Baldur’s Gate 3 is a spectacular role-playing game with choices that change the outcomes of stories and quests, deep RPG and character-building options, and best-in-class lore and world-building. Larian Studios’ latest take on RPGs just might shape the genre for years to come.
And while most gamers are probably happy with the sheer amount of items and things to do in the product Larian shipped, many of us will always want a little more freedom and customization. That’s where mods come in. Whether it's quality-of-life improvements, graphical tweaks and upgrades, or new characters and sidequests, mods can not only breathe life into older games, but they can also improve the experience of your first playthrough.
Finding mods that actually work and won’t crush your PC can be challenging for newbies, so I’ve done some of the heavy work for you. Below are five mods you should consider installing to improve your experience in Faerûn.
If you’re completely new to modding, there are many sites you can peruse to find mods. I’ve been using Nexus Mods for years to great success and would recommend starting your journey there. There’s a short guide to downloading mods available, but there are also a lot of very thorough and easy-to-follow video guides on YouTube. Sometimes mods don’t play nicely together and will prevent your game from launching or even cause crashes. So, your first step should be to back up your game saves and data and read all the instructions before installing a mod. You may also want to do some organizing on your PC to make sure you know where you’ve saved all your files and mods, so if you need to make any adjustments, they’ll be easy to find.
This first mod is the most important, as the remaining mods in the list all suggest, and some even require, you use it to install and manage their mods. I’ve used it and can confirm it’s fairly straightforward and simple to install and use. This guide walks you through the process, but you’ll need to first download the mod here.
I’ve used this mod and can say there’s a bit of a learning curve, but nothing you won’t be able to figure out. You can view a short guide to using the mod here. Once you’ve installed it and played around with a few mods, you’ll have it down and will be modding like a pro.
Whether you’re just starting out or are deep in your adventure, the Basket Full of Equipment mod is a fun addition. The mod’s description says it adds “almost 700 pieces of new armor and equipment, mainly for humanlike races.” And don’t worry, they’re not overpowered items that could ruin your gameplay experience. Any class can wear the items at any level, and they scale to the player’s armor proficiency and level. Basically, this mod is designed to give you more freedom in your character’s appearance.
It should be noted that the mod does include a few things that you can unlock in the vanilla version of the game, depending on your character and the decisions you make. But from what I’ve seen, this mod isn’t doing anything game-breaking. You might enjoy being able to get the Speak with Animals spell even though it’s not something your class would typically have. There are also some combat spells that have been added, which the mod page indicates are “stronger than vanilla ones.” So my advice to you is to think about the long-term impact on your playthrough. If you want some unique looks, this is a great mod for you. If you want a traditional playthrough, you may need to pick and choose the items so you don’t accidentally give yourself an unearned advantage in combat.
This one is a little cheaty, but you know what? I don’t care. I’ve always hated carry restrictions in video games. Why is it ok for me to be walking around with 17 swords, 7 different outfit changes, 11 shields, 6 barrels, and a bunch of sticks and rocks I’ve picked up, but it’s not ok for me to carry over x amount of weight? It’s a video game, and these are arbitrary restrictions that I’m sure are in place for a good reason. But it’s a video game, and I want to video game my video game. Sure, you can send items to your camp from your inventory, so there is a way around carry restrictions, but it’s still another step you have to take in the middle of your adventure. Rant over.
Enter, Carry Weight Increased. This mod allows you to tweak the amount of weight you can carry up to 9000 times (!) more than the standard starting weight limit. There are also other options if you’re not crazy like me. You can multiply your carry weight by 2, 3, or 10, among others. With a mod like this, you’ll never have to think twice before looting anything. And for hoarders like me, that’s a dream come true.
Baldur’s Gate 3 launches with a plethora of spells and abilities, but considering the game is based in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, you might be expecting even more than what’s included. 5e Spells currently comes with dozens of spells broken up between levels 1 through 9, as well as 20 cantrips. The mod description says it includes, “some of the unfinished spells in the game's code while some do not appear in the files at all.” This mod can give you more variety in how you build and play your character and party.
One of my personal favorite spells from this mod is Lightning Lure. This spell creates a flash of lightning energy that strikes a creature of your choice. If that target fails on a Strength saving throw, it will be pulled towards you (up to 10 feet) and take 1d8 lightning damage if it is within 5 feet of you. Aside from being a super useful and powerful spell, it’s also a blast to use when playing with friends because you can help keep control of the battlefield.
Another recommendation from this mod is the Gift of Alacrity, which allows you to touch a willing creature and add 1d8 to initiative rolls. It’s a great way to buff your teammates during a particularly difficult battle.
If you’re a solo player and not worried about buffing your party, you might enjoy Earth Tremor. This spell causes the earth around you to shake, and any creature caught in that area will be forced to make a Dexterity saving throw. If the creature fails, they take bludgeoning damage and are knocked down. It’s a good way to get a bunch of enemies off your back who have closed in around you. A little room to breathe may be all you need to escape that sticky situation.
Next up is another mod to change your character’s appearance in the form of a hair salon. While the character creation screen provides plenty of options to make a truly unique character, Tav’s Hair Salon gives you even more control over your hair. Some styles may appear similar or even identical to some that come with the game, but if you look closely, there are differences (and many completely new styles) that should help players get just the right look.
I’d rather not admit how many times I’ve rerolled characters in RPGs simply because I didn’t like their hairstyle. With this mod, I can sort through countless hairstyles to ensure I find one just to my liking before beginning my adventure. You still won’t be able to adjust your appearance after you’ve started your game, but at least this mod starts you off more satisfied than with the vanilla version.
While these mods may not be for everyone, if you’re looking for a few mods that will improve the quality of life while you spend time existing in Baldur’s Gate 3, then you can’t go wrong with these. Let us know your thoughts on the best mods for Baldur’s Gate 3 in the comments below.
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Coordinating Multiplayer Baldur's Gate 3 Is Starting To Feel Like Real D&D
