Baldur's Gate 3: 5 Tips For Dexterity-Based Characters (2024)

Dexterity has always been one of the most versatile ability scores in Dungeons & Dragons, and it's no different here in Baldur's Gate 3. By increasing it, you can simultaneously improve your damage with multiple weapons, your defense, your initiative, and skills that can come up quite often throughout your playthrough.

All that said, how exactly are these things being improved, and how can you fully optimize them? It all boils down to what class, race, and overall build you want for your character, but even if Dexterity isn't the main ability score of your character, there are a few reasons to consider it your secondary or tertiary ability score.

5 Choose A Class That Thrives With Dexterity

When thinking about a character with high Dexterity, most will think about ranged-weapon characters, and you're not wrong, as Dexterity will increase both your chances of hitting the target and the damage you'll cause with these weapons. But there are two interesting points here: First, many classes can focus on ranged damage. Second, high Dexterity can still cause a lot of melee damage — with the right weapon.

It's easier to tell you which builds don't need Dexterity at all: heavy weapon, heavy armor martials. Everyone else can benefit from Dexterity: Rogues are an obvious choice, with Sneak Attack from a distance being far better in most instances. Fighters, and even Paladins and Barbarians, can function well by using ranged weapons or finesse weapons such as rapiers for melee damage.

ven spellcasters should have a somewhat good Dexterity for their armor class, though Constitution and whatever ability they use for spellcasting is a priority. But in the end, whether it's your most important ability score or part of the top three most important, Dexterity shouldn't be ignored in most cases.

4 Consider All Your Weapon Choices

See Also

Baldur's Gate 3: Ability Score ExplainedDexterity Explained in Baldur's Gate 3 | Gamer Guides: Yo...

We've already mentioned this part above, but it is worth diving deeper. By default, melee weapons use your Strength, while ranged weapons use your Dexterity. However, there is a category of melee weapons with the finesse property, which allows you to attack with your Dexterity score.

These are usually weapons associated with quick movements, like daggers or rapiers, and since you can easily swap between your melee and ranged option, having a ranged and a finesse weapon equipped at all times is the most logical thing to do, even if you don't intend to use one of them. And that would allow a Paladin, for example, to be good at melee and ranged combat, something the class is usually not associated with as we tend to use Strength rather than Dexterity in most builds.

Keep in mind that you won't be the strongest at melee. Rapiers are the strongest finesse option, and their damage die is a d8, which can't compete with the likes of greatswords and their massive 2d6 damage — there is a d10 glaive weapon with finesse property in the game, though, but that's on Act 3 only.

Regarding raw damage, the best ranged weapon would be a heavy crossbow, causing a d10, so at the end of the day, a Dexterity-focused character favors ranged, with melee as a backup. You can also improve your melee output by dual-wielding, but both weapons will need the light property.

3 Choose A Race That Enhances Your Skills

Depending on which class you pick, certain races will help you get your hands on the best weapons available. Fighters, Paladins, Barbarians, Rangers, and a few Cleric and Bard Subclasses can wield whatever weapon you want to, so you can have fun with your Dexterity builds here with no issues. However, a class like Rogues, which is always associated with Dexterity, won't necessarily get many weapon proficiencies, so races like Elves can help them get at least a Longbow, for instance.

Your weapons aren't your only concern, though. Races that improve certain skills, like giving you an advantage on Stealth checks or races with improved Darkvision so you can use your mighty range even in the dark, will all help your build prevail — examples from the former are Deep Gnomes and Lightfoot Halflings, while the latter are Drows and Duergars. Even Half-Orcs could work if you still want to focus on melee weapons — you can do that with Dexterity, after all.

Lastly, you can also use certain races, like Elves and Humans, to get armor or shield proficiency, so you won't be as vulnerable depending on what class you're playing as — a shield in hand can make a lot of difference. It'll always increase your AC when equipped, even if your character is currently holding their crossbow.

2 Choose Fitting Skill Proficiencies

You only have three skills in the game that function around Dexterity: Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth. Acrobatics will help you against being shoved, which is occasionally useful.

Stealth is tricky, as it can help you a lot, but since you can see enemies' line of sight when hiding, anyone can be good at it — you just have to avoid the line of sight. Still, if you are in sight, but the place is dark, your Stealth check can prevent you from being seen, so it is useful for classes like Rangers and Rogues or if your play style involves attacking without warning for a sweet surprise round.

All that said, Sleight of Hand is the best one here, hands down, and we highly recommend getting proficiency with it or even expertise if you are a Bard or a Rogue. The amount of locked doors and traps in the game is astonishing, and being able to bypass them makes it all a lot easier t Once Rogues get reliable talent, no door will be in your way.

Spellcasters can circumvent that with Knock, but opening doors without using spells slots is quite helpful. Still, all these skills are excellent and worth considering, though you should also give some love to skills from other ability scores, like Persuasion.

1 Choose Fitting Feats

There are quite a few feats that increase your Dexterity or will match with a possible play style you're going with. Keep in mind most classes will only be able to get three of those — only Fighters and Rogues can get four — and you probably want to increase your main ability score a bit here rather than get a feat.

If your focus is ranged combat, Sharpshooter is a beautiful choice, as you can increase the damage from your shots. Crossbow Expert isn't very useful; it lets you use your crossbow at point-blank range, but you can just use the rapier you put as a backup in this situation. Put Alert here as well, and you'll almost always be the first in a fight, perfect for Assassins.

For melee combatants, Defensive Duelist or Dual Wielder are interesting choices — you'll be able to ignore the light property and use two rapiers at the same time, and you'll also be able to use your reaction to temporarily increase your AC, which can save you from getting hit. A powerful feat combination for a dual-wielding Fighter, for example.

NEXT: Baldur's Gate 3: Tips For Charisma-Based Characters