11 BEST Baldur’s Gate 3 Race [All Features]

Are you craving to know the Baldurs Gate 3 Best Race? Well, I have just the guide for you with all the information you need, because I have played the game for more than 20 hours!

bg3 best races

Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons? If the answer is yes then you will love Baldur’s Gate 3. The game has complex systems that can be taken advantage of and tweaked to let you live out your dream fantasy adventure. It even includes multiple different races to choose from so, without further ado let us show you the Baldurs Gate 3 Race for your adventure.

About The Author
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Shoaib has played Baldur’s Gate 3 for 20+ hours, so you can easily trust the information he provides about the game.

Key Takeaways

  • Humans have 3 features and 0 subraces.
  • Halflings have 3 features and 2 subraces.
  • Tieflings have 3 features and 3 subraces.
  • Half-Orcs have 6 features and 0 subraces.
  • Half-Elves have 4 features and 3 subraces.
  • Elves have 5 features and 2 subraces.
  • Dwarves have 4 features and 3 subraces.
  • Drows have 7 features and 0 subraces.
  • Dragonborns have 2 features and 10 subraces.
  • Githyankis have 6 features and 0 subraces.
  • Gnomes have 2 racial features and 3 subraces.

All BG3 Races

There are a total of 11 base races in Baldur’s Gate 3. Each race has some sort of sub-race which can vary the skillset by offering additional bonuses and perks should you choose it. I will detail each race with their skillsets, sub-races, and some flavor text to help get you invested in their race.

Race Base Racial Features Subraces
Human Base Racial Speed
Civil Militia
Human Versatility
N/A
Halfling Base Racial Speed
Brave
Lucky
Lightfoot Halfling
Strongheart Halfling
Tiefling Base Racial Speed
Darkvision
Hellish Resistance
Asmodeus Tiefling
Mephistopheles Tiefling
Zariel Tiefling
Half-Orc Base Racial Speed
Relentless Endurance
Menacing
Savage Attacks
Darkvision
Intimidation Proficiency
N/A
Half-Elf Base Racial Speed
Civil Militia
Darkvision
Fey Ancestry
High Half-Elf
Wood Half-Elf
Drow Half-Elf
Elf Base Racial Speed
Darkvision
Elven Weapon Training
Fey Ancestry
Perception Proficiency
High Elf
Wood Elf
Dwarf Base Racial Speed
Dwarven Combat Training
Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience
Gold Dwarf
Shield Dwarf
Duergar Dwarf
Drow Base Racial Speed
Drow Weapon Training
Fey Ancestry
Superior Darkvision
Perception Proficiency
Darkness
Faerie Fire
Lolth-Sworn Drow
Seldarine Drow
Dragonborn Breath Weapon
Draconic Ancestry
Black Dragonborn
Blue Dragonborn
Brass Dragonborn
Bronze Dragonborn
Copper Dragonborn
Gold Dragonborn
Green Dragonborn
Red Dragonborn
Silver Dragonborn
White Dragonborn
Githyanki Base Racial Speed
Astral Knowledge
Martial Prodigy
Githyanki Psionics Mage Hand
Githyanki Psionics Jump
Misty Step
N/A
Gnome Base Racial Speed
Gnome Cunning
Deep Gnome
Forest Gnome
Rock Gnome

Human Race

baldurs gate 3 human
Human Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

The human race stands as a versatile and resilient cornerstone of civilization. With remarkable adaptability to various environments and cultures, humans possess a diverse range of skills and attributes that make them a common and influential presence throughout the realms.

Physically, humans exhibit a wide spectrum of appearances, encompassing a variety of skin tones, hair colors, and facial features. Their average stature falls within the middle range, but their true strength lies in their boundless potential for growth and advancement in a multitude of professions and roles.

Racial Features

Humans have no inherent subrace, similar to ourselves on Earth. Instead, we do have three good racial features that can be seen as very versatile and useful. Some would even argue that humans are the Best Race but they would be slightly exaggerating.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Civil Militia You can adequately use weapons and armor from the Spears Class, Pikes Class, Halberds Class, Glaives Class, Light Armour Class, and Medium Armour Class.
Human Versatility You can choose proficiency in any extra skill you desire. You also get increased carry capacity.

Halfling Race

baldurs gate 3 halfling
Halfling Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Halflings are a small, spirited race known for their curiosity, laughter, and love of simple pleasures. They live in cozy communities and value camaraderie and merriment. Despite their small size, they have a strong constitution, making them resilient. Halflings have round, friendly features and often have mischievous glints in their eyes.

Racial Features

The halflings are an interesting race due to their jack-of-all-trades nature and skill distribution. If someone tells you that the halfling race is the BG3 Best Race then they are clearly lying to you or themselves. This is seen in their racial features as listed below.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 7.5 meters per turn.
Brave You are more likely to not get frightened.
Lucky You get a reroll on your attack, ability, and saving throws if you roll a one.

There are two subraces that have some nice perks but nothing special. These are the Lightfoot Halflings and Strongheart Halflings.

Subrace Benefit
Lightfoot Halfling Naturally Stealthy: You are less likely to be detected while in stealth.
Strongheart Halfling Strongheart Resilience: You are resistant to Poison and have a greater chance of not being poisoned.

Tiefling Race

baldurs gate 3 tiefling
Tiefling Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Tieflings are a captivating and enigmatic race with infernal origins, marked by distinctive features like horns, tails, and fiery eyes, all reflecting their fiendish heritage. Their skin tones vary, often with intricate patterns, in shades of deep reds to purples.

Racial Features

Tieflings are an interesting case since they are the demons of the game and you know that your edgy friend is going to be playing this simply because it has horns but there are actually reasons to play this race besides that one reason.

Tieflings have three racial features which are quite standard and expected of demons. These are listed below.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Darkvision You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.
Hellish Resistance You take half of the damage that other races would from fire-based attacks.

Now the most interesting part of the race is the subraces. Each subrace has a unique playstyle and how your journey proceeds is dependent purely on which subrace you choose to play. The three of them are listed below and each of them is quite detailed.

Subrace Benefit
Asmodeus Tiefling Produce Flame: You produce a small flame in your hand that lights up the surrounding area in a 9-meter radius and does damage when thrown.

Hellish Rebuke: When you take damage from an enemy you torch them with hell fire.

Darkness: You cast a cloud of inky blackness which obscures and blinds any creatures caught within it. All ranged attacks are also nullified.
Mephistopheles Tiefling Mage Hand: You can create a spectral hand that can interact with objects up to 18 meters from your current position.

Burning Hands: You turn your hands into flamethrowers by shooting flames from your fingertips, igniting anything flammable.

Flame Blade: You produce a sword of flame that does fire damage and produces light in a 3-meter area around you.
Zariel Tiefling Thaumaturgy: You get an increased chance of success with your Performance and Intimidation attempts.

Searing Smite: Any enemy hit by your weapon is burned and will take fire damage for a short duration.

Branding Smite: Any enemy hit by your weapon can no longer turn invisible or go into stealth for the remainder of that fight.

Half-Orc Race

baldurs gate 3 half-orc
Half-Orc Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Half-orcs are the offspring of human and orc bloodlines, combining physical strength with emotional complexity. They have a unique appearance, with broad shoulders, powerful builds, and distinct facial features reflecting their mixed heritage. Their skin can be green or various shades of gray, and they have prominent tusks and brows that make them stand out.

Racial Features

Another interesting race as they have no subraces but rather make up for this lack in the racial features department by having an abundance of features that can facilitate your gameplay and adventure.

Some people who like “orcs” will definitely be singing the praises of this race as the BG3 Best Race. There are six racial features as described below.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Relentless Endurance You are immune to being killed instantly and instead, drop down to one health from an attack that would have otherwise killed you.
Menacing You are more proficient in Intimidation.
Savage Attacks Every time you score a critical hit you can increase the damage from this hit once during an engagement with an enemy.
Darkvision You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.
Intimidation Proficiency Your Proficiency bonuses can be added to your Intimidation checks.

Half-Elf Race

baldurs gate 3 half-elf
Half-Elf Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

The half-elves embody the intriguing union of human and elven heritage. Possessing a blend of grace, adaptability, and a touch of the mystical, half-elves navigate the realms with a unique perspective that bridges two worlds.

Physically, half-elves inherit the best traits of both their human and elven ancestors. They often possess the elegant features and pointed ears of elves but with a slightly more human-like stature. Their appearances can vary widely, reflecting the diverse beauty of both races, and their charisma tends to shine through in their radiant smiles and expressive eyes.

Racial Features

You could say that the half-elf is the Best Race simply due to the number of perks that come along with selecting this race. They have a total of four racial features which are listed below.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Civil Militia You can adequately use weapons and armor from the Spears Class, Pikes Class, Halberds Class, Glaives Class, Light Armour Class, and Medium Armour Class.
Darkvision You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.
Fey Ancestry You are immune to sleep magic and have a chance to resist magical charms.

Each subrace of the half-elves offers unique and interesting gameplay paths for you to follow and fulfill your dream fantasy adventure. The three subraces are shown below.

Subraces Benefit
High Half-Elf Cantrip: You can learn one spell of your choice from the wizard spell list.
Wood Half-Elf Fleet Of Foot: You gain an increase in your base speed from 9 meters to 10.5 meters per turn.

Stealth Proficiency: You get an added bonus to your stealth checks making you more stealthy overall.
Drow Half-Elf Dancing Lights: You can create dancing whisps of light that provide you and your allies vision within a 12-meter radius.

Elf Race

baldurs gate 3 elf
Elf Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Elves are an ancient and graceful race known for their connection to nature and mastery of magic. They have slender, tall figures, delicate features, and pointed ears that give them an otherworldly beauty. Their eyes reflect wisdom, and their skin can be pale or richly toned, mirroring their surroundings.

Racial Features

The Elves have five racial features and only two subraces. These features capture the aesthetic of the lives perfectly allowing for prime roleplaying opportunities. They are one of the Best Race if you want to roleplay as the standard person playing this kind of game for the first time.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Darkvision You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.
Elven Weapon Training You can adequately use weapons from the: Longswords Class, SHortsword Class, Shortbow Class, and Longbow Class.
Fey Ancestry You are immune to sleep magic and have a chance to resist magical charms.
Perception Proficiency Your Proficiency bonuses can be added to your Perception checks.

The two subraces of the elves allow you to play as either a High Elf (no not that kind of high) or a Wood Elf. Each of them has their own strengths that fit their environment and character archetypes.

Subrace Benefit
High Elf Cantrip: You can learn one spell of your choice from the wizard spell list.
Wood Elf Fleet Of Foot: You gain an increase in your base speed from 9 meters to 10.5 meters per turn.

Stealth Proficiency: You get an added bonus to your stealth checks making you more stealthy overall.

Dwarf Race

baldurs gate 3 dwarf
Dwarf Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Dwarves are known for their determination, craftsmanship, and connection to the earth. They have stout, sturdy builds, often shorter than humans but strong and resilient. Dwarves are recognized by their prominent beards, which hold cultural significance as symbols of honor and wisdom, particularly among males of the race.

Racial Features

The Dwarves have four racial features and three subraces which play a good role in how your gameplay experience will go. The racial features are actually really good since they are applied to all the subraces.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 7.5 meters per turn.
Dwarven Combat Training You can adequately use weapons from the: Battleaxe Class, Handaxe Class, Light Hammer Class, and Warhammer Class.
Darkvision You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.
Dwarven Resilience You are resistant to Poison damage and have an extra chance to resist poison.

Alongside the racial features, there are subraces that provide unique gameplay types putting Dwarves up there in the running for Best Race due to the unique and powerful benefits you gain from each subrace, especially the Duregar Dwarves.

Subrace Benefit
Gold Dwarf Dwarven Toughness: Your maximum health increases by one point each time you gain a level.
Shield Dwarf Dwarven Armour Training: You can adequatly use armor in the Light Class and Medium Class.
Duergar Dwarf Superior Darkvision: You have a sight range of 24 meters in complete darkness.

Duregar Resilience: You have more of a chance to resist illusions, charms, and paralysis effects.

Drow Race

baldurs gate 3 drow
Drow Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Drow are dark elves known for their intricate society, mastery of magic, and connection to the shadowy realms below. They have striking and alluring appearances with ebony skin, elegant features, and often white or silver hair. Their eyes come in a range of colors, reflecting their complex emotions and magical heritage.

Racial Features

The Drow have a total of five racial features alongside two subraces. The subraces aren’t that essential in terms of gameplay but rather help in facilitating the lore for your character. These two subraces are the Lolth-Sworn and Seldarine both being evil and non-evil respectively.

The racial features on the other hand are quite important to your gameplay and these are listed in the table below and explained as well.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Drow Weapon Training You can adequately use weapons from the: Rapier Class, Shortsword Class, and Hand Crossbow Class.
Fey Ancestry You are immune to sleep magic and have a chance to resist magical charms.
Superior Darkvision You have a sight range of 24 meters in complete darkness.
Perception Proficiency Your Proficiency bonuses can be added to your Perception checks.
Darkness You cast a cloud of inky blackness which obscures and blinds any creatures caught within it. All ranged attacks are also nullified.
Faerie Fire You shower the field with colorful light and reveal all those who are hit by it. Attacks against these targets are now at an advantage which means they have the potential to do more damage.

Dragonborn Race

baldurs gate 3 dragonborn
Dragonborn Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Dragonborn are physically imposing beings with a deep connection to dragons. They are taller and more robust than humans, with reptilian scales covering their bodies. These scales can vary in color and pattern, reflecting their dragon ancestry.

Racial Features

The dragonborn have two inherent racial features. These are Draconic Ancestry and Breath Weapon. Now the breath weapon is simple enough o understand since if you have even a slight inkling about fantasy then you know that dragons have a breath attack and the special thing about this is that it is linked with your Draconic Ancestry.

On the other hand, Draconic Ancestry is applied to the subraces of the dragonborn race. This means that depending on your subraces you receive different perks and stat benefits as outlined in the table below.

Subrace Benefit
Black Dragonborn Acid Breath Attack
Blue Dragonborn Lightning Breath Attack
Brass Dragonborn Fire Breath Attack
Bronze Dragonborn Lightning Breath Attack
Copper Dragonborn Acid Breath Attack
Gold Dragonborn Fire Breath Attack
Green Dragonborn Poison Breath Attack
Red Dragonborn Fire Breath Attack
Silver Dragonborn Ice Breath Attack
White Dragonborn Ice Breath Attack

Githyanki Race

baldurs gate 3 gith
Githyanki Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

The githyanki are a formidable and enigmatic race with a history of conflict and rebellion. They have tall, lithe bodies with silvery or orange skin, elongated limbs, and sharp, serrated bone spurs. Their appearance is striking and alien, with glowing eyes that exude an otherworldly aura.

Racial Features

The githyanki are a special case where they have no subrace but rather have impressive racial features to supplement this lack.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 9 meters per turn.
Astral Knowledge You can add a proficiency bonus to all of your skills from a chosen ability. So basically you can buff yourself in whatever way you see fit.
Martial Prodigy You can adequately use weapons and Armour from Shortsword Class, Longsword Class, Greatsword Class, Light Armour Class, and Medium Armour Class.
Githyanki Psionics Mage Hand You can create a spectral hand that can interact with objects up to 18 meters from your current position.
Githyanki Psionics Jump You can leap great distances with this jump allowing you to reposition, run away, or dive head-first into an engage. The base distance traveled is 22.5 meters with your strength increasing the distance.
Misty Step A teleport that surrounds you in silver mist and lets you blink up to 18 meters to an unoccupied space within your sight range.

Gnome Race

baldurs gate 3 gnome
Gnome Race | Captured By: VeryAli Gaming

Gnomes are a whimsical and inventive race known for their boundless curiosity, creativity, and lighthearted approach to life. They have a diminutive stature, charming features, and are often seen wearing pointed hats and finely crafted clothing, reflecting their love for both practicality and aesthetics.

Racial Features

The gnomes are an interesting race because their racial class perks are quite limited with their true perks based on their individual subraces. The two racial features they have are the following.

Features Description
Base Racial Speed You have a movement range of 7.5 meters per turn.
Gnome Cunning You are given an additional advantage on any saving throws that include Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

Now onto the real meat and potatoes of the gnome race, the subraces. There are three distinct subraces and each of them allows for a completely different playstyle so think carefully about this since it will affect your journey the most.

Subrace Benefit
Deep Gnome Superior Darkvision: You have a sight range of 24 meters in complete darkness.

Stone Camouflage: You gain the advantage of being harder to detect whilst in stealth.
Forest Gnome Darkvision: You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.

Speak With Animals: You are able to communicate with beasts of the land.
Rock Gnome Darkvision: You have a sight range of 12 meters in complete darkness.

Artificer’s Lore: You can add double your proficiency bonus to any sort of historical information such as names, items,etc.
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