If D&D Wants To Attract Baldur's Gate 3 Players, I Know How They Can Do It

Since the release of Baldur’s Gate 3, Wizards of the Coast seems determined to use its popularity to attract players to the wider world of D&D. Not only have popular Baldur’s Gate 3 companions started to become mascots for the TTRPG, some have even been referenced in recent D&D sourcebooks. Given the popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s understandable that Wizards would want to capture some of that momentum and use it to get players who may just be into video games to give Dungeons & Dragons a try.

Between Astarion’s cameo in the new D&D Player's Handbook and the upcoming Icons of the Realms miniatures featuring the game’s party members, it seems clear that elements of Baldur’s Gate 3 will be making their way into the TTRPG. If Wizards really wants to attract Baldur’s Gate 3 players to D&D, I think they should take things a step further. Some Easter eggs here and there might be fun for players who are already fans of both, but if Wizards really wants new players to try D&D, they need to do more to onboard Baldur’s Gate players.

D&D Should Make A BG3 Starter Set

Starter Sets Are Good For Teaching New Players D&D

Adventurers confront a green dragon from DnD

Introductory adventure modules are one of the best ways to onboard new players to Dungeons & Dragons. The quests are shorter and easier for new DMs to prepare because they include maps and story hooks. Intro adventures also come with pre-generated characters that new players can use to help learn the game without having to know all the aspects of character creation. My first time playing D&D, me and my playgroup used the Lost Mines of Phandelver starter set, and it was perfect for teaching us the game without overwhelming us with information.

Creating one of these modules based on Baldur’s Gate 3 could be a great way to get fans who have only played the video game into D&D. Players coming from Baldur’s Gate will already have a bit more knowledge than a total beginner would, so the module could even be slightly more advanced to help attract existing D&D players to try it out as well. On top of that, Baldur’s Gate 3’s cast of characters is perfectly suited for building an introductory quest around.

BG3's Cast Is Perfect For Premade Characters

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Cast Includes A Good Mixture Of Classes

Baldur’s Gate 3’s companions cover a good base of D&D classes, so they would make a good choice for a new party. There’s a good split with Karlach (Barbarian), Lae’zel (Fighter), and Astarion (Rogue) being martial classes and Shadowheart (Cleric), Wyll (Warlock), and Gale (Wizard) being magic users. Although not a starting party member, throwing Halsin into the mix could also let the party use a Druid, which can be a helpful class for new parties thanks to their resilience.

Although this doesn’t cover every class in the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons, it would still allow for a good variety. Anyone familiar with Baldur’s Gate 3 would also have a pretty good idea of how to create a good team composition. For instance, I usually play as a Rogue Tav, so I would know to pick Astarion, and I would know which party members usually help make up for my shortcomings and synergize well with my strengths (typically Karlach, Gale, and Shadowheart). Seven is also about the most players you’d want in a D&D party.

Role-Playing As Characters You Know Well Is More Comfortable

Role-Playing As A Baldur’s Gate Character Could Be Less Intimidating

A smirking Astarion with two swords attached to his back

Aside from being a good mix of classes and making party composition easier, playing as Baldur’s Gate 3 characters could help new players get into role-playing. Some of them may have already chosen that character as their origin character in the game, meaning they are used to making decisions from their perspective. Even if players didn’t run with a given Baldur’s Gate 3 character, they all have such distinct personalities that it would be easier to adopt that persona while getting used to playing D&D.

I know when I started playing D&D, it helped a lot to base my character’s personality on a fictional character that I liked, at least to start. I’m not trained at acting or improv, so it was useful to play a character that I already felt I knew intimately and try to translate that to D&D, like my early archeologist character, Waterdeep Jones. By allowing new players to step into their role as a familiar face from Baldur’s Gate 3, a D&D intro adventure would give new players an even easier version of this trick.

Role-playing can be one of the biggest barriers to entry for D&D, but it is also essential for keeping a game alive. Sure, D&D combat provides plenty of ways to have creative fun, but it doesn’t feel as exciting if you lose interest in the story or the character you’re playing. I’ve had times when I struggled to find the motivation to attend my weekly D&D games because my enthusiasm for the character I was playing was gone or because the overall group had stopped engaging in roleplay as much.

Since the game isn’t getting any DLC, a D&D module could be a fun way to add new content to the story.

Anyone who has finished Baldur’s Gate 3 has proven that they are willing to spend a lot of time with these characters, and they have likely gotten to know them well. Their enduring popularity among fans is probably a good sign that they would enjoy playing as them in a D&D adventure module. As someone who is currently wearing a replica of Gale’s earring as he writes this, I know I would be excited at a chance to play my favorite Wizard in a new adventure.

The Promise Of New BG3 Content Would Attract A Lot Of Players

A New Adventure Could Mean Adding To The BG3 Story

A collection of characters from Baldur's Gate 3 standing on the edge of a cliff.

While I think there would be a lot of enthusiasm for a Baldur’s Gate 3 adventure module, I don’t think Wizards should just convert the opening section of the game into an introductory D&D quest. That’s not just because I’ve played Baldur’s Gate’s opening too many times, but also because it would take away a lot of the tension that makes D&D fun. Not knowing what decision is the right one or wondering what’s around the next corner in a dungeon is a lot of fun, so any Baldur’s Gate module would need to be new content.

I also think that the promise of new content set within the world of Baldur’s Gate 3 would be hard to pass up for die-hard fans of the game. Since the game isn’t getting any DLC, a D&D module could be a fun way to add new content to the story. It may also help Baldur’s Gate 3 fans see that a lot of what they like about the game is also true of D&D, and who doesn’t like finding a new hobby?