When creating your character in Baldur's Gate 3, you can either create a brand new character from scratch or use one of the premade origin characters. Origin characters have set races, backgrounds, and classes, letting you step into their shoes and get playing.
Playing as an origin character won't greatly change the game's main story and will still have you experiencing that character's story now through their own eyes. While some origin characters are relatively straightforward selections, your character selection is important for how you want to play the game, so it's important to know exactly who these characters are.
What Are Origin Characters
Origin Characters are premade characters with their own races, backgrounds, and classes that can be chosen when creating your character. They are great options for those looking to jump right into the game without putting too much effort into creating their own character. Should you not select any origin characters, they will all be companions early into the game. If you play as an origin character, you will still get to see their story and bonus content. Playing as an origin character will still give you a bit of freedom to choose how that character is built by moving a few ability score points around in the character creation menu.
Each Origin Character
There are a total of 7 origin characters for players to choose from. The first six are straightforward origin characters, coming with set names, classes, races, and ability scores to match their class that can be altered. While you can move ability points around, other information about these characters has already been decided. The first six origin characters are:
- Astarion: A High Elf Rouge who excels in dexterity. Thanks to his High Elf Heritage, he is able to choose one cantrip from the wizard spell book. This Rogue prioritizes stealth and attacking enemies when they least expect it. He is also a vampire spawn who can walk in the sun, now looking for answers about how he can, and how to use this power for revenge.
- Lae'zel: A Githyanki Fighter who excels in strength. Lae'zel was born from a warrior race that has fought Mindflayers throughout dimensions for millennia. She is proficient in many different weapons and armor, ready for anything that stands in the way of her mission.
- Gale: A Human wizard who excels in intelligence. Gale may not be able to take a hit in combat but is able to decimate his enemies from far away with the wide array of spells at his disposal. He holds an incredible power within him that could level a city unless its arcane hunger is satisfied with magical items.
- Shadowheart: A High Half-Elf Cleric who excels in wisdom. Her High Elf heritage gives her access to a cantrip from the wizard spell book, along with additional bonuses for a cleric. Shadowheart is in service to the goddess Shar and willingly gave up her memories to pursue a mission to show her faith in the goddess she worships.
- Wyll: A Human Warlock who excels in Charisma. Wyll has access to great power in both melee and ranged spell-based combat. Making a deal with an evil entity, Wyll now struggles with the pact he made and the power he was gifted through it.
- Karlach: A Zariel Tiefling Barbarian who excels in strength. Karlach is able to take a hit while dealing powerful ones back and is always found where the fighting is thickest. Karlach has escaped a decade of service in hell with nothing but an infernal engine burning where her heart once was.
The Dark Urge
The Dark Urge is a unique origin character in that you still get to create most of the character. The Dark Urge has its own mysterious backstory that will be discovered throughout the game. This character will come with no memories before the events of the game and will need to discover more about themselves throughout their journey. This origin character adds another layer of gameplay in the choices presented to players about giving into their dark thoughts within and if they should act on them or resist. Much of this character is a story to experience more of the darkness within, opening up other avenues for a unique custom character with a darker twist.