Karlach's Appearance Would be a Spoiler
Every time a player boots up Baldur's Gate 3, they are greeted with artwork depicting several of the game's key companions. While this image features major party members who can be acquired early into Act 1, it also strangely leaves out one of the game's most important supporting cast members, Karlach. Meanwhile, a minor character like Mizora, whose story is interwoven with Karlach's, is fairly prominent, standing just behind the game's signature warlock, Wyll.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a largely narrative-driven game, and because of this, it can be preferable to go into the game blind on the first playthrough. This makes it possible that one reason for Karlach's absence is to avoid spoilers, as most fans will be introduced to the tiefling as an antagonist to Wyll, whom players are likely to meet first. If it was widely known that Karlach was a playable character, players may be more inclined to trust her at their first meeting.
Karlach's Role Changed During Development
Baldur's Gate 3 first became playable as an early-access title in October 2020. While this version greatly resembled the full version, which launched in August 2023, it had its differences, especially with its characters. Karlach's role in early access was much more trimmed down, with a story more comparable in scope to other minor Companions. This suggests that Karlach's importance was minimal at first but grew as development continued.
Between the two theories, it is much more likely that Karlach's absence from the game's signature artwork is not a design oversight but a result of changes during development. It is possible that she has also been removed to avoid spoilers, but this is challenged by Karlach's appearance on the physical copies of the game. The artwork is likely from an earlier version of Baldur's Gate 3, which would have been incredibly different without Karlach's presence.
The Biggest Problem With The Spoiler Theory
While this sounds plausible at first, it has a major issue that makes it unlikely. The biggest problem is that Karlach is front and center on the physical disc of the game, which was released in early 2024. The PS5 version shows her alone on the disc, and the Xbox Series X version shows her next to another missing origin character, the Dark Urge. It could be argued that the only spoiler to be gleaned from this is that Karlach is in the game, but that would still be more of a spoiler than leaving her off all the artwork.
It is clear that the developers of Baldur's Gate 3 had no issue with spoiling players that Karlach is in the game. The decision to leave her off the Key Artwork is most likely due to her role changing during development and growing in importance.
Karlach's Story Would be a Major Spoiler
Karlach is typically introduced just after meeting Wyll, but she remains relevant throughout the game. The fiery barbarian is often a source of humor but also has one of the most tragic stories in the game. Because of this, it is no wonder that her absence was noticed, with many wondering where the Companion is and why they aren't featured on the artwork for the game.
If players were to see Karlach prominently displayed in the artwork for Baldur's Gate 3, it would likely spoil a significant portion of her backstory and her place in the story. This would then potentially change the experience of meeting her for the first time.
The True Reason for Karlach's Absence
So, what is the true reason for Karlach's absence from the Key Art? While it could be a combination of factors, it's most likely due to the fact that her role was much smaller in Early access, and her inclusion in the key art would spoil her story and the antagonist dynamic she shares with Wyll. It's a reminder that a lot can change in the development of a game, and that even seemingly small details, like artwork, can reflect those changes.
Ultimately, the absence of Karlach from the artwork has only made her story more intriguing. But, it would be cool to see her in the artwork, right? Maybe it's time for a new artwork update!
