The hype around Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) and its success is drawing players across the globe to the game. Many players are concerned if they will enjoy the game if they do not have any experience with Dungeons and Dragons or Baldur’s Gate games. But if you want to dive into the game with a little more context about what happened in the previous Baldur’s Gate games, we are here to help.
We have a short lore recap of previous Baldur’s Gate games that should help you understand the Forgotten Realms better. Do note that there will be minor spoilers below. We will talk about some of the characters you meet during your playthrough and we will also go over Faerun’s history and the political landscape of Baldur’s Gate.
Do You Need to Play Older Baldur’s Gate Games?
NO! Absolutely Not. Does having prior experience help in terms of enjoying the story? A little.
You might not have context about some of the creatures you come across, why certain factions behave a certain way, or why people were excited when Minsc and Boo were first revealed for BG3, but it really doesn’t matter. Larian Studios has done a great job of onboarding players to the franchise even if they do not have prior experience.
Setting the Stage for Faerun
Recurring Figures From Older Baldur’s Gate Games
Jaheira (Companion)
Jaheira is a potential Companion in Baldur’s Gate 3. Unlike the Origin characters, Jaheira cannot be a playable character from the start. She is a playable character who debuted in the original Baldur’s Gate. She was born in the Tethyr region (west Faerun)during the Tethyrian civil war. Her family was targeted by common folk, and she was only spared because a servant girl took her from their castle before it fell. She joins your party during the campaign and is a central figure in the series. This is why a lot of players are excited about her return to the series.
Minsc and Boo (Companions)
Minsc is a human ranger and a potential companion. Unlike Jaheira who is guaranteed to join your party, Minsc is not. When you first meet him in Baldur’s Gate 1 he reveals that he is a berserker warrior from the nation of Rasheman in the utter east.
Boo is a “Miniature Giant Space Hamster” according to Minsc but is most likely just a normal hamster. Minsc and Boo were voluntarily turned to stone in Baldur’s Gate with the idea that they would be awoken should the city need their aid. Minsc is known as the “Stone Lord” in Baldur’s Gate 3 until you discover his identity.
Bhaal and Saverok Anchev
These are two antagonists from previous Baldur’s Gate games. They are important figures in the lore and it’s best you meet them yourself in Baldur’s Gate 3 as we would need to go into spoiler-heavy territory to explain their roles.
The World of Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gate takes place in the Forgotten Realms, a world designed by Ed Greenwood. The rights to the world were originally designed for the Dragon magazine in 1979, before being sold to TSR Inc, which created Dungeons & Dragons. Wizards of the Coast succeeded TSR Inc and is the current owner of the IP. You do not need to know much about the Forgotten Realms before diving into Baldur’s Gate 3. The game does an excellent job of introducing you to the characters and various side quests and environmental storytelling will help you know more about the world.
The events of Baldur’s Gate were influenced by the Time of Troubles. The Gods of the Forgotten Realms were cast down from divinity and were forced to walk the world in mortal bodies. This was triggered by the machinations of Ao, an Overgod of the Forgotten Realms, who wanted to humble the gods.
The gods being present in the mortal world had an impact on the world and ultimately shaped the political landscape of the Forgotten Realms. Anyone who was favored by the gods was granted access to divine magic while others were left at the mercy of whimsical gods who did as they pleased. Many humans also achieved divinity and turned into deities.
So where do you fit in? In the original Baldur’s Gate, you are a Bhaalspawn, a child of Bhaal (god of murder). Your past is kept from you throughout your childhood and you go on a journey of self-discovery to find out more about the nature of divinity and the political turmoil in the Sword Coast.
The second game also explores topics like destiny and divinity and you try to understand the implications of your heritage as a Bhaalspawn. Even though Bhaal was slain, his influence continues to spread, and he has a presence in Baldur’s Gate 3 as well.
When it comes to the Illithid/Mind Flayers that you interact with in the early stages of Baldur’s Gate 3. The Illithid are a race of creatures with powerful psionic abilities. They play a major role in Baldur’s Gate 2 (Shadows of Amn). The Mind Flayers, led by an Elder Brain try to harness the power of the Bhaalspawn, and it is up to the protagonist to find a way to escape captivity.
During the opening scenes of Baldur’s Gate 3, we are captured by Mind Flayers who implant “tadpoles” into our heads that will eventually turn us into Mind Flayers. We have to find a way to get rid of the tadpoles and find out what the Illithid are up to.
How to Find Out More About The Forgotten Realms
There are books, comics, and countless games that are set in the world of the Forgotten Realms. You can pick your poison and find out more about the world at your leisure. The world is vast and it can be easy to find yourself lost in it. If you really want to dive into it, here’s a reading list from the Forgotten Realms subreddit.
We hope you enjoy Baldur’s Gate 3 just as much as we did and the game is honestly nowhere near as overwhelming as you might think. While the Forgotten Realms lore is gigantic, Larian Studios has created a “bite-sized” experience in the grand scheme of things that even newcomers can enjoy.
