Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3has managed to bring the feeling of a CRPG into an HD world of detailed cinematic presentation while staying true to the genre’s focus on player choice and optional content, setting itself apart from many of its contemporaries. While modern game design has largely shifted away from including bits of work that may not be experienced by everyone,Baldur’s Gate 3has found success through featuring a plethora of variations on its scenarios which emphasize the unique experience of each player. Some situations and dialogue that Larian Studios went out of its way to capture are so obscure that they’re still being discovered by many fans, and are unlikely to ever be seen organically in-game by the vast majority of people.
There is no shortage of big choices regarding the fates of characters andthe world ofBaldur’s Gate 3as a whole, but these are going to be encountered by anyone progressing through the main story. Most players are familiar with the psychotic actions that the Dark Urge is capable of, or the various other ways that party members can meet their ends, but there are certain circumstances which are so niche that they require layers of decisions leading up to them. Some strangely specific situations that players can find themselves in can range from comedic to tragic in theory, but their absurdity shines above all.
Getting Chewed Out by Astarion After Resurrecting Him
If the player retrieves theBlood of Lathander from Rosymorn Monasterywithout the proper precautions, it will lead to a huge explosion that destroys the entire place in a few turns. Only one party member needs to survive here, as the rest can be revived after the fact. If Astarion goes through this particular set of steps, however, he will be anything but grateful upon his return. A scene with rarity that has been hyped up by voice actor Neil Newbon, this interaction with Astarion features an intense performance that sees the character screaming at the player about his cause of death, a rare sight in gaming.
Defying the Githyanki God and Being Immediately Wished to Death
There’s an entire conspiracy about the true nature of the Githyanki god Vlaakith as an immortal lich who has manipulated the entire race to do her bidding, but her omnipotent power is very much real and can be tested. When her projection is encounteredin Creche Y’llek, Vlaakith will demandrespect from the player as she delivers orders.
If the usually available snarky dialogue option is chosen here, she will cast the9th levelDnDspell Wishand kill the entire party on the spot. There’s no playing this out since it brings up the load game screen of a normal death, but it shows thatBG3is willing to let the player do almost anything.
Not Listening to the Emperor and Dying Instantly
Being rude to Vlaakith isn’t the only way to die during dialogue, assuspiciousBG3NPC, the Emperor, presents an opportunity to do the same following Act 2. When his true identity as a Mind Flayer is revealed and the player seemingly has the choice to accept this or not, there’s actually only one route forward. Denying the Emperor’s help, a choice which essentially makes no sense, will cause the entire party to undergo ceremorphosis and trigger a game over as they become Mind Flayers.
Getting Set Up by Jaheira and Minsc as the Dark Urge, then Controlling Minsc to Kill Her
Playing as the Dark Urge can lead to a very lonely playthrough if the desire to slay party members ends up winning out, but Jaheira surprisingly sticks around regardless. After the Bhaalspawn crisis ofthe originalBaldur’s Gatetitles, Jaheira decides to secretly keep an eye on the Dark Urge, allying with them even if they kill the likes of Isobel.
If a redemption arc doesn’t happen andthe player embraces Bhaal in Baldur’s Gate, she will show her hand and betray the party. Tragically, if Minsc is also around and the player passes a check, he can be mind controlled into killing Jaheira himself here. He realizes what he’s done immediately after, making for one of the darkest moments featuring these legacy characters.
Using Gale’s Severed Hand to Enter the Murder Tribunal
Gale can be rescued by pulling him through the portal he’s found at during the beginning of the game, butBaldur’s Gate 3’s Dark Urge can chooseto dismember the Wizard’s hand and leave him behind. If, for some reason, the player decides to keep this severed hand in their inventory all the way into late Act 3, it can be used in place of other available severed hands to enter the Murder Tribunal and continue the Bhaal quest. It’s rare that an RPG companion can be reduced to a corpse that a quest item was looted from, but at least Gale can still make himself useful long after his death.
Failing to Properly Decapitate an Enemy, then Being Made Fun of
BG3features a remarkably high number of sequences where the player can dismember other people, and many players are likely aware of the fact thatKarlach can be killedand end up as a severed head as soon as she is first encountered. True Soul Nere can also be decapitated when he’s found in the Underdark, but there’s a Strength check associated with this act. Hilariously, failing this check won’t even cause the action to fail, the party will just ridicule the player with various desensitized, snarky reactions.
Killing Shadowheart’s Parents After Saving Them
While it’s possible for the player’s intrusive thoughts to win out and result in the death of practically anyBG3NPC, some decisions are so chaotic that they aren’t expected to be accounted for by the developer. Larian did just this when it comes to killing Shadowheart’s parents right after they are rescued from the Sharran Cloister, as this will provoke a deeply emotional response from her that is tailored to the situation. With Shadowheart turning on the party and triggering combat within the camp, crossing this line is an example ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s attention to consequences.
Exploiting Yurgir’s Questionable Relationship with His Displacer Beast
TheOrthon Yurgir in the Gauntlet of Sharcan be a surprisingly loyal ally if the player gets on his good side, but this Fiend has a strangely loyal creature at his service that can be turned against him too. This can be triggered if a rotten spider carcass drugged with succubus spittle - which can be licked twice to the disgust of Gale - is discovered by the player through passing several checks, and the Displacer Beast, Nessa, is spoken to using Speak with Animals. She will realize she is in love with Yurgir due to being fed drugged meat, and can then join the player against the Fiend if they so choose.
Exercising Your Power as a Female Drow in the Underdark
There are several references to the player’s choice of fantasy race littered throughout the game, butBaldur’s Gate 3’s Underdarkpresents a great opportunity for roleplaying a female Drow to shine through. The evil, conniving Drow named Dhourn will attack the party and trigger combat when approached and spoken to, but if the player is a Drow woman, the rules of their matriarchal society cause him to submit as a subordinate and give up whatever information he knows instead. It wouldn’t make sense in the context of the Forgotten Realms if this wasn’t the case, but it’s also an interaction that only a small intersection of players will ever likely see.
Ending Up with Backups of Backup NPCs for Important Cutscenes
In an instance of extremely thoughtful game design that has been being unpacked by players for months,BG3features a unique balance between allowing players to kill everyone and maintaining a coherent series of events. If a character who is vital to an important cutscene or circumstance, like Zevlor, somehow ends up out of action, the game will swiftly utilize areplacement character like Quil Grootslangin their stead to keep things flowing. If this replacement is also slain, however, Larian will usually have a reserve character who then exclusively appears in the necessary scene, unlikely to be seen by all but the most murderous or unlucky of players.
Being Turned into a Cheese Wheel
There are several goofy temporary transformations in the game, but the most ridiculous one inBG3may be the cheese wheel form. If the cheating Djinni Akabi is called out for his spin-the-wheel scam atRivington’s Circus of the Last Days, he will take out his frustration on the player by turning them into cheese. This same Djinni might also be able to open up a portal into a dinosaur-filled jungle, but the fact that the cheese wheel can move around, let alone use its own spell known as Cheesy Smell, makes it a great example of just how muchBaldur’s Gate 3is willing to commit to following through on the player’s choices.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCEChoose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPICForged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian’s next-generation RPG engine.
