In any RPG, making characters is a big deal. Before you start making your character in Baldur’s Gate 3, here are some important things to keep in mind.
People who want to learn more about Faerun can do so in Baldur’s Gate 3 by taking on the role of their own character. Because the rules for Dungeons & Dragons are so flexible, players can make figures that fit their tastes. But Baldur’s Gate 3 fans who want to make the best decisions when making their characters might want to think about seizing their chances early.
If Baldur’s Gate 3 players know what they’re doing, they can make characters that are so powerful that they could beat even the most edgy and cheesy D&D 5e builds. At least in this Larian Studios game. But how can players make sure they have the best character right from the start of the game?
Consider The Dark Urge
Because unique characters in RPGs like Divinity: Original Sin 2 are generally shown as generic “chosen ones,” the Dark Urge in Baldur’s Gate 3 makes it easy to switch between good and bad playthroughs. The Dark Urge in the D&D game is just hinted at as someone who can’t remember a horrible past. When you play as them, you have to make a lot of strange decisions that usually end in death.
In Custom Origin, players make a character that is meant to be a hero. In Dark Urge, players can still make their own character, but they are faced with a lot of moral problems. If Baldur’s Gate 3 players want a more exciting experience, they might want to get the Dark Urge. This is especially true if they want a more “complete” first run that shows them all the conversation choices in the game.
Choosing A Pre-Made Origin Isn’t Bad
When a game like Baldur’s Gate 3 lets players make D&D characters almost entirely from scratch, picking a Pre-Made Origin that limits your character’s look and story doesn’t seem like the best idea. The fact that the six Pre-Made Origins are the first Companions players can get in the game makes this feature stand out even more, just like in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Since players are likely to look into each character’s side story even if they’re just Companions, picking a Pre-Made Origin as the main character doesn’t seem like as much of a reason.
It will be more useful, though, when players learn that their Custom Origin has a problem called “silent hero syndrome,” which affects a lot of changeable main characters. Additionally, the game only lets players use four of the ten characters available at a time. This means that players may have a more consistent experience playing through the Pre-Made Origins by feeling how they are meant to interact with each other without the impact of a player-made character.
Consider A Non-Origin Class
Since Baldur’s Gate 3 is a perfect adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons 5e, it’s not a surprise that the popular role-playing game lets players choose from all 12 main D&D classes. At any point in the story, BG3 builds are very different because each Class has at least three Subclasses to choose from, and you can also switch between classes and respec.
If a player wants a simpler story, they can choose Companions that use their normal Classes while their Custom Origin uses a class that is not for Origin. You can pick either a Bard, a Monk, or a Sorcerer from the game’s options. At first look, this idea might seem like it would “limit” a player’s ability to come up with new builds. However, this lets players make sure that Companions work with their usual style without having to worry about the same character having the same set of skills, which makes it easier to customize a party.
Min-Max Base Abilities
Ability Scores are probably one of the things that Baldur’s Gate 3 players miss the most when they are making their character because there are so many other choices. Each build has its own features and choices, but how well it works relies on how well the player rolls their Checks. Adding to that, though, Checks are only as useful as the Modifiers that are taken into account.
These Modifiers are based on a character’s Ability Scores, which are numbers that are given to their stats. When making a character, players can have as little as 8 (-1) or as much as 17 (+3), and they should try to get the most out of this. With 27 points to spend and free +2 and +1 bonuses, the range could go from 17 to 16 to 15 to 8 to 8. The scores should focus on spellcasting (INT/CHA/WIS), attack (STR/DEX), and health (CON).
Select An Aggro Build For Early Game
Baldur’s Gate players can make their own characters however they want, but a bold build can help their unique adventures have the best early-game experience. All Classes have some way to get an edge in battle, but choosing Baldur’s Gate 3 builds that allow for more attacking moves can make the first few hours of the game a lot easier.
In an ideal world, players would choose Classes and skills that let them use fighting skills right away. In that way, they can always hit their opponents in some way, even if they are down early in the game. Spellcasters who always have access to Cantrips and 1st-Level Spells, Rogues who can use Sneak Attacks, and Monks who can use Flurry of Blows are all examples of this type of setting.
Combat Preference Is Tied To Classes
In RPGs, classes often determine how a player builds their character, especially if they want a character that can fight well with their other characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. Take a look at these classes:
- Fighters and Barbarians are possibly the best tanks in the game. The Class of choice determines how versatile you can be in battle. Barbarians depend on Rage to do direct damage. Fighters can control the flow of battle more easily because they have more than one Proficiency.
- Monk, Ranger, and Rogue are often thought to be the Classes that can do the most damage. How a player fights relies on which Class they choose. Monks rely on Ki and are better at moving around. They also like to fight close up with simple weapons. Rangers are a lot like Fighters in terms of how they can fight, but they aren’t as tough. From behind the scenes, rogues do a lot of damage.
- Sorcerer, Wizard: Sorcerers and Wizards have some of the most powerful powers in the game, but their health is very low compared to how much damage they do. When players choose them, they get access to the best RPG tool options, but they may need to make sure they’re safe.
Support Preference Needs Versatility
Some Classes are great for players who want to make more flexible characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 who aren’t great at fighting but can more than make up for it with their support abilities. However, some support-based Classes tend to play in a more chatty or healing way, which means they need extra safety from their companions:
- Bard, Warlock: Bards and Warlocks are well-balanced Classes that work best for Face Classes or conversationalists. Besides giving you benefits when you talk, they also give you spellcasting options and chances to deal damage in normal fighting.
- As a Cleric, Druid, or Paladin, you’ll usually be seen as a healer or sub-tank. Their Class determines the best way for them to help the rest of the party. Clerics can do more types of buffs, while Paladins are better at fighting and have a bit of a charming flair. Druids can use Wildshape in addition to their other spells, which makes them more nature-based.
Secure Proficiencies For Flexibility
Like their D&D counterparts, Class Features let the character use certain skill sets based on how much experience they think they have with the Class. Baldur’s Gate 3 lets players choose between Melee and Ranged Sneak Attacks as a Rogue. They can also choose from Simple Weapon, Hand Crossbow, Longsword, Rapier, and Shortsword as Weapon Proficiencies, Light Armor Proficiencies, Saving Throws (Dexterity and Intelligence), and four other Skill Proficiencies.
If you want to get the most out of your character right away, you should look at the Proficiencies that come with your Class. That way, they can pick other things, like Race and Background, that give them new Proficiencies. The more Proficiencies a player has, the more builds they can use.
Avoid Redundancies In Stats
After getting a character’s Proficiencies, Baldur’s Gate 3 players who want to enjoy their game should think about not choosing choices that “repeat” the same Proficiencies. Since players won’t always find guns and shields that match their Proficiencies, letting them use more gear can make Tunnel Rush run more smoothly.
For example, players who want to build on the Rogue might want to make a Half-Elf, since the Civil Militia Feature adds Spears, Pikes, Halberds, Glaives, and Shield to the list of skills. If you choose to be a Wood Half-Elf, you also get the Stealth Skill, which gives you more options for Skill Proficiencies.
Consider Extra Spells, Abilities From Racial Features
Baldur’s Gate 3 gives players access to a lot of Races that are popular in Faerun and the Forgotten Realms. They can also enjoy the game by picking a Sub-Race that is related to the Race they want to play as, which comes with its own features and perks.
Dragonborn can be any of 10 different colors, and each has one of five different Breath Weapons that can be used as a special move. Half-Elves, on the other hand, can use an extra Cantrip (High Half-Elf), move around more and be more stealthy (Wood Half-Elf), and make a light source with Dancing Lights (Drow Half-Elf).
Skill Proficiencies Help Exploration
In Baldur’s Gate 3, a character’s Skill Proficiencies determine how well they do in most talks and adventures, while their Weapon and Armor Proficiencies determine how they can get gear. It’s best for players to get the Skill Proficiencies they want to use the most for each Race, Class, and Background. If you broke them up into functions, you’d get this range:
- Go for INT-based skills, especially investigation skills.
- Exploration: Use your WIS skills, especially your perception skills. Survival and Insight could both be good secondary skills. Characters with a STR base could also choose Athletics, while characters with a DEX base could choose Acrobatics.
- Conversation: Choose a focus from Persuasion and Intimidation for your CHA-based skills.
- Crime: If you want to try breaking the law by taking from people or tricking them, use Deception (CHA) and DEX-based skills like Sleight of Hand and Stealth.
Amplify Performance With Abilities
Baldur’s Gate 3’s D&D features let players change their base Attributes by assigning points. This is in addition to picking their Race, Class, and Background. Like in other RPGs, improvements to one stat affect other numbers as well. This is why it’s important for players to change their character’s Abilities to fit their needs. As a general rule, it’s best to raise the Abilities that are most closely linked to the character’s Class and Skill Proficiencies. For their main stats, which are usually related to Saves, it’s best to leave the trash or dump stat alone or give it a -1 or +0 modifier.
As an example, a Bard should focus on Charisma since it affects their spellcasting and is the most important part of their skill proficiency. Dexterity is their second most important trait because it affects their saving throw. If they have Versatile Weapons or Ranged Weapons, it could also change how they fight.
Secure A Balanced Set Of Actions
Getting the best starting Actions or Spells is one of the most important things players should do when making a Baldur’s Gate 3 character, because they determine how they will handle their first few battles. On top of assist and useful skills, players would like a character to have a good set of Actions that do damage.
On the other hand, a Bard starts out with two cantrips and two first-level spells. To find the right mix between support and damage, players can use Vicious Mockery (Cantrip) to deal damage and give strong enemies Disadvantage on their next Attack Roll. They can also use True Strike to get Advantage on their next Attack Roll. Bards can choose Healing Word as their first-level spell for an easy-to-use bonus action heal, or they can choose any of the other first-level spells to make their kit more diverse.
Always Select A Defensive Option
Baldur’s Gate 3 players should think about giving their character a defense choice as soon as they create them. As long as they give players some kind of safety in the beginning of the game, these can be healing spells or even shields.
For example, most classes have some way to heal and defend themselves more, like Lay On Hands (Paladin), Second Wind (Fighter), and Unarmored Defense (Barbarian, Monk). Some spells, like Healing Word, are must-haves early on. Shield of Faith, Protection From Evil And Good, and Sanctuary are useful for defense.
Stress On Cheesing Later
Players who want to enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3 should think about focusing on crafting their character build later in the game instead of this early on. This won’t exactly help with “creating” a character, but it will make the game more fun. The main reason for this is that Baldur’s Gate 3 can be very different to play, even for D&D experts, because the game has a lot of tasks that can be solved in different ways.
In higher levels, players will also meet Withers, an NPC who lets them change the specs of their characters in exchange for Gold. Because of Withers, players can spend more time experiencing BG3’s general gameplay before they spend a lot of time hard-optimizing or min-maxing their characters for the ending.