Whether you’re a veteran of Dungeons & Dragons or completely new to tabletop RPGs, creating a character in Baldur’s Gate 3 can seem daunting at first. With its faithfulness to D&D rules, Baldur’s Gate 3 uses ability scores that are more complex than the average RPG. Don’t worry though, this guide will explain how to increase Ability Scores in Baldur’s Gate (BG3).
How to Increase Ability Scores in BG3
Using the point buy system, you’ll have 27 points to distribute between these six core abilities during character creation. Each ability has a minimum score of 8 and maximum of 15 before racial and class bonuses. Proper allocation of points is crucial, as your ability scores will directly impact interactions and effectiveness in combat.
Ability Score Improvement with Leveling
When you reach 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 19th levels in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can increase your ability scores instead of taking a feat. You can increase one score or split it between two of them.
With Ability Score improvement, you can:
- Increase one ability score by 2
- Increase two different ability scores by 1 each
So you can boost your main combat abilities as you level up.
Special Items that Increase Ability Scores
Certain special items found in Baldur’s Gate 3 can permanently increase your ability scores.
- Auntie Ethel’s Hair: In Act 1, defeating Auntie Ethel and sparing her life rewards you with Auntie Ethel’s Hair. Using this item increases any one ability score by +1.
- Potion of Everlasting Vigor: It gives one character a permanent +2 Strength score boost, which is available in Act 2.
- Mirror of Loss: Found in Act 3, the Mirror of Loss can randomly increase an ability score by +2 or +1. With the right skills and knowledge, you can guarantee a +2 boost.
- The Book of Thay: If you’ve discovered the Necromancy of Thay, it will result in a temporary HP boost of +20 that reapplies after each lengthy rest. Additionally, a permanent spell that summons 6 ghouls without the need for corpses is provided.
Using these items alongside leveling up allows you to create powerful hero builds with mighty ability scores. However, it is worth noting that choose wisely when assigning your boosts.
