In this short guide of ours, we’ll show you the Ability Score Limits and how to Purchase Points in Baldur’s Gate 3. By following this guide step by step, you can cleverly utilize your ability points!
Ability Point Caps and Point Buy System in BG 3
Back in the classic days, your “player character” would have a range of Ability Scores from 3 to 18. This range was figured out by rolling 3 six-sided dice (3d6), giving you an average score of 10.5. The cooler your Ability Score, the bigger boost it’ll give you for stuff that’s connected – like when you swing a melee weapon, you’re either adding Strength or Dexterity to your Attack Rolls and Damage Rolls. If you’re firing off ranged weapons, Dexterity is your go-to for those same rolls. Spells you cast? The Saving Throws they need depend on whether you lean more into Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, which, by the way, depends on what kind of character you’re playing.
Oh, and don’t forget that all these Ability Scores also come with their own sets of Skill Checks and Saving Throws. If you’re wondering how it all stacks up, take a peek at the table down below. It’s got the scoop on how your Ability Scores make you a gaming legend.
- An ability score of 1 gives you a -5 modifier. This means you’re not very skilled in that area and will face significant difficulties.
- If your ability score is between 2 and 3, your modifier is -4. Again, this indicates a lack of proficiency and a tough time with related tasks.
- For scores of 4 to 5, the modifier is -3. You’re still struggling, but a tiny bit better than before.
- At 6 to 7, your modifier is -2. There’s some improvement, but you’re not quite there yet.
- With ability scores of 8 to 9, you have a -1 modifier. You’re just a bit below average.
- Ability scores from 10 to 11 grant a modifier of 0. You’re right in the middle – neither great nor terrible.
- Scores of 12 to 13 come with a +1 modifier. You’re slightly better than average now.
- If your score is 14 to 15, your modifier becomes +2. You’re getting into the above-average range.
- For scores of 16 to 17, the modifier is +3. You’re definitely skilled and proficient.
- With ability scores of 18 to 19, you have a +4 modifier. You’re among the best in this area.
- Scores of 20 to 21 come with a +5 modifier. You’re highly skilled and accomplished.
- If your score is 22 to 23, your modifier becomes +6. You’re truly exceptional.
- For scores of 24 to 25, the modifier is +7. You’re almost superhuman in this ability.
- With ability scores of 26 to 27, you have a +8 modifier. Your skill level is beyond compare.
- Scores of 28 to 29 come with a +9 modifier. You’re a legendary expert in this field.
- And finally, if your ability score is a perfect 30, your modifier is +10. You’re an absolute master, virtually unmatched.
It’s got a different style compared to its predecessors. Forget about the days of rolling digital dice forever just to get a sky-high 95+ overall that you could spread out however you wanted. Also, that trick of downgrading a stat to rock bottom to snag extra points for your preferred stats? Poof, it’s gone.
In this new game, Baldur’s Gate 3 is all about keeping things balanced (or you could say frugal). You’ve got a point-buy system in play, where each character gets 27 points to play around with across their six Ability Scores.
Now, before you do the math and start panicking at how low 27 divided by 6 sounds, hold up. You can only drop a stat down to 8 as the absolute minimum, and those initial eight points in each stat don’t count towards your total. So, there’s a bit of a safety net there.
But, let’s not get too carried away with the good news. Those 27 points you have to spend on your Ability Scores don’t necessarily translate to a full 27 stat increases. If you’re looking to boost a stat from 13 points to 14, it’ll cost you 2 Ability Points. Same goes for every point beyond that. Also, keep in mind, you can’t pump any stat up above 15 right when you’re creating your character.
So there you have it, a bit of a twist in the way you build up your character in Baldur’s Gate 3, making you consider every point like a savvy strategist.
- Ability Score 8: 1 Point
- Ability Score 9: 1 Point
- Ability Score 10: 1 Point
- Ability Score 11: 1 Point
- Ability Score 12: 1 Point
- Ability Score 13: 2 Points
- Ability Score 14: 2 Points
Back when the Early Access version of the game was in play, each race had its own set of Ability Score bonuses. It was like a bunch of races had their own strengths and talents – some were just naturally better at certain things. This, of course, shaped which classes certain races were perfect fits for. Diversity was the name of the game.
But when the launch version of the game rolled around, things took a different turn. The order of the day became a bit more uniform – think bland homogeneity. Now, every race gets a chance to shine. Each one can add a +2 bonus to one Ability Score and a +1 bonus to another. Just remember, these bonuses can’t both go to the same Ability Score. It’s like a new twist in the character-building story, where every race gets a shot at making a unique mark on their abilities.