Baldur's Gate 3: Underrated Races To Use

Baldur's Gate 3 is a massive RPG that offers players near unlimited replayability, and each time a new playthrough is started, adventurers will be back in the character creation menu listening to Down by the River again. While choosing a class is arguably the most important aspect of creating a character, the chosen race will also have a big impact on the story and gameplay.

There are 11 races available in BG3 and many of these also have subraces for players to choose from. Other than the obvious aesthetical differences, each race also has some unique features that offer advantages in combat or other aspects of the game. Certain races will also be treated differently throughout the game, resulting in rare options or dialogue. However, while all races have their own strengths and weaknesses, certain races are severely underrated in Baldur's Gate 3 for a number of reasons.

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4 Half-Orc

The Best Race For Melee Combat

Race Features
9 m/turn, Darkvision, Relentless Endurance, Menacing, Savage Attacks

Many players want to create beautiful characters in Baldur's Gate 3 and many other games for that matter, and that is perhaps one reason why the Half-Orc race is criminally underrated, despite being one of the strongest. There are no subraces for Half-Orcs, and instead, they all have the same features, of which there are many. Relentless Endurance, for example, allows Half-Orcs to go down to 1 HP, when they should have been downed at 0 HP.

Potentially even better for players who want to wield the best melee weapons in BG3, is the Savage Attacks passive, which means an extra damage dice will be rolled when Half-Orcs land a Critical Hit. Furthermore, the proficiency in Intimidation from the Menacing feature of Half-Orcs, is great for fun dialogue options.

3 Halfling

A Lucky Race That Avoids Those Dreaded Natural Ones

Halflings outside the Githyanki Creche in Baldur's Gate 3

All Halflings	Lightfoot Halfling	Strongheart Halfling
7.5 m/turn, Lucky, Brave	Naturally Stealthy	Strongheart Resilience

Even with how lovable the Hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien's work are, the Halfling race is still one of the least popular in Baldur's Gate 3. Perhaps due to their size, and the fact that they can't move as far as most other races, few players are loading into the game as one. This means that many are missing out on the Lucky feature of all Halflings, which allows them to reroll when they roll a one for Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, and Saving Throws.

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There are two subraces of Halfling with Strongheart Halflings apparently having some Dwarven blood in them which gives them resistance against poison. Lightfoot Halflings, on the other hand, are more social, and as the name suggests, stealthy, making them perfect for Rogue builds. Another great option for friends adventuring together is playing as Barbarian Halflings and throwing each other at the enemy.

2 Gnome

A Race With Surprisingly Good Defenses

Baldur's Gate 3 gnome underdark runepowder

All Gnomes	Deep Gnome	Forest Gnome	Rock Gnome
7.5 m/turn, Gnome Cunning	Superior Darkvision, Stone Camouflage	Darkvision, Speak with Animals (Spell)	Darkvision, Artificer's Lore

Perhaps due to their small stature or the fact that people might associate Gnomes with garden decoration, the Gnome race is one of the most underrated in BG3. However, if more players understood how strong the Gnome Cunning feature is, then perhaps they would be more popular given that it provides Gnomes with Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Saving Throws.

This is a fantastic defensive feature, which means Gnomes are less likely to be harmed in combat, especially by spells. Usually, when Advantage is given on Saving Throws, it is only to one type, not three. There are three subraces of Gnomes, and arguably the most interesting is the Deep Gnome subrace as it is perfect for stealth gameplay, playing around with vision and perhaps creating darkness to the detriment of the enemy.

1 Githyanki

A Strong Race In Combat With Unique Swords

Race Features	Level Up Features
9 m/turn, Martial Prodigy, Githyanki Psionics: Mage Hand (Cantrip), Astral Knowledge	Psionics: Jump (Lvl 3), Misty Step (Lvl 5)

Despite being extremely strong in combat thanks to a mage-handful of features and additional actions, the Githyanki race is one of the least popular in BG3. One explanation for this is that for new players who aren't familiar with DnD or BG3 lore, this is the only unknown race, with other races such as Dwarves and Elves being very common in fantasy.

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However, as players become engrossed in the incredible narrative woven by Larian Studios, players will come to see just how interesting these peerless warriors from the Astral Plane are. As sworn enemies of the Mind Flayers, Githyanki can be great to roleplay as, and players can always play as the Origin character Lae'zel instead of creating their own. Githyanki can also take advantage of some great weapons that only reach their full potential in the hands of one of them, such as one of the best Greatswords in BG3, the Silver Sword of the Astral Plane.