Baldur's Gate 3

[astxrism]

I wanted to open a general discussion thread for Baldur’s Gate 3 because this game has completely taken over my brain. For anyone new: Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-driven RPG set in the D&D universe where your choices genuinely matter, from combat and dialogue to relationships, morality and world-shaping decisions. However you are playing every run feels personal and different.

This thread is meant to be a space to share experiences, characters and opinions. Blur your spoilers!!!
To start it off I have a few questions for you:

• Who is your character?
• Who are you romancing or trying to?
• Your favorite part of the game so far?
• Any decisions you instantly regretted… or would absolutely make again?
• Who never leaves your party and why?
• Which companion storyline is your favorite?
• Do you prefer playing “good,” “evil,” or deeply confused but well-intentioned?

[viiel.x]

OMGGG BG3
I really can’t get obsessed with this game again during exam month I can’t stop playing it

Answers

@astxrism

Who is your character?

I have 2 runs so far, one ongoing

My first run was Vyra, who’s a chaotic good, tiefling, lore bard + wild magic sorcerer
She wants to do good and go down as a hero, but she’s also power hungry. (Spoilers for the ending) She never held back eating tadpoles and in the end, accepted becoming a mindflayer not to save people, but just because it’s a more powerful option. Got the good ending for every companion except gale, because in character i kept encouraging him to get the crown

Second run is Keltyrr, a half-drow oathbreaker paladin, who’s a dark urge trying to be good but failing constantly because he can’t resist the urges
It was meant to be an evil run but I can’t do it this game is really good at making you guilty.
Act 2 durge spoiler even got a slayer form because he’s just that good and moral!! People scream when he walks near them but he’s such a good guy i swear

@astxrism

Who are you romancing or trying to?

In my first run nobody, I’m not that interested in the romances
I did consider karlach or shadowheart out of curiosity, but by that point it was too late

And in my second run minthara, because i think she’s a good match for my character
So far there isn’t that much additional content aside from dialogues and a scene in the act 3 circus

@astxrism

Your favorite part of the game so far?

The storyline and how the choices actually matter
And also fighting bosses

@astxrism

Any decisions you instantly regretted… or would absolutely make again?

Killing minthara in my first run and halsin in my second run Don’t kill off companions
Act 2 spoiler I realized too late you can’t save the shadowcursed lands without halsin
Act 1 dark urge spoiler killing alfira, I know it’s not a choice but I could’ve gotten around it somehow and saved her
Act 3 astarion spoiler ascending astarion on a good run, instantly reloaded. Might try it again?
Something I’d absolutely do again is (creche spoilers) leave astarion to get the blood of lathander alone and let him get burnt just for his dramatic rant after

@astxrism

Who never leaves your party and why?

Depends on the run but generally Astarion, he’s really useful and he’s kinda like my jester

In my first run I’d also keep karlach, jaheira and shadowheart with me a lot
And in my second, shadowheart and minthara (2 paladins make an extremely strong party)

@astxrism

Which companion storyline is your favorite?

Shadowheart! Especially in act 2

I loved doing the shar trials and then trying to convince her not to kill aylin. Plus even if she rejects shar, her arc still continues into act 3 so you see the consequences

@astxrism

Do you prefer playing “good,” “evil,” or deeply confused but well-intentioned?

Good or trying to be
I tried an evil run but i just can’t do it
(Act 1 end spoilers) I tried raiding the emerald grove. It’s horrible to watch and half your party just leaves afterward, while the others feel guilty (except astarion and laezel but they’re just like that)

[astxrism]

I’m too busy playing to write something that’ll make sense here so I’ll just post my cutie tav

""

[viiel.x]

She’s so prettyyy

[viiel.x]

I didn’t add photos earlier but here’s mine too
No mods though because my laptop will explode

vyra

I don’t have any good ss of her

keltyrr

[Littlefeets]

Ahhh this is literally one of my absolute favorite video games.
I’m currently on my 4th playthrough (I’m at like 676 hours total time played at this point)

I literally had watched and waited for the game before it even came out, back when the initial announcement trailer was released, I believe. And as soon as it came out, me and my dad both got the game to start playing and discussing it, and it lived up to every expectation.

@astxrism

Your favorite part of the game so far?

I honestly don’t even know! I love all of it sooooo much.
I love all the characters and their storylines, and the gameplay is fantastic, and just everything about it!

@astxrism

Any decisions you instantly regretted… or would absolutely make again?

One of my must dos for every play through is to (act 1 spoilers) bring both Scratch and the baby owlbear to camp! Cause I need these cuties in my camp no matter what.

It wasn’t instant regret, cause I didn’t know it until it was far too late… but in my second playthrough I missed a cutscene/important interaction with astarion in act 2… then after I was in act 3 I realized I had accidentally locked myself out of progressing the romance any further…

@astxrism

Who never leaves your party and why?

Astarion and Shadowheart!

Astarion is certainly my favorite companion so even when I’m playing as a rogue too, I still have to have him in my party.
Shadowheart, I adore her as well, but I always need her in my party to be a healer especially.

The 4th member of the party would be interchangeable based on how I’m feeling at that point.
Though, on my current (4th) playthrough, I’m finally trying using mods for the first time. I’m only using a single mod, but I’m loving it. It’s the adjustable party limit mod, so I can bring all of the companions with me everywhere and it’s been awesome.

@astxrism

Which companion storyline is your favorite?

I have to say Astarion.
(Spoilers) I can’t kill Cazador soon enough. I’ve never done ascended though. I always leave him as a spawn. Plus, I have a bit of a thing for vampires, and I can’t resist him
I do love each of them though, but his storyline squeaks out at the top. (And I’ll 100% admit that he is one of the sources of inspiration for the mmc/love interest in the novel I’ve been trying to write)

@astxrism

Do you prefer playing “good,” “evil,” or deeply confused but well-intentioned?

Good or good but slightly morally grey.

I still haven’t been able to bring myself to do an actual evil playthrough yet, but I will eventually.

---

I’ll add info on my characters tomorrow.

[astxrism]

@viiel.x

It was meant to be an evil run but I can’t do it this game is really good at making you guilty

Thiiiiiiis i just can’t

[astxrism]

@Littlefeets

I literally had watched and waited for the game before it even came out, back when the initial announcement trailer was released, I believe. And as soon as it came out, me and my dad both got the game to start playing and discussing it, and it lived up to every expectation.

Love that

@Littlefeets

Scratch and the baby owlbear to camp! Cause I need these cuties in my camp no matter what.

YES! I often go back to camp just to pet them

@viiel.x

here’s mine

[astxrism]

Okay I’m new so I don’t really get everything yet and don’t know all the names but I’m obsessed so let’s try to answer this. And I’m soooo willing to learn more so teach me, please

ALSO.. Why can’t I get achievements on steam when I’m using mods!?!?!? I know you can download something to fix that BUT IT’S SO DUMB

@astxrism

• Who is your character?

High elf circle of the land druid… an outlander rooted in nature

@astxrism

Who are you romancing or trying to?

Even before I started playing I was lk friends with this one girl that streams and she was always telling me to start playing and romance Gale because he is her favorite, she didn’t like Astarion that much
but others were always talking about Astarion and how he’s the best so once I started playing I said to myself “ignore Astarion”… but man oh man was I wrong… He is the only one I care about but I’m interested to see how Gale’s story develops because I’ve heard he loves to love bomb and I lk fall for that every time sooo… I can’t play a game and not be obsessed with a male character, it’s in my nature :(((

@astxrism

• Your favorite part of the game so far?

Just like spoon said - how the choices actually matter
It’s so fun to be forced to actually think about what you’re doing + the game is really really beautiful

@astxrism

• Who never leaves your party and why?

Here I’ll have to copy Brooke!! Astarion is my favorite I need to have him. Shadowheart is sweet I love to have her around but I also always need her as healer
Then I’m switching between Gale and Lae’zel (but I don’t like her)

@astxrism

• Which companion storyline is your favorite?

Still on act 1 but we’ll see
I’m so focused on Astarion that I don’t pay that much attention to others

@astxrism

Do you prefer playing “good,” “evil,” or deeply confused but well-intentioned?

I want to be good but I also want Astarion’s approval… see the problem there?

[astxrism]

FIRST picture for Keltyrr I’m deaaaad

[Littlefeets]

None of these are great pictures, but here’s my characters I’ve done!

Playthrough 1 - Rebekah

She was my very first tav.
A human Rogue - folk hero background

Romanced Astarion in act 1.
But in Act 2 Gale and Wyll finally showed an interest, so I ended up romancing Wyll from that point on. (Romance/ending spoilers) Then during act 3, wyll proposes. And after the ending Rebekah and Wyll (now the Grand Duke) are very happy together rebuilding Baldurs Gate with an adopted child.

Playthrough 2 - Kalista

Dark Urge - Half Elf
Sorcerer/Rogue multiclass

For this run, I attempted to romance Astarion, but I missed a vital cut scene… so I ended up alone. And for some reason I couldn’t find the final saves to see the epilogue camp scene, but I know I finished it. (End Spoilers) Since I couldn’t finish the Astarion romance, Kalista went with Karlach to Avernus, to find a way to try and repair her heart.

The first picture is Kalista at the beginning the second is after a certain scene with volo trying to remove the tadpole…

Playthrough 3 - Luna

Dark Urge - Drow - Rogue

This run is where I fixed the mistakes I make in the previous playthrough. I romanced Astarion fully. The only thing I missed in this playthrough was I accidentally missed the save the artist quest in act 1. Oopsie.

Playthrough 4 (current) - Ember

Dark Urge - Tiefling - Fighter

This playthrough I changed things up by for once not being a rogue (not even multi-classing into one either) cause in a D&D campaign I’ve been doing irl, I was a fighter, so I decided to play a fighter in this BG3 run.

I’m still only in Act 1 currently in the underdark area but it’s different playing with no party limits, so I get to hear the comments made between everyone, not just the ones i normally have with me.

For this run, I’m changing up who I’m romancing, and going for Gale this time.

[viiel.x]

@astxrism

Thiiiiiiis i just can’t

And also being attached to some npcs during my second run
Like alfira

@astxrism

And I’m soooo willing to learn more so teach me, please

About which partsss

@astxrism

Astarion is my favorite

Same
I’m pretty sure he’s the most popular character

And ironically i used to hate him at the beginning

@astxrism

Lae’zel (but I don’t like her)

Also same
Even after 1.5 runs

@astxrism

FIRST picture for Keltyrr I’m deaaaad

I have so many other dumb screenshots just because the game allows it but they’re mostly spoilers

Except, like

Both during act 1

@Littlefeets

but here’s my characters I’ve done!

Oooooh

I like how everything after the second run is durge
That’s gonna be me
I can’t go back to a normal game

[Littlefeets]

@viiel.x

I like how everything after the second run is durge
That’s gonna be me
I can’t go back to a normal game

Durge is just too iconic. Plus it adds more depth.
I love me some redeemed Durge.

I do need to eventually try a not-so-redeemed durge though. Even if simply for achievement purposes (cause overall I’m at 47/54 achievements, so I only have a few to get… mostly the evil character type stuff.)

[viiel.x]

Yesss it’s so fun
It gives your character an actual backstory you have to work to learn

My durge was supposed to be evil at first
But then I changed my mind and now he’s “good”

But embraces most of the urges when they come up

I mostly wanted the slayer form
Though a redemption arc is always fun to play

My next durge plan was to do a resisting, but evil one
If it works out