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Baldur's Gate 3 presents a rich tapestry of endings, each mirror of the decisions players take over their epic trip. Emphasizing player agency, the game's vast story lets a lot of possibilities emerge, so determining the fate of the planet and the destinies of its people.
Baldur's Gate 3's main storyline revolves on the sneaky threat of the Absolute, a Mind Flayer Elder Brain driven by the desired Crown Of Karsus. Gamers set out to collect Netherstones, powerful relics able to regulate the Elder Brain. The ultimate battle and the outcome of the game depend much on decisions taken during the search, including forming alliances with Gortash or Orin.
Many decisions taken over the game, especially in the third act, affect the result. Among the most important decisions are those involving the Emperor, a Mind Flayer Guardian shielding the party from the Absolute's influence, and imprisoned Githyanki prince Orpheus. Choosing to free Orpheus, players cause the Emperor to turn to the Absolute's side. The ending is further shaped by the choice of who will become an enhanced mind flayer: the Emperor, the player character, Orpheus, or Karlach.
The game culminates when the players face the Elder Brain following the Netherstones' securing. The party withdraws to the Astral Prism after a sequence of checks meant to attempt dominance fails. During a turning point, the party selects one of its members to become an enhanced mind flayer—a being able to fight the Netherbrain.
Dominance or destruction: a vital choice
Following the last battle, the improved mind flayer will have to make a crucial choice: either destroy the Elder Brain and so terminate the Absolute's threat or dominate it and rule the planet. While choosing to destroy the Elder Brain results in a victory against the mind flayer threat, choosing to dominate the Elder Brain results in the player character becoming the new Absolute, thus affecting some companions as well.
Companion Endings: Different Fates
The path of companions depends much on the decisions taken during the game, especially in companion missions. Their fates differ greatly depending on the decisions made by the player and the bonds grown with them. Lae'zel's fate, for instance, depends on whether she accepts the cause against Vlaakith; Karlach's fate is linked to his infernal engine; and Gale's ending is shaped by his relationship with Mystra and his goals toward godhood.
Players who have decided to destroy the Elder Brain get an epilogue six months following the last battle after the original ending. This epilogue offers insights into the fates of the companions and reveals the results of players' actions, so closing the story arcs of the friends.
Epilogue Companions: Fates
The epilogue lets players engage with their friends and discover what they have been up to. Astarion's ending relies on how the player handled Cazador; Karlach's fate is shaped by her infernal engine; Shadowheart's road is set by her loyalty to Selûne or Shar. The epilogue lets players see the long-lasting effects of their decisions, so giving the game a fulfilling end.
Baldur's Gate 3 is evidence of how strongly player choice shapes role-playing games. The complex story of the game, entwined with significant decisions that mold the narrative and the paths of its characters, provides a really immersive and unforgettable experience.