- This is especially useful if the target is casting a Concentration Spell.
- The damage from Psionic Backlash can immediately break their Concentration, ending the spell’s effects.
Dual-Hand Crossbow Build FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions related to the BG3 Dual-Hand Crossbow Multiclass Build. Most of these questions have already been answered in the guide itself.
- What’s the best race for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build?
- What roles can the Dual-Hand Crossbow fill in my party?
- What abilities are most important for the Dual-Hand Crossbow?
- Which subclasses should I use?
FAQ: What’s the best race for the Dual-Hand Crossbow Build?
While any race will work just fine for this build, the best options are:
- Duergar – Allows you to turn invisible at will (after level 5), which is perfect for the build. Gives you innate Superior Darkvision. Allows you to wear Medium Armour. Gives you Resistance to Poison Damage and Advantage against the Poisoned, Charmed and Paralysed effects. This wide range of bonuses makes the Duergar very tough.
- Wood Elf – Very high mobility, resistance to effects like magical sleep and Charm, innate Darkvision. The extra Movement Speed is an underrated bonus that allows you to outrun foes.
- Githyanki – Grants you the Enhance Leap and Misty Step spells, helping you to outmanoeuvre foes.
For more info about the best races, see the Best Race section above.
FAQ: What roles can the Dual-Hand Crossbow fill in my party?
The Dual-Hand Crossbow is a ranged damage dealer that works best when using an evasive and stealthy playstyle. You should keep this build out of prolonged melee combat.
This build is also decent at restraining and debuffing enemies thanks to spells like Ensnaring Strike and Spike Growth, and the Battle Master actions eventually unlocked at level 12.
FAQ: What Abilities are most important for the Dual-Hand Crossbow?
- Dexterity is the most important ability for this build, as it determines the accuracy and damage of your attacks.
- Constitution should always be at least 14 for any build in Baldur’s Gate 3, and this one is no different. This gives you a necessary baseline of HP and helps you to resist a wide range of hostile effects with Constitution Saving Throws.
- Wisdom is used for Ranger spellcasting, so it’s good to put some points here too.
FAQ: Which subclasses should I use?
- For the Ranger, you should use the Gloomstalker subclass. This allows you to turn invisible and grants you extra damage and initiative on the first turn of combat.
- For the Rogue, we recommend the Thief subclass. This gives you an extra Bonus Action so you can make an additional offhand crossbow attack every turn.
Related Guides for Baldur’s Gate 3
BG3 Gloomstalker Assassin Build – Ranger Rogue Fighter Multiclass Build
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