Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Tav vs Durge vs Origin Character Playthroughs

I've never had Minthara in my party. Now that they've made it possible to recruit her without losing everyone else, I really want to check out her party banter and dialogue

Ooooo. This character made me grin. You can even pick their favorite food o:


I have not played any of the CRPGs you mentioned. I do have Dragon Age Inquisition though, and Divinity original Sin, Divinity Original Sin 2, and Pillars of Eternity. I'm thinking about getting Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous... But I was a bit apprehensive because it looked like a GIANT WALL OF TEXT without full voiceacting and I've heard people say the character creation pages are overwhelming the first time around xD

I can see how that'd be fun. I'd want to make a super-bubbly bard, who's completely useless. This would be her spirit animal:

Vomiting rainbows from the front and back ends. Her favorite foods would be rainbow sprinkles and tiny vegan chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs :3. Essentially I want her to be the mascot who sticks bandaids on lost limbs and sticks scratch-and-sniff stickers on your forehead for doing a good job. +10 Morale, -10 Intimidation. Probably be the perfect opportunity to do the jack-of-all-trades achievement and fill her with nothing but useless cantrips and vicious mockery 8'D Buuuuut. They just released honor mode, so this might go on the backburner for when I need a really chill playthrough.

I looked over Honor mode last night. When they say downed, like the second their HP reaches 0, you can't heal or resurrect them? Like Withers can't? I'm not sure how I'd feel about that. I don't mind not save scumming and just taking whatever the dice gives me, but if it's permadeath for main characters, I can't risk that. I feel like I'd end up using Hirelings just to keep everyone alive :x

Anska, I read your post, I just need a bit to write up a reply. Welcome to the forums, I'm quite new myself.

The gnome is a pen & paper character, you can basically decide everything (within reasonable limits though), so I thought, I'd give her some quirks. The DM, who plays the bartender of course, always gives my little gnome humansized mugs and let me roll constitution saves, if I let her try to finish them - with funny results some times.

I would actually advice you to try Dragon AGe Origins - it has similarities with BG3. BG 1&2 are great, but you have to read a lot there too. Pillars of Eternity, I did forget - played that too, and KIngdoms of Amalur (really nice game and looks pretty) and Morrowind. I probably did forget a lot more (I do play non crpgs too, mostly adventures, but I prefer crpgs).

I actually had the exact opposite experience. I've played Larian studio games before, so I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, and I went in BLIND. All I needed to know, was Cohhcarnage (streamer/youtuber) loved the game and recommended it. He plays games the way I normally do, which is hardest difficulty, looting everything, trying to do all the subquests and then remembering you have a main quest (hah). I liked Astarion's personality because he's so sassy, but I had no idea what his story end would be like. I normally play Rogues as well, just being stealthy. If he hadn't been a rogue, I would have chosen that. I also wanted to be a summoner (like Lohse in DOS2) or a necromancer, but they didn't have exactly what I wanted, so I ended up playing as a Druid and I absolutely loved it.

Yea, that really bothered me as well. He never talked about his scars with Shadorheart. If you romanced Karlach, as a Tiefling, she should be capable of reading Infernal (language on his back). I think to get the full nature of the document, he still had to rely on Raphael though, because his scars are only part of the contract and not the entire thing.

Gale made me grin a bunch of times because he's so wholesome and awkward. There was a part where he tells you Tara told him to make more human friends. And you joke that you're really a nymph-in-disguise, and he goes "Nymphs are sticklers for hygeine, and you my friend have not bathed in a tenday. Although I do rather like your musk." Like. Oh. My. God. Gale are you flirting? Is this you flirting? It was so *facepalm,* but at the same time, endearing and hilarious.

I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about, in the shadowlands. He says something like "I don't know if it's just being surrounded by darkness that makes you feel more alive, but I find you more desirable with your body glistening with sweat" or something like that. He feels like he's bumbling and has no idea how to express himself, other than to just go "HI. I LIKE YOU." He's a prime example of rolling a Nat 20 in Honesty and Sincerity, but such a sweet introvert rolling a Nat 1 in social etiquette.

Another scene I really liked with Gale, is when he dies and he gives you the instructions to resurrect him. It's SO FUNNY. I know the instructions were meant to be annoying, but I found it HILARIOUS because I'm actually paying attention. When he asks you to repeat everything back to him, and I actually do, I loved the "GALE APPROVES" at the top of my screen. It's like he expected people to skip over all his monologue. Even when he describes the fall of Karsus, and he asks if I want the short or long version, I always tell him the long version and it feels like he's telling me a bedtime story xD

I think the main reason I would want to do a Gale Origin playthrough, is because I want to see the ending with him and Mystra. I think the main reason I didn't want to romance him, was because I was like "OMG is he going to talk about his goddess ex-girlfriend the entire time?" xD After patch 5, at the 6-month reunion camp, I got to HUG GALE. OMG. He told me he gave the crown of Karsus back to Mystra, just like he told me he would *ONG. MY HEART. ALL THE FEELS.

I also like that he invites you to his tower and wants to make dinner for you. Honestly, if Astarion were not in this story, I would romance Gale <3

I've saved karlach in all my playthroughs, without romancing her. The key is Wyll.

I am having a heck of a time deciding between Custom and Durge for my first, and probably only, playthrough. I have played the other two games many times, so I understand how the Durge relates to them.

Which would you choose for your only playthrough and why?

If you play once, I would go for good, resistant Durge, that way, you will have the most content and as a fan of the old games, a bit of a treat.

Custom Tav and (good) Dark Urge.
I started origin playtroughs as well but hearing their voices less and having less interaction with them discouraged me to continue, the extra details you get to learn about them is nice tho.

I would still suggest playing as Tav before playing as Durge. Can you run before you can walk? You can try, but it'll probably be more enjoyable if you have a base understanding of the game. I actually loved my second playthrough as Durge more, because I knew what to do, and where to go.
Here is my reasoning:
1. You're unfamiliar with the map, don't know where to go, don't know where the battles are. This means there's a higher chance you'll land yourself in surprise ambush attacks/difficult battles you didn't have to fight.
2. You're learning the controls and the mechanics
3. You have to learn the classes and figure out how you want to spec the characters and their skills
4. You're learning the overarching storyline, and learning the other character's backstories.
5. If you're trying to trigger certain scenes, sometimes the Durge's story will take precedent over companion cutscenes.
I think if I had done Durge in my first playthrough, it would have felt a bit overwhelming. I would be annoyed that the cutscenes I wanted weren't appearing. I would also be frustrated that I'd have to kill characters I want to spare. If it's your first blind playthrough, there's no way you'd know how to save those characters unless you read a guide.
I appreciated the Durge so much more, because I had Tav as a comparison. With Tav, being a good character was a given. With Durge, I had to struggle to be good and I felt like I actually earned it.

I say, try Tav and if you love the game as Tav, you will love it EVEN MORE as Durge. Save Durge for your second playthrough, it's absolutely worth it. I swear the second time around there were still so many different things to be seen.

In BG3, as in BG1 and BG2, a lot of things can be done either for "good" reasons or for "evil" - whether good or evil depends on the alignment of your main character. This is especially true when it comes to the Throne of Bhaal (which completes the story line of BG1&2). Both "good" and "evil" parties must do the technically same battles/killings.

In BG3, almost all the "evil" deeds as outlined in the OP for an evil playthrough can be done by a "good" party (though admittedly there are a few limitations/exceptions). In many cases, players who swear to be "good" don't even have to figure out an excuse for doing unnecessary killings or slaughtering while pretending to stay on a "true" good path. The game will thoughtfully provides all kinds of excuses for a "good" party to be "evil" or for an "evil" party to be "good".

I like The Dark Urge, which essentially allows players to play the same character in BG3 as in BG2. There is no point in leaving it to a 2nd or later playthrough. I played The Dark Urge for my very first playthrough - however, even with 300+ hours, I'm still not near the end yet - I haven't got enough time to finish it. Playing Origin characters allows me to learn their backgrounds not fully revealed in a companionship. A tiny but perfect example for that is Gale's cat familiar.

I will never play Tav or use a hireling (perhaps except for completing an achievement later). Only Origin + The Dark Urge.

I actually feel like a good character has the potential to be the MOST evil. What I mean by this is, if you're evil outright, you cut off the opportunity to be even more evil later on. If you're good the entire playthrough and then make EXTREMELY evil decisions at critical moments, it adds betrayal to just plain evil. Take these for example:

I've played for almost 500 hours so far, but have never gotten into Act 2. I think I have a basic understanding of the game. Also I play with an AI mod, because I sure as heck don't want to control four characters in combat, only mine.

And usually I wait a few years before doing a second playthrough. The first is always canon for me, so I want it to be special.

I feel like you answered your own question. If you want this to be Canon and special, you should go with Durge. Expect a difficulty spike in Act 3. There's a LOT going on, many optional battles, and it was a bit confusing where to go first.