Baldur's Gate 3 excels in many ways, but its characters are especially compelling. Based on Dungeons and Dragons 5e, the RPG manages to include most of the genre's most popular archetypes while still managing to make them feel unique. Almost every playable companion pushes back against the way their class is typically portrayed, whether they're a cleric who worships an evil deity or a wizard who could quite literally explode.
The way Baldur's Gate 3 portrays Wyll, a warlock, is especially interesting. He's surprisingly good-natured for a warlock, rejecting the class's reputation of attracting those desperate for power. Wyll is genuinely regretful about the sacrifices he made to gain his powers, which gives Larian Studios a lot of options for how his story might progress.
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Wyll's power comes from a deal he made with a devil — specifically, a cambion (half-devil) named Mizora. After Wyll's village was razed during his childhood, Mizora offered him power in exchange for his loyalty. Wyll took the deal, hoping to take revenge on the goblins responsible for the attack, but soon found that no amount of violence could give him the solace he was looking for. He now wants to break the deal, but needs to find Mizora in order to do it.
This predicament is similar to one that players encounter early in Baldur's Gate 3. A devil named Raphael offers to cure the party of the illithid tadpoles implanted in their brains, asking for their souls in return. Even if the player agrees to this deal, the early access version of the game doesn't include the consequences.
Players will get to visit Avernus, the first of the Nine Hells, at some point during Baldur's Gate 3. The Early Access version of the game ends with the party standing before a massive iron door wreathed in flames, which might mean it's the next place to explore. Once there, players are almost guaranteed to encounter Raphael again, and will likely learn more about Mizora.
According to the Monster Manual, cambions aspire to become greater devils. It's quite likely that Mizora will try to double-cross Wyll, using him to rescue her from her captors and then reneging on her agreement to free him. If this is the case, players will likely find evidence of her plan in Avernus.
If Wyll does get the opportunity to end his deal, that could mean the end of his powers. Mizora is the reason he's a warlock; without the deal in place, he's just an everyday mercenary.
Of course, BG3 probably won't make that decision easy. Though Mizora is described as a cambion, her art is quite similar to that of a succubus. Her seductive nature personifies Wyll's lust for power, and any encounter with her will likely be far less straightforward than picking an outcome that's obviously good or evil. It's quite likely that players will be tricked into keeping the deal intact, but it's also worth exploring what might happen if they don't.
If Wyll ends his deal with Mizora, he might get the opportunity to choose a different patron. He would be especially well-suited as a Hexblade warlock, but Larian has yet to confirm if the subclass will be coming to the game. Wyll might also need to pick a new class entirely. There are already quite a few dialogue options in Baldur's Gate 3 that can have a dramatic impact on characters, but taking away Wyll's warlock levels would be more extreme than anything seen so far. It would be a risky move, but could be incredibly memorably if done well.
Finally, Wyll could decide he's no longer fit for a life of adventure and leave the party. It's already possible to lose him as a party member in Chapter One, so this wouldn't be entirely out of left field. It would also force players to make a difficult decision: Allow Wyll to live out the rest of his days powerless but fulfilled, or force him to continue his life as a reluctant warlock. This is the kind of story beat that would really test players' investment in the inner lives of their companions, and would ultimately hinge on BG3's story. Based on the game so far, Larian Studios seems up to the task.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available in early access now for PC and Stadia.
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