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Just like Dungeons and Dragons and similar games, Baldur’s Gate 3 is stuffed with valuable skills. Whether they’re helping the player strike a better deal with merchants, sneak past an enemy camp, or investigate the ruins of a crumbling temple, skills let your character thrive. New players should know that every skill is a powerful tool in the right circumstances. Some of them, however, tend to stand out for their exceptional usefulness, wide application, or just how cool they are. Here are some of the best skills in Baldur’s Gate 3.
8. Performance
The foolishness and eccentricity of Bards are a bit of a meme in DnD circles, so it’s not surprising that Performance has most of the same associations. Playing the lute, giving dramatic speeches, and bringing a bit of the stage everywhere you go isn’t just for trolling. There are many moments throughout Baldur’s Gate 3 when introducing some drama to the scene is one of the best ways to progress the story in unexpected directions. It can even get you out of nasty fights if you’re clever. Even when it’s not helping you beat the game, at least it’s fun.
7. Religion
Many players tend to overlook knowledge skills. Compared with the ability to leap a ravine or lie to an interrogator, identifying gods and holy sites doesn’t seem all that exciting. While it isn’t always thrilling, Religion can be vital to move forward or help an NPC. Knowing which of the many gods a statue or holy artifact belongs to can reveal critical clues about what to do next. Religion is also an excellent skill for filling in the lore, and with a setting as detailed and exciting as the one in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s a shame to miss opportunities to learn more.
6. Acrobatics
Keeping your balance and landing on one’s feet are the basics of Acrobatics. Acrobatics keeps you safe whether crossing a narrow and treacherous pathway or leaping safely down from a high place. In Baldur’s Gate 3, Acrobatics also helps you resist being shoved around. Like in DnD, shoving an opponent from a high place can be a fantastic way to gain the high ground or eliminate an opponent. Foes in BG3 won’t hesitate to throw your party around, but with Acrobatics, you can usually avoid disastrous falls.
5. Intimidation
Intimidation isn’t exactly the path of the classical Good Guy. If you’re playing a Paladin, Cleric of Light, or other characters with Good-themed roleplay in mind, this might not be the skill for you. That said, there’s no denying the value of being able to threaten, bully, and coerce people into getting your way. Sometimes, subtler forms of communication don’t work either, and it’s faster and more effective to threaten to break some heads. Whether one intends to rely on Intimidation, Persuasion, and Deceit in conversations is mostly a matter of personal preference, but it’s hard to argue with results.
4. Nature
Similar to Religion, Nature is often overlooked when it comes time to allocate skill points. The world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is teeming with life, and that matters for more than just getting pretty screenshots. Throughout the game, the player will encounter unique plants and animals. Being able to identify them, as well as their unique dangers and benefits, empowers the player to make decisions they otherwise couldn’t. It’s not an exaggeration to say that telling one plant from another can save your life.
3. Deception
Truth may be a virtue, but sometimes lying is more practical. Rogues, Warlocks, Bards, and other shifty characters may be the most notorious for this skill, but anyone can benefit from a well-timed lie. The ability to deceive NPCs and get away with (sometimes literal) murder provides obvious benefits. It might make you untrustworthy and undoubtedly influence how some party members feel about you, but that doesn’t change how helpful Deception is. If you lie well, Baldur’s Gate 3 will surely reward you.
2. Stealth
Not everyone wants to play a tank, standing on the frontline of battle, shrugging off blow after blow. Thieves, cutthroats, and other more vulnerable characters must play by a different set of rules. Stealth is the skill that makes that possible. This skill allows players to attack enemies unawares, taking them by surprise and gaining advantage. That can enable players to win a fight before it starts in the right circumstances. Other times, avoiding confrontation altogether is the best strategy, and Stealth makes that possible. Whether you plan to backstab your enemies or steal everything that isn’t nailed down, Stealth is the crown jewel of any sneaky skillset.
1. Athletics
Athletics is a catch-all skill in Baldur’s Gate 3, describing your character’s strength and physical fitness in general. As such, there are countless situations in which it’s applicable. One of its simplest and most common applications is shoving. Shoving? In a game with magic, swords, and summoning, will we shove people?
Absolutely. Shove goblins into a fire. Push wizards off a cliff. Knock demons away from your Cleric and Wizard to give them room for spellcasting. Athletics is helpful in so many circumstances that it’s easily one of the best skills in Baldur’s Gate 3.
