Best Races for Bard & Ability Scores in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)

Bard is one of the oft-overlooked classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, and while we don’t necessarily recommend starting with it if you’re new to the game, the rewards are often worth it if you’re able to invest into it efficiently. Here’s our take on the best races for Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3, along with recommended ability scores and builds.

Depending on which College you’re going to choose for your Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3, the race you pick will vary greatly. The three Colleges are Lore, Swords, and Valor. The first offers proficiency in Light Armor, the second grants you proficiency in Medium Armor, while Valor offers proficiency in Medium Armor and shields.

Best Races for Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3

We recommend going with Human or Half-Elf if you’re planning on taking College of Lore or Swords, as you’ll get shield proficiency with either of these races already, allowing you to take advantage of the proficiency you get in either Light or Medium Armor. It’s worth noting that the Drow Half-Elf also comes with the additional Dancing Lights Cantrips, which can really give your Bard a nice boost in the early game.

The Tiefling is also a worthwhile option to consider, as it comes with the Produce Flame Cantrip, giving you more offensive options other than just the bow.

On the other hand, if you’re going with College of Valor, then the Half-Orc race is the way to go. This class and race combination gives you a Bard with pretty formidable combat strength, high critical damage, and the ability to defend your party while buffing them with extra dice rolls for damage.

Recommended Ability Scores for Bard in BG3

Once you’ve decided on your Bard’s race in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s time to look at the ability scores. Typically, you’ll want to focus on Charisma as your main stat for your Bard. This is the most important stat, as Charisma scales up your attack and Bardic Inspiration, which are crucial for performing well in combat.

The next stat to focus on is Dexterity, since this directly correlates to how much weapon damage you do, and also determines your Initiative during combat. Getting high Initiative is important for a Bard, as going first will allow you to buff your party and debuff your enemies, which can really turn the tide in a battle.

To that end, we’d recommend going with the following:

• 16 Charisma
• 16 Dexterity
• 14 Constitution
• 12 Wisdom
• 8 Intelligence
• 8 Strength

And that’s our take on the best races and ability scores to go with for Bard in Baldur’s Gate 3. Be sure to search for Twinfinite for more tips and information on the game.