Dungeons and Dragons has always been a popular TTRPG, but Baldur's Gate 3 resulted in a surge of interest as many players completely new to it began to take notice. Baldur's Gate 3's freedom, spells, classes, characters, and setting piqued the curiosity of many players, and to get more of the world and its stories, some began to turn to Dungeons and Dragons to chase the same highs they may have felt when playing Baldur's Gate 3.
Baldur's Gate is an iconic name within both TTRPG and CRPG communities, but a relatively small percentage of media that takes place in the setting actually occurs in the city. A module based on Baldur's Gate, and that actually focuses on the city and its surroundings, would go a long way in deepening Baldur's Gate's lore and could possibly encourage the creation of more stories.
Baldur's Gate is the Ideal Dungeons and Dragons Setting
A DnD module set in Baldur's Gate is not anything new, but an exclusive focus on Baldur's Gate as a city and its immediate surrounds would be. The DnD campaign Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus is a prequel to Baldur's Gate 3, and tells the story of Elturel's plunge into the Hells. However, much like the Baldur's Gate games, Descent Into Avernus doesn't actually take place in Baldur's Gate. Another drawback to Descent Into Avernus is that it doesn't include any of the main characters from Baldur's Gate 3.
Descent Into Avernus notably contains an appendix that spans almost 50 pages, which expands on Baldur's Gate as a city. An entire module based purely on Baldur's Gate, rather than venturing beyond it, could go a lot further and cement Baldur's Gate as one of the great cities in RPGs.
Wizards of the Coast could also facilitate new DnD players with a Baldur's Gate 3 module thanks to its setting.
Dungeons and Dragons Could Expand On Baldur's Gate Like Never Before
Baldur's Gate is a Canvas for Rich Storytelling
Aside from giving players the opportunity to return to Baldur's Gate, an official module could go a long way in expanding lore, characters, factions, and different social dynamics. Baldur's Gate is known for having many different factions, such as the Flaming Fists, cults dedicated to the Dead Three and Shar, ambitious wizard factions, and the Thieves Guild. This would go a long way in a dedicated Baldur's Gate module, and could even include new factions for players to explore. A Baldur's Gate DnD module could also expand on cut content from Baldur's Gate 3.
An official Baldur's Gate 3 module could go a long way in expanding lore, characters, factions, and different social dynamics.
New subclasses based specifically on Baldur's Gate's culture and surroundings could be introduced. Any new subclasses could be drawn from Baldur's Gate's factions or how those factions are represented in Baldur's Gate 3. For example, a bard subclass could be tied to Baldur's Gate 3's Circus of the Last Days, or any similar traveling circus that uses Baldur's Gate as a regular stop. A cleric subclass could be linked to Stormshore Tabernacle, which encompasses the worship of the "good" gods of Faerun.
Baldur's Gate Needs a Campaign that Focuses on the City
A module centered on Baldur's Gate would go even further to attract Baldur's Gate 3 fans than Descent Into Avernus. Familiarity with the setting thanks to Baldur's Gate 3 could go a long way for players to adapt to Dungeons and Dragons' learning curve, which can feel overwhelming at times. This can be done by including a campaign with the module, which could go a long way in introducing new players to DnD's mechanics, while also giving them and DMs more Baldur's Gate to discover.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- 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
WHERE TO PLAY
Abducted, infected, lost. You are turning into a monster, but as the corruption inside you grows, so does your power. Forge a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Caught in a conflict between devils, deities, and sinister otherworldly forces, you and your party will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
THE ULTIMATE D&D EXPERIENCE
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle, and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone or as a party of up to four in multiplayer – and select your companions carefully.
A CINEMATIC STORYTELLING EPIC
Forged with the new Divinity 4.0 engine, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you unprecedented freedom to explore, experiment, and interact with a world that reacts to your choices. A grand, cinematic narrative brings you closer to your characters than ever before, as you venture through our biggest world yet. Romance, deceive, aid, obstruct, and grow alongside your friends thanks to Larian's next-generation RPG engine.
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Genre(s)
- RPG
