Baldur’s Gate 3 is still in early access with no firm date set for a full release, leaving many to speculate how it could connect to the original Baldur’s Gate games. Developers Larian Studios have said that the events of the original games led to the events players will see in Baldur’s Gate 3. As they are set in the same world and roughly the same area of Faerûn, there will be many similarities between the games that connect them, but there will also be differences.
Changes have been made from the original games and Baldur’s Gate 3, and one of the most noticeable is which edition of Dungeons & Dragons rules the games use. Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2 used second edition rules, but now Baldur’s Gate 3 is using the fifth edition. Another change is the use of turn-based combat, currently seen in Baldur’s Gate 3, and the removal of an alignment system.
The events don’t connect directly with a 100-year gap between Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate 2. However, many races in Faerûn have lifespans far exceeding that of Humans, so it is possible for some familiar characters to return. Larian has previously stated that Baldur’s Gate 3’s main story links back to the first two games so that the connection could be more than just recognizable faces.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Has Loose Connections To The Previous Two
The links in Baldur’s Gate 3 to the original games will most likely come from the canon protagonist and their canon ending for Baldur’s Gate 2. The canon hero is a Human male named Abdel Adrian who was faced with a choice at the end of Baldur’s Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal, the final game in the Bhaalspawn Saga, to either take Bhaal’s power and become a god or to turn it down. The canon ending has Adrian declining this power and remaining mortal.
10 years prior to the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, Abdel Adrian was murdered; however, given the many races living on Faerûn, it could be possible for players to meet characters who knew him. This connection could give new players information about the previous installments without needing to go back and play the much older games while also giving those familiar with the franchise a nod.
Possible Links To Baldur’s Gate 2 Found in Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2’s storyline covered what is known as the Bhaalspawn Saga, where the player is trying to prevent the Lord of Murder from being resurrected. However, players of Baldur’s Gate 3 will find that Bhaal is currently alive in the new game. As part of The Dead Three, Bhaal has been a central part of the Baldur’s Gate series to date, and perhaps when Baldur’s Gate 3 is fully released, players will find out how the evil god will feature in the story.
The most significant connection between the original games and Baldur’s Gate 3 can be found in Baldur’s Gate 2 when players venture into the Underdark. “Captured By Mind Flayers” is a side quest in Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn and Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition, which opens up a new area called the Mind Flayer Dungeon. Players must destroy the Master Brain to escape.
Mind flayers are an integral part of the main storyline of Baldur’s Gate 3, and 100 years after finding them in the Underdark, it seems they have enacted whatever they were planning. In Baldur’s Gate 2, whenever mind flayers are seen, they are never working for someone else or a part of someone else’s plan. They appear to be engaged with their own schemes, and it is safe to assume this is directly linked to the invasion players face in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Despite sharing the series name, Baldur’s Gate 3 is not a direct sequel to the original Baldur’s Gate games. It is, however, a direct sequel to the Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus D&D campaign book, with Larian giving the module a canonical ending. Even without direct connections to the original games, Baldur’s Gate 3’s storyline will provide hours of entertainment and lore to keep players invested.
