During character creation in Baldur’s Gate 3, you will have eventually come up to the Background selection option. Like other old-school RPGs, Baldur’s Gate 3 Backgrounds basically determine the origins of your character and sets their backstory.
However, setting a backstory isn’t all that backgrounds in BG3 do. Each background in BG3 comes with its own unique set of benefits available from default while other backgrounds will have to invest Feat points to unlock those benefits. Because of these bonuses, we have decided to guide you through all the backgrounds in Baldur’s Gate 3 so you can decide which one is best for your character.
Baldur’s Gate 3 best Backgrounds
Selecting the correct background is extremely important in Baldur’s Gate 3. Not only do they provide bonuses to ability checks and dice rolls but also give unique new dialog options. Knowing what your background offers is also useful if you want to complete background goals and gain XP and Inspiration Points.
Below is a list of all backgrounds available in Baldur’s Gate 3 and what each one brings to the table
- Acolyte
- Charlatan
- Criminal
- Entertainer
- Folk Hero
- Guild Artisan
- Hermit
- Noble
- Outlander
- Sage
- Sailor
- Soldier
- Urchin
Acolyte background
Feature 1: Insight (Wisdom) helps you find out whether a creature is speaking the truth or lying, what are the true intentions or what could be the next step.
Feature 2: Religion (Intelligence) determines your capability to bring memories of tradition about Holy symbols, religious hierarchies, deities, prayers, and rites.
The Acolytes background gains Inspiration by providing services in a temple and putting efforts to acquire knowledge of sacred rites and doing the sacrifices which are taught by the god that you worship. Going through the sacred works of the gods will let you gain inspiration.
Charlatan background
Feature 1: Deception (Charisma) measures your ability to hide the truth through your actions or you can hide the truth while speaking by keeping your face straight. Deception can be used to mislead anyone and lying to disguise the truth.
Feature 2: Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) is used to help if you want to do manual trickery or if you want to do the act of legerdemain. It can conceal an object with the dexterity of your hands.
The Charlatan background gains Inspiration points with manipulative actions. Convincing people in dialogues that something is for their own good and then doing the opposite will grant you Inspiration if you have the Charlatan background.
Criminal background
Feature 1: Deception (Charisma) measures your ability to hide the truth through your actions or you can hide the truth while speaking by keeping your face straight. Deception can be used to mislead anyone and lying to disguise the truth.
Feature 2: Stealth (Dexterity) can be used to hide yourself from the opponents, if you do not want to be seen by anyone, or if you want to keep yourself unnoticed by your surroundings, Stealth is quite useful if you want to escape as it will not let anyone hear you or see you.
The Criminal background gains Inspiration by not following the law and making his existence to live life with illegal engagements. To acquire income from illegal means and increase profit in the upcoming time by running criminal organizations gives you inspiration.
Entertainer background
Feature 1: Acrobatics (Dexterity) is very helpful to make your feet firm in a situation where there is a possibility to get stumble like when you are running on an ice surface, stay firm on a rocking ship’s deck, or keep your self-balance on a tightrope.
Feature 2: Performance (Charisma) gives you the ability to measure how well you can entertain your audience with Storytelling, acting, dance, and music.
The Character who has chosen an Entertainer background to get more inspiration by influencing the audience in a way that gives you control over them and brings them down as inferior. Try to gather common crowds and elites to gain inspiration.
Folk Hero background
Feature 1: Animal Handling (Wisdom) is a skill that can be used in a situation in which you are asked a question to calm down a domesticated animal, understand an animal’s Intentions by intuition, or if you want to keep a mount from getting frightened, there is a possibility that Baldur’s Gate 3 game might ask you for this skill. It can also be utilized to control your mount when you think of a dangerous direction.
Feature 2: Survival (Wisdom) is very convenient in finding out the tracks to follow. It also helps you to hunt wild game. It will guide your entire group to make their way through frozen wastelands and help to find the signs of owlbears presence in an area. Additionally, you have to ability with this skill to predict the weather or make your way out of the quicksand.
Those of you who have chosen the background of a Folk Hero can gain inspiration by being the champion of the common folks. Actions against tyrants and rulers provide inspiration points.
Moreover, Protecting and helping these folks from potential danger or bringing them out of danger will help you gain inspiration.
Guild Artisan background
Feature 1: Insight (Wisdom) helps you find out whether a creature is speaking truth or lying, what are the true intentions or what could be the next step.
Feature 2: Persuasion (Charisma) is quite useful in convincing a group of people or an individual with social graces, tactics or good nature. Persuasion can allow you to convince people to agree with you.
Going for a background in Guild Artisan can help you gain inspiration when you are having expertise in a specific craft which has helped you to get membership in a mercantile guild. Where you offer privileges and safety during your art exhibition. You also get inspiration by discovering and fixing rare crafts.
Hermit background
Feature 1: Medicine (Wisdom) is a lifesaving skill that accommodates you to diagnose a disease or illness if someone is going through it. It also assists you to treat a patient or companion who is about to die.
Feature 2: Religion (Intelligence) determines your capability to bring memories of tradition about Holy symbols, religious hierarchies, deities, prayers, and rites.
The Hermit background gains Inspiration points where you tend to exclude yourself from society which is in a state of disorder.
Noble background
Feature 1: History (Intelligence) gives you the ability to recall the complete past of Faerun, you can identify notable names and also get to know about unusual items. It assists to remember historical events, ancient kingdoms, legendary people, recent wars, lost civilizations and previous disputes.
Feature 2: Persuasion (Charisma) is quite useful in convincing a group of people or an individual with social graces, tactics or good nature. This skill of persuasion is used in a positive manner to make good friendships, make a humble request, or demonstrate ethical practices.
Once you have chosen the background of noble, where you were brought up in an elite family in a society and you are familiar with the way how power works and get privileged. You can gain inspiration points by accumulating power, loyalty and renown which will help to upraise your standard of status.
Outlander background
Feature 1: Athletics (Strength) is a skill that provides you the ability to jumping high, improvise shove, and the resistance to it.
Feature 2: Survival (Wisdom) is very convenient in finding out the tracks to follow. It also helps you to hunt wild game. It will guide your entire group to make their way through frozen wastelands and help to find the signs of owlbears presence in an area. Additionally, you have to ability with this skill to predict the weather or make your way out of the quicksand
Choosing the Outlander background where you spent your past life in the wilds, doing efforts to survive this hardship and neglecting the comfort of the society. You can gain inspiration points by surviving the unknown upcoming hurdles of the wild which will ultimately increase your understanding and prowess.
Sage background
Feature 1: Arcana (Intelligence) is a skill of magic knowledge that determines your ability to recall stories about magical traditions, eldritch symbols, magic items, and existence planes including characters in these planes or spells.
Feature 2: History (Intelligence) gives you the ability to recall the complete past of Faerun, you can identify notable names and also get to know about unusual items. It assists to remember historical events, ancient kingdoms, legendary people, recent wars, lost civilizations and previous disputes.
Selecting the Sage background can grant you inspiration points through understanding the rare stories of the world and able to use this learning for a greater purpose. This background is related to how eager you are to learn and uninterrupted efforts to acquire knowledge.
Sailor background
Feature 1: Athletics (Strength) is a skill that provides you the ability to jumping high, improvise shove, and the resistance to it.
Feature 2: Perception (Wisdom) grants you the ability to detect the existence or presence of something, you can hear someone or spot anyone. It determines the awareness you have to your nearby area and how good your ability to use your senses.
You can gain inspiration points in the Sailor background by knowing all the possible hurdles which can be faced during your way on the ship and life at sea. Also, you are good at fighting off the creatures of the sea and confronting spontaneous storms of the sea.
Soldier background
Feature 1: Athletics (Strength) is a skill that provides you the ability to jump high, improvise shove, and the resistance to it.
Feature 2: Intimidation (Charisma) is the ability to convince someone forcefully through hostile movements, threats, and physical violence.
The Criminal background gains Inspiration from being an expert in fighting and combat. You have been working in a militia in a mercenary company. You can gain the inspiration points by showing your learned tactics during your fights and expertise on the battlefield.
Urchin background
Feature 1: Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) is used to help if you want to do manual trickery or if you want to do the act of legerdemain. It can conceal an object with the dexterity of your hands.
Feature 2: Stealth (Dexterity) can be used to hide yourself from the opponents, if you do not want to be seen by anyone, or if you want to keep yourself unnoticed by your surroundings, Stealth is quite useful if you want to escape as it will not let anyone hear you or see you.
Urchin Background players can gain inspiration points by using their street smarts to strengthen their spirits for upcoming situations. In this background, you are well known about the facts of how to survive on the streets as a child and how to come up with something valuable from very little.
Best Backgrounds for each Class in Baldur’s Gate 3
- The Bard class is best with Noble, Urchin, Entertainer, Guild Artisan, Charlatan, and Criminal backgrounds.
- Barbarian class is best with Folk Hero, Outlander, and Soldier backgrounds.
- Cleric class is best with Acolyte, Outlander, and Folk Hero backgrounds.
- Druid class is best with Acolyte, Outlander, and Folk Hero backgrounds.
- Fighter class is best with Soldier, and Outlander backgrounds.
- Monk class is best with Acolyte, Outlander, Folk Hero, Outlander, Criminal Soldier, and Urchin backgrounds.
- Ranger class is best with Criminal, Acolyte, Soldier, Outlander, Folk Hero, and Urchin backgrounds.
- Rogue class is best with Entertainment, Criminals, Charlatan, and Urchin backgrounds.
- Paladin class is best with Noble, Acolyte, Outlander, Folk Hero, Guild Artisan, and Soldier backgrounds.
- Sorcerer class is best with Urchin, Noble, Guild Artisan, Criminal, Soldier, and Charlatan backgrounds.
- Warlock class is best with Soldier, Criminal, Guild Artisan, Urchin, Charlatan, and Noble backgrounds.
- Wizard class is best with Sage, Acolyte, and Noble backgrounds.
