Ability Scores Guide: All Ability Effects and Modifiers

In Baldur's Gate 3, Ability Scores are the general attributes of a character and can give bonuses to their rolls. Read on to learn more about ability scores including what they are and how to increase them.

What are Ability Scores

General Attributes of a Character

Ability Scores are numerical values that represent a certain attribute of characters in the game. There are six Abilities for each character: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

Ability	Description
Strength	Affects Athletics skills and effectiveness with melee weapons. This also affects how far you can jump and throw as well as how much you can carry in your inventory.
Dexterity	Affects Dexterity skills, effectiveness with ranged and some melee weapons, as well as your Initiative and Armour Class.
Constitution	Affects your overall HP, Stamina, and physical endurance.
Intelligence	Affects Intelligence skills, memory and your mental power. This also improves spellcasting for wizards.
Wisdom	Affects Wisdom skills and your intuition. This also improves spellcasting for clerics, druids, and rangers.
Charisma	Affects Charisma skills and your personality. This influences how you interact with other characters and improves spellcasting for bards, sorcerers, and warlocks.

The Ability Scores for each of these will vary per character as the score for each ability will depend on which race and class a character is.

Provides Bonuses Based on Modifiers

Ability Scores also determine if a character receives a bonus whenever a roll takes place. Depending on a character's Ability Score, they can get bonus points added when they make a roll for Ability Checks.

This goes both ways and if a character has an ability score of 9 or less, a penalty will be imposed on a roll by way of deducted points.

All Ability Scores and Modifiers

Ability Score	Modifier
1	-5
2 - 3	-4
4 - 5	-3
6 - 7	-2
8 - 9	-1
10 - 11	0
12 - 13	+1
14 - 15	+2
16 - 17	+3
18 - 19	+4
20 - 21	+5
22 - 23	+6
24 - 25	+7
26 - 27	+8
28 - 29	+9
30	+10

When creating your character, it is recommended to aim for an ability score of 16 on your character's main ability as this allows you to start the game with a bonus of +3 modifiers. As you progress in the game, your ability scores will also affect the skills of your class, allowing certain abilities to scale better as you level up your character.

How to Increase Ability Scores

Choose Ability Score Improvements at Levels 4, 8, and 12

Upon reaching levels 4, 8, and 12 respectively, players can forgo taking a Feat and boost their abilities with Ability Improvement. This can be used to increase a single ability score by 2 or it can be divided between 2 different ability scores.

List of Feats

Equip Items That Increase Ability Scores

In addition to leveling up, there are items you can find in the game that increases certain Ability Scores. As you progress through the game, find and equip these items to increase your ability scores without needing to level up!

Warped Headband of Intellect: How to Get

Baldur's Gate Related Guides

Character Creation Guide

All Character Creation Guides

All Character Creation Guides
List of Races	List of Subraces
List of Feats	List of Race Features
List of Skills	Ability Scores
Background & Origins	-