BG3 Tav Guide: Unlocking Your Custom Protagonist

Tav is the default player character in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you can fully customize to create a unique persona. As the central hero of this expansive RPG, the choices you make for Tav will deeply impact your journey through the Forgotten Realms. This guide will help you unlock Tav’s full roleplaying potential by optimizing their build, backstory, and choices along the way.

Table of Contents

Creating Your Tav in BG3 From the Ground Up

When first introducing Tav, you can customize their race, class, appearance and origin story to fit your preferred playstyle. Here are the options to consider for building your perfect protagonist.

Races

Baldur’s Gate 3 features six playable races to choose from:

Human – The most well-rounded and adaptable race. Provides bonuses to all abilities.
Elf – Graceful and intelligent people skilled in magic. Gain superior perception and max dexterity.
Dwarf – Hardy warriors who are tough as stone. Get boosted constitution and extra poison resistance.
Halfling – Small, friendly folk adept at thievery. Gain improved charisma and dexterity.
Gnome – Clever tinkerers with a knack for illusion magic. Get a boost to intelligence and constitution.
Tiefling – Human-demon hybrids feared for fiendish abilities. Gain increased intelligence and infernal legacy.

Consider your desired class and playstyle when choosing a race best suited for your Tav.

Tav in Baldur's Gate 3 — Tav in Baldur’s Gate 3

Classes

There are 10 playable classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, each with their own unique combat and roleplaying strengths:

Fighter – Weapon masters adept with heavy armor and martial skills. excels at close combat.
Ranger – Rugged wanderers skilled with nature magic and ranged fighting.
Rogue – Cunning thieves who utilize stealth and dirty tricks. Strikes from the shadows.
Wizard – Scholarly magicians who wield impressive arcane power through spells.
Warlock – Make a pact with an otherworldly patron for access to dark magic.
Cleric – Divine servant who uses holy magic to smite enemies and heal allies.
Druid – Mystical protector of nature, wielding primal magic derived from it.
Bard – Charismatic performer who inspires others through song and enchantment magic.
Sorcerer – Innate spellcaster who controls magic through force of will and bloodline.
Monk – Martial artist who harnesses inner ki to empower body and fists in combat.

Consider party balance and preferred playstyle when selecting your Tav’s class.

Appearance

Make Tav look however you wish using the detailed character creator. Change their face, hair, skin color, voice, body type and more. Their appearance is up to you!

Origin Character or Custom?

You can either select an preset origin character or build a fully customized Tav from scratch.

Origin Characters offer pre-defined backstories and unique questlines to experience. There are currently 5 to choose between:

Githyanki Warrior – Exiled otherworldly swordmaster seeking vengeance
Drow Rogue – Fugitive dark elf on the run from her violent past
Human Warlock – Haunted veteran bound to a mysterious entity
Half-Elf Bard – Flamboyant songstress escaping a complicated romantic history
Tiefling Cleric – Conflicted acolyte wrestling with their fiendish bloodline

Custom Tavs let you tailor their entire backstory and personality from the ground up. Great for total roleplaying freedom.

Optimizing Builds For Each Class

Once you’ve decided on Tav’s foundations, let’s explore how to optimize their progression for each class path. Follow these build tips to make Tav as powerful as possible.

Fighter Builds

As a durable weapon master, Fighters work best as either a Champion tank or Battle Master striker.

Champion Fighters should focus on Strength, Constitution and melee weapons like greatswords. Take defensive Fighting Styles and champion abilities to become an impenetrable fortress.

Battle Master Fighters benefit from Strength, Dexterity and versatile weapons like longswords. Choose tactical Maneuvers and archery abilities to control the battlefield as a mobile skirmisher.

In both cases, pick Str/Dex boosting races like Mountain Dwarves and pump Tav’s weapon skills. Lean into Fighter strengths for best results.

Ranger Builds

Hunter Rangers have excellent damage potential from their Hunter’s Mark and other combat boosts. You’ll want high Dexterity, Wisdom and skills like Archery. Choose Colossus Slayer and Volley for even greater bow damage.

Beast Master Rangers rely heavily on their animal companion, so prioritize abilities that support your pet. Take Magic Fang and Coordinated Attack to empower your furry partner in battle. Keep them geared up and leveled alongside you.

For both, use wood elf or variant human to start with 16/18 Dexterity and pick proficiencies that complement your combat style. Favor Dexterity for your archer build.

Rogue Builds

Thief Rogues are extremely mobile skirmishers that can climb, dash and disengage with ease. Take every mobility talent you can find and equip Thief with rapiers and shortbows to strike hard on the move.

Play them as a Halfling or elf to start with boosted Dexterity. Max out your Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Acrobatics and lockpicking expertise as quickly as possible. Become the ultimate invisible stalker.

Arcane Trickster Rogues rely more on spells to control the field. Pick Cantrips like Minor Illusion and find a ranged weapon that utilitizes your Intelligence like the Hand Crossbow. Distract and debilitate foes from a distance before moving in.

Starting as a High Elf nets you extra wizard cantrips to expand your magical options. Lean hard into enchantments like Charm Person, Sleep and Invisibility to befuddle your enemies.

Wizard Builds

Evocation Wizards have the strongest damage spells, excelling at nuking enemies with fireballs and lightning. You’ll want to boost Intelligence as high as it can go. Carefully prepare the most potent damage spells each day to obliterate your foes.

Abjuration Wizards lean towards battlefield control and prevention. Pick buffs like Mage Armor and Shield. Disabling effects like Grease, Web and hypnotic Pattern are extremely effective. Telekinetic Shove foes into your hazards for more pain.

For both, races like Gnome and Tiefling work well. Dodge and crowd control will keep you alive since your AC is low. Always keep some defensive and escape options prepared just in case.

Warlock Builds

Hexblade Warlocks dominate as frontline skirmishers capable of both ranged and melee combat. Use your Armor of Shadows invocation for defense, then wade into battle with your pact weapon swinging. Mix of Eldritch Blasts when you need range.

Lurker in the Deep Warlocks focus on deception and guile. Pick invocations like Beguiling Influence and Eldritch Sight to enhance your trickery. Disguise yourself constantly to get the upper hand over your ignorant foes.

Prioritize Charisma regardless of build, while maintaining Dex, Con and Wis secondary stats. Deceive and mislead your enemies, then blast them into ashes once their guard is down.

Cleric Builds

Life Clerics are potent healers that safeguard their allies from harm. Stock up on healing, buffs and reviving spells like Healing Word, Bless and Revivify. Support your party with divine energy during every encounter.

War Clerics wield both divine magic and martial weapons to wade into the fray. Use Spiritual Weapon, Magic/Elemental Weapon and Spirit Guardians to control the battlefield. When things get dire, invoke powerful Channel Divinity options.

Focus first on Wisdom, then Strength or Dexterity for melee viability. Favor buffs, heals, wards and banishing spells over raw damage. Stand stalwart on the front lines when needed.

Druid Builds

Moon Druids are ferocious spellcasters that can shapechange into deadly beast forms. Prioritize Wild Shape upgrades, raw HP, concentration spells and Constitution above all else. Change forms to gain the strengths of different monsters at will.

Land Druids favor traditional spellcasting, learning additional spells from their Circle. Carefully prepare the most advantageous spells each day from your expanded list. Control the field with walls, storms, vines and summoned creatures to overwhelm your foes.

Regardless of Circle, make sure to pump Wisdom first and get proficient with Herbalism, Nature and Animal Handling skills to really lean into the nature mystic vibe.

Bard Builds

Valor Bards inspiring warriors who fight on the frontlines alongside their allies. You’ll want decent Strength and Constitution to mix it up in melee. Focus on support spells like Cure Wounds, Heroism, and Dispel Magic to empower your party.

Whispers Bards take a more sinister approach, manipulating minds and unleashing psychic venom. Pick enchantments like Dissonant Whispers and Bestow Curse to terrorize your enemies. Inflict vicious Words of Terror from the shadows.

Max out Charisma regardless. Grab healing, buffing and control spells so you can adapt to any situation. Inspire your allies often, then undermine your foes with vicious magic.

Sorcerer Builds

Draconic Bloodline Sorcerers focus on dealing high damage with elemental magic. Choose spells like Fire Bolt, Burning Hands and Scorching Ray to devastate enemies with your bloodline’s energy type. Get up close and center with dangerous foes whenever possible.

Divine Soul Sorcerers tap into both arcane and divine magic, so grab cleric spells like Spiritual Weapon, Guiding Bolt and Spirit Guardians. Support, buff and protect allies while blasting enemies. Metamagic like Twin Spell has great synergy.

Focus on Charisma, Constitution and crowd controlling spells for both builds. Carefully manage Sorcery Points and spell slots. Race choices like Tiefling and Half-Elf work very well here.

Monk Builds

Way of the Open Hand Monks focus on open palm techniques that control the flow of battle. Use Open Hand Technique to knock enemies prone. Sanctuary spell helps you reposition. Grab healing spells to support your unarmored durability.

Way of Shadow Monks take a more stealthy approach. Cast Darkness to blind foes. Use Pass Without Trace or teleport through shadows for mobility. Stun enemies, then disappear and strike again from a new angle.

Raise Dexterity, Wisdom and Constitution to extremely high levels. Favor Stunning Strike and mobility boosting abilities/spells. Keep a healthy supply of ranged weapons to take advantage of your powers.

Roleplaying Tav’s Personality and Backstory

Your choices in dialogues and interactions will determine Tav’s personality, motivations and relationships. Here are some roleplaying tips:

Give Tav values that guide their decisions. Are they heroic or morally questionable?
Build relationships with companions through approval and personal quests. But don’t be afraid to disagree!
Establish goals and ambitions. Do they crave adventure, knowledge, romance or something else?
React in character during dialogues. Play to your personality and past experiences.
Uncover secrets and make difficult choices. How you face them defines Tav as much as anything.
Allow Tav to organically evolve through their journey and choices. They can grow and change over time.

Making Impactful Choices For Tav’s Journey

The choices you make for Tav will direct the progression of their personal narrative and the overall Baldur’s Gate 3 story. Here are key decisions to consider carefully as you play:

Origin Character or Full Custom?

Origin characters come with pre-defined backgrounds that flavor the story experience in their own unique ways. But you forfeit total control over Tav’s history.
Fully customized Tavs let you completely shape their narrative from the ground up. But you miss out on tailored origin content.

Romancing Companions

You can engage in romance options with select companions. This unlocks special scenes and story arcs.
But it may also lock you out of content with other companions. And rejection can permanently damage relationships.

Alignment Shifts

Tav’s alignment will shift based on the morality of your choices. This affects available options and how NPCs perceive Tav.
But sticking to extremes can railroad you down a narrow path. Favor more nuanced choices.

Difficult Story Decisions

There are many ambiguous dilemmas where good solutions are unclear. Evaluate carefully and trust your instincts.
But don’t fret if you regret an option later on. Live with your choices and make the most of the experience.

Development of Key Relationships

Build strong rapport with your companions through deeds, conversations and personal quests. But don’t be afraid to disagree sometimes either.
Certain companions can become rivals under the right (or wrong) circumstances. This creates new roleplaying opportunities.
You can’t please everyone all the time. Focus on the most important bonds, and stay true to Tav’s personality.

FAQ – August 17, 2023

What is Tav in BG3?

Tav is the default customizable player character in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you can name and tailor to your liking. Tav is your representation in the world.

What does the name Tav means in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Tav is thought to derive from “avatar”, referring to the player’s avatar or embodiment within the game world. So it is an apt name for a customizable protagonist.

What is the best race for a beginner Tav?

The most beginner friendly race for Tav is Human, since their balanced stats and extra skill proficiency provide a solid foundation to learn the game.

How quickly can I respec my Tav’s abilities if I don’t like my build?

You can fully respec Tav’s entire build, including race, class, skills, spells and abilities at camp whenever needed with no penalties.

Does Tav’s race affect romance options with companions?

Tav’s race has no bearing on romance options. Companion relationships are based solely on your interactions and approval ratings.

What level should my Tav be before taking on the final boss?

It’s recommended to reach at least level 4 with Tav before attempting the final boss battle for sufficient skills and gear. Higher is safer.

Can Tav dual-class or multiclass in BG3?

Multiclassing is not yet implemented in early access. Tav is currently locked into a single class, but dual-classing may be added later.

Are there mods to add more customization options for Tav?

Yes, mods like Character Creation Unlocked improve the customization options for Tav’s appearance, skills, and attributes.