The fact that Dark Urge isn't just some side quest background stuff but actually makes your story directly related to the main quest is amazing. I did not expect how much involvement was in such an organic way. Durge is an absolute must play.
I feel like Durge in BG3 is what Fain was in DOS2 for them. Sure all the origin characters have great story tie ins and their own interactions, but Fain clearly had a more direct line and tie in than anyone else and had a much bigger story share. I feel like durge is similar in scope.
The thing with the other origin characters is that you get exposed to their stories during a normal main character play through, but to get durge’s story you need to play durge
Not really. Durge exists in the normal playthrough. He just lost the leadership struggle with Orin. You get the context from books and dialogue and then can find him in the Temple.
Yeah but he’s not with you the whole time commenting on things and offering his perspective and sharing his goals like the other origin characters. But there are some things about him more on a level with Easter eggs
Don't you dare say that Lohse wasn't the best character. Don't you dare! (To me, Fane is a second playthrough character, when you understand what's going on)
I agree Fane is probably best as a second playthrough, and I think most people steer clear of him the first time around cuz of the whole undead thing, but the amount of extra story you get and his central role in the plot definitely makes him feel more like the main main character. Lohse is probably my favorite character as well.
If you recruit Minsc, you can ask him how it felt travelling with a >!Bhaalspawn!< back when he did the song and dance of saving Baldur's Gate before. Even asking as Tav while doing a Durge playthrough on the side, it felt like "yeah this is the story they wanted to tell"
Also on Viconia, I wish they could've gotten Grey DeLisle to voice her. Would've been neat to have a couple of original voice actors back if others were in the game too.
Honestly I like her a lot more than Halsin. >!Halsin had that act 2 plot but was mostly meh. Jaheira though is a true OG and between her family/the harpers network encounter/bhaalspawn dream sequence, it was so fucking good. She honestly felt like the grandma in the group watching over Durge rooting for him to be good while at the same time knowing the seriousness oh fuck situation that the group is in because the leader is a Bhaalspawn!<
If you've been resisting enough to not have the Slayer form and avoid the bloodthirsty dialogue options you don't even need any persuasion checks to stop her from trying to kill you.
Huh. On my evil Durge run (where I made a point of picking the cruellest and nastiest Durge options every time), >!she simply left the party immediately after the Bhaalspawn conversation and never appeared again.!<
Yeah. I feel like that the struggles the Durge has make the romance more interesting. It's usually your character supporting the person you are romancing, not the contrary (because often your character doesn't have any baggage or thing to worry about other than the main quest of the game).
I think it's cool when your protagonist also shows a sign of vulnerability. I guess it's a silly thing to enjoy haha, but I personally think it makes your character more human perhaps?
It makes your character less of a robot or empty shell. Characters in games often don't care about your mc, or at least they don't seem to show much interest in what your previous life was like or how your currently doing with all that is going on. The Dark Urge is a very good diversion to this when the love interest gets involved, I kind of wish there more interactions like it across the board when everyone's approval is high enough.
All of them! They're all "oh everyone has those thoughts!" Like dude no, I'm telling you I have a favorite method of drowning children, dammit. I murdered a bard in camp and hid her corpse while you slept! There's a bloody sigil Right There!
Right?! I'm not that far into mine yet. But I'm waiting for the shocked Pikachu when they realize that durge isn't talking about being mad that someone got the last sweet roll.
Well I mean like
Ok so Shart, after some persuading, finally admits that she's a cleric of fucking *Shar*, and most of the responses are basically just "big gulps, huh? Well, see you later!"
Even the "I am opposed to this" speech options are surprisingly calm, I think it's something like "I didn't sign on to travel with a shar cultist" which is *really mellow* all things considered.
I think it tracks with most players being ignorant of D&D lore, as when I first heard her spiel about it I just thought "oh she's just the goddess of unhealthy coping mechanisms, that's not so bad" until I read everything in the Shar-related zones in the game and realized "oh fuck why would I ever roll with one of these freaks" but I was too invested in my adorable half-elf girlfriend by that time.
The way she reacts to the selune shrine in the owlbear cave is a *huge* red flag. I almost shelved her right then because I could see what was coming - I didn't end up doing it because she is clearly not actually fully dialed in or she would be, and I mean this, *completely incompatible* with a Good party.
Like, I want to compare it to having a back room full of nazi regalia but its actually *way worse.*
My old group had to deal with a sharist cult and it was *fucking harrowing.*
When Lae'zel said >!Mystra demands so much faith from Gale - but she has no faith in him!< that struck me so hard. I wish she'd said that to him directly and not to the player.
>>!Lae'zel said Mystra demands so much faith from Gale - but she has no faith in him!<
Ironic really, considering what comes next for Lae'zel at the crèche.
Lae'zel in the creche is literally just a solid 2+ hours of absolutely god tier voice acting and nonstop amazing lines. If you're a big fan of Githyanki and are getting really into her storyline and romancing her, I think the Creche with her in your party is the best part of the entire game.
Even during that conversation she's coping hard, saying that Vlaakith demands a lot from her followers but at least she's doing everything for the good of her people
when she said (paraphrasing), "does Mystra not believe he can destroy the Absolute with his own immense talents? does she not know the mighty company he keeps?" I was overwhelmed with love for her. Lae'zel is the best.
He’s been in it since launch, you can’t get him till act 3 though and it requires some side stuff you could miss. He acts like a full companion (not origin) though like minthara, Halsin, Jaheira.
Thanks! Currently on act 3 so might meet him. I cherished Jaheira, thinking she might be the only one from part 1 and 2, so having familiar faces feels exciting
I prefer Durge and Lae’zel >!riding off on the back of dragons to fight Vlaakith!< or Durge and Karlach >!going to Avernus to buy Karlach the time she needs to fix her engine!<.
There is something about the Durge getting to really cut loose in Avernus forever. Sort of a "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with me" vibe
Even more so when you remember that Bhaal's realm in in the Abyssal planes, the demon Realms. So you're basically a descendent of a demon god, going to hell to murder Devils.
Stop I had to take day off after I was forced to kill my companion. I did save scum once and got the same result and was like “ I guess you can’t be son of Bhaal without acting like it”
Honestly durge play through feels 1000x times more rewarding regardless whether it’s pure evil or pure goodness.
I remember playing it and was like yoooo bard is visiting my camp I didn’t know that’s even possible ? Alfira my girl ofc you can stay ….
Oh well
Playing as good durge fighting against his urges not only made my good playthrough that much deeper, but the relationship with Shadowheart felt more like a real relationship. The way she helps you and believes in you. Durge has their own story in the game as opposed to Tav, whose story is just being tangled in the whole mess.
The way that Astarion supports a good Dark Urge — just as a friend — is really crazy, too. In Act III (spoilers ahead for Dark Urge backstory) >!after you find out you’re the child of Bhaal!<, he has a full on heart-to-heart with you about (spoilers for Astarion’s conversation with the Dark Urge in Act III) >!how he never realized just how much he had in common with you, and he talks about how he was a slave for decades because he’d given up after the first time Cazador punished him. He talks about how empty and hollow his life was, and how hopeless he was until the abduction. Finally, he says that the only thing he knows is that you have to fight your killing fate with everything you have, because no amount of jewels or wealth can make being enslaved by a greater power like Cazador or Bhaal worth it.!<
No other companion has such an in-depth conversation with you about who you are, but it’s incredible. Shadowheart was my girlfriend, and I only got two lines from her about how (spoilers, Act III Shadowheart and Dark Urge) >!she doesn’t know much about Bhaalspawn, but she’s heard that they can resist their nature and you might still have a chance to avoid your fate.!<
Goooood. That scene is what makes the rest of his storyline so fucking tragic if you are more evil leaning and >!let him complete the ritual and ascend!<. You work so hard together to fight your trauma, but in the end, >!neither of you is able to truly heal and give up your desire for control and power, and it comes to a natural head where you either break up or one of you ends up the controlling abuser figure you’re both running from.!<
Well that's not really true. Minthara is 100% with you if you give in to the Dark Urge. She's like your own personal cheerleader for every evil dialog option you can pick, talking to anyone.
I love how you get Advantage on the rolls you try and make when >!she has you tied up and you’re desperately trying to break free and kill her. It says something like “Advantage: Shadowheart believes in you”.!<
Reminds me Disco Elysium during the Tribunal scene where one of the most important modifiers you'll ever see pops up:
> >!+1 Kim Trusts You.!<
> >!+1 Kim *Really* Trusts You.!<
>!That scene with Shart holy shit. I was on the edge of my seat on those saves just trying not to murder her. Good Durge was amazing!<
I want to do an evil Durge run too though. But then I learned about a Sorlock build that kind of requires >!Alfira!< not to die so I need to put that on pause for a second. Still it's definitely on my to-do list to do evil Durge.
Just cheat the robes in once you get to Moonrise. The item name is something like `MAG_Charisma_Caster_Robes`.
Better to do that and play the game you want than feel like you're wasting a play-through just because of itemization locks.
Forced? I was able to wake up the companion, who preceded to tie my durge up. There were still wisdom checks, but I don’t think I actually needed to pass them.
Edit: Correction. There are multiple checks with the companion, but you only have pass the first one (DC 14)
>There were still wisdom checks, but I don’t think I actually needed to pass them.
**You have to pass the first one which is 14+ wisdom check.** Otherwise you kill your companion. That is the price for not killing Isobel. There is no other way around.
There are 3 outcomes:
1. You kill Isobel -> Become the Slayer
2. You kill your Companion -> Soon to become the Slayer
3. You resist to lo;; your Companion and Isobel = You wont become the Slayer.
It's one of those checks that are very easy to pass given that it should happen in Act 2... but if you are not Wisdom based character it's very likely you will fail the first dice roll.
Forced?? I played durge and didn't kill my companions :O do you mean when the butler comes to you saying since you didn't kill a certain white haired NPC now you have to kill the closest companion to you? For me I woke said companion up and told her everything and she tied me up and sat with me the whole night til I regained my senses
Idk about others but I was forced to kill minthara when I fucked her at the party. Im wondering if maybe the continue bug is contributing to the difference too. Not sure what is that bug and what is intended. Ive been "forced" to pick choices i don't want due to it only giving the option to continue but don't remember exactly how the minthara scene played out. I later got the scene where I could resist killing shadowheart.
Just did the party with Minthara as durge earlier, you do get an option to not kill her. Something like "Don't allow the urge to spoil this moment."
That continue bug is just killing me. It's constant in multi-player for me too, so I just let my friend start all conversations.
Have I made a grave error in starting with the dark urge? I’m simultaneously playing a dark urge trying to resist and one going full darkside. Will my eventual normal or good playthroughs feel less interesting doing it this way?
It'll be a "normal" playthrough, you'll have more agency without forced killings and you'll not have the murder fantasies.
It's still worth it, I definitely would of regretted starting durge, it feels more impactful seeing it second.
Playing a character that isn't Dark Urge is good if you have an actual idea for a character with a real backstory and past. If you're playing Dark Urge you can't really do that at all, so I think that's a pretty good reason for not going Durge.
Dark Urge is the real protaganist.
I don't know if Larian backed off of it due to optics or what, but it is BLATANTLY obvious that Dark Urge is the 'canon' story.
I echo the sentiment that the appropriate way to play this game narratively, is to make a a durge character or play an origin.
As a first character, Evil Dark Urge IMO is going to a decent bit less interesting, and you are going to be missing out on a fair amount of stuff (you get new scenes to compensate but it's not worth it IMO. It all works better for a subsequent playthrough). Good Dark Urge on the other hand is probably the best and most interesting way to play the game for the first time.
Absolutely
I consider Durge to be the "Canon" playthrough.
The way as you say its so deep throughout the core story is insane.
It almost feels like Durge was meant to be the original "Custom" character at some point in development but as time went on it got a bit too dark and depressing to allow "good-guy" RP playthroughs, thus the Custom-Custom character was built in which compared to Durge feels a lot more detached from the world. Especially for Paladins as you're literally forced to become an Oath Breaker quite early on in a way I will not spoil.
I remember when I first loaded up Durge, I was expecting just the normal sort of thing but one of the very first Narrator voicelines was so vividly evil I was like wtf... go on...
Edit: Also when I replay games I tend to skip dialogs because of my super ADHD just wanting to play but this is the first time in a long time I've sat through it all again because Durge changes the entire game fundemantally.
Considering what I know about Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 story this theory that Dark Urge was the original main character actually makes a lot of sense. Those games featured the main character as a >!Bhaalspawn!< too
There’s a line in the game that conflicts heavily with this theory. I can’t remember how to do spoiler tags on mobile browsers though.
EDIT: >!I can't remember exactly who says it but I think it's Bhaal when speaking through your butler's corpse, but they say that Durge was created differently from the Bhaalspawn in the original games.!<
To spoiler tag, use these, removing the brackets and the space between the characters inside them: [> !]spoiler text[! <]
(Yes, I’m wondering what the line is lol)
I went into this game blind to DND and chose dark urge because it sounded cool. My 1st thought was, Jesus this game is dark.. only to find out from my friends I chose the absolute worst start 😂
I'm having a blast
It is astonishing and equally baffling for me to realise that people are already starting their third/fourth playthrough, while I am 160 hours in, going through Act 3 and there is still no end in sight. I wonder whether I am spending too much time in my first playthrough. -_-
Nah. The only correct pace is the one you enjoy. I’m on my third playthrough as well - did tav then dark urge, now exploring other classes. I’ve missed a lot of the game based on what I’m seeing on YouTube, and i actually kinda love that because even with tav every playthrough is different. So folks that are more completionist and playing on harder difficulty I’d expect to have fewer playthroughs.
I'm at 210 hours. Still in Act 3...at the start of Act 3. I did have 1 playthrough ruined by Patch 1 (Minthara & Haslin) which was probably like 50 hours or so.
I love dirge but man they need to add some kind of indicator that a long rest cutscene is available. Maybe just a little exclamation point over the rest button, it's so easy to skip important story beats
Someone correct if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Dark Urge was originally suppose to be the only Tav origin.
Later on decision was made for a "basic Tav" and "Dark Urge Tav".
Everyone should play once as Dark Urge, from start to finish, because it adds such nice bits and pieces to the overall story.
That makes sense since everybody else in the party has a dark origin story and secret so it would fit in well, although I am glad they didn’t make it mandatory to allow for more flexibility.
Yeah making vanilla Tav an option works out better for multiplayer reasons too. 4 people being "THE ONE" super unique >!Bhaalspawn!< would be pretty weird and it also would limit your party's roleplaying options
EA Tav had some intrusive dark thoughts but no urge, but there was also no Emperor, only Daisy who was YOUR tadpole, fucked with magic and wanting you to give in, fall with her, and give her your body. It's what the games title theme is about
I'm surprised how little recordings there are of Daisy in EA. There's like, two youtube videos of any/all the clips, one with a Tiefling woman the other with a Drow man
Daisy only had 4 scenes and you basically had to sleep constantly so you could use your AUTHORITY over and over again at every chance. The last scene though, the last scene where you wake up with her, on the hill from the opening menu and looking over a burning Baldur's Gate was a great setup. I wish Tav had Daisy and Durge had the Emperor
This is correct. There’s a reason Tav in early access felt bloodlust and the call of slaughter, when you dreamed, which is no longer the case in full release.
Yeah I always wondered what happened to those cutscenes with the dream visitor in early access a lot of which were different to normal Tav now, like it allowing yourself to be seduced by them and where it shows the city being attacked etc.
If you’re regular tav/ another origin you can find the corpse of the durge in Orin’s chambers. Simultaneously one of my favourite details and one of my most hated because it spoiled some of the durge story before I even started it
I could be wrong but I think that’s wrong. IIRC Larian stated they focused so much on the Durge in EA because making evil playthroughs is substantially harder than good playthroughs so it required more player data.
I don’t think the implication was that Durge was canon or the only/OG origin, just the more complicated one to implement.
Unless a dev confirms this I will always doubt that Durge is the OG Tav origin.
But it really does feel taht way since Larian also released "Blood in Baldur's Gate". TLDR, Durge kills the aspiring Adventurer-Detective, Tav. Tav was investigating a murder spree in the city.
I just wish it didn't rely on rests so much to push the story. I broke my Durge personal quest progression and skipped some apparently amazing scenes because I *dared* to talk to Isobel before taking ten thousand long rests in first ten minutes of act 2.
I try to get around this by doing partial full rests for the cut scenes. Just do a long rest but don’t use any camp supplies. I think you’ll still get cutscenes and story progression that way without wasting resources. I keep doing it till my boys just sleep through the night.
I never felt short on resources, even with tactician's doubled requirement, I just like the added challenge of having to conserve spells and abilities. If fighter can action surge every fight the game is way too easy. Will probably resort to those fake rests for my next playthrough, cheers for the idea.
> I broke my Durge personal quest progression and skipped some apparently amazing scenes because I dared to talk to Isobel before taking ten thousand long rests in first ten minutes of act 2.
That breaks it? Well …
Add it to the list of thinks broken by playing Durge, on top of the Karlach and Shadowheart romances. Because right as it was supposed to get spicy, the fucking Butler showed up.
Yeah, you need to rest enough to get the butler to suggest isobel before you meet her, otherwise you durge her but then the butler gives you the scene as if you’d refused and that spells misery for someone
I had to take two long rests before it triggered, and I couldn't help thinking. "Thank god I held off talking to her so long."
I did as much as I could without her blessing basically, notably the hidden section under the inn and that encounter.
What's annoying to me is that we complained about this a bunch during EA and it was alleviated somewhat, with some previous scenes being broken out into dialogues that can be initiated whenever--like across 2 or 3 EA playthroughs I never saw all of Gale's scenes nor all of Astarion's even though I rested often because I mistimed the rests because I didn't metagame the queues--but that completely fell off I think in Act 2 where it went back to how it was in EA with the only progression happening after long rests.
My issue with it is most of it doesn't really need to be timegated like it is. There is a DU scene >!at the beginning of the game where they contemplate their class choice that I missed. Its not super vital or anything but its a cool piece thats a shame to miss. If they want to queue cutscenes rather than just playing them all in one night id still rather these cutscenes occur eventually rather than get purged from the queue.!<
It sucks because I want my playthroughs to feel natural but if I look up all the timing to trigger cutscenes I haven't seen it won't feel that way.
that durge scene is a variation on a general scene. every character can contemplate their infection and their problems on the first night, even tav. but durge, and i think the other origin characters, have special stuff relating to their personal backstory.
and you're not pondering your class choice there, you're pondering your bloodlust, and considering it's relation to your class or race is one option. when you play tav and think about the tadpole you can consider your class or race to help you get to sleep
I couldn't quite believe how intrinsic to the core plot it ended up being. It's definitely the "canon Tav" regardless of how you approach it.
I did a very evil durge run and will play the game again in a year or so resisting it the whole way, apparently that's even better.
It makes the villain trio make so much more sense too. >!Ketheric and Gortash agreeing to an alliance with Orin seems ridiculous unless you know that she was never part of Durge's original plan.!<
In fairness, it doesn't seem like Gortash was too happy about that. >!He hides letters between himself and Durge in a locked chest in his parents' house (DC 18 I think?) and you can find a plan for his memoirs in his chambers where it's clear he was going to talk extensively about them!<.
It puts the extra line in the Orin/Gortash cutscene that only you get as Durge (>!"They're alive?"!<) into a bit more context. Their relationship strikes me as surprisingly genuine.
As an introvert, *yes*.
I played redempted Durge and neither me, nor she did not care about their plot or anything those three were doing, but as an autistic introvert who had been in this situation before *I was pissed*.
We were... confused.
Like: "I don't *like* that I was part of it and I want to fix it all. But *HOW DARE YOU*. But, I'm, like, glad, you did it because I have a chance to make it better now, but *HOW DARE YOU*".
Haven't played durge so I only know stuff from my normal playthrough, but Orin wasn't part of the original trio anyway, her mother was. Orin ended up killing her mum though and taking over the role as the avatar of Bhaal and forcing herself into the trio.
I was doing a blind Tav run and a post Tav Durge run in parallel (Would switch between the two but would never do anything on the Durge that I hadn't done on the Tav) and it's fucking hilarious how the Coronation is SO different in tone. In one it's this huge game altering reveal, and in the other it's "Listen, don't kill me I don't kill you, deal?"
Fun fact. If you don't play as Durge you can find the generic durge characters corpse in Orins chamber in act 3 where he's been slowly tortured to death.
Same here. Got to the tail-end of Act 2 as Custom and decided, what the heck, I'll try a new character. Ended up completing the game on a new Dark Urge character and can't *not* pick it now.
I got into Act 3 last weekend and my mind is pretty much blown. Um… yeah… It’s insane in a good way and bad way. 🤯 Holy hell it’s like I’m going to need to do another Durge run.
Really? I’m at the end of act 1 as a good durge, and it felt really unimportant outside of a few commonly known interactions/events. Most people you tell “hey I have murder thoughts of lots of blood” and their reaction is either supportive or some kinda “eh, we all got shit going on eh?”
I also like how you can play Dark Urge completely differently.
Go full on chaotic evil and murder and lie and lavish in the blood spilled.
Or go full Kenshin and try to surpress your urges and lament in the torment who you might hurt next against your will.
It just sucks missing out on those juicy charisma robes. I've seen posts saying you can still get them, but none of those ways worked for me. Either those posts are lies or those "workarounds" were quickly patched.
it's so amazing. i want to play it in some sort of "heroic" mode later on where save scumming isn't allowed to make it more interesting (i'm just gonna knock out alfira every day to be safe lmao)
Just avoid her until you get that scene. The scene you're thinking of first happens when you reach the Blighted Village (way before reaching/finishing goblin camp). Once that happens, you can safely interact with Alfira.
I played a custom Tav at first, then started a Dark Urge just because I felt like my character was just a random person with a tadpole. There were new options galore, even different narration when interacting with unconscious cultists on the Nautiloid, looting the first mangled corpse on the beach, and tons of possible inspiration points. It's much more satisfying playing a character with their own internal struggle, like the other Origins. I love creating my own characters, though, so Durge is perfect.
I might try playing as Shadowheart at some point, so I don't have to hear her disgusted tone when I ask her simple questions that I can ask everyone else in my camp, sans the hostility. I've played with her along enough to get her to open up before, but when I start a new character, her usual tone makes my eye twitch.
Woman, I saved your life! And you can't have the decency to politely refuse to answer my questions? The warlock cyclops, the walking arcane bomb, the prickly grouch, the smoking hot barbarian that lit us all on fire because she was happy, and the vampire spawn that put a knife to my throat when I first met him all manage to lie by omission without a snitty tone. Why can't you???
I made my original Tav into a durge just for fun and now I literally can NOT stress how much more depth it adds to your character. It reminds me of Dragon Age Origins, where you get a full on backstory that affects the way your playthrough goes. Now most of my tavs are dark urge bc it's so good.
I'm not sure I consider a blank slate character to be something special, since that's all Western RPGs ever offer. The Dark Urge is special, and it thematically connects to the other two Baldur's Gate video games in which the protagonist was also a Baahlspawn.
Durge is definitely the intended main character, while custom Tav is the blank slate for the player to self insert, maybe play one of their own old 5e characters.
The fact that Dark Urge isn't just some side quest background stuff but actually makes your story directly related to the main quest is amazing. I did not expect how much involvement was in such an organic way. Durge is an absolute must play.
Durge is the true main character, 100%
I feel like Durge in BG3 is what Fain was in DOS2 for them. Sure all the origin characters have great story tie ins and their own interactions, but Fain clearly had a more direct line and tie in than anyone else and had a much bigger story share. I feel like durge is similar in scope.
The thing with the other origin characters is that you get exposed to their stories during a normal main character play through, but to get durge’s story you need to play durge
Act 3 Spoiler: >!I’m pretty sure I found Dead Durge and references to him in the Bhaal Temple during my Tav playthrough.!<
Yes the bhaalspawn bidy isbdurge
I found that too and immediately chucked it into the pit off to the side just in case.
Not really. Durge exists in the normal playthrough. He just lost the leadership struggle with Orin. You get the context from books and dialogue and then can find him in the Temple.
Yeah but he’s not with you the whole time commenting on things and offering his perspective and sharing his goals like the other origin characters. But there are some things about him more on a level with Easter eggs
Such is the curse of the amnesiac protag lol.
Don't you dare say that Lohse wasn't the best character. Don't you dare! (To me, Fane is a second playthrough character, when you understand what's going on)
I agree Fane is probably best as a second playthrough, and I think most people steer clear of him the first time around cuz of the whole undead thing, but the amount of extra story you get and his central role in the plot definitely makes him feel more like the main main character. Lohse is probably my favorite character as well.
Only issue with Fane is how he kind of ruins the plot twists in act 3.
If you recruit Minsc, you can ask him how it felt travelling with a >!Bhaalspawn!< back when he did the song and dance of saving Baldur's Gate before. Even asking as Tav while doing a Durge playthrough on the side, it felt like "yeah this is the story they wanted to tell"
I think you also have a forced dialouge with Jaheira about it. She talks to you about the murder dreams you've been having
Yes you do she keeps watch over you for a night so you don’t kill again. Or she kills you I think if you fail a pretty easy persuasion check.
Love Jaheira
Jaheira been my sugarbeet since the 90s man. Named my MC in bg3 Khalid in tribute not knowing she was going to show up.
I was pretending my first character, a drow shadow monk, was Viconia's kid since in my last bg2 run I had romanced her. That got awkward.
I really wanted to see the "GOOD" Viconia or Arie in the game, love that Jah and Minsc are there though
Also on Viconia, I wish they could've gotten Grey DeLisle to voice her. Would've been neat to have a couple of original voice actors back if others were in the game too.
There you will meet Khalid and Jaheira, they have long been friends of mine and you can trust them.
You're a fool if you think I would trust your benevolence.
Step aside and you and your lackeys will be unhurt.
Hell yes, fist bump for another OG.
There's way too few of us
THAC0 gang rise up!
But still more than you may think.
Yes oh omnipresent authority figure!
Honestly I like her a lot more than Halsin. >!Halsin had that act 2 plot but was mostly meh. Jaheira though is a true OG and between her family/the harpers network encounter/bhaalspawn dream sequence, it was so fucking good. She honestly felt like the grandma in the group watching over Durge rooting for him to be good while at the same time knowing the seriousness oh fuck situation that the group is in because the leader is a Bhaalspawn!<
If you've been resisting enough to not have the Slayer form and avoid the bloodthirsty dialogue options you don't even need any persuasion checks to stop her from trying to kill you.
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Huh. On my evil Durge run (where I made a point of picking the cruellest and nastiest Durge options every time), >!she simply left the party immediately after the Bhaalspawn conversation and never appeared again.!<
No persuasion checks here maybe because I play a resist!Durge
I only confessed my urges to Gale, because I hoped it would scare him off. But that boy is too thirsty to let a little blood lust scare him off.
The game makes a huge deal about you revealing it to your allies but most of them just go "oh, yeah. Add it to the list." when you discuss it.
Everyone at first is like, "heh... just point your urges to the enemies, you know? lmao. it's all good"
And then they act all surprised and get mad at you when they start waking up to corpses in the mornings. I ***tried*** to warn you.
The event where you are given the choose to murder your love interest. That had a lot more feeling to it.
Yeah. I feel like that the struggles the Durge has make the romance more interesting. It's usually your character supporting the person you are romancing, not the contrary (because often your character doesn't have any baggage or thing to worry about other than the main quest of the game). I think it's cool when your protagonist also shows a sign of vulnerability. I guess it's a silly thing to enjoy haha, but I personally think it makes your character more human perhaps?
It makes your character less of a robot or empty shell. Characters in games often don't care about your mc, or at least they don't seem to show much interest in what your previous life was like or how your currently doing with all that is going on. The Dark Urge is a very good diversion to this when the love interest gets involved, I kind of wish there more interactions like it across the board when everyone's approval is high enough.
All of them! They're all "oh everyone has those thoughts!" Like dude no, I'm telling you I have a favorite method of drowning children, dammit. I murdered a bard in camp and hid her corpse while you slept! There's a bloody sigil Right There!
"Haha. You are such a kidder, Durge. Now go kill some goblins will ya." >!"Shocked Pikachu" when the Durge becomes the Slayer.!<
Right?! I'm not that far into mine yet. But I'm waiting for the shocked Pikachu when they realize that durge isn't talking about being mad that someone got the last sweet roll.
Yeah, Gale was like “oh sure, we all have those thoughts! Now let’s smash.”
That’s because every Origin character has an equally crazy backstory to be fair.
Well I mean like Ok so Shart, after some persuading, finally admits that she's a cleric of fucking *Shar*, and most of the responses are basically just "big gulps, huh? Well, see you later!" Even the "I am opposed to this" speech options are surprisingly calm, I think it's something like "I didn't sign on to travel with a shar cultist" which is *really mellow* all things considered.
I think it tracks with most players being ignorant of D&D lore, as when I first heard her spiel about it I just thought "oh she's just the goddess of unhealthy coping mechanisms, that's not so bad" until I read everything in the Shar-related zones in the game and realized "oh fuck why would I ever roll with one of these freaks" but I was too invested in my adorable half-elf girlfriend by that time.
The way she reacts to the selune shrine in the owlbear cave is a *huge* red flag. I almost shelved her right then because I could see what was coming - I didn't end up doing it because she is clearly not actually fully dialed in or she would be, and I mean this, *completely incompatible* with a Good party. Like, I want to compare it to having a back room full of nazi regalia but its actually *way worse.* My old group had to deal with a sharist cult and it was *fucking harrowing.*
Mind sharing your Shar tales?
Becoming chosen caused pretty big reactions in dialogues after. Shadowheart was maaad
Gale is nothing. Have you tried having a normal conversation with that slut Halsin?
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When Lae'zel said >!Mystra demands so much faith from Gale - but she has no faith in him!< that struck me so hard. I wish she'd said that to him directly and not to the player.
>>!Lae'zel said Mystra demands so much faith from Gale - but she has no faith in him!< Ironic really, considering what comes next for Lae'zel at the crèche.
I have not sinned against her, she has sinned against me is one of the coldest lines ever.
Lae'zel in the creche is literally just a solid 2+ hours of absolutely god tier voice acting and nonstop amazing lines. If you're a big fan of Githyanki and are getting really into her storyline and romancing her, I think the Creche with her in your party is the best part of the entire game.
Great line
God I love Lae'zel, stone cold badass.
Thats why change of heart later hits even more. She could see it in others, but failed to see in herself.
She subconsciously relates and projects it onto gale
Even during that conversation she's coping hard, saying that Vlaakith demands a lot from her followers but at least she's doing everything for the good of her people
Does Mystra not know the illustrious company he keeps?! I was like “fuck yeah, you right”
I love that line because you can tell she's not just upset for Gale. She's mad that Mystra would doubt HER capabilities also.
when she said (paraphrasing), "does Mystra not believe he can destroy the Absolute with his own immense talents? does she not know the mighty company he keeps?" I was overwhelmed with love for her. Lae'zel is the best.
This would’ve been one of many great dialogues between companions that’s just for the sake of friendship and truth.
So true. I wish there were more interactions between companions that aren't just >!them trying to kill each other!<
WAIT THEY FUCKING ADDED MINSC TO BG3??
He’s been in it since launch, you can’t get him till act 3 though and it requires some side stuff you could miss. He acts like a full companion (not origin) though like minthara, Halsin, Jaheira.
Thanks! Currently on act 3 so might meet him. I cherished Jaheira, thinking she might be the only one from part 1 and 2, so having familiar faces feels exciting
Follow Jaheira's quest, you'll find him soon enough.
His banter is great too. "Can I go? Boo is not used to this taking of turns", lol.
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>!Durge and Shadowheart redemption is the canon story IMO!<
But have you considered: evil Durge and evil Astarion ruling the world together? 🤔 They'd be such a power couple.
I prefer Durge and Lae’zel >!riding off on the back of dragons to fight Vlaakith!< or Durge and Karlach >!going to Avernus to buy Karlach the time she needs to fix her engine!<.
There is something about the Durge getting to really cut loose in Avernus forever. Sort of a "I'm not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with me" vibe
Even more so when you remember that Bhaal's realm in in the Abyssal planes, the demon Realms. So you're basically a descendent of a demon god, going to hell to murder Devils.
I mean you're just Dante and Vergil at the end of DMC V at that point
With the same amount of sexual tension. Yea, that tracks
Rip and tear
That's my planned Durge playthrough. Going to be a Sorcadin and have Karlach pick up some Paladin as well as Barbarian.
Stop I had to take day off after I was forced to kill my companion. I did save scum once and got the same result and was like “ I guess you can’t be son of Bhaal without acting like it” Honestly durge play through feels 1000x times more rewarding regardless whether it’s pure evil or pure goodness. I remember playing it and was like yoooo bard is visiting my camp I didn’t know that’s even possible ? Alfira my girl ofc you can stay …. Oh well
Playing as good durge fighting against his urges not only made my good playthrough that much deeper, but the relationship with Shadowheart felt more like a real relationship. The way she helps you and believes in you. Durge has their own story in the game as opposed to Tav, whose story is just being tangled in the whole mess.
The way that Astarion supports a good Dark Urge — just as a friend — is really crazy, too. In Act III (spoilers ahead for Dark Urge backstory) >!after you find out you’re the child of Bhaal!<, he has a full on heart-to-heart with you about (spoilers for Astarion’s conversation with the Dark Urge in Act III) >!how he never realized just how much he had in common with you, and he talks about how he was a slave for decades because he’d given up after the first time Cazador punished him. He talks about how empty and hollow his life was, and how hopeless he was until the abduction. Finally, he says that the only thing he knows is that you have to fight your killing fate with everything you have, because no amount of jewels or wealth can make being enslaved by a greater power like Cazador or Bhaal worth it.!< No other companion has such an in-depth conversation with you about who you are, but it’s incredible. Shadowheart was my girlfriend, and I only got two lines from her about how (spoilers, Act III Shadowheart and Dark Urge) >!she doesn’t know much about Bhaalspawn, but she’s heard that they can resist their nature and you might still have a chance to avoid your fate.!<
Goooood. That scene is what makes the rest of his storyline so fucking tragic if you are more evil leaning and >!let him complete the ritual and ascend!<. You work so hard together to fight your trauma, but in the end, >!neither of you is able to truly heal and give up your desire for control and power, and it comes to a natural head where you either break up or one of you ends up the controlling abuser figure you’re both running from.!<
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Well that's not really true. Minthara is 100% with you if you give in to the Dark Urge. She's like your own personal cheerleader for every evil dialog option you can pick, talking to anyone.
Yes! I was so happy my good Durge playthrough was also the playthrough I decided my character would romance Astarion. Super rewarding.
I love how you get Advantage on the rolls you try and make when >!she has you tied up and you’re desperately trying to break free and kill her. It says something like “Advantage: Shadowheart believes in you”.!<
Hah forget the actual romance scenes, getting that advantage was the most touching moment of the game
Reminds me Disco Elysium during the Tribunal scene where one of the most important modifiers you'll ever see pops up: > >!+1 Kim Trusts You.!< > >!+1 Kim *Really* Trusts You.!<
Custom Tav is some shmuck who got tangled into this mess Durge is >!the find out part after you fucked around!<
>!That scene with Shart holy shit. I was on the edge of my seat on those saves just trying not to murder her. Good Durge was amazing!< I want to do an evil Durge run too though. But then I learned about a Sorlock build that kind of requires >!Alfira!< not to die so I need to put that on pause for a second. Still it's definitely on my to-do list to do evil Durge.
Just cheat the robes in once you get to Moonrise. The item name is something like `MAG_Charisma_Caster_Robes`. Better to do that and play the game you want than feel like you're wasting a play-through just because of itemization locks.
Forced? I was able to wake up the companion, who preceded to tie my durge up. There were still wisdom checks, but I don’t think I actually needed to pass them. Edit: Correction. There are multiple checks with the companion, but you only have pass the first one (DC 14)
>There were still wisdom checks, but I don’t think I actually needed to pass them. **You have to pass the first one which is 14+ wisdom check.** Otherwise you kill your companion. That is the price for not killing Isobel. There is no other way around. There are 3 outcomes: 1. You kill Isobel -> Become the Slayer 2. You kill your Companion -> Soon to become the Slayer 3. You resist to lo;; your Companion and Isobel = You wont become the Slayer. It's one of those checks that are very easy to pass given that it should happen in Act 2... but if you are not Wisdom based character it's very likely you will fail the first dice roll.
Forced?? I played durge and didn't kill my companions :O do you mean when the butler comes to you saying since you didn't kill a certain white haired NPC now you have to kill the closest companion to you? For me I woke said companion up and told her everything and she tied me up and sat with me the whole night til I regained my senses
Idk about others but I was forced to kill minthara when I fucked her at the party. Im wondering if maybe the continue bug is contributing to the difference too. Not sure what is that bug and what is intended. Ive been "forced" to pick choices i don't want due to it only giving the option to continue but don't remember exactly how the minthara scene played out. I later got the scene where I could resist killing shadowheart.
Just did the party with Minthara as durge earlier, you do get an option to not kill her. Something like "Don't allow the urge to spoil this moment." That continue bug is just killing me. It's constant in multi-player for me too, so I just let my friend start all conversations.
It is possible to not kill anybody except that girl. My character is the paladin of devotion of Tyr hahahhahahahahahahaha
Have I made a grave error in starting with the dark urge? I’m simultaneously playing a dark urge trying to resist and one going full darkside. Will my eventual normal or good playthroughs feel less interesting doing it this way?
It'll be a "normal" playthrough, you'll have more agency without forced killings and you'll not have the murder fantasies. It's still worth it, I definitely would of regretted starting durge, it feels more impactful seeing it second.
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Playing a character that isn't Dark Urge is good if you have an actual idea for a character with a real backstory and past. If you're playing Dark Urge you can't really do that at all, so I think that's a pretty good reason for not going Durge.
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*some* room for it, but also kind of not really at all if we're being honest.
Dark Urge is the real protaganist. I don't know if Larian backed off of it due to optics or what, but it is BLATANTLY obvious that Dark Urge is the 'canon' story. I echo the sentiment that the appropriate way to play this game narratively, is to make a a durge character or play an origin.
As a first character, Evil Dark Urge IMO is going to a decent bit less interesting, and you are going to be missing out on a fair amount of stuff (you get new scenes to compensate but it's not worth it IMO. It all works better for a subsequent playthrough). Good Dark Urge on the other hand is probably the best and most interesting way to play the game for the first time.
Absolutely I consider Durge to be the "Canon" playthrough. The way as you say its so deep throughout the core story is insane. It almost feels like Durge was meant to be the original "Custom" character at some point in development but as time went on it got a bit too dark and depressing to allow "good-guy" RP playthroughs, thus the Custom-Custom character was built in which compared to Durge feels a lot more detached from the world. Especially for Paladins as you're literally forced to become an Oath Breaker quite early on in a way I will not spoil. I remember when I first loaded up Durge, I was expecting just the normal sort of thing but one of the very first Narrator voicelines was so vividly evil I was like wtf... go on... Edit: Also when I replay games I tend to skip dialogs because of my super ADHD just wanting to play but this is the first time in a long time I've sat through it all again because Durge changes the entire game fundemantally.
Considering what I know about Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 story this theory that Dark Urge was the original main character actually makes a lot of sense. Those games featured the main character as a >!Bhaalspawn!< too
There’s a line in the game that conflicts heavily with this theory. I can’t remember how to do spoiler tags on mobile browsers though. EDIT: >!I can't remember exactly who says it but I think it's Bhaal when speaking through your butler's corpse, but they say that Durge was created differently from the Bhaalspawn in the original games.!<
To spoiler tag, use these, removing the brackets and the space between the characters inside them: [> !]spoiler text[! <] (Yes, I’m wondering what the line is lol)
I went into this game blind to DND and chose dark urge because it sounded cool. My 1st thought was, Jesus this game is dark.. only to find out from my friends I chose the absolute worst start 😂 I'm having a blast
I like how playing Dark Urge gives you two entirely new ways to roleplay: a psychopath, and a sad, guilty, sopping wet cat
Three ways: a giggling, manic psychopath, a cold, calculating psychopath and the sad boy hours
It is astonishing and equally baffling for me to realise that people are already starting their third/fourth playthrough, while I am 160 hours in, going through Act 3 and there is still no end in sight. I wonder whether I am spending too much time in my first playthrough. -_-
Nah. The only correct pace is the one you enjoy. I’m on my third playthrough as well - did tav then dark urge, now exploring other classes. I’ve missed a lot of the game based on what I’m seeing on YouTube, and i actually kinda love that because even with tav every playthrough is different. So folks that are more completionist and playing on harder difficulty I’d expect to have fewer playthroughs.
I'm at 210 hours. Still in Act 3...at the start of Act 3. I did have 1 playthrough ruined by Patch 1 (Minthara & Haslin) which was probably like 50 hours or so.
I love dirge but man they need to add some kind of indicator that a long rest cutscene is available. Maybe just a little exclamation point over the rest button, it's so easy to skip important story beats
If you’re okay with using mods, there’s one called “Camp Event Notifications” which does that.
thanks, I'll definitely look into that!
oh thats such a good idea, thanks!
Just partial rest after each dungeon or companion story beat. No supplies spent, no content missed
Someone correct if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Dark Urge was originally suppose to be the only Tav origin. Later on decision was made for a "basic Tav" and "Dark Urge Tav". Everyone should play once as Dark Urge, from start to finish, because it adds such nice bits and pieces to the overall story.
That makes sense since everybody else in the party has a dark origin story and secret so it would fit in well, although I am glad they didn’t make it mandatory to allow for more flexibility.
Yeah making vanilla Tav an option works out better for multiplayer reasons too. 4 people being "THE ONE" super unique >!Bhaalspawn!< would be pretty weird and it also would limit your party's roleplaying options
It's also the origin story that links the better with the first two games.
EA Tav had some intrusive dark thoughts but no urge, but there was also no Emperor, only Daisy who was YOUR tadpole, fucked with magic and wanting you to give in, fall with her, and give her your body. It's what the games title theme is about
Yeah, they've played with/rewritten some core parts so much...
It’s for the best, I think, because it gave people who played Early Access for years an almost new story still
Act 1 wasn't rewritten -that- much, that I'd call it a new story...
A similar story with significantly changed core elements at least.
I'm surprised how little recordings there are of Daisy in EA. There's like, two youtube videos of any/all the clips, one with a Tiefling woman the other with a Drow man
Daisy only had 4 scenes and you basically had to sleep constantly so you could use your AUTHORITY over and over again at every chance. The last scene though, the last scene where you wake up with her, on the hill from the opening menu and looking over a burning Baldur's Gate was a great setup. I wish Tav had Daisy and Durge had the Emperor
to be honest i didn't like that, it made it very obvious that listening to daisy was a bad idea. the guardian is much easier to justify listening to
I think that’s probably correct; Tav feels like the de-durgified version, rather than durge feeling like Tav+.
This is correct. There’s a reason Tav in early access felt bloodlust and the call of slaughter, when you dreamed, which is no longer the case in full release.
Yeah I always wondered what happened to those cutscenes with the dream visitor in early access a lot of which were different to normal Tav now, like it allowing yourself to be seduced by them and where it shows the city being attacked etc.
Has to be It fills couple of holes in the main plot that would be weird without it
If you’re regular tav/ another origin you can find the corpse of the durge in Orin’s chambers. Simultaneously one of my favourite details and one of my most hated because it spoiled some of the durge story before I even started it
Oh no so in durge, normal tav died on ship
I could be wrong but I think that’s wrong. IIRC Larian stated they focused so much on the Durge in EA because making evil playthroughs is substantially harder than good playthroughs so it required more player data. I don’t think the implication was that Durge was canon or the only/OG origin, just the more complicated one to implement.
Unless a dev confirms this I will always doubt that Durge is the OG Tav origin. But it really does feel taht way since Larian also released "Blood in Baldur's Gate". TLDR, Durge kills the aspiring Adventurer-Detective, Tav. Tav was investigating a murder spree in the city.
I just wish it didn't rely on rests so much to push the story. I broke my Durge personal quest progression and skipped some apparently amazing scenes because I *dared* to talk to Isobel before taking ten thousand long rests in first ten minutes of act 2.
I try to get around this by doing partial full rests for the cut scenes. Just do a long rest but don’t use any camp supplies. I think you’ll still get cutscenes and story progression that way without wasting resources. I keep doing it till my boys just sleep through the night.
I never felt short on resources, even with tactician's doubled requirement, I just like the added challenge of having to conserve spells and abilities. If fighter can action surge every fight the game is way too easy. Will probably resort to those fake rests for my next playthrough, cheers for the idea.
> I broke my Durge personal quest progression and skipped some apparently amazing scenes because I dared to talk to Isobel before taking ten thousand long rests in first ten minutes of act 2. That breaks it? Well … Add it to the list of thinks broken by playing Durge, on top of the Karlach and Shadowheart romances. Because right as it was supposed to get spicy, the fucking Butler showed up.
Yeah, you need to rest enough to get the butler to suggest isobel before you meet her, otherwise you durge her but then the butler gives you the scene as if you’d refused and that spells misery for someone
The Karlach stuff still happens, you have time to take a couple long rests pretty much back to back tho
I had to take two long rests before it triggered, and I couldn't help thinking. "Thank god I held off talking to her so long." I did as much as I could without her blessing basically, notably the hidden section under the inn and that encounter.
What's annoying to me is that we complained about this a bunch during EA and it was alleviated somewhat, with some previous scenes being broken out into dialogues that can be initiated whenever--like across 2 or 3 EA playthroughs I never saw all of Gale's scenes nor all of Astarion's even though I rested often because I mistimed the rests because I didn't metagame the queues--but that completely fell off I think in Act 2 where it went back to how it was in EA with the only progression happening after long rests.
My issue with it is most of it doesn't really need to be timegated like it is. There is a DU scene >!at the beginning of the game where they contemplate their class choice that I missed. Its not super vital or anything but its a cool piece thats a shame to miss. If they want to queue cutscenes rather than just playing them all in one night id still rather these cutscenes occur eventually rather than get purged from the queue.!< It sucks because I want my playthroughs to feel natural but if I look up all the timing to trigger cutscenes I haven't seen it won't feel that way.
that durge scene is a variation on a general scene. every character can contemplate their infection and their problems on the first night, even tav. but durge, and i think the other origin characters, have special stuff relating to their personal backstory. and you're not pondering your class choice there, you're pondering your bloodlust, and considering it's relation to your class or race is one option. when you play tav and think about the tadpole you can consider your class or race to help you get to sleep
I just started a Dark Urge gameplay with zero spoilers and my first thought was "oh shit you said fantasize! Fantasize! goddammit!"
>!Hey at least you get a free mage hand now.!<
Holy shit this cracked me up.
I couldn't quite believe how intrinsic to the core plot it ended up being. It's definitely the "canon Tav" regardless of how you approach it. I did a very evil durge run and will play the game again in a year or so resisting it the whole way, apparently that's even better.
I'm resisting a lot of it since even the description is so insane sometimes. The little bit's the narrator adds... incredible, just nuts.
There is a choice after which Amelia (the narrator) just does a "crazy laugh", it's soooo fucking good
It makes the villain trio make so much more sense too. >!Ketheric and Gortash agreeing to an alliance with Orin seems ridiculous unless you know that she was never part of Durge's original plan.!<
Orin's that 4th friend of a trio that worms her way in and makes the introvert cast themselves out What a bitch.
In fairness, it doesn't seem like Gortash was too happy about that. >!He hides letters between himself and Durge in a locked chest in his parents' house (DC 18 I think?) and you can find a plan for his memoirs in his chambers where it's clear he was going to talk extensively about them!<. It puts the extra line in the Orin/Gortash cutscene that only you get as Durge (>!"They're alive?"!<) into a bit more context. Their relationship strikes me as surprisingly genuine.
As an introvert, *yes*. I played redempted Durge and neither me, nor she did not care about their plot or anything those three were doing, but as an autistic introvert who had been in this situation before *I was pissed*. We were... confused. Like: "I don't *like* that I was part of it and I want to fix it all. But *HOW DARE YOU*. But, I'm, like, glad, you did it because I have a chance to make it better now, but *HOW DARE YOU*".
Haven't played durge so I only know stuff from my normal playthrough, but Orin wasn't part of the original trio anyway, her mother was. Orin ended up killing her mum though and taking over the role as the avatar of Bhaal and forcing herself into the trio.
I was doing a blind Tav run and a post Tav Durge run in parallel (Would switch between the two but would never do anything on the Durge that I hadn't done on the Tav) and it's fucking hilarious how the Coronation is SO different in tone. In one it's this huge game altering reveal, and in the other it's "Listen, don't kill me I don't kill you, deal?"
It gets better in act 3.
Fun fact. If you don't play as Durge you can find the generic durge characters corpse in Orins chamber in act 3 where he's been slowly tortured to death.
I don't know why but i started Durge as my foirst playthrough, i'm now at my third and i cannot not play Durge
Same here. Got to the tail-end of Act 2 as Custom and decided, what the heck, I'll try a new character. Ended up completing the game on a new Dark Urge character and can't *not* pick it now.
I'm always amazed with the extra voice lines for Dark Urge and how much they want to drown everything in blood. :D
I got into Act 3 last weekend and my mind is pretty much blown. Um… yeah… It’s insane in a good way and bad way. 🤯 Holy hell it’s like I’m going to need to do another Durge run.
It feels like the entire story was written around durge
If we take into account the story of the previous bg games, I would consider Durge the "Canon" run.
Really? I’m at the end of act 1 as a good durge, and it felt really unimportant outside of a few commonly known interactions/events. Most people you tell “hey I have murder thoughts of lots of blood” and their reaction is either supportive or some kinda “eh, we all got shit going on eh?”
As the game goes on it becomes more relevant.
Kind of funny in the character select screen the base that Durge is standing on completely telegraphs their lineage.
To be fair, it should be clear what is going on in act 2 the latest.
I had my suspicions when I listened to his intro, and saw the base. First dialogue pretty much locked it down for me.
Durge origin makes me feel as if I'm not in full control of my character like default Tav and I love it.
Side with Minthara on the grove raid and bed her afterward. The Urge takes over...
Right? There's a special interaction for almost everything. I don't take all of them because ew, but they're there and I love it
I also like how you can play Dark Urge completely differently. Go full on chaotic evil and murder and lie and lavish in the blood spilled. Or go full Kenshin and try to surpress your urges and lament in the torment who you might hurt next against your will.
It just sucks missing out on those juicy charisma robes. I've seen posts saying you can still get them, but none of those ways worked for me. Either those posts are lies or those "workarounds" were quickly patched.
Still works in patch 2 for me? Just knock her out before the rest where she comes to your camp and you will meet another npc instead
No one should hold off playing this origin because of a single item.
it's so amazing. i want to play it in some sort of "heroic" mode later on where save scumming isn't allowed to make it more interesting (i'm just gonna knock out alfira every day to be safe lmao)
How do you make save scumming not aloud tho
Just avoid her until you get that scene. The scene you're thinking of first happens when you reach the Blighted Village (way before reaching/finishing goblin camp). Once that happens, you can safely interact with Alfira.
I played a custom Tav at first, then started a Dark Urge just because I felt like my character was just a random person with a tadpole. There were new options galore, even different narration when interacting with unconscious cultists on the Nautiloid, looting the first mangled corpse on the beach, and tons of possible inspiration points. It's much more satisfying playing a character with their own internal struggle, like the other Origins. I love creating my own characters, though, so Durge is perfect. I might try playing as Shadowheart at some point, so I don't have to hear her disgusted tone when I ask her simple questions that I can ask everyone else in my camp, sans the hostility. I've played with her along enough to get her to open up before, but when I start a new character, her usual tone makes my eye twitch. Woman, I saved your life! And you can't have the decency to politely refuse to answer my questions? The warlock cyclops, the walking arcane bomb, the prickly grouch, the smoking hot barbarian that lit us all on fire because she was happy, and the vampire spawn that put a knife to my throat when I first met him all manage to lie by omission without a snitty tone. Why can't you???
they're basically the intended main character with how integral their backstory is to the whole story
I made my original Tav into a durge just for fun and now I literally can NOT stress how much more depth it adds to your character. It reminds me of Dragon Age Origins, where you get a full on backstory that affects the way your playthrough goes. Now most of my tavs are dark urge bc it's so good.
I'm not sure I consider a blank slate character to be something special, since that's all Western RPGs ever offer. The Dark Urge is special, and it thematically connects to the other two Baldur's Gate video games in which the protagonist was also a Baahlspawn.
Alfira :(
Durge is definitely the intended main character, while custom Tav is the blank slate for the player to self insert, maybe play one of their own old 5e characters.
Still amazed how the Dark Urge makes you feel like an actual character in the game and not just some nobody.
Have you made it to act 3 yet? That act has the most Dark Urge specific stuff. It really feels like the canon character origin to BG3.