Do choices matter in Baldur's Gate 3?

We have played far too many games in recent years where player choices don’t matter much outside of the “good” and “bad” endings that you can get. A lot of players are wondering whether choices matter in Baldur’s Gate 3, so we'll look into it today. Your race, subclass, in-game actions, and conversations matter in the game, and they affect your experience.

It’s not just your story that gets affected by your choices: the entire political landscape of Faerun is changed by what you and your group of adventurers do. You are free to play however you want ,but you need to remember that your actions have consequences.

Before we dig deeper into how the choices you make affect your experience, check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 release time countdown to know exactly when you can start playing the released version of the game. We also have a character creation guide in case you want to understand the intricacies that each class offers, and a race tier list.

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How do choices matter in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Here are some of the different ways in which your choices can shape what happens in the Forgotten Realms. Do note that you have the ability to Quick Save and Quick Load your saved files in case you mess up and want to go back on your decision.

Larian states that “through your choices, and the roll of the dice... no matter who you play, or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story." Our experience with the game thus far made us feel exactly that. Right from your choices in the character creation menu to the decisions in the short prologue, everything has an impact. Being a certain class or race opens up opportunities.

Your choices in Baldur's Gate 3 can affect the story, relationships, and the political landscape. Without getting deep into spoiler territory, you will notice that you will have a chance to side with one of the two groups. You can choose to take a side or find a way to resolve the conflict peacefully. What you choose to do will affect the rest of the game and how your companions treat you.

• Read more: Can you be a vampire in Baldur's Gate 3?

Romance options are also affected by your choices, and you need to have an understanding of what expectations various companions have from you. But the most important choice you get in the game has to do with the Prologue.

During the opening cutscene, you will be infected by an Illithid tadpole parasite. Throughout your campaign, you can either let the parasite slowly take control and grant you powers, or you can try to look for a cure and ignore it. What you do affects your experience in the campaign greatly.

There is also an origin character known as The Dark Urge who you can play as and have a completely different campaign experience. Larian Studios has recommended choosing one of the other Origin characters instead for your first playthrough, but if you are looking to move to the dark side, no one’s going to stop you.

Hopefully, that answered if choices matter in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more content, check out our guide on how to edit the Hotbar for snappier gameplay. You should also check our class tier list to find out which class you should start off with.