Learn how to create your hero in Baldur’s Gate 3 with this comprehensive guide. Choose the perfect race, class, and abilities for an immersive gaming experience.Baldur’s Gate 3 has captivated eight hundred thousand players on PC and will do so on other platforms – give Sven Vincke time! If you want to become a part of this world, experience the role-playing, think through the hero, accept the weaknesses and strengths of the character in order to immerse yourself in one of the best role-playing games of the decade – this material will help you thoughtfully approach the creation of a protagonist in the world of Baldur’s Gate.
The guide was created for those who have not encountered character editors in large role-playing games based on the rules of Dungeons & Dragons. There will be a minimum of numbers here, and the main goal is to help readers immerse themselves in the process, think through the hero and join the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 as if they were playing a tabletop role-playing game.
After selecting the difficulty, the hero creation window will open in front of the player – there is a character without a picture, and below are already generated ones. They will (or will not) be our companions during the main plot, except for one thing – Dark Seduction. This is an opportunity to create a hero, but with a predetermined story.
The first playthrough, according to Sven Vincke, head of the Larian Games studio, is best done with a hero created from scratch – in order to independently experience the plot of Baldur’s Gate 3. The heroes created in advance will reveal it from their point of view during the second playthrough.
We choose a character without an avatar and get a randomly generated protagonist – this one is not suitable for us. Therefore, we turn our gaze to the left column from the window with the heroes. It lists the items that we will customize for ourselves.
Races and features
Baldur’s Gate 3 features nearly every character race listed in fifth edition D&D. The choice of races affects not only the appearance of the hero, but also certain aspects of the character: his size, speed, skills or race varieties. No one forbids creating a half-orc rogue or a halfling barbarian, but their effectiveness will be questionable.
The character has no worldview, as well as bonuses to characteristics, depending on race – only an influence on skills. Relationships with party members and the outside world will only be affected by the choices the player makes. A kind drow, a halfling villain, a renegade paladin – it all depends on the imagination of the person sitting behind the monitor. But this will inevitably turn Baldur’s Gate 3 into a clown or surreal, and the guide is for those who want to avoid this.
To get your bearings in the races presented, below you will find short descriptions of each from the official rule book. Gameplay features taken from Baldur’s Gate 3.
Elf
They live up to 700 years and because of this they understand the problems of others more deeply and look at things from a different angle. They live in forest villages, but are happy to go on adventures with one goal – to learn something new. They are naturally curious, and therefore constantly try to improve both their melee skills and magical powers. They dislike dwarves and people, and speak flatteringly of halflings.
High elves are inclined to control magic, and therefore from the start they get a choice of one spell. Wood elves are agile, run 1.5 meters further than others and are more suitable for melee characters or rogues. Regardless of the subspecies, they can see 12 meters in front of them in the dark and have resistance to sleep spells, as well as an advantage when being charmed.
Tiefling
The creatures of the lord of the Nine Hells, Asmodeus, are demons! For the sins of the ancestors who entered into a pact with the Lord of Hell, the entire race is now forced to pay. Tieflings may look like humans, but they have horns, a tail and eyes of the same shade – all this makes them monsters in the eyes of other races. Despite strained relations with other races, they can become true friends for any resident of Faerun.
Baldur’s Gate features three subspecies: the tieflings Asmodeus, Mephistopheles, and Zariel. The first type controls the flame and receives the “create flame” spell from the start. The second demon controls the “magic hand”. The third subtype has an advantage against intimidation. All tieflings are resistant to fire and take only half damage from it, and can also see 12 meters in front of them in the dark.
Drow
Dark Elves are not featured in the Official Dungeons & Dragons 5E Player’s Handbook – their introduction is an initiative of Larian Studios. However, they are an intriguing race that is split into two factions. The drow of Lolth are followers of an evil goddess who gives them blood-red eyes from birth – they strike fear into the inhabitants of Faerun with just one look. Seldarine drow, on the contrary, are friendly and try to go to the surface, communicate with other races, start families and find a common language with their relatives from the Lolth subrace.
Underground elves see better than others in the dark – as much as 24 meters, and also have resistance to magical sleep spells and an advantage over charm. Drow are also skilled with rapiers and one-handed crossbows – no other race has had this knowledge since the start of the campaign.
Human
As always in fantasy games, there is a young, reckless race trying to take over the whole world. Nevertheless, the most adaptable and can choose any profession – become part of the thieves guild, a bard with a magical lute at the ready, join the army and conquer new territories. They build cities as skillfully as they establish relationships with representatives of any race – there are no limits to their ambitions.
The versatility of people is reflected in the game. They have a quarter higher carrying capacity than other races, and they can also take a third skill on the stats page. And people are also good with light armor and shields, and also wield spears, pikes, halberds and glaives – like real militias.
Githyanki
Another race that is not represented in the official 5E D&D rule book. Githyanki Laezel can become a playable character or a companion. It is unknown if all Githyanki are as short-tempered and evil as her, but the behavior of this individual definitely puts a stigma on the rest.
Similar to bats, these creatures roam the astral planes and tirelessly prepare for endless battles in new worlds. They are skilled with light and medium armor, and are also proficient in the use of longswords and two-handed swords. They also know the secrets of astral knowledge – the Githyanki strengthen any characteristic until their next rest in the camp.
Dwarf
They live under the mountains of Faerûn. Never mind that there are fewer people or elves, they behave proudly in any situation – to match the mountain ranges and peaks above their heads. They live for 400 years, which means they remember insults for a long time – even those that were inflicted on their ancestors a long time ago. They are faithful to the traditions of the clans, and therefore they wield hammers, skillfully handle the forge and honor the word once given.
Long-standing enmity with goblins and orcs has hardened them in battle – dwarves have an advantage against poisons. An endless series of wars with big-eared neighbors taught them to skillfully use battle axes and hammers. And don’t look how small they are. Their speed may be lower than that of other races (7.5 meters per move), but they can see 12 meters in front of them in the dark.
They also have subspecies: the golden (hill) dwarf has high durability and is 1 health point more than others; shield (mountain) skillfully handles light and medium armor; the dvergar (gray dwarf) lives deep in the dungeons and sees in the dark further than other relatives (24 meters) and gains an advantage against illusions, charm and paralysis.
Half-elf
Having collected the best features from both races – people and elves – these ears earned the adoration of all the cities and villages of their ancient ancestors. But meeting a half-elf is such a rare occurrence that representatives of this race themselves almost never intersect with each other. All because of their nomadic and detached lifestyle, like hunters, foresters or wanderers.
They see in the dark 12 meters in front of them, just like people wield spears, pikes, halberds and glaives, and also skillfully handle light armor and shields. Also, their resistance to the spell of sleep and their advantage over enchantment have not gone away – the legacy of fairies makes itself felt.
They are divided into types of high and forest half-elves, and also receive the features of their subraces – one spell from the start or increased speed by 1.5 meters. Less common are drow half-elves who can cast the “Dancing Lights” spell and illuminate the area within a radius of 9 meters. The latter type is not found in the 5E D&D rule book.
Halfling
Warmth, delicious food and good conversation are the main objects of adoration for halflings. Being smaller than other races, these guys hide well or try to delay the moment of collision as long as possible. But if a fight is inevitable, they will fight until the last drop of blood, because these kids are not lacking in courage. Even a hefty ogre or monster in a dark dungeon will not scare them, and their quick mind will find a way out of any situation.
The lightfoot halfling subspecies gets along well with other races and blends into crowds—they have advantage on stealth checks. Their cousins, the strong-hearted halflings, inherited the advantage over poison from their dwarf ancestors and are resistant to poison damage.
Dwarf
Inventors, historians, sages – the gnomes have earned their reputation as pioneers in their own right. Over the 5 centuries that are allotted to life, they can discover dozens and hundreds of historical facts of antiquity, invent previously unseen mechanisms, or understand the essence of existence. At the same time, gnomes are clean, tidy and polite – they are intellectuals by nature, even if they live under the hills or in wooded lands.
Like other smaller brothers, they are not very fast-footed. But they have advantages in disputes and intellectual conversations, where their wisdom, charisma and flexibility of mind are tested.
The rock gnomes living near the dwarves adopted their night vision 12 meters in front of them, but unlike their relatives they are much more knowledgeable in history – the bonus when checking a skill is doubled. Forest gnomes understand animals better than others and conduct conversations with our smaller brothers. Deep gnomes can see as much as 24 meters in front of them in the dark and have the advantage of stealth – the darkness has become their second home.
Dragonborn
Hatched from the eggs of dragons, these scaly humanoids took the best that their winged ancestors had to offer. The Dragonborn rely on ancient blood and faithfully honor the species that birthed them. Clans are an important part of their life, and therefore lizards carry out all orders from the elders with honor. They are rarely friends with other races, but are not initially hostile to them – they value skill and will only look at the best of the best.
Dragonborn have no other characteristics other than those given by the subspecies. Descended from the chromatic dragons of Faerûn, the race has an affinity for the elements. Black and copper spew acid and are resistant to it; blue and bronze attack enemies with lightning, but they do not suffer damage from it; brass, gold and red dragonborn breathe fire and are immune to flames; silver and white freeze enemies and are able to survive even in the most severe cold, having complete resistance to frost; the green subspecies is unique – it is the only lizard that spews poison and is not affected by it.
Half-orc
Like tieflings, they are outcasts from Faerûn. Nevertheless, brave and strong half-orcs are the ancestors of humans and purebred orcs. Human blood gives them intelligence, ambition and cunning, which control Orcish strength and willpower. By nature, warriors who hear an appeal from the orc god Gruumsh literally burn with rage because of this. Gloomy, hot-tempered half-orcs actually love human joys and never refuse loud company, drinking and dancing until dawn – but laugh loudest and from the heart.
Diehard half-orcs cannot give up in battle – when they are near death, they restore one unit of health and rush into battle again. Rage allows them to hit harder than other races, and therefore they deal not double, but triple critical damage! Like their ancestors, who fought with the dwarves under the mountains of Faerûn, they can see 12 meters in front of them in the dark.
Choosing a class and background
Classes in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition allow you to play any role that the player can take on. There are no prohibitions on race, no restrictions on character and skills – Baldur’s Gate 3 in this matter follows in the footsteps of a weighty rule book.
In addition to describing the classes and their characteristics, this guide will also give you tips on races and backgrounds that would be better suited to the class from a lore perspective. This approach allows you to become attached to the hero, delve deeper into what is happening on the screen and immerse yourself in the plot of Baldur’s Gate 3, rather than sadly counting the numbers of characteristics. Unless a person is a universal race for all the professions presented – we will not indicate it, but keep this race in your head.
Barbarian
Barbarians are wanderers or residents of remote northern settlements. While others strive to live in civilization, barbarians reject the very concept of civilization. These are the fierce, strong, attentive and scary inhabitants of Faerun. They may find it difficult to find a common language with members of the squad, but to the end they will protect those they call family or friends.
Drawing strength from anger, barbarians become furious in battle and deal more damage with weapons, thrown items, and improvised weapons. Barbarians also reject the very concept of armor, although they skillfully use it in times of need – without protective shell or leather linings, dressed in fabric clothes, these fighters receive a bonus to protection from their own endurance.
The most appropriate backstory for a barbarian is that of a “wanderer,” hardened by life away from cities. Having braved the dangers of the wild since childhood, such a barbarian has an increased bonus to athletics (+5) and survival (+3).
A good choice of race for a barbarian would be: gold dwarf – for an increased amount of HP, as well as skillful handling of war hammers, axes, and resistance to poisons; half-orc because of his unbending resilience, which does not allow him to die, and triple critical damage with successful hits with weapons.
Bard
Not every tavern singer is called a bard. Singing songs and playing the lute is one thing. But extracting magic from music, strings and words is another level. Those who have learned to hear the universe and extract its rhythms for the benefit of the squad are called bards.
This class is rarely in the vanguard, but can stand up for itself – its songs of protection reduce damage from all types of weapons, and also make enemies roll on the ground and die of laughter. The bard’s main goal is to encourage his friends, increasing the bonus from the party’s actions.
The ideal background for the class is an “artist” who is able to gain the attention of others with just one stroke of the strings. He is agile, and therefore gains an advantage in acrobatics (+4) as well as execution (+3) – the latter skill allows the bard to hold an audience.
Suitable races will be: high half-elf, for the opportunity to gain one more magic focus, as well as resistance to charm and sleep; rock gnome for a double bonus on history knowledge checks, and dwarven cunning allows you to gain an advantage on intelligence, wisdom and charisma checks.
Priest
This class is a follower of the gods and carries their unyielding will into the world. With the help of prayers and blows of weapons! Priests are unique, because they can serve the 22 gods of Faerun – only the orders of higher powers determine which path the hero will take. They are good both in healing a squad and poisoning the minds of opponents, and in close combat. Sometimes only a hard blow to the heretic’s head can correct the situation, but the priest is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Each follower of the gods has a domain: life, light, deception, knowledge, nature, storm or war. I advise you to select a domain depending on the chosen deity and the role of the priest in the squad – each gives spells and features for the subclass. Spell focuses should also be taken based on domain and deity – there is no universal answer here.
The main background of the class is “novice”. Such a hero spent his entire life in the temple, understands religion, gods and heretics. And in a life full of adventures, he will benefit from advantages in insight (+5) on wisdom checks, as well as knowledge of religion (+1) on intelligence rolls.
An interesting combination of races for a priest would be: drow Lolth with the domain of Deception, who worship the evil goddess and try to attract new minions to her side through temptation and change of appearance; tieflings Zariel with the domain of War, who bring down the power of the archdemon both physically and incinerating enemies with magic and righteous spells.
Druid
Nature lovers who are friends not only with animals, but also with a blade of grass, a bush or a tree. Followers of balance strive to balance everything around them – even the forces of the squad. Their magic is directly related to nature, which is why druids can turn into animals, entangle enemies with vines, and use the powers of the elements to fight opponents and heal allies.
With a natural spell focus, the druid envelops the staff in natural magic and deals more damage based on the spell’s ability. Also in battle, he is helped by thorn whips, which cause damage and attract opponents 3 meters closer to the druid.
A suitable background for a druid would be a “folk hero” – a defender of the weak, a fighter against tyrants, a defender of nature. His skills in finding a common language allow him to tame animals thanks to the training skill (+5) on wisdom checks, as well as surviving in difficult situations (+5).
Based on the Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition rulebook, I recommend the following races: wood elf or wood half-elf, deftly exploring the forests of Faerun and hiding from prying eyes among the foliage; a forest gnome who can communicate with animals from the start and has advantage on wisdom checks, the main characteristic of a druid.
Warrior
Gladiators, mercenaries, soldiers. Their name reflects their ability to wield both melee and ranged weapons – warriors learn a variety of fighting styles. They skillfully use armor and shields – they even came up with a separate fighting school for the latter.
Having gone through dozens of battles over the entire existence of the profession, warriors do not forget about healing skills – they are able to treat wounds, get a second wind and heal themselves on their own. A warrior’s fighting style determines him: some are good at handling dual weapons or prefer dueling, others rely on a shield or armor, others rush into battle with two-handed hammers, and some send arrows at enemies.
No other backstory suits a warrior as well as “soldier.” Being a mercenary or a soldier in the active army, the hero has advantages in athletics (+5), and having seen the horrors of war allows him to intimidate enemies (+1).
The warrior is a universal class, but unusual combinations include: Githyanki plowing space on mind flayer ships, who skillfully wield two-handed and long swords, and also use light and medium types of armor; gold or shield dwarf, due to skillful handling of axes and hammers; half-orcs for their unbending will in battle, and innate aptitude for athletics, acrobatics and survival.
Monk
Essentially ascetics, these followers of ancient teachings live in temples, separated from civilization. Away from the rest, they learn to channel chi energy through every part of the body, transforming it into deadly blows with their bare hands. But there are also those monks who, with the help of cosmic energy, envelop themselves in shadows, merge with the darkness and become deadly assassins and ninjas.
Agile monks do not need swords or spears – such characters transform their body into a deadly weapon, and strike with their bare hands almost without respite. They do not need armor – they are protected by Chi energy. The “Hail of Blows” technique learned in the temple allows you to attack twice in a row.
The best option for a Ninja Monk would be the Rogue origin – based on agility and stealth. Increases skill when checking sleight of hand (+5), as well as stealth (+5). If you want to make a monk-fighter, then you should give preference to the backstory of the “wanderer”.
The lorry combination of races for a monk will be: the Seldarine drow is suitable for a monk following the path of shadows, having improved night vision at 24 meters in front of him, and also skillfully wielding rapiers and one-handed crossbows – to kill enemies secretly from afar; any subspecies of dragonborn who, in addition to monastic skills, will be resistant to one of the elements, and will also be able to attack with it.
Paladin
Dressed in shining armor that reflects the sunlight and illuminates the area. These warriors of light stand up for the weak, help those in need, and stand against the evil that threatens the people of Faerûn. Their strength comes not only from physical training, but rather from magical training and the use of spells in battle.
The paladin can lay on hands to heal nearby allies, using magic for good. The paladin’s devotion also protects in battle against the undead, beasts and celestials. Class oaths open up paths for the paladin that were previously inaccessible: the oath of the ancients more effectively restores the health of companions; the oath of allegiance covers an ally with the power of light and returns part of the damage to the creature attacking him; a paladin who has sworn an oath of retribution and rejected the purity of divinity punishes the wicked with radiant damage and disorients with light.
The appropriate background type for a paladin is “aristocrat.” Such a paladin knows the history of Faerun, and knows how to deal with ancient creatures and undead, and therefore has advantage when checking this skill (+1). Charisma also helps to convince ordinary people on security issues – in such disputes, the paladin receives an advantage in persuasion (+4).
Anyone can become a paladin – good deeds are subject to all races. But effective combinations of races will be: a dwarf-dvergar who has taken an oath of retribution – resists illusion, paralysis and enchantment, not sparing the fiends of darkness; a high elf who has sworn an oath of allegiance – in addition to focusing on protective spells and healing the party, such a paladin will also deal damage with sacred retribution, and elven training and faerie heritage will protect against sleep and charm.
Pathfinder
Defenders of remote settlements and outcasts living in the wild. Pathfinders are on friendly terms with animals, but wild reptiles and dragons are afraid of them. They are sympathetic to “urban” adventurers who whine about the inhospitability of wild places, because they contribute to the overall cause of the campaign. But this does not prevent them from accepting such complaints with a grin, because danger and a long journey are dearer to them than the comfort of city walls.
The characteristics of each ranger are different, because this class chooses its specialization. Some seek to investigate crimes and hunt the heads of criminals; another ranger devotes himself to protecting the party from the undead, demons and otherworldly forces; some hunt renegade sorcerers; Sworn to the state, rangers serve the crown and nobility, learning to wear heavy armor and study the history of Faerûn; Not the most common type of tracker promised to hunt down heretics and for the glory of the Druid circle or one of the deities.
The ideal origin type for a ranger is “wanderer”. Relying on athletics (+5) and having survival skills (+4), such a hunter will get out of any situation. And the choice of acquired skills depends on your view of the hero: a ranger can be either an animal tamer, a city ranger, or acquire protection from cold, fire or poison.
Dodger
Cunning, clever deceivers, murderers and thieves – that’s what rogues are. They seek benefits for themselves, rarely pay attention to the needs of the party and will betray anyone for hard cash. Although, there are also examples of a different kind. It is better to trust a rogue only when there is no other way out and it will not be possible to cope without secret penetration or breaking into chests.
The class has advantages in stealth – even strikes on the sly if it has an advantage over the enemy. The rogue cannot use any type of armor other than light armor. This class is also skilled with one-handed crossbows, rapiers and short swords.
There are only two origin types for a rogue that would work well for the character – “charlatan” and “criminal”. Only if the first one is suitable for a rogue thief who picks locks, deceives his interlocutors and puts his little hands in the pockets of unsuspecting victims, then the second one, due to his criminal past, has learned to hide in the shadows and not attract unnecessary attention.
An excellent race choice would be a deep gnome, which can see 24 meters in front of itself in the dark and also has advantage on stealth checks. The second option is the Wood Elf, who has high speed, as well as natural skills in acrobatics and sleight of hand.
Sorcerer
They draw energy from chaos, becoming its conductors. Sorcerers acquire skills by inheritance or as a gift from the universe – it is impossible to learn this. Commanding chaos, sorcerers have a hard time winning the trust of their party – some representatives of this class cannot control the turbulent flows of magic. Unlike wizards and sorcerers, they do not rely on scrolls and volumes with spells, as well as patrons – they use only internal forces.
The peculiarity of sorcerers is that they have a subclass. Wild mages awaken ancient forces of chaos within themselves, which burst forth in battle without the control of the caster. Descendants of dragons have more health for each level gained and are overgrown with scales, which provide protection, and also have a dragon ancestor – this relationship gives them one additional spell. While unleashing chaos and casting spells, Storm Sorcerers can fly until the end of their turn without provoking enemies to retaliate.
A good background choice would be “sage” – an expert in magic (+3) and history (+3) has advantage on checks for these skills.
An excellent choice of race would be the Dragonborn with the Descendant of Dragons subclass – dragon racial bonuses apply to their affinity with dragons, further protecting the hero and giving him additional types of attacks. Another “pop” choice is the high elf.
Witch
Having concluded an agreement with a higher entity, the sorcerer carries out the will of the patron. In response, the master gives the subordinate supernatural powers. Each sorcerer, after concluding a pact, begins to thirst for more and more knowledge – and it does not matter whether it is full of darkness or carries the magic of fairies. There is little trust in such magicians – often they are guided only by the whim of the patron and it is not clear what they will do next.
Sorcerers have three subclasses, which depend on the owner. The beast is connected with the lord from the underworld – 1st level spells are available to her, and for killing enemies, the owner rewards the sorcerer with temporary health points. The subordinates of the Great Ancient influence the minds of opponents, frighten and enchant – such is the will of their master, who wants to master the minds of mortals. Servants of fairies have access to the forbidden magic of the magical kingdom, but even the sorcerer in their service does not know what purpose these creatures pursue, but he can charm and drive opponents into a magical sleep.
A good choice of background would be “charlatan” – due to the increased advantage when checking the “Deception” skill (+5), and sleight of hand (+3) will be useful for stealing important information or artifacts. For the glory of the owner, of course!
A cool choice of race would be a tiefling – subordinate to the forces of the underworld, this sorcerer in the service of the Bestia will be able to play a servant of hell 100%. Another fun option is the Rock Gnome, which has advantage on Charisma and Intelligence skill checks, as well as double bonus on History skill checks.
Wizard
Mages master higher spells and are divided into schools. Spiritualism, necromancy, illusion, incarnation—there are a dozen active magical traditions. But to achieve mastery, wizards often go on dangerous adventures with the strangest of adventurers.
Wizards have no subclasses or features – only a set of spells and tricks that are assigned to the hero from the start. Here it is worth paying attention to what kind of magician you are making – does he rely on one single school or does he explore two or three traditions at once? The wizard’s path depends only on the player.
The ideal background for this class is “sage”. Knowledge of magic (+5) and history (+5) will help in any adventure.
But there are almost no preferences or restrictions by race. Is it possible that half-orcs are not suitable to become magicians due to their innate characteristics – otherwise there are no restrictions, and the choice of race is better based on the hero’s background and his future school of magic.
Choice of abilities and skills
Baldur’s Gate 3, unlike tabletop Dungeons & Dragons, independently selects the optimal characteristics and skills for the character. Yes, there is no dice roll here like in the first two parts of the series, but the game itself distributes the characteristics well. Only if you want to play a pre-thought-out archetype, the cards with which are full on the Internet and thematic communities, change the optimal values.
But on your first playthrough, it’s better to trust the computer—Larian didn’t set it up to screw over the player. The game will even tell you which skill is the main one, and when the time comes to upgrade your characteristics, you won’t get lost.
Instead of a total
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a huge RPG that encourages a deep character creation approach. And not only in terms of numbers, but also elaboration of the origin of the hero, his current ambitions and future achievements. The game generously sprinkles answers in dialogues that relate to the character’s class, race, characteristics or skills – and therefore the roleplaying is interesting, and there are no hopeless situations.
A little advice from the author: do not try to see all the content that Baldur’s Gate 3 has in store in one playthrough. This is technically impossible, because every choice changes the details of your hero’s story. Roleplay as a character, follow the chosen path, immerse yourself in roleplaying, and then you will return to the hero creation window more than once to begin your next adventure in the world of Faerun and see new ways of developing history.
