So today I was messing around with Swashbuckler Rogues in BG3 again, trying to figure out which race actually feels the best. Everyone talks about it online, but you gotta try it yourself, right? Let me tell ya, it wasn’t as simple as just picking the one with the fanciest numbers.
Starting Simple
First up, I rolled a Lightfoot Halfling. Those Lucky rolls sounded great for not botching crucial skill checks. Did some sneaking around the Grove, pickpocketing traders. Felt pretty smooth. Never rolled a critical failure, which was sweet. But man, that 25ft movement speed? Felt like I was dragging my feet after a while, especially trying to get into position for sneak attacks without bonus action dashes. Annoying.
Looking For Speed & Edge
Thought maybe Wood Elf was the answer. Bonus movement? Hell yeah. Tried disengaging and hauling ass around enemies in that first Goblin fight. Way better mobility. Felt nimble. But something was missing. Extra weapon skills? Didn’t feel like they added much punch to my core rogue stuff. Just kinda… meh compared to other possibilities.
Getting Fancy With Magic
Wanted to see if magic could spice things up. Restarted as a High Elf. Grabbed Booming Blade – sounds awesome for a hit-and-run rogue, yeah? Tried it near the Nautiloid crash site. Landed it on a Goblin. Took way longer to set up than I wanted. That cantrip needs an Action? Clunky compared to just attacking twice. Plus my Charisma wasn’t high enough for the secondary effect to trigger reliably. Became more hassle than it was worth real quick. Switched to Fire Bolt mostly just to hit levers.
Dipping Into Dragon Power
Okay, maybe something tankier? Made a Gold Dragonborn. Free Armor of Agathys? Looked cool on paper. Tried it near Karlach. Got smacked, the icy armor popped… and then kinda did nothing for the rest of the fight. Felt like a wasted trick. The fire breath weapon? So slow. Lost too much momentum trying to position for it. The cool factor wore off fast when I realized how little impact it actually had on my playstyle.
Unexpected Winner?
Was getting frustrated. Githyanki next. Medium armor for free? Sounded handy. Astral Knowledge for skills? Useful early on. Tried Lae’zel’s gear. Suddenly felt super sturdy compared to my squishy Halfling. Shoved enemies, used Misty Step from the sword… felt way more versatile in fights. Didn’t need hyper-fancy tricks, just solid survivability and mobility. This actually clicked.
Seldarine Drow Didn’t Stick
Heard good things about Seldarine Drow, especially their spells. Tried one. Faerie Fire occasionally helped land sneak attacks, Dancing Lights was… forgettable. Needed high Cha again for the Friendship cantrip to be reliable, which I wasn’t prioritizing. Just felt redundant compared to having armor or skills baked in. Played one to the Goblin Camp but restarted. Just didn’t grab me.
The Gear Problem
Here’s the real kicker I learned though. All this race stuff? Matters way less than getting the right gear. Found that stupid shortsword that gives Misty Step? Game-changer for my Halfling! That necklace adding Arcane Synergy? Suddenly my Gith wasn’t just tanky, she hit harder too. Went back to my Gith save, started using Disguise Self constantly to fill skill gaps, and it felt super versatile without needing specific racial skills.
I even tried Respec-ing a Half-Orc just for Relentless Endurance… worked okay, but again, felt like a niche trick compared to consistent armor or mobility boosts. Dwarves? Toughness helped a bit, poison resistance sometimes… but extra movement just always felt more essential to the style.
In the end? That Githyanki with Astral Knowledge smoothing out early skill checks and free armor letting me focus Dex felt like the most comfortable starting point. Solid foundation. But honestly? Finding key gear pieces like Misty Step items or synergy equipment mattered more than any racial bonus later on. You gotta try it yourself. Spend an hour messing around near the Grove with different races. See what clicks with your brain. It’s not always the min-max numbers. It’s how it feels to play. Mistakes were made – drank too many elixirs, reloaded saves a dozen times – but figuring it out? That’s half the fun.