Of all the classes available to you inBaldur’s Gate 3, warlock is one of the most fun. While it doesn’t learn many spells, those it does learn make it a versatile, adaptable class perfectly suited to combat. Wyll, the game’s resident warlock, will likely be your introduction to the class’s ins and outs.
One of the warlock’s benefits as it levels up is the gift of a pact boon. There are three to choose from, and each provides a significant buff to your warlock’s abilities. Picking a pact boon that suits your playstyle is paramount, as they can be crucial to your plans.
Updated June 19, 2025:We’ve added some more information to this guide, specifically about how best to use the Pact of the Chain’s familiar and some thoughts on which pact is truly the best.
All Warlock Pacts
Upon reaching level three, you’ll be prompted to choose one of three pacts. At level five, these pacts are upgraded.
Use Cases
Pact of the Chain
You gain afamiliar. Your range of familiars is larger than most sources of a familiar.
Upon being upgraded, your pact familiar gains theExtra Attackfeature.
Familiars can be useful both in battle and when exploring.More bodies on the fieldis an underrated power to have - distracting enemies can be the key to success.
Pact of the Blade
You cansummon a pact weapon or turn a regular weapon into a pact weapon. This buffs the weapon and lets you use it with proficiency. Melee pact weapons can be thrown and automatically retrieved. The weapon’s damage will scale withCharismainstead of Strength or Dexterity.
Upon being upgraded, you will be able toattack twicein one turn with a pact weapon. This stacks with sources of extra attacks, such asHasteand theExtra Attack feature of other classes.
While many warlocks will want to stay out ofclose combat, this pact gives them some great options to use in melee range. It’s also a great thematic fit forWyll, if you care about that.
Pact of the Tome
You gain ahandful of spells for free, added to your spell book. Specifically, you obtainGuidance,Vicious Mockery, andThorn Whip.
Upon being upgraded, you’ll gainHaste,Animate Dead, andCall Lightning.
The warlock’s spell list is quite slim- this allows you to buff it significantly with useful spells. Those learned when the pact is upgraded are among the best spells in the game.
Which pact is right for you will depend on your overall strategy in battle. Overall, though, thePact of the Chain is on the weaker side, so if you care about making the most of your warlock, your choice is realistically between only the Pact of the Blade and the Pact of the Tome.
Depending on your playstyle, however, Pact of the Chain can be very powerful. Something that is often greatly underappreciated in Baldur’s Gate 3 isaction economy, and adding another body to the field (in the form of your familiar) is a great way to easily get more actions and attacks per round.
Notably, this Pact is one of the few ways you may getan Imp or a Quasitas a familiar. These are more powerful than other familiar options.
While the familiar isn’t going to be pumping out great amounts of damage, they serve really well asfodder, forward scouts, and extra hands for certain tasks such as pulling levers, looting bodies in the middle of a fight, and distracting enemiesto set them up for your more powerful units.
In conclusion,all three Pacts can be used extremely effectively- your choice will mostly depend on your intended playstyle and how much you want to lean into each Pact’s specific strengths.
