It’s no secret thatBaldur’s Gate 3has had a massive effect onDungeons & Dragonsand has been the entry point into the world of the TTRPG for many newcomers. In a way,BG3has had a similar effect on theDnDcommunity asCritical Role, although Larian Studios' golden goose has proven to reach an even wider audience. Many who have only ever heard ofDnDand been curious to try it can throughBG3, and while the game’s quality may give some people too high an expectation for their home campaign, it is perfect as an entry point.
What isn’t talked about as much is how great a jobBaldur’s Gate 3has done masking some of the recent controversy withDungeons & Dragons. This is largelydue to Larian’s outlook and how the studio has become an industry darling. It is also due to the game being greenlit years ago, back when Wizards of the Coast was practically a different company, and reflects that version of Wizards' mentality.Baldur’s Gate 3has managed to get a few who haven’t playedDnDin a while back onto the tabletop and remind them how fun it can be.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Helps Elevate Dungeons & Dragons
But Helps It Rise Above Its Own Controversy
2023 was shaping up to be a bad year forDnDbeforeBG3came along to save the day. At the start of the year,Wizards of the Coast was knee-deep in controversy surrounding trying tomonetizeDnD’s open game license, something that had been free since the tabletop game’s creation. This rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including me, and I decided to stop playing the tabletop game in favor ofalternatives likeCall of Cthulhu, Symbaroum,andVaesen. Then the hype train forBaldur’s Gate 3began to take off.
Baldur’s Gate 3had its own controversy prior to release, although this came about because of the quality of the early access material and how other game developers felt the need to say that they should not be held to the same standards. Ironically,this helped hype the game up even more, and as someone who kept coming back toDivinity: Original Sin 2, I found myself excited about the game. Although I had playedDnDfor six years beforeBG3’s release, this excitement came from my love for Larian’s work, rather than the TTRPG.
Divinity: Original Sin 2has a TTRPGbased off it calledDivinity Original Sin: The Board Game.
When I first playedBG3, I found that it was a massive step up fromDivinity: OS2technically, but it was also a demonstration of whatDnDcould be at its best. The story was intriguing and had plenty of freedom,despite the game largely sticking to the material in the first threeDnD5e rulebooks, and brought the Forgotten Realms to life in a way that hadn’t been done prior toBG3’s release. The changes it made to 5e’s rules added more depth, as I hoped homebrew campaigns would, like with the weapon-specific abilities.
BG3 Lets D&D Players Experiment With Character Builds
It Lets Forever DMs Try Out All The Builds They Never Could Otherwise
As someone who has played more sessions as a Dungeon Master than as a player, I haven’t been able to play many characters, andBG3gave me the opportunity to try a bunch out. Having access to an entire party of characters,I could effectively try a handful of builds all at once, and with Withers, any I didn’t like could be changedinto something I enjoyed more.BG3provided the perfect playground for a forever DM who wouldn’t have had the chance to experiment otherwise, and I began to appreciate the player’s side ofDnDmore.
Every Familiar In Baldur’s Gate 3, Ranked
Every option for player character familiars in Baldur’s Gate 3, ranked by how useful they are in exploration and combat.
As time went on and the anger I felt over the open game license controversy faded after Wizards of the Coast backpedaled on trying to monetize it, I found thatI wanted to bring myBG3characters to aDnDcampaign. AlthoughBG3has a myriad of options for building a character, and the faster leveling compared to normalDnDallows for quicker experimentation, there aren’t as many subclasses as in the TTRPG.BG3is alleviating this, however, withnew subclasses in Patch 8and mod support in Patch 7.
BG3is adding 12 new subclasses, with each class getting a new subclass.
Prior to mod support,Baldur’s Gate 3already had a healthy modding community, and while adding mods through Nexus wasn’t the most convenient thing in the world, it did allow those familiar with modding to try more subclasses. It allowed for even more experimentation; however, it also meant that I had even more characters that I wanted to bring to aDnDcampaign. Having beatenBG3three times and started more than a dozen playthroughs,there became less roleplaying and more running through the motions to get the character endingsI wanted.
BG3 Inspires Players To Get Into D&D
It Offers The Goofy And Dark Sides Of The Tabletop
Baldur’s Gate 3captures the essence ofDnDso well with its storytelling, from its goofy and witty dialogue (particularly with Astarion) to some of the dark and heartfelt moments. Although it has almost everything thatDnDdoes,BG3made me miss playing a campaign with friends, especially becauseLarian is yet to add crossplayas of writing (crossplay is also being added in Patch 8). It also doesn’t help that I know most of the game like the back of my hand, and although there are still secrets I haven’t seen here and there, knowing all the major story beats makes roleplaying difficult.
Why Minthara Deserved More Content In Baldur’s Gate 3
Minthara is an afterthought to many players of Baldur’s Gate 3, but her story is very underrated and evidence suggests there was more planned for her.
The best part about roleplaying inBG3, in my opinion, is playing a Dark Urge character and taking them through the trauma of having to deal with that urge, whether that means fighting it or giving in to it. As a fan of dark fantasy, this was up my street, and when a friend invited me to join aCurse of Strahdcampaign, all myDurgeBG3playthroughsmade me realize that I was itching for a dark fantasyDnDcampaign. One of my Durge characters even provided the build I used in theCoScampaign.
Although everyone has talked about how groundbreaking a game it is,Baldur’s Gate 3is also a perfect adaptation ofDnD, taking what it needs while making tweaks to streamline elements for its platform. It stands on its own two feet, but it also provides a great entry point for players looking to get into the TTRPG. The only problem with this is that it can make expectations for a first-time campaign too high, but its quality can convince those like me who haven’t playedDungeons & Dragonsin a while to get back into it.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
