Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Build Discussion Tool, music instrument and language proficiencies not tied to background?

Hey all,

I was looking into making a new character for a 2nd playthrough and I noticed that tool proficiencies dont seem to be listed anywhere? Languages also dont seem to not be implemented? Or crafting tools? Or musical instruments? My first character was a folk hero and thus it kind of dident register for me earlier. I should have had a selection of a form of artisan tools but had completly forgetten about that.

I was wondering if this is correct or not? I know Rogues have thieves tool proficiency with their class feats(or rather ive seen the bonus ingame) so its in part there. Ive tried playing instruments on characters without musical instruments and I cant play a song to safe my life no matter how many times ive tried. When I got to the backgrounds that should give thief tools proficiency it isent listed anywhere though. Heck for the rogue itself the bonus isent listed either anywhere that I can see in the character selection screen. Can someone confirm if these backgrounds give the profciency or not? Or heck, if therye even in the game?

This makes some backgrounds just straight up border-line useless. Point of the performer background for example is that you can be a (somewhat) bard without actually beeing a bard. I know theres a feat to get proficiency with musical instruments. But as far as I can tell its not listed anywhere. Criminals, charlatans nad urchins have things like thief tools and whatnot that arent listed anywhere either.

Urchin I was interested in. The background (should anyway) give proficiency in thieves tools and disguise kits. Allowing you to make a rogue without taking the rogue class.Guild artisan is missing most of the reason why you would even take it tp begin with

Am I missing something?

There is another way to get musical instrument. Should someone need help writing a song...play the lute! Do not verbally tell her how to do it!

If she replies like the others do il be chased out of town while getting rotten fruit thrown at me

There are indeed no tool proficiencies, no languages.

Thieves tools don’t need proficiency, just like you don’t need proficiency in a poisoners kit. If you have proficiency in sleight of hand then you have proficiency in thieves tools since that’s what’s used for picking locks, disabling traps, and picking pockets alike in this game.

All backgrounds give 2 skill proficiencies, no more and no less. The urchin background, with stealth and sleight of hand, arguably *does* give you thief-lite capabilities (lite since most rogues imho will put expertise into those two instead of just proficiency).

Musical instruments appear to be the exception to no tool proficiencies being in game for some reason, but any character can get them for free (check the wiki, help Alvira). Once obtained you just use performance checks, which is indeed granted by the background in question.

I helped Alvira with her song but dident get tool proficieny. Might have to take a look later on the wiki then.

Its probably expertise that I saw as the thief tools bonus then. Theres so many bonuses you can stack for trap disarming and lock picking that im not to worried about it ever beeing an issue.

Thanks for the info

You need to play the lute while helping her, not just instruct her with the lyrics and the theme.
I know, it's dumb.

That's what I was trying to say. I missed out too cause I didn't know.