Alright folks, buckle up because today’s messing around in Baldur’s Gate 3 was all about figuring out what race works best when you’re playing a Knowledge Cleric, especially if you wanna dip into another class later. Everyone shouts “pick High Half-Elf!” or “just go Human!” but let me tell you how my own playtime went down.
The Starting Point & Why I Cared
So my main character is this Knowledge Cleric obsessed with uncovering secrets, right? Wanted that sweet lore advantage and those sweet domain spells. But I also craved more… punch. Maybe a little dip into something like Wizard or Fighter later for extra utility or survivability. Everyone online screams about optimization, but the game doesn’t play itself – your race choice actually feels different in conversations and combat. I had to find what clicked.
Trying What “Everyone” Says First
Like a sucker, I rolled with the crowd’s favorite for this build:
- The High Half-Elf: Okay, fine. Free Drow cantrip? Friends is handy sometimes, I guess. Darkvision? Essential in those pitch-black caves. The +1 to two abilities lets me boost Wisdom and either Dexterity or Constitution. Solid foundation. It works! But… honestly? Felt a bit… boring? Expected more “oomph” somehow.
But hey, I’m stubborn, so I had to test if the “second-best” was actually better for me.
Digging Deeper – Experiments That Went Sideways
I restarted the Nautiloid crash more times than I care to admit. Here’s the messy rundown:
- Gold Dwarf: Thought the extra Con and health would rock. More hit points always good, right? Wrong, for me at least. That movement speed penalty? Absolute killer. Dragging my dwarf cleric around felt like running through molasses in combat. Dwarven Combat Training? Useless clutter for a pure caster or multiclass caster. Dropped this one fast.
- Lightfoot Halfling: Oh boy. Lucky trait saving my butt on skill checks? Awesome in theory! +2 Dex? Nice for AC! But… tiny movement speed again felt rough. And trying to pass dialogue checks about obscure lore while looking like a cheerful kid? Broke immersion completely. Didn’t feel like my erudite scholar-cleric at all. Pass.
- Regular Half-Elf: Tried this too, ditching the cantrip for more movement. Honestly? Missed the utility. Felt strictly worse than the High version. Just… meh.
Unexpected Discoveries That Made Me Think
Trying stuff outside the box led to some surprises:
- Githyanki: This one shocked me. Weapon proficiencies mean nothing for a cleric focused on casting. But that free Mage Hand? Jump? And especially Astral Knowledge? Hold up! As a Knowledge Cleric obsessed with… well, knowledge, being able to magically gain proficiency in ALL skills for an ability? That’s ridiculously thematic and versatile! Suddenly I’m the ultimate party skill monkey too. The armor proficiency was redundant, but Astral Knowledge was pure magic. Changed how I explored and talked.
- Human: Look, I mocked it, but that extra skill? Always useful. Carrying capacity? Actually matters in the early game looting frenzy. The lack of darkvision hurts bad though. Really bad. Had to burn resources constantly just to see. Simple, kinda dull, but undeniably practical.
- Wood Half-Elf? Yeah, I did it. Darkvision? Check. Movement speed? Great! Extra Skill? Oh wait, nope! High Half-Elf gets the cantrip. Wood gets… Fleet of Foot? Okay, movement good, but losing that extra skill or cantrip stung for the character concept. Less brainy, more runny.
The Realization & What I Ended Up Sticking With
After all that reloading and restarting?
- The High Half-Elf still is the most seamless blend for me. The package just fits: Darkvision, no speed penalty, decent stat spread, a free handy cantrip. It’s comfy and lets the multiclass potential shine without weird drawbacks. It’s boringly reliable.
- But the Githyanki was the revelation. That Astral Knowledge ability? It shouldn’t be as fun as it is for a Knowledge Cleric. Feeling like I magically understand everything? Peak cleric vibes. The redundancy hurt a little, sure, but the sheer roleplay and utility boost? Almost worth it alone. I might actually do a whole run like this. Almost.
End of story? Wrong. Because I forgot the biggest thing: what feels good to YOU matters most. I went in chasing the “best,” but discovered my favorite is the Gith, even if it’s a bit clunky. Who cares? It’s my character. Pick what makes your lore-hungry priest feel right. Just maybe avoid the short races unless you love RPing as a tiny academic tornado. That was rough.