Summary

  • D&D 5e is getting a 2024 update seemingly inspired by Baldur's Gate 3, and changes include bonus action potions and class modifications.
  • Baldur's Gate 3's success seems to have led WOTC to align D&D 2024 with the popular video game, impacting spells, class choices, and more.
  • Players who influenced both games may be the reason for the similarities between D&D 2024 and Baldur's Gate 3.

With just over a month left before D&D 5e gets its 2024 rules update in the form of the revised Player's Handbook, those versed in Baldur's Gate 3 may want to get ahead on what the book will entail — whether they're returning to the TTRPG or if the AAA blockbuster has gotten them enticed. However, those with early access to the new PHB have already imparted the fact that D&D 2024 is exceptionally close to Baldur's Gate 3.

The success of Baldur's Gate 3 was a bright spot for Wizards of the Coast amid a dismal 2023. The year kicked off with perhaps the biggest scandal in D&D history, other than perhaps the Satanic Panic itself, where WOTC tried to revoke its OGL and pull a fast one on third-party creators. A massive community outcry and an ensuing boycott forced the company to walk back its decisions, but it soon reignited widespread ire by calling the infamous Pinkerton agency on a Magic: The Gathering content creator and allowing AI art to slip into one of its D&D releases. However, 2024 seems to be turning things around for the company.

baldurs gate 3 most popular origin characters
Baldur's Gate 3 Reveals the Three Most Popular Origin Characters

Larian Studios reveals the three origin characters that Baldur's Gate 3 players choose to play as the most.

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D&D 2024 Is Taking Many Cues From Baldur's Gate 3

It's no surprise that WOTC wants to capitalize on the mass popularity of Baldur's Gate 3 by making its revision of D&D accommodating to gamers. Baldur's Gate 3 has often overtaken its TTRPG base in search numbers, and it's likely bringing in swathes of video game players into the hobby. Regardless of whether this correlation equates to causation, it's undeniable that D&D 2024 has many changes that put it in line with its video game counterpart.

Bonus Action Potions, Spell Changes, And Other Rule Tweaks

The most obvious Baldur's Gate 3 rule change that's come to D&D 2024 has been the change to potions. Potions in both games can be consumed as a bonus action, as opposed to them taking an action in the 2014 version of the core rules. This is the most notable core rule change, but it's not the only example — and it's definitely not the only change that impacts combat. Weapon Masteries, a new feature that gives martial characters an edge in D&D 2024, are not dissimilar to the unique actions that certain weapons can carry out in Baldur's Gate 3. The two systems are very different, but they both serve the same function of bettering martial strength.

Spells have also received changes in the vein of Baldur's Gate 3, such as the potent D&D spell Spirit Guardians. While this amounts to a simple clarification as to how creatures can be brought into its AoE, a more philosophy-minded approach can be found with changes to conjuration spells. Not only are more problematic conjuration spells, like Conjure Animals, entirely absent in Baldur's Gate 3, but spells like Conjure Minor Elementals have added stipulations to prevent a party-wide summoning spree. D&D 2024 enacts similar revisions, completely reworking summoning spells.

D&D 2024 Class Changes

Though Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't limit classes to only 4 subclass options, it does at least give each a minimum of 3 — granting more choice to classes like sorcerer and bard than the 2014 Player's Handbook. There are other noticeable similarities here between Larian's game and D&D 2024, such as the Totem barbarian now taking the Wildheart name.

This May All Not Be A Coincidence

What would become D&D 2024 was revealed only about a year ago, and the time since then has been filled with open playtests. Through 2022 and 2023, the community has been around to have a hand in D&D 2024's development, a time partly shared by Baldur's Gate 3's final release. It's possible that Baldur's Gate 3 impacted the design of D&D 2024, but it's even more likely that the players who influenced both games are the root cause of these similarities.

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Baldur's Gate 3 Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Baldur's Gate 3
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RPG
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Systems
PlayStation-1 Xbox-1 PC-1
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Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
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Released
August 3, 2023
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Larian Studios
Publisher(s)
Larian Studios
Engine
Divinity 4.0
Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
Full cross-platform play.
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Cross Save
Full cross-platform progression.
Div
Franchise
Baldur's Gate
Number of Players
1-4
Split Screen Orientation
Vertical Only
Steam Deck Compatibility
Verified
Genre(s)
RPG
How Long To Beat
100+ Hours
PS Plus Availability
N/A
Local Co-Op Support
1-2 Players