Baldur’s Gate 3continues to impress me with each playthrough thanks to the amount of choices on offer. Just when I think I’ve found every possible option open to Tav and the party, I’ll spot a new detail or try something off the wall, and the sheer depth of this epic RPG becomes staggeringly clear. However, there are some choices that aren’t available, and while at first glance that might seem like an oversight, there’s actually a very good and logical reason for their absence.
[Warning: The following article containsspoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]
Even saying that there are a lot of choices inBaldur’s Gate 3is a massive understatement, with even the smallest conversations coming into play later in the game. From helping friendly old ladies in Act 1 to terriblechoices that make theBG3companions hate you, theseemingly endless number of variationsto try makes saving Faerûn consistently memorable. These great choices do tend to make it feel more out of place when an option is apparently missing, though, and there are some situations where the party only has one course of action open to them.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Doesn’t Let You Side With Everyone
Being Evil Still Needs To Have Limits
One of the things I love about evil playthroughs is exploring the options that would otherwise be ignored or locked off from a traditional heroic character.Baldur’s Gate 3is no exception, andthere are some allies that can only be gained by making some very harsh choices. Mizora will aid the party in the final battle if you convince Wyll to give up his soul to her, while Viconia will only help if Shadowheart was handed over to her or left the party for other reasons.
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As the party struggles with ceremorphosis and the growing threat of the Absolute, it stands to reason that they should attempt to recruit as many allies as they can. However, while“Gather Your Allies”allows for unlikely partners to join the cause, such as criminal gangs, the conniving Lorroakan, Auntie Ethel, or even Bhaal himself, there are some noticeable characters absent from the list. And as a fan ofevilBG3playthroughs, I spotted a handful of likely options that cannot be persuaded to work with the party, but there’s a great reason for this.
Some Interesting BG3 Choices Wouldn’t Make Sense
Everyone Would Or Should Want To Side With You
There are some great choices of evil or bad characters that would make powerful allies for the party, butBG3doesn’t allow for them to be sided with. One great example of this is Ketheric Thorm, the Chosen of Myrkul, who acts as Act 2’s main antagonist and end boss. Ketheric, despite doing horrific things, is still a sympathetic villain who can be reasoned with at several points during the final encounter with him. However,although he can be persuaded to end his own life, he cannot be talked into joining the party against the Absolute.
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Cazador is another great example found in Act 3, as the party rushes to confront Astarion’s former master. Clearly, having a master vampire on the team would be useful, and handing Astarion over might seem like the logical choice to win Cazador’s favor during an evil playthrough. However,the only option available during the final fight with the vampire is to kill him, either to fuel Astarion’s ascension or to free him from Cazador forever. Although these missing decisions might feel limiting, not being able to recruit Ketheric or Cazador is absolutely the right choice for both characters.
Act 1’s Dror Ragzlin is another good example. While Minthara can be recruited in Act 2, it makes no sense for Ragzlin to switch sides even if freed of the Absolute’s influence, as he was already the bloodthirsty leader of goblin forces and the natural enemy of the party.
When looking at both characters realistically,neither would or should want to join the party. Ketheric, as remorseful as he is, is still the Chosen of Myrkul and committed to following the plan that’s been laid out. This is most evident if the Nightsong is delivered to him, as he will betray the party and turn his daughter Isobel into a thrall. In the case of Cazador, who has been sending his vampire spawn out to collect innocents for centuries, it is unlikely that he would see the party as equals, and he presumably deems working with them beneath him.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Is About Managing Unlikely Feats, Not Impossible Ones
Staying True To A Character’s Nature Helps Create Realism In Fantasy Worlds
Although working within the different medium of a video game,Baldur’s Gate 3masterfully sticks to its roots inDungeons & Dragons. Although denying an option might feel initially like less freedom, any good Dungeon Master will tell you that it actuallymakes the choices on offer feel more real, grounded, and meaningful. More choices doesn’t always mean better ones, especially when you want the choices the party is making to feel impactful.
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While it always feels fantastic to get a high roll on a persuasion check,it’s always important to remember to stay true to the NPC the party is attempting to sway. Even a nat 20 shouldn’t be able to persuade a character to do something that is completely against their nature or own goals. All a high roll can really do, both inDnDandBG3, is nudge a character if they were already inclined towards something, with the encounter with Yurgir offering the perfect example.
When first met, Yurgir has been trapped for a century because of his contract with Raphael. Unbeknownst to Yurgir, Raphael had made a separate deal with one of the Dark Justiciars so that his task could never be fulfilled, hidingLyrthindor in the Gauntlet of Shar. Because of this, when the party arrives and offers Yurgir a way out,he can be convinced to kill himself, as he truly believes this is the solution to his problem. The high roll is rewarded because the outcome is logical.
Yurgir can also be convinced to aid the party if he is freed of his contract by finding the last Justiciar, again rewarding the party’s efforts with a logical outcome.
Ultimately, the missing choices inBaldur’s Gate 3add to the realism the game offers, as each meticulously crafted character has their own ambitions and lives beyond the party or the plot. By denying players the chance to do literally anything and everything,Baldur’s Gate 3makesthe world feel more real and alive, maintaining that careful balance required for any believable fantasy setting.
