Dark impulses in Baldur’s Gate 3 BG3 explained
The option known as Dark Impulse is one of the interesting character origins you can choose from when shaping your character in the game. By choosing this origin, your appearance is consistent with that of the dragonborn, but you retain the ability to customize your appearance and species to your liking. Remember, appearances can be deceiving because it’s intrinsic motivation that counts.
What is at the heart of the origins of dark impulses? The urge to cause harm and take life. Your protagonist struggles with amnesia, remains ignorant of the driving force behind their sinister desires, and often loses control. Initially, dark impulses subtly shape your dialogue choices. For example, meeting Astarion prompts your character to comment on his potential as a “pretty corpse.”
As you progress through the game, the dark impulses become stronger and stronger. In some cases, you may choose to unleash this malevolent force, and at other times, it will take control away from you.
A key moment occurs when you encounter squirrel wood. A typical player can make a Dexterity check to decide whether to kick it, which can be fatal. However, for a character marked by Dark Impulse, mere interaction will result in an automatic kick, requiring no further input from the player.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll mention one particularly compelling character whose dark impulses in life force you to end up in a slumber. While this origin brings potential power and character advantages, you have to weigh them against the cost of bloodshed and perhaps unsuspecting furry creatures.
In the early stages of my Dark Impulse character journey, mixing Garth Marenge’s The Laughing Brothers from Dark Places with Dean Lerner, I’m discovering the complexities of this choice. Those who have gone further along this path have shown that it is possible to finally escape the influence of dark impulses. However, is this really the charm?
So if you’re considering injecting a unique dark element into your Baldur’s Gate 3 experience, the mystery of Dark Impulse has been revealed. For more information on the game, read through our guides on party member specs and save error troubleshooting. If you’re new to the game, dive into Destructoid’s informative beginner’s guide to Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are the dark impulses in Baldur’s Gate 3?
In the realm of Baldur’s Gate 3, countless variables and permutations flourish, and the mystery of dark impulses unfolds along two important paths: surrender or resistance. Choosing the former requires embarking on a killing spree throughout the game, but resisting its temptation is equally compelling, as the lure of murder is intertwined with the thrill of resistance.
The game is filled with dark and impulsive choices, and players must fight against relentless temptation, a struggle that will not be easily quelled. No matter how staunchly one resists, this urge may eventually drive the most determined person to take his or her life. One key example involves the tiefling bard, who initially appeared as a potential party member, only to have his life prematurely ended by the player while in slumber. As players encounter the mysterious Scleritas Fel, more of the truth will be shrouded in secrets.
From the sclera, the truth emerges in fragments, illuminating the dark compulsion and ever-vigilant “father.” The player’s mission is another objective, and their choices determine how the story unfolds. In an effort to manipulate, scleritis may even force players to eliminate their loved ones.
This interaction becomes a pivotal point in the development of their relationship, and Carrah’s poignant romance provides a heartwarming twist. As the journey leads to Moonrise Tower, it becomes clear that the residents have past connections with the player character. Among them, the powerful Ketheric Thorm is an important opponent, who strangely reveled in the player’s amnesia. The fragments of truth found here are just a prelude to the answers that await in Baldur’s Gate.
Players gradually understand a crucial fact: they are descendants of Baal, the descendant of Baal, the Lord of Murder. While seemingly logical, the roles of the Death Trio in Baldur’s Gate 3 take a surprising turn, especially in the context of the illithid plot. In a twist of events, players discover that they are the sibling of the antagonist Orin the Red, the leader of the Barast cult prior to Orin’s murder attempt.
This unfortunate encounter results in the player losing their memory and subsequently being captured by the illithids. However, there are deeper layers to explore: it’s revealed that the entire plot was masterminded by “Dark Impulse” players. In Moonrise Tower, it is this player who crowns the Elder Brain, a harbinger of absolute control or destruction of the world.
With these revelations, players are faced with the choice of either thwarting Orin’s designs and reclaiming their character, or defeating Orin the Red to obtain her stone, thereby giving up her connection to her father.
However, in Baldur’s Gate 3, the wrath of the gods rarely brings auspicious results, and this time is no exception. Those who strive to resist the dark impulses and seek redemption face Baal’s wrath, causing them to die for their defiance. While it initially resembles a scene from Game Over, Withers steps in to add another layer of surprise.
Withers has a mysterious connection to the Death Trio and is revealed as the savior. He resurrects the players, revealing the truth that Baal simply destroyed their former selves, freeing them from the bonds of dark impulses. A rekindled presence, rejuvenated, beckons players to guide the way forward. The declaration that “the heart of the savior has triumphed over the heart of the murderer” is unexpectedly poignant.
As these intricate revelations and choices await, Baldur’s Gate 3’s captivating narrative of dark impulses appeals to those willing to embark on a journey where shades of gray define the nature of their existence.
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How does Dark Urge change Baldur’s Gate 3?
Contrary to my initial assumptions, Dark Impulse brings a huge twist to Baldur’s Gate 3’s main campaign. It encourages you to embark on a path where even the lives of your dearest companions are not sacrosanct, and its relentless demands call you to heed its bloodthirsty call. However, as is the hallmark of this sprawling RPG, the power of choice is always present. Give in to its sinister temptation, and you’re thrust into a realm that requires big decisions—with disastrous consequences if you acquiesce.
It’s worth noting that Dark Impulse doesn’t make you rigid when it comes to building your character. Choosing Dark Impulse will grant you the background of the Ghost, a figure whose malevolent visage is glimpsed in dreams.
Within these limits, however, you retain the autonomy to shape your appearance, choose your class, and define your race. As you make your way through the labyrinthine narrative, familiar companions from Baldur’s Gate 3’s realm will still be integrated into your journey, rendering disconnected misunderstandings ineffective.
Featuring additional voiceover narration, the voice of dark impulses resonates through dialogue choices. Conversations with NPCs or individual introspection can lead to violent choices. These different discursive paths offer a glimpse into a world where bloodlust and horrific perspectives stain the interactive canvas.
Whether you imagine Astarion’s death as a “perfectly beautiful corpse” or embrace the death of a tiefling child for morbid amusement, dark impulses will shape your view of reality. Whether you give in to its whispers or rise up against its evil pull is entirely up to you. The trajectory of the narrative depends on your response—a narrative that has yet to fully unfold.
Among the many unique gameplay moments, certain instances remain unique to those paying attention to dark impulses. An illustrative case is revealed when your character brutally ends the life of Alfira, a tiefling bard eager to join your ranks. In Baldur’s Gate 3, while resting in the realm of the Emerald Forest, your dark-impulsive character will wake up to the horrifying sight of Alfila lying lifeless in front of their bedroll, her hands wet. Full of blood.
At this juncture, you are faced with a choice: bury it discreetly, do nothing, or confess to your companions. This is just a glimpse into the many dark impulse-specific moments in Baldur’s Gate 3. Its mysterious charm promises a journey full of surprises, and even Sceleritus Fel will be attracted to it.
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