Choosing the Right Class in Baldur's Gate 3
If you are just getting started with Baldur’s Gate 3, and you have absolutely no idea what’s up with all these classes, let me help you there, lad. I’ve been through that with my time in DND, and I know how frustrating it can be.
I am not gonna tell you to just pick this random class, but I will tell you exactly how you can make that decision for yourself. For that we simply need to answer these 4 questions: How do these Classes actually work?, Is Custom Classes Better or Origin, and What kind of Playstyle are you going for?
How Classes and Subclasses Actually Work
Alright, so let’s start from the basics. Baldur’s Gate 3 is built on the same foundation of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. If you’re familiar with that tabletop game, this will feel right at home. If not, let me explain. So, every character belongs to a class, which determines their abilities, strengths, and overall role in combat and exploration.
Then each class also has subclasses, which further refines your character’s personality. Subclasses define what kind of unique abilities, spells, or traits your character will develop as they level up. Think of them as branching paths that let you refine your playstyle.
There are a total 12 classes and a whopping 46 subclasses in the game, so you have plenty of choices to create a character that feels truly yours, or just experiment around.
How Subclasses Work
Now, what do these subclasses actually do? Well, they basically allow you to improve your character’s main skills and gain unique abilities or spells.
For Example, if you choose a Fighter, you can be like a Battle Master which is better at tactical aspects of the battle or you can be an Eldritch Knight who can mix martial combat with magic.
But your class and subclass don’t just matter for fights, they also come in handy outside of battle. Each character has something called primary ability scores that kinda determines what they can do besides fighting.
For example, if you have a Rogue with high dexterity, it can actually be great for sneaking, pickpocketing, and disarming traps. Or if you have a Bard with Charisma, you can charm NPCs, persuade enemies, and deceive in conversation.
Hopefully that gave you some idea of what classes and subclasses do.
Should You Choose an Origin or Custom Character?
Next, we need to decide if we want a Custom character or an Origin Character. But for that we also need to understand what they actually are, and do.
So, basically, the origin characters are pre-made characters with established appearances, stats, classes, and backstories. There are a total of 7 different origin characters. These characters come with their own intentions, unique skills, and personal storylines. While you’ll control their decisions and dialogue, they have a specific personality and role in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3.
You can play around with their subclass and abilities as they level up, but their initial traits and class are already decided. And playing as an Origin Character means you’ll experience their story directly from their perspective, including their unique quests and motivations.
That said, choosing an Origin Character locks you into their predefined story and personality. While this can be an engaging way to explore Baldur’s Gate 3, it means your experience will be somewhat limited to that character’s perspective.
Why Choose a Custom Character?
This is fairly easy to understand and comes with a lot of benefits. Creating a custom character lets you choose your very own story. Plus, you get to design your character’s appearance, race, class, and abilities from scratch, giving you total control to build the perfect hero for your playstyle.
You’ll experience the game through a neutral perspective, which gives you the freedom to connect with all the companions and their stories without being locked into a specific backstory. It even helps to balance out the team by picking a race and class that complement your party, filling gaps in abilities that your other companions lack.
What’s your Playstyle?
Lastly, before we make our final decision, we should ask ourselves, what type of playstyle do you have? Are you more into charging headfirst into combat, sneaking in the shadows, or fighting with magic? Your preferred playstyle is super important for the class you are going to pick.
For Combat - Fighters
Fighters are incredibly straightforward and easy to get started with. They have high Strength and can use all armor and shields. You’ll also get to specialize in a combat style, such as two-handed weapons, which makes them great for fighting but also pretty simple
For Ranged - Ranger
If you don’t like to get your hands dirty, but still love to fight, Rangers are a great option. They are diverse enough to mix in stealth, melee, and even some magic. They’re great for players who like flexibility while sticking to a straightforward combat approach.
For Stealth - Rogue
Rogues thrive on sneaky encounters and thievery. They can pickpocket NPCs, disarm traps, and deal pretty big attacks during combat. If you are someone who love finesse and strategy over brute force, Rogue is the perfect class for you.
For Magic - Warlock
Lastly, if you are more into magic, I suggest you go with Warlocks. They are pretty versatile magic dealers with some great powers. They’re slightly simpler than other spellcasters like Wizards or Sorcerers, making them a great starting choice for beginners. Warlocks also bring a balance of academic utility and raw magical strength to the table.
Final Words
This should give you some good idea as to what class and subclass to choose from. There are plenty of choices here, but it really just comes down to one simple thing, what role do you want to play in this game? It could be a fighter, a supporter, someone who wants more social interaction, and so on. If you have an answer to that, it’ll be super easy to pick a class.
