Dwarf Handbook - Baldur's Gate 3

Introduction

A fantasy staple, the Dwarf is famously durable in DnD. However, the easy availability of Darkvision and resistance to poison via camp casting and the limited benefit of the Dwarf’s weapon proficiencies means that the Dwarf can often struggle to find a niche where they’re uniquely effective.

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

RPGBOT uses a color coding scheme to rate individual character options.

  • Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
  • Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
  • Green: Good options. Useful often.
  • Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.

RPGBOT is fan content published under Larian’s Fan Content Policy. This is not official content, and RPGBOT has no official relationship with Larian.

Dwarf Traits

Dwarves are slow and durable.

  • Base Racial Speed: You can move 7.5 m / 25 ft per turn.: Slow. Get Longstrider if you plan to be in melee.
  • Dwarven Combat training: Very few characters can use these weapons effectively but don’t already get these proficiencies. Some clerics might enjoy them.
  • Darkvision: Helpful, but actual darkness isn’t common in the game, and you can also get the Darkvision spell via Camp Casting, so this won’t be unique beyond low levels.
  • Dwarven Resilient: Poison is a common threat, but you can also get the Poison Resistance spell via Camp Casting, so this won’t be unique beyond low levels.

In addition, you must select a subrace which grants additional traits.

Gold Dwarf Traits

Not very exciting, but consistently useful. A great choice for newer players or players who don’t want to both with optimization concerns.

  • Dwarven Toughness: A bit of extra hp. Not super exciting, but consistently useful on any character.

Shield Dwarf Traits

Armour training is mostly useful for squishy spellcasters like wizards.

  • Dwarven Armour Training: Medium armor is a huge AC boost for classes that don’t get armor proficiency. However, those classes will also find magic items that take your armor slot, and may find that this trait goes unused in favor of cool robes or something.

Duergar Traits

Good for front-line melee characters like fighters.

  • Superior Darkvision: Actual darkness is rare.
  • Duergar Resilience: Only situationally useful. None of these effects are especially common. However, NPC spellcasters really like to cast Hold Person, so resistance to being paralyzed may be helpful against those foes.
  • Spells: Enlarge is a good combat buff for front-line melee characters, but Invisibility doesn’t work very well in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Classes

Barbarian

Shield Dwarf is a great option for barbarians, adding to your maximum hit points to help offset your comparatively poor AC.

Bard

Shield Dwarf’s additional armor proficiencies are nice for college of lore, but valour and swords already get them.

Cleric

Dwarven Weapon Training gives you some improved weapon options to keep you busy until your cantrips start to get good, and the Gold Dwarf’s additional hit points are always welcome.

Druid

If you plan to be in melee, you need to either be in Wild Shape or using Shillelagh, so Dwarven Weapon Training isn’t helping you. Gold Dwarf’s bonus hp is a safe option, but note that it doesn’t affect Wild Shape.

Fighter

Gold Dwarf for extra HP and Duergar for the ability to cast Enlarge can both be very helpful.

Monk

Monks struggle with hp at low levels since they’re a melee-only class with poor AC, so Gold Dwarf is a great choice.

Paladin

Gold Dwarf for extra HP and Duergar for the ability to cast Enlarge can both be very helpful.

Ranger

Gold Dwarf is the only really great option here, and even then it’s not super exciting.

Rogue

Gold Dwarf is tempting, but not really necessary. The Shield Dwarf’s armor is nice, but medium armor typically imposes Disadvantage on Stealth checks, which is a problem for rogues. Duergar’s ability to cast Invisibility is nice, but it’s once per day, and you can play an Arcane Trickster.

Sorcerer

Hill Dwarf and Gold Dwarf will both improve your durability.

Warlock

Hill Dwarf and Gold Dwarf will both improve your durability. Dwarven Weapon Training looks appealing for Pact of the Blade builds, but Pact of the Blade makes you proficient in your bound weapon so it’s not really necessary.

Wizard

Hill Dwarf and Gold Dwarf will both improve your durability.