Looking for all the Baldur’s Gate 3 races? With the release of the Baldur’s Gate 3 gameplay demo at PAX East, we finally got a taste of what lies in store for us when the Baldur’s Gate 3 release date rolls around – and what kind of character we’ll be taking to the Forgotten Realms. The opening cinematic reveals that our player character becomes an unwilling host to a toothy little eyeball tadpole, which threatens to transform us into a terrible creature called a mind flayer.
While you don’t have any control over the presence of your parasite pal, you will be able to create a custom character for it to wriggle around in. Alternatively, much like Divinity: Original Sin 2, you can choose to play as one of a selection of potential Baldur’s Gate 3 companions who come with their own story and unique abilities – for example, Astarion is a vampire spawn, and can chow down on his travel buddies’ tasty necks while they slumber unaware.
If you do choose to create your own character, you’ll be able to select your class and character background, as well as your race. You’ll have nine races in Baldur’s Gate 3 to choose from during Early Access, with potentially more on the way in the future.
Here are the Baldur’s Gate 3 races:
These are all the Baldur’s Gate 3 races shown in the gameplay demo, along with their descriptions and racial bonuses. As Baldur’s Gate is based off 5e D&D, we have some idea of what these racial bonuses entail – the details of each racial bonus have been obtained from a D&D 5e wiki, but as they apply to D&D, not to BG3, so take them more as potential clues. It’s also worth bearing in mind that these statistics and bonuses have been taken from pre-alpha footage, so are likely to change as the game nears release.
Tiefling (and subraces)
Asmodeus Tiefling: Bound to Nessus, the deepest layer of the hells, Asmodeus tieflings wield fire and darkness like the notorious archdevil himself.
- Intelligence +1
- Charisma + 2
- Hellish Resistance – You have resistance to fire damage.
Drow
The elves of the Underdark, drow are ruled by matriarchs who worship the goddess Lolth. Magic and dexterity help drow survive in a society of brutal ownership, and those who flee to the surface must mask themselves or be treated as monsters.
- Charisma +1
- Cantrips – Unconfirmed, but could be Dancing Lights
- Darkvision – You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
- Drow Weapon Training – You have proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, and hand crossbows.
Human
The most common face to see in Faerûn, humans are known for their tenacity, creativity, and endless capacity for growth.
- Strength +1
- Dexterity +1
- Constitution +1
- Intelligence +1
- Wisdom +1
- Charisma +1
Githyanki
Githyanki are superlative warriors, trained with silver blades and flying into battle on red dragons. They seek to destroy all mind flayers, whose ancient empire enslaved them.
- Intelligence +1
- Strength + 2
- Decadent Mastery – You learn one language of your choice, and you are proficient with one skill or tool of your choice. In the timeless city of Tu’narath, githyanki have bountiful time to master odd bits of knowledge.
- Martial Prodigy – You are proficient with light and medium armour and with shortswords, longswords, and greatswords.
Dwarf (and subraces)
Hill Dwarf: Hill dwarves are defined by keen intuition and heightened senses. Their resilience has kept a massive kingdom in the south intact for centuries.
Based on D&D 5e, other potential dwarven subraces include Mountain and Underdark dwarves.
- Wisdom +1
- Dwarven Weapon Training – You have proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and warhammer.
- Dwarven Resilience – You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.
- Dwarven Toughness – Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.
Elf (and subraces)
High Elf: Heirs of the mystical Feywild, high elves value magic in all its forms, using spells to spread beauty and elegance throughout Faerûn.
Other possible elven subraces could be the wood elf, sea elf, or eladrin.
- Cantrip – [to be chosen]
- Dexterity +2
- Intelligence +1
- Keen Senses – You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
- Fey Ancestry – You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
- Elven Weapon Training – You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
- Darkvision – Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
Half-Elf
Curious, ambitious, and versatile, half-elves are welcome everywhere, but struggle without a community to call their own.
- Charisma +2
- Ability Improvements (0/2) – [choose where to put your 2 extra points]
- Fey Ancestry – You have an advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
- Darkvision – Thanks to your elven heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
Half-Drow
Half-drow wrestle with a wicked and complicated legacy. Cleverness and tenacity serve them well, for most live a life of permanent exile.
- Ability Improvements (0/2) – [choose where to put your 2 extra points]
- Cantrips – Unconfirmed, but looks like Dancing Lights
- Darkvision – You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
Halfling
Lightfoot Halfling: Lightfoot halflings are stealthy but social, travelling all over Faerûn to make names for themselves.
Other potential halfling subraces include stout and ghostwise halflings.
- Charisma +1
- Lucky – When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
- Brave – The world can be intimidating, but you stand strong. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
- Mercurial Step – Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
- Naturally Stealthy – Your nimble nature makes you skilled at concealment. You have proficiency in stealth checks.
Those are all the Baldur’s Gate 3 races that we know about, but Larian has said there might be more on their way in the full release. If you’re still hungry for more Baldur’s Gate 3 morsels, head over to our compilation of everything we know about Baldur’s Gate 3 – or if you need to scratch that RPG itch, one of the best RPGs on PC should do the job.
