The Ultimate Guide to Adamantine Gear in Baldur's Gate 3: Ranking the Best Slots for Your Limited Mithral Ore

Let me tell you, as someone who's spent countless hours meticulously planning builds and resource allocation in Baldur's Gate 3, the decision of what to craft from that precious, precious Mithral Ore is a real test of strategic thinking. You only get two chunks of the stuff per campaign, meaning you can only craft two pieces of a special category of gear from the fabled Adamantine Forge. It's not like making some simple leather boots; this is a one-shot, high-stakes decision, especially for act one where access to epic-tier protection is rare.

We're going to break down every Adamantine option available, ranking them from the essential must-haves to the more situational picks. Remember, all Adamantine items share some fantastic universal traits that make them worthy of consideration, but not all are created equal in the long run. The common powers you'll find across the Adamantine family include Adamantine Backlash, which punishes attackers who miss you in melee by making them Reel, imposing a penalty on their future attacks. The Shield variant has a slightly shorter duration than the one on Heavy Armour, but the principle is the same: turn a missed enemy swing into a weakness on their next turn.

Weapons have the unique Diamondsbane trait, guaranteeing a critical hit against objects (hello, doors and chests), and Lethal Weapon, which allows them to ignore certain physical damage resistances. And perhaps the most universally loved feature? Any character decked out in Adamantine Armour or wielding its Shield is completely immune to Critical Hits. In a game where a single lucky crit from a boss can turn the tide, this passive is an absolute game-changer.

Now, let's get into the rankings. I've played through the Grymforge encounter more times than I can count, and this is the wisdom I've pieced together for the year 2026.

🛡️ The S-Tier Must-Craft: The Adamantine Shield

This is, without a doubt, the single best use of one of your two Mithral Ore in the current state of the game. Why is it so powerful? It brings the entire defensive suite of Adamantine gear—the backlash, the critical hit immunity—to an off-hand slot. This makes it unbelievably flexible. Any character who can equip a shield and isn't dedicated to dual-wielding or using a two-handed weapon benefits massively. For Paladins and Clerics, it's an absolute centerpiece. Pair it with gear like the Luminous Armour, and you create a radiant, unyielding frontline bastion that both mitigates and retaliates against incoming damage. It's a force multiplier that stays relevant far beyond the early game.

⚔️ The A-Tier Powerhouses: Adamantine Scale Mail & Splint Armour

Here's the deal: the two Adamantine armor pieces are stellar. They offer fantastic Armour Class for the stage of the game you acquire them, and their Intense Adamantine Backlash effect is brutal, making enemies Reel for a painful three turns. That -1 to their Attack Rolls stacks up, effectively raising your party's survivability in prolonged, grueling fights. The reason they're not in that top S-tier is purely about opportunity cost. That second piece of Mithral Ore is a tough call between a great suit of armor and that phenomenal shield. If your main tank absolutely needs the highest AC possible right now, go for the armor. But for overall party utility and long-term value, the shield often wins out.

🗡️ The B-Tier Considerations: The Adamantine Weapons

Don't get me wrong—the Adamantine Longsword, Scimitar, and Mace are solid weapons. Diamondsbane is a fun and sometimes useful tool for smashing obstacles, and ignoring resistance is no joke. The problem? Simply put, Act One of Baldur's Gate 3 in 2026 is overflowing with insanely powerful, unique, and often magical weapons that simply outclass them. Crafting one often feels like wasting a perfectly good chunk of Mithral Ore.

Let's look at the competition you can find or earn before you even get to the forge:

Weapon	Icon	Why It's Usually Better
Everburn Blade		Deals bonus fire damage straight off the tutorial ship.
Sword Of Justice		Grants the Tyr's Protection spell, adding defensive utility.
Phalar Aluve		Its unique singing ability provides an AoE buff or debuff, an unparalleled tactical tool.
Knife of the Undermountain King		Excellent crit range and a boost to spell attack rolls for certain builds.
The Blood of Lathander		A legendary-tier mace with sunbeam and a crucial resurrection aura. No contest.

With a legendary weapon like The Blood of Lathander available in the same act, it's difficult to justify spending a finite, high-value resource on a mere +1 weapon with situational perks. However, I understand the allure. Maybe you're doing a very specific roleplay, or you just adore the aesthetic of Adamantine gear. In that case, go for it! The Mace can be a decent pick for a Cleric who needs a reliable bludgeoning backup. Just remember: you are making a conscious, considered choice to forgo one of the other exceptional items on this list.

🔨 Final Recommendations for Your Two Slots

Here's my personal take, refined over many playthroughs up to 2026:

1. Lock-in Your First Slot: Adamantine Shield. It's just too versatile and powerful to skip. I equip this on a key support or frontliner in every single run.

2. The Second Slot Decision Tree:

   • New Player / High Difficulty Run? Take an Armour piece (Scale or Splint depending on your tank's proficiency). The raw survivability spike is real and safe.

   • Experienced & Optimizing? Seriously consider saving that second Ore. Use it to craft another shield for a second character on a future playthrough? There's an argument to be made, though the shield remains the premium choice.

   • Roleplay / Completionist / Specific Need? Craft a weapon if your heart desires. Just know you're trading long-term power for a short-term, somewhat redundant boost.

The Adamantine Forge is one of the coolest set-pieces in early Baldur's Gate 3. Making your choices count with that limited Mithral Ore feels impactful and rewarding. Plan your party composition, look at the incredible loot you already have, and choose wisely. Good luck out there on the Sword Coast!