Baldur's Gate 3

A game I have spent nearly two thousand hours in (and still climbing) but refuse to say it is my favorite game. That’s a secret I’ll share on a later date but today I am going to gush and cry over this game that has taken up too much of my life. I’ve had all the achievements for this game since late 2024, and I still regularly play it, without mods even. I have seen and done nearly all the game has to offer yet I still find myself going back to it every month. My current playthrough is my first origin character playthrough, other than the dark urge, and I have chosen to be the lovely Shadowheart. Cleric is my favorite D&D class, and they are even stronger in Baldur’s Gate so it’s been a nice depart from whatever headcanon custom character I’m normally playing as. This is where my ramblings start to get into spoiler territory so take this as your official warning, and bow out now if you don’t want to hear them. I’m already in the second half of Act III, which I consider to be once the party has reached the max level of 12, there is still a lot to do but I’ve once again made Saravok my bitch if you want specifics. 

To keep things spicy or feel some level of challenge I can only play on tactician mode these days, and when I play with a friend who’s playing on normal it feels like I’m on the playground again. No matter what the character I’m playing, the rule I follow is to always do every encounter, and explore every map. My typical playthrough starts with rounding up the followers I want then completing the druid’s grove and jumping off the ledge to Karlach. I take the paladins down, and then the gnolls continue on to Wakeen’s Rest. Take care of the Zhentarim then head into the Underdark. I’ll switch it up here and there to spice things up but overall this is the start of a good playthrough. Going this way gets you access to magical items early as well as a great merchant in the myconoid colony. Every morning has a routine, the characters wake up, the designated longstrider caster puts that on the party. Then the cleric casts aid, and the adventuring day is set to begin. Clerics are always a staple in my party, aid is just too good, but you can have a good time with druids, bards, and wizards too. 

In my humble opinion the best class is druid because of the number of summons you get in the game, and access to longstrider. If you chose to be a spore druid by the end of the game you can have several undead following you, a nature spirit (and her fallen lover), a minor elemental, and a regular elemental. Once you get access to your 6th level spell slot at level 11 you can cast feast (not the actual spell name) which raises the entire party's max hit points and gives them advantage on all wisdom saving throws. If you invest in the correct mindflayer powers you get a free cast each day that is perfect for this purpose. Depending on your choices through the game you usually get access to at least one druid companion so don’t sleep on them. Cleric is the only class that is able to cast aid without a scroll which is 2nd level spell that boosts the teams max hitpoints by 5, increasing by 5 for each level it is casted above it. This is very much worth the investment as the game is won through hitpoints, and if you’re not wanting to “waste” the spell slot. Ormellum the mind flayer in the underdark you access after telling the hobgoblin your tale has an amulet that lets you restore up to a 3rd level slot, he sells it after you complete his sidequest. Once that loses its luster killing, or pickpocketing, the warden of the moonrise prison gets you an amulet that lets you restore up to a 6th level slot once per long rest. 

These tricks helped me easily beat the game on honor mode as well as tactician mode, a feat I think anyone is capable of. Needless to say I have spent too much time in this game, I have romanced Shadowheart more times than I am proud to admit. Cucked Gale so many times that he blew himself up, and cut off Karlach’s head enough that it feels weird having her as a follower. I believe in the insane notion that each playthrough of a game is its own universe, one where my actions stand forever. I’ve sacked the grove, become the murder lord, sacrificed Jaheira and Minsc to Saravok but also saved Baldur’s Gate countless times. I’m no hero, simply a maniac doing whatever fancies me at a given time, I certainly wouldn’t want to come across me in the wild. Yes they’ve slept with the emperor more times than just getting the achievement, please send help. What I’m trying to say is each playthrough of this game has taken something from me, and given me things at the same time. My reality is one far outside the forgotten realms yet parts of my spirit will remain there for all time. I’m excited to see each of the origin characters playthroughs and plan to be an evil Wyll next because I’m tired of him betraying me everytime I choose to raze the grove. Even after I have done all of that I’ll still find some reason to play this game, and I think that is excellent. It’s still not my favorite game though.

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