What is the Max Level in Baldur’s Gate 3? Answered

Baldur’s Gate 3 may be based on Dungeons & Dragons 5e, but that doesn’t mean every feature is going to align exactly. The level cap in Baldur’s Gate 3 may be a bit unexpected for players both experienced and unfamiliar with D&D, but the limit is in place with good reason. Continue reading to learn what the max level in Baldur’s Gate 3 is.

What is the Max Level in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Baldur’s Gate 3 has a level cap of 12. This may seem low for players used to RPGs with a maximum level of 99 or even 100, but 12 is quite high in Dungeons & Dragons 5e, where the max level is 20. Level 12 is typically part of the late or endgame in D&D 5e campaigns.

Why Doesn’t Baldur’s Gate 3 go up to Level 20?

In a 2023 interview with PC Gamer, Larian Studios founder Swen Vincke explains that Baldur’s Gate 3’s max level of 12 is due to game balance. Levels 12 to 20 are when players start verging on the level of godhood due to the immensely powerful and sometimes even reality-bending spells at their disposal. This makes balancing scenarios and enemies much more challenging than when in the level 12 and lower range.

“A lot of D&D adventures are sub-level 12,” says Vincke, because adventures from level 12 onwards “require a different way of doing things, in terms of antagonists you’re going to have to deal with, which require a lot of development to do them properly.” 

Baldur’s Gate 3’s max level of 12 isn’t arbitrarily lower than D&D 5e’s level 20 cap. If you’re interested in game mods that increase your XP gain to reach level 12 even faster, or other mods in general, check out our list of the top 15 Baldur’s Gate 3 mods.