Baldur's Gate 3 is nearly here, and if you're planning to delve into the expansive RPG but aren't sure whether to choose an origin character or create your own, Larian Studios founder and the game's creative lead Swen Vincke has some advice for you.
"I would always pick a custom and discover my companions," Vinche said in an interview with Dropped Frames. "I think the origins come into play when you replay it."
The freedom to sculpt your character to your liking is enticing in any RPG, but it can come at the expense of a deeper narrative. Thankfully, this isn't the case in Baldur's Gate 3, as custom characters come with their own dialogue options and unique story based on your choices.
That being said, Vincke also points out that opting for an origin character when you're starting out is fine too. "There's nothing wrong with picking an origin," he explains. "It's just… the entire origin system is about where do you put the camera. In whose head do you put the camera?"
He adds, "If the three of you are going to play as origins and you play together, you're going to have a good time, [but] you might be in competing situations also, where your interests don't align with one another's speciality form your origins background, which is fun and works well. But you'll discover all this for yourselves very soon."
Importantly, there is one option that Vincke advises against choosing for your first outing: The Dark Urge. Unlike other origins, this one is fully customisable, though plagued with dark thoughts that urge them to commit acts of violence and cruelty. "As much as I hate to say it, I wouldn't actually recommend it for people that play the first time," says Vincke.
"Because you get different versions of the story, and there's a variety of things that are going to happen where you could have had something completely different if you weren't Dark Urge." According to the developer, knowing how events normally play out "works better" as it gives you a "completely different perspective".
Currently in Early Access, Baldur's Gate 3 launches next month and shortly after on PS5. In the meantime, you can get a closer look at how the RPG is shaping up in our Baldur's Gate 3 preview.
Elsewhere, our own Ali Jones is eating his way through Baldur's Gate 3, and there's nothing you can do to stop him.
