Author: Nik Ranger

Baldur’s Gate 3’s new evil Dark Urge ending coming to Patch 7 is horrifying Larian StudiosWith Patch 7 arriving in September, Larian Studios has been teasing Baldur’s Gate 3 fans with new evil cinematics such as this alarming Dark Urge ending that has your companions do the unthinkable. The amount of endings present in Baldur’s Gate 3 is difficult to count, but even more are on the horizon for players who enjoy doing evil runs. The Dark Urge Origin is among those getting extra attention, and it will receive new “really evil” endings such as this terrifying one. Be wary of spoilers if you haven’t completed this Dungeons & Dragons RPG yet. The video begins with the Dark Urge standing alongside Shadowheart, Lae’zel, and Wyll. The player’s character then uses their illithid powers to hypnotize the companions. The three of them walk closer to the edge of the Nautiloid ship as they stare off into the distance. Suddenly, the three fall forward and off the ship to their impending deaths as the camera pans out to show their bodies falling. Surprisingly, the ending has the Dark Urge follow in their fate, tipping off the edge as well. The clip ends with the narrator, voiced by Amelia Tyler, saying this line: “Time for the final act, your tragedy has become mankind’s.” It seems as though this ending will have the Dark Urge help the Netherbrain take over the world, but they will decide not to stick around to see what it will become. Or perhaps the Dark Urge lives and flies off; the clip is cut so players can’t see how it will truly end. This isn’t the only new content shown off by Larian, as the devs previously shared another diabolical ending for players to look forward to once the next patch rolls around. Although not for the Dark Urge, this one is just as disturbing. Replies to the Reddit post are full of fans who love how dark these evil endings are. “Imagine doing this to your companions who have been by your side every step of the journey,” said one commenter who was shocked by the morbidity of the new cinematic. Players also appreciated how the Dark Urge jumped as well, with another reply explaining, “You caused all this death and destruction just to end your own life.” Other fans have found it incredibly difficult to experience endings like this. As another commenter said, “I cannot physically bring myself to choose them they hurt too much.” With September only being a couple of weeks away, more ending teasers may be in store ahead of Patch 7‘s release – or perhaps Larian will leave the best for fans to discover on their own.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Neil Newbon had no idea Astarion would be a major character Larian StudiosDuring an interview with Dexerto, Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion voice actor Neil Newbon revealed how the companion came to be the vampire everyone knows and loves, and just how much was hidden from him in the first few months of filming. Few things make Baldur’s Gate 3 as thrilling as the game’s companions, from the excitable nature of Karlach, the sweet yet stubborn design of Shadowheart, or the flirtatious yet manipulative style of Astarion. No matter who you tend to romance or adventure with, their personalities are bound to grasp you and help create an experience you’ll never forget. These personalities are in part owed to both the writers and the incredibly talented voice actors who bring the companions to life. One such companion was so highly regarded that they won The Game Award for Best Performance, and are continuing to revive accolades for their stellar performance of Astarion. Dexerto spoke to Neil Newbon who revealed just how Astarion came to be, and that he was not the subtle “minor boss” or “fun character” he originally expected. Neil Newbon thought Baldur’s Gate 3′ Astarion was “minor boss” Speaking to Neil Newbon, we asked him all about how Astarion came to be, how much he changed, and how Neil created a companion as memorable as our favorite vampire elf. “Initially, I thought he was going to be a bit villainous and like a minor boss or something like that, or just a fun character you meet” revealed Newbon, who went on to say that, when recording the initial recall demo, “I didn’t realize he was a companion. And [Larian] didn’t tell me he was a companion initially which I actually think was a good idea.” As many know, Astarion is extremely manipulative and from the moment you meet him he’s reserved – but as Neil explains, the reasoning for this was partly due to him not knowing the character was a companion as well as the newer nature of Astarion’s personality: “The initial foundation of the character was there but it was a bit muted because we just started and we had you know I hadn’t had much lead up time to develop him.” In fact, Neil added that the muted nature spanning to the blossomed ‘full Astarion’ was a happy accident. “So a happy accident was that the first time you meet him…he’s very muted, he’s sort of still got that inflection, still sort the same body language, but it’s way more contained. And then gradually, after the first few days, he opens up… so it’s the same person he’s just a lot more relaxed with you. He can be who he really is.” Neil went on to say how early on, the beginning iterations of Astarion came to be cemented: “So that was an interesting happy accident that came within the first three weeks I would say that I had an idea and it just blossomed into the full idea of him.” As many see from Baldur’s Gate 3, the arc and journey Astarion goes on feels much the same, where he feels reserved and ends up relaxing into a friendship, romance, or manipulation. It’s certainly befitting of one of the game’s most beloved characters, and it’s clear Neil has used all aspects of the recording process and his talents to create a performance many will never forget.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Neil Newbon believes Astarion represents a shift for LGBT+ characters LarianDexerto sat down to interview Neil Newbon, the renowned and award-winning voice actor for Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion, who revealed just how pivotal the character has been for LGBTQIA+ representation in video games. For many, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game where players feel seen. Regardless of its fantasy nature and spellcasting features, the game manages to capture personalities perfectly. As such, fans instantly began seeing themselves in the companions, and characters, or even people that reminded them of loved ones, who they aim to become, or the type of person they want to fall in love with. However, one feature that has represented a sizeable change in video game narrative is LGBT+ representation – with pivotal characters being queer, trans, pansexual, and more. Dexerto sat down with Astarion voice actor – Neil Newbon – who highlighted just how important a character like Astarion is for the future of gaming. Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion proves the LGBT+ narrative is changing Speaking to Neil Newbon, we asked him all about Astarion’s place in the LGBT+ community and how the character has helped many further understand their sexuality or feel comfortable expressing themselves due to the companions’ confidence. “I definitely think that I represent how games narratives have changed and how people’s pallets have changed with that to allow a normalization of LGBTQIA + characters in games” explained Newbon. Speaking on this, Newborn explored how Astarion has marked a change in video game LGBT+ representation and how such representation has further allowed players to be seen and feel comfortable in their passions. He went on to explain that he thinks Astarion is “a really good example of how you have a kick-ass character that’s one of the heroes, even though he’s an anti-hero, that happens to be pansexual, that happens to be queer.” Thanks to the expert writing of Baldur’s Gate 3, the companions – with Astarion included – are simply their own personality and characteristics, while their sexuality is just a “flavor” rather than a defining factor. Or, something that needs to be focused on throughout their journey. After all, there’s a lot for these characters to worry about beyond sexual preferences. Essentially, through the recognizable personality traits and the excellent writing for the game, Astarion “can represent the normalization of [LGBT+ characters] within society.” On top of this, Neil highlighted how “it’s great to be able to say it’s normal. That’s just a flavor that he has” rather than his sexuality being the primary focus of the character. “I just like the fact that people have connected to him, and I love the fact that I get to champion along with all the other amazing people in the world that do so much for the LGBTQIA + community, that I also get to contribute to that narrative and to also help and educate” explained Neil, proving just hope much of an impact the character has had on the community and game production as a whole.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Murder Hobo background is actually the “most heroic playthrough” Larian StudiosAn interview with Baldur’s Gate 3 lead writer Adam Smith has revealed some interesting secrets about the popular Dark Urge background, with an ending many may not be expecting. One of the best elements of Baldur’s Gate 3 is its versatility. Whether you want to play as one of the companions, your own build, or a literal Murder Hobo, the options are there for you to enjoy. When the Murder Hobo, otherwise known as the Dark Urge was revealed, fans went wild. Finally, a character where you can just destroy things and lean into all those twisted urges many D&D players enjoy passing up on. However, during this interview, Adam Smith detailed some rather interesting information regarding the Dark Urge Origin character, showing fans there’s much more to them than a doomed future. Baldur’s Gate 3 lead writer labels Dark Urge as the “most heroic playthrough” During an interview with PC Gamer, Baldur’s Gate 3’s lead writer, Adam Smith talked all about his playthrough as the extremely popular Dark Urge origin character, letting players in on a little secret about this twisted and tortured background. “To me…the Dark Urge is potentially the most heroic playthrough” detailed Smith, going on to explain that the reason for this is “because resisting what’s inside you and actually getting through that and surviving it with your friends alongside you still, most of them intact, is I think the most heroic version of the game.” Smith went on to provide a little more detail regarding their statement, explaining what he means by potentially. Explaining how “yes you can absolutely play a chaotic awful Dark Urge all the way through to the end, but that if you’re conscious and shrewd, those very urges may be what allows you to seal the deal on a good ending.” Who’d have thought that resisting from biting off poor Gale’s arm as he reaches out of a portal makes you the hero – but there is something to be said for ignoring your dark urges and exploring the game as a villain trying to reconsider their mistakes.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most “useless” spell isn’t as weak as you think Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 contains hundreds of spells, each differing in their power and usefulness. However, one of the most “useless” spells shouldn’t be ignored by players. Not all Baldur’s Gate 3 spells were created equally, and players on the game’s Reddit were quick to slam the “useless” nature of the Seeming spell. Seeming serves to disguise multiple party members, aiding in the likes of stealth, deception, and more. However, the spell isn’t as simple as it sounds with some fans reporting that party members have to save and that “it doesn’t even let you choose how to disguise yourself” slamming the pointless nature of Seeming. Shortly after though, fans descended to the comments to explain why this “useless” spell is actually pretty powerful in the right situations. “Crimes committed are assigned to the disguise of the character (race+gender combo). Disguise the party, commit a crime, escape, come back undisguised, they won’t know it was you” shared one user, revealing how useful it can be when you’re attempting to do something wrong while still avoiding capture. Another highlighted that you can in fact choose your disguise, going on to explain that “It assigns something at random first but once you’re disguised you can change it to whatever you want by using the “Adjust Seeming” skill.” Interestingly, one of the most handy uses of Seeming is on dead NPCs: “The shape-changing spell I found very useful mainly for talking to dead people you have killed and who then refuse to talk to your murderer.” Ultimately, Seeming isn’t the best spell in the world and can be rather frustrating, but when used tactically it can be extremely beneficial for roleplaying, extracting information, and avoiding trouble when required. Just be sure to use it away from people (perhaps in your camp) to avoid any unwanted saves and frustrations.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most useful spell is straight out of X-Men Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 prioritizes movement more than Dungeons & Dragons, which has led to one spell being singled out as the most useful in the game. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a strong focus on combat. As such, players tend to favor damage-dealing spells with a wide area of effect, like Fireball or Lightning Bolt. There are also buffing spells useful in battle, like Invisibility and Haste, making your warriors more effective. But what about movement? Baldur’s Gate 3’s combat has lots of verticality, as well as environmental hazards that make it dangerous to change positions. To this end, users on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit were dubbing Misty Step as the most useful spell in the game. “Misty Step,” the OP wrote, “I’d argue is the most useful spell in the game. Oh you want to get up to a vantage point? Misty Step, you don’t have movement speed but you want to get close to an enemy? Misty Step, or you just want to get across something that you can’t reach? Misty Step.” Another user wrote, “The best thing about Misty Step is that it lets your mages stay our of ranged attack range, run into attack range, do an attack then get way the hell out of attack range again. “For some reason, people act like it’ll kill them to keep their casters out of the enemy’s range – you see more people bloody multiclassing into a heavy Armor Class to create some stupid AC-tank caster instead of just, you know, using the mage’s inherent abilities to keep them safe.” This wasn’t the only place online where Misty Step love was shown, as another thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit also had people naming it the most useful spell in the game, comparing it to Nightcrawler’s powers in the X-Men franchise. “Call me basic but I love a good Misty Step. It lets me live out my Nightcrawler dreams. Also, I love Gale and Astarion’s delivery of the spell incantation (the two characters who most use it in my runs).” Misty Step isn’t only useful in combat, as it can be used to reach far-off places outside your jumping range and bypass certain doors. The fact that it only uses a Bonus Action to cast and lets you slip away from Attacks of Opportunity makes it more appealing for your precious level 2 spell slots.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most unique companion has the most boring backstory Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has some exciting companions filled with the kind of backstories many D&D players dream of for their own characters – but perhaps the most unique companion just has the most boring backstory. From being enslaved by a cambion, kidnapped by a cult, a prisoner to a powerful vampire, and even being chosen by a god, the companions of BG3 are certainly not lacking in both flair and incredibly unfortunate circumstances. However, one companion doesn’t seem to live up to these standards, and they still retain one of the most interesting character designs in the game. Lae’zel has a fantastic character design, leading to multiple cosplays, similar creations, and inspirations for new D&D campaigns – but she just has the most boring backstory of them all. Sure, she’s a deadly warrior in service of Vlaakith, but before the tadpole incident, she was just a generic Gith soldier; nothing special really happened to her until the infection. Baldur’s Gate 3 players were quick to spot the glaring normality of her backstory, sharing that “Ironically, Lae’zel is the most normal person in the party” on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit. Others found it to be hilarious that “the literal alien has the least fantastical background and role.” As a fighter, she’s almost your standard character, using the simplest class and easiest background, despite having one of the most unique races available in the game (aside from Dragonborn). “Lae’zel was basically the class valedictorian and then got abducted right before graduation,” joked another player, going on to say, “Now she’s finding out her people’s Judas is still alive, and actually, he’s the one who had a point.” Ultimately, while Lae’zel may have a pretty standard backstory, her real adventure happens during the game, where she discovers more about Orpheus and Vlaakith. The other companions certainly have in-game arcs, but none match up to Lae’zel’s total twist of belief (aside from maybe Shadowheart).

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most OP race gets ignored by most NPCs Larian StudiosThanks to their Astral Knowledge, Psionics, and proficiencies, the Baldur’s Gate 3 Githyanki is one of the most powerful races in the game – but if you choose it, you’ll get ignored by almost all Githyanki NPCs. There are tons of races in Baldur’s Gate 3, and most of them will only have an effect on your rolls and combat – although you may get a few useful conversational lines during roleplay. However, if you choose one of the most overpowered races in Baldur’s Gate 3, you may find those conversations to be pretty short, especially if you meet other Githyanki. Whenever you’re traveling with Lae’zel as a Gith Tav, you’ll quickly come to find that most conversations are aimed towards the companion, rather than the player in question, with many Gith NPCs choosing to completely ignore Tav and speak to Lae’zel, regardless of the similarities. Voss in particular is guilty of such ignorance, with him only appearing if you have Lae’zel in your party, despite the fact that you’re just as much of a Gith as she is. In fact, this is a particular gripe shared by many members of the community, with plenty sharing their frustration and highlighting how they often feel that the only resort is to play a Durge Gith Tav, to help overcome any rudeness. If you don’t want to play a Durge and want to avoid being cut out of your own story, it’s recommended that you either avoid playing a Gith, make them less charismatic, or cut Lae’zel out of the party when traveling into Gith territory. Although you may have to face her wrath if you do so.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most interesting scenes aren’t shown on-screen Larian StudiosKarlach was a late addition to Baldur’s Gate 3, which might be why one aspect of her character design is never fully explained by the developers, with characters only interacting with it off-screen. Karlach has one of the most tragic backstories of any Baldur’s Gate 3 character. She was sold into slavery and sent to Avernus, which is one of D&D’s many hellish afterlives. There, she had a machine called an Infernal Engine installed in place of her heart, one that would make her stronger in combat. Throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, Karlach’s storyline involves the Infernal Engine breaking down, despite attempts to fix it by characters you meet throughout the game world. Users on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit have pointed out a big question about how Karlach’s biology works, especially as it keeps coming up in-game. How does Karlach access the Infernal Engine in Baldur’s Gate 3? So, how exactly does Dammon install the upgrades to Karlach’s Infernal Engine? Based on her character model, the glowing engine appears fully lodged within her chest, with no easy means of access. Users on Reddit weren’t sure, but they had some theories. “My headcanon is that Karlach’s chest opens up like an easy bake oven, and she’s thought at least once about using the engine’s heat to bake cookies for the party,” one user wrote, while another said, “You twist the nipples in opposite directions, and the chest cavity opens. Same as any woman.” “Those little circular metal holes in her shoulder work like the SIM card tray release on a mobile phone,” one user speculated, while another wrote, “I think this begs for a mod where Karlach has a metal cylinder in her chest like Tony Stark did in the early MCU.” The obvious answer to this, and every other Baldur’s Gate 3 & D&D-related question, is “It’s magic.” The more accurate answer is that including scenes showing Karlach installing Infernal Engine parts would have been a pain to animate, so they left it to the imagination. It’s a shame that players aren’t given an idea of how Karlach interacts with the Infernal Engine. It could have made for a great body horror cutscene and further show the pain that she endures on her path of vengeance.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most common item can accidentally kill the party YouTube/Naughty GamingBe careful when using torches in Baldur’s Gate 3, as they can accidentally annihilate the party if you use one in the wrong area. In Baldur’s Gate 3 and D&D 5e, some races have Darkvision, which allows them to see through all non-magical darkness. Everyone else requires a light source, especially if you’re going to be exploring dungeons or entering the dangerous Underdark. Luckily, the game provides plenty of options for light. One of the most common items in containers and on enemy corpses are torches. These have their own special inventory slot, making it easy to switch between them and your weapons with a single button press. Even if you don’t find a torch, several magical Cantrips in Baldur’s Gate 3 provide light. You’ll need them, as users on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit are talking about how using a torch led to their party’s destruction. “Almost lost me my honour run and locked me out of the Titanstring,” the OP wrote, “Entered the Zhentarim hideout with my shillelagh torch and blew it up.” This anecdote refers to the Zhentarim base in Act I, which is covered in flammable oil. The Zhentarim is an evil organization so wicked that it doesn’t follow fire safety precautions, as walking around with a torch can nuke the base. This also locks you out of the Titanstring bow, with a quest reward in the area. “I was wondering why when I loaded into my honor run down there everything instantly exploded,” one user wrote, while another said, “I saw the title and thought, ‘must be torch.’ I lost Titanstring and blew up my honor mode team with only Laezel surviving with 8 hp.” The Everburn Blade from the tutorial also has this trait. One user said, “I had the same problem when I had the Everburn blade equipped. Walked in casually and went through all the usual steps and dialogue and as I entered the main area…. Let’s just say my time in the base was super short.” The torch has some useful traits in Baldur’s Gate 3, especially if you need to ignite an explosive and have nothing else to hand. That said, you need to be extremely careful about keeping one active and should probably have a spellcaster learn the Light Cantrip instead.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most “anti-climactic” NPC is a massive missed opportunity Larian StudiosNPCs play a crucial role in the storytelling and world development of Baldur’s Gate 3. However, there is one NPC that players feel is anti-climactic and feels like a missed opportunity. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game and the NPCs you come across in your journeys are as important as the companions. These NPCs will offer you quests and items that assist you in progressing the story and have an impact on the events of the world. However, there is one NPC that players feel is a missed opportunity as they feel anti-climactic and pointless. The NPC under consideration is the Raven Guy and a major section of the community is unhappy with how Larian Studios handled them. Baldur’s Gate 3 feel Raven Guy NPC is a missed opportunity The discussion surrounding the topic was initiated by a Reddit user where they claimed “When you encounter him he is super creepy, alludes to immense power, has a white raven he communicates with and sends you to punish the wicked.” They further continued, “Turns out to be an emo Elf with no special skills who can’t even summon ravens, he has a pair of gloves with “Summon Raven Familiar” on them.” They continued, “Also he has a letter on him where the people at home desperately want him to come home instead of being an idiot pursuing things nobody cares about and instead help to stabilize the city he left.” Other players joined in the conversation as a lot of them have very similar ideas. One such user mentioned, “The game was supposed to have some sort of side content about the Raven Queen, but nothing really came of that. I guess it was scrapped in favour of focusing more on Shar.” Another user chimed in, “You just do his quest and you don’t even learn that he’s this sh***y loser in most outcomes.” One player also claimed, “However, his raven was the exact opposite.” Finally, one of the players commented, “I honestly loved his aesthetic but I loved smiting him even more when he was revealed to be a petty little s**thead.” Therefore, it is safe to mention that most players did not like this character. Some of them found it funny how useless the Raven Guy is, while others felt he was a waste of time and a loser in the end.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s most annoying NPCs annihilated in viral nuke detonation Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 player has wrought vengeance on the titular city’s most frustrating NPCs. The barrel nuke they used to do so may have been overkill. Player agency is baked into the DNA of Baldur’s Gate 3 thanks to its roots in the popular tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons. Larian has given us a plethora of tools and it’s up to us to decide what we do with them. If you set your scruples aside, the innate rules of the gameworld can be used to circumvent challenges or add an unlikely subclass to your favorite companion. Tricks with Baldur’s Gate 3’s physics have been rife since the game’s launch but the perennial favorite is what fans of the game like to call ‘barrelmancy’. In a stunning display of this forbidden art, one player has crafted the in-game equivalent of a nuclear bomb. Was it done to trivialize a particularly challenging combat encounter? No. X user jakethebrick_ used the biggest explosion we’ve ever seen in the game to take care of a small group of noncombative street performers. For some context, the Wizards outside of Sorcerous Sundries in Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City are well-known to most players. They sling cantrips back and forth but they cast them so loudly and frequently, it can become a little grating. We may be underselling how annoying they are given the response of jakethebrick_. They stacked over 100 smokepowder, runepowder, firewine, and oil barrels into a towering mega structure outside of Sorcerous Sundries. “I’ve been hoarding every single barrel and explosive I could find since Act 1,” they explained. “All for this moment.” They protected their party by casting Globe of Invulnerability and lit the fuse with Alchemist’s Fire. The resulting explosion created a retina-searing flash and slowed their game’s framerate to the single digits. “I’m honestly surprised the game didn’t crash,” jakethebrick_ admitted in the comments. At the very least, it was a satisfying revenge which the Xuser confirmed was “100% worth it”. Not content with experiencing it for themselves, they linked their save file in the comments complete with a full inventory of explosive barrels. Do with that information what you will.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Minsc makes fun of Tav’s name if you do this one trick Larian StudiosTav is one of the most common names for Baldur’s Gate 3 characters, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune to a little light bullying by Minsc, especially if you follow this one trick. Baldur’s Gate 3 players can be extremely inventive with their character designs, builds, and choices, but many times, that stops when it comes to naming the design you crafted for hours on end, leaving many to name them the default title, Tav. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with sticking to Tav, but you’d better be prepared for a little bit of teasing by everyone’s favorite hamster-loving companion, Minsc. Essentially, if you choose to accept Raphael’s deal, you’ll be able to speak to Minsc who will quickly berate you for your decision, explaining that Raphael will bind you by your name. What follows is a hilarious scene where Minsc is convinced you’ve used a fake name, poking fun at Shadowheart, and then eventually mentioning Tav, before saying it was “something foolish” like Tav. As soon as he suggests it, both Boo and Minsc add that it can’t be Tav as “that is a stupid, stupid name.” Poor Shadowheart is constantly the subject of ridicule regarding her name, despite the fact that it’s not her real name either. However, it’s Tav that Minsc really goes for, which shows just how willing Larian is to poke fun at both their own name idea and the fact that so many Baldur’s Gate 3 players end up opting for the simplest name ever, despite spending hours on their characters’ aesthetics and build. Interestingly, Tav is actually quite an inventive name and isn’t actually short for Tavern. Instead, it represents Larian’s CEO, Swen Vinckle’s dog Gustav. Unfortunately, Gustav passed before the game was released, so to honor him, Larian made the default character name Tav. If Minsc knew about the origins of that name, it’s extremely unlikely the companion would make fun of the character’s choices.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s major bosses can be fluked with this “busted” spell Larian StudiosSome of the most difficult bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3 are being absolutely demolished thanks to one particularly “busted and hilarious” spell. Baldur’s Gate 3 features some pretty challenging encounters with both friends and foes alike. Fortunately, the devs allow you to play the way you want, letting you tackle them in any way you choose, whether that be taking enemies head-on, blasting them down with Arcane Magic, or maybe you choose to send in your party whilst you go for a nap in camp. The choice is always yours. There’s even the option to not engage at all sometimes, letting you completely bypass a fight with some smart thinking and lucky Charisma checks. But if you do end up failing a Charisma check, or just want to get into a fight, there’s always one fantastic option for decimating your enemies, according to a Reddit thread by Baldur’s Gate 3 players. The spell Otto’s Irresistable Dance is a level six enchantment spell, which forces the target to stay in place and start dancing. Taking away the ability to move or take action is a powerful effect itself, but forcing them to dance just adds insult to injury. “I always forget about it, but when I managed to get Ketheric to his little dance, I could not stop f**king laughing for so long. Best spell, hands down,” one player cheered. “I don’t consider it a real House of Hope fight until I’ve made Raphael dance to his own villain song at least once,” another chimed in. Other players were simply glad that spells that let you control other characters work in Baldur’s Gate 3, adding even more options to combat. “I really love that control spells are quite effective in this game,” they explained. “Especially after countless RPGs where anything besides maximum damage (and as little defense you could get away with, but not a smidge more) got treated as a mere afterthought or flavor.” Otto’s Irresistible Dance can only be picked up by Bards or Wizards at Class Level 11, making it a spell you’ll need to invest into if you want to force your enemies to get down. Though just watching some of the game’s toughest enemies dance helplessly is more than enough reward for the investment.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Lorroakan didn’t get the focus he deserved Larian StudiosThere are plenty of villains in Baldur’s Gate 3, but one key Wizard should have received more attention, as his tale could have been a perfect slow burner for act three. From the Chosen Three, Raphael, the Elder Brain, and even the True Souls, Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t exactly lacking in enemies to defeat. However, some seem to take a much higher spot in the storyline, while others get forgotten about, being resigned to a simple hack-and-slash with very little emotional connection. Lorroakan is one such character, as many players usually either head into his tower and defeat him, or simply ignore the questline and forget about him entirely. This is extremely saddening as his storyline is the perfect amount of twisted and emotional, while also linking perfectly to multiple key companions. Ultimately, Lorroakan deserved a much higher focus, both in battle and storyline. His tower could have worked much like a dungeon, instead of simply teleporting to his bedroom without so much as a bodyguard to stop you. After all, a high-powered Wizard would have had protective spells stopping any unwanted intruders, or constructs to protect him. So why not use them against the players? Then there’s his storyline. As detailed by both Gale and Aylin, Lorroakan is constantly seen to be a bit of a hack and a pretty evil person. He’s quick to abuse vulnerable people around him and even targets NPCs close to the player, like Rolan. As such, it’s easy for him to prompt some anger among the players, yet all we’re allowed to do is destroy him in a few rounds, rather than savoring his demise. The fans of Baldur’s Gate 3 are also echoing the same sentiments, with some feeling bad about how quick his death is. Many argue that his tower should have been slower, allowing you to really understand his cruelty and actively pursue ending his life. Others agree, highlighting how his storyline is a little rushed, and that a slower build-up and higher focus could have made it all the more memorable. There’s no way Larian would have been able to put an intense focus on every enemy in Baldur’s Gate 3, but for Lorroakan to desire so much and take from so many beloved characters, it almost seems a shame that he wasn’t a more satisfying storyline.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Lae’zel voice actress fires back at snarky player comments Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players have aired some grievances about the game’s Githyanki goddess Lae’zel. When voice actress Devora Wilde caught wind, she took to TikTok in a hilarious response to her character’s haters. A portion of the Baldur’s Gate 3 community can’t seem to get behind Lae’zel despite being vivacious, viridescent, and violent. Some players are apparently turned off by her abrasive attitude and general malcontent but she’s not the only flawed companion in Baldur’s Gate 3. Recent discourse among the Baldur’s Gate 3 player base focused on the similarities between Astarion and Lae’zel and the disproportionate hate towards our favorite fighter. We can’t fathom why anyone wouldn’t stan this gracious Githyanki who nobly helps the game’s horniest speedrunners. Lae’zel’s voice actress Devora Wilde has picked out some of her favorite digs at the character and responded via her TikTok. Her rebuttal is a send-up of the popular Jimmy Kimmel Show segment ‘Mean Tweets’ complete with R.E.M wailing in the background. Wilde responded to every Tweet she could dig up in character, even applying a filter to shrink her nose for authenticity. Ironically, one of the Tweets she read out referenced Lae’zel’s nose specifically. “She looks like someone accidentally set the nose slider to 10%. Impossible to take her design seriously,” the Tweet read. “At least they didn’t set the slider to 210%,” Wilde quipped back. Other criticisms held a little more weight to them. The Tweet that kicked off the Astarion/Lae’zel discussion made an appearance but Wilde seemed unbothered by the take. “I’m glad she has an arc, but I’m not putting up with her shit for 10 hours for her to eventually maybe stop being an ass,” the Twitter user explained. Wilde wasn’t too harsh despite being in character. She simply responded that “the feeling is mutual”. Wilde has embraced her role as Lae’zel from the get-go and has actively shared her part in the game on TikTok for a while. She’s been a massive asset to the game’s community sharing behind-the-scenes footage, reactions to cutscenes, and answering fan questions. Despite the hate she gets, Lae’zel is also a pretty huge asset in Baldur’s Gate 3 as well. If you want to find out more about how she and other companions can help you in your quest, check out all our Baldur’s Gate 3 guides. Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Karlach actor streams as her character in beloved playthrough Samantha Beart / YouTubeActor Samantha Beart reprised her role as Karlach after playing Baldur’s Gate 3 as her own character while live streaming, as fans loved it. Baldurs Gate 3’s Karlach quickly became a fan-favorite character in the story-rich Dungeons & Dragons RPG. Everyone’s favorite tiefling barbarian has been adored by players for being a courageous warrior who wears her emotions on her sleeve and aims to live life to the fullest. Off the back of the game’s success, Larian Studios even gave fans a chance to learn more about Karlach’s actor and the rest of the beloved cast when they played DnD. Now, Samantha Beart gave fans more in-depth insights into her character during a live stream on October 18th. Baldur’s Gate 3’s Karlach actor plays as herself on stream In the broadcast titled: “Karlach Plays Karlach,” the actor revealed she was live streaming for the first time as she went live on her own YouTube channel. “I don’t know what I’m doing I just felt like this would be the ultimate immersive experience as a performer and give you a right laugh,” Beart announced as she began the stream. “I’m going to lose my mind doing this but wow there are a heck of a lot of you in today and I was not expecting that,” she added. Beart played through the game as her own character for over two hours as she shared interesting facts while constantly answering viewers’ questions. She could be heard rooting for herself numerous times during the stream, as she said: “Go on girl,” and “Don’t you just love her.” After stopping right around the 2-hour mark, the actor delighted her viewers by announcing she would be doing another via YouTube on Monday to continue her playthrough as Karlach. Aside from the actor, if you need help building the best Karlach build in Baldur’s Gate 3 then check out our guide.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Japanese version will be heavily censored Larian StudiosDetails about the Japanese version of Baldur’s Gate 3 have revealed that the game will censor elements like nudity and violence in keeping with the country’s stricter content laws. Baldur’s Gate 3 quickly earned a reputation for its adult content. Those who played the Early Access version of the game were shown a lot of the blood and dismemberment that would make it into the final release. Even before release, the Baldur’s Gate 3 risque bear scene was making headlines, as it was bold of a game based on the mainstream D&D 5E license to feature something that would normally only be seen in the Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row franchises. Not all versions of Baldur’s Gate 3 will be the same, however, as the upcoming Japanese release will take some of the adult content out, to adhere to Japan’s slightly stricter content laws. Gore & nudity cuts in Japanese release Spike Chunsoft is publishing the PS5 version of Baldur’s Gate 3 in Japan. A new post on the Spike Chunsoft website has confirmed that certain alterations had to be made for Baldur’s Gate 3 to receive a CERO rating in the country, allowing it to be sold. These changes include removing any nudity from Baldur’s Gate 3. This is an option in the English language release, as players can disable all Baldur’s Gate 3 nudity before starting the game, but that setting cannot be altered in Japan. In terms of violence, the Japanese version of Baldur’s Gate 3 will remove depictions of internal organs, as well as remove the option to torture prisoners in the Goblin Camp section of Act I. These cuts might seem odd, but titles like The Last of Us Part II attained a CERO Z rating, the highest that the board offers, and even that also had a cut scene. Sony has the strictest content guidelines of the big three console makers, especially in Japan, resulting in Baldur’s Gate 3’s local changes for the Japanese market. These changes have only been announced for the PS5 version of Baldur’s Gate 3 in Japan and not the PC version. Such censorship wouldn’t mean much on that platform, as it’s easy to restore cut content using mods, allowing Japanese gamers to enjoy Halsin’s bear scene in all of its glory.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s infamous bear sex scene was planned by real intimacy coordinator Larian StudiosIntimacy coordinators in movies and TV are nothing new but Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 appears to be an early adopter in the video game space. The game’s actors detailed how the studio adopted the practice to help with its many romance scenes. Baldur’s Gate 3 is massive in terms of scope and part of that is thanks to the plethora of potential relationships players can form with its characters. For many of these, the payoff is romantic entanglement, usually with a physical component. Yes, the game has 17,000 potential endings but arguably the most important endings lie at the end of the romance paths. We probably don’t need to remind you that one of these involves copulation with a Druid who shapeshifts into a bear from all the excitement. According to a BBC interview with some of the game’s cast, Larian Studios employed an intimacy coordinator to help them while performing sex scenes. Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the first video games to ever do so. Intimacy coordinators are commonly found on the sets of movies or television shows overseeing, well, intimacy. They help facilitate scenes involving excessive physical contact and simulated sex acts. Their role is to ensure actors in these scenes are comfortable with what is required of them and do not feel coerced into anything they don’t consent to. Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actor Jennifer English who plays Shadowheart says they did a fantastic job. “I never felt ‘yuck’ in a recording session at all,” English told the BBC. “ And I’ve got quite a low ‘yuck’ threshold.” Devora Wilde who plays Githyanki warrior Lae’zel whose “yuck threshold” is a little lower commended the idea. According to the interviewer she was “pleased game developer Larian employed specially trained intimacy co-ordinators to make sure actors feel comfortable during romantic scenes.” Both actors made a point that Larian never went too far with the more physical side of the game’s romances. This includes the bear scene which Wilde thought was a riot. “It just shows you how crazy in the best possible way this game is,” she explained. Those of you hoping to make the most of Baldur’s Gate 3’s romance paths should check out our detailed guide for tips. Do so being secure in the fact that all parties involved were comfortable and consenting.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s inconsistent companion disapprovals baffle players Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s iconic companions can be fickle with what actions they disapprove of and their inconsistency is starting to boggle the minds of players. Baldur’s Gate 3’s trusty set of companion characters all have a hidden approval rating based on the decisions you make in the game. Carefully leveraging their approval or disapproval is the key to getting your desired romances and forging relationships in general. Of course, some rewards are just too tempting and there are certain disapprovals that players will take every time. If you’re as desperate for approval as we are, however, it can be super frustrating to make your favorites mad, especially when it makes no sense. On the Baldur’s Gate 3 Subreddit, players have shared some of the more frustrating and confusing instances in which companions disapprove of your actions. Unsurprisingly, Karlach and Shadowheart are the two biggest offenders. While certain ploys in Baldur’s Gate 3 are obvious in their consequences, like Lae’zel approving pretty much any time you elect to punch someone, others can be confusing. “For me, it’s definitely Karlach disapproving of you siding with the Duergar rebels against Nere,” a player began in the thread. “Only moments earlier she approves of you confronting Nere as well.” It should be noted that Karlach isn’t a big fan of slavers or evildoers in general. Still, if that’s the case, she shouldn’t have any issues with you rebelling against them. Our favorite Tiefling is an enigma to be sure but she’s not the only confusing companion. “Hey, so this zombie looking a** necromancer seems dangerous, we better play along with his plan for now,” another user wrote doing their best Shadowheart impression. They were unfortunately met with disapproval from the followers of Shar when they did actually go along with Balthazar. There’s certainly a lot to keep in mind when navigating Baldur’s Gate 3’s plethora of decisions. Keep these instances in mind when you’re attempting to romance muscle mommy Karlach or goth girl Shadowheart.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Hirelings can be OP without even leaving camp Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 lets you create custom Hirelings with the power to break the game, even without putting them in your active party. Baldur’s Gate has some amazing party members, with rich characterization and ongoing storylines that unfold throughout the game. Despite this, they’re not really the most min-maxed group, leading to many players altering their abilities in the camp to make them better at their jobs. Those who want to play with every class and race in the game can bring in Hirelings via Withers. These are custom characters that lack any connection to the setting but give you more opportunities to play with the game mechanics. There are more uses for Hirelings than people might realize, as detailed on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit. It’s possible to abuse D&D 5E’s Concentration rules to create Hirelings characters with access to buffing spells that last all day, use them on the party, and keep them in the camp. “Hire the cleric to cast Warding Bond on your tank and soak up all the tank’s damage while never leaving camp,” one user wrote, “Basically gives you a fifth party member to soak up damage. Also useful for casting freedom of movement and protection from poison without using a party member’s spell slots.” “Long rest buffs, like Aid, Freedom of Movement, Protection from Poison, Death Ward, Heroes’ Feast. Long strider, Warding Bond,” another user wrote, “All can be cast at the start of your adventuring day and keeps them active till a long rest. Saves your primary party’s spell slots. It’s quite useful in HM runs.” Of course, there are other uses for the more… discerning player. “I use them to get access to better underwear as early as possible,” one user wrote, “I’m fond of Gith underwear. What can I say?” Keeping active buffs on your party at all times is a lifesaver in Honour Mode runs, especially if you’re not burning precious spell slots to do it. If you get Hirelings to cast the spells from the camp, then they’re protected from breaking Concentration, as no one can damage them, letting the effects stay active all day. You probably wouldn’t want to use this tactic in other difficulty modes, as it might make the game a little too easy, but for Honor Mode players, keeping a Hireling in your camp with some powerful active spells might help you make it to the ending.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s hirelings are a “blessing” in Honor Mode runs Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s Honor Mode is the game’s penultimate challenge but players have given their tips for hirelings that soften the experience. It doesn’t get much tougher than Baldur’s Gate 3’s permadeath gauntlet Honor Mode. The slightest slip-up can end in a TPK that sends you straight back to the start of your adventure. Tales of heartbreak are common from players attempting the challenge. Scratch is the biggest offender for bizarre Honor Mode failures thanks to a propensity for deadly games of fetch and a noted dislike for paintings. It’s not just the combat that makes Baldur’s Gate 3’s Honor Mode runs precarious of course. A number of mechanics receive alterations to make things more difficult. The game’s economy in particular takes a major hit but players have their tips to mitigate this using hirelings. During Honor Mode, the Forgotten Realms get hit with a nasty bit of inflation and not only is gold harder to come by, item prices shoot up a fair bit. Fortunately, Reddit user HawkeyeP1 has a workaround and has explained why a particular type of hireling makes things a little more manageable. “Having a bard as a hireling who serves no other purpose but to go shopping with her +14 persuasion makes the prices bearable,” they elaborate. “It’s nice to not be short on anything because of the cranked-up gold system and not have to change the default classes of any of my companions.” Yes, Bard Shadowheart is hilarious but she definitely makes a better Cleric in our experience. If you grab yourself a teammate for hire who’s been a Bard from the get-go, you can be “rich” by the third act. Even in Honor Mode. Honor Mode’s combat is always going to push you to the limit but at least with a Bard hireling, you’ll die rich. We’ll definitely be trying it out the next time we work up the courage for a run.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s hidden detail in hell reveals more truth about Moonrise Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has plenty of little details that can easily be missed, and this particular Moonrise Easter egg in the House of Hope is one example. Finally making your way to Baldur’s Gate 3 in Act 3 feels like a breath of fresh air after you’ve made it out in one piece from Moonrise Towers. All of a sudden, the world that previously felt dark and empty is now bright and brimming with so many people. To most players, this and the fact that Act 3 has so many quests can make the game feel overwhelming at some points. Hence, it’s easy to miss many things – especially when playing the game blindly. And if you decide to take Raphael’s deal and not bother to go to hell and steal your contract or the Orphic Hammer, then you’ll miss out on one particular Easter egg about Moonrise Towers. As shared in a Reddit thread, you can meet the architect behind the Moonrise Towers in hell. This is only possible if players open the portal to hell to visit Raphael’s House of Hope. There, you’ll meet Infernal Mason, one of the souls bound to Raphael, stuck in the House of Hope and unable to leave. However, if you’re rushing through the place, it can be easy to miss him. After talking to him, he reveals that he’s an architect in life, explains his proudest work, and even details the deal he made with Raphael. Players then have the option to ask if he’s the architect of Moonrise Towers, which he confirms. His response after telling him about your encounter with Ketheric leads to pretty wholesome dialogues. Not only is he happy that Thorm has been defeated, but he also thanks you when you mention that you’ve lifted the shadow curse – provided that you succeeded in protecting the portal. “Nearly 400 hours, and I have no idea who this guy is. I can’t believe how much I still haven’t discovered,” one user commented. Meanwhile, another user wrote: “If I’m doing a run where I don’t fight Raph, I’ll go HOH [House of Hope] just to inform the nice skeleton guy about his tower. One of my favorite inconsequential NPCs. I always wished we could see him interact with Hope.” Baldur’s Gate 3 has so many little details you can easily miss. Not just details from talking to NPCs, but ones that require you to interact with certain items, like this secret buff you can get from Cazador’s bed.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s hidden Arcane Tower basement is full of surprises Larian StudiosIf you’ve managed to reach the Underdark in Baldur’s Gate 3, make sure to pay this location a visit to get some good loot. It’s no secret that with how big the maps in Baldur’s Gate 3 are, visiting every single nook and cranny in Faerun can feel impossible in a single playthrough. Add to the fact that if you’re playing the game blindly – without looking up any guides, the chances of missing important things are even higher. Well, the hidden basement in the Arcane Tower comes to mind when it comes to easily missable things. “So I’m nearing 550hrs in the game and am at my fourth playthrough and just now discovered that there is a basement floor in the arcane tower,” mentioned a player in a Reddit thread. For those who don’t know, the Arcane Tower is located in the Underdark and is heavily guarded by turrets. To get inside the tower, you’ll have to find a way to either get past or disable them. While dealing with them can be quite challenging, especially if you don’t have any lightning spells or damage, the loot inside makes all the struggle worth it. And speaking of loot, while you can find a bunch of potions, scrolls, gold, camp supplies, and even the Mage’s Friend Ring after fixing the elevator inside, the tower does have a secret basement holding a valuable Act 1 loot: Staff of Arcane Blessing. However, getting your hands on it will require you to walk an extra mile, mainly because you’ll need to have the Guiding Light from Bernard, the NPC you’ll find on the top floor. You can either fight him to loot the ring or obtain it yourself with a friendly note — provided you read the books inside the Arcane Tower. If you equip the ring, a secret button will appear on the elevator. Pressing or interacting with it will take you to the hidden basement. Inside, you’ll find the Staff or Arcane Blessing near some bookshelves. It’s an uncommon Quarterstaff, but the Mystra’s Blessing passive can come in handy when it comes to getting additional Saving Throws, Attack Rolls, and Spell Attack Rolls. While you’re in the basement, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for The Sparkswall ring as well, which makes you resistant to lightning damage.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s hardest fight is made easy with one low-level spell Niantic/The Pokemon CompanyBaldur’s Gate 3 gives you the difficult task of defending Halsin’s portal from an invading force, which can be done using one of the weakest spells in the game. Those who seek out Halsin, the handsome bear, can follow his questline in Act II, culminating in an incredibly difficult battle, where you must protect a portal he’s conjuring from shadow monsters with ranged weapons. You lose the battle if the portal is destroyed or an enemy reaches it. Most battles in Baldur’s Gate 3 involve two sides duking it out, but the fact that you have to protect the portal puts the player at a huge disadvantage, especially as the enemy can just wail on it from afar with their bows, forcing you to play both offensively and defensively. Luckily, there are spells that can make the battle easier. A user on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit has shown how the Grease spell trivializes the fight, with a screenshot showing the enemies knocked to the ground. The Grease spell creates an AoE slippery surface. If an enemy enters or ends their turn on the spot, they have to make an immediate saving throw. If they fail, they’re knocked prone, and their turn ends. This is incredibly useful in a fight where enemies need to approach to hit the portal. In fact, it’s useful throughout the game. “When the Goblins near-wiped my party outside the Grove during my first encounter by simply tossing a bottle of grease,” one player noted, “I was determined to use it to obliterate the Gobbos and their Bosses.” “Grease and Create Water are so severely underrated,” another user wrote, while one added, “PSA: Use grease and a fire spell if on non-fire resisting enemies.” Grease is a great low-level option for this fight, especially as it’s really easy to find/buy on scrolls, so you don’t have to expend any resources. That being said, any big AoE damage spell is also helpful, like Fireball and Wall of Fire, though you’ll likely have much more limited access to these during Act II. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a much more tactical battle system than D&D, with players needing to factor in things like verticality into their strategies. It’s here that underrated spells like Grease get their chance to shine, so players shouldn’t forget about them when they start receiving stronger magical powers.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Halsin might be too thirsty for players Larian StudiosHalsin may claim that his heart doesn’t stir easily but his exceedingly forward approach to romance is serving as a turn off for many Baldur’s Gate 3 players. Seemingly born of his deep rooted connection to nature, Halsin has one of the most laissez-faire approaches to sex of any your Baldur’s Gate 3 companions. The Wood Elf Druid delivers some incredibly frank statements of desire as your friendship develops, and enthusiastically posits engaging in polyamory if you have an established relationship with another companion. You could find Halsin’s especially open, sexually liberated perspective to be refreshing. It can even be seen as a great opportunity for a positive representation of non-monogamous relationships in games. However, for some players, Halsin’s ham-fisted approach to wooing their character is proving excessive. Some Baldur’s Gate 3 players are creeped out by Halsin Rather than just having no chill when it comes to love, it may be the case that Halsin’s forwardness is resultant of problems with how his dialogue is coded. One commenter claimed that a few innocuous responses to Halsin are inexplicably flagged as flirts. In one case, all of your character’s available replies will be construed as flirtatious. When Halsin does start hitting on your character, rejecting him can trigger a line of dialogue where he claims you treated him like a lover would, not a host. This “gaslighting” accusation of romantically misleading him has left a particularly bad taste in fans’ mouths: “[Other companions] just ask me if I’m interested in them without insinuating I was leading them on.” If the negative sentiment among fans persists, Halsin could be next in line for the de-thirst treatment — following Gale and Lae’zel having their libidos nerfed by Larian Studios in previous patches. In the meantime, some players argued that the ‘Halsin problem’ wouldn’t be such an irritant if having him at your camp was voluntary: “You have no option to get rid of him, even if you turn him down to join the team, he still travels with you. […] Giving us the option to tell Haslin to leave after curing the land would go a long way.”

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Halsin is much more traumatized than many expect Larian StudiosMany Baldur’s Gate 3 players know the traumatic backstory of Astarion, but some fans think that Halsin actually has the darkest past of all. Every companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 has a rich backstory that fills in the gaps of their past and lets players get a better glimpse into their personalities. Among the available companions, many sympathize most with Astarion. The high elf Rogue turned vampire was a slave to a ruthless lord named Cazador for nearly 200 years. While this backstory is undoubtedly tragic, some fans have recently claimed that the Druid Halsin has even more baggage in his long and storied past. A Reddit post from user ‘Bashfulapplesnapple’ on the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit sparked the discussion after they discovered Halsin was abused as a consort for the Drow for nearly three years. In a fairly remote conversation with Halsin, he will detail how, when he was a “foolhardy young druid,” he traveled to the Underdark and the matron of a noble drow house took interest in him. As a result, he was “chained in their bedchamber for nigh on three years” until he escaped during a bloody coup. Additionally, there’s Halsin’s relationship with Thaniel who players can meet in Act 2. Due to the shadow curse, Halsin essentially lost the land he protected, his mentor, and his childhood friend Thaniel. Many fans in the comments pointed out smaller details that evoked sympathy during the adventure. “There’s even minor things, like you can hear from one of his banter with Minsc…,” explained one player. “They’re discussing how people often dismiss their feelings or are aggressive, rude, seeking fights etc, just because they’re big and strong.” While many in the comments disliked “comparing” traumas between characters, some agreed the the entire group has much to unpack. “The whole group needs some serious therapy. I love how the mindflayers just happened to pick up some of the most traumatized people in Faerun.”

Baldur’s Gate 3’s greatest villain might actually be the player Larian StudiosIf you pick a specific Origin in Baldur’s Gate 3, then the lore suggests that you might actually be one of the main villains of the story. In Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, the main character is revealed to be a Bhaalspawn – a child of the God of Murder. When Bhaal learned that he was prophecized to die, he impregnated numerous women across the Forgotten Realms, passing his divine essence into his children, the Bhaalspawn, so that he might be revived through one of them. If you play the Dark Urge Origin in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s revealed that you are a Bhaalspawn. You are not the same as the original Bhaalspawn; however, the Dark Urge was directly created by Bhaal using his own blood rather than through procreating with mortals. When you start a new save file in Baldur’s Gate 3, you can craft your character from the options available in D&D 5e’s Player’s Handbook. The default Dark Urge Origin is a White Dragonborn Sorcerer, though you can change the race/class combo to your liking. If you’re the person creating the Dark Urge, then the player could be acting as Bhaal at that moment, crafting the perfect mortal avatar for their presence in the Forgotten Realms. This only applies to the Dark Urge, as the other Origin characters have vastly different backstories, while the Custom Tav is a blank slate, save for the fact that they’re native to Baldur’s Gate. The Bhaal player theory was discussed in a thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, with many of the responses being about how Bhaal has a problem with creating attractive player characters and ogling them. There is a certain strange irony to the story of Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2, which is about stopping Bhaal’s revival or usurping his place and making him the protagonist at the start of the next game, even if it’s just during character creation. It could be the developers’ way of saying that the Lord of Murder is back, and his mortal progeny are about to start sowing some chaos.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Gondian rescue is a whole lot easier with this NPC Larian StudiosFreeing the Gondians in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be a challenge, but this ally can offer some very valuable assistance. In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Gondians are devotees of the god of craft, Gond. They’re also one of the many allies you can gather to assist you in your final battle with the Netherbrain. Their assistance is, however, contingent on you succeeding in rescuing them from the Steel Watch Foundry in Act Three. Unfortunately, the Gondian rescue mission is an encounter that has served as a source of real headaches for many players. Thankfully, one player has come across an NPC ally that can make the experience whole lot easier. Baldur’s Gate 3’s friendly Mind Flayer is a combat asset Omeluum is a unique kind of Mind Flayer. He managed to sever his connection with the Elder Brain and as a result, is surprisingly humanitarian. He’s also a gift for your team, as discovered by a player on the game’s subreddit. The player — giving him a rather cute nickname — praised “Omelet’s” super useful teleporting abilities and said that they, “saved me twice during the Gondian breakout […]my party members would’ve been goners.” They then went on to describe two incredibly clutch moments where Omeluum yanked Halsin and Jaheira away from danger. Not only did the Mind Flayer remove these two fighters from immediate peril, but their escape prevented their entire party having to go head-to-head with “the million bajillion fish dudes” that guard the prison. Unfortunately, not everyone in the comments was in the position to reap the rewards of having Omeluum in their party: “Guess whose squid couldn’t teleport because GENIUS-Tav sold a Sussur Bloom to him in the Underdark 80h ago. I even tried to pickpocket it from him during the mission, just to get rid of it but didn’t work.” For readers unfamiliar, the Sussur Bloom is essentially a magical faraday cage. Not a great choice for an ally who relies so heavily on their magic abilities. If you’re hoping to get benefit from the arcane skills of the “best squid”, definitely avoid making that mistake.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Gale hypnotizes the Nautiloid Larian StudiosEven a year after Baldur’s Gate 3’s full release, players are still discovering new and strange occurrences. One player managed to hypnotize the Nautiloid, which should not have been possible. Spells such as Hypnotic Pattern could render enemies Hypnotized for two turns, but nowhere in its description did it say it could inflict this status effect on non-living things. Someone on the Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit posted an image of Gale hypnotizing the Nautiloid, which is a ship, not a living enemy. It also had the Mental Fatigue status effect, showing the spell was effective. During the final battle in Act 3, players had to comb through waves of enemies to reach the Netherbrain while the Nautiloid Mind Flayer ship blasted the party of heroes from above. The Initiative bar on top of the screen showed Gale and the party in blue as allies, and all the other creatures in red as enemies. But the Nautiloid took a turn in combat with brown trimming which signified it as an environmental obstacle. Little did this player know that Gale could cast Hypnotic Pattern on the level 16 Nautiloid with 10,000 health. The ship in the image wasn’t even close enough to reach, but the spell worked as if they were in range. Fans in the replies congratulated Gale on his achievement, with one player joking “He’s the Rizzard of Waterdeep, nothing can resist him.” Someone questioned how Gale could target the Nautiloid in the first place. The original poster’s response explained how you couldn’t technically target it, but they assumed its hitbox was inside the area where Gale cast the spell. This meant that this strange occurrence was not due to a glitch, although Baldur’s Gate 3 fans recently wished for some bugs to become permanent features. The player also went into detail about the Nautiloid’s stats, which granted players interesting insights. It had an AC of 18, immunity to all damage types, and a whopping 30 Constitution score. With a Wisdom level of six, it was no surprise to see that the Nautiloid failed its Wisdom saving throw against Gale’s Hypnotic Pattern.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s full companion portraits shock players with bizarre poses Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 player shared how the game handles companion portraits in a shockingly in-depth way, but many are fixating on one aspect of the character models. One dedicated Baldur’s Gate 3 player has figured out how the game handles its character portraits, sharing their findings with the community. As Reddit user grey_anonym explains, rather than using simple still images for the UI, the game actually has the character models posing in a normally inaccessible area. This allows the game to update the portraits from time to time rather than sticking to one image for the entirety of the game. Of course, since this staging area isn’t meant for players to see, there are some surprises in store, from bizarre poses to uncensored genitalia. Baldur’s Gate 3 companions get explicit portraits The Reddit post features screenshots of each of the main Baldur’s Gate 3 companions in a normally inaccessible area. They are surrounded by colored squares, which serve as backdrops for the portraits, making the whole thing feel a lot like a school picture day. As grey_anonym explains, “The portraits are not a simple image insertion. They’re taken from an out-out-of-the-bonds area that has fully rendered models with armor you put on the companions.” This allows the game to retake the photos each time the player levels a companion up or respecs them via Withers. However, there are some limitations, such as Wyll’s horns and Shadowheart’s hair color change not being reflected here. Seeing the full poses is amusing enough. Each was clearly chosen to fit the needs of the portrait, making the companions look pretty melodramatic or absurd when viewed in full. Lae’zel, in particular, is reminiscent of an archetypal old man yelling at those kids to get off his lawn, while one commenter referred to Shadowheart as “an anime character who just took an oath of honor.” But commenters are really latching onto instances of the character models clipping through their armor, specifically the male party members. In fact, the poster notes that they had to crop the images of Astarion, Wyll, and Gale because their genitals were visible. Character models in out-of-bounds areas not being fully covered are nothing new. Developer Larian Studios previously explained why the so-called “The Realm of Naked Men” exists during character creation. Unintentional explicit content aside, these full portraits provide some fascinating insight into Baldur’s Gate 3’s development and how much goes into something as seemingly simple as companion portraits.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s frustrating invisible enemies can be “cheesed” with genius trick Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players share a genius trick to help “cheese” frustrating invisible enemies when they disappear from plain sight. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive open-world title, one that tasks players with navigating their way through different enemy types and making the right decisions during key quests. The RPG provides many useful tools for players to utilize during combat, however, the developers have made sure to restore balance by also allowing enemies to use similar abilities. Invisibility is one such handy feature in Baldur’s Gate 3 that can be the difference between defeating a boss and meeting your demise. From Act 2 onwards certain enemies will also be able to vanish from thin air, making it almost impossible to defeat them. In a new Reddit thread, one BG3 player shared a handy tool to help defeat invisible enemies after noticing that many others have been posting their struggles. “For those who don’t know, there’s a trick to ‘see’ where invisible enemies are, and it doesn’t cost any resources and can be done immediately after they turn invisible. This was present in Divinity Original Sin 2, and wasn’t fixed in Baldur’s Gate 3. Really helps with some fights,” began the original poster. When someone does turn invisible, “their character is still somewhere close” or even “in the exact same spot,” they explained. As such, the player revealed that “all you have to do is select any character that lets you see the move line, AKA, where your character will go if you click on the ground to move them. Move it around until you find a spot where it looks like you could move there, but the marker won’t perfectly line up.” Therefore, instead of meeting your demise from an unexpected attack from a hidden enemy, this trip eliminates the element of surprise and put you back on an even playing field when cornered by invisible enemies. While others noted that Volo’s ability to “see invisibility” is a handy tool, they also mentioned that this feature is “pretty bugged” and reinforced the original poster’s tip as being one of the best ways to deal with hidden enemies.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s “evil” NPCs are irresistible to some players despite being problematic Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has a plethora of characters and players often fall for them on account of their personalities. However, not every character is good, and some of them have a twisted mentality. As it happens, some players are falling in love quite hard for those twisted characters leading to them questioning their taste in men. Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most complex games out there when it comes to the depth of characters. Every character in the game has their own unique personality which in turn adds a lot of flavor to the RPG. However, some of those characters are evil and have twisted ideologies within the game. It turns out that players are falling for those twisted characters despite being “red flags” simply because of their smart personalities and looks. This has led to the players questioning their taste in men after making choices within the game. Baldur’s Gate 3 player falls in love with the most evil men in the game The discussion regarding the taste in evil men was started by a player named nxl_jayska. The player claimed, “I don’t know. What’s wrong with me at this point? Did Larian put crack in their character writing?” The player continued, ” I keep falling for the reddest f*cking flags out there. I hate it.” It seems this player is not the only one as others joined in the discussion as well. One such player commented, “To be fair, Gortash’s personality and voice carry him so hard.” Another player chimed, “Look on the bright side, there are some people out there who want to romance Orin.” One player also added, “Don’t call me out like this. It’s not my fault I’m attracted to evil women, it’s my parents’ fault for letting me play Neverwinter Nights as a kid.” Lastly, a player claimed, “You are attracted to eloquent people. In a way, that makes you both smart and foolish at the same time.” In short, it is safe to say most players have unique tastes when it comes to falling in love with NPCs. It is no surprise that the Baldur’s Gate 3 community does love their evil men and women. For instance, Shadowheart is one of the most popular characters for romance and she is also quite problematic. However, at the end of the day, it is the creative genius of Larian Studios who have made these evil characters immersive enough that players simply cannot ignore them.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Emperor romance scenes were modeled using a pack of Oreos Larian Studios/DexertoLarian Studios revealed that they modeled Baldur’s Gate 3’s intimate scenes with the tentacled Emperor in a surprising way: using a half-eaten pack of Oreos. Motion capture technology allows video game developers to recreate real-life action with astonishing precision. And for Larian Studios – the team behind a game where blowing up a character can somehow be the morally good choice – precision sometimes takes a backseat to creativity. To everyone’s surprise, the Baldur’s Gate 3 developer revealed it was a half-eaten pack of Oreos that served as the model for the steamy romance scenes with the Emperor. The revelation came courtesy of an X post from Larian Studios, casually throwing their unique approach into the digital ether. “Here’s our Senior Cinematic Artist Elodie Ceselli stroking a pack of cream-filled biscuits as a reference for the tentacle-stroking animation during the sex scene with the Emperor,” the tweet boasted. Ceselli didn’t miss the opportunity to step in and clarify that “the cream-filled biscuit consented.” She even took things a bit further and shared a video highlighting the transition “from biscuits to tentacles.” This nugget of trivia is the latest in Larian Studios’ ongoing behind-the-scenes peeks at Baldur’s Gate 3. There’s plenty of other footage to keep you entertained, including a video highlighting the mocap process for this RPG. As expected, the internet has erupted in response, and some players are already taking matters into their own hands. A particularly crafty fan created an edit that slaps a pack of Oreos onto the Emperor’s tentacles. They’ve dubbed the cookies “Orpheus” for some plot-related humor during those intense kissing scenes with Tav. Over a year after its release, Baldur’s Gate 3 keeps finding ways to surprise us. Whether it’s through hilarious behind-the-scenes revelations or players discovering new ways to bypass entire acts, one thing’s for sure: this game isn’t done entertaining players yet.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Elminster shocks players with his real race Baldur’s Gate 3The Baldur’s Gate 3 community has discovered the legendary Elminster, a staple of Dungeons and Dragons lore, is not human in the game. Instead, his character sheet has described him as a Construct. Elminster, traditionally depicted as a wise and powerful 20th-level spellcaster, is a revered figure in the D&D universe. This iconic character has graced the pages of Forgotten Realms comic books and starred in other D&D games like Neverwinter Online. For every Dungeons and Dragons fan, Elminster has always been a human – until now. A Baldur’s Gate 3 player made a startling discovery while examining the character sheet of the supposed Elminster. The “Weary Traveler” isn’t the legendary wizard himself but just a mere Construct. Shocked, the player turned to Reddit, seeking clarity. The community confirmed the revelation: Elminster doesn’t appear in the game. Instead, the “man” encountered at the beginning of Act 2 is a robot, a magical construct created by Elminster via a simulacrum spell. Without the disguise, he would look pretty similar to Bernard. The real Elminster tasked this artificial messenger with delivering a critical message from Mystra to Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is what propels his character arc forward. Player reactions ranged from amused disbelief to humor. One player was notably offended and remarked, “Elminster didn’t even take the time to deliver the news to Gale himself.” Another BG3 player joked, “And he still demanded we feed him.” Others defended Elminster, “It’s probably not a good idea to go say hello to the walking nuclear bomb from up close.” Since Baldur’s Gate 3 was released in August 2023, players haven’t stopped combing through its three-act saga for more juicy secrets. They have never left empty-handed, but they have been a bit shaken over the bizarre things Scratch fetches or the shocking truth about Orin’s father.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Druid Grove quest has secrets that are still being found Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s Druid Grove might be the most in-depth area in the game, which is why players are still uncovering secrets to completing its quests. As Baldur’s Gate 3 spent a long time in Early Access, a lot more time and effort went into the game’s opening hours. This is why Act I has more options for completing its challenges than Act III, as Larian is still working on the game’s endings. This is why players are still discovering the myriad ways to complete the quests in the Druid Grove. It’s possible to sequence-break quests or uncover clues by accident, allowing you to resolve the Druid & Tiefling crisis in various ways. One of the most significant of these is Kagha, the leader of the Druids, who is attempting to seal the grove off with a forbidden ritual. Most players will attempt to free Halsin first and use his authority to end the crisis. As pointed out by users on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, there are many ways you can resolve this quest, with even more options for people playing as a Druid. It turns out that Kagha is being manipulated by Shadow Druids, which is something a surprising number of players miss, as they rush to complete the quest in the most direct way possible. A surprising number of players have missed the Kagha manipulation plot, despite there being evidence that can be found by sneaking into her home or by stumbling across a letter proving her guilt in the swamp. This means that there are players who complete Act I without becoming unaware of the true threat within the Druid Grove. The sheer number of variables available in Act I is staggering, and people are still uncovering them across multiple playthroughs. Luckily, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the kind of game that makes you want to start over with a new character after a few hours, so there are plenty of chances to see everything the Druid Grove has to offer.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s deadliest weapon is a ‘nuclear’ child Larian StudiosOf all the powerful magic items in Baldur’s Gate 3, the most powerful weapon in the game may actually be a cursed child. Players have discovered a way to use a child’s corpse as a “nuke”. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game with unprecedented amounts of choice and detail. Developer Larian Studios has packed just about every inch of the map with secrets to uncover and items to grab. Plus, much like in tabletop Dungeons & Dragons, pretty much anything can be powerful with some creative thinking. That’s how one player found a gruesome “item” that might actually be the most powerful weapon in the entire game. Note, spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 3 to follow. Baldur’s Gate 3’s most powerful weapon is a child in Cazador’s Palace Reddit user resoundingboom explained their macabre but incredibly useful discovery within Cazador’s Palace. While exploring the area, which is a major piece of Origin Character and companion Astarion‘s questline, the player came across the corpse of a young girl named Victoria, which was emanating a powerful necrotic curse. Of course, since this is Baldur’s Gate 3, they were able to pick up the body and bring Victoria to their Camp. During a later mission, the player tested out the “VictoriaBomb” on a group of Steel Watchers, where they found something surprising. After throwing the body into the middle of the battlefield and triggering initiative rolls, Victoria’s curse started dealing area-of-effect damage. However, rather than sticking to turn-based rules, the curse activated every few seconds. This made quick work of the Steel Watchers, with the player never needing to make a move. The body could also be picked up after the fight, meaning the VictoriaBomb can be used more than once. Victoria dealing damage outside of the initiative order during combat could be a bug that gets patched out in a future update. Still, it says a lot about Baldur’s Gate 3 and how much Larian gives players to work with. The idea of carrying around a child’s corpse to use as a bomb is incredibly dark, but if that’s what the player wants to do, they can. If you liked this, be sure to check out the rest of our Baldur’s Gate 3 coverage, which includes the latest news, guides, and much more.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s darkest version of Orin kidnapping plot proves Larian thought of everything Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 player discovered what happens when there’s no one for Orin to kidnap in Act 3, and it’s another example of Larian Studios’ brilliant foresight. One of Baldur’s Gate 3’s most memorable moments is when the villainous Orin the Red impersonates someone from your Camp, holding an ally hostage until you come to face her. But as dark as this plotline is normally, the way it plays out if you try and prevent her from carrying out her plan is actually even darker. Reddit user perkypan shared on the BG3 subreddit what happens when there’s no one for Orin to kidnap. They set up their Dark Urge run so that no one was in the Camp but their active party members, who cannot be taken. This meant turning Yenna away, which caused her to return several times, begging to stay. Things take a turn when it’s revealed that Orin has taken Yenna and shapeshifted into her – but that’s not even the darkest part. As the poster shares, “she fed me yennas cat. Laughed and said you enjoyed that meal see you haven’t changed dear sibling etc. Let’s the group know she’s gonna go play with her own food now (yenna) unless we do the gortash s***.” The player summed it up, saying “ORIN STOLE THE GIRL AND COOKED HER CAT AND FED IT TO DURGE PURELY FOR LAUGHS.” That’s super messed up on its own, but a commenter makes it even worse by pointing out a detail about Yenna’s cat: “if you use speak with animals and speak with her cat he will say something about how sweet she (Yenna) is to him and would never hurt him.” As they suggest, there’s a good chance Orin likely killed the cat while transformed into Yenna, making the animal’s final moments even more heartbreaking. After all, while Orin is far more the most capable villain, she is arguably the cruelest. It’s an incredibly gruesome storyline, whether that’s the case or not, but it showcases what makes Baldur’s Gate 3 so great. The odds of a player stumbling upon something like this by accident are low, but even so, Larian doesn’t just include Yenna as a failsafe to keep the game moving if there’s no one for Orin to kidnap when the time comes. The developers went above and beyond by including additional story elements and secrets exclusive to playing out this scenario as the Dark Urge. This is also far from the only time Baldur’s Gate 3 rewards players who try new things and go off the beaten path, which encourages players to return to the game time and again.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s darkest ending is also its most disappointing Larian StudiosThe story of Tav and their parasite can conclude in many different ways, but what are the worst Baldur’s Gate 3 endings? What makes Baldur’s Gate 3 so special is that it’s your story to tell. Not only does the game have several endings, but there are lots of unconventional game overs that conclude the story, especially if you’re playing on a single-save Honour Mode run. It’s interesting to note that the endings of Baldur’s Gate 3 have changed over development. Larian Studios has expanded and added to the game’s many conclusions several times since launch, including new epilogues that offer a more concrete final act to the story of Tav and their allies. Not all of the endings are satisfying, as there are ways you can doom the world through inaction or making bad decisions. If your story ends in one of these ways, then it may taint your epic adventure in the Forgotten Realms. 10. Karlach’s Original Avernus Ending Baldur’s Gate 3 had an ending so unsatisfying that the developers actually changed it, or rather, expanded upon it, to make it much less depressing and far more awesome. When the game launched, Karlach’s Infernal Engine finally gave out once the end boss was defeated, and she had to return to Avernus, or the machinery in her body would destroy her. Originally, players who romanced Karlach could follow her to the Nine Hells, but we didn’t see what happened next. Luckily, this ending was fixed in an update, and the developers added a new scene where Karlach and Tav (and potentially, Wyll) are shown arriving in Avernus, lighting up a cigar, and fighting an approaching horde of Devils. They even got an extra post-story scene when the new epilogues were added, giving Tav and Karlach one last opportunity to party with their friends. It’s a shame that people at launch who pursued Karlach had to endure the bad ending and wait for a proper resolution to the story. 9. Drop The Netherstone – Doom The World Have you ever lost your keys? Have you ever forgotten your phone halfway down the street and had to go back to get it? Ever drop your Netherstone and doom all of the world? That’s one potential fate for your playthrough in Baldur’s Gate 3. Normally, you can’t drop a Netherstone, but there is a way to break it. Players discovered that if you put a Nethestone in a container and then destroy that container, you will instantly fail your mission and doom the world to the Netherbrain. This is because the Netherstone is vital to your success, as it’s needed to influence the Crown of Karsus. This ending is more of an Easter Egg that you have to work towards. It’s just funny that the fate of the world can be sealed by putting a magic rock in a barrel and throwing it in a lake. 8. Withers Won’t Let You Mess With His New Epilogue Baldur’s Gate 3 added a new epilogue to the ending, where Withers brings everyone back for one last party before everyone parts ways for the final time. How can he do this? Because he’s a god… probably. The game never confirms it, but fans are pretty sure Withers is secretly a god of death (who also likes to throw impromptu shindigs.) Just don’t be a party pooper, however, as Withers doesn’t like this, and your level 12 Tav doesn’t have what it takes to bring him down. If you screw up Withers’ party in the epilogue by attacking another character or trying to eat their brain (if you’re a mind flayer), then Withers will conjure a portal and send you flying to god knows where putting a sour final note on your story. 7. Gale Pulls A Chiaotzu This ending can happen at various points in the story, as the Netherese Orb in Gale’s body can detonate, destroying much of the countryside. Gale’s story is about paying the price of ambition, which involves dealing with a magical nuclear device lodged in his chest. The most common ways to bring about this ending are by allowing Gale to die and not resurrecting him within three days or by using the Netherese Orb Blast action when it unlocks. Both of these actions cause a massive detonation that ends the game. This means the player cannot easily ignore Gale, as you must be prepared to feed his magic item addiction and ensure he doesn’t stay dead for long. Gale can use the Netherese Orb to destroy the Netherbrain in an admittedly cool ending, but he’s also a ticking time bomb who can end your game early if you’re not careful. 6. Vlaakith Wishes You To Death Terry Pratchett once joked in the Discworld novels that “Gods had a habit of going round to atheists’ houses and smashing their windows.” This is also true of the Forgotten Realms, where deities commonly interfere with mortals’ lives. This is even more true in Baldur’s Gate 3, where you can argue with a goddess and pay the price for your sass. If the player visits the Githyanki Creche, you will get to speak to Vlaakith, the god-like leader of her race. You can backtalk to Vlaakith, but you can only go so far, as prodding her too much will cause her to use the Wish spell, instantly killing the party. Why she uses Wish to murder Tav and not kill the Dream Visitor who is interfering with her plans just raises annoying questions, all for the sake of one brutal Game Over scene. 5. Insulting The Emperor & Refusing To Take Raphael’s Final Offer Mind flayers are among the most feared monsters in D&D due to their annoying psionic powers that paralyze characters, their natural magical abilities, and their capacity to instantly kill people by eating their brains. So, yeah, the fact that the Emperor is a mind flayer means most players are unlikely to take him at his word when he says he’s a good guy, as there’s always that nagging feeling that he’s going to pull a last-minute heel-turn and betray the party. The only thing is the Emperor is legit, and he doesn’t take your lack of faith well. If you refuse to help him in the run-up to the final battle, then he’ll bail on you. This causes Raphael to show up (assuming you don’t have the Orphic Hammer) to make you an offer you can’t refuse – free Prince Orpheus and defeat the brain, but you must give him the Crown of Karsus. You can, however,refuse the offer, and in doing so, you’ll seal the fate of millions, as Raphael won’t provide his aid, leaving the Netherbrain to win and your Tav to look like the jerk who fell at the final hurdle. 4. Kiss The Mind Flayer To Death Once you escape from the Nautiloid at the end of the tutorial, most players would happily never look at a mind flayer ever again. Unfortunately, you’ll likely encounter one soon, as an injured mind flayer can be found at the start of Act I, although they’re badly wounded. Rather than slay this creature outright, you have the option of giving in to its siren song, going in for a kiss, which it will use as an opportunity to slip its tentacles into your head and eat your brain. What’s frustrating about this scene is that your party members can just stand around and let it happen. Despite it being in their best interests not to let a mind flayer heal and take control of their minds, they’ll gladly let Tav give into their desires and go for a deadly smooth with an octopus-head monster. 3. Backtracking And You Die Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game overflowing with sidequests and loot that players want to experience. You better do those tasks in the correct timeframe, however, as backtracking too late will lead to the end of the world. If you complete Act II and try to return to the Act I areas instead of progressing to Act III, you’ll be warned not to return. If you do go back… BOOM, the Netherbrain wins, and the world ends. This is because you’re wasting time and not stopping the mind flayers before they get too powerful. Thank god the Forgotten Realms doesn’t have a Gold Saucer. Otherwise, the forces of evil would have succeeded long ago through a mixture of chocobo races and card games. 2. Death By Snu-Snu Baldur’s Gate 3 swiftly gained a reputation for its bizarre romance scenes, with developer Larian Studios proudly showing off a bear love scene that took the Internet by storm. When the final game came out, it turned out you could romance a mind flayer and an incubus (or succubus, if you’re so inclined). Unsurprisingly, doing it with the devil isn’t the best idea in the world, as your character can give themselves body and soul to their infernal partner, causing a game over. It turns out that Raphael didn’t need any fancy Faustian deals to claim Tav’s soul. All they needed was a hot bod and red skin for your protagonist to consign themselves to the Nine Hells for all eternity and doom the Forgotten Realms, all because you couldn’t keep it in your pants. 1. Dark Urge’s Unseen Attack The Dark Urge origin is one of the most interesting playthroughs in the game, as Tav (and the player) must contend with their unholy desire to cause death and mayhem, brought on by their connection to the god of murder. One of the new endings introduced in the Withers epilogue shows a potential outcome for the Dark Urge Tav, who takes their own life at the end of the game to deny Bhaal their prize. You will be resurrected, and you’ll lock yourself away, but Withers will free you and bring you to the party. The Dark Urge lingers at the edge of the festivities, hungry to consume their former friends, as they lurch forward with murderous intent. What’s disappointing about this ending is that we didn’t get to see or play the final battle. The Dark Urge storyline never shied away from violence (as Alfira fans can attest), and it would have been awesome to see a Slayer-form Tav tear through their allies or allow them one chance at victory and stop the Bhaalspawn for good, forcing them to end the life of their former friend, who is lost to darkness. The question mark ending is made sadder by the fact that we know Baldur’s Gate 3’s story won’t be continued via DLC or a sequel, leaving the Dark Urge’s final encounter in the minds of fans.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Dark Urge revelation is a huge missed opportunity Larian StudiosWhile the Dark Urge is a beloved part of Baldur’s Gate 3, the way the game handles one key story moment leaves much to be desired. The Dark Urge Origin character is a highlight of Baldur’s Gate 3, offering a deep storyline with a customizable character that has some players questioning why it’s not the default option over Tav. However, there is one pretty glaring oversight with their storyline: How the rest of the party reacts to the revelation of the Dark Urge’s backstory. Note, spoilers for the Dark Urge’s backstory to follow. At the start of the game, the Dark Urge is an amnesiac with innate murderous desires. It’s up to the player (and their dice rolls) to determine whether they can resist their murderous desires or embrace them, adding to the violence and brutality of the Sword Coast. Once you make it to Act 3, you’ll finally learn the truth about the Dark Urge: They are a Bhaalspawn like Orin the Red who actually masterminded the plan to steal the Crown of Karsus and create a mindflayer army to wipe out all life. This also means the Dark Urge is the reason why most of the companions have illithid tadpoles in their heads and they worked with Enver Gortash and Ketheric Thorm before Orin’s betrayal. However, despite how shocking that reveal must be to those who have been traveling with the Dark Urge for a while now, your party members don’t really react much to the news. If you talk to your companions right away, they have some things to say. Astarion, in particular, has an interesting response in which he says he’s grateful that the situation allowed him to escape Cazador’s grasp. Still, the fact that these reactions are so missable and are never followed up on makes it seem like everyone gets over it ridiculously fast. That’s particularly glaring when it comes to Karlach, who was already betrayed by Gortash and has serious trust issues because of it. It would make sense if, upon learning that someone she relied on previously worked so closely with the man who ruined her life, Karlach struggled to reconcile the person they know with the monster behind the game’s central conflict – especially if she’s dealing with a murder hobo Dark Urge. I’m not alone in finding this odd, as one Reddit user also questioned why other characters seem to barely react to the Dark Urge’s past saying, “In my shoes, even if I came to like Durge and even if Durge was actively being a good person, I’d at least ASK them about it.” Given what the Dark Urge did and how much the party has suffered because of their actions, it really doesn’t make sense for everyone to immediately be fine with them after learning the truth. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game with many decisions and revelations that result in real consequences, from Shadowheart having the option to change deities to Wyll and Karlach leaving permanently if you attack the Grove in Act 1. This would have been a great opportunity for the Dark Urge to have to build back relationships or lose certain companions depending on their actions throughout the game. Or, as an extreme challenge, the Dark Urge could lose their allies and have to solo the rest of the game – perhaps fighting their former allies as they go. I can understand the reluctance to make too much out of the Dark Urge backstory reveal. After all, those other examples involve some player choice, and some players may feel like they’re being punished for choosing the wrong character at the very beginning of the game. Of course, some narrative disconnect is to be expected in a game like Baldur’s Gate 3. There are plenty of instances where the player’s actions and the companion’s reactions don’t entirely match up, from everyone letting the Alfira situation slide to characters not caring if you ignore side-quests they might be compelled to care about. Still, I can’t help but feel like something important is missing given how huge the Dark Urge’s backstory revelation is and how minimal the reactions are.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Dark Urge outshines Tav in every way Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s choice to give The Dark Urge a preset backstory makes the gameplay experience more fulfilling than when playing as a regular Tav. In Baldur’s Gate 3, players are granted the unique opportunity to shape their own characters and narratives. However, one character selection, The Dark Urge, offers a unique narrative experience. Its profound impact on the story has captivated players, leaving other character options in its shadow. The Dark Urge, more commonly known as Durge, is a Bhaalspawn created from the dead flesh of villainous Bhaal. As the name suggests, the Durge have a darkness to them that gives them an unquenchable lust for blood, murder, and destruction. Unlike a Tav, which requires the player to imagine a bit of their story, the Durge has a rich, pre-established backstory. This history, rooted in darkness, significantly influences how the player navigates the game’s various situations. This depth of character adds layers to the story beyond just becoming a villain. There are two options for playing Durge: trying to overcome the madness or succumbing to it. Resisting the urge is another popular method of playing by going against what the Durge was put on the planet to do. However, giving into the madness is usually more interesting and a superior option as it allows players to wreak havoc on anyone they encounter. Having the freedom to do whatever instead of suppressing the urge makes a much more chaotic playthrough. When playing as Durge, you are the source of everything going wrong and even play a part in why the illithid has captured your companions. This choice for those playing Durge allows players to stay as evil as they want without having to flip-flop. On the other hand, the Tav is only slightly driven by their theoretical backstory as Baldur’s Gate 3 leaves the story of Tav up to the player and has little impact on the story as a whole. But that’s not all; Larian Studios recently revealed an upcoming update to the Durge endings, making them even darker. Since the release of the alternative endings, Baldur’s Gate players are starting to see the appeal of being the center of chaos. “Honestly, I definitely think that Durge is the more interesting story, but you have to tailor your ideas about your character around it rather than decide for yourself. Considering how horrific some of the Durge backstory is, I can see that being unappealing for some. It’s less freedom and a character that canonically got up to deeply reprehensible stuff. There are other RPGs like that, but they usually have a predefined character,” said one player on Reddit. For those who want their avatar to have an in-depth storyline just like their companions, then Durge is definitely the way to go, especially with the additional endings and prompts that come from having to either suppress or succumb to the darkness. But for those who would instead choose the path of good or don’t have the stomach to go on a murderous rampage, the option remains to create a Tav from the ground up. Just be aware of some exciting twists and turns that come from being the source of all evil.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Dark Urge isn’t a monster – they’re an average RPG protagonist Larian StudiosThe Dark Urge might seem like an unflinching killer, but in most RPGs, they would be the hero of the story. One of the best aspects of Baldur’s Gate 3 is how it turns a cast of initially unlikeable characters into cherished allies and beloved friends. Chipping away at the icy exterior of Astarion, Lae’zel, and Shadowheart is a big part of why people love those companions. But what about Tav, the protagonist of the story? The only Origins in Baldur’s Gate 3 that offer true character customization are the Custom and Dark Urge versions of Tav, with the former being the default ‘white meat babyface’ and the latter a person overcome with sadistic desires. What’s interesting about the Dark Urge is how they turn the classic tropes of RPG on their head. Some players would never consider experiencing the Dark Urge playthrough, even though there is a grim familiarity to its story. The Dark is an RPG trope machine The Dark Urge is an amnesiac with a mysterious past, one filled with bloodshed and half-forgotten crimes. Over the course of the narrative, they learn that they’re related to one of the big bads of the story and are the chosen one with an important destiny they must complete. (Now that I think about it, the Dark Urge is pretty much Darth Revan from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.) Compared to the other Origin stories in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Dark Urge fits a ton of RPG hero tropes, right down to the fact that they’re related to the heroes of the previous story (your character in Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, or Abdel Adrian in D&D lore.) What makes the Dark Urge so fun is that these topes are flipped. The chosen one is not the hero of light but the scion of darkness. The god of murder has handcrafted you to be a literal engine of destruction, and it’s up to the player whether they follow the call or reject their destiny and defy their parents. The Dark Urge is an old-school tabletop RPG character There was a time when D&D was a game of killing things and taking their stuff, a concept easily adaptable into video game form. Not that this was an easy task, as old-school D&D was horribly balanced and could be extremely deadly, so the danger went both ways. Many players who come to D&D will initially focus on the combat aspects of the game, especially those who are younger when they roll their first character. This is because it’s the easiest part of the game to get your head around — exciting adventures in the vein of The Fellowship of the Ring, with monsters to fight and treasure to find. This also leads to many D&D campaigns turning into Grand Theft Auto, with players causing trouble in cities, as it’s only a game, and they don’t care about the consequences of their actions. In Grand Theft Auto terms, many players hit the 3-5 star limit early on once they murdered a guard who back-sassed them. Luckily, most players grow out of this phase and learn to love D&D and other tabletop RPGs for different reasons, such as the characters and the story. We all still remember those early days when we acted like murder hobos and went on rampages across the Forgotten Realms. The Dark Urge is that concept distilled into one character — a murderous monster who will kill anyone without hesitation. I’ve seen D&D players who are the nicest people in the world do some truly heinous things in-game because they are unshackled from responsibility, both legally and morally. That’s what makes the Dark Urge such a genius concept. This character, who comes off as a being of utter evil, is just the average RPG protagonist. While games like Moon and Undertale have also explored this concept in the past, few have captured the monstrous nature of an RPG hero better than Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s cruelest villain is not who you expect Larian StudiosThis Baldur’s Gate 3 NPC turned out to be a whole lot more than meets the eye, shocking fans with their brutality. There are plenty of morally complex characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. Thanks to the game’s expansive choice and branching script, there are many ways you can decide to interact with evil characters. You can attempt to reason with them, cut them down, or even join them in their nefarious deeds. For the most part, NPC are fairly upfront about their intentions. In situations where that’s not the case, you can usually call on an insight check or Detect Thoughts to discern what they’re hiding. Yet, as this player discovered, some characters will take you entirely off guard with their cruelty. Baldur’s Gate 3 players surprised by vicious NPC The Baldur’s Gate 3 player took to the game’s subreddit and wrote a post titled “This is one of the most evil non-main villain characters.” The post’s content was simply a screenshot of a blue jay. Emphasizing just how minor a character the blue jay is, they then posted a follow-up comment explaining the bird’s side quest. Upon the player using Speak with Animals, the blue jay wove a sob story of him being ousted from his nest by a flock of brutish eagles. When the player investigated the nest, it became clear to them that the supposedly stolen nest was far too large to house a blue jay. Inside the nest, they found an eagle chick and made the decision to knock the eagles unconscious to complete the quest instead of killing them. Yet, when they left the job unfinished, the blue jay ruthlessly finished the eagles off then “the little sh*t happily takes over the nest of a mother and her child and laughs at their death.” What’s worse, the nest where the player first spoke to the blue jay also seems to have been stolen from another bird, as shown by the blue jay’s corpse in their inventory. As other players pointed out, this cold-blooded display is not uncommon among blue jays in real life. So, in a way, this side quest is like Baldur’s Gate 3’s answer to a super messed up nature documentary.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s cover overlooks major character but fans think they know why Larian StudiosSince launch, Baldur’s Gate 3 players have noticed the cover art is missing one of the game’s Origin characters and companions, but there may be a simple explanation. Baldur’s Gate 3’s cover features most of its main cast, depicting Origin characters and potential companions Astarion, Shadowheart, Lae’zel, Gale, and Wyll, whose patron Mizora lurks menacingly over his shoulder. There is one glaring omission, though: the fan-favorite tiefling barbarian, Karlach. Karlach’s exclusion from the artwork has some players confused, with one Reddit user asking, “Why isn’t Karlach on the cover but Mizora is?” and saying this has “always bugged” them. While it may seem a bit odd given Karlach’s importance, some fans have offered a pretty compelling explanation. “This art was made before Karlach was really finished as she was the last main character they add[ed] very late in the game’s development,” said one commenter. While developer Larian Studios has not officially confirmed this, it would make sense. Karlach seems to have been a relatively late addition to the game, with her design undergoing major changes. Early on, Karlach looked more like a generic tiefling, not receiving her unique (and now-beloved) look until later. She also was not confirmed to be an Origin character until a month before launch, long after the final early access content update. That timing likely explains her omission from Baldur’s Gate 3’s box art, though some players had alternate explanations. One speculated that Larian chose not to revise the art to add Karlach because “it would kind of be a spoiler for Wyll’s quest if you knew she was a ‘main character’ right from the beginning.” An important Wyll quest in Act 1 has the Blade of Frontiers hunting down Karlach, who he believes is a devil who escaped from Avernus. Players can kill or spare Karlach after learning she’s an innocent tiefling and victim of Zariel, rather than one of the archdevil’s agents. Sparing Karlach comes with some major consequences for Wyll, and knowing beforehand that Karlach is more than just a regular enemy could impact how players approach the quest. However, this explanation is undermined by Karlach’s status as an Origin character. Others shared less viable but amusing theories, including that “She’s the one taking the picture” or “She just drank an invisibility potion.”

Baldur’s Gate 3’s confusing Heat build leaves players frustrated Larian StudiosTons of Baldur’s Gate 3 fans have been left feeling frustrated after diving into the “complicated” Heat mechanic. There are plenty of features, elements, and mechanics to explore in Baldur’s Gate 3, which can often be either a blessing or a curse for many players. On one hand, it invites a large aspect of creativity and versatility, allowing players to make whatever character they want and build it how they please. However, on the other hand, as fans have seen through the Heat mechanic, that almost unlimited design can be pretty complicated and confusing. In terms of Heat, it’s leaving many players pretty frustrated and ignoring the addition entirely. Baldur’s Gate 3 fans slam “complicated” Heat mechanic Posting onto Reddit, one user shared their confusions and frustrations, attaching an image of the Ring of Self Immolation. Along with that featured a series of descriptions for the action caused by the ring, then the Heat mechanic, then Heat Convergence, which is a byproduct of that mechanic. The poster also asked the community: “This mechanic is complicated, right? It’s not just me?” It seems the community certainly doesn’t think it’s just the player, with the post gaining plenty of traction among fans. One user explained the problem with Heat builds, which are character builds that rely on this mechanic to deal extra damage: “I think heat builds can work fine, but it sorta feels bad, you know? Like someone pointed out, you can lose concentration on your firewall, and it ignores your resistances as far as I know. It feels bad.” The situation they’re explaining came from another user who complained that while using Wall of Fire, the heat mechanic dealt one point of damage on the character, who then dropped their concentration and lost the spell, making it entirely void. One key complaint was towards resistance, with some arguing that Heat seems to ignore resistances to fire and will therefore make the above issue more common: “If it took resistances into account and you couldn’t lose concentration it would be so cool.” Ultimately, many other Baldur’s Gate 3 players don’t love the Heat mechanic, thinking the items with that design on them were “just a silly ‘set yourself on fire for fun’ item” while others avoid it “cause it’s too complicated for me.” Heat can be extremely useful for many builds, but players will need to prepare for a little extra reading to understand the mechanic and get their character ready for any extra damage they can receive.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Circus battle has secret wholesome dialogue with animals YouTube/Opulent HaloThe Circus fight in Baldur’s Gate 3 has animals that can act as allies or enemies, but they also have some secret dialogue for those with the power to speak to them. In Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3, you can visit the Circus of the Last Days, where a fight with a doppelganger pretending to be Dribbles the Clown will occur. Like everything in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll have multiple ways to overcome this challenge. The enemies in this encounter will free circus animals and use them to their advantage, including a dinosaur named Crimson. The player can keep Crimson out of the fight by breaking the lock on its cage, preventing it from being unleashed. If you use the Speak with Animals spell to communicate with Crimson, you’ll unlock a wholesome dialogue scene where it thanks you for keeping it out of the fight. This is because the doppelganger had been starving it, and if Crimson had been freed, it may have attacked the circus members. It’s also possible to feed Crimson before the battle, which will also placate it and prevent it from joining the fight in the Circus. As pointed out in a thread on the game’s subreddit, this dialogue option offers a wholesome resolution to a storyline that many players can easily miss, as it’s possible to kill Crimson before talking to it, or you might not have the means to cast the Speak with Animal spell while at the Circus. The developers, Larian Studios, put a stunning amount of work into the animal conversations, offering a glimpse at the hidden natural world that’s occurring around the players at all times. The fact that you can talk to a chill dinosaur (after it has been fed) is one of the many little touches that makes Baldur’s Gate 3 so special. It’s these little moments that are keeping fans engaged nearly a year later, as it has a story that keeps on giving.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s big Guardian plot twist haunts players over a year later Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 is celebrating its first anniversary, but even after an entire year, players are still reeling from a key story revelation regarding one of the game’s customizable characters. Any player who has reached the late stages of Baldur’s Gate 3 will know the Guardian isn’t actually who they originally appear to be. One of the first things you’ll do in any run is customize this character to your liking, but this mysterious figure has so many dark secrets that many players ultimately feel like they’ve been catfished. Even now that the game has been out for a full year, the Baldur’s Gate 3 community is still talking about how stunned they were by the big plot twist that the player’s Guardian is actually a mind flayer known as the Emperor. One meme posted on the BaldursGate3 subreddit sums up the shock pretty well, highlighting the time many players put into designing their ideal Guardians only to discover later on that their initial appearance was a ruse. The top comment on the post hilariously explains how some players approach Guardian design differently once they know the truth: “Everyone’s first Guardian is their perfect romantic ideal or someone they can imagine as a mentor. Everyone’s every subsequent Guardian is hitting random until you get a result that makes you burst into uncontrollable laughter.” “I block the screen before hitting random so when they show up it’s a surprise,” shared another. Others praised developer Larian Studios for managing to actually shock players by getting them attached to their Guardian only to break their hearts. As one said, “I put so much thought into my first guardian,” incorporating them into their Tav’s backstory. “Then came act 3. Damn you Larian and your amazing storytelling.” Of course, not everyone is heartbroken by the Guardian twist. Larian shared stats for Baldur’s Gate 3’s anniversary that reveal over a million players chose to romance the Emperor despite the truth, with 37% of those players sleeping with him in his mind flayer form – despite having the option to have him maintain the Guardian design.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s best written character is the one everyone hated when the game released Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has many characters with deep backstories and personalities, but one Origin Character has the best development out of them all. While some franchise fans would argue that fan favorites like Astarion, Shadowheart, or Karlach have the best personal storylines stories, it’s actually Lae’zel who takes the cake in my eyes. As the first character your Tav comes in contact with at the start of the game, you’re given a very rough outline of what Lae’zel is about. Even as Act 1 continues, it may be hard for some people to connect with the Githyanki warrior. The Githyanki are Astral Plane warriors, wielding legendary silver blades and riding formidable red dragons. Their ultimate goal is the complete annihilation of mind flayers who once enslaved their ancestors under a tyrannical empire for millennia, a common goal among those affected by the tadpoles in Baldur’s Gate 3. Lae’zel’s strong personality comes out when finding Shadowheart still trapped in the pod, and she is quick to suggest that you leave her behind. This may put some off of Lae’zel from the start, especially those attempting Honor Mode runs or hoping to get on Shadowheart’s good side. “People love her for some ungodly reason even though she is a lawful evil character, she’s pragmatic, arrogant, rude, and racist, but she eventually learns that being a piece of s*** does not pay off, though it does take a very long time, so I’ll bet that this is the reason: she gets character development,” pointed out one Reddit user. And yes, all of that is true at the beginning. Lae’zel starts out as one of the most abrasive characters in the game. But as the quote above points out, her low starting point allows her to have a great comeback and redemption arc. Those who stick with her throughout the game will see the initially harsh Lae’zel become a completely different person. By the end of the story, she can become a mother and a diplomat who unifies her people with the Githzerai, who are an ascetic faction of the gith, residing in the Limbo Plane following centuries of enslavement by mind flayers. Her softer nature at the end of the game is nothing compared to the kill-first, ask-questions-later approach she has when you meet her. It’s a vast improvement – unless you’re really set on a full-on evil playthrough. It is important to mention, however, that a lot of Lae’zel’s personality change and growth comes from how you interact with her. Like all characters, some choices can turn one ending from good to bad. But if you treat Lae’zel right – even if you’re not romancing her – your time invested in trying to be a good friend and companion for her will have paid off. One of her more desirable traits is her openness with your character throughout the game. Lae’zel takes no sh*t and reminds you that you shouldn’t either. As one Redditor put it, “She makes her needs explicit and is the only companion who never lies to you, misleads you, or omits important information. If you mirror that and be upfront with her, even if that would hurt most people’s feelings, she’ll respect and trust you.” More games should pay attention to the care Larian Studios put into fully fleshing out Lae’zel’s character. Though it was brave of them to put such an abrasive and generally unpleasant character in front of you when so many other options to choose from, sticking with her ultimately pays off. From her expanding her vocabulary to bettering her understanding of others, Lae’zel is the prime example of Baldur’s Gate 3’s excellent writing and character development.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s best low-level spell doesn’t do what you think it does Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has some amazing low-level spells, but one of them has an inaccurate description of its effects, making it sound better than it is. The Command spell might be the best level one spell in Baldur’s Gate 3. While it has five different effects baked into a single spell, one stands out—Command: Drop. Command: Drop forces an enemy to make a Wisdom Saving Throw. If they fail, they drop the weapon they’re using onto the ground. This is practically an essential spell if you want to get the Everburn Blade in the tutorial, which would otherwise involve an incredibly difficult boss fight. The problem, as pointed out by fans online, is that Command: Drop’s in-game description text in the Spellbook doesn’t actually match its effect. The in-game text states, “Command a creature to drop its weapon on its turn and do nothing else.” What actually happens is that Command: Drop forces the enemy to let go of their weapon on your turn, not theirs. It also doesn’t prevent them from taking Actions on their turn. As such, the enemy will spend an Action picking up their weapon on their turn, but that doesn’t prevent them from switching to a different weapon or just running up to you and hitting you with an Unarmed Attack. Still, Command: Drop is an amazing spell when used against armed opponents. While spells like Tasha’s Hideous Laughter can also stop enemies from taking actions, it gives them more saving throws whenever they take damage. Meanwhile, Command: Drop will force the enemy to either waste their turn picking up and equipping the weapon or will ensure they use a much weaker attack, as unarmed combat is really weak in Baldur’s Gate 3 for any humanoid without levels in the Monk class. It’s surprising that the Command: Drop text hasn’t been updated in the near year since Baldur’s Gate 3 launched, but it will hopefully be amended before Larian Studios is finished with the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s best cantrip does no damage, but players won’t go without it Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons 5E have some incredibly powerful combat spells, but the most useful cantrip doesn’t actually harm your enemies and is good for staying out of fights altogether. One way Baldur’s Gate 3 differs from D&D 5E is that it has a much bigger focus on combat, with more fights than you’ll see in most tabletop sessions and additional systems in place to make the battles exciting. To that end, you’d think spells focused on dealing damage or shielding allies from harm would be extremely popular. After all, why play an arcane spellcaster if you won’t be able to throw fireballs, sculpt lighting bolts, or summon nasty beasts to do your punching for you? Despite this, one of the most beloved cantrips (essentially level 0 spells with infinite uses) in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Guidance. The Guidance cantrip doesn’t deal damage but adds a d4 to most skill checks, which can help you in most non-combat situations. This was discussed in a thread on the BG3 Reddit, which ranked the cantrips. While Eldritch Blast is also ranked in the same spot, it’s a spell only a single class can make the best of. The Warlock is the master of the Eldritch Blast, but this is because they can dedicate class skills to making it awesome, while Guidance is great out of the box. A thread on the DnD Reddit also had many users claiming Guidance is the best cantrip due to its sheer utility. One user said, “I think Guidance is pretty hard to beat. There is the cliche of the cleric shouting “Guidance!” before every single skill check.” Another user summed things up succinctly: “Guidance is the single best non-damage cantrip in the game.” It helps that you get Guidance early on in Baldur’s Gate 3, assuming Shadowheart joins you at the start of Act I. Some items can give you access to the cantrip, ensuring you can use its helpful d4 until the game’s final section.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s best boy Scratch has a super useful ability Larian StudiosAdding the dog Scratch to your camp in Baldur’s Gate 3 provides more than an adorable companion. In fact, he can literally be a lifesaver. Baldur’s Gate 3 has many secrets for players to find in its world, one of which is a sweet dog named Scratch. Scratch can be found outside of the Blighted Village in Act 1 waiting for his master to wake up. Unfortunately for him, the man is clearly dead, and while players can’t immediately convince him of this, they can give Scratch a place to go once he realizes his master isn’t coming back. Once Scratch shows up in the Camp, players will be able to give him all the pets and playtime this good boy deserves. The pup can also travel with the party, becoming a very helpful ally that can literally save lives in battle. In Baldur’s Gate 3, dogs can lick you back to life Recruiting Scratch to Camp and interacting with him enough times will trigger a scene where he gives the player a ball. Whoever holds this will gain access to the player the spell “Find Familiar: Scratch,” which can be used regardless of their class. While the description focuses on the fact that “Scratch’s keen nose can discover many things hidden around the world,” Baldur’s Gate 3’s best boy can also take a few actions in combat. As streamer Luality – best known for beating games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring using a dance pad – pointed out, Scratch can even be used to help characters who fall in battle. Like other characters, Scratch can use the Help action on another party member. This removes conditions like Burning, Prone, and Sleeping, as well as allowing Downed characters to get back up with 1HP. While many players may not want to bring this sweet dog into danger, it’s important to note that, if Scratch falls in combat, he will not permanently die. Instead, he presumably returns to Camp and can be summoned again after a short rest. Baldur’s Gate 3’s combat can get brutal, and in times when every action counts, it can be hard to decide whether to Help a Downed ally or deal damage to foes. Having an ally like Scratch is invaluable in these situations, which makes this good dog even better.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astral Plane still has a huge unsolved mystery Larian StudiosThe Astral Plane is one of the most mysterious locations in Baldur’s Gate 3, which might be why its biggest (literally) mystery has gone unsolved. The D&D multiverse is composed of planes that are layered on top of each other. The Astral Plane connects many parts of the universe as a sea of endless nothing, where thought guides your movement. It’s also where the Spelljammer campaign setting takes place, with ships that sail the Astral Sea. In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Astral Plane plays an important role in the story, especially in the Githyanki storyline. As such, you visit it on several occasions and get to witness its strange wonders for yourself. Baldur’s Gate 3 players have yet to figure out one curious thing about the Astral Plane. When you visit it, a colossal skeleton wraps around the stage, but who does it belong to? As discussed by fans online, in D&D, the Astral Plane is where the bodies of dead deities can be found. This is because gods can be killed in D&D, which caused the events of Baldur’s Gate, with Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul all being slain during the Time of Troubles when they were turned into mortals. Unfortunately, there are no direct clues as to the god’s identity. It’s just a giant skeleton with a strange ruby-encrusted crown on its head, which doesn’t narrow it down. There was once no shortage of dead gods in the Forgotten Realms, but the shift to 5e revived most of them. There are one or two candidates for the skeleton, such as Kiputytto, the Demigoddess of Disease. It could also be a god from another campaign setting due to D&D’s connected multiverse. It’s also possible that the developers just wanted a cool-looking giant skeleton wrapped around an area in the game. The Astral Plane is the ideal place to do this, as it’s the known graveyard of the gods, and finding giant floating corpses there isn’t unusual.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion was almost a very different race Larian StudiosAstarion is one of the most popular companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the developers have confirmed he was initially planned as a different race. As it happens, players are happy that the developers decided to change their decisions on Astarion’s race. The discussion surrounding the topic was initiated by a Reddit user who posted, “Astarion was originally a tiefling! (Larian at GDC 2024).” They also posted a screenshot from GDC where the developers showcased an image of Astarion as a tiefling. Several players joined the conversation as they were happy that Astarion did not end up as a Tiefling. One such user commented, “I’m glad they made the change though, I wonder if any of the other companions were something/someone else during development?” Another user chimed in, “This is so weird…. interesting, but super glad they didn’t go this direction with Astarion.” One player also claimed, “Tiefling Astarion reminds me a lot of Rolan. Love Rolan but having two catty tieflings would be too much so I’m glad we got our pale elf.” Finally, one of the players stated, “Was this before they cast Neil Newborn? I can’t imagine his voice coming out of a tiefling.” Therefore, it’s fairly safe to say that players are happy Astarion is not a Tiefling in the game. If you are not aware, Astarion is a High Elf in the game and this race fits his character. Players feel that a Tiefling would not match his personality at all and Neil Newborn (the voice actor of Astarion) would feel out of place as well.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion shouldn’t be a vampire Larian StudiosAstarion is the lone vampire spawn in the Baldur’s Gate 3 party, but according to D&D lore, it should be really easy to restore him to his former self. D&D 5e vampires, like the famous Count Strahd von Zarovich, create vampire spawns when they kill people who are utterly under their control. The vampire spawn must feed on their master or wait for them to be killed to become true vampires themselves. Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a vampire spawn who serves under the thrall of a vampire named Cazador. The mind-flayer parasite he receives in the intro not only protects him from sunlight but also gives him his free will back. Baldur’s Gate 3 adapts D&D 5e rules into a video game format, but not everything is taken 1:1 from the tabletop game. Case in point: the way Astarion remains a vampire spawn despite the availability of resurrection magic. As pointed out by fans online, in D&D 5e lore & rules, if a player character is turned into a vampire or vampire spawn, they can be transformed back into their previous living state with the help of a Wish spell or by killing them and bringing them back to life. Resurrection can be a tall order in D&D 5e, as spells like Revivify have a short window of success, while Raise Dead isn’t acquired until level 9. As Baldur’s Gate 3 is a video game, you can easily access resurrection magic through scrolls or Withers’ magical aid. As other users in the thread pointed out, the mind-flayer parasite should also die when the character dies, but it doesn’t. The special circumstances involving the parasite and the Netherese magic surrounding it could explain why Astarion remains in his undead state. Astarion’s role as a vampire spawn is a huge part of his storyline, especially in Act III, so it’s just as likely that the developers ignored this piece of D&D lore for the sake of the plot, much like DMs do when running the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion is now helping sleepy gamers get out of bed Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion has taken up a new job of motivating sleepy gamers to finally hop out of bed and get started with their day. The companions from Baldur’s Gate 3 have swiftly taken the internet by storm, stealing the hearts of every adventurer who has met them. Arguably the most charming of all though is the cunning rogue Astarion, whose witty remarks scored him a special spot in the eyes of gamers everywhere. While Astarion is generally a rogue within the confines of Dungeons and Dragons, his voice actor Neil Newbon has played in many roles, including Heisenberg in Resident Evil Village. Now, Newbon has given Astarion a new role of life coach, with the cunning rogue promoting a healthy lifestyle that avoids sleeping in. Astarion becomes a life coach, helping regulate gamers sleep As a vampire Astarion doesn’t receive a lot of sunlight, however, that doesn’t stop them from making sure you’re up bright and early in the morning. “Oh hello, it’s Astarion. Get up. I said get the f*** up. My god, you’re so lazy, just like Gale. Get out of bed and get up. It’s the morning.” the vampire snidely prods. “Listen I might be a vampire that’s been away from the sun for 200 years and I can actually now walk thanks to a tadpole that’s induced my mind, but even I don’t rest in. Get the f*** up” Astarion’s coaching even includes step-by-step instructions on your morning routine, including how to use your toothbrush. That is until he gets fed up and leaves you up to Shadowheart’s Guidance. “Good, you’re half awake, like a f***king zombie. Now step two, the bathroom. Yeah, no. Keep going. No that’s not the bathroom. That’s the closet, out of the closet… Not back to bed Jesus, hells below. Good, you’re back on your feet again whether you know it or not. “Head to the bathroom, pick up the yeah. No, don’t drop it. No that’s the toilet. No, that’s not the sink. You know what? Good luck. Gather your party, venture forth and well I don’t know get somebody to cast Guidance on you or something.” We’re not quite sure if Astarion will keep to his role as a life coach, but it’s always good to see them branching out nonetheless.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion and Karlach show off new D&D rules in live event Larian Studios/Wizards of the CoastTwo of the most popular characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 have returned as part of a D&D live event at GenCon 2024, showing off the updated rules, as well as the new virtual sandbox for online play. While Astarion and Karlach were created in Baldur’s Gate 3, there’s nothing stopping people from adding them to their D&D campaign. There are even official player versions of the characters for those who want to take them on adventures that don’t involve tadpoles stuck in their brains. Indeed, the voice actors who played the Baldur’s Gate 3 cast have reprised their roles in D&D events in the past as part of a High Rollers show. The events of this show even became official, with the character of Bing Bong being referenced in the new Baldur’s Gate 3 epilogue. The heroes of Baldur’s Gate 3 have returned, as Neil Newbon and Samantha Béart reprised their roles as Astarion and Karlach as part of a D&D live event at GenCon 2024, alongside Anjali Bhimani and Lee Mulligan, with Aabria Iyengar as the DM. The show is now available on the Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel. The show featured a look at the new D&D rules, which were made available for the first time to attendees at the event, as the first Player’s Handbooks were sold at GenCon 2024. These are a heavily revised and updated version of the D&D 5E ruleset, which is receiving its first significant overhaul since 2014. The game also featured a look at Project Sigil, the upcoming virtual tabletop experience currently in closed beta. This is a 3D sandbox that players and DMs can use to act out battles and dungeon exploration, which will be especially useful for online players. The success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the nature of D&D as a multimedia franchise means that we’ll probably see more of its cast in the future. Tav’s companions have earned a lot of love among the fanbase, and their actors will always be welcome to reprise their roles in D&D video games and live shows for years to come. This is to say nothing of the game itself. We should expect to see Shadowheart and Wyll hanging out with the likes of Drizzt and Elminster for decades to come, as they’re now part of the pantheon of beloved D&D heroes.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s artist quest disappoints players with lackluster reward Larian StudiosBeing a patron of the arts isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for these Baldur’s Gate 3 players. Successfully completing side quests in Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t just provide interesting world-building and increase favor among your romanceable companions, it also often also provides you with material rewards. These can be in the form of gold, equipment, or unique items. One reward you receive comes in the form of a painting from Oskar Fevras, an artist who’s being kept as a slave when you meet him in Act One. After freeing Oskar from his captors in the Zhentarim Basement, you’ll come across him in a haunted manor in Baldur’s Gate towards the latter half of the game. You receive the piece from Oskar as payment should you safely exorcise an aggressive spirit from him. A portrait painted in your honor may sound like the perfect homage to Faerûn’s noblest hero. However, some Baldur’s Gate 3 players have taken to Reddit to express their dissatisfaction with Oskar’s payment. Oskar’s portrait leaves Baldur’s Gate 3 fans underwhelmed One player described how they completed Oskar’s quest, received their prize, and then took it out of their inventory to view it. To their surprise, as opposed to having the painting represent their Tav or one of their favorite party members, the painting of a random Hireling. Turns out, the painting displays a random party member each time it resets (usually a long rest does the trick). Yet, this has lessened the value of the piece for players: “The reward would be much better if you could ask him to either paint yourself or a companion of your choice. If you picked a companion, you could gift the painting to them for an approval boost.” As with the statues you can have commissioned, players were disappointed by the art not being acknowledged by their party members. In particular, they had hoped that it would provide a touching moment where Astarion reacts to seeing his own face for the first time in 200 years. Unfortunately, even when a portrait of him is dropped directly at his feet, the pale elf takes no notice. Another failing, players argued, is that they can’t hang the portrait. Despite its rather ostentatious title of “The Hero of Baldur’s Gate”, the painting simply gets plonked on the ground when taken out your inventory. It makes for a pretty unceremonious end to a quest that spans across three entire acts, players argue.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Alfira is finally a recruitable companion – but it’s not easy Larian StudiosThanks to the Baldur’s Gate 3 patch 7, Alfira is now a more detailed temporary companion for players to get heartbroken over – but there is still a way to recruit her for longer, it’s just no walk in the park. Playing as a Dark Urge is fun on paper. All those impulses can be acted upon, and you finally get to be truly evil during your adventure. However, many come to regret their life choices as soon as they meet the lovely Alfira, who is quickly stolen away from them after just one night of having a new companion. Since then, fans have been discovering new ways to stop the inevitable from happening and recruit her permanently. Thankfully, after a few changes in patch 7 of Baldur’s Gate 3, this can finally happen. But it’s not that easy to do. How to recruit Alfira in Baldur’s Gate 3 Sharing their technique on Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit page, one user revealed how to get Alfira as a companion along with all her gear. Their method is as follows: Don’t long rest. – Finish Act 1 Goblin vs Grove. – Go to Grymforge. – Trigger Alfira joining camp (make sure you have space for her to be in your party), kill Dark Urge, and put Dark Urge in your pocket (I did it with a Tav on multiplayer not sure if it works with other companions). – Go to Last Light Inn and make Alfira sit on the chair where she’s supposed to sit. Then talk to her and get her quest then save the Tiefling in moonrise (still no long rest). – Get the reward, Potent Robe. – Kill Alfira and put her in your pocket – Long rest till you get Quill in your camp(cuz the long rest scene was postponed and not skipped it will trigger again) and kill Quill and long rest till you get the deathstalker. – Revive Alfira through Withers. – It’s also worth noting that “If you also want the bardic inspiration you have to finish the entire Act 2 without long rest before you kill Aflira cuz once you kill her the game marks her as dead, she doesn’t talk anymore.” So, for a full companion, you’ll have to be extremely patient and tactical with your fights, especially since you can’t long rest much. Naturally, this is a relatively long-winded way to ensure she’s around, but for many players, this is the best-case scenario for them to avoid heartbreak. “It’s overcomplicated, unnecessary, overall nonsensical. In short: I love it!” joked one player, to which many added that the method will certainly be “refined in the coming weeks” as players discover shorter ways to bring in the beloved Tiefling. Such a design is also echoed with Minthara, where players discovered a way to recruit her while also not destroying the Druid Grove. So, while it may be a little complex, this is a surefire way to avoid any heartbreak and get hold of a pretty powerful Bard companion. If you’re looking for a Bard without the hassle, be sure to check out our best build for the class, so you can make one yourself.

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Act One map proves the Druids and Goblins are incompetent Larian StudiosThe main conflict at the start of Baldur’s Gate 3 involves multiple factions, but the small scale of the map proves that they’re all very bad at doing their jobs. As Baldur’s Gate 3’s Acts are set across large maps with connecting smaller areas, they lose the benefit of D&D’s “moving at the speed of the plot.” In D&D, DMs never need to account for travel or scale, as players arrive exactly when they need to in order to tell the most interesting story possible. Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t have this luxury, so you’re left with thriving settlements next to incredibly dangerous dungeons. It’s a wonder anyone can get anything done in the city of Baldur’s Gate when there are Death Knights hanging out in the sewers, to say nothing of the secret cults seemingly everywhere. Scale is a big issue in Act I, as pointed out by users on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit. The Druid Grove exists right next to a nest of Harpies: monstrosities outside of the animal kingdom that lure people to their deaths, yet no one does anything about them. There is also the issue of the Goblins trying to find the Druid Grove, which is a major storyline in Act I, despite the two being a short walk from each other. “I always assume that distances on BG3 maps are heavily compressed, so the harpy nest might “actually” be farther away than it is in-game,” one user explained, while another said, “Kagha was probably hoping some Tieflings would wander there and get themselves killed tbh.” One common answer involves an inaccurate scale. “Tbh I assumed the game map isn’t to scale. People keep looking for things that are right around the corner,” one user said, while another responded, “It would be basically impossible for the Goblins not to find the Grove if their camp was minutes away and they already have scouts as far as Moonhaven, which you can see from the Grove’s gate.” It seems that Larian is expecting some suspension of disbelief when it comes to map size. After all, if the locations were a more realistic distance from each other, then you’d either have a lot more boring walking or more separation of areas (like the Githyanki creche). In this case, a bit of disbelief improves the game, even if it does make the Druids and Goblins look incompetent.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Xbox port could be one step closer as Larian cracks new optimizations Larian StudiosAn announcement from Larian CEO, Swen Vincke is fueling hope that major progress has been made on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Xbox port. While a console port of Baldur’s Gate 3 hit the PlayStation 5 a mere month after the game’s August 2023 PC release, Xbox users are still eagerly awaiting their chance to pick up the smash hit CRPG. However, some recent insight into the port’s development courtesy of Larian Studios’ CEO has quelled the concerns of restless Xbox fans. On his X account, Swen Vincke passed on a “nice present” from engineers working on Baldur’s Gate 3 — graphs showing an increase in the efficiency of the Baldur’s Gate 3’s memory management. Larian’s optimization breakthroughs spell progress for Baldur’s Gate 3 Xbox port The graphics API named at the top of each graph is “Series S D[irect]X12” which can inferred to mean engineers are specifically focusing on establishing a suitable degree of RAM and VRAM usage during play on the Xbox Series S. Many consider this to be a wise area for developers to focus on, as the reduced processing capacities of the Series S could present considerable roadblocks for a universally stable Baldur’s Gate 3 Xbox port. While the Xbox Series S has 10GB total RAM, only 8GB is VRAM meant to facilitate the graphics-related tasks. When compared to the Series X’s 10GB VRAM, it becomes clear why putting memory usage buffers in place is such a crucial part of developing a version of Baldur’s Gate 3 for both Series X and Series S. Xbox players have said they’re pleased that Larian isn’t sitting on their laurels when it comes to porting Baldur’s Gate 3. Not to mention, as their recent implementation of FSR 2.2 shows, the studio is still hard at work trying to please handheld PC players too.

Baldur’s Gate 3 x Pikmin crossover dubbed “greatest piece of art” Nintendo/Larian StudiosA bizarre crossover artwork between a vampire from Baldur’s Gate 3 and a yellow Pikmin has led to adoration from fans worldwide. Baldur’s Gate 3 is an RPG with incredibly adult content, including extremely bloody combat and infamous scenes involving bears. Pikmin is a kid-friendly series about working with little plant people to help an astronaut go back to their planet. They have very little in common. The lack of connection between franchises has done little to deter fan artists in the past, with pretty much every series interacting with each other on websites like DeviantArt. Baldur’s Gate 3 has spawned a ridiculous amount of fanart since it entered Early Access and continues to generate more daily. Fans can’t get enough of putting the tadpole-infected adventurers in wacky situations and in contact with characters from other franchises. Astarion holding a yellow Pikmin is a Renaissance masterpiece A Twitter/X user called SolidCyndaquil shared a commission they made depicting Astarion from Baldur’s Gate 3 holding a yellow Pikmin in the style of “The Lost Lamb” by Del Parson, which shows Jesus Christ holding a lamb. The picture garnered over a million views in two days, with fans rushing to show their appreciation of the vampire adventurer holding the oddly-proportioned Pikmin. “This is the greatest piece of art ever i’ve legitimately been mesmerized by this all night,” one user wrote, while another said, “I was gonna say ‘this looks like a rennaisance painting’. lo and behold, Jesus f—-g Christ.” “AI can’t do this. The passion and soul in this. A part of you is forever ingrained in this.” one user said, referring to the soulless machine that is AI art used for corporate purposes. Another user agreed, saying “This is the reason AI art will never be real art.” Pikmin don’t talk, so we don’t know how anyone involved with the production of the games would respond to the art. Astarion, however, never shuts up, so fans should make his voice actor, Neil Newbon, aware of the holy artwork depicting his iconic character and his fatherly embrace with a Pikmin. If Baldur’s Gate 3 had come out a few years later, then this crossover could have potentially happened in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Alas, the Baldur’s Gate 3 x Pikmin dream match will have to remain in the realm of fanworks for the time being.

Baldur’s Gate 3 x Doom mod project in the works Larian Studios/Id SoftwareA GZdoom mod centered around the Githyanki race from Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons is currently in development. It didn’t take long after the original Doom was released in ’94 for a developer to use the same gameplay style with the fantasy genre, switching out the demons in space for monsters in castles. The trend started with Heretic by Raven Software, and the concept would be used in various games and Doom mods. Despite being one of the most famous fantasy licenses in the world, there have only been a handful of Dungeons & Dragons FPS games over the years. There were certainly first-person games (like the Eye of the Beholder series), but they were still RPGs, focusing on planning and strategy over shooting and explosions. D&D and Doom are perfect for a crossover, and one fan is making it happen. The Vikintor YouTube channel has uploaded development footage of a mod for GZdoom centered around the Githyanki race, as they appear in Baldur’s Gate 3. Vikintor is currently working on a map called Githmap that uses digitized sprites of Githyanki characters they created in Baldur’s Gate 3. Githmap is set in a stronghold in Tu’narath, a Githyanki city in D&D’s Astral Plane, rather than a location from the Forgotten Realms itself, so there is no exploring the Creche in Doom. The current scope of the map is to allow players to explore the stronghold and interact with different Githyanki characters using options from a dialogue tree rather than shooting monsters in the face (as is the case with most GZdoom mods). Githmap is still in development, so its scope may expand over time. The Payday 3 developers are currently producing a D&D multiplayer game, but it won’t be out for a few more years. As such, there’s plenty of opportunity for D&D-themed mods for Doom, especially following the popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3 in 2023.

Baldur’s Gate 3 players disappointed by one Origin character’s lack of content Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 fans aren’t happy with the fact that Origin character Wyll has comparatively less content than the rest. To the delight of RPG fans, Baldur’s Gate 3 is replete with content that most players will likely never lay eyes on. Such a robust array of content offerings is thanks in no small part to the various companions that users can recruit throughout their adventures. Fan-favorite recruits include the likes of Astarion and Karlach, both of whom have interesting personal stories and can develop into compelling romance options. Yet, there’s one origin character who receives the short end of the stick, according to BG3 faithful – Wyll. One player took the time to closely examine why the Warlock feels so underserved in the otherwise content-rich experience. Baldur’s Gate 3 fans say Origin character Wyll “deserved better” After completing two BG3 runs, Redditor blue_suede_shoe concluded that “Wyll deserved better.” As someone who loved the Warlock’s early access content, the player used their second playthrough to dive more into the Wyll-centric content, only to find it considerably lacking. This is especially obvious when looking at the amount of dialogue afforded to each Origin companion. Linking to a breakdown by YouTuber Chubblot, the Redditor noted that Astarion has well over 12 hours of voice lines, same with Shadowheart. Lae’zel and Karlach both get more than 10 hours of dialogue. Wyll, on the other hand, has 8 1/2 hours of similar content. Apparently, Wyll’s number of romance scenes in Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t compare to his counterparts, either. The Reddit user continued, “Additionally, Wyll is the only romance to lack an intimacy scene, the closest we get to one consists of literally rolling around on the ground.” The dearth of content even applies to Wyll’s own character arc. “And arguably, Wyll’s Act 3 resolution revolves more around the Emperor than himself… He quite literally takes a backseat to the Emperor in his own storyline.” Notably, the original poster isn’t alone in their thinking. Several responses to the Reddit thread similarly lament Wyll’s relatively minimal focus in the acclaimed Larian-made RPG. Explained one person, “I think what helps contribute to Wyll being less memorable than Gale and Karlach, despite sharing similar lack of content, is the lack of engagement scenes in his storyline.” Players can perform magic and stargaze with Gale, for example. Wyll doesn’t have comparable hangout sessions with the protagonist. Another fan chimed in, “Wow. I knew Wyll was holding the short stick but I didn’t know it was THIS short.” It seems most would agree the folk legend did indeed deserve better.

Baldur’s Gate 3 players can’t stop hating one key NPC Larian StudiosThe hate that Baldur’s Gate 3 players feel for one NPC — the Deep Gnome, Wulbren Bongle — has yet to subside. The BG3 faithful don’t have a particularly high opinion of Wulbren Bongle. His rudeness seldom earns the character favor and the fact that he’s quick to turn on players — even when they help him — ensures he’ll remain disliked for a long time to come. Players especially despise the character for his treatment of Barcus, another Deep Gnome who seems universally beloved amongst the community. But might this hatred towards Wulbren ever subside? A popular post on Reddit indicates that is not the case. The hate for Wulbren in Baldur’s Gate 3 remains strong In a spoiler-filled post on the BG3 subreddit, one player aired out their grievances with Wulbren. The user said that in their latest run, despite knowing how everyone feels about Wulbren, they decided to help Barcus find the Deep Gnome. Seeing the way Wulbren treats Barcus made the Redditor furious, enough to warrant the following response, “…I have never wanted to uppercut a gnome more in my life… come act three… when I know it’s safe to do so, I’m blowing that blue little sh** to pieces.” Replies to the post prove that many players agree that Wulbren is one of the least likable NPCs. One user chimed in to say, “I want to curb stomp him so bad I hate Wulbren [so much].” Someone else noted that while they didn’t like how Astarion spoke about Gnomes, the individual was willing to let some things slide after meeting Wulbren for the first time. Meanwhile, others offered tips on the best ways to take the character out for good. Reads one such comment, “Use the runepowder keg to break open his cell door. There’s poetry in him dying that way.” Another player shared how they got rid of Wulbren, writing, “On my current run after freeing him in Act 2, I transported him out of Last Light Inn and let the shadow curse get him.” It seems Wulbren won’t be receiving much love from the Baldur’s Gate 3 community anytime soon.

Baldur’s Gate 3 writer shocks himself with how “horny” the game is Larian StudiosAs if Baldur’s Gate 3 hype levels couldn’t get any higher, one of the game’s senior writers has confirmed the game is hornier than we thought. We already thought it was pretty horny by the way. Baldur’s Gate 3 is just hours away from launch and prospective players can barely contain their excitement. Larian Studios’ fantasy RPG is a labor of love that looks incomprehensibly deep. The prerelease hype train has been off the rails for a while now, especially regarding the game’s plethora of romance options. Whether it’s the potential for bear sex or a new villain awakening mommy kinks, fans have embraced the prospective raunch with zeal. Imagine the surprise when one of Larian’s Senior Writers John Corcoran took to Twitter to tell fans that this stuff was just the beginning. “Bear’s got nothin’ on what’s still to come,” Corcoran teased. Baldur’s Gate 3’s nearly unparalleled freedom of choice has had players excited about prospective romances for a while. Aside from the bear sex, forming a polyamorous throuple with two of the game’s companion characters has been a major early access challenge. The overall horniness of the game is actually a point of endearment to its community which seems to share that trait. A favorite inside joke of theirs comes from Amelia Tyler who narrates the game: “We live in horny jail. You can’t send us there, we have the keys!” Some escapees from promiscuity prison found their way into Corcoran’s replies and their imaginations ran a bit wild. The prospect of stuff freakier than bear sex will do that to you. “Will Karlach and Laezel step on me at the same time?” one Twitter user asked. “So…Karlach will choke me?” another queried. Karlach has some work cut out for her it seems. Corcoran did try to qualify that Baldur’s Gate 3 is extremely well written in his own opinion. Although, he did immediately walk that back with more chat of the game’s penchant for proclivity. “Don’t get me wrong – it’s also affecting, funny, gripping, and worthy of any number of superlatives you can dream up,” he said. “But also mainstream, big-budget horny in a way I thought went extinct in the mid-90s.”

Baldur’s Gate 3 writer finally reveals true nature of Shadowheart’s curse Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 writer has elaborated on Shadowheart’s curse, and it may not be as extreme as some players had initially thought. There are a lot of hard choices to make in Baldur’s Gate 3 as you sink more time into your playthrough. Deciding whether or not Shadowheart should kill her parents is certainly one of them. On one hand, doing so lifts Shar’s curse, which causes her to get the wound flares on her hand. But at the same time, freeing her parents finally lets her reunite with her family – with the tradeoff that the curse remains with her as a way to remind her that she’s bound to Shar. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that a portion of the community hesitates to have Shadowheart save her parents due to the consequences. However, Baldur’s Gate 3 writer John Corcoran has revealed some new insights that might have players changing their ways. When asked if the Shar curse is more of a “chronic pain” instead of a “soul curse” for the rest of her life, John mentioned that the curse is “synonymous to a chronic pain”, like a “shock collar” that would cause pain when Shadowheart does something that’s “out of line in Shar’s eyes.” And now that the true nature of Shadowheart’s curse is confirmed, players in a Reddit thread discussing about the curse agreed this helps make the decision easier. Topic begins at the 1:17:20 timestamp below: “In this case, it’s actually not that bad keeping it even as Selunite. If it resonates, you have immediate feedback that you did something that Selune will very likely approve of. Plus, parents,” commented one player. “Yeah, now I feel like an idiot for killing off her parents; I thought she was cursed, or it was open to interpretation. Not to mention, apparently, the epilogue mentions Shar stops messing with her eventually if you save her parents. I feel like an idiot now, lmao,” mentioned another. All in all, while players are free to choose to play however they want, many couldn’t help but point out that setting her parents free is ultimately the “good” choice for her in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 would be a lot harder if Orin wasn’t terrible at her job Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 may have some pretty tough and intimidating enemies, but Orin the Bhallspawn just isn’t one of them. BBEGs, or Big Bad Evil Guys are the main antagonists of D&D, and Baldur’s Gate 3 is filled with them. From Raphael to The Emperor if you choose to go down that storyline, you’ll meet more evil characters than many ever expected. However, not all evil creatures are that great at being those villains, and Orin is undoubtedly one of them, with her skills pertaining to murder, anger, and not much else. Orin’s competency is a hotly contested topic throughout the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, with many referring to her as a ‘Nepo baby’ who really shouldn’t be part of the Chosen Three. “So…Orin’s just a mess, isn’t she” shared one user, revealing that all the tasks Orin was asked to complete were never actually done properly. They went on to add that “Orin doesn’t kill her sibling, doesn’t put the parasite in properly, and messes up the whole Absolute plot because she can’t stop acting like a murderous loon for five seconds. No wonder nobody in the Bhaal cult likes her.” Her failings ultimately lead to the Chosen Three’s downfall whether you’re playing as Dark Urge or Tav, as either way, her failing to kill Durge or put the parasite in properly enables the entire story to go forward. Many fans are quick to blame her family line, with some adding that “it’s nepotism at its finest tbh. She got her job because she is family, but gods she sucks at it” while another added, “There’s a reason she wasn’t Bhaal’s first choice and the entire plan started falling apart once she took over.” As many fans will know, Durge is the original Bhaalspawn, meaning they were the ones who intended to take Orin’s place, but out of jealousy, Orin took Durge down to rule for herself, which resulted in the entire plan’s downfall. Ultimately, when the whole story is taken into account it’s hard to ignore how useless Orin actually is as both an enemy and as a BBEG. At least Gortash, Ketheric, and Raphael are mildly competent.

Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t be coming to Xbox Game Pass says boss: “There’s a fair price to be paid” Microsoft/Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s director has confirmed that the game won’t appear on PC/Xbox Game Pass anytime soon due to the game’s value for money. Baldur’s Gate 3 had a sporadic release schedule throughout 2023. The game launched on PC in August after spending several years in Steam Early Access. Baldur’s Gate 3 was released on PS5 and macOS in September, followed by an Xbox Series X/S release in December. Developer Larian Studios took a long time to make a concrete announcement about an Xbox Series X/S port, but when it was revealed, speculation started regarding Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Game Pass. This would be a great way to make up for the late launch of the game, as Xbox fans waited months to play it. Unfortunately, the people who want to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox Game Pass might be waiting a long time, as Larian Studios has made a definitive statement about the title’s future on Microsoft’s video game subscription service. Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t be coming to Xbox Game Pass anytime soon Baldur’s Gate 3 director Swen Vincke revealed in an interview with IGN that it won’t appear on Xbox Game Pass, and there have never been plans to bring it to the service. “Oh, we always said from the get-go, it wasn’t going to be on Game Pass, it’s not going to be on Game Pass,” Vincke said. “We made a big game, so I think there’s a fair price to be paid for that, and I think that that is okay.” “We don’t charge you any micro-transactions on top of it, so you get what you pay for. Upfront it’s a big meaty game. So I think that should be able to exist as it is. This is what allows us to continue making other games.” Releasing a meaty game with no microtransactions hasn’t stopped other third-party developers from putting their titles onto Xbox Game Pass. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a critical and commercial hit, however, giving the developers a lot of leeway with monetizing the game. This isn’t to say that Baldur’s Gate 3 will never be on Xbox Game Pass. The game is a hit right now, but sales will eventually die down, and Microsoft is known to pay a lot of money to bring big titles to the service. If Baldur’s Gate 3 gets paid DLC, that will also be an incentive to put it on Game Pass. It’s disappointing that Baldur’s Gate 3 won’t be coming to subscription services so soon, but it didn’t win all those awards for nothing. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game with acclaim pouring in from every corner of the Internet, so it’s well worth its price tag.

Baldur’s Gate 3 won so many awards it became a problem for Larian Larian Studios/Wizards of the CoastLarian Studios head Swen Vincke revealed that Baldur’s Gate 3’s success at awards shows actually caused problems for the developer, leading to an unexpected impact on its next projects. Baldur’s Gate 3 has won big at recent awards shows, taking home the top prizes at The Game Awards, the British Academy Games Awards, and many others. However, according to Vincke, there is such a thing as too much success. In an interview with Edge (shared by GamesRadar), the CEO and game director revealed that Baldur’s Gate 3’s award show wins actually caused problems for the studio. “It affects development – there’s a lot of [awards shows]. This has been a real problem,” he said. To handle the number of accolades Baldur’s Gate 3 was receiving, Larian began sending “rotating teams” to awards shows to mitigate the impact on the studio’s day-to-day work. Vincke and Larian are clearly grateful for the game’s success and all of the awards they’ve received, saying “it’s great that you have a moment of celebration … [awards shows are] important, and we really appreciate it.” However, he also called the process “surprisingly draining on the soul” and said “we’ve all been more emotional because we can’t get closure. And you want to have closure at the end of a project.” This is far from the first time Vincke has alluded to a desire to move past Baldur’s Gate 3. He previously called a May 2024 appearance at the Digital Dragons Conference “one of the last times I talk about BG3 development,” citing a desire to “focus on new things.” Additionally, Larian confirmed back in March 2024 that it is done with the Dungeons & Dragons IP and will not be making BG3 DLC or Baldur’s Gate 4. As for what Vincke and his team are up to, we do know Larian is working on two games, which it calls “very ambitious RPGs” – though we probably won’t hear about either one anytime soon.

Baldur’s Gate 3 wizard players feel overshadowed by Gale’s narrative Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 Wizard players are feeling overshadowed by the popular Wizard who hails from Waterdeep, and they’re growing tired of it. Baldur’s Gate 3, developed by Larian Studios, offers players a plethora of choices from creating a unique character to selecting one of the seven Origin Characters such as Astarion, Karlach, or Shadowheart. For those seeking a twist, the Dark Urge beckons. And while Wizards aren’t the top-class choice for players embarking on their Baldur’s Gate 3 journey, a significant number of players have chosen this magical path. However, this choice has led to some disappointment for some players who feel that Gale, the renowned Wizard from Waterdeep, is hogging the narrative limelight, leaving other Wizard players feeling overshadowed. One Wizard player voiced their frustration on Reddit, stating, “As a wizard, I often feel very overshadowed by Gale.” They elaborated on the narrative imbalance, highlighting how Gale’s backstory, which includes intimate ties to the goddess of magic and commendations from the legendary Elminster, makes other Wizards feel like mere sidekicks. The Baldur’s Gate 3 community chimed in with their solutions for this narrative imbalance, with one suggesting re-rolling or restarting as a sorcerer, noting the enjoyable banter between sorcerers and Gale. Another player humorously remarked, “It’s hard to compete with Gale. He’s the bomb,” alluding to Gale’s unique ability to cause apocalyptic explosions if not handled correctly. Recent patches have also stirred discussions about Gale. Some players feel that the updates have negatively impacted Gale’s character, making him more irritable and harder to romance, even with high affection levels. While Baldur’s Gate 3 offers players some of the most outstanding stories and characters ever seen in an RPG, Gale’s overwhelming narrative has left many Wizard players yearning for more of the spotlight.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Wizard or Sorcerer – which is better? Larian StudiosChoosing between Wizards and Sorcerers in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be challenging due to their apparent similarities but there is a clear frontrunner of which is the better pick. While Wizards rely on Intelligence and Sorcerers on Charisma in the Larian Studio’s RPG, each class offers unique gameplay, making the decision a matter of personal preference. So, to help you choose between the two and understand what the differences between the classes are, here’s everything you need to know about the Wizard and Sorcerer class in this expansive game, and which one you should choose. Should you play Wizard or Sorcerer? It’s technically better to play as a Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3 but what individual players want out of their playthrough will ultimately be a huge factor in which class you should choose. Wizards are a lot more flexible when it comes to experimenting with different spells for example. We’ve put together a full pros and cons list for both Sorcerers and Wizards in Baldur’s Gate 3 below which should help make your decision a bit easier: Sorcerer Wizard Differences between them in Baldur’s Gate 3 A Sorcerer and Wizard differ in various ways in Baldur’s Gate 3. Here’s a breakdown of all the core differences between the classes when it comes to their main features: Sorcery Points are exclusive to the Sorcerer class and can be used to replenish spell slots or modify spells using Metamagic. Arcane Recovery on the other hand is an action exclusive to the Wizard class that lets you recover extended spell slots once per long rest. – Constitution is an ability score that affects your maximum hit points (HP) and concentration saving throws. Constitution modifier +1 lets you gain +1 Hit Point per character level and so on as you level up. – A Sorcerer and Wizard’s default proficient weapons are Daggers, Light Crossbows, and Quarterstaffs with Mourning Frost or Spell Sparkler being some good early-on weapons to choose from. – Saving Throws are the defense of a character against any Spell, Effect, trap, poison, disease, or any other threat. Each class is proficient in two saving throws which lets them add a proficiency bonus to saving throws made using a particular ability score. – Skills are talents that determine how good your character is at doing certain tasks. Sorcerers and Wizards are proficient in two skills, you can either choose to add a bonus to these skills or add new skills altogether. However, the skills you choose to be proficient in depend on your character’s class, background, race, and feats. – Since Wizards and Sorcerers aren’t proficient in armor, they’re forced to use clothing as armor. – Now you know which class to pick between Wizard and Sorcerer in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can check out our best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list if you want to see how these classes fare against the others or take a look at the best multiclass builds if you wish to combine two classes.

Baldur’s Gate 3 player witnesses Withers deliver an incredible burn to Gale Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 player saw how much of a jerk Withers can become when he mocked Gale for having no love interest. As an undead skeleton man, Withers counts among the most interesting of the BG3 companions. Players can either meet him in Act 1 or Act 2; either way, he’s a character well worth the effort. Withers’ ability to revive fallen party members makes him an especially beneficial addition to any crew. And as time goes on, Baldur’s Gate 3 fans are learning even more about the crypt keeper-looking ally. For one, Withers can deliver a pretty sick burn to other companions who don’t return the affections of the player character. Baldur’s Gate 3 player realizes Withers is actually a “jerk” While playing through Act 2 of BG3, Reddit user Character_Abroad came to the conclusion that Withers is genuinely a “jerk” to other companion characters. The player noticed as much after they turned down Gale’s advances and heard a subsequent conversation between the wizard and Withers. When Gale visited Withers to reset his spells, “Withers threw the fact Gale didn’t have a love interest in his face,” the player claimed. “He basically rubbed the rejection in with salt and vinegar.” The Redditor further noted that they’ve seen Withers behave this way with every other companion their character has turned down romantically. Other Baldur’s Gate 3 fans said they’ve seen Withers do the same in their playthroughs. One person recalled, “I once went to Withers to respec Jaheira and he told her the same.” This is especially troublesome since the user claims Jaheira’s tragic backstory about her husband had been revealed by this point. Because there’s crossover between the Elden Ring and BG3 audiences, it should come as no surprise that the thread’s also filled with “maidenless” jokes. “Thou is maidenless,” joked one Redditor. Another said, “Ah, I see. [Thou] can’t pull no bi*****.” It would seem Withers has more of an interest in the player character’s love life than he may let on.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Withers bug leaves nothing to the imagination Larian StudiosA poorly-timed glitch in the epilogue of Baldur’s Gate 3 sees Withers enter his nudist arc. Baldur’s Gate 3 certainly doesn’t lack spice. There’s plenty of opportunity for intimate moments with the game’s romanceable characters — some of whom, it turns out, are pretty questionable. Whether your player character is in for establishing a passionate relationship or is just a frequent patron at Sharess’ Caress, you’ll likely come across some adult content during your playtime. Yet, it turns out Baldur’s Gate 3 has the capacity for even more NSFW moments. Baldur’s Gate 3 bug has Withers bare all One Baldur’s Gate 3 player shared a screenshot of a glitch that resulted in Withers doing some seriously inopportune streaking during the game’s epilogue. The reoccurring bug has led to the skeletal scholar delivering his final soliloquy wearing nothing but his jewelry and a pair of surprisingly saucy tattered thigh highs. Most Baldur’s Gate 3 fans aren’t exactly embracing the sight of Withers’ undead “dusty cheeks”. However, sections of the community do have a history of thirsting after some seriously unconventional love interests. So, it’s not a total surprise that some commenters latched onto the idea of romancing Withers saying, “We need this DLC.” While players were pretty off-put by Withers’ random nudity, they heaped praise on Larian Studios for taking the time to artfully render a part of the character that players would usually never see: “The fact that they actually modeled and textured Withers’ body, and especially his ass, something that we weren’t even supposed to see, is mind-blowing.” Before you ask, Withers is like a Barbie doll in the front. Evidently, none of the game’s various genital customization options suited his thoroughly unique bod. Instead, he’s rocking the kind of ambiguous grey bulge that wouldn’t feel out of place on a 1960s alien. Hot.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is even winning over people who don’t like video games Larian StudiosThe recently released Baldur’s Gate 3 has attracted all kinds of players, even those who don’t typically like video games. Anticipation for Baldur’s Gate 3 seemed incredibly high before launch, yet few could’ve predicted its meteoric success. Within a day of release, it was confirmed that Baldur’s Gate 3 had already become the second-biggest Steam launch in 2023 behind Hogwarts Legacy. The RPG reached even greater heights over the weekend, hitting 800,000+ concurrent Steam players on Sunday. And, apparently, the core audience isn’t the sole reason for such early successes. Even those who typically have no affinity for video games are giving Baldur’s Gate 3 a try and loving it. Baldur’s Gate 3 players even include folks who don’t like games Over the weekend, a Redditor shared a photo of their wife deeply entrenched in the world of Baldur’s Gate 3. Most interesting is that, according to the Redditor, their spouse “doesn’t like video games.” She evidently liked this one enough to have devoted nine straight hours to it. The original poster added that after playing on Steam Deck for a few years, “she literally hasn’t moved for at least four hours since I put her in front of the UltraWide…” Several replies pointed out the wife’s bottle of wine and nearly-empty glass. “You know it’s serious when the wife has a bottle of wine within reach. You aren’t getting your chair back for some time,” one person told the original poster. “Slowly, gently, this is how a life is taken. To the gamer realm,” someone else commented. A few other people chimed in to say their wives were also obsessed with Baldur’s Gate 3. One person wrote, “I just found out my wife never went to bed last night because she has been playing this game… I think she’s been playing for at least 20 hours with like 5-10 minute breaks every hour or two…” Concerning the OP’s spouse, though, such an interest in Baldur’s Gate may not come as much of a surprise. The Redditor explained, “She’s a cosplayer who loves TTRPGS and is a fantasy author so I [suppose] there’s overlap haha.” By all accounts, Baldur’s Gate 3 is more than worthy of the attention it’s getting. So it’s good to see that Larian’s latest is even capturing the hearts and minds of non-gamers.

Baldur’s Gate 3 will pay you for killing this NPC Larian StudiosSome Baldur’s Gate 3 NPCs are so hated that the game itself will reward players for killing him – or at least the Flaming Fist will. There are plenty of villains in Baldur’s Gate 3, and most are pretty satisfying to take down. However, that satisfaction comes primarily from the players, rather than Tav or their companions who get to fight them. That is unless you’re poor Sarevok, who is so hated that there’s an in-game bounty on his head. Sharing their discovery on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, one player revealed that you can get a reward for taking down the Bhaalspawn, Sarevok. “This is the 4th time I’ve killed him and just now I decided to tell that Fist I did it and she gave me money… And here I was killing him out of the goodness of my heart. Damn. Could have used that money in HM,” joked the poster, revealing just how they managed to gain a reward for his death. The poster went on to highlight that they were given “a little over 900 gold” for their services, which might not be groundbreaking but can be handy to those in Honor Mode, particularly if they need more potions. To get this reward yourself, before you take on Sarevok, head to the Basilisk Gate Barracks in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate in Act Three and look for Gauntlet Devella Fountainhead. Once you chat with her, she’ll explain her murder list. Then, head over to the villain, take him down, and report back – and 900 gold will be yours. While plenty only just learned this interesting feature, many felt the reward was a little bit of an understatement: “You’d think that the guy who was such a terror 100 years ago and who still evaded capture to this day would be worth more than 900 Gold.” Sarevok is the offspring of Bhaal and even attempted to usurp the throne from him in Dungeons & Dragons lore, so to end someone that powerful and only get 900 Gold feels a little lackluster. Nevertheless, 900 Gold will get you a healing potion or two and most players will kill him anyway, so there’s not much harm done – other than to Sarevok himself.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Where to find Infernal Iron & how to use it Larian StudiosDiscover the elusive yet highly valuable Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3 with this guide. It offers comprehensive details on finding this resource in the game and its diverse applications. Among the many materials you’ll encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3, Infernal Iron is particularly rare. Although its early-game uses are limited, it becomes crucial in later stages. You’ll particularly need some Infernal Iron on hand during The Hellion’s Heart companion quest which can be completed after the Zariel Tiefling Karlach has joined your group. With that in mind, here’s exactly how to get Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3 and how to use it. Contents Where to find Infernal Iron – Infernal Iron use – Where to find Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3? There are five locations where you can find Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3: Blighted Village – Gauntlet of Shar Dungeon – Shattered Sanctum – Underdark Grymforge – Zhentarim Hideout – Blighted Village The Blighted Village will probably be the first time you find Infernal Iron. This place is located in the basement of the house on the north side of the settlement. Head over to the basement and grab the metal from the chest, but be careful as the chest explodes. Gauntlet of Shar Dungeon Gauntlet of Shar Dungeon is the second place where you can find Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3. The depth of the dungeon is protected by Balthazar, a necromancer, and once you unlock the chest, you get the rare metal. Shattered Sanctum Shattered Sanctum is located in the Goblin Camp. Head over to the north side to find Dror Ragzlin, open the door behind him, and get all the loot including Infernal Iron. Underdark Grymforge Head over to the Underdark Grymforge area to start Stonemason Kith’s quest. You can reach this location by going to the Decrepit Village and taking the boats from there. Once you complete all the challenges given, you’ll earn a ton of rewards including Infernal Iron. Zhentarim Hideout Zhentarim Hideout is the fifth location in the game where you can find Infernal Iron. You can reach here by completing the “Find the Missing Shipment” quest, and once you’re inside, head north until you come across a couple of locked doors along with guards and some wolves. Once you defeat them, unlock the door on the extreme right, and open the chest on the right to get the rare metal. How to use Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3? To use Infernal Iron in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll need to start Karlach’s quest, The Hellion’s Heart. This metal is used to repair the overheating Infernal engine inside her body and for that, you need to: Head over to Emerald Grove. – Talk to Dammon, a Tiefling blacksmith. – Give the Infernal Iron to Dammon so that he can repair Karlach’s Infernal engine. – This temporarily fixes her problem and you’ll come across Dammon again at Baldur’s Gate. Remember, Karlach needs to be in your party otherwise you won’t be able to apply the temporary fix to her engine. So, there you have it — that’s everything you need to know about finding Infernal Iron in the game. For more about Baldur’s Gate 3, be sure to check our other content and guides: Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3 wastes chances for your companions to roast you Larian StudiosThe party members in Baldur’s Gate 3 have seemingly endless dialogue for every situation, but there’s one key part of the game where they miss the opportunity to roast the player and each other. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a staggering number of ways for the story to change based on the player’s actions. Usually, your party members will comment on events as they happen, sharing their approval or disdain for your decisions. The one aspect of the game where party members are oddly silent is Skill Checks or, rather, their results. As Baldur’s Gate 3 uses D&D 5e rules, most actions are resolved with dice rolls, with a chance of failure, success, critical failure, or critical success. Baldur’s Gate 3 occasionally has special results for rolling a 1 or a 20, but this is not reflected in the dialogue. Your usually snarky companions have little to say whenever someone spectacularly fails or pulls off a one-in-a-million shot. This oddity was commented on in a thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, where users lamented the fact that party members didn’t respond to the results of Skill Checks in the game. Considering the sheer number of Skill Checks and various party compositions in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s unsurprising that comments on passes/fails weren’t implemented. This would have added considerably to the workload for a game that was already packed with content. Having characters directly respond to your successes/failures of the group would be the perfect way to enhance Baldur’s Gate 3. A character like Astarion would be quick to mock Tav screwing up a lockpicking check but also forced to accept their skill if they get a 20. Moments like these not only help flesh out the characters but act as small rewards for the player’s actions, even when you fail. With development on Baldur’s Gate 3 winding down and no DLC on the horizon, it’s unlikely that party member sass levels will be increased in future updates. Fans will just have to be satisfied with the current level of roasting they receive from the other tadpole-bearers of the group.

Baldur’s Gate 3 complete walkthrough for all acts, best builds & more guides Larian StudiosAs one of last year’s most outstanding RPG experiences, Baldur’s Gate 3 draws attention for its comprehensive character-building, engaging story, and profound gameplay. But as with anything large and complex, there are bound to be parts of it that come off as a little intimidating. This hub will guide you through every nook and cranny of Baldur’s Gate 3’s expansive world, from boss tips to class builds, along with quest walkthroughs and late-game tips. Beginner guides If you’re just getting started with Baldur’s Gate 3 and are building out your hero and party, these guides will take you through the entire process of creating your character and going through the game’s opening act. Character creation All playable races & their abilities – All classes & subclasses – All Origin characters – All feats – Can you change your appearance? – Best multiclass builds tier list – How to respec your character – What’s the max level cap? – All difficulty settings explained – Fastest ways to get XP & level up – How to get Wrath – Story & lore It’s no secret by now that Baldur’s Gate 3’s story is long. It’s home to many different interesting quests and lore which you’ll learn more about throughout your playthrough: How long is Baldur’s Gate 3? – Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actors for all characters – Who are the Githyanki – Who are the Illithids? – Illithid powers explained – What is a Guardian – Every Deity you can worship – General guides After you’ve created your character and begun your adventure in Faerûn, these guides will help ensure your safe passage toward the end of the game’s turbulent final act. Quests There’s a seemingly endless list of quests to complete in-game, many of which may have hidden or unexpected outcomes. You’ll find all the tips you’ll need for many of them in the list below: Act 1 How to get the Owlbear Cub – Should you give your eye to Auntie Ethel? – What is Volo eye surgery and should you accept it? – Where to find Moulds – How to find the Nightsong – How to unlock Displacer Beast – How to solve moon door puzzle – Should you break Sazza the Goblin out? – Where to find Infernal Iron & how to use it – How to get the Toll House key – How to move the Scuffed Rock – How to activate the Arcane Tower – How to obtain the Light of Creation weapon – How to get Soul Coins – How to beat the Phase Spider Matriarch – How to complete Search The Cellar quest – – Act 2 – Act 3 – Companions As a D&D game, adventuring with your party is a huge story element. If you need help recruiting a party member, or want to deck out your party with the strongest gear, our guides below may help: All companions: Classes & location – How to save Shadowheart – How to find and recruit Halsin the Druid – All relationship options & how to romance – How to change your party – How to revive characters – Should you let Astarion drink your blood? – Gameplay systems There are many complex gameplay systems at play in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the guides below will break down exactly how they work and why they’re useful: All achievements and trophies – How do Karmic Dice rolls work? – How to make a camp – Can you pet the dog? – Proficiency system explained – How to craft potions – How to highlight objects – How to get Inspirational Events – Crafting explained – How to change your dice skin – Top Down View: How to get in and out – System, platforms & settings If you want to know if your expectations line up with the experience Baldur’s Gate 3 offers, here’s everything to know about the system, platforms, and settings: Recommended and minimum PC specs – How to install mods – Can you play on Steam Deck? – Will there be DLC? – Crossplay & cross-platform progression – How to play multiplayer with friends – Is the game coming to Nintendo Switch? – How to change language in Baldur’s Gate 3 – How to fix crashing: Disable Larian Launcher, BIOS tweaks & more – Now that you’re up to speed with a walkthrough on all things Baldur’s Gate 3, if you’re curious about what we thought of the game, read our review, and for all the latest news, make sure to check out our homepage.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Volo eye surgery- What does it do and should you get it? Larian StudiosThe quests in Baldur’s Gate 3 are notably engaging, and the Volo eye surgery quest is no exception – it’s bound to pique your interest. Here, we discuss the possible consequences of going through with the surgery. Each quest in the game is distinctively crafted, offering choices that can have varied impacts down the line. Some will affect the outcome while others might not. Baldur’s Gate 3 is quite exceptional when it comes to the quests within the game. These quests are innovative and they provide you with choices that may or may not have an impact in the future. This impact might be positive or negative depending on how you choose to proceed with it. Here is a guide to one such quest that has a personal impact on the player character itself. This quest is that of Volo’s eye surgery. A detailed guide on what impact the quest has on the player has been presented in the next section. What is Volo eye surgery and should you accept it? This eye surgery is part of a quest where an NPC named Volo will try to remove the Illithid worm and end up removing your eyeball instead. He will fail to remove your worm, but you will be getting a mechanical eye that will help you to look into invisible beings. The answer to whether you should get this eye surgery is Yes. It is important to remember that you will be unable to remove it once it is done. This means it will remain with you for the rest of the game, and the rest of the party will not be very supportive of this decision. However, it is a powerful tool that will come in handy. The ability to look into invisible objects seamlessly will always be an exceptional tool, no matter how you look at it. In order to access this quest, you will need to rescue Volo from a Goblin camp in the first Act itself. This completes our guide for Volo eye surgery in Baldur’s Gate 3. If you found it informative, please look into some of our other guides at Dexerto. Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actress speechless after her girlfriend smashes her mortal enemy Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s Jennifer English got a bit more than she bargained for watching her girlfriend stream the game. The ultimate betrayal came at the hands (and mouth) of the notoriously down Lae’zel. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a unique brand of video game shenanigans that makes for a fantastic backseat experience. Indeed playing the game with a partner present appears to be a favourite pastime for players, even if they get a little murdered. Baldur’s Gate 3’s companions make for fantastic comedic fodder during the experience. So much so that the voice actors for those companions have been known to stream the game themselves. Jennifer English – the voice behind god’s favorite princess Shadowheart – has been tagging along during her girlfriend, Performance Director Aliona Baranova’s Baldur’s Gate 3 stream. In one of the installments, the two had a hilarious romantic entanglement with Shadowheart’s least favorite Githyanki. The fun starts below at around the 35-minute mark. The tension between Shadowheart and Lae’zel is a staple of every Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough as the two will inevitably get on each other’s nerves. So when the glorious green goddess offered herself to Baranova’s character, English was understandably taken aback. “I don’t know what to say,” English remarked as Lae’zel propositioned Baranova’s character with her trademarked aggression. Baranova accepted the offer “respectfully looking” as the battle scared Githyanki disrobed and revealed the leaves that act as nudity filters in Baldur’s Gate 3. “It’s so weird ’cause we’ve seen Dev (Lae’zel’s voice actor) today,” English explained to the audience. The two cackled throughout the encounter as their colleague commanded them to “open” and “taste”. As the encounter comes to an end and Baranova furiously fans herself, English points out that Lae’zel is “not a cuddler”. Clearly, she’s still a little raw from another betrayal during the stream. In retrospect, a dalliance with Lae’zel seems like it should have been an obvious occurrence. The insatiable Githyanki is a pivotal part of Baldur’s Gate 3’s notorious Sex% speedruns thanks to her up-for-it attitude. We can’t walk you through the ins and outs of Baldur’s Gate 3’s spiciest speedrun but we have a host of other guides to help you out. Including how to take slower paths to the game’s romantic encounters. Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actor claims his entire job was to “do the sexy sounds” Larian StudiosA Baldur’s Gate 3 voice actor claimed he was brought on by Larian Studios to not voice any actual lines, but instead be the voice of the “sexy sounds” found in the game. Baldur’s Gate 3 has been absolutely blowing up the internet with its monumental release. The RPG hosted in the world of DnD has taken off with critics and fans alike, many of whom have invested countless hours into the game on its release. Another part of the game that has gone down well with the internet is the various not-so-family-friendly sex scenes and nudity that occur throughout the journey. One particular encounter with an elfish vampire and bear left everyone with their heads in a spin. Now another voice actor for Baldur’s Gate 3 has come forth to enlighten the internet on what developers Larian Studios asked of them. Voice actor says they were brought on purely to voice sex scenes in Baldur’s Gate 3 Voice actor Alex Jordan who has acted in several games like Final Fantasy XVI and Demon Souls is no stranger to the craft. No matter what’s asked of them, they’re keen to hop in and provide their voice to characters. However, when Larian Studios approached Jordan, it was with a slightly different intent. Jordan said they were asked by Larian Studios if they’d like to voice act in Baldur’s Gate 3. Of course, being such a huge game Jordan jumped at the chance to voice in the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Jordan’s speaking voice that Larian wanted. “They said, ‘no no, not a role, we’ve finished recording all that stuff I’m afraid. What we need is sexy sounds, do you want to come in and do the sexy sounds?’” Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Jordan hesitantly said yes. “So I went into the studio… and it was very awkward as I made sounds like mmm and ughhh, and then I kissed my hand a whole lot.” Larian Studios was also kind enough to provide Jordan with their own copy of Baldur’s Gate 3, who’ll likely hear his very own “sexy sounds” as they stream the game on their Twitch channel.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Vlaakith “god filter” glitch catches players off guard Larian StudiosSeeing Vlaakith without her “god filter” in Baldur’s Gate 3 has caused the community to share some interesting responses. Baldur’s Gate 3 has successfully picked up multiple awards since the game launched in August 2023. Even now, Larian Studios’ masterpiece still holds its momentum, considering the game is still in Steam’s top ten games based on concurrent players. But it goes without saying that the game also has its fair share of glitches and bugs that occasionally happen to some players, just like any other game. While some of them arguably give hilarious results, this particular Vlaakith visual glitch has caught players off guard, even leading to some interesting responses from the community. As seen in a Reddit thread, one player has shared images of a glitch that made Vlaakith appear without her “god filter.” Normally, Vlaakith would have glowing eyes and a shiny-like aura around her body, but because of this visual glitch, her whole intimidating god-like look is gone. Seeing this phenomenon, players quickly jumped to share their thoughts in the comments. Surprisingly, some players actually found that Vlaakith looks even more terrifying without the filter. “I kinda prefer it. I find her way creepier without the god glow, “ one user wrote. A different user claimed it’s likely because she looks “less cartoonish” this way. “She’s actually way scarier here,” another chimed in. On the other hand, some players quickly took this opportunity to crack some jokes and share lighthearted responses. One user wrote: “She looks like a zombie grandma.” “When the Snapchat filter fails,” joked another user. A different user even mentioned, “Aw, granny Vlaakith looks sad.” While glitches are nothing new in Baldur’s Gate 3, this seems to be one of the ones that spark some funny responses from players.

Baldur’s Gate 3 player regrets giving up rare armor to save “corrupt” character Larian StudiosOne Baldur’s Gate 3 player is angry with themselves for walking away from a rare armor set to instead save Valeria, the Hollyphant. Players can encounter an investigator named Valeria while visiting the Open Hand Temple in BG3’s third act. The meeting occurs under unfortunate circumstances, as the Hollyphant is knee-deep in a murder investigation. Oddly enough, Valeria also becomes swept up in a series of challenges that users must complete if they want to unlock the incredibly rare Bhaalist Armour. Purchasing the armor set requires users to side with Bhaal and assume the title of Unholy Assassin. Killing Valeria counts among the many tasks involved in accepting the aforementioned title. After wrapping up the Hollyphant’s arc, one person now regrets taking the more moral route. Baldur’s Gate 3 fan wishes they would’ve killed Valeria After freeing Valeria, Redditor Willow_rpg learned that the investigator blamed the Open Hand Temple murder on an innocent refugee. It didn’t take long for the Baldur’s Gate 3 player to start kicking themself, wishing they’d followed the Unholy Assassin route because at least they would’ve gotten cool armor out of it. “I cannot believe I gave up the Bhaalist armour for this elephant,” they wrote in frustration. In the Reddit post, the user notes that Valeria once complimented their Tav on possessing fine qualities such as courage, insight, and heroism. The Redditor fumed, “She’s clearly wrong about the insight part. Otherwise, I would have had the insight into her personality enough to know killing her for this gear is better than saving her.” In the comments, the original poster went a step further, saying they “no longer see killing her as an evil act. I’m simply removing a corrupt officer.” Other Baldur’s Gate 3 fans noted that things get worse where Valeria is concerned. Apparently, the character’s epilogue letter features an admission to claiming credit for solving the murder case in the player’s absence. Valeria’s “definitely not a great example of Hollyphants,” the user added. Someone else thinks the investigator is so contemptible that killing her constitutes the one evil act they commit during every BG3 run. “The only constant evil thing I do even on a good run. Sorry, Valeria, I value a piece of armor that makes Astarion deal more damage than I value your life.” It’s hardly a wonder why Valeria has quickly become one of the most divisive NPCs in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 update lets players give Shadowheart the love she deserves DeviantArt: pumazhBaldur’s Gate 3 players can finally hug Shadowheart while she’s crying in Act 3 after the release of Patch 6. Fans have highly anticipated patch 6 for Baldur’s Gate after Larian Studios gave countless teasers for the upcoming new affection animations. Which includes new kissing cutscenes for Shadowheart and Astarion. The community joined forces to collectively bring about a patch release on Valentine’s Day through their shared manifestation efforts. However, Larian had other plans and instead decided to troll the community with hilarious Pengu gifs before releasing the patch on February 16. Now that the patch has been released, players are overjoyed that they can hug Shadowheart during an emotional moment in the game’s final Act. The following context does include spoilers for the game’s ending. Baldur’s Gate player can comfort Shadowheart with a hug In Act 3, there are two options for the fate of Shadowheart’s parents. Players can either opt to save them or potentially let them perish. Either choice will result in Shadowheart crying in a cutscene. Before the release of patch 6, the player had no option other than to stand there awkwardly and let Shadowheart deal with her emotional turmoil. However, now players have the option to comfort her with a hug. Something that makes sense, especially if the player has a romantic relationship with her. “Yes!” exclaimed one player. “One of the worst moments in the game was just having to stand there watching her cry.” Others within the community were also stoked to hear the news about Shadowheart. However, some took the opportunity to suggest another character that could use a hug after a traumatic moment. “Just want to do this for Astarion when he kills Cazador and starts crying,” said another commenter. “I just wanna hug him.” Larian Studios have taken notice of the player’s desire to interact more with their romantic partners in the game. This means that further updates to other relationships could be added in future patches.

Baldurs Gate 3 update lets players get drunk with companions — but at a price Larian StudiosPlayers now have the opportunity to get drunk with their companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 by adding all alcohol to their long rest at camps. The latest patch to come to Baldur’s Gate has been highly anticipated by franchise fans who wanted more depth added to the game. This includes more affection animations for companions and now – the ability to take shots with your pals while at camp. Patch 6 was mostly focused on the affection side of gameplay by adding new kissing cutscenes to characters like Astarion and the ability to give hugs during certain situations. With the focus on romance, players almost skipped over some of the smaller details that came with the patch. But keen eyes discovered a small addition that comes with adding all alcohol to the camp when wanting to take a long rest. However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows for those who want to take this golden opportunity. Drinking in Baldur’s Gate may result in a hangover Baldur’s Gate heavily revolves around taking Long Rests with your companions. These rests are key parts of the storyline as they spark critical cutscenes and allow the players to fully heal after battle. To initiate a long rest, the player must add a certain number of perishables to heal the team. There isn’t a restriction on what can be added, meaning that the entire bar can be filled with alcohol. “If you Long Rest with only alcohol as camp supplies, you will not get the new Hungover condition for 10 turns,” says Larian Studios in the patch 6 notes. “Here’s to a fully hungover Act 2 with the lack of non-rotting food and my need for regular camp scenes,” joked one commenter. Others had similar thoughts with their upcoming playthroughs thanks to the new mechanic. However, one person did point out that while 10 turns initially seem like a long time, it only realistically accounts for less than two minutes of actual game time. It is unknown if the Hungover effect will translate into actual features regarding cutscenes within the Long Rests. But Larian Studios always likes to keep the community on their toes, so anything is possible.

Baldur’s Gate 3 trick lets you save Hag’s victims and still get her Hair Boon Larian StudiosIn Baldur’s Gate 3, there’s a way to save the Hag’s victims in her teahouse and get her Hair Boon at the same time — which gives you +1 to a stat of your choice. Auntie Ethel appears to be an innocent and kind grandmother when you first encounter her near the Emerald Grove in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1. Claiming that she’s concerned about you, she’ll say she has something at home that can help. But progress the game enough, and you’ll find out that she’s not as sweet as she seems. Many have already fallen victim to her — and what happened to them was far from pretty. Despite these past victims having been left to their tragic demise, there’s a way you can save them. “Barring the decapitated girl and the blind lady, which are just corpses, you can pretty much save all the victims from that Hag,” mentioned a player in a Reddit thread. Assuming you passed the check to see the secret entrance to her lair, it’s possible to use Arcane Lock to prevent her from leaving and trigger the fight against her victims when you follow her. The only problem is, according to some players, you’d miss out on one significant loot when you do this: her Hair. Luckily, there’s a trick for this that lets you save the victims and get her Hair, perfect for those running a good Tav playthrough. Here’s what to do: Avoid killing the masks when you encounter them at the lair’s entrance — use stealth or invisibility to get past instead. – Keep one character out of combat while you fight Auntie Ethel. – Chip her HP as low as you can without killing her. – Pass a check and select the Hair. – Switch your character to the one out of combat instead of continuing the dialogue. – Kill her stealthily. This has to be pulled off in one shot, or she’ll just break her dialogue and teleport away. – Once Ethel is dead, you’ll get her Hair, which gives you a +1 to a stat of your choice, and save her victims, including Mayrina. Some players claimed that you can also opt to knock the masked victims unconscious to avoid killing them. However, this only seems to be the case for the one that wants to be saved. Meanwhile, for the soul trapped in the mirror, breaking the mirror appears to free it — but you’ll get a debuff in return.

Baldur’s Gate 3 trick lets you get rid of hated NPC in the most satisfying way Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players have revealed the best ways to deal with one particular NPC that’s extremely hated for their personality and behavior. Not everyone will be kind to you in Faerun, and some of the worst characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 are exactly proof of that. However, out of all of them, there’s one particular NPC that the community loathes more than others, and that’s none other than Wulbren Bongle. You’ll meet Wulbren Bongle locked up in Moonrise Towers’ prison, asking for your help to free him in Act 2. But after everything you’ve done and all the hoops you’ve gone through, the deep gnome doesn’t even look grateful when you reencounter him in the Last Light Inn. Not only that, but he is also rude to Barcus and reveals a strong hate against the Gondians, making him an extremely despicable character overall – to the point that there’s a subreddit dedicated to hating him. As an act of revenge, players have come up with several ways in a Reddit thread to make him useful in Baldur’s Gate 3. “When you’re trying to get into Wyrm’s crossing, and the Ironhands attack the steel watch and flaming fists, don’t get involved and let the fists live. After the fight, you can find one of them, and he will say that they’ve been trying to find the terrorist cell’s hideout,” explained one player. As it turns out, if you agree to help, you’ll be rewarded by bringing Wulbren’s head to them. By doing this, not only do you get to keep all the explosives in his hideout, but you essentially also get paid to kill Wulbren. However, in order for this sequence to happen, you’ll need to save the Ironhands in the forge in Act 1. Following this suggestion, another user also chimed in to share how they’ve dealt with him; “My best use for him so far was when escaping in Act 2, I had Karlach throw him at one of the guards.” Overall, it’s clear that Wulbren remains one of the most hated characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, knowing so many options, players are always free to come up with their own ideas when it comes to taking advantage or getting rid of the unsympathetic deep gnome character.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Top Down View: How to get in and out Larian StudiosIn traditional Dungeons & Dragons, most battle maps are looked at with a top down view – so how do you achieve the same design in Baldur’s Gate 3? Here’s everything you need to know. Turn-based RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3 allow players to play the game from a third-person perspective, giving those players an alternative view of the battle and allowing for more tactics. You view the character model along with their companions from the top at an angle, bringing in all the surroundings along with the character you’re playing. Such a design also feels reminiscent of traditional TTRPG designs, where you look at the battle from the top. Thankfully this design is implemented in Baldur’s Gate 3, with the Top Down View camera being an available option. So, if you’re wondering how to get in and out of the Top Down View in Baldur’s Gate 3, here’s everything you need to know. How to switch to Top Down View in Baldur’s Gate 3? Switching to the Top Down View or Tactical Camera in Baldur’s Gate 3 is very simple. However, if you’re not aware of the process, just follow this simple set of steps below: Open the game. – Once you’re inside and everything is loaded up properly, press the ‘O’ button on your keyboard. – It will now switch to the Tactical Camera view. You can toggle between the different camera views using the same button. In order to zoom in and out in the Top Down View, simply use the Scroll Wheel of your mouse. If you want, you may change the key mapping from the Settings menu. However, if you’re playing using a controller, zoom out all the way using the Right Stick to switch to the Tactical Camera view. You can switch back to the other camera angles by zooming in using the same stick. That’s how you get in and out of the Top Down View in Baldur’s Gate 3. When to use Tactical Camera in Baldur’s Gate 3? Although it comes down to a personal preference, you may find the Top Down View handy during combat in Baldur’s Gate 3. It can help you focus, and plan your moves efficiently, especially when there are many enemies nearby and the environment is dense. So, there you have it — that’s basically everything you need to know about the Top Down View in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more about the game, be sure to check our other content and guides: Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in a shockingly small part of D&D’s map Wizards of the Coast/Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 might seem like it occurs across a vast expanse of land, but it turns out that players only see a fraction of what its setting has to offer. Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in D&D’s Forgotten Realms campaign setting, which is the most popular in the game. The story itself happens around the city of Baldur’s Gate 3, with the occasional trip to different planes of existence, like Avernus and the Astral Plane. Considering the sheer length of Baldur’s Gate 3, people unfamiliar with D&D might believe that the game uses a ton of content from the source material. As proven by a thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, the game barely scratches the surface. It turns out that Baldur’s Gate 3 only covers a tiny portion of the Forgotten Realms, less so even than its predecessor. The map was recreated below to make the game’s location easier to see. One player wrote, “It kind of answers why nobody thought to do anything about the shadow curse. It’s basically like saying we should do something about Gary, Indiana. It’s a problem, but for 99% of the time, you can ignore it.” Another said “That’s one of the things that brushed me the wrong way playing BG3, as an avid fan of the 1 and 2. You’re not anymore exploring huge areas, it feels very confined.” “And that’s why I think Pathfinder games are far better spiritual successors to the BG franchise. BG3 is more of a Divinity Original Sin sequel with the Baldur’s Gate brand forced on it. It’s still a phenomenal game though.” This map doesn’t even show the full picture, as Faerun is only one continent in a much larger world. There’s also the Underdark – a massive underground region encompassing much of the world, to say nothing of the sky above, with floating cities and realms of the cloud & storm giants. Baldur’s Gate 3 might not have the world-spanning adventure of its predecessor or Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, but it does an incredible job with the small slice of Faerun we see. Bigger doesn’t always mean better, and a more localized story can be more enjoyable than a continent-hopping epic.

Baldur’s Gate 3 surprises MTG players with suspiciously familiar characters Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 has a ton of characters throughout all three of its acts, and it can be hard to keep track of so many faces. However, players who are also fans of Magic: The Gathering have noticed a few familiar faces cropping up across the world, with some cropping up as early as the first act. Zevlor, the tiefling you meet at the Druid’s village in Act 1, was a particular standout for one player of both the video game and the card game, who pointed it out on the official Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit. This prompted significant discussion in the comments over why there was so much overlap between MTG and Larian’s latest release. If you’re looking to find Zevlor yourself, we’ve got a handy guide on how to find him at all stages of the game. Are Baldur’s Gate 3 and Magic: The Gathering in the same world? Sort of? It’s complicated. Basically, Baldur’s Gate exists in the Forgotten Realms part of Dungeons and Dragons, which is one of several dimensions, or planes, that exist in DnD. In Magic: The Gathering, you’re playing as a “planeswalker”, someone with the ability to travel to and from all of these different realities, and the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of them. Baldur’s Gate 3 was developed by Larian Studio but Wizards of the Coast who produce Magic: The Gathering, were also consulted closely in the development process as they hold the license for DnD. For more news and updates on Baldur’s Gate 3, check out our guide to the best Oathbreaker Paladin build in the game.

Baldur’s Gate 3 subtle detail proves everyone loves Scratch Larian StudiosIt would be hard to find a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan who dislikes Scratch, which extends to the characters in-universe, as demonstrated by a subtle detail in the camp. Having an adorable dog as a traveling companion is an easy way to win over fans. Dogmeat in the Fallout games is a great example, as many players will choose to keep him over the more demonstrably useful party members because he’s such a good boy. The love for Scratch is also present among the party members in Baldur’s Gate 3 (unless you’re a heartless monster who gets rid of him.) This is because Scratch gets his own little tent in the camp, one presumably raised by the party. What’s funny about the tent is that not all of the humanoid party members get their own tent. Tav or the Dark Urge are usually stuck with a bedroll, while Halsin just kind of stands around (though he has the ability to grow fur, so it’s not like he’s going to be cold.) As discussed on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit, some fans didn’t realize that was Scratch’s tent. There are many tents and containers in the camp, and characters move around between rests, so it’s easy to lose track of where everything is. Scratch has an easier time winning friends than most animal companions in video games due to the player’s ability to communicate with him via magic. And even the most heartless Dark Urge player will struggle to harm him. With all of that banked goodwill, it’s no surprise that Scratch has his own little tent. It’s just a shame that the Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion spell from D&D 5e didn’t make it into the game, as that’s the only appropriate home for Scratch.

Baldur’s Gate 3 players say one subclass is essential for Honor Mode Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players believe one subclass is a must-have during Honor Mode, especially when Total Party Kills become a risk. While a fun challenge, an Honor Mode run in Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t exactly a breeze to navigate, thanks in no small part to stronger bosses and permadeath. Players keep finding ways to make the mode more manageable, though, with one person now claiming a certain subclass can turn the tide of a difficult run. According to Reddit user velatieren, BG3’s Thief Rogue subclass makes all of the difference in the world with its 3x Dash ability. The Redditor explained that the Thief Rogue’s Dash most notably becomes handy when players face down the threat of a TPK – a Total Party Kill, which wipes out everyone in the group. With 3x Dash, a Thief Rogue subclass character can zoom across the map in a single turn and land in camp. If at least one party member enjoys the safety of camp, players can avoid losing their Honor Mode run to a TPK. As the Reddit user stated, Baldur’s Gate 3 users will only lose their “dignity” when relying on this Thief Rogue subclass method. Typically, avoiding TPK concerns comes down to a matter of leaving one companion in the camp when a difficult challenge looms ahead. This reduces the party size to three, which isn’t ideal, but it beats losing all four characters because of one combat mistake. As such, using the Thief Rogue Dash when the going gets tough could prove a smart alternative. However, some Baldur’s Gate 3 players in the Reddit thread argued velatieren’s subclass technique doesn’t hold a candle to other tricks. One person remarked, “Sounds like having an invisibility potion with extra steps.” Meanwhile, another user vouched for the Gloom Stalker Ranger build, writing, “multiclassing with gloomstalker ranger is honestly just better in nearly every way.”

Baldur’s Gate 3 studio shares genius tip for corpse communication Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 developer has shared a super handy method for boosting the effectiveness of the Speak with Dead spell. It’s an absolute game-changer for information gathering. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a narrative-heavy experience with tremendous voice acting to back it all up. The game includes an estimated two million lines of dialogue and a big part of this is thanks to its dizzying array of spells. Two of those spells allow you to communicate with animals and the dead. Not just specific ones either, you can speak with nearly every animal and corpse in the game if your heart desires. The applications are somewhat limited of course but Larian Studios has shared a Tweet that gets around one of the more frustrating drawbacks of Speak with Dead. It involves the subtle use of illusory magic. How to cheese Speak with Dead in Baldur’s Gate 3 You see, certain corpses in Baldur’s Gate 3 might be a bit less truculent than others. You know, on account of you making them a corpse and all. Larian suggests using appearance-altering methods like the Alter Self spell or the Mask of the Shapeshifter to confuse your downed foes. The fact that it works is a testament to the amount of thought the developer put into Baldur’s Gate 3. The trick is so genius we wish we thought of it ourselves and so do plenty of people in the comments of the thread. “Oh. My. F***Ing. God! So many corpses who can’t tell me their secrets now because I’ve progressed too much,” one player lamented. People were absolutely blown away by the mechanical freedom that the trick illustrated. “Dude this game… the stuff you all have thought of continually blows my mind,” one dumbfounded user said in praise of the studio. This isn’t the only example of the creativity that can be employed with Baldur’s Gate 3’s D&D-inspired logic. Players have set up chain reactions for Goblin genocide and even used in-game physics and spellcraft to create Owlbear nukes. The sheer scope of player choice and creativity likely means that the community hasn’t even scratched the surface of what you can do in the game. We look forward to covering more of these escapades.

Baldur’s Gate 3 struggles with ‘out of order’ gameplay Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players discover that the game can’t handle it when they playthrough the first act of the game in a different order. BG3 has taken the gaming community by storm since releasing in August of 2023. Inspired by the D&D storyline and lore, the roleplaying title has over 100,000 players playing at a time. With the title’s nearly infinite storyline possibilities it has inspired players to go through the game multiple times. These playthroughs often mean different decision making which can lead to a new telling of the story. Whether players are trying to decide good over evil or who to romance, the playthroughs make for a new experience each time. Although one Redditor discovered that if the game is played out in a different way at the beginning, it can lead to some confusing dialogue along the way. Redditor catches slip in BG3 dialogue after recruiting Lae’zel Upon leaving the nautiloid at the start of the game, the player is tasked with exploring the island they have crash-landed on. It’s on this island that the player will be able to recruit some of the key members of their party. Typically players are to recruit Shadowheart first as she is the closest to the landing on the beach of the island. However those who are playing the game another time around they may opt to recruit party members out of typical order. One Reddit user by the name of Tentacle showcased a screenshot of their playthrough where they recruit Astarion and Lae’zel first before making it to Shadowheart. The first dialogue with Shadowheart seems to be set in place no matter what. “New run,” said the post. “Doing things in a different order. And well uh…” The third choice of the dialogue sequence asks about Lae’zel who meets the player and Shadowheart on the nautiloid. The player has the option to ask Shadowheart about ‘our gith friend’ in reference to Lae’zel who is standing right behind the player in the scene. “Remember her,” joked one user. “She looks a lot like the gith behind me except she wasn’t wearing a bow.” Comments poked fun at the irony in the scene with a few users choosing their own dialogue choices as a response. With so many choices throughout the story, there is bound to be a mix-up with the dialogue depending on the order of the playthrough. Although its parts of Baldur’s Gate 3 that make players appreciate the richness and depth of the storyline.

Baldur’s Gate 3 streamer solos the game’s hardest bosses in a single turn Larian Studios/Twitch: lualityAn intrepid Bladur’s Gate 3 streamer is making mincemeat of the game’s toughest challenges with a busted build. Of course, when you find out who it is, it kind of makes sense. The boundless creativity afforded by Baldur’s Gate 3 actually encourages breaking the game, especially where combat is concerned. We’ve seen players take down major bosses with a hamster and set up one-shots with capitalism. While it may seem like these achievements reduce the game to a sort of easy mode, there’s some definite skill in manipulating Baldur’s Gate 3 in these ways. If that’s still in doubt, this latest display comes from Twitch streamer luality who, among other achievements, beat Dark Souls 3 with a level one character using a dance pad. Not content with that monumental accomplishment, luality has taken to Baldur’s Gate 3 for an epic boss run. She’s taken down the best the game can throw at players and soloed them in a single turn thanks to some insane build crafting. While a boss like Raphael can be a pain in the neck thanks to the small army of henchmen he summons, luality makes short work of him and his cronies. Using a few buffs and multiple Arrows of Many Targets, she takes down eight enemies in one turn. While that’s probably the most impressive feat of luality’s in Baldur’s Gate 3, she’s pulled off a few other marvels. Taking down Ketheric Thorm and the Apostle of Myrkul in a single turn thanks to an ungodly amount of Action Points is just one of them. Her primary strategy revolves around stacking buffs like Luck of the Far Realms and Executioner for extra crits. On top of this, she’s somehow managed to optimize her build so it’s taking four to five actions per turn meaning she pulls these encounters off with no companions. It lets her do stuff like waste Grym in a single round of combat by pumping four overpowered arrows into him after a well-timed sneak attack. His bulk usually requires players to lure him under the hammer of the Adamantium forge but Luality doesn’t have time for all that. Players who’ve seen her chronicling of this particular boss run have been floored by luality’s speedy clears. She could have done it on a dance pad to make it more impressive but Baldur’s Gate 3’s turn-based combat might dial that down somewhat. We’re not sure our own build guides will have you soloing bosses in a single turn, but they’ll definitely help make those encounters easier. You can check those and a bunch of other Baldur’s Gate 3 guides out below. Best Sorcerer build | Best Bard build | Best Rogue build | Best Fighter build | Best Ranger build | Best Barbarian build | Best Druid build | Best Warlock build | Best Wizard build | Baldur’s Gate 3: What’s the max level cap? | Best Baldur’s Gate 3 classes tier list | How to revive characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 Soul Coins: How to get them & what they are | Baldur’s Gate 3: Fastest ways to get XP & level up | Baldur’s Gate 3: How to respec your character | Baldur’s Gate 3 Karmic Dice: What are they?

Baldur’s Gate 3 streamer blasts “broken” dice rolls after dealing 9 damage with lightning bolt Larian StudiosA Twitch streamer playing her way through Baldur’s Gate 3 became frustrated with the game’s unpredictable magic system after dealing just 9 damage with Lightning Bolt, one of the most powerful spells in the game. Twitch streamer Stormfall33 was doing a playthrough with a custom wizard character when a combat encounter went south, with her character’s Lightning Bolt dealing almost the lowest possible damage. Because the combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 is based off of 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, dice rolls are a core part of almost every interaction, including spell-casting. This means that despite being a level 3 spell, and one of the strongest AOE spells in the game, Lightning Bolt can deal less than 10 damage if you low roll. Streamer Stormfall33 rants about “broken” Baldur’s Gate 3 magic This mechanic clearly frustrated the streamer, who didn’t even need a high roll to kill the enemy in question. To make matters worse, the enemy passed their save check, reducing the damage dealt by even more. Storm said: “I want you to realize something really fast. This attack has a chance to do between 8 and 48 damage, and it just did 9! I’m done. I’m done. Oh my god, magic is so trash. They should have called it the ‘only go melee character’ game; because that is the game that this is. magic is so f*cking bad. “Dude, Karlach would have killed this guy, spit on his grave, done the yoinky-sploinky, dabbed, and killed everyone in this room by now, by the time I save scummed in order to do f*cking any damage with magic.” While the dice rolling stays true to the DnD roots of the Baldur’s Gate series, it’s clearly not for everyone, and the game has also faced other criticisms, with other players calling out a final act that isn’t as polished as the rest of the game. For a taste of what the magic in Baldur’s Gate 3 is really capable of doing, check out this player’s wizard build that puts out thousands of damage per turn.

Baldur’s Gate 3 streamer accidentally kills Lae’zel in front of her own actress Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 streamer Luality was dumbfounded after a bad dice roll led to Lae’zel’s death just minutes after the character’s actress, Devora Wilde, raided her stream. Since its release, Baldur’s Gate 3 has been popular among streamers, with even the game’s cast getting in on the fun. Actors like Neil Newbon (Astarion), Jennifer English (Shadowheart), and Devora Wilde (Lae’zel) are among those who have shared their adventures through the game with fans, with wacky hijinks often ensuing as the actors interact with their characters. However, one Baldur’s Gate 3 streamer got the shock of her life when Devora Wilde raided her stream – just minutes before Lae’zel met her unexpected end. BG3 streamer Luality kills Lae’zel with Devora Wilde watching Following a recent stream, Wilde chose to raid Luality’s channel with her audience. The latter was in the midst of an Honor Mode run while playing as Origin character Astarion and was clearly thrilled to be raided by “Bae’zel.” Things quickly took a turn, though, upon reaching the Act 1 scene when Astarion asks to drink from a companion – in this case, Lae’zel. Whether you’re playing as Astarion or his dinner, the roll to get him to stop is pretty simple, in this case requiring just a DC 5 saving throw. However, when Luality attempted a Wisdom roll to pull away, she got a 4, resulting in Astarion killing Lae’zel. Losing a companion in this way is, of course, already upsetting enough without the pressure of the character’s own performer watching. And, since this is Honor Mode, Lae’zel is, unfortunately, lost forever, at least where this run is concerned. While most players likely made it past this part without incident, this isn’t the only time this scene has thrown a wrench in someone’s stream. Astarion’s own actor, Neil Newbon, had his Tav killed this way following an unfortunate nat 1, though luckily he was able to revive the character with the help of Withers.

Baldur’s Gate 3 still has ridiculous player count as one year anniversary approaches Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3’s first anniversary will take place on August 3 and fans are still turning up in droves to play the game – even after it’s been out for a year. People interested in exploring Baldur’s Gate 3’s Forgotten Realms had the chance to do so back in 2020, as that’s when the game entered early access on PC. This version of the game only had Act I, so many chose to wait for the full launch in 2023, with console players being able to join in further down the line. While most game developers and publishers don’t give active player numbers, we can glean some information from Steam charts. Unsurprisingly, the top 10 games with the highest active player numbers are primarily multiplayer titles, like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Apex Legends, with Elden Ring being the main exception. Despite being a narrative game with a focus on the single-player experience, Baldur’s Gate 3 is still bringing in huge monthly numbers on Steam. A thread on the game’s Reddit has been created to celebrate the 100,000 average players a month despite its age. Baldur’s Gate 3 still hits 100k players a month on Steam alone “Amazing what happens when a team puts passion into a game,” one user wrote, “It’s been said before, I know I’m not treading new ground saying this, but BG3 is a generational game. Something like this only comes along rarely.” “It’s been a year, I have 750 hours on it, and I’m finally about to finish Act 3,” one devoted user wrote, while another said, “BG3 was made with a lot of passion by people who genuinely love DnD. Live service is made by companies who value money over everything.” One user summed things up perfectly: “The “consequences” of putting your heart and soul into developing a game. Wow…who would’ve thought. Looking at you, AAA games.” What’s even more surprising is that the game is coming to an end. Other studios would be working on paid DLC right now, but Larian is leaving Baldur’s Gate 3 behind, giving players modding tools that can be used to make their own content. Baldur’s Gate 3’s high player count is helped by the game’s sheer replayability. This is the kind of experience that demands multiple playthroughs and builds, so we’re not likely to see the fanbase drifting away anytime soon.

Baldur’s Gate 3 still dominates Steam Charts months after launch Larian Studios / ValveFans loved Baldur’s Gate 3 at launch, and Steam chart statistics show that many fans still love the game. Baldur’s Gate 3 was released to immediate acclaim from fans, thanks to its immersive gameplay and varied dialogue and story options, with reportedly over “17,000” possible different game endings. Fans loved the game so much that they far exceeded the demand that Larian Studios expected for their new iteration in the Baldurs Gate franchise. The developers expected a peak of 100,000 playing the game – not the 500,000-player peak that the game hit in early August. Now, nearly two months after the game’s rave release, have the Steam charts changed, and do players still feel the same burning passion for Larian Studios BG3 as when it was first released? Baldur’s Gate 3 boasts impressive Steam chart stats Baldur’s Gate 3 peaked at nearly one million players, charting an official 875,343 concurrent players courtesy of Steam charts. But, with such a dramatic high, fans are even more impressed that BG3 has managed to hold players’ hype and not dip in player count, with 300k players nearly two months after its release. Fans have been enamored with Baldur’s Gate 3 due to its replayability; Larian Studios have provided players with a plethora of different classes and builds, all with their own unique playstyle. BG3 not only provides players with a solid, mostly bug-free, and polished base game experience, but the Baldur’s Gate community has also found immense joy in creating unintended games and features, like Bowler’s Gate 3 and spending 5k gold for naked dwarf camp statues.

Baldur’s Gate 3 stealth strategy keeps failing due to unfair enemy ability Larian StudiosBaldur’s Gate 3 players are frustrated over the ineffectiveness of magical stealth, with enemies having an uncanny knack for discovering them with the help of one unfair ability. In D&D, Invisibility is one of the best low-level spells in the game. The ability to vanish from sight is ideal for sneaking around or getting the jump on an enemy, even if it does break when you attack or cast a spell. The enhanced versions at later levels, like Greater Invisibility, are even more useful, as they don’t easily break. Unfortunately, Invisibility isn’t quite as useful in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is due to the Detect Presence ability that many enemies possess, which is an action that lets them uncover your location, removing the benefits of being invisible. Users on Baldur’s Gate 3’s Reddit are complaining about how common Detect Presence is among the foes in the game and how it neuters the Invisibility spell, as it’s far too easy for your characters to be discovered. “Invisibility is actually one of the few things that p*ss me off in this game. I use invisibility and am detected by every NPC enemy immediately,” one user wrote, “THEY turn invisible and I can never f****** find them until they attack… then turn invisible right away again and I’m left throwing spells in every direction, praying that I hit them.” “Are you asking why all the creatures with a good sense of smell can detect you even without seeing you?” another user asked, “The actual problem is that being detected by one creature somehow makes you visible to all of them.” Another unfair trick the game uses was pointed out. “I’m not seeing anyone give this answer, so here: All NPCs can use the Detect Presence bonus action. This is also true for NPCs on your side, so long as you do not directly control them. The moment you take the reins, they lose the ability.” The inclusion of Detect Presence was likely a balancing choice to prevent people from cheating fights with Invisibility, especially as it can be cast using magic items. If players could keep out of sight using sorcery, then it would give them a huge advantage in combat. The downside is that stealth strategies can easily be undone with a single roll, forcing players to either load a save, or, if they’re playing Honour Mode, prepare for a fight that they might not be able to win.