There's a running joke among RPG players that this is part of the game everyone spends the most time on. Modern video games have made this even more of a distraction with the option to customize almost every feature of a character, and Baldur's Gate 3 has followed suit in the spirit of Dungeons & Dragons-based games.
Someone new to the process might feel overwhelmed by the choices, and even experienced players might not be sure where to start. The character creation process in the game is also meant to be customizable depending on how the player wants to proceed, but some guidance initially is helpful to even the most hardened of gamers.
Character Creation
Choosing the option to start a new game in Baldur's Gate 3 will bring the player to the character creation screen. It's organized differently than previous games and starts differently than most players are used to or will expect.
The following headings are found above the portrait of the character in the creation screen, and line the screen from left to right, which gives the impression that players have to follow them in order. However, every player seems to have their own starting point, and each section can be completed in any order.
Every part of the character creation process is already finished for you
Origin
The game starts the player here, and considering these factors are often determined after the class or species is chosen, it's disorienting. On the left is some basic information about the character that includes their race, class, ability scores, and cantrips, which is odd because those factors haven't been chosen by the player yet.
The right side of the screen includes a choice of gender, a name, and the character's choice of Background. It's best to leave this section alone until later so these choices can be made based on class and abilities since the Background is often chosen to complement an existing build depending on the proficiencies it offers.
Background | Description |
Acolyte | A monastic upbringing, ideal for Paladins, Clerics, or scholars. |
Charlatan | Ideal for Rogues and Bards, but makes sense for any character with a high Charisma. |
Criminal | Typical for a Rogue, but more creative players can build reformed characters, like Paladins. |
Entertainer | Bards will naturally gravitate towards this but any trickster class can use it. |
Folk Hero | Fighters, Rangers, or Druids from small towns or wild places often become folks heroes. |
Guild Artisan | A character that studied art or a trade, and their work might even be famous. |
Noble | Characters from wealthy or royal backgrounds, so Wizards, Paladins, or Clerics. |
Outlander | Rangers, Druids, and Barbarians who spend a lot of time in the wild. |
Sage | Bards, Wizards, and bookish Clerics are often Sages. |
Soldier | Often Fighters, but often Rangers and Paladins as well. Any melee fighting class. |
Urchin | Characters who grew up in the streets, they make good Rogues for the Stealth proficiencies. |
The names of the companions in the game are also listed here but aren't available in the Early Access version. A later addition might include these characters as pre-rolled options for players that want a shortcut through the character creation process.
Race
Baldur's Gate 3 hasn't started using the term "species" yet, but it might be part of the updates before the official launch. In the meantime, the game has Race second from the left, and some players would prefer to start here.
First, choose a race, and the possible subraces will appear below. Currently, there are only a few choices for each race, but older games and the TTRPG offer much more. Only the Gnome and Half-elf have as many as three.
Race | Subraces | Bonuses |
Elf | High-elf | Cantrips, Intelligence bonus |
Wood | Bonuses to Dexterity, Wisdom, and movement speed | |
Dwarf | Gold | Bonuses to Constitution and Wisdom |
Shield | Bonuses to Constitution and Strength | |
Drow | Lolth-sworn | Cantrip, bonuses to Dexterity and Charisma, melee weapon proficiency |
Seldarine | Cantrip, bonuses to Dexterity and Charisma, more of a ranged fighter | |
Githyanki | na | Cantrips, bonuses to Strength and Intelligence |
Gnome | Forest | Intelligence and Dexterity bonus, knows Speak With Animals. |
Deep | Intelligence and Dexterity bonus. | |
Rock | Intelligence and Strength bonus. | |
Halfling | Lightfoot | Bonus to Dexterity and Charisma |
Strongheart | Bonus to Dexterity and Constitution | |
Human | na | +1 to all stats and increased movement speed. |
Half-elf | High | Cantrip, increases to Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence |
Wood | Bonuses to Dexterity and Charisma | |
Drow | Darkvision, dexterity and Charisma bonuses | |
Tiefling | Asmodeus | Thaumaturgy Cantrip, Charisma and Intelligence bonus |
Mephistopheles | Mage Hand cantrip, Charisma and Intelligence bonus |
Appearance
Not just how the character looks, which includes details like hair color, eye color, and face, but also how they sound. This is where players can choose their character's voice, which is used during combat or travel, but not during cut scenes.
Players won't be able to determine the color or style of clothing at this point. Clothing is initially determined by class, with Wizards in robes and Paladins in chain mail, for example. Gear and weapons change as the character progresses.
Class
Another popular starting point, plenty of gamers start RPGs with the class in mind first, then build up from there. There are eleven classes to choose from and they're the same ones offered in a standard D&D game.
Every time the player chooses a class, the stats shift to the ideal stat spread. Players can alter this in the Abilities section. The choice of Race and Background will also have some effect on these skills.
Gamers that are building a casting class will see their Cantrips and level-one spells listed in the Class section. Change these spells by using the Customize button.
Class | Subclasses | Bonuses |
Barbarian | na | Special class features and bonus actions. |
Bard | na | Cantrips, spells, and a starting instrument. |
Cleric | Choice of a Deity and 1 of 3 Domains | Cantrips and special class features, depend on Domain. |
Druid | na | Cantrips and special class features. |
Fighter | Fighting Style | Special class features, like armor and weapon proficiency. |
Paladin | Choice of 2 Subclasses | Healing, defensive, and offensive spells. |
Ranger | Favored Enemy and Natural Explorer | Arcana proficiency, so a couple of handy cantrips. |
Rogue | na | Abilities like Sneak Attack and the use of Thieves' Tools. |
Sorcerer | Wild Magic or Draconic Bloodline | Strong library of spells from level 1, including cantrips and elemental resistance. |
Warlock | The Fiend or The Great Old One | Cantrips and some spells, some variety depending on the subclass. |
Wizard | na | Has the most spells available than any other casting class at level one. |
Skills
The Skills section is broken up into three basic categories.
- Inherited Skills. These are granted by the character's background, such as Urchin or Noble, for example.
- Skills With Proficiency. These are granted as part of the character's race and class and can be changed depending on what the player prefers.
- Skills Without Proficiency. The skills listed are a collection of skills from the race, class, and stats and can't be altered.
Abilities
This is the stats screen, and most players will be used to seeing it first, but for some reason, it's listed on the far right as if it's last. Skip to this section if you're a player that starts with their dice rolls. The stats are already done, but this is where they can be changed.
There are six stats used in D&D to build characters, and some are more important to certain character builds than others. For example, a race with bonuses to Strength would make a good Fighter, while a Background that gives a character Arcana would make an ideal Wizard.
Once the character creation process is complete, the Venture Forth button at the character's feet will light up and the player can enter the game. If this button doesn't light up, that means that a step in the character creation process is still lacking. Check to make sure that all the stat points have been spent and that the character has a subclass.
The Fantasy Figure
Before going straight to the adventure, there's one more thing the player has to complete. The game prompts them with a phrase, "Who do you dream of?" and the second character creation process begins.
Race and appearance are the focus here, and since this is the object of the main character's fantasy, no choices for class or abilities are required. This creation appears to the character in dreams, and sometimes their voice will be heard. Their ultimate goal, or whether they even exist, remains a mystery.
Baldur's Gate 3 comes out on August 3 on PC and September 6 on PS5. An Xbox Series X/S version is in development.