Baldur’s Gate 3offers you a staggering amount of choice as it throws you headfirst into gathering your party and saving Faerûn. Everything from the allies you gather and the powers you gain to how you complete deeply personal side quests is up to you, and that includes your character’s morality. While playing as the hero is all well and good, there is something to be said for the strange freedom of a truly evil playthrough, which everyone should try at least once.
While a good evil playthrough can involve just making themost evil choices you can inBaldur’s Gate 3, it’s better to plan ahead a little for maximum twisted fun. With that in mind,there are some tips to keep in mind and choices to keep an eye out forto help you on your way to the dark side. From devious plotting to embracing the chaos, prepare for your next adventure with these helpful suggestions.
Being Evil Will Lose You Some Friends
One of the first things to think about when planning an evil playthrough is what companions you’ll want with you.Not everyone is going to stick aroundif you start going down a darker path, although there are plenty ofcompanions forBG3evil playthroughs. While some companions like Astarion and Lae’zel are fine with whatever you might choose, other party members like Gale or Shadowheart might need a little convincing to stay by your side.
Planning ahead for companions will alsohelp when choosing which class to play. While a perfectly balanced party isn’t strictly needed forBG3, if you know ahead of time that you’re going to be building a tanky character, there is less pressure to keep Karlach in the party. And if all else fails, you always have the option to speak to Withers about recruiting some hirelings.
9Recruit Minthara
Minthara Is A Must Have Evil Companion
Speaking of companions, if you’re planning to venture forth into Faerûn and do your worst, you’ll want to recruit Minthara. Minthara was originally envisioned to be the evil companion option and a counterpoint to Halsin, and I think she’s still best used in that capacity.You can recruit Minthara in one of two ways: either by raiding the Emerald Grove in Act 1 or knocking her out and rescuing her from Moonrise Towers in Act 2.
Minthara offers a unique point of view with her background as a drow woman factoring into how she views the world.Minthara approves of dialogues and choices that result in you gaining powerand respects a more blunt attitude when speaking with others. On top of that, she has some fantastic spells and abilities such asMisty Step,divine smite, andvow of enmity, which make her a formidable force in battle.
8Side With Auntie Ethel
Ethel Is A Powerful Friend To Have
Auntie Ethel is the seemingly harmless old woman who can first be encountered in the Emerald Grove selling her potions to the refugees. However, appearances can be deceiving, and should you take her invitation to visit her humble home, you’ll soon learn that this sweet little old lady is, in fact, a powerful hag. This, of course, opens up the opportunity to do some awful things, asEthel can be sided with at several points in the story.
There are three types of hags in the world of the Forgotten Realms: sea hags, night hags, and green hags. Judging by her use of disguises, it’s safe to assume Ethel is a green hag.
Even if things come to blows in Act 1 when trying to free Mayrina, Ethel may still try to strike a deal with the party. This is a great option as it grants you Auntie Ethel’s Hair,a powerful item that permanently increases a character’s ability score by onewhen used. Ethel can also be recruited as an ally in Act 3 by killing Lora, and she’ll be able to make five creatures invisible during the final battle.
7Become An Unholy Assassin
Side With Sarevok & The Murder Tribunal
At times, being evil is about sowing chaos, and sometimes you may do so for practical reasons. When tracking down Orin, you’ll come face to face with her grandfather and returningBaldur’s Gatecharacter Sarevok at the Murder Tribunal. He’ll ask if you want to become an Unholy Assassin for Bhaal, and if you want access to some fantastic gear,your answer should be yes.
To become an Unholy Assassin, you’ll first have to kill the annoying Investigator Valeria, who is chained down in a side room. You’ll thenhave to kill both Minsc and Jaheira, which will obviously cause other companions to disapprove. However, by becoming an Unholy Assassin, you’ll gain access to Echo of Abazigal, asecretBG3merchantwho sells some fantastic gear, such as the rare Bhaalist Armour and theDread Iron Dagger.
6Help Mizora Achieve Her Goals
Mizora Is Tons Of Fun During Evil Playthroughs
A big factor in anyBG3playthrough is gathering allies for the final fight, and there are some greatevil allies available for the final battle. One of these is Mizora, Wyll’s patron and potential lover for you, who has her own agenda as she seeks power to impress Zariel.Getting Mizora’s help is very simple, but it does require following her instructions and encouraging Wyll to do the same.
Firstly, you’ll need to help Wyll kill Karlach, which will rob you of a potential party member but will get Wyll theInfernal Robe. Mizora will need to be rescued from Moonrise Towers, making sure to bring Wyll along to get theInfernal Rapieras a reward. Finally,you should encourage Wyll to keep his pact with Mizorato get her personal help in the final battle as a bonus for being so cruel.
5Hand Aylin Over To Lorroakan
Free Her From One Prison Then Put Her In Another
While helping Mizora gains you an ally you might not otherwise have had, sometimes being evil can lose you support. However, in the case of Lorroakan and Aylin,doing the wrong thing is so unbelievably evil that it’s hard to ignore. After searching for the Nightsong throughout acts 1 and 2, you should ensure that Shadowheart doesn’t kill her, as this will ensure everyone at the Last Light Inn is safe and Aylin can be reunited with her love, Isobel.
However, once you’ve arrived in Baldur’s Gate, head over to Sorcerous Sundries and speak with Lorroakan, the wizard who has been sending adventuring parties out looking for the Nightsong. It is revealed that Lorroakan knew full well that the Nightsong was a person, and he intends to trap her in another soul cage to make himself immortal.There is no mechanical benefit to siding with Lorroakan, but the coldness of handing her over is a must for any evil character.
4Let A Redeemed Kagha Be Killed
Let Arabella’s Parents Do The Dirty Work
Being evil isn’t always about immediately killing all in your path, andhelping people in the short term can sometimes lead to a bigger fallout. One of the best examples of this takes place in Act 1, where the party will find a young tiefling girl being held by the druids for stealing their idol. To cause maximum damage, you should allow Kagha to kill Arabella before informing her heartbroken parents.
However,to really twist the knife, you should then help redeem Kaghaby completing the side quest“Investigate Kagha”and convincing her to side against the Shadow Druids. From there, rescue Halsin, and verify to save the grove from the goblins before getting ready for the party in camp with the tiefling refugees. At the party, Arabella’s grief-stricken parents will confront and poison an apologetic Kagha.
3Play As The Dark Urge
Explore Exclusive Options With This Origin
To really get the most out of an evil playthrough, you should try playing as the Dark Urge.I can’t recommend this Origin enough, as it ties into the main storyline to a much greater degree than the other Origins or Tav while still allowing you to imprint an original personality on the character. As one might expect from a character called the Dark Urge, when playing as them, you’ll have murderous urges throughout the game, which you can either resist or give in to.
On top of the next level of connection to the main plot, when playing as the Dark Urge,you’ll get access to dialogue options that are otherwise unavailable. There are also plenty of new cutscenes that are exclusive to the Dark Urge, as well as more opportunities for carnage. Finally, you’ll get great gear like the Deathstalker’s Mantle, which will turn you invisible for two turns after killing someone.
2Corrupt & Betray Companions
You Can Make Their Lives So Much Worse
No evil playthrough would be complete without a healthy dose of corruption and betrayal, and your beloved companions make the perfect targets.There are plenty of opportunities to really hurt those around you, from twisting them into the worst version of themselves to outright treachery. If you put your mind to it, there is a way to hurt almost every companion, ensuring they get the worst possible endings after the final battle.
A good example of this is helpingfree Shadowheart from Shar’s influence and to embrace Selune, only to then turn her over to Viconiain Act 3 to have her memories wiped. Another example is encouraging Astarion to complete Cazador’s ritual and become an Ascended Vampire to continue the cycle of abuse. For some extra evil bonus points, after completing the ritual, you could then help the Gur kill the newly Ascended Astarion.
1Don’t Do An Evil Playthrough First
Take The Time To Get To Know The Game
My final tip for anyone looking to do an evil playthrough is to not pick that path for the first time you play the game. Evil playthrough can be a lot of fun, butsometimes the best outcomes can come from meta-gaminga little and knowing how quests resolve in order to achieve the result you want. Violence isn’t always the best choice when looking to be evil in an RPG.
Evil playthroughs of any game, especiallyBaldur’s Gate 3, can sometimes result in you missing out on certain storylines or quests because of characters dying or becoming enemies with you. The story will also feel very different and at times play out in a noticeably different way from when you choose the heroic route. WhileI do recommend evil playthroughs to explore all the routesBG3has to offer, they’re best left until you’re more familiar with the storyline.
