Summary
With 11 races to choose from and over 20 subraces, there is a lot to consider when making your first or even third character inBaldur’s Gate 3. With the addition of gnomes, a staple fantasy race and one of the core choices inDungeons & Dragons, you may play the stout and inquisitive character you’ve always dreamed of.
While most species offer little besides a bonus to a handful of ability scores, gnomes have some unique abilities that make them a clear choice when compared to the other small species. Although combined with background features, class abilities, and spell options, there are endless combinations to create. If you want to create a character worthy of being the hero of Baldur’s Gate, then it’s important to weigh these choices well.
Updated July 14, 2025 by Matthew Cochran:With Baldur’s Gate 3 out for a few months now, and already the winner of the 2023 Game of the Year, many players have started many playthroughs they’ll never finish with characters they spent way too much time in the character creation menu designing. Unfortunately, gnomes and other short races have been under-picked and deserve a highlight for their abilities and various options that show off their incredible utility and magical defensive features, especially since racial stat bonuses have been removed with the official release.
6Take Advantage Of Your Size
Because gnomes are small, they can fit into narrow crevices and hidden areas that are otherwise inaccessible to taller species. This makes having a gnome in your party especially useful because the other origin characters are all medium-sized, and will not be able to access the same areas as your custom character.
Areas in Act One that you want to pay attention to are in the druid grove. Specifically, the cave system controlled by thieving tiefling kids with a hidden entrance only available for small characters. In rare cases, you can also make better use of cover and avoid being thetarget of ranged attacksand spells that would otherwise have a chance to knock Gale unconscious for the hundredth time.
5Be Aware Of Your Slow Speed
Like the other small races, gnomes only have a base speed of 7.5 meters, whereas the taller races have a nine-meter movement speed. Since this speed only applies to turn-based actions and not during exploration, you will want to make sure that you position your gnome closer to the action while preparing ambushes or when expecting a fight to happen.
During combat, your slower speed can lead to you using the Dash action more often to make up for it. You can mitigate this with class abilities like Rogue’s Cunning Action to dash as a bonus action, or through magic items that boost speed like theBoots Of SpeedorPotion of Speed.
If you really need a burst of speed, your small size allows you to be thrown.
4Use Your Save Advantage
One of the strongest race features in the game is Gnome Cunning, whichgives gnomes advantageon Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma saving throws, which are often used to save against spell effects. Other than the errant Dexterity save from a fireball, your gnome is much more likely to resist charm effects, mind reading, and numerous other magical conditions that would otherwise incapacitate your other party members.
With this in mind, allow your gnome to be the first to pick up or inspect obviously cursed objects or when charging against mind flayers attempting to control your character. If you want to maximize this ability, focus on equipping your gnome with magic items that either boost the stats associated with Gnome Cunning or just the saves themselves.
The Ring of Evasion andRing of Protectioncan aid in maximizing the effectiveness of your saving throws.
3Recommended Class Options
If you want to maximize your stats and build a character meant to last, you will want to choose from classes that maximize a gnome’s base stats or can otherwise exploit them for some unique advantages.
Wizard
Since all gnome subraces have a base Intelligence score bonus of +2, your modifier for that score will automatically increase, givingyour wizard charactera higher spell save DC, spell attack bonus, and a higher Intelligence saving throw, which is already at advantage due to the Gnome Cunning feature.
Barbarian
While the image of a three-foot gnome wielding a hulking greataxe is comedic, a Rock Gnome’s bonus to Constitution and their Gnome Cunning feature allows them to focus on being especially hardy and difficult to kill or charm. You will just have to pay extra attention where you start combat, due to the gnome’s shorter move speed.
Rogue - Arcane trickster
Since deep gnomes have a base dexterity bonus and advantage on stealth checks, you can more easily succeed when hiding and are more likely to succeed in hitting with ranged or finesse weapon attacks. With the base Intelligence bonus from all gnomes, the arcane trickster subclass has higher spell attacks and save DCs when casting spells compared to other races.
2Recommended Feat Options
Mobile
Mobile is a quick way to make martial gnome characters able to ignore their lowered movement speed and couple it with a unique ability that makes you immune to opportunity attacks, which essentially gives you a double use for your attack actions.
Dungeon Delver
Especially with the superior darkvision of deep gnomes, Dungeon Delver can help your character spot more than just traps, but secret items and doors that otherwise would be missed. Also, being a small character, certain pipes and crevices can be revealed that allow you to enter.
Lucky
Lucky gives you three points, which you can use to gain advantage on pretty much any roll you make, which includes saving throws. Combined with Gnome Cunning, this can give you the best odds against spells and other effects, essentially making you magic immune while being able to save luck points for other uses.
1Subrace Benefits And Drawbacks
Although some subspecies of gnome can experience various, unique dialogue options during scripted conversations and story moments, each subspecies is useful in various ways or are otherwise less beneficial than others.
Deep Gnome
Hailing from the Underdark, deep gnomes have double the range of darkvision of most other species, allowing them to spot danger or treasure in hard-to-reach areas. Their Stone Camouflage feature makes them especially useful rogues or characters focusing on non-magical ranged combat.
Forest Gnome
Although lacking the superior darkvision, forest gnomes automatically start with theSpeak with Animalsspell. This spell is great to have, especially in the early, game, where animal dialogue will lead to important exploration clues and even permanent buffs and allies.
Rock Gnome
Although rock gnome’s have an additional bonus to History checks, this likely won’t be as useful in actual play other than to unlock dialogue options or when interacting with objects. Since they have no other unique abilities other than standard darkvision, this makes them the worst choice out of all three subraces.
