Since its August launch, Baldur’s Gate 3 has been lauded as amongst 2023’s finest video games. It’s an enormous recreation with sufficient content material to final dozens of hours, and its role-playing selection makes it extremely replayable.

But, as soon as over 200 hours are logged in, a need for one thing extra comes. It’s a ravishing siren track I’ve fallen into and one I haven’t heard in years. Not since my days taking part in the PC variations of Fallout: New Vegas and Skyrim for days on finish.

I’m, after all, speaking about putting in mods. Mods are a beautiful factor that enhances titles like Deus Ex and makes Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines tolerable. They arrive in all styles and sizes, starting from bug fixes to DLC-sized content material additions that stretch what a mod will be.

Baldur’s Gate 3‘s reputation additionally makes it a preferred recreation to mod, and a few are already wonderful. I resisted putting in them for my first couple hundred hours of play as a result of I like the vanilla recreation and already crown it as one in every of my favorites. But I couldn’t grow to be an attractive magical gunslinger within the vanilla recreation, and mods have been right here to rectify that.

I put in the Artificer mod for Baldur’s Gate 3, and one thing awoke inside me. It was like I used to be 15 once more and spending extra time modding Skyrim than truly taking part in it.

I want MORE!

Since I discovered the best way to make mods work, I requested myself if I may set up a couple of. The reply was sure, so I went a little bit mad putting in varied mods that caught my eye. Most have been among the many hottest mods, together with Faces of Faerun and Tav’s Hair Salon. Baldur’s Gate 3‘s character creator is already stable, nevertheless it by no means damage to have extra choices.

It was round right here I remembered being a child modding Skyrim. A quest right here and a few new customization choices there, however nothing that fastened issues just like the janky fight. Issues acquired out of hand once I dipped into reshaders and animation alterations, and I’d spend lazy days trying to repair no matter broke.

It acquired to the purpose the place I modified a lot I took a step again and puzzled why I invested a lot time into this. It’s been years since I performed Skyrim as a result of I can’t stand the vanilla recreation. That is removed from the case for Baldur’s Gate 3 as a result of I like it, however I additionally anxious that happening this rabbit gap may bitter my general ideas.

These ideas dissipated once I remembered that Skyrim isn’t a title that aged effectively with me. In contrast to my youthful self, I confirmed some self-restraint with modding Baldur’s Gate 3 and stopped at round a dozen mods. I wasn’t fixing this recreation, simply including a few issues.

I created Ashe as soon as I used to be performed, a tiefling Artificer with a darkish urge to kill. She’s the kind of lady who’s as clever as she is quirky, and by quirky, I imply thirsty for blood. Along with her eldritch cannon at her facet and a gung-ho angle, she ventures into the world able to journey.

Going pew pew throughout the Sword Coast

My unique intent for modding Baldur’s Gate 3 was so as to add the Artificer mod in order that I may play as an Artillerist. Different Artificer subclasses have been cool, like Alchemist for potion brewing or Armorer to magically grow to be a tank.

But, for my part, all these pale to the Artillerist as a result of it’s the one choice that makes me a gunslinger. A part of the entire enchantment behind being an attractive gunslinger is definitely slinging a gun round.

Properly, it’s not a gun per se, however the tiny eldritch cannon is functionally a fantasy pistol. It acts and has the identical animations as a hand crossbow however is manner cooler as a result of it comes with some deeply overpowered abilities.

Part of me thought of putting in the mod that re-enables achievements in Baldur’s Gate 3, however a number of Artillerist abilities shatter the stability. My most used of those is Power Ballista, whose capabilities equally to Eldritch Blast and can be a bonus motion within the mod.

The mod authors meant to make modifications that stored the sport’s stability, and that shines by way of despite the fact that I can provide my whole celebration non permanent hit factors at nearly any time. I take pleasure in Baldur’s Gate 3‘s problem immensely, however I like tripping out on an influence fantasy extra. Fortunately, the sport’s issue is essentially intact even with these buffs.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is fantastic modded and vanilla

My largest takeaway from returning to modding is how a lot I simply take pleasure in Baldur’s Gate 3. Having extra spellcasting choices is nice, however I largely stick with what Larian Studios included. Extra face choices and hairstyles are implausible, however that doesn’t imply I received’t ever use the vanilla choices once more. The one factor I nonetheless don’t get is why Hexblade Warlock wasn’t included as a result of it rocks.

Periodically trying out new mods can be enjoyable in itself as a result of it demonstrates how passionate the neighborhood is. My favorites are most likely the mods implementing varied D&D 5e subclasses that didn’t make the vanilla recreation’s lower. Turning Astarion right into a Glamor Bard or Lae’zel into an Arcane Archer helps boost construct selection, particularly after a whole bunch of hours.

I nonetheless take pleasure in vanilla Baldur’s Gate 3 quite a bit. I’ve been leaping forwards and backwards between the PC and PS5 variations and have a blast both manner. I don’t significantly miss any of my put in mods when on console, and consider it as leaping right into a playthrough as one other construct.

I do know I’ll set up new mods every so often if one catches my eye, however the course of is totally different than earlier than. There isn’t a longer a necessity to repair each little a part of the sport I dislike or any moments the place I pull my hair out troubleshooting when a recreation crashes. I simply really feel wonderful including stuff to a recreation I like.

Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t an ideal recreation, and no mod or new official content material will change my thoughts. There’ll by no means be an ideal recreation, and that’s okay. If Baldur’s Gate 3 will be in comparison with a scrumptious sundae, the mods are the cherries on high.