Baldur's Gate 3: Best Swarmkeeper Ranger Build Guide
The Swarmkeeper Ranger Build is something players can develop after Patch 8 was released for Baldur's Gate 3. Swarmkeeper is one of the 12 subclasses added in the update. As such, players might be looking for a build that puts its strengths to good use, making for a versatile movekit that's good at both ranged and melee distances.
The Swarmkeeper Ranger build focuses on choosing the Swarmkeeper subclass for the Ranger class in Baldur's Gate 3. The Ranger is a versatile class. Its use of spells with a variety of weapon and armor proficiencies, along with the use of martials is what makes it powerful. It is one of the best builds for players who want a ranged class in order to complete the game's honor mode, its hardest difficulty.
Note: This guide is still a work in progress. We'll keep updating it as we acquire more information on the build and how to further optimize it.
Pros and cons of pure Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3
Swarmkeeper Ranger build has good flexibility when targeting an enemy with Hunter's Mark. The Prey's Scent subclass feature allows you to swap between the passive bonuses you can acquire with Hunter's Mark. For example, you can use the Resonance Stone you get in Act 2 with attacks like Flurry of Moths to increase psychic damage.
However, there are some cons when using the Swarmkeeper Ranger build, such as its weakness at close-range combat and its need for careful positioning. Here's all the pros and cons at a glance:
Best race for Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3
Wood Elf is a great choice for the Swarmkeeper Ranger build, considering it offers Longbow and Shortbow Proficiency, Darkvision, and the highest movement speed per turn. Another good option is Githyanki, with its Misty Step and Level 3 Jump. Finally, Duergar Dwarf is another great race for the Swarmkeeper Ranger Build due to its Invisibility Spell and Superior Darkvision.
Best starting attributes for Swarmkeeper Ranger build in Baldur's Gate 3
Here's how the Swarmkeeper Ranger build distributes the attribute scores at the start:
The high dexterity boosts your ranged damage, increases accuracy, and provides better Initiative, allowing you a quicker acting chance in combat. The high Constitution increases health and concentration-saving throws. While the Strength stat is low, you can use Hill Giant Club or Elixir of Hill Giant Strength Hill Giant Club or Elixir of Hill Giant Strength to temporarily increase it.
Best skills to take for Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3
Here are all the skills you should take for the Swarmkeeper Ranger build:
- Animal Handling: Wisdom skill used to calm or intimidate animals.
- Insight: Wisdom skill used in dialogue and exploration.
- Survival: Wisdom skill used to help keep you alive in the wilderness.
These skills align with your attributes and improve your effectiveness in scenarios.
Baldur's Gate 3 Pure Swarmkeeper Ranger leveling guide (1-12)
Here are the cliff notes you need to follow to strengthen the Swarmkeeper Ranger build in Baldur's Gate 3.
Level 1
Prioritize Dexterity and Constitution. You won't unlock the Swarmkeeper subclass till Level 3, so expect a slow start. Focus on upgrading your Ranger class to level 5, following which you spread out into the Rogue (Assassin) class to grant you the Extra Attack ability, allowing you two attacks per action. You'll acquire these things at your first class level:
- Favored Enemy — Bounty Hunter (class feature): Gain Proficiency in Investigation. Creatures you hit with Ensnaring Strike have a Disadvantage on their Saving Throw.
- Natural Explorer — Wasteland Wanderer: Cold (class feature): Gain resistance to Cold, taking only half damage from it.
Level 2
The Ranger Class will unlock a Fighting Style, two spells, and the Spellcasting ability. Here's what you should choose from the choices:
- Archery Fighting Style (class feature): Gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls you make with ranged weapons.
- Hunter’s Mark (Spell): Mark a creature as your quarry to deal an additional 1~6 weapon attack damage.
- Longstrider (Spell): Increase a creature’s Movement Speed by 3 meters/10 feet.
The Archery Fighting Style is great for a Ranged Swarmkeeper Ranger build. You can use Hunter's Mark as a bonus action before striking enemies. If you don't have any other concentration-based abilities, you can use the action and bonus action at every turn for maximum efficiency. Your turns here should start with applying the Hunter's Mark and then using a Longbow or Heavy Crossbow to attack it.
Level 3
At the third character level in the Swarmkeeper Ranger build, you can unlock the Swarmkeeper subclass. It will also provide you with subclass features, two prepared preset spells, and a selection of spells to choose from for the third slot:
- Prey's Scent (subclass feature): Your swarm deals additional damage to creatures marked by Hunter's Mark.
- Gathered Swarm (subclass feature): Choose the swarm of nature spirits you’ve formed a bond with. You can change your swarm whenever you level up. You'll get these three options:
- Legion of Bees: You gain a swarm of bees that fights on your side. Once per round, the swarm can assist you in one of three ways after you attack an enemy: it can attack and deal additional Piercing damage, push the enemy away from you, or teleport you to a safer location.
- Cloud of Jellyfish: You gain a swarm of jellyfish that fights on your side. Once per round, the swarm can assist you in one of three ways after you attack an enemy: it can attack and deal additional Lightning damage, Shock your enemy, or teleport you to a safer location.
- Flurry of Moths: You gain a swarm of moths that fights on your side. Once per round, the swarm can assist you in one of three ways after you attack an enemy: it can attack and deal additional Psychic damage, Blind your enemy, or teleport you to a safer location.
- Mage Hand (subclass spell): Create a spectral hand that can manipulate and interact with objects.
- Faerie Fire (subclass spell): All targets within the light turn visible, and Attack rolls against them have an Advantage.
- One Spell Slot: Choose Ensnaring Strike — Your attack summons thorny vines that possibly Ensnare your target.
The Swarmkeeper Ranger build gameplay at this point will revolve around targeting one enemy with Hunter's Mark and then using your Swarm ability. The Bees will be great for piercing damage and a good starting point. But when you get the Resonating Stone during Act 2, switch to Flurry of Moths.
Level 4
You'll have to make a choice between receiving a feat or increasing one of your attribute scores. If you're going for the ranged build, you can choose the Sharpshooter feat. It removes High Ground Rules penalties and grants an optional +10 damage to ranged attacks for a -5 Attack Roll penalty on weapons that you're proficient with (you can disable it in the passive section of the toolbar).
Although the selected feat will reduce your hit chance, you can offset that disadvantage by using spells like Bless. In Act 3, you'll acquire Permanent Bless, making the penalty almost ineffective and allowing you to also keep your high-ranged attack damage bonus. You'll also obtain The Grace Cloth in Act 1, it increases Dexterity by +2 and gives a permanent +1 Dexterity Boost.
Level 5
At Character Level 5, you'll receive these additions for the Swarmkeeper Ranger build in Baldur's Gate 3:
- Extra Attack (Ranger class feature): Can make an additional free attack after making an unarmed or weapon attack.
- Spell Slot: Choose Lesser Restoration — cure a creature from Diseased, Poisoned, Paralysed, or Blinded.
- Another Spell Slot
- One Prepared Spell
- Web (subclass spell): Cover an area in thick, flammable webbing that can Enweb creatures within.
With the Extra Attack feature, this is where the Swarmkeeper Ranger build's offensive output will increase by a considerable margin. Your first-turn gameplay will now focus on casting Hunter's Mark on an enemy before attacking him. On the second turn, however, save the bonus action for using consumables instead of Hunter's Mark in Baldur's Gate 3.
Lesser Restoration is a good way to remove the four negative status effects, allowing you to stay in the battle longer.
This is a good time to either transition to Act 2 or explore areas like The Underdark or Githyanki Creche. Make sure you've acquired a large chunk of resources, gold, and the best weapons Act 1 has to offer before moving on.
Level 6
The sixth character level in the Swarmkeeper Ranger build is where you'll need to start multiclassing into Rogue, as this is the best way to effectively enhance your build. The new class provides you with the Sneak Attack ability, which deals additional damage to an enemy you have an advantage against.
To gain an advantage in a turn, you need to be hiding or that enemy has to be engaged with an ally of yours within 1.5m along with you not having a disadvantage.
Level 7
You'll put another level into the Rogue class and unlock more bonus action utility skills:
- Cunning Action Disengage: Retreat safely, as moving won’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.
- Cunning Action Hide: Hide from enemies by succeeding Stealth checks. Stick to the dark and avoid enemy sightlines. Attacking or casting a spell will reveal your location.
- Cunning Action Dash: Cover more distance this turn, and double your Movement Speed.
Level 8
Here, you'll get the Rogue Class to Level 3 and unlock Assassin. This subclass is great due to its passive features that'll help you with your offensive output and survivability. You'll get 3 bonus features for unlocking Assassin.
- Assassin’s Alacrity: Quick as an alley cat in a rain-dark city, you immediately restore your Action and Bonus Action at the start of combat.
- Assassinate Initiative: You are deadliest against unprepared enemies. In combat, you have an Advantage on Attack Rolls against creatures that haven‘t taken a turn yet.
- Assassinate Ambush: Any successful Attack Roll against a Surprised creature is a Critical Hit.
Level 9
We recommend getting Rogue to Level 4. It will give you one feat slot. We recommend either Ability Improvement or Alert. The former will increase your Dexterity by +2, which will put you a 20 Dexterity if you got the bonus from Act 1. You'll get an opportunity to further increase it by +2 by using the Mirror of the Loss.
Alert, on the other hand, makes it so that you can't get surprised. This is a great ability if you're playing on Honor Mode. Getting Surprised skips your turn and can even be the cause of your demise. If you don't want to bother countering Surprise by knowing all the fights beforehand or sending a character to scout ahead, choose this Baldur's Gate 3 feat..
Level 10
At Character Level 10 in the Swarmkeeper Ranger build, we'll do another addition to the multiclass by selecting the Fighter class and unlocking the Champion subclass further ahead. This is so that you can unlock the Action Surge ability and further optimize your damage output. You'll get the following abilities when bringing the Fighter class to Level 1
- Second Wind: Heal yourself. This is a bonus action, allowing you to both heal and attack in one turn.
- Fighting Style Defence: You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class while wearing Armor.
Level 11
When you upgrade Fighter to Level 2, you'll acquire the Action Surge ability.
- Action Surge: Immediately gain an extra Action to use this turn.
Level 12
Upgrading Fighter to level 3 will allow you to pick a subclass. As mentioned before, Champion is a great pick here due to its Improved Critical hit ability.
- Improved Critical Hit: The number you need to roll a Critical Hit while attacking is reduced by 1. This effect can stack.
Here, you'll hit the maximum level for the Swarmkeeper Ranger build in Baldur's Gate 3.
Best multiclassing options for Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3
As seen in the previous section, the best multiclassing options for the Swarmkeeper Ranger Build are these:
- Rogue, with Assassin subclass
- Fighter, with Champion subclass
Best items that synergize for Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3
Here are some of the best gear items that help with the Swarmkeeper Ranger build:
- Helm of Balduran — Head
- Deathstalker Mantle — Cape
- Armour of Agility — Chest
- Legacy of the Masters — Gloves
- Helldusk Boots — Boots
- Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet — Necklace
- Killer’s Sweetheart — Ring
- Ring of Free Action — Ring
- Gontr Mael — Bow
- Blood of Lathander — Mace
- Viconia’s Walking Fortress — Shield
- Resonance Stone — Misc
Which companions should you run with a Swarmkeeper Ranger in Baldur's Gate 3?
Here are a few recommended companions to run with a Swarmkeeper Ranger build:
- Lae’zel (Fighter – Battlemaster)
- Shadowheart (Cleric – Life)
- Gale (Wizard)
That is currently all about the Swarmkeeper Ranger build in Baldur's Gate 3.
Check out our other guides on April 2025 Baldur's Gate 3 updates:
- Everything you need to know about the new Photo Mode in Baldur's Gate 3
- Baldur's Gate 3 patch 8 will finally bring a much-anticipated game mode to Xbox Series S