Baldur’s Gate Guardian of Faith is a powerful level 4 conjuration spell that summons a stationary, holy guardian to protect your allies. With the right strategy, Guardian of Faith can turn the tide of battle by damaging hordes of enemies while shielding your party from harm. This guide will cover everything you need to know to master Guardian of Faith in BG3 combat.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Guardian of Faith is a level 4 cleric and paladin spell that summons a holy guardian
- The guardian deals 20 radiant damage to hostile creatures and protects allies
- Guardian of Faith lasts 1 minute and has 60 hit points
- Use the guardian to control choke points and protect ranged characters
- Position the guardian carefully to get the most value
- Dispel the guardian if it’s about to be destroyed to conserve resources
BG3 Guardian of Faith Mechanics
Guardian of Faith summons an immobile, invisible guardian that takes on a humanoid or beast form of your choice. The guardian has the following mechanics:
- Duration: 1 minute
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: Verbal, somatic, material (holy symbol)
- Damage: 20 radiant damage, Dexterity save for half
- Hit Points: 60 hit points
- Immunities: immune to most damage types
You can move the guardian as a bonus action up to 30 feet, and it can use its reaction to move itself out of harm’s way.
Using Baldur’s Gate 3 Guardian of Faith in Combat
Guardian of Faith excels at area control and protecting allies. Here are some tips for using it effectively in BG3 combat:
Position Carefully
The guardian can only damage enemies within 10 feet, so position it carefully to get the most value. Place it:
- In choke points to damage all enemies that pass through
- Behind enemy frontlines to disrupt backline casters and archers
- In flanking positions to deal damage while your melee fighters tank
- Near ranged allies to protect them from melee enemies
Move Strategically
Since the guardian is immobile, you need to move it around the battlefield. Use your bonus action to:
- Keep it within range of the most enemies possible
- Keep it in flanking positions as the battle shifts
- Move it to shield injured allies from harm
The guardian can also use its reaction to retreat from danger.
Play Defensively
With its high HP, the guardian excels at soaking damage. Use it to:
- Tank dangerous enemies so your party can reposition
- Block enemies from reaching injured allies
- Absorb attacks of opportunity as you move past enemies
Dispel When Near Destruction
If the guardian is nearly destroyed, dispel it to conserve resources. 60 HP goes quickly at higher levels.
Casting Guardian of Faith as a Cleric or Paladin
Guardian of Faith is available to both clerics and paladins. Here’s how to gain access:
Clerics: Clerics can learn Guardian of Faith at level 4 through divine magic. Wis is their spellcasting ability.
Paladins: Paladins learn Guardian of Faith at level 9 through their oath. Charisma is their spellcasting ability.
Both classes use holy symbols as the material component. Paladins can substitute an oath-specific focus if they have one.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Karlach Location
Maximizing Guardian of Faith’s Impact
To get the most out of Guardian of Faith, combine it with:
- Spells like Bless to improve saves against the guardian’s damage
- Spirit Guardians to deal damage in a wider area
- Warding Bond on the guardian to beef up its HP
- Sanctuary on allies near the guardian to disincentivize attacking them
Proper ability scores also boost the guardian’s power:
- Wisdom for higher cleric spell DC
- Charisma for higher paladin spell DC
Alternative Uses for Guardian of Faith
While Guardian of Faith shines in combat, creative players can also use it for:
- Scouting: Send an invisible guardian ahead to safely scout dangerous areas.
- Distractions: Position the guardian to draw enemy attention while you sneak by.
- Intimidation: Summon the guardian before parlaying with enemies to intimidate them.
- Arena Control: Shape arenas and deny enemy positioning with clever guardian placement.
Guardian of Faith Spell Description
For reference, here is the full spell description for Guardian of Faith from the BG3 rulebook:
- 4th-level conjuration
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 60 feet
- Components: V, S, M (a holy symbol)
- Duration: 1 minute
You create a guardian of faith in a space of your choice within range. The guardian is an invisible, large spectral guardian in humanoid form that hovers in the air and bears a shield emblazoned with your holy symbol.
The guardian occupies the space you chose and lasts for the duration. If an enemy creature moves to within 10 feet of the guardian for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the guardian deals 20 radiant damage to that creature, and the creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be blinded until the start of its next turn. If the guardian deals damage to a target, it sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius around itself for 1 minute or until it is destroyed or until you leave its range.
As a bonus action, you can move the guardian up to 30 feet to a space you can see.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Silver Ingot
Guardian of Faith Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Excellent area control due to consistent AoE damage
- Protects injured allies from melee attacks
- Soaks up damage due to high HP and immunities
- Forces enemies to reposition or take damage
Cons:
- Completely immobile unless moved as an action or reaction
- Enemies with good Dexterity saves can avoid damage
- Doesn’t scale well at higher levels compared to other spells
- Can be dispelled, wasting the spell slot
FAQ – August 8, 2023
Does Guardian of Faith take damage?
Yes, Guardian of Faith takes damage and can be destroyed if reduced to 0 HP. It has immunities that protect it from many damage types.
Can Guardian of Faith be dispelled?
Yes, Guardian of Faith can be dispelled by spells like Dispel Magic. Dispelling destroys the guardian instantly.
What’s the ideal position for Guardian of Faith?
In choke points near ranged allies. This lets the guardian damage many enemies while protecting squishier characters.
Should I dispel a nearly destroyed Guardian of Faith?
Yes, dispel the guardian to conserve resources if it’s close to being destroyed anyway. This preserves your spell slot.
Does Guardian of Faith benefit from ability score improvements?
Yes. Boosting your spellcasting ability (Wis or Cha) increases the guardian’s save DC.
Can enemies walk through Guardian of Faith?
No, enemies cannot move through the guardian’s space. They must go around it or take damage.
