Baldur's Gate 3 provides a handful of pre-built characters that players can select from if they don't want to make their own, but some of these Origin characters are better than others. As it is based on Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate is all about player freedom. That extends, in no small part, to character customization. It includes 11 playable character races, 12 classes and 46 subclasses, and a robust system of character building that certainly doesn't end at the first level. Players can even choose their backgrounds to improve characterization, and unlock some secret dialogue options here and there.
But not everyone wants to go through all of that. Character creation in Baldur's Gate 3 is a lot to handle, and can be daunting to those unfamiliar with DnD rules and concepts. That's where Origin characters come in. They may be pre-made, but they're not fully formed; players do have the opportunity to adjust a couple of things about them, like their stat spread and prepared spells, and can later choose how their stories unfold. But customizability varies from character to character, and isn't always necessary. As a result of the limited customization, Origin characters vary in terms of usefulness; here's how they stack up.
7 The Dark Urge
The only reason The Dark Urge is last on this list is that they hardly count as an Origin character. Unlike all the other selectable party members in Baldur's Gate 3, The Dark Urge is almost fully customizable. Players can choose their race, class, appearance, name, and whatever else they want - there's really only one thing this Origin influences.
In Baldur's Gate 3, The Dark Urge apparently suffers from trauma pertaining to an unspeakably grim past, full of bloodshed and destruction. For whatever reason, they're left with an uncontrollable urge to perpetuate the cycle, and will occasionally enter a fugue state in which they kill indiscriminately. It's an interesting concept, trying to survive in the Forgotten Realms while suppressing a murderous compulsion. But for those who want a pre-built character, it's better to look elsewhere.
6 Shadowheart
Shadowheart is a great character in her own right, but she's the worst choice of Origin character in Baldur's Gate 3. She's a half-elf cleric, which means she's the best playable healer in the game. However, clerics have limited options for damaging enemies, barring a few offensive spells that certainly won't be enough to carry a player through the campaign.
Her story, however, gives her some extra points: she's a worshiper of Shar, the goddess of darkness and night, sent on a solo mission to retrieve a holy relic. However, in order to protect the secrets of Shar's initiates, she had to undergo a memory loss ritual before departing. She's also struggling to understand and control certain inexplicable powers. Overall, Shadowheart is an interesting character and a great healer in Baldur's Gate 3, but she's better off as a companion than a player's Origin character.
5 Gale
Gale is a human wizard, which by DnD and Baldur's Gate 3 rules means he's a glass cannon. In essence, he can do a lot of damage, but tends to shatter under pressure. In a Steam Community Update from developer Larian Studios, it was revealed that during the early access period, Gale died four times as often as any other party member: a whopping 333,757 times in total. Worse still, wizards mainly focus on elemental damage using magical spells, and many of Gale's are AoE attacks that can hurt his party members just as much as enemies.
His story is alright, but it's a bit overdone - he embodies the archetypal wizard whose thirst for arcane knowledge got them into trouble when they probed too far. On the basis of damage alone, Gale's a fine choice of Origin character, but relies too much on the other party members in Baldur's Gate 3.
4 Astarion
It can be tempting to pick Astarion for an Origin character - he's got a great character design, and his background, that of a vampire spawn, makes him sound fascinating. He's held back somewhat by his class, though: he's an elf rogue, which isn't the most interesting Baldur's Gate 3 class to play. He's got one trick up his sleeve, however; of all the Origin characters, Astarion excels the most at Stealth. That can be further boosted with the high elf cantrip minor illusion, which can distract enemies and help him sneak by.
Astarion's goal in Baldur's Gate 3 is to strike out on his own, eventually becoming a powerful vampire. Despite appearances and his Charlatan background, though, he has surprisingly low Charisma (10). That's disappointing for a vampire character, and limits his dialogue options.
3 Karlach
In terms of raw strength, Karlach is one of the best Origin characters in Baldur's Gate 3. Her Strength stat is 17 by default, and can be further increased later with subclasses and feats. As a barbarian, Karlach also gets access to Rage, an ability that allows her to temporarily increase her melee attack damage, resistances, and performance in Strength checks and saving throws.
As a tiefling, Karlach has an interesting background: she was descended from and forced into servitude by devils of the Nine Hells, but escaped with her life. Her heart, however, was replaced by an infernal engine that fuels her rage. Since she comes from the Hells, she's mistrusted and discriminated against by many - but that gives her advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks. Karlach is limited to a particular play style in Baldur's Gate 3, but it's a good one.
2 Lae'zel
Like Karlach, Lae'zel has 17 Strength, but the rest of her stat spread is more even, and makes her more of an all-rounder. She's a fighter, which means that, depending on the feats and subclasses players choose, she can improve either her defense or her attack as she levels up. At third level, all Baldur's Gate 3 fighters are allowed to choose a fighting style; Battle Master, which gives Lae'zel superiority in combat via her knowledge of three defensive and offensive maneuvers, is an excellent choice.
Lae'zel also has an interesting character background that ties in with the wider story of Baldur's Gate 3; she's a githyanki, which means she's on a Spartan mission to come back victorious or face exile. However, since she's been infected by the Nautiloid along with the rest of the player party, she's at risk of turning into her people's ancestral enemy: a mindflayer.
1 Wyll
When it comes to Baldur's Gate 3 Origin characters, there's no one quite like Wyll. His story makes him entertaining right out of the gate: he's a famous monster hunter who's earned the nickname The Blade of Frontiers. Playing as a renowned character is always fun; that's helped by Wyll's extraordinary Charisma, which stands at 16. Of course, he's got his share of troubles - Wyll wants a way out of a demonic pact that he only accepted out of desperation. His high Charisma also functions as his spell casting skill, which means he can do lots of damage - even more so with subclasses like Fiend.
What's especially interesting about warlocks, though, is that they're allowed to take Eldritch Invocations as they level up in Baldur's Gate 3. These can completely change the way a warlock's base attack, eldritch blast, functions. For example, agonizing blast adds additional damage, and repelling blast adds a knock back. These can be stacked or swapped out, making warlock a versatile class that stays interesting even at higher levels. As a whole, Wyll is a likable character with lots of powerful options in combat, making him the best choice for an Origin character.
Even though some Origin characters are better than others, they all have their purpose. With such a diverse and interesting group, players can have their pick of the litter. However, it's still worth the effort to try the character creator. Many of the coolest races and classes in Baldur's Gate 3 aren't even explored by these Origin characters. All of them are recruitable in a custom character playthrough as companions anyway, so players who choose to make their own won't miss out on anything. There's nothing wrong with choosing an Origin character in Baldur's Gate 3, but it's worth making a custom character at least once.