What to do first in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a gargantuan role-playing game that takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, so it’s fairly easy to get lost in the characters and lore. It can be a little daunting to enter this fantasy world, as there are so many choices to make and locations to explore, but fear not! This guide will cover what to do first and where to go after you start Baldur’s Gate 3.

Gather your crew

Image: Larian Studios

If you’re not very experienced in Baldur’s Gate 3 or similar games, it can be a little difficult if you’re adventuring without any companions. Luckily, you’ll meet a few potential companions in the tutorial, but you’ll need to regroup with them once you’ve left the Nautilold. Here are some of the companions that will join you fairly early on:

• Shadowheart — You’ll first meet her on the Nautiloid in the pod, where you can rescue her. If you do rescue her, you’ll find her on the beach just north of the starting location. If you don’t rescue her, you can find her at the ruins northeast of the crash site. Follow the coast north to find her banging on the door of the ruins.
• Astarion — You can find Astarion on the path southwest of the crash site. After you help him with the monster in the bushes, he’ll join you as a companion
• Gale — Gale can be found by the Roadside Cliffs waypoint, which is a sigil on the side of the cliff. You’ll need to interact with the sigil and pull him out to gain him as a traveling companion.
• Lae’zel — Just north of the Roadside Cliffs waypoint, which is where you find Gale, you can find Lae’zel trapped in a cage. If you free her, she’ll come along and help you on your adventure.
• Wyll — When you first make your way to Druid’s Grove, you can find Wyll fighting off the goblins. Afterwards, you can interact with him inside the Druid’s Grove.

Look out for the glowing ancient sigil circles on the walls

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Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

The map of Baldur’s Gate 3 is huge and it takes a while for your character to walk from point A to point B. To make your journeys a little quicker, use the ancient sigil circles as teleport waypoints. Be sure to interact with them; you won’t unlock the teleport waypoints by just walking by, and you may even start an event such as finding a companion.

Explore the ruins near the crash site

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

Just north of where you wake up on the beach, you’ll find the overgrown ruins, which is home to one vital character for your playthrough. Once you’ve fully explored the ruins, you’ll encounter Withers, an undead skeleton. Withers will join your camp and give you the option to respec your character for 100 gold pieces. If you were ever thinking about restarting because you didn’t enjoy the class you chose, you can keep your progress and experience by visiting Withers at your camp.

Travel to Druid’s Grove

Image: Larian Studios via Polygon

One of the first hubs that you’ll encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3 is Druid’s Grove. Druid’s Grove is home to Tieflings and, obviously, Druids, but it’s also a location full of quests and NPCs that you can interact with, each with their own dialogue options. It’s also a treasure trove for those that can speak with animals as there animals everywhere, even bears.

Visit the dark areas on your map

Ultimately, there are so many areas to visit that it’s hard to choose just one. Baldur’s Gate 3’s world is full of interactions at every corner. Follow the path to find a random dead body on the ground that’ll lead to another side quest, or take the path less traveled to find a wounded Tiefling companion. Every path you take will lead to something to do, making your journey much more exciting.

Continue your search for the cure

As easy as it is to get lost in the side quests and dialogue, you can’t forget that there is a tadpole swimming around in your head! This parasite is the main driver for the story and leads you from location to location. It will also lead you to some “healers” who have quirky practices, but they proceed to humorous and thrilling storylines. Along the way, you may even decide you like the tadpole that is inhabiting your brain! In the end, it’s up to you whether you want to get rid of the little guy, but the “cure” quests lead you to areas around the map that are full of content.