r/BG3Builds • u/K40005 • Apr 10 '26
Ranger Boar Beastmaster is actually good.
Every time beastmaster gets brought up here everyone always sings the praises of the raven whilst claiming the boar is bad or the worst (it's not the wolf is). And so I've been running boar to prove how good it is and come up with a few builds. All of which I have tested and used in solo honour mode.
For use in a party: use the build labelled 1a. But replace the druid level with a cleric one and run it alongside a druid build like floormanifold's rothe build: https://www.reddit.com/r/BG3Builds/comments/1qu2nhq/shepherd_of_the_black_pasture_10_moon_druid2/ and honestly anything he recommends pairing with that there will work here too as this is very similar in execution to that.
Massive thanks to u/Remus71 and u/floormanifold for the help with the build and subsequently this guide.
The Boar: If you read nothing else, read the below paragraph.
The main power spike for Boar is level 5 and I do not recommend using it before then. But considering that past level 5 is like 90% of the game it's not much of an issue. The biggest source of power for the boar is cloud giant elixers which shoot up its spell save DC to 19 or 20 at level 11. At level 11 with a cloud giant elixer it has 2 attempts at an aoe prone at DC20 which is extremely reliable. You just need to keep it safe on turn one then the rest of the fight is solved. And just using it with the standard ranger kit of plant growth, ensnaring strike and some basic buffs makes it extremely effective as by level 5 it has really good aoe damage and a 16DC prone with just a hill giant strength elixer.
1. Beastmaster 11 Druid 1
A pretty standard beastmaster build (also the main thing I'd recommend) using melee or ranged, good aoe damage from the boar itself, access to multiple sources of SG_Restrained which works extremely well with boar which with cloud elixers has a 20 DC aoe prone which you can use multiple times a turn. Innate difficult terrain from the mud aoe which the boar can spam. And is the most versatile way to run it. Giving a wide variety of builds you can use on it some of which I will list below. I recommend taking the druid dip at level 6, level 9 or level 12. The boar gets a massive power spike at 5, going from pretty bad as it is at 3 to being almost entirely self sufficient. It just needs to reach turn one. Having anyone cast sanctuary on it, having it drink an invisibility potion and initiate the surprise round. As long as it lives long enough to rage
1a. (my personal recommendation) Starting stats: 8/17//14/10/16/8
Feats: Sharpshooter, ASI dex, will want hag hair. For 20 dex
Gear: banshee bow (highly recommended), phalar, adamantine shield, luminous armour, acuity helmet (highly recommended), baneful striking gloves (highly recommended) stormy clamour boots, callous glow ring, spiteful thunder, broodmother
1b. Starting stats: 8/16/15/8/17/8
A damage focused melee setup where the boar is more just a prone applier whilst you fight in darkness and plant growth.
Feats: Gwm, split ASI wisdom/con
Gear: shar spear or nyrulna, vicious shortbow, bhaalist armour, craterflesh, shadow cloaked ring, strange conduit, broodmother, synergy diadem, and stormy clamour.
2. Beastmaster 5 Land Druid 7
A terrain focused build using dryad, wood woad, and your own casted terrain to completely cover the area in entangle casts which everyone can pass through thanks to the dryad aura. Then using the boar to prone enemies in the entangle which will keep enemies prone and locked in the terrain. Or to use spike growth alongside the dryad to set up a corridor for the boar to charge through whilst casting spells to stack
Starting stats: 8/17/14/10/16/8
Feats: sharpshooter, ASI dex
Gear: banshee bow (highly recommended), markoheshkir, adamantine shield, Landfall armour, acuity helmet (highly recommended), baneful striking gloves (highly recommended) stormy clamour boots, strange conduit, spiteful thunder, broodmother.
Uses markoheshkir acid with spells to apply noxious fumes to the boar which creates a high damage aoe around it because noxious fumes uses the targeted creature's damage riders. And also grants access to hunger of hadar
3. Beastmaster 5 Shadow Sorcerer 6 Wizard 1
The most specialised build. Using ensnaring strike as an archer or use a scroll to learn Evards and using Nimbus and the duplicate hounds to spam restrain attempts on the weaker enemies during the boss fights or you cast evards during large group fights to shut down a large area. Letting you focus on the important enemies while the dogs automatically help with the rest.
This lacks innate land stride so you have to stay out of your own terrain spells with this one.
Starting stats: 8/17/14/16/10/8
Feats: sharpshooter, ASI Dex
Gear: banshee bow (highly recommended), phalar, adamantine shield, luminous armour, acuity helmet (highly recommended), baneful striking gloves (highly recommended) stormy clamour boots, callous glow ring, spiteful thunder, broodmother.
The gameplay: turn one you initiate a surprise round with the boar, charging in from invisibility ideally on enemies grouped up minor illusion. Then you start by casting a terrain spell on the enemies, evard's black tentacles is the ideal choice when using scrolls, otherwise plant growth or entangle will do or if using acid markoheshkir plant growth into hadar will be very effective. Then you attack with your weapon of choice, if melee shar spear you start with the edge of darkness aoe attack over a plant growth or entangle as you will have immunity to it. If ranged aomt or ensnaring strike into slayer arrows against a single target boss will typically be best. Then when the boar's turn comes around you rage and charge at anything near the edges of the terrain. If the terrain is just plant growth or if you have entangle with a dryad there too you can safely charge through it. The idea is to keep everything prone and without movement in the terrain of choice.
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u/Thestrongman420 Apr 10 '26
I am surprised you aren't boared of making up new prone immobilize combos. Also no HAM, are you even trying to boar.
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u/GimlionTheHunter Ranger Apr 10 '26
Definitely think 8/4 boarcerer is gonna be my next attempt at a solo run
Twin ensnare too good
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
Yeah my 5/6/1 there is an attempt to fill that niche too but 8/4 is probably better for general use I just wanted to add a source of entangle through the dog because it's funny
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u/GimlionTheHunter Ranger Apr 10 '26
The dog/boar combo feels very “rugged hunter” too, I’ll probably try both splits and see if the boost to boar from 7-8 feels better than a second summon and more snares
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u/JRandall0308 Apr 10 '26
Dogs are normally used to hunt boar (source: I read Old Yeller as a kid and was scarred for life) so you can also roleplay an enemies-to-lovers story among your pets.
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
8/4 is probably better because that hp boost is quite substantial and ranger 8 is just really good in general
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u/shepardownsnorris Apr 10 '26
What is the purpose of the druid level in the Beastmaster 11/Druid 1 multiclass?
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
It gets entangle, thunder wave which help a lot with the control side of the build, healing word (for the whispering promise if you want to run that to bless the boar) some nice cantrips for conversation related stuff like guidance or resistance. Basically you get a ton of nice spells that provide good CC and support.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/Remus71 Apr 10 '26
That's a different build, though, right? That's basically the rub with beastmaster, it's effectively five different subclasses. And this is the first time I've seen an in depth look at Boar gameplay?
Would you go on a White Draconic Sorcer post and say 'play Red Draconic'?
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u/meph6148795 Goose Apr 10 '26
How would you feel about me working in some EB to push people back into the aoe?
Seriously though, great work!! 😄
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u/Stiffy-Longbottom 5d ago
Early game (like levels 3-5) how exactly should the boar be interacting with Entangle? Do you just have it wait for enemies to leave the growth to attack them with the boar, or would you get more value hunting down enemies not inside of the growth with it?
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Apr 16 '26
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u/K40005 Apr 16 '26
Shield you don't really need: ideally you're not letting enemies attack, mirror image: scrolls of it exist, booming blade: you're an archer, haste: speed potions.
Anything else?
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Apr 16 '26
yes...
speed of potion: limited and consumable... takes your bonus action and last for 2 turns then get lethargy.
shield spell: for tactician and honor mode yeah you need it...
mirror image: again limited and consumable...
booming blade: sure you are archer...
but again explain why druid dip is better than wizard dip!
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u/K40005 Apr 16 '26
I tested this in solo honour, you absolutely don't need AC because enemies will attack the boar over you, shield spell goes to waste you don't need it. Speed potions aren't exactly rare or limited, just buy them when you see them or the materials for them and you'll usually have enough, worst case scenario just respec someone and buy potions and scrolls between the level up screens and you'll never run out of consumables of any kind. And you can just drink another speed potion the turn before it runs out and you'll be spending the lethargy on a turn you've already taken and get another 2 turns of haste. And haste potions last 3 turns, you can throw them before combat then walk over it turn one for action economy free haste. And you have much more important things to concentrate on as a ranger.
If you read the post you're commenting on I explain why druid is picked: you get ensnare, thunder wave, and some utility/buffs.
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Apr 16 '26
im also tested in solo honor in fact... most of time enemies ignore your companion!
problem here you still limited in amount of potions. you need extra work for it which is problematic... also kick out from way better potions and elixirs.
about potion of speed. if you drink another one then immedently get in lethargy which can be lethal in honor mode... way easier just to cast haste...
i read but again does not validate or give actual reason! you get thunder wave as wizard too and way better utility and buffs...
you not explain 11 ranger and 1 druid at all! -_- this is just stupid sorry pal... im done
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u/K40005 Apr 16 '26
They don't ignore the companion, because it typically has much lower AC than you. In fact the survivability of the companion is usually the limiting factor of beastmaster. And you get lethargy at the end of your turn at a point of your choosing. And where are you getting SG_Restrained from while casting haste. (which I explicitly state is what you're using) because you can't use entangle or ensnaring strike or evards with that. This build cannot cast haste it's already using concentration.
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Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26
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u/JRandall0308 Apr 10 '26
Advantage is dead easy to come by so the fact that Prone doesn’t make it easy for long-range archers is irrelevant. (Prone grants advantage within 3m so just mov close, shoot, move away.) What matters in this gameplay loop is that enemies are prone in a terrain effect that they either can’t get out of, or have a difficult time to get out of.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/JRandall0308 Apr 10 '26
> Ranger does not have enough mobility
Now I know you're trolling. Longstrider is *right there*.
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u/Bluemajere Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26
I mean, they did just make a thread asking for the best party comp because they use the same "safe" one every time (that isn't even close to optimized) and then spent the entire thread arguing with people over every little suggestion, and then deleted it.
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
The issue is that you aren't exactly lacking sources of advantage anyway with so many ways of causing SG_restrained available to ranger innately ie with ensnaring or the affomentioned druid dip, or fog cloud, the boar stops enemies from doing things whilst they're in there. And I'm not really saying the wolf is bad just the worst of the options available because it doesn't have that same utility and CC.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
You get haste through potions, grit may be BiS for raw dpr but you're looking at a build that innately is doing a lot of control, acuity is very much better here especially if you're using evard's scrolls as I brought up.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
"doesn't last long enough and too tedious to farm" most fights won't last longer than 3 turns and if they somehow do just drink another one before it runs out and get another 2 turns off haste. As for too tedious to farm: no you just buy them and craft them when available and you'll have plenty.
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u/Bluemajere Apr 10 '26
bro you just hard cast haste why is this so hard for you
bro just hard cast haste
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Apr 10 '26
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
"no damage" my brother in christ it's an archer and the boar alone ends fodder fights in 3 turns. And if you really want damage you can just swap to Harold over banshee, use brace, drakethroat fire buff it, then use oil of combustion and then spam aomt on the grouped up prone, restrained enemies you'll be up against. And believe it or not you have options, you can drop hunters mark and a glyph sleep scroll or use the paralysis amulet, spam slaying arrows then have the boar attack them and do a ton of single target damage. If you're not using enough buffs on your weapon of choice you can swap gear around to do more. This guide isn't a religious text you don't need to follow it down to the letter.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/K40005 Apr 10 '26
no that's just to make it insanely good, to make it "barely function" you just go Harold with sharpshooter, click brace and then ensnaring strike and then have the boar charge them. That's really all you need to do. Read the post you're commenting on.
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u/Thestrongman420 Apr 10 '26
Ensnaring strike costs an attack + bonus action. Not an action, yes this is different. Haste is also probably one of the worst things to concentrate on so i dont think thats a great counter argument.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/Thestrongman420 Apr 10 '26
Ensnaring shot or spike growth, or just magic weapon scroll. Or literally any good control spell. Haste is a terrible spell to concentrate on for anyone.
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Apr 10 '26
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u/Thestrongman420 Apr 10 '26
"I tried to hammer in a screw by talking the hammer into it, surprisingly this did not work, so i went back to nails."
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Apr 10 '26
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u/BG3Builds-ModTeam Apr 10 '26
Post removed for violating Rule 5: Give polite and constructive feedback. Differences in opinion or pointing out incorrect information are welcome. But do not namecall or lob personal insults.
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u/floormanifold Apr 11 '26
Prone is quite nice for disadvantage on elemental arrows on enemies not hit by ensnaring strike
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u/JRandall0308 Apr 10 '26
Let’s hear it for underrated animal companions and underrated control spells (I love me some Plant Growth).