Character creation

When starting a new game, the player is presented with the character creation screen, where they may either select an origin character, or create a custom character.

"Who are you?"

Origins

Origins provide a selection of premade characters, each with their own path that ties into the plot of the game. Each origin character is a unique experience with a unique quest and dialogue, and some origins have access to unique features or equipment.

Origin characters' have a starting class that can be changed at any time past a certain point early in the game.

For a fully customisable character, options include Custom and the special origin The Dark Urge.

Origin Characters

Race

A race represents a creature's lineage and innate abilities, providing them with unique racial features. Race cannot be changed after character creation.

Races

Starting class

Classes provide characters with most of their features. Past a certain point early in the game, characters can reset their class at camp, for a small fee.

Backgrounds

Custom characters choose a background. Origin characters come with a pre-selected background that cannot be changed.

Backgrounds provide proficiencies and opportunities to gain inspiration. They do not impact dialogue or quests.

Backgrounds

Ability scores

Abilities represent aspects of creature's physical and mental attributes, represented in numerical ability scores, from which ability scorer modifiers are derived – these affect most dice rolls.

Baldur's Gate 3 uses a point buy system, with 27 points available to spend on ability scores. The following rules apply during character creation:

Ability scores cannot be reduced below 8.
Ability scores cannot be increased above 15.
Each ability score increase up to 13 costs one point; 14 and 15 each cost two points.
Two bonuses are applied at the end, one +2 and another +1. This allows a starting ability score as high as 17.

At certain class levels (4, 8, and 12 for most classes), ability scores can be increased with the Ability Improvement feat. Some items also increase or change a creature's ability scores.

Skills

Proficiency with a skill allows a creature to add their proficiency bonus to any ability checks made using that skill.

Race sometimes gives proficiency in some skills, and background always gives proficiency with two skills.

Characters also choose 2 to 4 skills to be proficient in. The amount and selection of skills available to choose from is determined by their starting class.

Proficiencies don't stack – there is no benefit to having proficiency in the same skill from two different sources. To increase a character's proficiency bonus, they need Expertise.

Skills and their corresponding abilities

List of skills, sorted by ability
Ability Score	Skills
Strength	Athletics
Dexterity	Acrobatics Sleight of Hand Stealth
Intelligence	Arcana History Investigation Nature Religion
Wisdom	Animal Handling Insight Medicine Perception Survival
Charisma	Deception Intimidation Performance Persuasion

Appearance

A customisable appearance is available to Custom and The Dark Urge origins.

Body type: The character's body type. Depending on what race is chosen, there are 2-4 options.
Identity: The character's identity. Available options are female, male, and non-binary.
Voice: The character's voice, from an selection of 8 options.
Face: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.
Skin Colour: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.
Maturity: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.
Freckle Quantity: The amount of freckles the character has.
Freckle Intensity: How visible the character's freckles are.
Vitiligo Pigmentation: The amount of vitiligo pigmentation the character has.
Heterochromia: Whether the character has one or two different eye colours.
Eye Colour: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.
Hair Colour: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.
Horns: Available to Tieflings.
Genitals: Available options depend on the chosen race and subrace.

Tails

Available to Dragonborn and Tiefling.

Footnotes

↑ Only available to the Dark Urge.

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[1] Only available to the Dark Urge.

[note 1]