If Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t the best RPG ever, it’s definitely one of the most loved. The game has been a sales hit since its release on August 3, 2023, and actually even before that.

What made so many players fall in love with BG3 wasn’t just the freedom to build characters and shape the story but its complete lack of microtransactions. You pay once, and that’s it—no subscriptions, no extra purchases, just a full single-player RPG packed with content.

Now, ahead of BG3's Patch 8, which will bring 12 new subclasses and even more free content, the game has hit an impressive milestone on Steam’s charts.

Baldur's Gate 3 has completed two years as a Steam global top seller

As of March 19, Baldur’s Gate 3 has officially been in Steam’s Global Top Sellers list for 104 weeks, adding up to two years and a longer time than its complete version's existence.

That means it has remained one of Steam’s top 100 games in revenue since before its actual release, thanks to its strong early access sales. It’s an incredible achievement for a game that isn’t a free-to-play multiplayer title with fast-paced gameplay like Counter-Strike 2 or Apex Legends, which have been on the charts for even longer. This just proves how Baldur’s Gate 3 continues to attract new players, even after such a long time.

The Steam charts rank games by revenue, not just by the number of copies sold. That means Baldur’s Gate 3 is competing directly with free-to-play games like Warframe and Overwatch 2, which make most of their money through microtransactions.

Yet, despite BG3 having no premium currency, skins, or extra paid content, it's still getting close in revenue to them. The only extra purchase available for the game is the Deluxe Edition upgrade, making its continued success even more impressive.

A new BG3 update could spike sales further

BG3 Patch 8 will add even more depth to the game by introducing 12 new subclasses, allowing players to explore different character builds and choices they may have missed before. It will bring more complexity to team building and strategy, giving players 12 more options to shape their playthroughs.

With a late March or early April release expected for the free update, even players who were hesitant to buy BG3 before might finally jump in, making the game’s success streak on Steam even longer.

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Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 8 is expected to be a big one in the game's cycle, which is the core reason behind the community's eagerness to know the release date.

As of this writing, the patch is being stress tested, but Larian has started drip-feeding the community about what to expect. The upcoming patch will revolve around 12 new subclasses, and we already have information about what they are and how they will play inside the game. To test them out, we will have to wait for the patch to go live, and here's my prediction about a possible release date.

Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 expected release date

As of this writing, we have yet to get an official release date for Patch 8. If I have to predict a potential timeline, it will either be the last week of March or the first week of April. Much of my prediction is based on what happened with Patch 7.

Patch 7 went live on September 5, 2024, before offering a closed beta on July 25. There was an approximately six-week gap between the test and the full launch. Patch 8's stress test began on January 28, 2025.

If Larian followed the same release pattern, we would already be playing Patch 8 in Baldur's Gate 3. So it's pretty clear that the developers will need more time to complete the stress test. Larian has also been publishing videos about subclasses, and so far, we have a couple of them available for players.

I believe that we will likely get the new patch in the last week of March 2025. If not, it could go live in the first half of April. It's pretty clear that the upcoming patch has a lot of nooks to fine-tune for Larian. The introduction of crossplay is a pretty complex issue, and a feature going wrong can be a disaster for all. This might be a big reason why Larian is taking the time to test out the patch properly.

So far, the Patch 8 stress test has had two updates on February 6 and February 26. I am expecting another update very soon before Larian decides to release the patch. I believe we will have a confirmed release date soon, making it easier for all of us as we won't have to speculate.

The shining light of the upcoming patch is the 12 subclasses.

• Bard: College of Glamour
• Barbarian: Path of Giants
• Cleric: Death Domain
• Druid: Circle of Stars
• Paladin: Oath of the Crown
• Fighter: Arcane Archer
• Monk: Drunken Master
• Ranger: Swarmkeeper
• Rogue: Swashbuckler
• Sorcerer: Shadow Magic
• Warlock: Hexblade
• Wizard: Bladesinging

The new patch will also feature crossplay, which is essential for playing with friends on different platforms. Finally, Baldur's Gate 3 will have a photo mode, and you won't have to rely on mods to get beautiful pictures of your gameplay. For now, the players (including me, of course) have no other option but to wait patiently for Larian to complete the stress test.

The post When will Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 Release? Expected date and timeline appeared first on Destructoid.

Looking for the new Baldur's Gate 3 subclasses? Although patch 8 has a host of content to be excited about, arguably the most important is the 12 new subclasses. Below, we have a thorough breakdown of all 12 new subclasses in Baldur's Gate 3, their associated abilities, levels and more.

Bard: College of Glamour

The College of Glamour subclass is mainly useful for a support/utility role. They can grant temporary hit points and charm enemies that hit party members. Here are the following abilities you can unlock at certain levels:

Barbarian: Path of Giants

The Path of Giants subclass allows Barbarians to enlarge at will, maximizes their carrying capacity and allows them to throw objects or even people, at greater distances. Here are the abilities you can unlock:

Cleric: Death Domain

As the name would allude to, the Death Domain Cleric has access to certain necromancy spells and can access one of the most powerful Cantrips in the game, Toll the Dead, which uses a d12 damage dice when used on injured foes. Here is a breakdown of which domain spells and other abilities you can access as a Death Cleric:

Druid: Circle of Stars

The Circle of Stars Druid has long been one of the most powerful subclasses for Druids in DnD and now, Baldur’s Gate 3. These Druids have access to ‘Starry Forms’ that help them utilize special Bonus Actions. They can do so without needing to be in Wild Shape and can still access their full spell roster. Here are all the major subclass features you can unlock as a Circle of Stars Druid:

Paladin: Oath of the Crown

Oath of the Crown Paladins must abide by three major rules: law, loyalty and responsibility. Think of them as the ultimate lawful good alignment. They have a mixture of melee prowess and healing abilities. Here are the level perks you can obtain:

Fighter: Arcane Archer

The Arcane Archer uses archery-themed Combat Manoeuvres. The magic arrows that they use range in effect, with some applying elemental status effects and others blinding or even banishing foes. With a Fighter’s ability to use extra attacks, this subclass has great potential. Here are the features you can expect to unlock as you level up in this subclass:

Monk: Drunken Master

The Drunken Master Monk has the potential to make foes Drunk with hits and gain Advantage against them in the process. They can also sober them up and subsequently deal added damage. They also negate any negative side effects from being Drunk and, instead, have the potential to replenish Ki points from alcohol. If this subclass sounds both powerful and amusing, here are the features you can obtain at certain levels:

Ranger: Swarmkeeper

The main ability of the Swarmkeeper Ranger is the power to summon a swarm of bees, jellyfish or moths to deal damage to your enemies. The type of damage they deliver depends on the swarm type that you choose. These Rangers also get the following subclass features depending on level:

Rogue: Swashbuckler

The Swashbuckler Rogue is essentially as close to a pirate as you can get in Baldur’s Gate 3. This subclass allows you to use different dirty tricks in order to gain advantage against an opponent. It has a fantastic bonus action economy and grants the following features:

Sorcerer: Shadow Magic

The Shadow Magic Sorcerer excels at spells that blind enemies, have superior darkvision and can even use shadows to teleport themselves at higher levels. This subclass also grants a perk called ‘Strength of the Grave’ that operates in the same manner as ‘Relentless Endurance’ does for half-orcs (enables the character to drop to 1 HP instead of being Downed). This makes this subclass an instant option for anyone attempting an Honor Mode run. Here are all the traits available as a Shadow Magic Sorcerer:

Warlock: Hexblade

The main draw of a Hexblade Warlock is their ability to curse enemies (which reduces the Critical Hit requirement from 20 to 19) and their ability to bond with pact weapons. This transforms ordinary weaponry into magical weapons and gives them certain buffs. The Hexblade can also raise dead and has a healthy mixture of defensive and offensive spells. Here is a list of all the perks you can get with this subclass:

Wizard: Bladesinging

The Bladesinging Wizard is a fantastic option if you want to tank out your Wizard into something slightly melee-focused and more durable (compared to other Wizards, at least). This subclass grants added AC, proficiencies and even an extra attack. See below for all other Bladesinging subclass features:

That rounds up our guide to all patch 8 Baldur's Gate 3 subclasses. For more Baldur's Gate 3 tips and tricks, check out our guides to the best Shadowheart build, Wyll build, Lae'zel build, Astarion build and Karlach build.

The post All 12 new Baldur’s Gate 3 subclasses explained appeared first on Destructoid.

Looking for the best RPGs like Avowed? If you’re eagerly anticipating Obsidian Entertainment’s next release, you may be on the hunt for an interim game to quench your thirst.

As Avowed's release time encroaches ever-nearer in what is shaping into a fantastic February release schedule, here are a few RPGs to sink your teeth into beforehand. These have been chosen for a variety of factors like setting, combat mechanics, story-driven choices, companions, map size and more. Take a look and delve into your next adventure.

7. The Outer Words

As another Obsidian Entertainment RPG, it may be obvious why The Outer Worlds has made this list. It is essentially the sci-fi counterpart to Avowed. It uses the same color palette, companion mechanics, political factions and map scale (a collection of open-world hubs rather than one entire map to explore).

If you like sci-fi as much as fantasy, The Outer Worlds does a fantastic job of scratching the itch of adventure, whilst introducing a touch of cowboy frontier vibes to space. In the game, you play as ‘The Stranger’ a prospective colonist whose ship faltered and landed at its destination 50 years too late. With a ship full of frozen colonists to thaw out and corporate greed preventing you from doing so easily, the game offers brave and at times, humorous opinions on capitalism.

6. Dragon’s Dogma 2

Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a curious RPG that admittedly took me a fair few hours to warm to at first but soon entered my good graces. It has a traditional fantasy medieval setting but also includes creatures from various mythologies. Dragon’s Dogma 2 doesn't explain its system mechanics, there is no fast travel and enemy encounters in the wild can be grueling. Once you surpass the learning curve, however, you’ll find a rich world with memorable bosses and humorous sidekicks. Unfortunately, the main storyline is somewhat forgettable but that isn't the real point of the game. The most fun I had with the game came from the Pawn system and the sprinkling of party banter as I traveled (which is good because you’ll do a lot of traveling in this game).

Often you’ll recruit wandering Pawns (companions) either generated by the game or by other players. They’ll make observations, fight your enemies and usually get themselves into trouble. You can either re-hire them once their prerequisites are met or let them go back into the wild. I found that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is much more enjoyable once you forge your own stories within the world.

5. Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the epitome of ‘action RPG.’ Like Avowed, the combat is fast-paced and interjected with different weapons, abilities or spells depending on your class. Taking a step away from its earlier party-based tactician modes, you now have a simple wheel to issue commands to companions during combat. As such, it's simplified and, in my opinion, stronger for it.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard prioritizes story over everything else. The consequences of player decisions may seem shallow at first, but they’ll soon explode in your face within a few hours. If the biggest draw to an RPG for you is character development, then the entire Dragon Age franchise is worth your time. Whilst it’s not strictly imperative that you play the previous titles before Veilguard, you’ll certainly get more from the lore and settings if you do. Additionally, if you’re sad at the lack of romance in Avowed, Dragon Age: The Veilguard will have you blushing at your screen. That is, after hours and hours of flirting. Seriously, this game makes you work for it.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

I can’t speak about Avowed without drawing the obvious comparisons to Skyrim. Both games allow you to flit between spells and melee and both take place on a contained island, struggling to maintain its independence from the political mechanisms of the greater world.

If, by some miracle, you have reached adulthood without playing Skyrim yet, then let me first congratulate you for bravely living life away from the herd. Now play it anyway. Look, I know it’s cool to avoid something overtly popular (yes, Game of Thrones was overrated by the end), but sometimes things are hyped because they really are that good.

In Skyrim, you’re treated to an epic fantasy adventure where you play as the Dragonborn, a person innately gifted with the language of dragons (which is handy because an ancient dragon is harassing the lands). You will be treated to traditional fantasy tropes, skills, settings and so many side quests that you won’t have a life for the next hundred hours. The faction storylines are engaging and memorable. Even if you try your very best not to be a fan of Skyrim, you will, too, succumb to the fandom that gets us all in the end.

3. Fallout: New Vegas

Although Fallout: New Vegas isn't set within a fantasy backdrop, it is an RPG by Obsidian Entertainment and is in fact, one of the best RPGs of all time. Set in post-nuclear war America, Fallout: New Vegas has one of the coldest openings in gaming history. You are ‘The Courier’, your package has been stolen and you’ve just been shot in the head by a smooth-talking man in a checkered suit.

After surviving, you’re set loose upon the Mojave desert with nothing but your Pip-Boy and the quest for answers. This will lead you through the heart of several warring factions grasping for power. The choice of who will succeed over the others will rest in your hands and there is no clear ‘good’ option. As with other Fallout games, you can be as virtuous or evil as you like, measuring your actions on a Karma system. Although the setting has a grimness expected of a post-apocalypse, everything in Fallout: New Vegas is underlined with a humorous flair that has become synonymous with Obsidian titles.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher series is a staple within the RPG genre, and for good reason. Whilst all three titles are worth your time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is arguably the best RPG I’ve ever played. The downside is that you’ll need about two months free to play it from start to finish – and that’s just for the minigame, Gwent.

You play as the White Wolf, Geralt of Rivia, in search of his missing ward Ciri. His search for her will take you all over the continent, and you’ll encounter friends and foes as you pick up contracts along the way. As a Witcher, it is your job to fight monsters and protect the suffering village folk – for a price. Or, like me, you can side with the monsters most of the time.
Like Avowed, in The Witcher 3, you are treated as an outsider for what you are despite almost everyone you encounter needing your help. There is a lot to love about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The depth of its lore and world-building can be intimidating at first, but once you’re hooked, it will have you for life.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

I know we’re all sick of the hype around Baldur’s Gate 3, but it seems we can’t stop talking about the game, no matter how hard we try. Set within the Forgotten Realms universe of Dungeons and Dragons and using many of the same rules, the game starts with you crash-landing on a beach after some wacky experiments involving tadpoles have been conducted on you and your destined travel companions. What follows is hundreds of hours of quests, exploration and loot-grabbing in a world that is rich with lore and flavor. If you love to test the waters of being nefarious in RPGs, you’ll be happy. In Baldur’s Gate 3, you can go as close to world-ending evil as possible or be a paragon of virtue. You can also flirt mercilessly with your companions once they approve highly enough of your actions.

Baldur’s Gate 3 provides the typical high stakes of a modern RPG but also takes care to include some simply ludicrous moments. Unfortunately, its success is also its downfall: Once you play it, BG3 will become the benchmark for which you hold all other RPGs. As such, this is one game that may require your sole focus after you’ve played Avowed.

Now, you should be free to explore some quality RPGs that share certain qualities with Avowed. To make sure you’re all set to play, check out our guide to the Avowed minimum and recommended requirements and how that may impact your ability to secure 60 fps.

The post Best RPGs like Avowed appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur’s Gate 3 was one of 2023’s best games. Between a varied cast of lovable characters and an amazing story with surprising depth, it is a wonderful RPG that's one of the best of all time.

I’ve been a big fan of Baldur’s Gate 3, putting in about 170 hours in the PC version, including going mad in its Tactician difficulty. Before that, I finished several campaigns and spent a decent amount of time on the Early Access version.

As if it hasn’t sucked enough of my life away on PC, I’ve had even more taken away with the PS5 port. With only about 20 hours in, split between local co-op and single-player campaigns, it’s fascinating to experience the game from a whole new perspective.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a fantastic couch co-op experience

My experience with this port has only been in Baldur's Gate 3’s first act, but it has been excellent so far. Some quirks carry over from the PC version. I also have a couple of grievances that come more from personal experiences than anything specific to the game.

The most significant difference in my time between the versions is how I experienced them. I have only played single-player on the PC version, lamenting those organizing parties to create digital D&D chaos. This changed on the PS5 since I've been playing local co-op with friends.

Experiencing Baldur’s Gate 3 with a friend sitting beside you is incredible. Menus and text can be a pain to read, but Larian compensates for the smaller real estate per person with some neat alterations. Every once in a while, the game cuts off an extra panel or some information, but it works within its limitations.

I’m more mixed on the player limit for split-screen. A two-player cap makes sense because the game's already stretching PS5’s hardware by rendering separate images, but a four-player local co-op could be outstanding. Unfortunately, my friends and I learned this the hard way. We attempted to connect over two players and couldn’t. We only realized our mistake after looking it up.

This was definitely on me, but having that awkward moment sucked. The chaotic part of me laments not having a four-player option. Still, the logistic part understands that virtuoso performance and being able to read in-game text are even more critical.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is still incredible to play sitting next to someone else. Both characters can roleplay as their own character, going on a unique story arc and bonding with separate party members. The primary campaign I’ve been playing even had my friend romance Lae’zel while my character still debates who she wants. It helps build an experience that we're both influencing this world and sitting together adds something special.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is surprisingly great on a controller

I went into the Baldur’s Gate 3 PS5 port having some experience playing it with a controller. It’s a little weird, but overall, it felt great on PC. That time dashed any concern that a console port would feel clunky. It was a big adjustment, but it felt natural the more I played.

Being limited to a controller on PS5 has not changed my thoughts. This version plays identically to its PC counterpart, and I couldn’t be happier. The fundamental difference in feel is going from my monitor to my TV.

This accounts for the adjustment time needed to acclimate to the controller. Both friends I played the game with needed time to figure out how everything works, and we all slipped up sometimes. Interacting with the environment with Cross and Square for actions makes sense, but others are strange. The action placements are fine, mostly, but jumping with Up on the D-pad is incredibly awkward when needing to do it multiple times. Remapping buttons are also unavailable on a controller, which is a shame.

Certain aspects, like walking around, feel comfortable on a controller. Direct control over a character gives more freedom of movement, and the command wheels lead to fewer misclicks from me. The overall feeling is great, even if I still prefer the keyboard and mouse because of remappable key binds, making it possible to play using only the mouse.

PS5 players are getting the same great experience those on PC have been getting. Larian Studios took the time to make controllers a competent substitute for keyboard and mouse in Baldur's Gate 3. Various menus and UI elements cater to controllers, with some screens showing more overall information.

Jaunting across Faerun with few hitches

Going into this port, I was concerned about how Baldur's Gate 3 performs on PS5. It's a demanding game, and performance is inconsistent on PC. BG3 runs okay on my PC, but demanding scenes can cause it to lurch momentarily. Meanwhile, the PS5 version promises a Performance mode at 60fps and a Quality mode offering native 1440p at 30fps. These are standard offerings this generation, and I'm happy to report it runs well.

Frame drops occur sometimes but are hardly noticeable. That is especially important because split-screen forces players into the Quality mode, so its stability is arguably even more critical. This could change later in the game, but the frame rate has stayed consistent.

I divided my time between playing Performance mode solo and Quality mode in co-op, and Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't buckle even with two players. Seeing the experience run smoothly was impressive, even though we've been in a relatively stable forest area.

BG3 looks somewhat better on PC, but this was only noticeable when swapping between the different versions. Some texture quality and lighting seem to have taken a hit on PS5, but not to a degree anyone would reasonably care about. Baldur's Gate 3 is a great-looking game regardless of platform.

Something to note is that this version has some weird bugs that will probably get quashed in one of the extensive patches. In my time, I've seen things like my co-op partner temporarily having no control over their character and audio cutting out when we were both watching the same scene. I also had audio cut out when playing the game using headphones, but this could have been a controller issue. It also looks like Larian has started addressing these PS5-specific audio issues with the most recent hotfix.

Some things to consider when buying Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5

Lastly, it's important to note how cross-saving works. I swapped between my copies on PC and PS5 to try cross-saving, and I can say it works okay.

Instead of backing up all save data, the game only backs up the most recent saves on the latest campaign. This system works fine but encourages playing on a single campaign save when jumping across versions. I probably won't use it regularly, but the feature is neat for owners of both versions.

The fundamental difference between the two versions of Baldur's Gate 3 is what someone wants. The PS5 version is a good fit for anyone looking to host a local co-op campaign and potentially more stable performance. Both versions offer local co-op, but a PS5 is likely better set up for it. The PC version, meanwhile, has somewhat comfier controls and potentially better graphics. You can't go wrong with either version of this fantastic game, especially with both having update parity.

Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5 is an excellent version of a phenomenal game. Larian Studios knocked it out of the park with this conversion to the point it's my preferred way to play the game in multiplayer. The performance has also been rock solid, and the game looks terrific, so it's an easy recommendation.

My opinion might change if the quality dips later in the story, but Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5 has so far held up to the PC version's standards. I think it will continue to, and I will continue gallivanting through Faerun while sitting cozy on my couch.

How to enable split-screen co-op in BG3

To enable split-screen co-op in Baldur's Gate 3 on PS5, you must first launch the game and either start a new game or load a current save file. Once the game has loaded, plug in the second DualSense controller, turn it on, and press X on it. This will bring up a prompt telling you that another player is trying to join, and you need to allow them to join to enable split-screen co-op.

You can do this at any point during the game's story. I tried it out with a brand new save file with a fresh character, and it worked just after meeting Lae'zel. The game will get the second player to create a new character, and they'll then join the game alongside the other player.

You can also enable split-screen co-op on PC in Baldur's Gate 3 using the same method. The game is extremely approachable, meaning all you need to play it with a friend in split-screen is two controllers and a single copy of the game.

_{[These impressions are based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 on PS5 has amazing couch co-op appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur's Gate 3 once again proves its undying devotion to its fanbase as the stress test for the massive Patch 8 goes live. While that's still not the final patch rollout, we can right away tell what awaits players when it finally comes out.

Baldur's Gate Patch 8 Highlights

• Baldur's Gate 3 photo mode
• Introducing 12 new subclasses
• Introducing Cross-play
• Introducing Xbox Series S split screen

Gameplay

• Succeeding a Perception check will cause the spotted item to ping on the mini map and be listed in the combat log
• Fixed issue causing special abilities of some allies no not be properly provided at the end of the dialogue at High Hall
• Scrolls and potions in unlocked containers in the party inventory can now be used when rolling in dialogues
• Neutral and friendly NPCs will no longer become hostile when they walk into surfaces created during combat that trigger passives when outside of combat
• Freecast is no longer reset when any condition is applied
• Characters no longer get stuck when pathfinding via a ladder in use by another companion
• Fixed a bug with the moving platform in the Gauntlet of Shar that would sometimes cause you to plummet to your death

Combat

• Neutral NPCs no longer trigger combat for seemingly no reason
• Cerys will no longer get involved in combats with Minthara from across the region

Modding

• You no longer get stuck at a 0% loading screen when attempting to join a modded multiplayer session
• The Mod Verification window will now trigger always
• The third-party mod warning now features clearer messaging

Performance and Options

• Fixed an issue that caused the ruleset selector not not appear on the "Alter Custom Mode" screen when accessing the ruleset settings.
• Improved server performance in Adamantine Forge

Scripting and Flow

• Fixed issue allowing players to tell Astarion that Gandrel has been looking for him even if they couldn't possibly know
• Fixed a save issue that prevented players to get the right amount of Umbral Gems for the Guantlet of Shar
• Mithara now makes comments regarding the Emperor's reveal
• Mithara now appears more reliably in Moonrise Towers
• Players can't teleport out of Moonrise while controlling Mithara unless they tell her to stay put.
• Mithara now accepts talking to the player if they tell her to wait in the torture chamber
• Mithara no longer needs to stay behind babysitting Thaniel in Act II
• Players can no longer talk about Art Cullagh as though he's alive when he isn't.
• The character will no longer think Shadowheart is dead when she isn't.
• Characters in a relationship with Gale will now receive a love-letter after *Spoiler redacted*
• Fixed an issue preventing Avatar Gale from talking about the orb.

UI

• Discovered and available traders are now shown on the world map at all times.

Cinematics

• Shadowheart no longer changes her hair color repeatedly.
• Some improved animations for the evil ending

Writing

Fixed a duplicated dialogue option and a dialogue option in Minthara's main party dialogue.

There will be even more fixes when the final Patch 8 goes live.

Baldur's Gate 3 Cross-play

No longer will PS5, Xbox and PC players have to play separately, as Patch 8 is finally making cross-play a thing. You can join your friends by either joining their lobby or creating your own and having them join in.

If you want to try out cross-play with your friends who still don't have access to the stress test, PlayStation and Steam users can go here to link their game accounts and request extra Patch 8 stress test keys.

Larian recommends console players to serve as the hosts if they are to cross-play with PC players. You can add friends via the Larian Network. Just click on the + icon from the Create Lobby screen during cross-play set-up, enter their name, and send your request. Once they have accepted your invite, you'll be able to invite them to your lobby.

More details regarding cross-play below:

Using mods during cross-play

While Larian recommends console owners to host the cross-play lobbies, it's also possible to join PC modded lobbies. The PC host can't have more than 100 mods installed on their save and only have mods accepted by console and Mac. These mods are marked as "Available on Mac and Console" when browsing the mods. Alternatively, a mod mismatch will occur, and you won't be able to join the game.

Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox Series S Split-Screen Co-Op

The series S will be denied no longer, as Xbox Series S owners will finally be able to go on cozy couch co-op Baldur's Gate 3 sessions with their friends.

Larian also addressed how some PS5 players accidentally stumbled upon Patch 8 a little earlier than expected. That was not intended on the studio's part, but it's not a problem. Players can rollback to Patch 8 by deleting and reinstalling the game. More details on that here.

Baldur's Gate Patch 8 Known Issues

Modding

• ImpUI users might find some issues with the UI. Larian recommends you do not use mods featuring a dependency on ImpUI.

Photo Mode

• Photo mode has visual problems with Vulkan.

Cross-Play and Multiplayer

• Some lines are yet to be fully localised
• Players can lose movement input after picking up an item while in a multiplayer lobby.

UX

• Keyboard hotkeys and controller buttons may sometimes stop working after conducting business with merchants.

Register For the Patch 8 Stress Test

The stress test for Patch 8 is currently live. Anyone already registered on PlayStation or PC will receive the access details via email. Xbox players will need to download the Xbox Insider Hub App to become an Xbox Insider and join the playtest from there.

Anyone who hasn't signed up yet can do it right here.

You can now play Baldur's Gate 3 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and follow Larian via the studio's new BlueSky account for new updates, or Tumblr, if you're looking for the feisty stuff.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 8 notes appeared first on Destructoid.

Nvidia announced today that the GeForce NOW version of 2023 GOTY Baldur's Gate 3 has received mod support via a collaboration with developer Larian Studios and mod.io. The feature is available now and included for GeForce NOW Ultimate, Performance, and Day Pass users.

According to Nvidia, BG3 players on GeForce NOW can now make use of a wide array of customization options when it comes to mods, with more mod support on the way for both BG3 and various other PC games.

The process to download mods on GeForce NOW sounds incredibly streamlined. Players who launch the RPG on GeForce NOW can navigate an in-game mod menu to download and enable their desired mods. These selections will stay enabled across your GeForce NOW sessions, so you won't have to worry about reenabling them each time. You can also subscribe to specific mods via mod.io which will preload them the next time you launch Baldur's Gate 3 from GeForce NOW.

An interesting point of note is that the mod support is also included across all GeForce NOW supported devices including Nvidia Shield TVs, laptops, Macs, Chromebooks, and even handheld devices including the Steam Deck. This makes it one of the easiest ways to access BG3 mod support on a handheld, which is pretty nifty.

Nvidia also revealed seven new games being added to the service today including the newly released roguelike bullet hell survivor title Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. Here are all of the new games headed to GeForce NOW:

• Amnesia: Collection
• Among Us
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel
• Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion
• STORY OF SEASONS: Friends of Mineral Town
• Townscraper

These seven titles and the Baldur's Gate 3 mod support are available now, January 23, 2025, across all GeForce NOW-supported platforms.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 now has support on GeForce NOW appeared first on Destructoid.

Astarion is one of the most popular companions in Baldur's Gate 3. You'll likely meet him early in your adventure, a Rogue whose tongue is as fast as his sword. One thing's for sure: you want to keep Astarion around.

Astarion has one distinct advantage as a Rogue over other Baldur's Gate 3 characters. Whether you're playing as him or bringing him along as a companion, Astarion can choose up to four feats as he levels up, while others only get three. These feats come at Levels 4, 8, 10, and 12 for Rogues.

But which ones should you be taking for your playthrough? We're going to take a look at the best feats for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3, to make sure you get your Rogue build just right.

Best feats for Rogue Astarion in BG3

When looking at the best feats for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3, we'll highlight the four you should take throughout your playthrough. There are so many BG3 feats that these four aren't the only ones you can take, so we'll also include some honorable mentions that also work pretty well for an Astarion run.

Here's a quick summary of the four feats we recommend taking for Astarion that focus on maximizing his damage as a stealthy sharpshooting rogue:

• Ability Improvement (Dexterity)
• Sharpshooter
• Dual Wielder
• Mobile

The priority with these feats is to create a ranged Astarion BG3 build. In the late game, this can result in some pretty crazy damage with the right feats in place.

Ability Improvement feat for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3

With four feats to choose from, you should always be taking Ability Improvement. Usually, for a Rogue, you'd dump the extra two points here into Dexterity, allowing you to take advantage of Stealth skills and giving you a bonus for abilities such as Sleight of Hand. Once you combine this with various items later in your playthrough, you'll start having noticeably high Initiative and success with stealth kills.

We'd recommend taking Ability Improvement for your Level 4 feat in Baldur's Gate 3. Astarion will reap the benefits if you take this one as early as you possibly can. Ability Improvement is one of those skills that will almost always help you, particularly in the early game when you have limited access to build-defining equipment.

Sharpshooter feat for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3

Any Astarion build in BG3 isn't complete without taking the Sharpshooter feat. It makes him an absolute menace from range, and removing penalties from low ground is just overpowered. Make no mistake - if you choose Sharpshooter as one of your feats for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3, you should switch primarily to ranged attacks.

You should take Sharpshooter as your Level 8 feat for Astarion. The -5 penalty to Attack Roles can be negated by high Dexterity if you took Ability Improvement earlier, and the extra 10 damage is an enormous buff in exchange.

Dual Wielder feat for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3

When you're really starting to hone your Astarion build in Baldur's Gate 3, we'd definitely recommend Dual Wielder. This feat will allow you to dual-wield crossbows, which, when combined with your previous two feats, makes Astarion a damage-dealing machine. The +1 bonus to Armour Class isn't too shabby, either.

Dual Wielder is a Baldur's Gate 3 feat you should take for Astarion at Level 10. The previous two are so beneficial early that you'll see more rewards from taking them first. Dual Wielder is great, but it's quite a specialist feat.

Dual Wielding is also helpful if you pick up rare or legendary weapons later in your playthrough. Throughout BG3, particularly in Act Three, you'll have numerous opportunities to pick up valuable items that synergize will with each other. Being able to dual-wield these will eliminate the struggle of choosing while enabling these synergies. As a bonus, it's a fun option if you want to turn Astarion into a cool-looking Gloomstalker Rogue or a stealthy thief.

Mobile feat for Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3

The Mobile feat is one of the best for players who enjoy the stealthy aspects of a Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion playthrough. It's commonly used alongside Dash to avoid Opportunity Attacks as you maneuver around the battlefield, then Cunning Action: Hide to go into Stealth mode.

Regardless of Astarion's subclass and build, Mobile gives you a way to go in and out of combat with minimal risk. While it's usually best to stick to the backlines and fire away at your enemies, they'll often Misty Step next to you unexpectedly. Having a way to quickly run away and slip back into the shadows can help in a sticky situation. Similarly, if you need to step up to the frontline for an attack, you can dash back into the backline without disengaging.

When using Mobile as part of that combination, Astarion can pop in and out of stealth during combat, dealing massive damage before slipping away into the night. Even for ranged characters, Mobile is great for simply repositioning quickly without taking tons of damage. Grab this feat at Level 12 - it shouldn't be an early priority, but it's worth having.

Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion feats - honorable mentions

The four feats above aren't the only viable ones for an Astarion playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3. Here are some honorable mentions you can use, even if you're not embracing the range-heavy build we recommended above.

Although these feats are primarily used in specific builds or in niche situations, they still have their uses even in more popular Astarion Rogue builds. Let's talk about each feat in more detail.

Alert feat benefits

When playing Astarion as an Assassin Rogue, Alert is a fantastic skill for gaining Initiative and avoiding surprise. By default, his Initiative is already high with his Dexterity, but Alert gives you that extra edge that almost guarantees he goes first. Considering an Assassin Rogue's purpose is to get quick kills on surprised opponents, this feat works perfectly with it.

Crossbow Expert feat benefits

Remember when I mentioned dual-wielding crossbows earlier? Rather than taking Sharpshooter to remove High Ground penalties, grabbing Crossbow Expert can provide just as many, if not more, benefits. Any time you attack with a crossbow in melee range, you'll no longer have Disadvantage, making you much more likely to land your shots. The feat also buffs Gaping Wounds, causing your enemy to take additional Piercing damage.

Lucky feat benefits

Another risky but interesting choice is Lucky. Every time you Long Rest, you'll gain three charges of Luck Points, which you can spend to gain Advantage on Attack Rolls, Ability Checks, or Saving Throws. If you're having a tough time in combat, you can also use it to make an enemy reroll their Attack Rolls.

Ideally, if you have a strong build for Astarion using other feats, you won't be in too many situations where you have to reroll your dice. Sometimes, though, it's nice to have another shot at increasing your damage or potentially saving yourself from certain death. If you often fall victim to low rolls like I do, having that little luck boost can be handy, especially if you accidentally fumble a sneak attack or need to save an Honour Mode run.

Savage Attacker feat benefits

Savage Attacker is for anyone who prefers Astarion as a melee, dagger-wielding assassin who lurks in the shadows. If you have a weak frontline and need additional support from someone who can slip in and out of combat, Savage Attacker on Astarion lets you roll twice for every melee attack he initiates. Although a ranged build is generally safer for most Rogue builds, melee can do some wild damage with the right weapons and feats.

Tough feat benefits

Last but not least is Tough, a feat that gives you more health per level. This one is the simplest of the bunch: Astarion will gain HP every time he levels up, making him slightly harder to kill. Typically, Astarion focuses on stealthy combat and maneuvering in the world, making him less likely to receive damage than your frontline or anyone that can taunt a crowd.

However, this one is slightly more effective in a melee Rogue build, especially if you pick up feats like Savage Attacker and Dual Wielder. If you're going full Assassin Astarion and want to prioritize sneak attacking, other feats that complement this build will help you more.

Astarion's role in combat

As a Rogue, Astarion has two primary purposes depending on his role: stay in the backline and snipe down foes from afar, or sneak behind enemy lines and quietly eliminate their backline. Whether you go a ranged or melee build will significantly influence this.

Generally speaking, ranged is the way to go, especially if you're focusing on an Assassin Astarion build. Using feat benefits from Sharpshooter and wielding two ranged (or melee) weapons using Dual Wielder will help you one-shot most enemies, especially as you advance later in Baldur's Gate 3 and improve your Dexterity. Astarion also has high Initiative to start, allowing you to act much earlier than most enemies. You can hop in, snipe someone, and then hide in the shadows without anyone knowing where you are.

Swapping to a melee build changes this dynamic slightly. Nonetheless, it's still viable, with your main purpose being to slip into their backline and defeat any spellcasters that can weaken or one-shot your party. Your frontline can absorb most of the damage, while Astarion focuses on getting quick kills and disengaging when the enemy notices his presence. This strategy is much riskier but can make for a unique and uncommon playstyle.

Tips for maximizing Astarion's stealth abilities

Since Astarion is all about stealth, your playstyle, feats, and subclass will reflect that. If you want to focus solely on dealing as much damage as possible without getting pulled into the middle of the action, you'll want to change Astarion to an Assassin subclass starting at level three.

Selecting this subclass gives you Advantage against enemies who haven't taken a turn yet, and you'll always deal Critical Hits to Surprised opponents if your attack roll is successful. You'll also restore your action and bonus action when combat begins, pairing especially well with feats like Alert and Ability Improvement to raise your Dexterity early on.

Alternatively, swapping to Thief or Arcane Trickster is also viable if you want to focus more on utility. While you'll deal less damage overall with these two subclasses, it gives you options both within and outside of combat that Assassin's all-in approach doesn't tackle. In the case of Arcane Trickster, you can easily set up illusions to help you and your team, while Thief's main purpose comes from the out-of-combat benefits of sneaking around the map more easily.

It's worth experimenting with your Astarion feats in Baldur's Gate 3. If you think you've made the wrong choice for your playthrough, you can respec your class via Withers and choose your feats all over again. This will set you back 100 gold each time, which isn't much at all when you get into the latter stages of Baldur's Gate 3.

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Completing every Baldur's Gate 3 sidequest is an awfully tall order, but don't let the Ornate Mirror and its tricky Balsam Ointment question throw you off. You'll need to pass its test or risk losing access to the Necromancy of Thay questline.

It's not a hard conversation to navigate, but the fancy furniture is kind of a jerk, so here's a quick list of all Ornate Mirror answers for those worried about passing its vibe check.

Where is the Ornate Mirror in BG3?

Upon reaching Act 1's Blighted Village, enter the building next to the glowing Waypoint and search for a wooden hatch behind the bar. Climb down into the cellar, proceed to the back northernmost wall, and flip the lever hidden behind a few crates.

Follow the tunnel, hugging along the wall curving right, and you'll encounter the Ornate Mirror. It's not too hard to find, and the space is small, so take a moment to snoop around, picking up more items and assorted junk.

Interacting with the Ornate Mirror triggers the usual Skill Checks, so save before proceeding. It'll lock you out of the secrets it guards if you answer incorrectly.

Every BG3 Ornate Mirror Answer

The BG3 Ornate Mirror is no normal mirror; it's a spooky spectral gateway blocking your path forward. For my playthrough, I chose a half-drow, half-elf warlock, and some prompts here reflected as much. Nonetheless, we'll use answers that any class or character can use.

Before you begin, you'll have options for bypassing Baldur's Gate 3's Ornate Mirror answer section entirely. If you have high Charisma or Strength, you can attempt to pass DC 15 checks to threaten to destroy the mirror. You can also read the Dark Journal, the location of which we'll discuss later, and impersonate Ilyn Toth using a DC 15 Persuasion Check.

If you decide to go through with answering the Ornate Mirror's questions, your conversation will begin with a few unfriendly introductions. Pick the following answers to get by this initial stage:

• 1. Tell it your name.
• 1. Yes, an ally! I'm an ally of your master's.

The Mirror gets a little testy, asking more questions, but we've got all Ornate Mirror answers ready, including the one about what Balsam Ointment is for. Hint: it's for cleaning wounds. Here are all of the Ornate Mirror answers in BG3:

• Question: What do you of the zulkir known as Szass Tam?

  • 2. Szass Tam is a foul, wretched creature OR A foul lich. May he die a thousand more deaths.
  • Note: Passing an Intelligence (History) Check here revealed Szass Tam was a "powerful lich in Thay who made deals with dark gods." The check determines which answer you see, but it's always the second one.

• Question: Tell me, why might one use Balsam Ointment?

  • 2. To clean a wound?

• Question: If you could see anything in me, what would it be?

  • 2. I'd look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.

Depending on your character's class, you'll encounter answers for these questions that, although worded differently, lead to the same correct result. For example, if you're playing an Origin character like Gale or Lae'zel, you'll find answers for the Balsam Ointment and third questions that are viable for this mini quiz.

Similarly, If you're playing as classes like wizard, ranger, or bard, you'll find class-exclusive answers you can use instead of the ones listed above. Generally speaking, as long as they're similar to the ones above, you're free to select those instead.

Once you complete the Ornate Mirror's Q&A session, you'll be free to proceed into the laboratory and discover the room's biggest secret, the Necromancy of Thay. When you're done here, maybe consider heading northwest for another quest, Rescue the Trapped Man.

How to discover the Ornate Mirror answers

In BG3, you can read various books around the Apothecary's home and cellar if you're interested in learning more about Szass Tam, Balsam Ointment, and other miscellaneous lore pieces. While many of these books have flavor text, a few reveal some important details, including the answers to the Ornate Mirror questions:

• The Apothecary's Ledger inside the house reveals the existence of the cellar.
• The Healer's Log in the cellar that Balsam Ointment was used to clean a splinter wound before bandaging it.
• The Dark Journal in the casket at coordinates (X-667, Y: -316) tells the story of someone being chased by the Zulkirs, implying distaste for them.

Alongside notes and books, you can find multiple alchemical ingredients and potions throughout the Apothecary's house. The cellar, in particular, has items such as a Potion of Healing recipe book, Elixir of Poison Resistance, and several other items to help you create alchemy mixtures.

The post All Ornate Mirror Answers in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3): Including Balsam Ointment appeared first on Destructoid.

The three goblin leaders in Baldur's Gate 3 are tough to handle, especially Dror Ragzlin. He deals a ton of damage to anyone he hits. However, with the right preparations, you can make it through. Here's how to take out Dror Ragzlin in Baldur's Gate 3. 

How to defeat Dror Ragzlin in BG3

The easiest way to defeat Dror Ragzlin in BG3 is to push all his goblin soldiers down the pit while your tankiest characters deal with him. Make sure you always have someone ready to heal whoever is taking blows from his Faithbreaker Warhammer. Keep his goblin allies away from him to prevent his Aura of Leadership from boosting their damage.

However, you must not push him down the pit if you want Dror Ragzlin's magic Warhammer, the Faithbreaker, or his Mind Flayer Parasite. Doing this makes him disappear from the fight completely, preventing you from looting him for his weapons and other miscellaneous trinkets. Only do this if you don't care about the drops and just want a quick win.

How you navigate this fight – or whether you engage in the fight at all – depends on whether you decide to side with Minthara or the Emerald Grove Tieflings. You can also go full stealth routes, tackle other goblin leaders first, or go all-in as loud as possible and take everyone on at once.

If you've already fought another one of the goblin leaders in Baldur's Gate 3, make sure to rest up before the Dror Ragzlin fight begins. Either a Short or a Long Rest at the camp will do. Taking the latter, however, will let you recover your more powerful spells and abilities. This red-skinned hobgoblin, Dror Ragzlin, is much more powerful than the other two goblin bosses. He has a hefty 75 HP and is Level 5. He can dish out upwards of 21 damage in one strike, as well, so be careful.

Before taking on the Dror Ragzlin fight in BG3, find the war drum on the right-hand side. It's next to the stairway in the boss' combat area. If you fail to destroy it straight away with an arrow or a spell, you'll face nine enemies in total after taking out Dror Ragzlin. While this could be a fun challenge for some, it can be overwhelming for others, especially if you recently fought another boss. Have someone like Astarion nearby to eliminate the drum ASAP.

Try to take out Dror Ragzlin as quickly as possible during the fight. To do this, try to use a spell that stuns him for a move or two. I used Tasha's Hideous Laughter on him. It's not a guaranteed move, but it will leave Dror Ragzlin prone with crazed laughter if it lands. It'll phase him, leaving you a chance to get a lot of damage in before he can even say hello.

You can also get in an extra attack with Lae'zel's Action Surge before attempting to take his hammer off his hands with a powerful Disarming Strike. Using several strikes in a row can really rack up the damage on him. Shadowheart's Inflict Wounds can also effectively lower a foe's health. His 75 HP will dwindle down to zero in no time.

Dror Ragzlin may also take a lot of health from your party, so try to get a healer into the squad to remedy a potentially bad situation. Just be careful while doing this during Dror Ragzlin's Honour Mode fight, as buffing your allies can make things complicated with his passive. Outside of that, you'll want to remove his minions from the picture. They'll be fairly easy to dispatch, but just in case, you can quicksave after eliminating Ragzlin if you're in one of the regular difficulty modes.

On the left-hand side, near the stairway, there's a ladder that can help archers get a better aim at their victims down below. While using these yourself is a viable strategy for defeating Dror Ragzlin and his minions, you also have to be careful of them climbing up and attacking you. One push is all it takes to send your character to their death instantly.

It also helps if you can make it past the guards to avoid spending resources before fighting Dror Ragzlin. Every advantage counts, even if it means sacrificing some initial EXP. You can always come back later and clean up any goblins you missed.

How to make it past the guards

Once you enter the goblin's prison, you're stopped at the front gate by security. Warrior Trinzas asks what your intentions are. There are multiple ways to go about this. As a magical class, I was able to peer through her mind. There's an Intelligence check, but it's fairly easy to beat, especially if you manually save just before the encounter. If you lose the roll, they will all attack you. When you succeed, she'll tell you about the True Souls that have gathered in their base.

Tell Trinzas that you're here for the True Souls, and they'll let you through. You can also use some Deception to pass through the guards. This is difficult, however, as you'll need to roll over 15 on your D20 dice. The first option is likely better if you're not specialized in Deception.

How to beat Dror Ragzlin without alerting the camp

When you first encounter Dror Ragzlin, you'll be locked into dialogue that can cause him and the rest of the Goblin Camp to fight you instantly. Even if you avoid this conversation and either run in to attack or stealthily kill him, the entire goblin camp will automatically become hostile to you, with very few ways to avoid it. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can work around this.

If you don't mind having the goblins aggro you later and just want to delay it, you can sneak up into the rafter above Dror Ragzlin's throne room and take him out without alerting anyone initially. Although they'll become aggressive later, you'll have some breathing room to set up camp, chug a few potions, or chitchat with your other party members first.

Another option is to sneak up beside him and push him into the void with knockback abilities. Next to his throne, you'll spot a nearby pit that will kill him instantly if you land the shot successfully. You can do this by using Void Bulbs, Thunderwave, or even shoving him with a high-strength character.

To increase your odds of success, you can use spells like invisibility or scrolls of darkness to veil your character, making it much easier to escape after. The only two downsides are you'll aggro the camp once a goblin finds you, and you'll miss out on Dror Ragzlin's loot.

No matter how you kill Dror Ragzlin, you will always aggro the Goblin Camp at some point, even if it's delayed by you returning to camp or hiding in the shadows. Fortunately, you can use items like Lump's War Horn to call in some reinforcements or sneak into the caves below Dror's throne room and use Speak With Animals to convince the spiders to attack the goblins. Your best bet for avoiding this is killing the rest of the Goblin Camp first before taking on Dror Ragzlin and the other goblin leaders.

Dror Ragzlin Stats in BG3

Here's everything you need to know about Dror Ragzlin's combat abilities, from his Armor Class to special attacks.

Abilities

Secondary stats

Skills

The Faithbreaker warhammer

The post How to kill Dror Ragzlin in Baldur’s Gate 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Developer Larian has announced that the 8^th and final patch for Dungeons & Dragons-themed Baldur’s Gate 3 will launch in 2025. The update will bring 12 new subclasses, one for each of the main classes, bringing new VFX, abilities, cantrips, summons, and more. The update will also contain cross-play and photo mode. Larian has said that patch 8 will be the final major update for the game, as they will be concentrating on developing other titles.

Having launched in August 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 has enjoyed considerable success. On Metacritic, the game achieves a 96 critic score and a 9.2 user rating. In March this year, the game reached the milestone of 15 million copies sold, giving Larian a $260 million pre-tax profit in 2023. And, it will be competing with entries like No Man’s Sky for Best Community Support at The Game Awards 2024.

The game itself has, according to Larian themselves, seen more than 3,000 user-generated mods, some of which have heavily influenced the latest sub-class additions. The studio not only accepts but welcomes user-created mods, and has said that it will continue to offer mod support.

Patch 8 updates

• College of Glamour Bard – Use Mantle of Inspiration to temporarily give allies 5 hit points and have the chance to Charm enemies, who can then be hit with Mantle of Majesty and commanded to flee, approach, freeze, drop, or drop their weapon.
• Path of Giants Barbarian – Gain the Giant’s Rage passive ability and throw enemies while benefiting from an increased carrying capacity.
• Death Domain Cleric – The cleric gains three new cantrips including Toll the Dead, which deals up to 8 points of damage and scales according to target damage.
• Circle of Stars Druid – Progress in one of three new Starry Forms: Archer, Chalice, and Dragon, each with its own set of abilities and skills in healing, fighting, or archery.
• Oath of the Crown Paladin – Paladins that follow the Oath of the Crown will be able to use Righteous Clarity to soak up damage and restore an ally’s health.
• Arcane Archer Fighter – The Arcane Archer combines archery and magic and can banish or potentially blind foes to the Feywild for a turn.
• Drunken Master Monk – The Drunker Master can turn sober foes drunk, and drunken foes sober, and can replenish Ki by drinking alcohol from their inventory or bottles around Sword Coast.
• Swarmkeeper Ranger – Take control of three new kinds of swarm. Jellyfish deal shock damage, moths deal psychic damage, and bees deal piercing damage. Swarms can also teleport the user.
• Swashbuckler Rogue – The Swashbuckler has several tricks to help turn the tide of battle in their favor. Flick a weapon to disarm an enemy, blind enemies using sand, and benefit from the Footwork passive ability to prevent opportunity attacks.
• Shadow Magic Sorcerer – Benefit from the shadowy dark by moving between shadows with Shadow Walk and improve your ability to see in dark corners with Superior Darkvision. The Shadow Magic Sorcerer can also summon a Hound of Ill Omen.
• Hexblade Warlock – The Hexblade Warlock specialized in summoning weapons, taking control of enemies, and raising fallen foes to fight at their side.
• Bladesinging Wizard – Combining magic and swords, the Bladesinging Wizard enjoys supernatural speed, agility, and focus, and comes with new weapon and spell effects.

As well as new sub-classes, Larian has promised to bring cross-play to BG3. This means players on Mac, Windows, Xbox, and PlayStation 5 will be able to party up and play the same games.

Photo mode is also coming to the game as part of the patch. This will include quick access via hotkeys or pressing both analog sticks at the same time. Users will be able to alter the field of view, exposure, depth of field, and focus settings while toggling whether they want party members, NPC, or enemy characters in the photo. Frames and stickers can also be added.

What next for Larian?

The update is an extensive one, especially thanks to the new sub-classes and cross-play. However, the good news is tempered by Larian’s announcement that this will be the final major update for the game, saying they will be “wrapping up our feature-heavy updates for Baldur’s Gate 3.”

Larian is known for its production of Baldur’s Gate and Divinity: Original Sin games and, in an interview last year, Larian CEO Swen Vincke said that the studio is working on Divinity: Original Sin 3.

The first title in the series, Divine Divinity launched in 2002 and several sequels followed, with the most recent being Divinity: Original Sin 2, in 2017. Larian could be stepping away from BG3 development to concentrate on Original Sin 3 or possibly developing a completely new RPG franchise.

The post Baldur’s Gate 3 2025 patch will bring 12 new subclasses and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Upon returning to the Guildhall at the very end of the Aid the Underduke quest in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3, you're presented with a choice. A fight is about to break out, and you must pick a side: the Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild.

It isn't immediately clear which one you should side with at this crucial moment, so we're going to lay your options out on the table. Should you side with the Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene in Baldur's Gate 3? Let's find out.

Siding with the Zhentarim

If you're roleplaying an evil character in Baldur's Gate 3, then you should definitely consider siding with the Zhentarim. They're involved in a coup of the Guild, only wanting control for their own selfish reasons.

If you've sided with the Zhentarim, its leader, Roah Moonglow, claims you'll have a "private army at your beck and call" when the time comes to fight the Absolute. This is useful during the conclusion of Baldur's Gate 3, where you'll be able to summon two assassin mercenaries during the final battle.

Siding with Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild

Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild are essentially Robin Hood-esque figures in BG3. Their actions aren't completely justifiable, but they aren't mustache-twirling villains like the Zhentarim, either. For good-aligned playthroughs, the choice should be clear.

In terms of rewards, Nine-Fingers Keene pledges the Guild's support against the Absolute. Functionally, this is exactly the same as the Zhentarim reward, with two summonable warriors to aid in the fight.

However, there's one big reward that gives Nine-Fingers Keene the edge here. Upon looting the Zhentarim corpses, Roah Moonglow will have a pouch with 10,000 gold inside. This starts the Return Rakath's Gold quest. You can choose to return the gold to complete the quest, which has its own rewards, or you can simply keep the 10,000 for yourself. You're under no obligation to return it, after all.

Should you side with The Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene?

Now that you know what happens when you choose both sides, which one should you actually decide to fight alongside?

Ultimately, I'm going to suggest you side with Nine-Fingers Keene during the Aid the Underduke quest. Morally, it's the more upstanding option, and given both sides will fight alongside you against the Absolute, there are no differences there. Siding with Nine-Fingers also nets you that 10,000 gold, which should always be considered.

There is a third option which I haven't discussed yet: killing everyone. When push comes to shove, you can simply decide that no one is worthy of your support, instead choosing to murder both the Zhentarim and Nine-Fingers Keene/the Guild.

Besides the mountain of loot, there's no benefit of doing this. You lose the support against the Absolute, although you do gain the moral high ground of destroying two large criminal groups, turning yourself into a Baldur's Gate 3 vigilante.

The post Should you side with The Zhentarim or Nine-Fingers Keene in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)? appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur’s Gate 3 features a ton of mods that players quickly celebrated on the heels of its launch. Some of these mods were present in the early access version and have been updated for the full release. These are the best mods in Baldur’s Gate 3, adding plenty to Larian's celebrated RPG in the form of strictly cosmetic bonuses or powerful, game-changing boosts.

Before you can start using these mods in Baldur’s Gate 3, you need to have the Full Release Mod Fixer downloaded. This enables the ability to use the other mods on this list, so it is essential. Additionally, as of a recent update from associate editor Andrea Shearon, we've got a little explainer at the end of this on how to install BG3 mods; it's dangerous to go poking around in those files alone.

AI Friends mod (BG3)

The AI Friends mod gives BG3 players a simple way to focus on just their Tav, streamlining battles by having your party make decisions for themselves. If you’re someone who prefers to focus on using your player character rather than commanding the entire party and all summons, this mod does that for you.

More Spell Slots mod for BG3

If you're frustrated by your Sorcerer's limited use of magic, then the More Spell Slots mod for BG3 should remedy that. Spell slots are highly limited in this game for magical classes. You are limited to only being able to cast as many spells in battle as you have available slots, and for some of us, a measly once or twice just isn't enough.

Increased Max Level Cap mod (BG3)

One of the strangest limitations in BG3 is the level cap, but the Increase Max Level Cap mod removes that barrier for you and your party. You can only reach level 12 in Larian's RPG, which is far lower than other games like it.

You’ll now have a level cap of 20. The way it works is that this Baldur's Gate 3 mod doesn’t increase the maximum level you can reach with a single class. Instead, you can reach 20 through multiclassing. You still can only go up to level 12 with a single class, but you can use an extra eight levels for another class.

Summon Minthara mod (BG3)

Larian didn't make Minthara the easiest companion to recruit in BG3, but the Summon Minthara mod gives us one way to fast-track the Drow into our ranks. She's one of the trickiest party members to recruit, only obtainable if you side with the goblins and take out all of the Druids and Tieflings at the Emerald Grove. Plus, you miss out on recruiting Halsin if you go this route.

As such, this mod addresses that issue head-on. From the start of the game, you can summon Minthara as a party member. She’ll even progress alongside the player, essentially letting you be a good guy in the game and still recruit the Oathbreaker Paladin.

You Were a Goat for 10 Years BG3 background mod

Perhaps the most bizarre and hilarious mod of them all, the You Were a Goat for 10 Years mod delivers a new background option for your BG3 adventures. You can pick a backstory where you were a goat for 10 years before the start of the game. That alone makes this one of the most unique mods, but this has some gameplay elements.

As a person with some goat experience, you automatically gain access to handle animals and have Darkvision. You can use these without having to pick a certain race or class.

Fast XP mod (BG3)

Despite only having a max level cap of 12, leveling up can be a bit of a slog in BG3, so those looking for a quick power boost may want to check out the Fast XP mod. This is even the case for completionists who are doing all of the side content available in the game. Considering how tough this game can be, you might want to over-level.

To do this, you can use this mod to gain experience much faster. There are two interesting options for this mod. The first is it gives you double the XP for the first six levels in the game. This ensures you quickly prepare and can access some of the mid-game spells and feats.

However, the other option is to have fast XP for the entire game all the way to the level cap. Mix this with the level 20 mod, and you could have a much speedier (and easier) playthrough.

Party Limit Removal mod (BG3)

The BG3 Party Limit Removal mod is either what brought you here or the one you just learned you want. No one wants to choose between bringing Karlach, Wyll, Shadowheart, Gale, Astarion — I can keep going. So, why not just bring even more pals along for the journey?

This removes the party limit of four and makes it a whopping 16 party members you can bring with you at once. In addition, it somehow ups the multiplayer party size to eight players. With this, you can have a massive multiplayer party with nearly every major party member all together. This will make battles larger, wilder, and a lot easier.

Pearly and Glittery Dice mod (BG3)

The only thing you may see more in BG3 than your Tav is that constant roll of die, so why not dress them up, too, with the Pearly and Glittery Dice mod? For those who are disappointed by the severe lack of dice skins available in the game, this mod is for you. You get 13 new dice skins to choose from, ranging from bright and cheery lime green to deep pearl silver. There is likely an option for everyone in this quick and easy mod.

Paladin Deity mod (BG3)

One of the strangest flaws of the Paladin is the lack of a deity to pick, but the BG3 Paladin Deity mod fixes that. Only Clerics get that option, despite Paladins (lore-wise) following a deity to whom they vow their oath, hinting at this canceled feature in the backend. This fanmade tweak should smooth over that glaring omission, allowing you to pick between the same gods the Clerics follow.

5th Edition Spells mod (BG3)

If you want a complete spell collection for BG3, then try the 5th Edition Spells mod to expand your scroll library. While Baldur’s Gate 3 takes the foundation from Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, it doesn’t contain all of its spells. This mod adds in some of the missing spells, such as Dominate Monster and Mass Heal. This alone makes it worth picking up if you feel the spell book is too limited in the base game.

In addition, this mod better balances the overall progression of spells in this game with its numerous extra higher-level spells. You get a better balance of spells across the 5th and higher levels for late-game players.

Tav's Hair Salon

Larian was pretty generous with its vanilla styles, but the Tav's Hair Salon mod for BG3 cranks it up another level with tons of new hair options for your party. It's got new looks, plus looks you've longed pined over some NPCs wear, but remain mysteriously absent from the character creator.

It's also neat to see some hairstyles make a return from Early Access after Larian removed them for the full release for one reason or another. They aren't all perfectly flowy, and some clipping looks silly here and there, but none of it's too big a deal and definitely worth the time investment for making this one work.

Basket Full of Equipment

The BG3 closet gets a little bigger with the Basket Full of Equipment mod. If you're anything like me, mixing and matching the armor pieces Larian gives you is entertaining enough early on, but in the intense moments, I need my crew lookin' their best.

It's the natural next step after swapping up hairstyles, and while most things in the Basket Full of Equipment are for cosmetic purposes, there are some handy additions that buff your party. Dig around in there, and you'll notice accessories and other gems that don't have to limit your BG3 party to just looking almighty, it'll make the brute force to back it up, too.

This mod's so good, it made the top spot in the 10 best armor and clothing mods for BG3.

Native Camera Tweaks

The Native Camera Tweaks mod is one of my BG3 must-haves. The vanilla camera just doesn't do my Tav's every, very photogenic angle perfect justice, so I love the extra control here. With this mod, you can override some of the zoom and FOV limits, giving you close-ups for better screenshots that aren't just in cutscenes.

It can get a little finicky sometimes, but it's way better than your usual options in BG3 and perfect for those of us who are really into dolling our Tavs up.

WASD Character Movement

Ever wanted to explore The Forgotten Realms using your keyboard to guide your movements? Well, you are in luck — that's exactly what the WASD Character Movement mod does.

This mod allows you to toggle between the game's default movement style and using the WASD keys. It's also a really intuitive mod, with the ability to quick-switch between the styles with a swift tap of the Caps Lock key. It even auto-toggles when you enter and exit combat!

With your movement enhanced, why not check out how to really overhaul combat with our 10 best combat mods for BG3.

Apperance Edit Enhanced mod

Do you find BG3's default character customization options a tad limiting? Then you'll definitely want to take a peek at the Appearance Edit Enhanced mod. It adds loads of additional options, so you can create the character you really want to play.

You can even change the appearance of all your existing characters, too. However, keep in mind that this mod is dependent on Norbyte's Script Extender. It's all explained in the description of the mod though, so you'll be just fine!

Bags Bags Bags

Inventory management in most RPGs can get chaotic at times. Oh, what am I saying? It's inevitable that we'll eventually lose track of what's where and start losing or dropping things we really aren't supposed to.

That's where this mod, Bags Bags Bags, comes in. It adds 21 new containers to the game that'll help you sort out your inventory more effectively. These containers are also purchasable from merchants in all three acts, so no matter where you are in the game, you can kit yourself out with some new practical containers.

Carry Weight Increased

I get it, carry weight add to immersion, yadda yadda. How much weight do you think Vegeta from Dragon Ball Z would be able to carry? I ask only because this mod is full of references to the 'over 9000' meme.

The mod does what it says on the box — you can increase the carry weight limit to whatever you like, even up to over 9000. So, if you think your character should be able to carry way more, here's the BG3 mod for you.

Camp Event Notifications mod

I find it quite frustrating that we don't know when a camp event might play out. So after just about every action, I find myself tempted to go for a long rest, only to find it wasn't really necessary, and I just wasted my time.

This mod removes the guesswork and shows us a notification when there's a camp event available. This way, we can stop wasting time and only long rest when absolutely necessary (and when there's an event available, of course).

Aether's Black Dye mod

Even wanted to clad your entire party in all-black, like you're the newest emo punk band in The Forgotten Realm? Well, now you can.

Dressing your characters in all-black can give your party a really badass look, as seen in the screenshot above. But, of course, this mod gives you the freedom to choose what to dye black — so at least you'll have the option now.

Everybody Dyes

This mod takes things one step further and allows you to reuse your dyes unlimited times. This means that you don't need to obtain new dyes every time you switch gear sets, just whip out the old dyes and use them again.

I haven't personally tested whether this mod is compatible with Aether's Black Dye mod, so do be careful when installing. Always ensure you have a backup save, just in case.

Gold Zero Weight mod

Gold weighs a lot in real life, so adding a weight to gold can certainly help immersion a little. But video games have indoctrinated us for the last twenty years into enjoying weight-free currency. You can have as much gold as you want (where does it all go, though?) and never be weighed down.

If you want the same to apply in Baldur's Gate 3, then this mod needs to be in your load order. As the name implies, it removes the weight from gold, allowing you to carry as much as you want without ever having to store it.

Legendary Items

What would a fantasy world be without legendary items to chase down and own, making you a force to be reckoned with in combat? Well, probably vanilla BG3, I guess?

This mod adds legendary items and also gives you a choice of how you obtain them. You can get them straight away, and for free (if you want to test them, I guess), you can obtain them from special places, or you can add them to the loot tables of the world, so it's all random.

Need even more stuff added? Then may I suggest our post on the 10 best weapon mods for BG3?

Feats Extra

Being a D&D game, Feats can be pretty important in shaping your character into the perfect warrior. However, one modder decided that there simply weren't enough Feats in vanilla BG 3, and hence, Feats Extra was born.

It adds a massive range of new Feats, including FeyTouched, Orcish Fury, Observant, Skulker, and so, so many more. This adds heaps of additional customization that you can apply to build your perfect warrior, mage, or thief.

Better Maps All in One mod

The maps in BG3 aren't terrible, but better maps are always welcome. After using Better Maps, you might come to find that my initial statement could be wrong.

Better Maps All in One combines a bunch of map mods by Nexus user pavelk, giving us a host of improvements on the vanilla maps. You can scale the minimap, drag it, remove the grid from the map, and even find NPCs easily with better markers. Overall, Better Maps is definitely worth a download.

Trips' Accessory Collection

It's hard to imagine a world where magic is commonplace yet glasses weren't invented yet, and hence, we have this mod.

Trips' Accessory Collection doesn't only include glasses and a monocle, but also a wide range of piercings to really spice up your characters with a range of accessories not included in the base game.

Mark Books as Read

If you're like me, you love books. If you're like me, you also kinda hate books in BG 3, because you'll have a lot of them and it's a pain to tell which ones you've read and which you haven't.

That makes this mod an absolute gift. Quite simply, it turns read books green, so you can tell at a glance which books are no longer useful, and which you've got to get reading.

Better Target Info mod

This feels a bit like a cheat mod, but allow me to set the stage. You're low on health, you've just stumbled into one more fight. Do you risk it and potentially only get some more tossable junk from your enemies, or do you just run away?

This mode makes that decision easy. With it, you'll be able to see the item value of enemies, as well as their vulnerabilities. You'll even be able to see the amount of items in containers. So yeah, it does feel a little like a cheat, but it sure has huge time-saving potential.

Astralities' Fantasy Skintone Expansion mod

This mod allows for lighter and darker skin tones, while also adding tons of different colors. So if you wanted to be a green-skinned elf, a blue-skinned human, or even as pale as a vampire, this mod gives you more control over that.

Now you can bring your favorite shade of Avatar blue straight into the BG3 universe.

No Intro for BG3 mod

As we approach the bottom of the barrel, there are still so many mods to choose from, but this one proves to be quite the time saver and thus deserves its spot on this list.

For the BG3 veterans among us who have seen the intro quite enough times, you can install this mod to simply skip it. Definitely not recommended for new players, but if you've 'been there and done that' what's the point in not adding this mod?

Astral Sea Dice Set

Finally, we have a new dice set. I was originally going to add a mod here that gave us multiple new dice sets, but since it's not been updated for patch 7 yet and looks unlikely to ever be updated, I've found a worthy competitor.

The Astral Sea Dice Set mod is just one of a few dice mods from Nexus user JohnZyxx, and if you like this mod I highly recommend checking out their other dice collection mods here in case there's one that catches your fancy even more.

It's not a big overhaul mod, but in its own small way, it helps to keep this amazing game feeling just that little bit fresher.

How to install mods in Baldur's Gate 3

To install mods in BG3, you'll want to begin with a few basics. You could always go the manual route — extracting and placing everything in the proper folder, overwriting certain files, etc. — but I much prefer a mod manager. Specifically, I recommend the BG3 Mod Manager from Laughing Leader. For a quick run down, here's the whole process:

• Download mod manager
• Download any mod requirements

  • Full Release Mod Fixer, Improved UI

• Select File, then Import Mod, and click desired mod
• From the Inactive Mods box, drag mods to Active Mods
• Note the load order, place the mod in the correct priority suggested by the modder
• Select Save Load Order to File, then Export Order to Game

After downloading and installing your new mod manager, get the basics installed. You may want to go ahead and install the Full Release Mod Fixer, as we mentioned above. It's not a requirement for everything necessarily, but so many mods use it it's worth the download. Improved UI is another you may encounter often.

If you're using the BG3 mod manager, note the "#" column. This is your load priority. When dragging and dropping mods here, the lower the number, the higher the priority it is. Some mods getting prioritized over others will break them. On some occasions, modders provide help with prioritizing load order, and for some of the tweaks, where they're at just doesn't matter.

It can be a bit of a guessing game, but I suggest loading mods in one at a time, making sure your most recent addition works before adding another.

The post The 30 Best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods for Patch 7 appeared first on Destructoid.

Crossbows are excellent fallbacks for your party in Baldur's Gate 3. When the enemy is just too far away, or maybe when you want a little distance, they're always there for you. And the Hellfire Engine Crossbow adds some heavy artillery to your Baldur's Gate 3 arsenal.

This special crossbow can be crafted in Act 3 of Baldur's Gate 3, once you've reached the Lower City. It's tied into the quest to Disable the Steel Watch, but before you go blowing the place to smithereens, take a tour through the factory. The Hellfire Engine Crossbow is very much worth picking up, especially for the ensuing fights in the Foundry.

Where to find the Watcher Crossbow blueprint

The Watcher Crossbow Blueprint is the key part of the Hellfire Engine Crossbow DIY project in Baldur's Gate 3, and you can find it on a desk inside the Security office at the back of the Steel Watch Foundry (X: -333 Y: -157). The tricky part is that while you can read it, you will actually need to pick it up. Open the options menu on it (right-click for PC players) and opt to add it to one of your party member's inventories.

Next, we'll need the materials. They're scattered around the factory's ground floor, so you don't need to advance further just yet to find them. You will probably want to finish the fight on the ground floor though, just to make life easier.

The parts you're looking for are:

• Targeting Module (X: -307 Y: -157)
• Steel Watcher Arm (X: -280 Y: -165)
• Watcher Crossbow Blueprint (X: -333 Y: -157)
• Table

The first two are scattered around the factory's main floor. However, they are well-marked with plaques right beside them stating what they are. While the Watcher's Crossbow Blueprint is in our possession already at this point, and the table is located on the opposite side of the Security office, near the stairs.

How to make the Hellfire Engine Crossbow

Now, head to the table and interact with it. You should have the combining screen show up. Open your inventory, and drag-and-drop the Steel Watcher Arm, Targeting Module, and Watcher's Crossbow Blueprint onto the slots next to the Table.

Hit the Combine button, and it will eat up the components and spit out the Hellfire Engine Crossbow. Congrats!

This special Heavy Crossbow has some nice bonuses. It hits hard, comes with a +2 Weapon Enchantment, can perform several special shots including one that reels enemies closer, and gets Lightning Arrow as a spell. It's a very handy weapon in the hands of someone like Karlach, giving her a much more effective ranged option than a normal, boring crossbow.

Hellfire Crossbow Stats and Information

The Hellfire Crossbow is considered a heavy crossbow. That means it can be equipped by Lae'zel and Karlach only, from the origin companions. It is classified as Very Rare.

The post How to make the Hellfire Engine Crossbow in Baldur’s Gate 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

There's a lot to love about Baldur's Gate 3, the combat included. But nothing is perfect, and that's where the game's impressive modding community comes in.

We're going to take a look at the 10 best Baldur's Gate 3 combat mods currently available on Nexus Mods, to see how modders have innovated on and changed one of the most important features in Larian's CRPG.

Combat Extender

Combat Extender gives you complete control over combat difficulty. Want to give yourself more Actions? Sure, go ahead. Want to add spells to your enemies to make things harder for yourself? Why not, you can do it. You're in charge.

Combat Extender is all about putting the power in the hands of the player. Yes, you can use it like a total cheat code, but you can also do the complete opposite. Having the choice is all that matters.

More Actions

If Baldur's Gate 3's combat encounters take a little bit too long for your taste, then MagusTheMagician's More Actions should be able to solve your issue.

It's a mod as simple as its name. You get more Actions, Bonus Actions, Reactions, and Inspiration to use during combat. This should allow you to cut through your opponents in much fewer turns. However, this will make BG3 combat much easier, so be aware.

Trials of Tav - A Roguelike Mode

Trials of Tav - A Roguelike Mode is by far the biggest mod on this list. It changes Baldur's Gate 3's entire genre, transforming it from a CRPG to a neverending roguelike. Placed in random locations from across the base game, fighting random enemies while picking up random loot, this is for people who truly love Baldur's Gate 3's combat and wish the entire game was like that.

There are 80 maps in total, with "100h of new gameplay" according to creator Hippo0o. You face waves of enemies, each harder than the last. It's just a totally new experience, and it even works in multiplayer. There's even a new scoring system called RogueScore, which allows you to unlock more powerups as the waves progress.

Brawl - Real Time Combat

It's hard to believe, but not everyone loves turn-based combat. Crazy, right? Brawl - Real Time Combat is the perfect remedy if this sounds like you. There are limits that even modders can't bypass, so don't expect to install this mod and suddenly be playing Dragon Age.

However, it will make each action, in turn, happen instantaneously, which speeds up the combat enormously. Fights that previously took minutes now take seconds, and it's incredible fun. You've got to think much faster with this mod, which changes the combat dynamic entirely. There's an option to pause if you need a moment, too.

Aether's No Party Limits

Admittedly, Aether's No Party Limits affects much more than just combat, but it's here that you'll most notice its impact on your BG3 playthrough.

This mod extends the party limit to 16, allowing you to bring all your Baldur's Gate 3 companions along for the adventure. And yes, they can all fight at once, making combat all a bit one-sided, considering the game was designed for parties of fun. It's a blast that you should definitely try out at least once.

Absolute Wrath

Finding Baldur's Gate 3 combat too easy? Install Absolute Wrath. With almost 2,000 new Affixes (buffs and debuffs) and hundreds of new Absolutist elite enemy types to fight, it's one of the most comprehensive refreshers of combat in BG3 that you can download.

All the new Affixes are dynamically applied by the mod automatically, "aligning them with their innate traits, classes, and levels." According to creator Grimpreacher, this "ensures that every encounter is both thematic and unforeseeably chaotic." Absolute Wrath is a real breath of fresh air for BG3 veterans.

Combat Auto Saver

There's nothing more frustrating than biting off more than you can chew in a Baldur's Gate 3 combat encounter. With this mod, you'll never have to worry about that ever again.

Combat Auto Saver saves the game automatically whenever you enter combat. Now, if you lose a fight, you don't have to be annoyed that your most recent save is going to cost you 30 minutes of progress. Quality of life is the name of the game here.

Critical Miss Has Consequences

Hitting a Critical Miss in BG3 feels a little pointless. It's frustrating, sure, but it doesn't really matter. Critical Miss Has Consequences addresses this perfectly by, well, giving Critical Misses consequences.

Now, when a Critical Miss is hit, the target makes a free Attack of Opportunity against the initiator. Ranged attacks and cantrips are supported with this mod, so it's not just for melee players. It's a great and easy way to make the Critical Miss system feel much more important.

Automated Summons

If you do lots of summoning during combat in Baldur's Gate 3, keeping on top of your summons can become a huge nuisance, especially when controlling your companions, too.

Automated Summons adds a new passive ability that allows the AI to take control of your summons during combat. Let them do their own thing! This is toggleable, so if you decide you want control again, you get it at the push of a button.

Combat Console Commands

Unfortunately, Baldur's Gate 3's combat has a few frustrating bugs that are just an accepted part of the experience. Turns occasionally get stuck, with the only solution in the base game being to reload a save. No longer.

Combat Console Commands adds a few commands that can be used to forcibly end combat turns in different ways, effectively fixing the aforementioned bug. Why wouldn't you have it in your load order?

The post 10 best Baldur’s Gate 3 combat mods appeared first on Destructoid.

Most Baldur's Gate 3 players discover early on that Lae'zel is one of the most useful companions in the game during combat. Thanks to her big damage, the Githyanki companion is essential for making the early game bearable and the late game easy.

Because Lae'zel is a Fighter by default, you can choose four feats for her across a Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. Most classes only get three, although there are a few other exceptions. Lae'zel's feats unlock at Levels 4, 6, 8, and 12, which make her extremely powerful during the first half of the game.

If you're unsure which are the best feats for Lae'zel in Baldur's Gate 3, we've got you covered. These are the ones you should be choosing to make the most of the Githyanki Fighter's strengths.

Best feats for Fighter Lae'zel in BG3

When considering the best feats to take as Lae'zel in Baldur's Gate 3, it's essential also to think about the order in which you take them. This will help you build properly as you progress through the game.

The end goal here is to create a Lae'zel build that dishes out as much damage as possible. This is her big strength right from the moment you recruit her, so that's what we'll be leaning into here. We've also included some honorable mentions so that you've got a bit of choice for your build.

Ability Improvement feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Ability Improvement is as safe as a Baldur's Gate 3 feat gets. You get two more Ability Points, which for Lae'zel, should be used on Strength and Dexterity. Alternatively, doubling up on Strength is a valid choice, too. Number goes up, Lae'zel gets stronger – simple.

You might as well reap the benefits of Ability Improvement for as long as possible, so you should take this BG3 feat at Level 4.

Savage Attacker feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Lae'zel's attacks are incredibly powerful out of the box, and of all the companions, she's probably the strongest during those early periods of Baldur's Gate 3. Savage Attacker ensures those attacks will almost always be massively powerful due to the damage dice being rolled twice.

This is another feat worth grabbing early. You can't really go wrong with maximizing your damage as you fight your way through Acts 1 and 2 of Baldur's Gate 3.

Great Weapon Master feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Great Weapon Master is a must-have feat for any of your companions who you're relying on to deal melee damage. Karlach, Lae'zel, you name them - they've got to have this feat. It gives you another turn during combat, which, when combined with Savage Attacker, guarantees you're going to hurt your opponents badly.

Since Lae'zel gets an extra attack by default at Level 5, there's no great rush to grab Great Weapon Master. We'd recommend taking it at Level 8, at which point you should be at a place where the game's difficulty starts to really ramp up. The extra attack and damage will prove essential.

Polearm Master feat for Lae'zel in Baldur’s Gate 3

More damage! Polearm Master lets you get ANOTHER attack with your bonus action, so long as you're holding a glaive, halberd, quarterstaff, or spear. With the right weapon, you should be getting a total of four attacks every turn if you also took Great Weapon Master. All will fall before you.

It's worth noting that Lae'zel has a greatsword by default, which is why we recommend grabbing Polearm Master at Level 12. It's the last feat you'll take, so it gives you plenty of time to find one of the weapon types affected by this one.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Lae'zel feats: honorable mentions

If you're looking to be as efficient as possible, the above feats are the way to go for Lae'zel. However, you can also use these honorable mentions if you want to change up your playstyle a little rather than being hyper-efficient with your Lae'zel build in Baldur's Gate 3.

Choosing your feats is a big deal in Baldur's Gate 3, and sometimes, you get it wrong. If your build isn't working for your playthrough, you can respec Lae'zel from Level 1 at Withers for 100 gold. This shouldn't break the bank, so long as you're not frequently wasting your money in BG3.

The post Best feats for Lae’zel in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) appeared first on Destructoid.

Karlach is one of the best companions in Baldur's Gate 3. Her personal storyline is one of the most interesting, and her prowess in battle makes her essential to have along for the ride.

As a Barbarian, Karlach only has access to three feats in Baldur's Gate 3, compared to other classes like Rogue and Fighter, which get four. This means that you've got to pick your Karlach feats carefully when you unlock them at Levels 4, 8, and 12.

So, which ones should you take? To help you decide, let's look at the best feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3 to make the strongest build possible.

Best feats for Barbarian Karlach in BG3

There are 41 feats to choose from in Baldur's Gate 3, so narrowing it down to just three is tough. We've picked out what we think are the best feats for Karlach, as well as a few honorable mentions that you can't completely rule out.

With any Barbarian build in BG3, the aim should be purely about dealing as much damage as possible while being able to take a hit or two. You'll be right in the middle of the action, so this is crucial. These feats will help you achieve that.

Great Weapon Master feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

The Great Weapon Master feat is absolutely essential for any party featuring Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. With this, you can take an extra attack each turn using your bonus action. Your attacks are going to be deadly as a Barbarian anyway, so getting to take two will result in enormous damage, especially if you're using a Heavy melee weapon you're proficient in.

We'd recommend taking Great Weapon Master as early as possible, ideally making it your Level 4 feat. Doing this kind of damage so early in the game will make combat encounters a breeze with Karlach in your party.

Savage Attacker feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

It should be pretty obvious why you should pick the Savage Attacker feat as Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. She's capable of dealing enormous amounts of damage, so getting to roll the dice twice and use the highest result is comically overpowered.

Grab Savage Attacker at Level 8, after taking Great Weapon Master. That way, you'll always get the +10 damage buff too - a potent combination that will ensure Karlach plays an important role in your party throughout Baldur's Gate 3.

Tough feat for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3

BG3's Karlach can already take tons of damage compared to the other companions. The Tough feat takes that up a notch by giving her plenty more HP. When combined with the previous two feats, you create a resilient melee monster by taking the Tough feat.

You should take the Tough feat for Karlach last, once you reach Level 12. As you hurtle toward the end of the game, the extra health will make Karlach extremely tough to kill. If you're really struggling earlier in the game, don't be afraid to take the Tough feat earlier, though.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Karlach feats: honorable mentions

While we can heartily recommend taking the above feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3, there are plenty of ways to build this Tiefling Barbarian. We've added five more honorable mentions for the best feats for Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3 that you can use to switch up your playstyle.

If you find you've made the wrong choice with your feats, you can always respec Karlach by paying 100 gold to Withers at camp. You're not locked into one specific build, so why not try out a few different feat selections throughout your playthrough?

The post Best feats for Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur's Gate 3 takes you on a wondrous journey through one of Dungeons & Dragons' most iconic settings. However, your trek through the Sword Coast may hit a snag if the in-game camera gives you a lopsided view of the world.

The camera controls in Baldur's Gate 3 can be tricky to figure out, especially if BG3 is your first experience with top-down role-playing games. Luckily, I've spent almost a hundred hours playing this game, so I can tell you everything you need to know to master its camera.

How to control the camera in BG3 with a mouse and keyboard

If you're playing Baldur's Gate 3 on a gaming computer, you control the camera with select keys on your keyboard and a few HUD buttons you can click with your mouse. The game gives you a pretty nice tutorial on using the camera whenever you start a new game, but it doesn't tell you everything, so here's a more thorough rundown.

• W/S/D/W Keys—You can use the W/S/D/W keys to pan the camera around the immediate area. If that doesn't suit you, you can do this by using the arrow keys.
• Q and E Keys - The Q and E keys let you spin the camera around in a circle. You can also do this by holding down the middle mouse button.
• Page Up and Page Down Keys - You can use the Page Up and Page Down keys to zoom the camera in or out. You can also do this by spinning the middle mouse button or clicking the zoom-in and zoom-out buttons next to the map.
• O Key—Press the O key to enter Tactical View. T gives you a top-down view of your surroundings. This view is fantastic for combat situations, giving you a bird's-eye view of the action to detect hidden enemies and see whether the terrain will block your attacks.

Once you familiarize yourself with these key commands, your Baldur's Gate 3 journey will be as cinematic as it is fun to play.

How to use Edge Panning in BG3

Edge Panning is an additional camera option that allows you to move the camera by moving the mouse around the edge of the screen. This is an excellent option if you don't want to use the A/S/D/W or Arrow Keys to move the camera.

To turn on Edge Panning, open the "Options" menu and scroll down to the bottom of the "Gameplay" tab. You should see Edge Panning as the second option in the Camera section. If you use Edge Panning and have a multi-screen setup, I'd recommend flicking the Lock Mouse to Window option to "On" so your mouse doesn't go high-wire when it jumps to another screen.

How to control the camera in BG3 with a controller

Whether you've plugged a gaming controller into your computer or are playing Baldur's Gate 3 on the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, a radically different control scheme awaits you. Controlling the camera with a controller plays much differently than steering it with a mouse and keyboard, but it's still easy to get the hang of.

• Clicking up, down, left, and right on the left control stick will pan the camera left, right, up, and down.
• Tilting left and right on the right control stick rotates the camera.
• Cranking up and down on the right stick lets you zoom in and out.
• Push on the left stick to recenter the camera on your character if it ever gets away from you.
• Zooming out all the way out with the right stick will shift you into Tactical View. Zoom back in to get out of it.

With all that covered, you shouldn't have any problem working Baldur's Gate 3's camera. Be sure to check out all our BG3 if you're wondering which Feat to give your party or how to defeat challenging bosses standing in your way.

The post How to use all the camera controls in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Deck has been something of a revelation for PC gaming. This powerful device allows you to play your PC games on a portable screen, allowing for an experience more akin to something like the Nintendo Switch.

This is all well and good, but some PC games require the pinpoint precision of mouse-and-keyboard input. That's why we're taking a look at the 15 best Steam Deck games, so you know which titles are worth playing on your portable PC device. All of the following games are marked "Steam Deck Verified," meaning you can guarantee a solid experience with these selections.

15. Phasmophobia

Hunting ghosts with friends, what could be more fun? Despite still technically being in Early Access, Phasmophobia is arguably the best game in its genre. You're placed on a map, which can be as small as a suburban house or as large as an entire prison, haunted by a ghost.

There are 24 different ghost types, each offering up three types of evidence to help you and your friends decipher what they are. You find this evidence using various types of ghost-hunting equipment, from spirit boxes to EMF readers. It's not entirely that simple, as these ghosts will drain your sanity before hunting and killing you. Phasmophobia is a blast, and we recommend playing with friends.

14. Diablo 4

Blizzard's long-awaited follow-up in its iconic ARPG series was worth the wait. Diablo 4 follows the same general gameplay loop as previous iterations, defeating powerful enemies throughout dungeons while collecting hordes of loot to upgrade your build.

While technically an RPG, Diablo 4's quests and storyline play second fiddle to the game's unique brand of chaotic action. There's nothing quite like melting swarms of demons while finding a rare item that takes the havoc up a notch. Some might recommend a mouse and keyboard for Diablo 4, but you can definitely do just fine on a Steam Deck.

13. Balatro

Balatro isn't your standard card game. There's almost too much complexity to sum up in a few sentences, but the gist of it is this: it's a roguelike deck-builder where you must score points by playing poker hands against blinds. With these points, you can upgrade your deck and buy joker cards, which affect the game in various ways. It's absurdly addictive and puts an impressive spin on a classic card game.

Given the nature of Balatro's controls, it really doesn't matter whether you play on a regular PC or on a Steam Deck. It plays very well on Valve's portable devices, so if you're looking for a more laid-back Balatro, Steam Deck is the way to go.

12. Portal 2

Portal 2 might be well over a decade old at this point, but it can still kick it with any modern release on the market. With sharp humor, challenging puzzles, and an endlessly replayable co-op mode, Portal 2 remains one of the best video games ever made.

Valve gets so much mileage out of one simple concept: you have a portal gun that you can use to open portals around the game world. You must use these portals to solve puzzles throughout each level, most of which are physics-based. Luckily, these puzzles don't require pinpoint mouse precision, which is why this is perfect for chilled-out Steam Deck play.

11. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had its troubles upon its 2020 release, disappointing almost everyone. In the years since, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to making it the best game it can be via countless patches and the sublime 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty.

At long last, Cyberpunk 2077 is (almost) everything it was hyped up to be, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. With engaging characters, powerful RPG choices, and the staggeringly beautiful open world of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is a game you can really sink your teeth into nowadays.

10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

If The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth isn't the best roguelike ever, then I don't know what is. Straight from the brain of Super Meat Boy developer Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth sees you fight through procedurally-generated dungeons against some of the most terrifyingly-designed monsters you'll ever see in a video game.

As you progress, you collect items on each floor. This contributes to your build, but not every item complements one another. This means you're constantly making important choices about what to pick up and what to leave behind. Each run is permadeath, resetting you right to the start if you die while progressing through the floors. Because of the randomized floors and items, it might be one of the most replayable games ever made.

9. Dave the Diver

How many games do you know that can blend the action-adventure and restaurant simulator genres seamlessly? There's not many, let me tell you that much. Dave the Diver is one such title, and it's undoubtedly one of the best games on the Steam Deck.

Dave the Diver is split into two gameplay sections. During the day, you dive into the sea, collecting ingredients from the ocean floor while fighting sealife with your harpoon gun. Later in the evening, you use these ingredients to run a sushi restaurant, improving its reputation through good food and service. All of this is complemented by a gorgeous pixel art style, resulting in a game unlike anything you'll have played before.

8. Resident Evil 4

2023's Resident Evil 4 might be the best remake in the series to date, and that's a high bar to clear. The game sees the return of Leon Kennedy, who is tasked with rescuing the president's daughter, Ashley. You're faced with hordes of the undead throughout your adventure, which tops the 2005 original in just about every way.

Its graphics? Stunning. Its controls? Modern. The story? It has a tighter pacing this time around. And that's before we even get to the atmosphere, which is the real star of the show in the Resident Evil 4 remake. It's absolutely dripping with tension, which carries over even on the small screen of the Steam Deck.

7. Skyrim

13 years after its launch, and there's still nothing that quite evokes the same feelings as Skyrim. It's a classic RPG in every sense of the word, with one of the most detailed open worlds you'll ever explore, even after all this time. Interesting questlines and memorable characters are the tip of the iceberg in Bethesda's magnum opus.

On PC, Skyrim modding takes things to another level. Nexus Mods has almost 100,000 mods to download for the game, so the question is: can you mod Skyrim on Steam Deck? Yes! It's a bit more hassle, but it's certainly possible, meaning you can bring Skyrim up to modern standards on your handheld device.

6. RimWorld

Ludeon Studios' RimWorld is a far deeper game than it seems on the surface. At first glance, it appears to be just another construction and management simulator. Simply put, it isn't. RimWorld gives you numerous starting scenarios, where you must attempt to survive and escape from a procedurally generated planet.

To make every playthrough unique, it employs the use of an AI storyteller, which can make decisions on the fly to affect proceedings. You can choose from various storytellers, each of which will change its behavior based on various parameters. Want something intense? Go with Randy Random. Want a more traditional narrative? Cassandra Classic will make that happen. The third is Phoebe Chillax, which offers a more laid-back experience. It's this storyteller feature alone that elevates RimWorld above every other game in the genre.

5. God of War

2018's God of War finally arrived on PC in 2022, breaking Santa Monica Studio's masterpiece free from its PS4 restraints. The game tells a powerful story between Kratos and his young son, Atreus, and their journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, at the highest peak in Jötunheim.

Its hack-and-slash gameplay is similar to previous God of War games, yet the combat still manages to feel distinctly modern. That's an achievement in itself. Just everything, from the impeccable score from Bear McCreary to the awesome world design, comes together as a full package to make God of War one of the best Steam Deck games.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

How will CD Projekt Red ever top The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The culmination of an epic trilogy, this title is an extraordinary RPG, with impactful choices to be made even in the smallest of moments. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features some of the most well-written side-quests you'll ever see, as well as two fantastic expansions in Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

For a 2015 release, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up extremely well from both a visual and gameplay perspective. The combat still feels very fluid, which is why it remains one of the best Steam Deck games you can play after almost a decade.

3. Stardew Valley

There's a reason life-simulation fans are still returning to Stardew Valley almost nine years after its release. ConcernedApe's game strips the formula back to basics but does everything it attempts just about perfectly.

There's farming, fishing, building, mining, socializing, romancing, and even combat - it's a pretty simple life in Stardew Valley. If you enjoy life-simulators, there's a good chance you've already played this game. If you haven't, there's a good chance Stardew Valley will convert you to the genre.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is not for the impatient gamers out there. This open-world RPG by FromSoftware will test the limits of your patience, punishing you with sweet, sweet death over and over again. It's a classic Souls-like, defined by nigh-impossible bosses and frustratingly infrequent checkpoints, but with a bigger scale than anything the studio has ever attempted before. The satisfaction from victory in Elden Ring will have you jumping for joy.

Given that many would recommend Elden Ring with a controller anyway, I feel safe saying the game works great with the Steam Deck joysticks. Go forth and explore the Lands Between from the comfort of your own couch.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Top spot was only ever going to Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's 2023 CRPG is an instant classic. With deep customization, fun combat, brilliant companions, and a gripping narrative, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game we'll all be playing for many years to come. I could wax further lyrical about its epic world, engaging quests, and a staggering level of freedom, but I reckon you get the picture.

Baldur's Gate 3 feels made for the Steam Deck in many ways. The turn-based combat lends itself well to the joystick controls, and the slow-paced gameplay in general makes it perfect for kicking back on the couch and playing at your own pace.

The post 15 Best Steam Deck Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that lives and dies by its companions. The characters in Larian's RPG are arguably its biggest strength, but they can be even better.

This collection of the 10 best Baldur's Gate 3 companion mods alters both the look and behaviors of the game's followers. These are the must-haves, the cream of the crop.

More Reactive Companions

More Reactive Companions is a Baldur's Gate 3 mod that makes the game truly feel like a group adventure. It doesn't even add any new content, instead repurposing many of the throwaway dialogue lines used by the characters when playing as them.

These lines will be used as "companion chatter" when using this mod. Each one has been hand-picked for every scenario by mod author LightningLarryL, giving it a real feeling of authenticity. It makes a massive difference to make your party feel more alive than ever.

Full Custom Companions (Hirelings)

Full Custom Companions (Hirelings) expands the hireling system in a huge way. Instead of being constrained to the same old hirelings offered by Withers, this allows you to customize your own. You can even use Baldur's Gate 3 race mods to create extra unique hirelings.

That's not all this mod does, though. It also allows you to duplicate regular NPCs and use them as companions. These custom hirelings can also use tadpoles to gain illithid powers, making them feel much more like a regular BG3 companion.

Summon Guenhwyvar - Drizzt Legendary Panther Companion

If you're a Dungeons & Dragons lore fanatic, Summon Guenhwyvar - Drizzt Legendary Panther Companion should be right up your alley. The panther Guenhwyvar is a popular figure in the Forgotten Realms lore, and with this mod, you can summon her to fight by your side.

Upon installation, you'll be given a figurine of Guenhwyvar. This can only be used to summon her once per Long Rest, so it's not entirely overpowered. Overall, it's a solid, lore-friendly addition to Baldur's Gate 3.

Adjustable Party Limit

Oh, you want a party? Adjustable Party Limit can give you a party. As the name suggests, it allows you to change the number of companions allowed in your party at a time, selecting from anywhere between 1 and 16.

There are a few similar mods that do this, so why's this one the best? According to mod author PixellBytes, it's the only one that has "built-in ways to prevent you from encountering some of the most infamous party limit extender bugs, such as the Act 1 lake boat bug and the long resting bug." So, there.

JWL Scratch is Back

We all love Scratch; he's the best boy. But he isn't the most useful boy in combat scenarios. You can fix this with JWL Scratch is Back, which adds 11 elemental-themed variants of Baldur's Gate 3's cutest pup.

This is done in a lore-friendly way, giving you 11 enchanted collars to collect throughout the game, each of which offers a different buff to BG3's canine companion. Recommended if you want to bring Scratch along for the adventure.

Fireproof Karlach

If you think about it, even on a surface level, it doesn't make sense that Karlach takes fire damage in Baldur's Gate 3. She burns so hot that you can't even touch her!

Obviously, resistance doesn't always equal immunity, but I reckon Fireproof Karlach makes more sense to have than not. It simply gives her the Hellish Resistance trait, nullifying all fire damage.

Really Shadowheart

Really Shadowheart might be one of the most considered Baldur's Gate 3 mods out there. It completely alters her character in Act 3 to be more consistent with Acts 1 and 2. But what does that actually mean?

For starters, romanced Shadowheart no longer tolerates cheating. No more casual fun with Halsin or the Drow Twins for you! It's much more in line with the Shadowheart we meet earlier in the game, but that's only the tip of the iceberg for everything this mod does. She'll try to save her parents no matter what, she'll take a lot more persuasion to kill Viconia, and you can even propose to her if you do choose to save her parents. That's right: you can be married to Shadowheart in the epilogue with this mod. 10/10, no notes.

Karlach Overhaul WIP

Nexus Mods user vyrelis has seriously cooked with Karlach Overhaul WIP. It's by far and away the best overhaul of the tiefling companion's face, making it look a little softer than the base game.

It also gives her a cool new hairstyle that, in my opinion, trumps the vanilla one. Overhauling the appearance of a fan-favorite character will always be controversial to some players, but this one's pretty tasteful.

A Visit with Volo - Astarion Reimagined

Now, for something a little more dramatic. A Visit with Volo - Astarion Reimagined de-ages Neil Newbon's popular vampire a good 20 years, giving him a look closer aligned to something you might see on a runway or the front of a magazine.

This pretty-boy-Astarion aesthetic won't be for everyone, and understandably so. But for those who do like it, it could prove to be one of the best Baldur's Gate 3 companion mods out there.

Lae'zel - Alternate Faces

Of all the Lae'zel overhauls on Nexus Mods, I reckon Lae'zel - Alternate Faces takes the crown. This one offers numerous face options, each based on a different Baldur's Gate 3 race.

The differences from the base game version of Lae'zel are pretty small, so you won't be left feeling like she's a totally new character with this mod.

The post 10 best Baldur’s Gate 3 companion mods appeared first on Destructoid.

I'm surprised by the lack of Baldur's Gate 3 merch we've had access to since its release over a year ago, but that's all about the change with this new BG3 Funko Pop! collection. There are technically three characters in total part of the original lineup, though one has two different styles, bringing the total number to four. Let's take a look at all the Baldur's Gate 3 Funko Pops as well as where you can preorder them and how much they are going to cost.

All Baldur's Gate 3 Funko Pops

If you were hoping to get your hands on a Mindflayer or some other crazy BG3 Funko Pop!, sadly it's not an option with the launch lineup. In fact, even from all the awesome and memorable BG3 companion characters, only 3 are getting a Funko Pop! with this launch collection. Here's all four Baldur's Gate 3 Funko Pops in the first launch:

• Astarion (Dagger Style)
• Astarion (Tome Style)
• Karlach with Clive Buddy Duo
• Shadowheart

Astarion (Dagger Style) and Astarion (Tome Style)

First up is the beloved High Elf Rogue bloodsucker Astarion Ancunin. It's no surprise that Astarion is one of the launch lineup Funko Pops for BG3, as the intelligent and witty character was one of the most played companions according to Larian Studios. What makes the Astarion Funko Pop! particularly interesting is that there are technically two styles, as the character is part of Funko's "Chance of Chase" program. This means you don't get to choose which style you get, but instead, every purchase has a chance of getting the rare Chase Variant.

The default version of Astarion comes with the red-eyed vampire holding a dagger in his right hand. According to Funko, 5/6 purchases of the Astarion Funko Pop will come with this version. For the other 1/6, however, you will receive the rare Astarion with the Necromancy of Thay tome in his right hand instead of the dagger. The rest of the Astarion Funko Pop, including his red eyes, hair, and clothing, are the same between the two versions.

Preorder Details

Price: Amazon: $12.99 or Funko Store: $12

Release Date: December 16, 2024

Shadowheart

You can admit it, you knew Shadowheart was going to be part of this launch lineup. After all, surely you can fix her, right? That's right, the half-elf Cleric of Shar, Shadowheart, is the second character in the BG3 Funko Pop! launch lineup. Oddly enough, she's the most simple of the three characters in the lineup, not coming with anything special other than the Artifact. Still, it's Shadowheart.

For the uninitiated, Shadowheart was the most romanced character in BG3 according to Larian. The Artifact in her right hand looks pretty simplistic, but there's no doubt that this is Shadowheart, donning her chainmail Cleric clothing and the chain in her hair.

Preorder Details

Price: Amazon: $12.99 or Funko Store: $12

Release Date: December 16, 2024

Karlach with Clive Buddy Duo

The final Funko Pop! in the Baldur's Gate 3 launch collection is the Zariel Tiefling Barbarian Karlach and her teddy Clive, as part of a Buddy Duo collection. This means you're pretty much getting two Funko Pops for the price of one! Karlach herself clocks in at 4.55 inches tall while Clive is a teeny tiny 1.35 inches tall.

This is without a doubt the most detailed Funko Pop! in the collection, with Karlach's Tiefling horns in full detail as well as her black and red hair which admittedly looks pretty cool in Funko Pop! form. Even her armor is the most detailed of the three, and she comes wielding a battle axe. Oh, and of course she has her red Tiefling tail.

If you don't know who Clive is, I suppose that's ok. But for others, you'll recognize Clive as the cute and cuddly teddy that Karlach always has in her area of the Campsite if you recruit her. The cuddly bear shows some wear—surely he's gotten lots of hugs—and dons the crossed-out eyes. Who said Karlach wasn't deep?

Preorder Details

Price: Funko Store: $12 (It doesn't look like this one is on Amazon!)

Release Date: December 16, 2024

All three Baldur's Gate 3 Funko Pops in the launch collection are set to release on December 16, 2024.

The post All Baldur’s Gate 3 Funko Pops, with preorder and price information appeared first on Destructoid.

Throughout Baldur's Gate 3, choosing your character's race is one of the most important decisions you'll make. It affects tons of dialogue throughout the game, and changes how some characters treat your Tav.

As with every aspect of the game, Baldur's Gate 3 has tons of mods adding new races. Some are based on D&D lore, while others are homebrewed by fans. If you're starting a fresh Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough, why not consider one of these race mods?

Flutter and Whimsy (Fairy Race)

Flutter and Whimsy (Fairy Race) might be the most polished mod on this list. You can play Baldur's Gate 3 as a Fairy, complete with customizable wings. Fairies have their own custom cantrips and spells, including Tinify, which shrinks you down to size.

If you use other Baldur's Gate 3 customization mods, Flutter and Whimsy (Fairy Race) has you covered, including compatibility patches for many of the most popular downloads on the Nexus.

Half Angel (Aasimar 5E)

Half Angel (Aasimar 5E) takes inspiration from the 2016 Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook, Volo's Guide to Monsters, to bring the Aasimar race to Baldur's Gate 3. This winged race features three unique subraces fit for various playthroughs, each with extensive lore.

If you enjoy sitting in Baldur's Gate 3's character creator for hours, deliberating over every detail, you'll get lots out of Half Angel (Aasimar 5E). Creator DarthRen has added 25 halos and horns, as well as 10 wings and tails. That's not to mention the unique hairstyles and heads!

Ghastly Ghouls - Playable Undead Race

If there's one thing Larian's previous game, Divinity: Original Sin 2, has over Baldur's Gate 3, it's the ability to play as the undead. No longer. Ghastly Ghouls - Playable Undead Race solves this with four subraces: Lich, Ghoul, Wight, and Mummy. Each has custom heads and bodies, meaning you can tinker with your Undead's appearance to your heart's content.

This mod makes my immersion-obsessed heart happy. It uses the vanilla "Undead" tag for your Tav, affecting how various spells affect you. You'll be immune to some, while others, such as "Turn Undead," make you more vulnerable.

The Dunmer - Playable Dark Elf Race

Adding a race from The Elder Scrolls isn't exactly lore-friendly, but The Dunmer - Playable Dark Elf Race was simply too extensive to leave out of this list. I mean, let's take a look at what this Baldur's Gate 3 race mod includes.

Six subraces, "themed after the Great Houses, House Dagoth, and the Ashlanders." Seven new spells, all of which have custom visual effects. 11 unique heads, 50 skin tones, and 19 hand-drawn tattoos. And there are custom piercings based on The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. A must-have mod, really.

Half-Dragon

Half-Dragon is based on an original homebrew TTRPG system by author johauna's husband. Four races are added, and numerous subclasses are meticulously designed to create a fun gameplay experience.

The highlight here is the ability to take the form of a Dragon. It's cool every single time and is reason enough to try this Baldur's Gate 3 mod. It feels like it should've been part of the base game all along.

Spirited Seasons - Playable Fey Eladrin

There's a lot to love about Spirited Seasons - Playable Fey Eladrin, especially to enjoy creating stunning Tavs that look great in a screenshot. This adds the Eladrin race, with four subraces based on each season, extensive customization options, and unique spells to match.

The only drawback is that you can't change seasons throughout your playthrough, as the Eladrin can in Dungeons & Dragons. This is due to the technical limitation of changing subraces mid-playthrough. Don't let that put you off - this is one of the most polished Baldur's Gate 3 race mods out there.

Whispers of the Fey - Goblins Race

Goblins exist in Baldur's Gate 3, so why can't we play as them? Whispers of the Fey - Goblins Race solves this issue, adding two new subraces: Greenskin Goblin and Dankwood Goblin. You can customize your Goblin as you would a regular Tav. There's even a custom Hireling named Ol' Shiny to bring along on your adventures.

If that hasn't convinced you, playing as a Goblin gives you access to a baby squirrel companion that will accompany you throughout Faerûn. I, for one, am sold.

Playable Myconid Race

Remember the Myconids? Those fungus folk that you meet in Baldur's Gate 3's Underdark? You probably never considered the fact that you couldn't play as one, but with Playable Myconid Race, now you can. Who asked for this? Who cares!

Understandably, customization is limited with this race mod, so you're restricted to picking from the models already available in Baldur's Gate 3. Creator porridge77 admits it's a little janky, but for the novelty factor alone, this is hard to beat and is well worth a slot in your load order.

Hearts of the Forest - Playable Dryad Race

Much like the previous mod, Hearts of the Forest - Playable Dryad Race takes a race already in the game and makes it playable. Considering their humanoid form, it's a little surprising they're not playable in the vanilla game, but regardless, this mod solves this.

Creator EmeraldTechno has gone the extra mile, creating new male Dryads. This isn't lore-friendly, but the end result looks great, so they get a pass here.

Wine and Revelry (Satyr Race)

Using Wine and Revelry (Satyr Race) is a way to guarantee a unique Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. The main highlight here are the digitigrade legs, which obviously aren't possible in the vanilla game.

Creator labotor has added many customization options to flesh out Wine and Revelry (Satyr Race), including various tails, horns, and ear options to give you total flexibility with your Satyr Tav.

The post 10 best Baldur’s Gate 3 race mods appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur’s Gate 3 was one of the biggest games of 2023, winning multiple GOTY awards and being on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Even with all that though, there are plenty of gamers who haven’t touched the game because they simply don’t like turn-based combat — but with this new mod, players can now enjoy the BG3 with real-time combat.

The mod comes from user tinybike, which you can download on GitHub. The modder calls it “an experiment” to see if they could get real-time combat working. This overhaul completely reworks the combat system, which speeds up every fight by a significant amount. Instead of each character getting a turn while the others wait, characters fight each other all at once.

A new Baldur’s Gate 3 mod lets you fight in real-time instead of turn-based

Brawl, the name of the mod on GitHub, is still very much in the early stages. The mod doesn’t even work with the campaign at this time. But impressive videos are posted on the mod page and by tinybike on YouTube that show real-time fights, which show some pretty solid action.

The biggest issues with the mod being fully integrated so far are the lack of being able to pause the game, and fights being very imbalanced. Modder tinybike states in the Status section that they are “just trying to see if the system fundamentally works”, and both of these issues are on their to-do list. Pausing will hopefully be the next update to the mod, and balancing will come at a later time. 

Baldur’s Gate 3 features plenty of memorable fights from start to finish throughout the campaign, from common encounters to imposing boss battles. The game has received countless praise for every aspect, including its turn-based combat. However, since the game has been out for a while now, players are looking to shake up gameplay and this could be the mod that does it. It could make for a whole new experience when starting your new playthrough. 

Since there are so many mods for BG3 for gamers, a lot of them get lost in the trenches of the internet forums. But, if development continues on Brawl, then it could easily rise to be one the best mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 available.

For gamers who can’t get into the genre due to its pacing, this could be the mod that gets them to jump on the bandwagon and enjoy one of the best games of 2023. However, with plenty of work still needing to be done, we’ll just need to keep our fingers crossed for a world where BG3 combat doesn’t take 20 minutes per fight.

The post This Baldur’s Gate 3 mod removes turn based combat so you can fight battles in real time appeared first on Destructoid.

Mods are a great way to spice up your Baldur’s Gate 3 playthrough, letting you customize the game to your heart’s content. BG3 Mod Manager is the ultimate tool for it, but after its Patch 7 debut, you might be running into errors when trying to use it.

If the official BG3 Mod Manager is getting stuck on the loading profile screen while booting your game, we’re here to show you how to fix it and get your mods back up and running.

Fixes for the BG3 Mod Manager getting stuck on the loading profile screen

Here are all the solutions we’ve found to this bug in the BG3 Mod Manager:

Delete the modsettings.lsx file

The quickest way to fix the problem is to find the “modsettings.lsx” file and delete it. This file can be found under AppData>Local>Larian Studios>Baldur's Gate 3>PlayerProfiles>Public. Once you’ve navigated to this folder, simply right-click on the file and delete it or drag it to the trash bin.

Be aware that deleting this will delete your load order. Unfortunately, you will likely need to continue finding and deleting this file every time you need to change your load order or download any new mods. 

So, while this is a quick fix, this is a solution you’ll need to continue doing while adding new mods. If you don’t want to lose your load order, you can duplicate the file using the Save Order As option in the BG3 Mod Manager. Keep that file somewhere else on your computer, and load it back up in the manager when you need it.

Uninstall and Reinstall BG3 Mod Manager

The next solution is the tried and true delete it and reinstall it method. Completely uninstall your BG3 Mod Manager to start, and once it’s been removed, remove the modsettings.lsx file from the folder listed above. 

Then, you can re-download and install the BG3 Mod Manager, and you shouldn’t be getting stuck on the loading profile screen anymore. For some people, deleting the modsettings.lsx file alone isn’t enough, and this should solve the bug if it’s being stubborn. It gives you a clean slate with the BG3 Mod Manager.

Use the BG3 Patch 6 beta branch

The final solution comes from Larian Studios, who have made a Patch 6 beta branch to play the game in if you don’t want to lose your mods by updating to Patch 7. This will also keep any mods running that haven’t been updated yet for the latest patch, including customization mods, dice mods, and more. Here’s what you can do to run Patch 6:

• Right-click on Baldur’s Gate 3 in the Steam Library and choose Properties, then Betas
• On the Beta Participation screen, choose release_patch6_hf9

Since Patch 7 is the root of the issue, by going back to Patch 6, it should solve the problem.

The post How to fix the BG3 Mod Manager if it’s stuck on the loading profile screen appeared first on Destructoid.

It has been over a year now since the launch of Baldur's Gate 3, and its modding community is starting to come into its own. No aspect of the game remains untouched as talented modders aim to perfect Larian's legendary CRPG with additions of their own.

This includes the weapons. Sure, Baldur's Gate 3 has a lot of weapon variation throughout the game, but there can always be more. Use these 10 BG3 weapon mods to really spice up your adventure through Faerûn.

Elven Weaponry - Longbows and Quivers

Elven Weaponry - Longbows and Quivers is the first in a long line of mods on this list by creator kharneth, and there's a reason for that. This mod takes the base game's lackluster longbows and transforms them, adding new ones with edited and custom models of their own. According to kharneth, the objective of this mod is to put longbows on par with crossbows in Baldur's Gate 3, and it certainly achieves that.

Drow Weaponry - Rapiers

With Drow Weapon - Rapiers, kharneth has added a ton of new rapiers into Baldur's Gate 3. They've tried to make it as lore-friendly as possible, placing them only in areas where Drows are located. All these weapons take an offense-first approach, meaning you'll often sacrifice safety for damage. However, the rapiers found in this mod are caster-friendly, which, according to kharneth, "makes them good weapons for mixed martial-caster classes."

Half-Orc Weaponry - Clan Weapons

Half-Orc Weaponry - Clan Weapons is another kharneth banger. This mod is all about adding custom new Half-Orc weapons to the game, from Uncommon rarity all the way to Legendary. Much like the rest of kharneth's mods, these have been carefully placed throughout the game, to make them feel like they're a part of the vanilla Baldur's Gate 3 experience.

Dwarven Weaponry - Hammers

Dwarven Weaponry - Hammers. Everything you need to know is in the name, really. A bunch of new warhammers and handhammers are included in this mod, with options for all rarities. Like all kharneth mods, you'll only find these new hammers in immersive locations, so they're not just carelessly placed around the world.

Dwarven Weaponry - Drakefire Flintlock

Over the next few years, I've no doubt that several games will be marketed as "Baldur's Gate 3 with guns" to win fans over. But what if Baldur's Gate 3 did have guns? Dwarven Weaponry - Drakefire Flintlock answers that question by adding a pint-sized flintlock pistol to the game, complete with a custom model and textures. You can dual-wield them, too, allowing you to go full Lara Croft-akimbo mode across Faerûn. It's the kind of thing that makes you fall in love with modding again.

Underwood's Weapon Pack

Compared to what we've seen so far, Underwood's Weapon Pack is a little more low-key. It adds 24 new weapons and a shield around the world, and it even lets you dual-wield axes and hammers. The weapons themselves fit in perfectly with Baldur's Gate 3's aesthetic, and you may find yourself using items from Underwood's Weapon Pack without even realizing it.

UnholyBerserk

This one's for the BG3 Berserkers out there. UnholyBerserk adds a new greataxe titled Nor to the game, which is made to complement a Berserker playthrough. Found in Act One's Blighted Village, Nor can be upgraded by players using Soul Coins and Memory Shards, dealing big AOE damage to everyone (yes, even your companions). It's a little overpowered, but it features one of the most awesome custom models I've ever seen, and it couldn't miss out on this list.

Dark Urge Demonic Blood Swords

When a mod is called Dark Urge Demonic Blood Swords, you already know you're in for one of the coolest things you've ever seen. And that it is. This mod doesn't overcomplicate things, adding an awesome set of dual-wieldable swords and a demonic shield to the game. The visuals alone make this one of the best Baldur's Gate 3 mods and worth a spot in your load order.

Elven Weaponry - Blades

Elven Weaponry - Blades is the last kharneth mod on this list, I promise. They're just too good at what they do. The creator claims it was born from scimitars feeling "lackluster as main weapon for combat characters," adding a few new custom models and modifying the game's existing scimitars to make them more viable for a complete playthrough. Here, kharneth has done a great job creating unique-looking weapons that won't feel overpowered as you hack and slash your way through Baldur's Gate 3's story.

Lightsabers - Star Wars Mod

Did you really think I would make a list of the best Baldur's Gate 3 weapon mods and not include Lightsabers - Star Wars Mod? There's no way. In any game that extensively features melee combat, a lightsaber mod usually follows, and Baldur's Gate 3 is no exception. Choose your lightsaber color, and give the world of Faerûn a taste of a galaxy far, far away.

The post 10 best Baldur’s Gate 3 weapon mods appeared first on Destructoid.

When a creative's imagination is the limit, there's no shortage of attractive characters in gaming. And when you spend hours, sometimes even dozens or hundreds of them, staring at a protagonist, villain, or trusted companion, it never hurts for them to be easy on the eyes.

Sometimes, I find myself a bit head-over-heels for a few of them, reminiscing about the handsome men I've met on a few of my journeys. While I'm not sure I could fully commit to a relationship with a troubling few of these guys—regrettably, I can't fix him—I’d definitely take them out for a nice dinner date. 

10 Video game guys I'd take to dinner, and (maybe) a movie

10. James Sunderland from Silent Hill 2

Whether it be just dinner or grabbing coffee, any kind of commitment to James is probably a bad idea, given his track record with Mary in Silent Hill 2. He may have seen it as a mercy killing, or purely out of selfishness to seek a life free from burden, but either way, it's not exactly something I'd be willing to look past.

It's just that I think James could really use the pick-me-up a nice dinner date would give him after the whole being stuck in a haunting mind hell ordeal, you know? Plus, he’s quite easy on the eyes, and dependable if I’m being attacked by the horrific creatures of the eerie town of Silent Hill. So, I’ll take him on a date, but just one.

9. Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII

Look at that flowing, gorgeous hair. The cool black jacket, the sword, the wings? Obviously, I would say yes to a date with Sephiroth if he asked me, just based on aura alone. You can’t ignore him.

However, this is the only character on this list I probably wouldn’t even enjoy the date with. He’s so consumed by his hatred that I don’t think he could put it aside for even one meal at a cozy bistro in the city. But, seeing as he’s just so pretty, he had to be here.

8. Johnny Gat from Saint’s Row

Johnny Gat is a murderous gang banger to the extreme. But, he’s a handsome murderous gang banger. And he’s pretty fun to chill out with when he’s just hanging out at the crib with his fellow Saints. 

Sadly, Johnny also lost his girl Aisha to the Ronin in Saint’s Row 2, so I’m not so sure he could protect me from those same rival gangs. That’s why a relationship with him would never work out; it's just not practical. Surely, they won’t target me if we go on just one date, right?

7. Solid Snake from Metal Gear

We love a man who can get things done, and nobody does it as well as Snake. This is the man who makes the impossible, possible after all. Give Snake a mission, and you can bet it’ll be completed, whether it’s a highly classified operation or loading the dishwasher.

Unfortunately, the rapid aging business puts a huge damper on things. Does he still deserve love? Yes. Could I provide it, knowing his lifespan is dramatically shorter than mine thanks to all the espionage? Probably not. So a few nice dates we both enjoy, but move on from, will work.

6. Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2

You could just tell me I’m going on a date with a real cowboy, and I’d be there. But Arthur Morgan? He’s not only a cowboy but a true Wild West heartthrob. We could hunt for dinner ourselves, then enjoy it under the stars by a roaring campfire.

However, there’s one major issue with Arthur: spoiler alert, he’s dead. I'm not really looking to go back in time, either, especially a time so far back I'm lacking modern comforts. And seeing as how the game takes place in 1899, it's just a non-starter. Time may keep us apart, but I can dream about the lovely dinner I’d enjoy with this cowboy.

5. Master Chief from Halo

The suit stays on. I don’t need to know what he looks like underneath it. It doesn’t matter. This man almost single-handedly saved all of humanity from both The Covenant and The Flood—that alone would get me out the door and sat in an Olive Garden booth.

Master Chief also has one of the smoothest voices in the history of gaming, and you just know an intimate conversation with him would be music to the ears. I don’t think marrying him would be ideal, though, since if anyone’s committed to their job, it’s him. I’ll go on as many dates with him as I can before the UNSC calls him back yet again.

4. Wyll from Baldur’s Gate 3

I’m sick of everyone talking about Astarion and Gale all the time. Yes, they’re lovely, but you’re missing out on this hunk of a Warlock, Wyll. This folk hero is kind, brave, and will do anything to keep Baldur's Gate safe. Plus, he’s got the whole tortured, dark secret that haunts him every day going for him. All the makings of a great romantic interest.

Now, there is the whole Mizora soul-binding thing to contend with, and I understand how that will turn people away. However, I can look past it. Not forever, but at least for a few romantic steak dinners before we part ways.

3. Link from Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

He’s the Hero of Hyrule and nearly every gamer girl’s first crush, so, obviously, I would take Link out to dinner. Even better, he can just cook dinner for us since he’s got the skills to make things like meat pies in a single cooking pot. There’s a reason nearly everyone in Hyrule is thirsting over him during the Era of the Wild.

There is one issue with Link though, and it’s that he’s very committed to someone already. He is so committed to Princess Zelda that he will, and has, died for her. I’m not willing to get between their relationship, and I don’t think I could. But I’m sure Link can spare me a few dates just to make my thirteen-year-old self happy.

2. Waluigi from Super Mario Bros

I don’t need to explain this one. If you know, you know.

1. Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil

How could you look at this man and not want to take him on a date? He’s beautiful. He fights zombies. He’s got some of the most luscious hair in all of gaming. Of course, Leon Kennedy is number one on this list because he’s clearly the best option.

Much like Link, though, Leon seems to already be involved with Ada. Their relationship is far more complicated than Link and Zelda’s, but it’s pretty clear he’s not going to let her go. I hope they can both be happy together, but only after I get my dinner date with Leon first.

The post 10 Video game guys I’d take out to dinner (and maybe a movie) appeared first on Destructoid.

Baldur's Gate 3 has numerous companions you can recruit throughout your playthrough, from Origin characters available minutes after escaping the Nautiloid to those you meet during your travels. Alfira is a peculiar case, though, ever since Larian tweaked her interactions slightly during BG3's seventh patch.

Having Alfira join your party in Baldur's Gate 3

As of Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 7 update, you can recruit Alfira as a temporary companion. However, you must play as The Dark Urge to unlock her as a temporary party member. If you're playing any other Origin character or a created Tav, you won't have this scene at all, and Alfira will just go about her usual business.

This scene can fire at any point as the Dark Urge, but if you want to try and tee it up, you can complete her side quest in the Emerald Grove to speed things along.

Finding Alfira

You'll first encounter Alfira east of the Druid's Grove on a cliffside. Once you enter the Emerald Grove for the first time, head toward the Sacred with the Idol of Silvanus statue. Rather than heading toward any quest markers, go east up the ramp before turning south to find Alfira playing the lute in front of two squirrels.

Helping Alfira with her song

When you first speak to Alfira, she'll express discontent over the song she's writing. By offering to help, you're met with two options: help her come up with lyrics or take a lute and play the song. Both have their benefits and drawbacks.

Choosing to play the lute for her requires completing two Performance Checks. The first is a DC 15 Charisma check, followed by DC 10. If your character is a bard or has high Charisma, your odds of succeeding are pretty high. Your chances are even better if you use Shadowheart's guidance. Succeeding both will reward you with the lute, musical instrument proficiency, and inspiration if you have the Entertainer background.

Coming up with lyrics prevents you from these three benefits but requires no conversation checks. Overall, it's an easier and less risky option if you're fine with not becoming a musician. Regardless of your pick, she'll tell you some of her backstory regarding her late teacher, Lihala before moving on to finishing the song.

From here onward, there are some spoilers for The Dark Urge's plotline. If you want to avoid them and experience it for yourself, pause your reading here.

Recruiting Alfira

To see Alfira again, you'll need to progress further through Act One's story. You don't have to resolve everything here; I found Alfira after chatting with the three True Souls, and my editor ran into Alfira while searching for Withers in the tomb.

Needless to say, you won't want to raid the Emerald Grove with the goblins, or else Alfira will die during the battle, preventing you from recruiting her as a temporary companion.

Once you make your way through at least part of the Goblin Camp, head back to your camp. Before getting ready for a long rest, tell one of your party members to stay in camp so you free up a space in your team. After initiating a long rest, Alfira will appear and tell you she wants to fight by your side. Tell her she can join you to recruit her into your party until your next long rest.

With Patch 7, Alfira now joins your party in a more official capacity; you can level her up, equip her with armor and weapons, and generally treat her like one of the gang. Make the most of this brief interaction.

You might know where this leads if you're already familiar with The Dark Urge's interactions with Alfira. I won't spoil exactly what happens, but let's just say not all stories have a happy ending. At least you got to have her as a pseudo-companion for a bit.

The post Can you recruit Alfira as a companion in BG3? appeared first on Destructoid.

One of the best parts of Baldur's Gate 3's Patch 7 is the introduction of the official Mod Manager, which makes modding easier for everyone.

While modding was certainly possible prior to the latest patch, the new addition makes a big difference. Compared to the third-party options available on the market, it feels easier to install mods with the official tool. If you still haven't managed to install a mod using the official Mod Manager, let's take a look at how to enable them in the first place.

How to install mods using Baldur's Gate 3's official Mod Manager?

There are specific prerequisites before you can use the official Mod Manager to download and use mods.