PSA: The Dark Urge Isn’t Recommended for First Time Baldur’s Gate 3 Players

Baldur’s Gate 3 has a unique feature called The Dark Urge that presents surprising scenarios and interactions that can test one’s ability to handle different situations. If you opt to play as the origin character with The Dark Urge, your character’s past is a mystery. However, you wake up tormented by disturbing thoughts that lead you to commit heinous deeds on your journey. It’s entirely your call — will you resist the mental strain and pursue noble deeds, or will you succumb to insanity and wreak havoc?

What is The Dark Urge in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Players can choose The Dark Urge as an additional playable origin character in the game’s Character Creation screen. Unlike other Origin Characters, The Dark Urge allows players to fully customize their avatar’s race, class, appearance, gender, and overall build while maintaining the origin story. In addition, The Dark Urge is not associated with any Companions in Baldur’s Gate 3.

After you are done creating your Dark Urge character, you will embark on your adventure, where you will encounter a menacing narrator who describes the various impulses that plague your character’s mind. Guiding during your moments of desperation is Sceleritas Fel, a devoted and despicable servant who is solely driven by the desire to see The Dark Urge return to their vicious and bloodthirsty ways. Fel constantly encourages The Dark Urge to commit heinous acts of violence.

Playing as The Dark Urge offers a variety of new interactions, cutscenes, and dialogues for players to choose from. There are also exclusive items and an origin story that unfolds. This may seem intriguing or exciting but know these will all severely impact your campaign compared to a traditional one. Your campaign will start bad, but it is the bad you can handle. After that, it will ask you to make several 18+ DC skill checks for things that will irrevocably change your campaign. For this reason, The Dark Urge Isn’t recommended for first time Baldur’s Gate 3 players.

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The Choices Are Yours and Yours Alone. Good Luck

In addition to the tough DC skill checks, you will be tasked with choosing actions leading to varying consequences. For example, when you first meet Gale and he extends his hand out of the portal and asks for your assistance, you will be given unique choices that only The Dark Urge will see. One such choice is fantasizing about cutting off his hand. Beware, though. Your fantasizing will lead you to actually cutting off his hand, which allows you to obtain Gale’s severed hand, unlocking new interactions and scenarios exclusive to the Dark Urge. By exploring its origins, you will discover the root of these twisted thoughts and experience the darker side of the game’s main storyline.

If you play as The Dark Urge, you will be compelled to explore wicked thoughts and evil actions that challenge your judgment or allow you to delve into your darkest desires. At the same time, some may find this unappealing because they prefer to embody their personality and beliefs through their character. However, if this doesn’t bother you, then playing as The Dark Urge can be advantageous if you know how to use these ominous actions to your benefit.

There are countless scenarios and interactions to experience in Baldur’s Gate 3, and The Dark Urge may come to your aid if you encounter a challenging situation, potentially turning the situation in your favor. Similarly, if you encounter a problematic NPC, you can respond negatively. If you are considering this option, it is essential to consider the potential consequences carefully.