I’ll gladly eat my words; Larian Studios has done it—we have a great Dungeons & Dragons video game. There is one problem that comes with Baldur’s Gate 3’s massive success, however. It’s a great problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.
The absolutely massive amount of customization options can be intimidating for first-time players, as people may worry they’re making choices they’ll regret during the character creation menu. In addition to class, race, subrace, and appearance, players are also required to choose a background for their character.
While these backgrounds are easy enough to understand conceptually, the impact on your playthrough is not exactly clear. Read on to learn how each background will affect your character and which options are best for you.
All character backgrounds in Baldur’s Gate 3
In Baldur’s Gate 3, character backgrounds options are as follows:
- The Acolyte is a religion-based background, granting inspiration for zealous acts and gives proficiency in the Insight and Religion skills.
- The Charlatan is an actor and silver-tongued manipulator, granting inspiration for deception and trickery. Gives proficiency in Deception and Sleight of Hand skills.
- The Criminal is a more “hands-on” counterpart to The Charlatan, granting inspiration for law breaking of all sorts. Gives proficiency in Deception and Stealth.
- The Entertainer is a performer through and through, granting inspiration for showboating and Charisma checks. Gives proficiency in Acrobatics and Performance.
- The Folk Hero is well… a folk hero, granting inspiration for acts of bravery and service. Gives proficiency in Animal Handling and Survival.
- The Guild Artisan is a trader and craftsman, giving inspiration for astute bartering and tinkering. Gives proficiency in Insight and Persuasion.
- The Noble is a completely likeable and definitely not infuriating member of high society, giving inspiration for being praised and accumulating power (all jokes aside, this can be a very fun background for roleplaying). Gives proficiency in History and Persuasion.
- The Outlander is an adventure and survivor, granting inspiration for shows and wisdom and resourcefulness in nature. Gives proficiency in Athletics and Survival.
- The Sage is a scholar and historian, granting inspiration for pursuits of knowledge and betterment. Gives proficiency in Arcana and History.
- The Soldier is a tactician and leader, giving inspiration for efficiency and decision making in combat. Gives proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation.
- The Urchin is a street smart and resourceful thief, stealing for survival rather than please. Grants inspiration for resourcefulness and gives proficiency in Sleight of Hand and Stealth.
- The Haunted One has no memory of their past, and is host to an unknown darkness. Grants inspiration for acts of nightmare fuel (seriously, this background is not for the feint of heart) and gives proficiency in Medicine and Intimidation.
When creating your character, you will only have the option to select your own background if you choose the “custom” option. This option means that you are given complete creative control over your characters class, race, appearance, and background. Conversely, you may choose from one of six Origin Characters, characters that already exist in the game and can be recruited to join your party even if not selected in the character creation menu. Finally, there is the option to select The Dark Urge preset… which is… unique, to say the least. Selecting this option will still allow you to customize class, race, and appearance, but automatically assigns the Haunted One background to your character.
Which background should you choose in Baldur’s Gate 3?
When selecting a background, it is recommended to place less focus on skill proficiency and focus instead of Inspiration.
When you perform an act or make a decision that is in line with your character’s background, you are given an Inspiration Point. Inspiration can be used to reroll any skill check you are not satisfied with. In other words, they grant a second chance.
The background that is best, then, is whichever one seems closest to the sort of character you want to play. If you want your character to be honest and hard-working, steer clear of backgrounds like Thief and Charlatan, as these give Inspiration for dishonest behavior.
There is no penalty for acting against your character’s background. That is, you will not be actively punished for doing something out of character. But, you will be consistently missing out on Inspiration Points, therefore negating a very helpful mechanic. It is worth noting Inspiration Points are stored as a party, not as individuals. This means all characters in your party share one pool, and having a party of varying backgrounds will afford the greatest opportunity for earning Inspiration Points (though complications with approval of party members may arise).
The only background that affects gameplay in a very active sense is The Haunted One. I’ll refrain from spoilers, but, be warned—this background has serious consequences. Select this background if you want a grim and macabre playthrough, and be prepared to feel a little queasy (SPOILERS IN LINK) from time to time. This background is almost akin to a “hardcore” mode in that it changes the game in an entirely unique way. There is nothing wrong with selecting this background for a first playthrough (in fact, I did this myself), but I would recommend playing on a traditional background first and selecting The Dark Urge for a second run. The juxtaposition will make the differences that much more shocking and rewarding.
Regardless of which background you choose for a custom character, Inspiration Points shouldn’t be too difficult to come by. With a party of four characters, there will be plenty of opportunities to earn Inspiration, many of which you won’t even necessarily have to actively seek out. Select the background you’ll have the most fun with, and don’t worry about trying to find “the strongest background” or anything of that sort.
