Ranger 5, then rogue 4, then fighter 3
These notes follow Patch 8, released 15 April 2025. The level order is ranger 5, rogue 4, fighter 3. Take the ranger levels first. Gloom Stalker arrives at ranger 3, and Extra Attack arrives at ranger 5. Stopping ranger early leaves the Attack action on one swing.
Rogue 3 is Assassin. Rogue 4 is a feat. Fighter 2 is Action Surge. Fighter 3 is Battle Master or Champion. The split earns two feats, at ranger 4 and rogue 4. Fighter stops at 3, short of the feat at fighter level 4. The three class levels add up to the cap of 12.
Gloom Stalker is a ranger subclass at level 3. Dread Ambusher adds +3 to initiative. On the first turn of combat, movement speed increases by 3 m / 10 ft, and you can make an extra weapon attack that deals an additional 1d8.
Extra Attack is learned at ranger level 5. A second copy from another martial class does not add another swing.
Feats arrive at class levels 4, 8, and 12. Fighter adds one at class level 6. Rogue adds one at class level 10.
The character level cap is 12. Multiclass levels share that cap.
The first turn
Hide before anyone sees you. The stealth page covers vision cones, light, and Pass Without Trace. Gloom Stalker can hide with a bonus action. Umbral Shroud, once per short rest, turns you invisible while you are obscured.
Extra Attack adds a second swing to the Attack action. Dread Ambusher is a separate weapon attack on the first turn, with an extra 1d8, and it recharges per combat. The same feature adds +3 to your initiative roll.
A successful attack against a Surprised creature is a critical hit. You also have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that has not taken a turn yet. At the start of combat, Assassin's Alacrity restores your action and your bonus action.
Action Surge, from fighter level 2, grants another action and recharges on a short rest. Using it ends hiding and invisibility, so the opening shot comes first and the surge comes after the fight has started. Dread Ambusher does not refresh for that second action. The Attack action on the surge still gets Extra Attack, including on Honour Mode.
Dread Ambusher: Hide is a bonus action. Umbral Shroud makes you invisible if you are obscured, and it recharges on a short rest.
Using the melee Dread Ambusher attack removes the Dread Ambusher condition, and the extra 3 m / 10 ft of movement goes with it.
Assassin's Alacrity restores your action and bonus action at the start of combat. Assassinate: Ambush makes a successful attack roll against a Surprised creature a critical hit. Assassinate: Initiative gives advantage on attack rolls against creatures that have not taken a turn yet.
A Surprised creature cannot take actions or reactions for one round. Alert, Feral Instinct, and an Elixir of Vigilance block the condition.
Action Surge is gained at fighter level 2. It grants an extra action, recharges on a short rest, and ends hiding and invisibility.
On Honour Mode, the extra action from Action Surge still triggers Extra Attack.
A missed ambush on Honour Mode
Surprise requires that the other side has not noticed you. Read the examine sheet before you count on it. A creature that cannot be surprised takes its turn. On Honour Mode a boss can still spend a Legendary Action, often when it is damaged, once a round.
The breakpoints page has the Extra Attack stacking rules. The stealth page is the cone and the light. The survival page is the single save.
Legendary Actions are an Honour Mode resource. The wiki records them as once a round, often when the creature is damaged, and blocked while the creature is fleeing, incapacitated, stunned, unconscious, or restrained.
Official site: baldursgate3.game.