Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3is widely considered to be one of the most sophisticated role-playing experiences in recent memory, as Larian Studios even accounted for players turning their entire party into a band of Barbarians. Though each companion has a defaultclass inBaldur’s Gate 3, players are encouraged to re-specialize to suit their needs. While it may not necessarily make any sense for Gale to be a Fighter, the option is certainly there for players who want him on the frontline – after all, it’s their campaign.
True to their design philosophy sinceDivinity: Original Sin, the developers at Larian once again dared fans to break from the normal story path, and the unorthodox strategies that players attempted or the obscure permutations they unearthed have been nothing short of impressive. Contrary to what one may assume, it’s even possible torecruit Minthara through a creative loopholein a good-aligned playthrough ofBaldur’s Gate 3, and it involves polymorphing her into a sheep.
However, for roach spice, the goal was much simpler: checking to see if eachBaldur’s Gate 3companion had unique rage roars as Barbarians, and to their surprise, all of them did. While Shadowheart has a fierce and ferocious voice, the shout that comes out of the scholarly Gale is nothing short of humorous. Conversely, when changing Karlach from Barbarian to Wizard or any otherBaldur’s Gate 3class, players will find out that Larian had done more than just account for Barbarian rage roars: companions are seamlessly voiced for all classes.
It’s precisely this attention to detail that madeBaldur’s Gate 3soar in popularity, as the strong word-of-mouth has given the game strong financial legs even in the wake ofStarfield’s launch. While Larian has made no imminent plans for an expansion pack, sequel game, or DLC, fans are hoping that the developers have more in store for the Forgotten Realms setting in the near future. AnIcewind Dalespinoff toBaldur’s Gate 3may be a tall ask, but it wouldn’t be far-fetched to expect an expanded Act 3 to come out in 2024. After all, the twoOriginal Singames famously had Enhanced Editions.
Barbarians inBaldur’s Gate 3are extremely fun for beginners, and the flavor provided by the Wildheart subclass in particular is worth a playthrough. Thankfully, Larian is a very generous dungeon master when it comes to homebrew items, and players will be able to arm themselves with all sorts of legendary weapons over the course of the campaign. Whether by re-specializing their companions, or by making a Barbarian character, Karlach shouldn’t get to have all the fun.
Baldur’s Gate 3is available on PC and PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S version expected to launch in late 2023.
