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{{Guide}} | |||
This guide is to introduce players new to D&D 5e, the Forgotten Realms, or Baldur's Gate 3 to the [[Races|races]] available for you to use for your custom character "Tav," [[The Dark Urge|Dark Urge]], or [[Companions#Hirelings|hirelings]] and to understand the races of [[Origins|origin]] characters and [[Companions|companions]]. It will go over how the dialogue tag system may cause a character's race to play a role in conversation options and how the world reacts to your character. And it will cover the mechanical features of the races, and what [[Classes|classes]] or builds may go well with each race. | This guide is to introduce players new to D&D 5e, the Forgotten Realms, or Baldur's Gate 3 to the [[Races|races]] available for you to use for your custom character "Tav," [[The Dark Urge|Dark Urge]], or [[Companions#Hirelings|hirelings]] and to understand the races of [[Origins|origin]] characters and [[Companions|companions]]. It will go over how the dialogue tag system may cause a character's race to play a role in conversation options and how the world reacts to your character. And it will cover the mechanical features of the races, and what [[Classes|classes]] or builds may go well with each race. | ||
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[[Superior Darkvision]] is great for any character, and [[Perception]] is often seen as one of the most valuable skills in BG3 so having proficiency is great and the elf is already off to a good start. [[Fey Ancestry|Fey ancestry]] is a bit situational but by no means a bad thing to have. The [[Darkness]] Spell can also be great to have on any character. For example say you have some enemy bad guys on a platform firing ranged attacks at your party, and you would have to spend 2 turns just to move and get into range with them. You can cast darkness on the platform they are on therefore blinding them and making them come down. Or you can use it out of combat to help sneak about. This spell can get great mileage out of even non-spellcasters. | [[Superior Darkvision]] is great for any character, and [[Perception]] is often seen as one of the most valuable skills in BG3 so having proficiency is great and the elf is already off to a good start. [[Fey Ancestry|Fey ancestry]] is a bit situational but by no means a bad thing to have. The [[Darkness]] Spell can also be great to have on any character. For example say you have some enemy bad guys on a platform firing ranged attacks at your party, and you would have to spend 2 turns just to move and get into range with them. You can cast darkness on the platform they are on therefore blinding them and making them come down. Or you can use it out of combat to help sneak about. This spell can get great mileage out of even non-spellcasters. | ||
The remaining abilities are a bit more situational. [[Dancing Lights|Dancing lights]] requires [[Concentration|concentration]], which can be a serious downside for casters because this means they cannot concentrate on other more powerful spells. But on a non-caster class this isn't really an issue so may be more worth using. The [[Faerie Fire]] spell actually scales really well into mid game for a racial feature you get at level 1, but only if you have the high Charisma to use it effectively as discussed in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section. The weapon proficiencies don't help many builds. The builds which could make good use of those proficiencies will already get them from their class. If D&D 5e cantrips like Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade are added to BG3 then these proficiencies could become very helpful for [[Sorcerer|Sorcerers]] and [[Wizard|Wizards]], but that is unlikely to be present in BG3 without mods. | The remaining abilities are a bit more situational. [[Dancing Lights|Dancing lights]] requires [[Concentration|concentration]], which can be a serious downside for casters because this means they cannot concentrate on other more powerful spells. But on a non-caster class this isn't really an issue so may be more worth using. The [[Faerie Fire]] spell actually scales really well into mid game for a racial feature you get at level 1, but only if you have the high Charisma to use it effectively as discussed in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section. The weapon proficiencies don't help many builds except casters may want to dual wield hand crossbows early on to give them an actual use of their bonus action at low levels when they don't have many bonus action spells. The builds which could make good use of those proficiencies will already get them from their class. If D&D 5e cantrips like Booming Blade or Green-Flame Blade are added to BG3 then these proficiencies could become very helpful for [[Sorcerer|Sorcerers]] and [[Wizard|Wizards]], but that is unlikely to be present in BG3 without mods. | ||
Pretty much any class or build will get tremendous benefit from being a Drow. Charisma casting classes like [[Bard]], [[Warlock]], [[Paladin]], and [[Sorcerer]] may get a bit more benefit than others thanks to the [[Faerie Fire]] spell but nothing too substantial. Warlocks with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]] may get further use of the Drow's [[Darkness]] Spell. | Pretty much any class or build will get tremendous benefit from being a Drow. Charisma casting classes like [[Bard]], [[Warlock]], [[Paladin]], and [[Sorcerer]] may get a bit more benefit than others thanks to the [[Faerie Fire]] spell but nothing too substantial. Warlocks with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]] may get further use of the Drow's [[Darkness]] Spell. | ||
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| [[Superior Darkvision]] out to 80 ft* || [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] out to 40 ft || [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] out to 40 ft | | [[Superior Darkvision]] out to 80 ft* || [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] out to 40 ft || [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] out to 40 ft | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Duergar Magic granting the ability to cast [[Enlarge/Reduce]] on self once per Long Rest starting at 3rd Level, and [[Invisibility]] on self once per | | Duergar Magic granting the ability to cast [[Enlarge/Reduce]] on self once per Long Rest starting at 3rd Level, and [[Invisibility]] on self once per combat || [[Dwarven Toughness]] granting one additional hit point per character level || [[Proficiency]] in Light and Medium Armor | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Duergar resilience granting [[advantage]] on [[Saving Throw|saving throws]] against illusions as well as being [[Charmed (Condition)|Charmed]] or [[Paralysed (Condition)|Paralyzed]]. || - || - | | Duergar resilience granting [[advantage]] on [[Saving Throw|saving throws]] against illusions as well as being [[Charmed (Condition)|Charmed]] or [[Paralysed (Condition)|Paralyzed]]. || - || - | ||
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* The original rules regarding Duergar in tabletop also grants Duergar [[Sunlight Sensitivity]] which is a major drawback for this race. However Larian has not implemented this feature in BG3, whether that is due to the Illithid tadpole in our brains or following updated tabletop rules. | * The original rules regarding Duergar in tabletop also grants Duergar [[Sunlight Sensitivity]] which is a major drawback for this race. However Larian has not implemented this feature in BG3, whether that is due to the Illithid tadpole in our brains or following updated tabletop rules. | ||
** The Shield Dwarves normally get a +2 bonus to their [[Strength]] [[Ability Scores|Ability Score]] in tabletop. However with the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Flexible_Ability_Score|Flexible Ability Scores]] changes Larian is making to BG3, the Shield Dwarves do not get this benefit. | ** The Shield Dwarves normally get a +2 bonus to their [[Strength]] [[Ability Scores|Ability Score]] in tabletop. However with the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Flexible_Ability_Score|Flexible Ability Scores]] changes Larian is making to BG3, the Shield Dwarves do not get this benefit. | ||
==== Build Synergy ==== | ==== Build Synergy ==== | ||
Poison damage is very common, so dwarves getting resistance and being able to cut the damage in half and resist related effects is very nice. And [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] can be immensely beneficial to any character as well, especially in Act 2. The Dwarves' movement speed reductions slightly hampers their melee combat ability, as you may not be able to close range with bad guys quite as quickly. But it doesn't have as great of an impact on characters able to make attacks from a distance. Additionally melee classes that can mitigate this movement speed penalty such as [[Monk]] and [[Barbarian]] may be able to offset it somewhat. Their additional weapon proficiencies are not going to be too beneficial on their own as most builds which want these proficiencies will get them from their class. But [[Monk]] is once again the standout winner from this feature. But Monks in BG3 are be able to use their Martial Arts features like unarmed strikes with any weapon that they are [[proficient]] with but lacks the [[Heavy (weapon property)|heavy]] or [[Weapons#Properties|two-handed]] property. This means a dwarven monk is able to wield a [[warhammer]] with its d10 damage die when wielded as a [[Weapons#Properties|versatile]] weapon, which is a bit better and at least another option compared to the next best option monks normally get with the quarterstaves or spears which can do d8 damage. | Poison damage is very common, so dwarves getting resistance and being able to cut the damage in half and resist related effects is very nice. And [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] can be immensely beneficial to any character as well, especially in Act 2. The Dwarves' movement speed reductions slightly hampers their melee combat ability, as you may not be able to close range with bad guys quite as quickly. But it doesn't have as great of an impact on characters able to make attacks from a distance. Additionally melee classes that can mitigate this movement speed penalty such as [[Monk]] and [[Barbarian]] may be able to offset it somewhat. Their additional weapon proficiencies are not going to be too beneficial on their own as most builds which want these proficiencies will get them from their class. But [[Monk]] is once again the standout winner from this feature. But Monks in BG3 are be able to use their Martial Arts features like unarmed strikes with any weapon that they are [[proficient]] with but lacks the [[Heavy (weapon property)|heavy]] or [[Weapons#Properties|two-handed]] property. This means a dwarven monk is able to wield a [[warhammer]] with its d10 damage die when wielded as a [[Weapons#Properties|versatile]] weapon, which is a bit better and at least another option compared to the next best option monks normally get with the quarterstaves or spears which can do d8 damage. | ||
The Gold Dwarves' additional HP per level goes | The Gold Dwarves' additional HP per level goes ok with classes that get up close in melee, but isn't typically held in that high of regard except maybe on wildshaping druids which also gets the extra health benefits. Combine this with the tough [[Feats|feat]] on a [[Barbarian|barbarian]] to make a super tank. The Shield Dwarves' additional armor proficiencies go great on characters like squishy casters such as [[wizard|wizards]], [[sorcerer|sorcerers]], lore [[bard|bards]], and [[warlock|warlocks]] as it allows you to leave your [[Dexterity]] at 14 and wear medium armor for an overall [[Armour Class|armor class]] of 16 before accounting for magical bonuses. This combined with dwarven weapon proficiencies makes it feasible (but far from ideal unless you have access to spells likely not to be in BG3 without mods) to make a melee [[Sorcerer|sorcerer]] or [[Wizard|wizard]] character. And lastly the Duergar's Enlarge ability goes great with a melee class that gets multiple attacks such as a monk. Normally in tabletop the bonus damage from [[Enlarge|enlarge]] does not apply to unarmed strikes but in BG3 you are able to apply this additional damage. | ||
The Duergar's [[invisibility]] spell can be cast an unlimited number of times out of combat. It is the strongest racial feature in the entire game. If you build around abusing this spell then it is better than Halfling Luck, Gnome advantage on saving throws, or everything Githyanki gets. Proxy Gate Tactician on YouTube beat the game without killing anyone, largely due to this overpowered feature. | |||
== [[Elf|Elves]] == | == [[Elf|Elves]] == | ||
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Elves' [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] is great for any character, and [[Perception]] is often seen as one of the most valuable skills in BG3 so having proficiency is great and the elf is already off to a good start. [[Fey Ancestry|Fey ancestry]] is a bit situational but by no means a bad thing to have. And like with [[Drow]] and [[Dwarf|Dwarves]] above, the racial weapon proficiencies are not that great unless you are going for a melee [[Wizard|wizard]] or [[Sorcerer|sorcerer]] build which will be difficult to pull of in BG3. The [[longbow]] proficiency can also be nice on a [[rogue]] as they are a build that can make good use of a Longbow but are not proficient with it normally. And the [[Longswords|longsword]] proficiency could be nice for a [[Monk|monk]] character since you can usea a longsword as a monk weapon. This means an elven monk is able to wield a [[longsword]] with its d10 damage die when wielded as a [[Weapons#Properties|versatile]] weapon, which is a bit better and at least another option compared to the next best option monks normally get with the quarterstaves or spears which can do d8 damage. | Elves' [[Darkvision (Passive Feature)|Darkvision]] is great for any character, and [[Perception]] is often seen as one of the most valuable skills in BG3 so having proficiency is great and the elf is already off to a good start. [[Fey Ancestry|Fey ancestry]] is a bit situational but by no means a bad thing to have. And like with [[Drow]] and [[Dwarf|Dwarves]] above, the racial weapon proficiencies are not that great unless you are going for a melee [[Wizard|wizard]] or [[Sorcerer|sorcerer]] build which will be difficult to pull of in BG3. The [[longbow]] proficiency can also be nice on a [[rogue]] as they are a build that can make good use of a Longbow but are not proficient with it normally. And the [[Longswords|longsword]] proficiency could be nice for a [[Monk|monk]] character since you can usea a longsword as a monk weapon. This means an elven monk is able to wield a [[longsword]] with its d10 damage die when wielded as a [[Weapons#Properties|versatile]] weapon, which is a bit better and at least another option compared to the next best option monks normally get with the quarterstaves or spears which can do d8 damage. | ||
As mentioned in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section, you may need to be a little careful about what cantrip you pick if you are going [[Elf#High_Elves|High Elf]]. If your character is not going to have a high [[Intelligence]] then do not pick one of the spells listed in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] table. Of the remaining options some standout choices include [[Light]] (which you can cast on the weapon of an ally who does not have darkvision and make them shed their own light), [[Minor Illusion]] (which you can use to draw creatures to a certain area whether to sneak by them or ambush them) and [[Mage Hand]] (if you do not intend to use the Mage Hand to shove your enemies, or are not playing a race like [[Githyanki]] or a class like [[Arcane Trickster]] [[Rogue]] which automatically gets this spell). The wood elves' movement speed bonus is very helpful for melee characters who may need to close the gap with enemies, while their proficiency in [[stealth]] is great for characters who will be doing your sneaking around. | As mentioned in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section, you may need to be a little careful about what cantrip you pick if you are going [[Elf#High_Elves|High Elf]]. If your character is not going to have a high [[Intelligence]] then do not pick one of the spells listed in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] table. Of the remaining options some standout choices include [[Friends]] (which is very useful for giving advantage on Charisma checks, just be wary of the hostile side effects), [[Light]] (which you can cast on the weapon of an ally who does not have darkvision and make them shed their own light), [[Minor Illusion]] (which you can use to draw creatures to a certain area whether to sneak by them or ambush them) and [[Mage Hand]] (if you do not intend to use the Mage Hand to shove your enemies, or are not playing a race like [[Githyanki]] or a class like [[Arcane Trickster]] [[Rogue]] which automatically gets this spell). The wood elves' movement speed bonus is very helpful for melee characters who may need to close the gap with enemies, while their proficiency in [[stealth]] is great for characters who will be doing your sneaking around. | ||
== [[Half-Elf|Half-Elves]] == | == [[Half-Elf|Half-Elves]] == | ||
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The subrace features synergize just like the same features do for the base Elf race: | The subrace features synergize just like the same features do for the base Elf race: | ||
* Drow Half-Elf's [[Dancing Lights]] is not very helpful on caster character because it competes for [[Concentration]] but can be of a bit of benefit to non caster builds. [[Darkness]] has great in combat and out of combat utility whether you are a caster or not, but is especially good on a Warlock with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]]. [[Faerie Fire]] is a great spell into the midgame even, but only on characters with decent Charisma as described in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section. | * Drow Half-Elf's [[Dancing Lights]] is not very helpful on caster character because it competes for [[Concentration]] but can be of a bit of benefit to non caster builds. [[Darkness]] has great in combat and out of combat utility whether you are a caster or not, but is especially good on a Warlock with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]]. [[Faerie Fire]] is a great spell into the midgame even, but only on characters with decent Charisma as described in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Racial_Spellcasting|Racial Spellcasting]] section. | ||
* High Half-Elf's Cantrip goes great with [[Intelligence]] based casters such as the [[Wizard]], [[Eldritch Knight]] [[Fighter]], or [[Arcane Trickster]] [[Rogue]]. But if the character will not have a high Intelligence then Light, Minor Illusion, and to an extent Mage Hand can also be good options as described in the [[Guide:Races_Guide_by_Phantomsplit#Build_Synergy_4|Elf Mechanics]] section of this guide. | * High Half-Elf's Cantrip goes great with [[Intelligence]] based casters such as the [[Wizard]], [[Eldritch Knight]] [[Fighter]], or [[Arcane Trickster]] [[Rogue]]. But if the character will not have a high Intelligence then Friends, Light, Minor Illusion, and to an extent Mage Hand can also be good options as described in the [[Guide:Races_Guide_by_Phantomsplit#Build_Synergy_4|Elf Mechanics]] section of this guide. | ||
* Wood Half-Elf movement speed bonus is nice on all characters, but especially nice on melee characters who can use this to get into range of their target. Their stealth proficiency is nice on sneaky characters as it opens you up to put proficiencies from [[background]] and your starting class elsewhere. | * Wood Half-Elf movement speed bonus is nice on all characters, but especially nice on melee characters who can use this to get into range of their target. Their stealth proficiency is nice on sneaky characters as it opens you up to put proficiencies from [[background]] and your starting class elsewhere. | ||
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{{FRWiki|Halfling}} Lore is extremely sparse. There is no information on when or where the first halflings appeared. They tend to have a sense of wanderlust and exploration moreso than even the elves, as well as a tendency towards finding mischief whether wittingly or not. They are known for their clan like social structure with an emphasis on family bonds. Some bands may settled down and make a small isolated village for a while before getting bored of it and packing up to leave with little worry or concern. Others will roam about and never settle down at all. The only major halfling settlement of {{FRWiki|Luiren}} was flooded as a result of the world shaking Spellplague as described in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Dragonborn|Dragonborn Lore]] section and this further emphasizes the modern day halfling tendency to roam. | {{FRWiki|Halfling}} Lore is extremely sparse. There is no information on when or where the first halflings appeared. They tend to have a sense of wanderlust and exploration moreso than even the elves, as well as a tendency towards finding mischief whether wittingly or not. They are known for their clan like social structure with an emphasis on family bonds. Some bands may settled down and make a small isolated village for a while before getting bored of it and packing up to leave with little worry or concern. Others will roam about and never settle down at all. The only major halfling settlement of {{FRWiki|Luiren}} was flooded as a result of the world shaking Spellplague as described in the [[Guide:Baldur's Gate 3 Races Guide#Dragonborn|Dragonborn Lore]] section and this further emphasizes the modern day halfling tendency to roam. | ||
Besides the flooding of Luiren, the only other major Halfling lore event (which I doubt will be brought up in BG3) is the {{FRWiki|Hin_Ghostwar|Hin Ghostwar}}. "Hin" is another name for Halfling, and the Ghostwar is so named because the {{FRWiki|Strongheart_halfling|Strongheart Tribe}} and {{FRWiki|Lightfoot_halfling|Lightfoot Tribe}} teamed up and went to war with their {{FRWiki|Ghostwise_Halfling|Ghostwise Tribe}} brethren. Around year -100 DR (about 1,600 years before BG3) the druidic Ghostwise halflings were led by a cleric who came to worship the evil god of primal savagery and stalking, {{FRWiki|Malar}}. The cleric led her tribe to ruthlessly attack and torment wild creatures as well as other halflings from the Lightfoot and Strongheart Tribes. The Lightfoot and Strongheart tribes teamed together in the Hin Ghostwar to push the Ghostwise halflings back and killed their evil cleric. The surviving Ghostwise tribe members exiled themselves in shame for their actions under the clerics influence. While the [[Halfling#Strongheart_Halflings|Strongheart halflings]] were happy to continue living in and around Luiren, the [ | Besides the flooding of Luiren, the only other major Halfling lore event (which I doubt will be brought up in BG3) is the {{FRWiki|Hin_Ghostwar|Hin Ghostwar}}. "Hin" is another name for Halfling, and the Ghostwar is so named because the {{FRWiki|Strongheart_halfling|Strongheart Tribe}} and {{FRWiki|Lightfoot_halfling|Lightfoot Tribe}} teamed up and went to war with their {{FRWiki|Ghostwise_Halfling|Ghostwise Tribe}} brethren. Around year -100 DR (about 1,600 years before BG3) the druidic Ghostwise halflings were led by a cleric who came to worship the evil god of primal savagery and stalking, {{FRWiki|Malar}}. The cleric led her tribe to ruthlessly attack and torment wild creatures as well as other halflings from the Lightfoot and Strongheart Tribes. The Lightfoot and Strongheart tribes teamed together in the Hin Ghostwar to push the Ghostwise halflings back and killed their evil cleric. The surviving Ghostwise tribe members exiled themselves in shame for their actions under the clerics influence. While the [[Halfling#Strongheart_Halflings|Strongheart halflings]] were happy to continue living in and around Luiren, the [[Halfling#Lightfoot_halflings|Lightfoot halflings]] were horrified by the bloody events that had taken place at the hands of both the Ghostwise and the Strongheart tribes. They instead decided to set off and explore the continent of Faerun rather than stay with the awful memories of what had occurred. | ||
While I do say that Larian may not really include the above lore info, they did go out of their way to refer to Strongheart Halflings as such, rather than simply saying Stout halflings as they are known in the D&D 5e Player Handbook Rules. So perhaps they will keep it in mind. | While I do say that Larian may not really include the above lore info, they did go out of their way to refer to Strongheart Halflings as such, rather than simply saying Stout halflings as they are known in the D&D 5e Player Handbook Rules. So perhaps they will keep it in mind. | ||
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All [[Halfling|Halflings]] have: | All [[Halfling|Halflings]] have: | ||
* A 25 ft movement speed (5 ft less than normal) | * A 25 ft movement speed (5 ft less than normal) | ||
* [[ | * [[Halfling Luck]] allowing them to reroll any natural 1 they get on [[Attack Roll|attack rolls]], [[Saving Throw|saving throws]], or [[Ability Check|ability checks]] | ||
* [[Brave]] granting them [[advantage]] on saving throws against being frightened. | * [[Brave]] granting them [[advantage]] on saving throws against being frightened. | ||
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! [[Halfling#Lightfoot_Halflings|Lightfoot Halfling]] !! [[Halfling#Strongheart_Halflingsf|Strongheart Halfling]] (Stout Halfling) | ! [[Halfling#Lightfoot_Halflings|Lightfoot Halfling]] !! [[Halfling#Strongheart_Halflingsf|Strongheart Halfling]] (Stout Halfling) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Naturally Stealthy]] granting | | [[Naturally Stealthy]] granting advantage on [[Stealth]] checks || [[Strongheart Resilience]] giving them resistance to poison damage and [[advantage]] on saving throws against poison. | ||
|} | |} | ||
====Build Synergy==== | ====Build Synergy==== | ||
As with [[dwarf]] and [[gnome]], the halfling's movement speed penalty mostly hurts them when it comes to melee combat builds because this may make it more difficult to close the distance with their target, though this is not as important for ranged builds and can be somewhat offset by melee builds that get a movement speed bonus like [[Barbarian]] and [[Monk]]. Not having darkvision is a pretty significant detriment to this class which is something you'll have to keep in mind while playing in dark areas. Brave giving them [[advantage]] on saving throws against being [[Frightened (Condition)|frightened]] can be very helpful at high levels when creatures start having powerful effects that apply fear, but until then it is very situational. Their best ability is by far [[ | As with [[dwarf]] and [[gnome]], the halfling's movement speed penalty mostly hurts them when it comes to melee combat builds because this may make it more difficult to close the distance with their target, though this is not as important for ranged builds and can be somewhat offset by melee builds that get a movement speed bonus like [[Barbarian]] and [[Monk]]. Not having darkvision is a pretty significant detriment to this class which is something you'll have to keep in mind while playing in dark areas. Brave giving them [[advantage]] on saving throws against being [[Frightened (Condition)|frightened]] can be very helpful at high levels when creatures start having powerful effects that apply fear, but until then it is very situational. Their best ability is by far [[Halfling Luck]], as it gives you a chance to succeed on checks you would have otherwise failed. Halfling luck is further moderately buffed in BG3. Larian has implemented a controversial [[D&D_5e_Rule_Changes#Fundamental_Changes|rule change]] where a natural 1 on an [[Ability Check|ability check]] results in an automatic failure, even if your modifiers, proficiency bonus, [[Guidance|guidance]], etc. would put you over the DC of the check. This can cause you to fail a check which by the D&D 5e books you should have succeeded just because you rolled a 1. A halfling's ability to reroll natural ones reduces the likelihood of this Larian houserule hurting your character. This makes halfling a more tempting race for skill monkey character like [[Rogue|rogue]], [[Bard|bard]], [[Ranger|ranger]], or knowledge domain [[Cleric|cleric]]. | ||
A strongheart halfling's resilience will help them resist the very common poison damage and associated effects in combat. If you aren't doing a stealthy playthrough then they are a very good race to pick. But if you are doing a stealthy playthrough then Lightfoot Halfling is one of the best races in the game. Especially once somebody on your team has access to [[Pass Without Trace]] and [[Greater Invisibility]] spells. A Lightfoot Halfling under the effect of these spells is practically undetectable. | |||
== [[Human|Humans]] == | == [[Human|Humans]] == | ||
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====Build Synergy==== | ====Build Synergy==== | ||
The Githyanki [[Astral Knowledge]] feature is | The Githyanki [[Astral Knowledge]] feature is one of the most powerful racial feature in all BG3, besides Duergar invisibility, Halfling luck, and gnome advantage on saving throws. Picking an ability like Wisdom or Intelligence can mean proficiency in up to 5 skills. It is incredibly powerful, especially on a face character who does all the talking. | ||
The [[Guide:Baldur's_Gate_3_Races_Guide#Flexible_Ability_Scores|Flexible Ability Scores]] changes really opens up a lot of builds with Githyanki. Them starting with medium armor proficiency makes them tempting for squishy casters like [[Wizard]], [[Sorcerer]], Lore [[Bard]], and [[Warlock]] because you can just leave [[Dexterity]] at 14 and get an [[Armour Class|armor class]] of 16 from basic medium armor. And a free cast of Misty Step is also great on any and all characters, though maybe it is a little less useful on a [[Barbarian]] who wouldn't be able to cast it while in a [[Rage|rage]]. | The [[Guide:Baldur's_Gate_3_Races_Guide#Flexible_Ability_Scores|Flexible Ability Scores]] changes really opens up a lot of builds with Githyanki. Them starting with medium armor proficiency makes them tempting for squishy casters like [[Wizard]], [[Sorcerer]], Lore [[Bard]], and [[Warlock]] because you can just leave [[Dexterity]] at 14 and get an [[Armour Class|armor class]] of 16 from basic medium armor. And a free cast of Misty Step is also great on any and all characters, though maybe it is a little less useful on a [[Barbarian]] who wouldn't be able to cast it while in a [[Rage|rage]]. And [[Monk|Monks]] are able to use any weapons they are proficient with that lacks the two-handed and heavy [[Weapons#Properties|weapon properties]], meaning [[longsword]] proficiency allows a Monk character to wield a Longsword as a versatile weapon dealing 1d10 damage, which is a bit better and at least another option compared to the next best option monks normally get with the quarterstaves or spears which can do d8 damage. | ||
[[Jump]] (the spell) is extremely useful in Baldur's Gate 3 based off Larian's design of combat areas and their changes to the regular [[Jump (Bonus Action)|jump]] movement ability. It is especially useful with a high [[Strength]] character. A high Strength character with the Jump spell cast on them can jump extremely long distances, to the point it is a feasible option for bypassing some obstacles. Or at the very least it greatly increases the ability of a melee character to get into range with enemies as they will be able to jump so far with this spell. Even if the Githyanki character is not the one to use this spell, it can still be immensely beneficial if cast on an ally with high Strength or limited mobility. | [[Jump]] (the spell) is extremely useful in Baldur's Gate 3 based off Larian's design of combat areas and their changes to the regular [[Jump (Bonus Action)|jump]] movement ability. It is especially useful with a high [[Strength]] character. A high Strength character with the Jump spell cast on them can jump extremely long distances, to the point it is a feasible option for bypassing some obstacles or encounters. Or at the very least it greatly increases the ability of a melee character to get into range with enemies as they will be able to jump so far with this spell. Even if the Githyanki character is not the one to use this spell, it can still be immensely beneficial if cast on an ally with high Strength or limited mobility. | ||
If the melee cantrip spells Green flame blade and Booming Blade were to be added to BG3, Githyanki would become one of the top choices for melee full casters like sorcerers or wizards. Even without these melee cantrips Githyanki brings a lot to the table for any character, but especially for squishy casters who can take advantage of the medium armor proficiency or melee characters who can get added benefit from the mobility that [[Jump]] and [[Misty Step]] provide. The Githyanki race is widely considered to be the most powerful | If the melee cantrip spells Green flame blade and Booming Blade were to be added to BG3, Githyanki would become one of the top choices for melee full casters like sorcerers or wizards. Even without these melee cantrips Githyanki brings a lot to the table for any character, but especially for squishy casters who can take advantage of the medium armor proficiency or melee characters who can get added benefit from the mobility that [[Jump]] and [[Misty Step]] provide. The Githyanki race is widely considered to be one of the most powerful races in BG3. | ||
==[[Gnome|Gnomes]]== | ==[[Gnome|Gnomes]]== | ||
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As with [[Halfling]] and [[Dwarf]], the Gnome's movement speed penalty mostly hurts them when it comes to melee combat builds because this may make it more difficult to close the distance with their target, though this is not as important for ranged builds and can be somewhat offset by melee builds that get a movement speed bonus like [[Barbarian]] and [[Monk]]. The [[Gnome Cunning]] ability is seen right up there with Halfling's [[Lucky]] as one of the best racial abilities in the game. Lucky has the added benefit of applying to all [[Attack Rolls|attack rolls]], [[Saving Throws|saving throws]], and [[Skill Check|skill checks]], while [[Gnome Cunning]] only applies to [[Saving Throws|saving throws]] that specifically use Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom. However, if you are making one of those types of saving throws then Gnome Cunning applies every time, whereas halfling's Lucky only applies on the off-chance your roll ends up as a natural 1. Lucky is not as powerful but more universally applied, while Gnome Cunning is far more useful in the specific scenarios it applies. Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws are typically used to resist mind altering affects that can make you skip turns. In turn-based combat games, action economy is paramount. If you have a 6th level [[Paladin]] aura applied to a Gnome (or if the Gnome themself is a Paladin) then it will be very difficult for them to fail such a a debilitating saving throw. Baldur's Gate 3 also often uses Wisdom Saving throws in certain dialogue scenes, so having [[Advantage|advantage]] on these saves is immensely beneficial. | As with [[Halfling]] and [[Dwarf]], the Gnome's movement speed penalty mostly hurts them when it comes to melee combat builds because this may make it more difficult to close the distance with their target, though this is not as important for ranged builds and can be somewhat offset by melee builds that get a movement speed bonus like [[Barbarian]] and [[Monk]]. The [[Gnome Cunning]] ability is seen right up there with Halfling's [[Lucky]] as one of the best racial abilities in the game. Lucky has the added benefit of applying to all [[Attack Rolls|attack rolls]], [[Saving Throws|saving throws]], and [[Skill Check|skill checks]], while [[Gnome Cunning]] only applies to [[Saving Throws|saving throws]] that specifically use Intelligence, Charisma, and Wisdom. However, if you are making one of those types of saving throws then Gnome Cunning applies every time, whereas halfling's Lucky only applies on the off-chance your roll ends up as a natural 1. Lucky is not as powerful but more universally applied, while Gnome Cunning is far more useful in the specific scenarios it applies. Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws are typically used to resist mind altering affects that can make you skip turns. In turn-based combat games, action economy is paramount. If you have a 6th level [[Paladin]] aura applied to a Gnome (or if the Gnome themself is a Paladin) then it will be very difficult for them to fail such a a debilitating saving throw. Baldur's Gate 3 also often uses Wisdom Saving throws in certain dialogue scenes, so having [[Advantage|advantage]] on these saves is immensely beneficial. | ||
Each of the Gnome subraces bring a lot to the table as well. This is a Larian game, so a Forest Gnome being able to [[Speak with Animals]] at will is a wonderful ability to have and will certainly open new paths up to players to explore if you don't already have somebody with such an ability. The Rock Gnome's expertise in History is a bit more niche and specifically useful for high Intelligence characters like [[Wizard|Wizards]] where it will get the most mileage in ensuring you succeed on History checks. And I have seen many suggest that Deep Gnome is the best race overall for stealthy characters as having advantage on stealth checks permanently is not something you will likely not be able to get elsewhere barring magic items. Combine this with [[Pass Without Trace]] from a caster in your party with access to the spell and possibly [[Expertise]] in [[Stealth|stealth]] from playing either a [[rogue]] or a [[bard]] to become practically undetectable. | Each of the Gnome subraces bring a lot to the table as well. This is a Larian game, so a Forest Gnome being able to [[Speak with Animals]] at will is a wonderful ability to have and will certainly open new paths up to players to explore if you don't already have somebody with such an ability. However potions that allow you to speak with animals are plentiful throughout the game and substantially reduces the impact of this ability. The Rock Gnome's expertise in History is a bit more niche and specifically useful for high Intelligence characters like [[Wizard|Wizards]] where it will get the most mileage in ensuring you succeed on History checks. | ||
And I have seen many suggest that Deep Gnome is the best race overall for stealthy characters as having advantage on stealth checks permanently is not something you will likely not be able to get elsewhere barring magic items. Combine this with [[Pass Without Trace]] from a caster in your party with access to the spell and possibly [[Expertise]] in [[Stealth|stealth]] from playing either a [[rogue]] or a [[bard]] to become practically undetectable. This becomes especially deadly even with [[Greater Invisibility]] cast on a deep gnome. | |||
== [[Tiefling|Tieflings]] == | == [[Tiefling|Tieflings]] == | ||
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The next subrace of Tieflings are Mephistopholes Tieflings, which have some tie to {{FRWiki|Mephistopheles}} who is the second greatest devil of all and the right hand of Asmodeous. As is typical for devils, Mephistopheles seeks to overthrow Asmodeous and take the throne of Lord of Devils for himself, but is too afraid of Asmodeous's rage to attempt anything without absolute certainty of success. Asmodeous is well aware of Mephistopholes's intentions. I have not seen much connecting Mephistopheles to the plot of BG3 so far. | The next subrace of Tieflings are Mephistopholes Tieflings, which have some tie to {{FRWiki|Mephistopheles}} who is the second greatest devil of all and the right hand of Asmodeous. As is typical for devils, Mephistopheles seeks to overthrow Asmodeous and take the throne of Lord of Devils for himself, but is too afraid of Asmodeous's rage to attempt anything without absolute certainty of success. Asmodeous is well aware of Mephistopholes's intentions. I have not seen much connecting Mephistopheles to the plot of BG3 so far. | ||
The last subrace of tieflings in BG3 are Zariel Tieflings, and there are a lot of references to {{FRWiki|Zariel}} in BG3. Zariel was once an angel and served {{FRWiki|Lathander}} god of light, where she was tasked to monitor the ever raging {{FRWiki|Blood War}} between Devils and Demons. Zariel wanted the angels and celestials to get involved and squash the demon and devil armies, but the celestials refused her requests. Nearly 150 years before the events of BG3 Zariel went rogue and came to the city of {{FRWiki|Elturel}} in the {{FRWiki|Sword Coast}} region of Faerun, where she hand trained a militia to enter the upper most realm of the Nine Hells named {{FRWiki|Avernus}} to take the fight to the Demons and Devils. However her forces were defeated and Zariel was knocked unconscious and captured. Zariel was brought to Asmodeous, who praised her for her battle prowess and presented her with the offer to become the Archdevil of Avernus so she could command the devil forces and take the fight to the demons. Zariel accepted this offer and was transformed from an angel to a Devil. Only a few of her militia survived and returned to Elturel. They became known as {{FRWiki|Hellriders}} and went on to train future generations of Elturel's defenders | The last subrace of tieflings in BG3 are Zariel Tieflings, and there are a lot of references to {{FRWiki|Zariel}} in BG3. Zariel was once an angel and served {{FRWiki|Lathander}} god of light, where she was tasked to monitor the ever raging {{FRWiki|Blood War}} between Devils and Demons. Zariel wanted the angels and celestials to get involved and squash the demon and devil armies, but the celestials refused her requests. Nearly 150 years before the events of BG3 Zariel went rogue and came to the city of {{FRWiki|Elturel}} in the {{FRWiki|Sword Coast}} region of Faerun, where she hand trained a militia to enter the upper most realm of the Nine Hells named {{FRWiki|Avernus}} to take the fight to the Demons and Devils. However her forces were defeated and Zariel was knocked unconscious and captured. Zariel was brought to Asmodeous, who praised her for her battle prowess and presented her with the offer to become the Archdevil of Avernus so she could command the devil forces and take the fight to the demons. Zariel accepted this offer and was transformed from an angel to a Devil. Only a few of her militia survived and returned to Elturel. They became known as {{FRWiki|Hellriders}} and went on to train future generations of Elturel's defenders. | ||
There are more recent events with regards to Zariel and tieflings which will spoil events revealed in the [https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/bgdia Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus] tabletop campaign module. | There are more recent events with regards to Zariel and tieflings which will spoil events revealed in the [https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/bgdia Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus] tabletop campaign module. | ||
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It turns out that the surviving Hellriders were not as brave as they claimed. They were overwhelmed by the terrors of Avernus and instead fled shutting the Avernus portal behind them, trapping Zariel and the brave Hellriders with her in hell. The survivors never revealed this secret to anyone, claiming they fought bravely until the fight was clearly lost. But Zariel did not forget, and kept an eye open for a chance to get revenge. About 50 years before the events of BG3 that opportunity came. The city of Elturel came under the control of vampires, and a man named {{FRWiki|Thavius Kreeg}} made a deal with Zariel to save the city and meanwhile look like the hero. A brilliant magical sun was placed over the city Elturel and destroyed the vampires within. This saving light remained over the city and came to be known as the Companion, and Thavius claimed he prayed to the gods who sent the Companion to save them in the city's time of need. In fact he had made a deal to control the city and then use that authority to sell the city to Zariel in 50 years. When that time came the companion turned black and pulled the city Elturel off of the face of Faerun, where it appeared in Avernus as it slowly lowered to the river Styx which would make all of Elturel's citizens easily convertible into devils in Zariel's army. The events of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus revolve around figuring out what happened to Elturel and saving the city. The canon ending is that Elturel is saved but Zariel remains the archdevil of Avernus. When Elturel returned to Toril the city's inhabitants took a xenophobic stance towards tieflings, senselessly fearing their ties to devils. As a result most tieflings from the city have left the city in search of a new home. {{FRWiki|Ulder Ravenguard}} the Grand Duke of the city Baldur's Gate was present in Elturel when these events unfolded and he played a role in saving the city. The city of Baldur's Gate will also be impacted by Tiefling refugees who are leaving nearby Elturel. | It turns out that the surviving Hellriders were not as brave as they claimed. They were overwhelmed by the terrors of Avernus and instead fled shutting the Avernus portal behind them, trapping Zariel and the brave Hellriders with her in hell. The survivors never revealed this secret to anyone, claiming they fought bravely until the fight was clearly lost. But Zariel did not forget, and kept an eye open for a chance to get revenge. About 50 years before the events of BG3 that opportunity came. The city of Elturel came under the control of vampires, and a man named {{FRWiki|Thavius Kreeg}} made a deal with Zariel to save the city and meanwhile look like the hero. A brilliant magical sun was placed over the city Elturel and destroyed the vampires within. This saving light remained over the city and came to be known as the Companion, and Thavius claimed he prayed to the gods who sent the Companion to save them in the city's time of need. In fact he had made a deal to control the city and then use that authority to sell the city to Zariel in 50 years. When that time came the companion turned black and pulled the city Elturel off of the face of Faerun, where it appeared in Avernus as it slowly lowered to the river Styx which would make all of Elturel's citizens easily convertible into devils in Zariel's army. The events of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus revolve around figuring out what happened to Elturel and saving the city. The canon ending is that Elturel is saved but Zariel remains the archdevil of Avernus. When Elturel returned to Toril the city's inhabitants took a xenophobic stance towards tieflings, senselessly fearing their ties to devils. As a result most tieflings from the city have left the city in search of a new home. {{FRWiki|Ulder Ravenguard}} the Grand Duke of the city Baldur's Gate was present in Elturel when these events unfolded and he played a role in saving the city. The city of Baldur's Gate will also be impacted by Tiefling refugees who are leaving nearby Elturel. | ||
</noinclude> | </noinclude> | ||
====World Interactions==== | ====World Interactions==== | ||
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* Zariel Tiefling is a great option for [[Charisma]] based spell sword characters, whether that be a Pact of the Blade [[Warlock]], [[Paladin]], Swords [[Bard]], Valour [[Bard]], or even a [[Fighter]] or [[Rogue]] who had some [[Ability Scores|ability score]] points to spare and put them in Charisma. The two smite spells let you do a bit more damage in combat and are not something to scoff at. [[Thaumaturgy]] is also a great spell for party face characters to have, which this high [[Charisma]] character can likely fill the shoes of. | * Zariel Tiefling is a great option for [[Charisma]] based spell sword characters, whether that be a Pact of the Blade [[Warlock]], [[Paladin]], Swords [[Bard]], Valour [[Bard]], or even a [[Fighter]] or [[Rogue]] who had some [[Ability Scores|ability score]] points to spare and put them in Charisma. The two smite spells let you do a bit more damage in combat and are not something to scoff at. [[Thaumaturgy]] is also a great spell for party face characters to have, which this high [[Charisma]] character can likely fill the shoes of. | ||
* Asmodeous Tiefling is nice for anyone, but definitely favors Charisma casters like [[Bard|Bards]] and [[Warlock|Warlocks]]. Other races can certainly make use of the [[Darkness]] spells both in and out of combat, whether that be to blind the enemies you are fighting or to sneak through difficult locations. But a Warlock with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]] will get the most use from it. [[Produce Flame]] could be a nice damage cantrip for a bard, if only it was not bugged and currently scaling off of Wisdom as of Launch Patch 1. And [[Hellish Rebuke]] does scale off Charisma, but its damage is not so substantial that you should be worried about this spell being a waste in the event your character does not have a high Charisma. This race is actually what my first character was. Save the best for last. | * Asmodeous Tiefling is nice for anyone, but definitely favors Charisma casters like [[Bard|Bards]] and [[Warlock|Warlocks]]. Other races can certainly make use of the [[Darkness]] spells both in and out of combat, whether that be to blind the enemies you are fighting or to sneak through difficult locations. But a Warlock with the Devil's Sight [[Eldritch Invocation]] will get the most use from it. [[Produce Flame]] could be a nice damage cantrip for a bard, if only it was not bugged and currently scaling off of Wisdom as of Launch Patch 1. And [[Hellish Rebuke]] does scale off Charisma, but its damage is not so substantial that you should be worried about this spell being a waste in the event your character does not have a high Charisma. This race is actually what my first character was. Save the best for last. | ||