Summary
It’s no secret that many players tend to go for the good options and/or endings with role-playing games; there’s just something about doing the evil thing that just doesn’t mesh with a lot of players. That doesn’t mean there’s no temptation, though, as many a good Shepard inMass Effecthas punched a certain somebody. That temptation is part of the process, and indeed, the upcoming release ofBaldur’s Gate 3tempts players with power right from the onset. Not only do players have the option to side with the Absolute and embrace the Illithid Tadpole in their head, but character creation includesthe Dark Urge origin characterand temptation is built right into some of the classes.
One of those classes is the Paladin. These holier-than-thou soldiers of their God are often the bane of many-a-rogue in aDungeons and Dragonsparty, but they add a beautiful roleplaying element. A Paladin could be a good person just striving to do the right thing, sometimes relying too heavily on a lawful interpretation of that. But Paladins fall from grace too, with this built right into the mechanics ofDungeons and Dragons 5E, as well asBaldur’s Gate 3.
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Baldur’s Gate 3: Paladin Roleplaying is More Open-Ended Than You Think
Paladins are often misrepresented, though, as only being capable of overzealous worship, righteous indignation, and over-the-top devotion. While this is certainly viable inBaldur’s Gate 3, players can still represent someone who struggles with their Oath through their actions. Being tied to an Oath, but facing the moral consequences of it, is an intrinsic roleplaying element of this class not found elsewhere. Paladins have a lot of boons as a result of their Oath, but breaking it doesn’t mean they’ve failed, not necessarily. Players can pay penance and have Oaths restored or continue down their new path, seeing where the darkness takes them.
An Oath, or breaking said oath, adds a whole new roleplaying element to the Paladin, and this also coincides with race choice. Everything aboutBaldur’s Gate 3main character is factored into roleplay, so aDragonborn Paladinor a Human Paladin are going to have completely different options. If players wanted to toss The Dark Urge on top of that, then it’s even more temptation added to the Paladin class. Indeed, one could even argue that temptation for evil or power is more influential when playing as a Paladin, given the consequences of becoming an Oathbreaker.
On top of that,Baldur’s Gate 3’s companionsrepresent a wide swathe of do-gooders and ne’er-do-wells, so how one’s relationships form with these characters is yet another dimension to this character. Trying to get someone on the right path is easier said than done, and not to mention, companions are often good enough reasons to go down the wrong one.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Paladin’s Gameplay Abilities and Subclasses Can Do It All
Oaths aren’t just roleplaying elements, but add certaingameplay options as a subclass to any Paladin inBaldur’s Gate 3.
*Largely based onDungeons and Dragons5E as this subclass was not available inBaldur’s Gate 3’s Early Access
In this way, how players choose to represent or engage with their Oath translates to gameplay inBaldur’s Gate 3. This is a big deal and represents a symbiotic relationship between one’s abilities and one’s actions. In contrast, a rogue could have a heart of gold or be mustache-curling evil, yet they can still be distinct in roleplay and similar in gameplay. Really, however, this is just one layer ofthe Paladin class inBaldur’s Gate 3. This affects players' abilities, but their starting features (which remain consistent) are powerful and all-encompassing. They have a high hit-die for health, represent melee power, can generally heal and use combat magic, and wield a shield and wear heavy armor.
Paladin Class Features
With so many options, players can lean into one or the other for their preferred playstyles, while making sure they have a lot of combat options on the backburner. At the same time, they must balance their roleplaying options carefully (or not so carefully) based on how they want their story to evolve. Therefore, players who want to resist temptation at every turn (or embrace it), while ensuring they have a little something for most scenarios can’t go wrong with aPaladin, Oathbreaker or otherwise.
Baldur’s Gate 3releases on August 3 for PC and on September 6 for PS5.
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