Baldur's Gate 3 adapts the rules of Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition into a CRPG system, allowing players to embark on an adventure in the world of D&D with familiar races, classes, and mechanics. For the most part, Baldur's Gate 3 remains faithful to the Dungeons & Dragons rules, with only a few additions and changes to better suit a video game.
One classic Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition rule that many players didn't expect to see in Baldur's Gate 3 is Inspiration. On the tabletop, Inspiration is only ever awarded by the DM, mostly when they feel a player has made a choice that is faithful to their character, particularly when that choice isn't optimal from a gameplay perspective. However, despite lacking a DM in Baldur's Gate 3, Larian Studios has still found a way to integrate this roleplay-based feature.
Updated August 4, 2023, by John Higgs: This Inspiration guide has been updated for the full release of Baldur's Gate 3, removing the Hermit and Sailor Backgrounds and adding the Haunted One, a Background exclusive to the Dark Urge Origin.
What is Inspiration in Baldur's Gate 3
Inspiration in Baldur's Gate 3 works slightly differently from Inspiration in Fifth Edition. When tabletop players have earned Inspiration, they can use it anytime to gain Advantage on an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. However, in Baldur's Gate 3, Inspiration can only be used on ability checks, and instead of providing Advantage (which allows players to roll twice and pick the higher result), it offers an option to reroll a failed ability check.
Additionally, tabletop players can only ever have one Inspiration Point at a time, while in Baldur's Gate 3, up to four can be earned, allowing players to save more for vital rolls. It's important to note that these Inspiration Points are shared in multiplayer, with all players drawing from the same pool, and that any Inspiration Points earned while the pool is full will be converted into XP instead. The final difference between tabletop and Baldur's Gate 3 Inspiration is how they're earned. While in Fifth Edition, a DM uses their judgment to hand out Inspiration when appropriate, in Baldur's Gate 3, players earn Inspiration when living up to their Background.
How to Get Inspiration in Baldur's Gate 3
There are 12 Backgrounds for custom characters in Baldur's Gate 3, each offering a pair of Skill Proficiencies, unique options in dialogue, and different ways of earning Inspiration:
- Acolyte
- Insight and Religion
- Earns Inspiration by serving the gods and learning about religious works
- Charlatan
- Deception and Sleight of Hand
- Earns Inspiration by manipulating and deceiving others
- Criminal
- Deception and Stealth
- Earns Inspiration through criminal activity and ill-gotten gold
- Entertainer
- Acrobatics and Performance
- Earns Inspiration by entertaining others and learning new stories
- Folk Hero
- Animal Handling and Survival
- Earns Inspiration by protecting the innocent and building a personal legend
- Guild Artisan
- Insight and Persuasion
- Earns Inspiration by crafting, repairing, and selling items
- Haunted One (Dark Urge Origin only)
- Medicine and Intimidation
- Earns Inspiration by facing or accepting their own dark urges
- Noble
- History and Persuasion
- Earns Inspiration by gaining wealth, status, and social standing
- Outlander
- Athletics and Survival
- Earns Inspiration by using survival skills and mastering the wild
- Sage
- Arcana and History
- Earns Inspiration by discovering new knowledge and solving puzzles
- Soldier
- Athletics and Intimidation
- Earns Inspiration through feats of martial prowess and tactical knowledge
- Urchin
- Sleight of Hand and Stealth
- Earns Inspiration by using street smarts and looking out for the underdog
By playing to their Background throughout Baldur's Gate 3's story, players will be able to regularly earn Inspiration Points. These Points can then be spent to protect against unlucky rolls during important checks, allowing the player to tip the odds in their favor when necessary.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC. It launches for PS5 on September 6.