Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3references severalgods from theDungeons & Dragonspantheon, many of which are incredibly powerful beings. Some of these gods appear directly in the game, like Shadowheart’s patron Lady Shar, or the main antagonists, the Dead Three gods. Others are mentioned in passing or in the game’s class options.
Whileplayers encounter quite a few powerful beings throughoutBaldur’s Gate 3, like the wannabe god Vlaakith or powerful mind flayers, these are far less powerful than true gods in the world ofDungeons & Dragons. It’s important to remember that the gods inBaldur’s Gate 3never actually intervene, acting only through vessels like Orin the Red or Ketheric Thorm. If any of these deities got involved personally, Tav and the gang would not stand a chance against them.
“An Iconic, Engaging Mess Of Brilliant Ideas”: Baldur’s Gate 3 Review
Baldur’s Gate 3 is imposing in stature and its best moments are truly memorable, but some early issues with scale suggest an uneven experience.
10Bhaal & His Followers Wreak Havoc On Baldur’s Gate
Bhaal Is The God Of Murder
Bhaal is one of the gods known as the Dead Three.These gods were at one point mortal men who confronted the God of Death, Jergal. Jergal allowed the three to divide his power among themselves, turning them all into gods, though less powerful ones than he had been. Bhaal chose to have power over murder and death, believing it would give him an edge over the other members of the Dead Three. His worshipers are known for performing ritualistic murders in his name.
InBaldur’s Gate 3, players face followers of the Dead Three. Orin the Red is Bhaal’s chosen representative and a prolific murderer who uses her shape-shifting abilities to get away with her crimes unnoticed. Orin and other characters like Sarevok are what are known as Bhaalspawn, meaning they contain a fraction of Bhaal’s divine power. Knowing that a powerful boss like Sarevok represents only a small portion of what Bhaal himself is capable of should give players a good indication of how powerful the god himself truly is.
The Dark Urge is also a Bhaalspawn, and their special connection to the story tends to make thisOrigin feel likeBG3’s intended main character.
9Bane Is A Powerful Manipulator
Bane Is The God Of Tyranny
Bane is another member of the Dead Three and was the first of them to choose what portion of Jergal’s power he would inherit. Bane chose to become the god of tyranny, terror, and hate,hoping that his newfound abilities would allow him to rule over all mortal beings. Bane rarely acts directly, instead choosing to work through those who worship him to spread his power and influence throughout the Forgotten Realms. Bane has a widespread influence, being favored by notable villains such as the Red Wizards of Thay, who appeared inDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
InBaldur’s Gate 3, Bane acts through Enver Gortash. Some of his power can be seen when he turns Gortash into an Avatar of Tyranny, which greatly increases Gortash’s strength and durability. Gortash is also a chilling look at what happens when someone disappoints Bane.If players kill Gortashand usespeak with deadon him, Bane will talk instead. He informs the player that Gortash’s soul has been taken and is being tortured for his failure. This makes it clear that Bane rules his followers with an iron fist, even in death.
8Myrkul Has Domain Over The Dead
Myrkul Is The God Of Death
Myrkul is the final member of the Dead Three. He was the second to choose what power he would gain from Jergal. After Bane chose tyranny, Myrkul decided he wanted to rule over the dead, as the ultimate fate of Bane’s followers would inevitably be death. Myrkul saw this as his way to get the upper hand in the deal. Though Myrkul’s title as God of the Dead has been usurped several times, by the time ofBaldur’s Gate 3it seems as thoughMyrkul has reclaimed at least some of his dominion over the realms of the dead.
Myrkul’s power doesn’t seem to be on as full of display as the other members of the Dead Three, mainly because thefight against his follower Ketheric Thormhappens earlier in the game than the other two. However, after defeating Thorm, Myrkul tells the player not to be too pleased with their victory. After all, Myrkul is the God of the Dead, and will eventually have power over any mortal being.
7Lolth Is A Cruel & Uncaring God
Lolth Is Worshipped By Many Drow Elves
It is important to remember that the Dead Three were each sharing the power of a single god. That means a true god, like Lolth, the Queen of Spiders, is more powerful than any of the three on an individual basis. Lolth is the most powerful god in the Dark Seldarine, the pantheon worshiped by some of the Drow. Lolth is an uncaring god who enjoys stoking conflict between her followers, believing it will whittle them down until only the strongest remain.Lolth feels no loyalty towards her followersand has no qualms about sacrificing them for her gain.
Lolth doesn’t appear directly inBaldur’s Gate 3, but her influence can still be felt in the game. Kar’niss, the lantern-carrying Drider, is a former Lolth worshiper. Drow are turned into Driders by Lolth as a punishment, showing the cruelty she casually exhibits to her followers. Lolth is also the deity to whom Minthara has sworn herPaladin Oathto and is the source of Minthara’s magical abilities.
6Tiamat Is The Queen Of Evil Dragons
Tiamat Is Worshipped By All Chromatic Dragons
Tiamat is an iconic deity inDungeons & Dragons. She is a five-headed dragon, each head a different color of chromatic dragon. Tiamat is the goddess of all evil dragons as well as greed. She is a massive beast whosefive heads work together flawlessly to make her an efficient killing machine. Though trapped in the Nine Hells, Tiamat is able to influence all chromatic dragons, acting through them and her Cult of the Dragon to make moves towards controlling the Forgotten Realms.
Tiamat can be chosen by players as their patron deity if they are playing a Trickery Domain cleric. Though this is only a minor appearance, and not much description of her is given, players who are already familiar with the Dragon Queen will likely perk up when they see her name among the list of possible options. Though Tiamat is skilled at trickery, her true power largely lies in her hordes of loyal dragon followers.
5Bahamut Gives Guidance To Adventurers
Bahamut Is The God Of Metallic Dragons
Bahamut is essentially the polar opposite of his sister Tiamat. Bahamut is the god of all good dragons. Instead of scheming,Bahamut is interested in using his authority to promote justice and mercy. Bahamut is said to be the only platinum dragon in existence, though he has also been known to take human form, a common behavior among metallic dragons. When in human form, Tiamat offers guidance and wisdom to those he meets, attempting to create a better world for the inhabitants of the Forgotten Realms.
Like Tiamat, Bahamut’s inclusion in the game is very limited. Bahamut is also a deity that players can choose as a cleric, so long as they are in the Life or War Domains. Though Bahamut is a god to dragons, in the grand scheme of things, he is considered a lesser god. This means that, while powerful, he does pale in comparison to some of the even greater deities referenced in the game.
4Shar Deceives & Tortures Even Her Followers
Shar Is The God Of Darkness
Shar is the goddess of both literal and figurative darkness. This means that she has domain over both the night and dark places as well as things likeillusions and tricks that obscure the truth.Shar also killed the original god of the Underdark, claiming the region for herself. Once, she even created a dark alternative to the Weave called the Shadow Weave, which she and her followers used to perform illusions, enchantments, and necromancy spells.
Aside from the Dead Three,Shar is the deity whose presence is most heavily felt throughoutBaldur’s Gate 3. Players will be forced to go through a gauntlet of her challenges to find the Nightsong, and if they follow Shadowheart’s side quests to their conclusion, they will confront an avatar of the goddess herself. Perhaps the greatest testament to Shar’s dangerous levels of power is the sway she holds over Shadowheart and her other followers. Shar intentionally manipulates their minds, wipes their memories, and hurts them whenever they go against her teachings, all the while promising them salvation.
3Mystra Allows For The Use Of Spells
Mystra Is The God Of Magic
Baldur’s Gate 3players will be familiar with the name Mystra, especially if they choose to talk to Gale or play as him.Mystra is the goddess with whom Gale previously had an affairand is the one who sends Elminster to the group at the end of the game’s first act. Players who advance Gale’s storyline far enough can even be granted an audience with the goddess herself in the third act. Though players will hear a lot about Mystra in the game, they may not realize just how powerful she truly is.
Mystra is considered a greater deity,one of the most powerful gods in all ofDungeons & Dragons. Mystra protects and controls the Weave, which is the source of raw magic from which all magic users pull their power. This means that Mystra has influence over all magic that is used on the Material Plane, and has even done things like limit the amount of magic an individual can use. Mystra’s ability to control the flow of magic from the Weave makes her one of the most powerful beings in the world ofBaldur’s Gate 3.
2Selûne Can Use Powerful Magic To Banish Evil
Selûne Is The Moon God
Despite what Shadowheart may try to tell the player in the early game,Selûne is a kind and generous goddess who has beenknown to protect travelers and those on quests. She is the goddess of the moon and has been considered a greater deity in someDungeons & Dragonseditions, depending on when they take place. Selûne could accomplish impressive magical feats, such as banishing any evil being back to its plane of origin with a single spell. Selune is allied with Mystra, who she has worked with to combat her evil sister Shar.
Early inBaldur’s Gate 3,Dungeons & Dragonsplayers will likely realize that Shadowheart is part of a dangerous group through her constant bad-mouthing of Selûne. This is a great way for the game to give some hints that Shadowheart will need to change if she wants to be a good-aligned character.Selûne’s presence is also felt in the game through her daughter Aylin, aka the Nightsong, and Isobel, who demonstrate the powers one can get from being a follower of Selûne.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Free Or Kill Nightsong (Shadowheart Arc)?
Players have a big decision to make upon encountering Nightsong in Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3. Here are the pros and cons of each choice.
1Silvanus' Magic Is Wild & Unpredictable
Silvanus Is The God Of Nature
Silvanus is an interesting deity as he doesn’t much care about the goings-on between other gods. Silvanus is the god of nature and ischiefly concerned with protecting the natural spacesof the world. The only time he really cares about what mortals are up to is if it threatens wild places, and he has a special dislike for those who destructively use fire. Like nature itself, Silvanus is said to be unpredictable and ever-changing. Silvanus is a greater deity and can use his powers to influence nature in a variety of ways, like growing plants or influencing the weather.
Silvanus is mentioned often by the druids in the Emerald Grove, and by Halsin. As druids draw their power from nature and are invested in protecting it, just like Silvanus, he is the god that they typically worship. Though the god himself doesn’t appear inBaldur’s Gate 3, he is technically around the player for much of the game, present in the natural parts of the world.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
