When players boot upBaldur’s Gate 3, either for the first time or for the tenth, they are met with a number of different ways they can customise their character, Tav. Apart from race, class, and all the details of how Tav looks, players can also choose their character’s origin. One origin character bis particularly crucial to the main plot: The Dark Urge (or “Durge” as the character has been colloquially called), a violent entity with an even bloodier backstory.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Dark Urge Explained
The Dark Urge is a mysterious character in Baldur’s Gate 3. Here is a guide to help you understand it.
According to a thread onXfrom Larian Studios, 15 percent of players chose to play as The Dark Urge, as it provides a new, unique experience with the story, the characters, and even some of the romances available.With new narration, dialogue options, and even cutscenes, these are the most compelling romance storylines for those playing The Dark Urge.
There are more than 8 romance options in the game, such as The Emperor and one-time flings, but some don’t offer anything special for The Dark Urge in particular. As such, this list will focus on romance options that have been significantly impacted by playing as The Dark Urge.
Please note: this article may contain light spoilers for certain characters, their romances, and parts of the storyline for The Dark Urge.
Dark Urge Pathway: Redeemed Only
Halsin is one of the few romance options who aren’t an origin character, and unfortunately for him, is also one of the few romance storylines that isn’t really altered by Tav being a Dark Urge character.
As fun as his romance is, players don’t get much in terms of Durge-exclusive cutscenes or dialogue. Most Dark Urge romances (specifically in redeemed playthroughs) have a prominent scene at camp in Act Two. If playersrefuse to kill Isobel, their urges will call upon them to kill the person they love most, and they must be incapacitated before they lose control. It’s an important scene for a redeemed Durge, but it’s impossible to get it with Halsin, as players can’t pursue even anormal romance with him until Act Three.
When getting to know him, any Dark Urge dialogue options actually earn his disapproval, so he’s not the most ideal option for players unless they’re playing a redeemed Durge (and if they confess that they live in mortal fear of krakens, despite having never seen one).
Gale’s romance, normally, is incredibly soft, sweet, and, well — romantic. He tries to continue this with The Dark Urge, but he’s a lot more on edge. He’ll attempt to cover his fears with humour, but he’s still deeply disturbed by Durge, especially after the camp scene in Act Two.
Another barrier comes from the fact that, upon the player finding Gale, they have the urge to hack off his hand. This would prevent him from ever being able to join the party. If the player makes evil decisions (such as raiding the grove), Gale will leave the party (though he could be convinced to stay with a high Charisma roll). However, he does show immense support for a redeemed Durge thatrejects evil influences, enriching the romance in that regard.
Wyll is a character who stands firm in his morals and what he believes in, which is reflected in his heroic actions as well ashis romance. He’s one of the few companions who will outright turn hostile if the player is evil enough, so Dark Urge players have to be on a redeemed playthrough if they wish to romance Wyll. This includes his disapproval ifcoming clean about Alfira.
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That said, once he’s romanced, he’s very sweet and supportive, focusing on heroics and resilience while inspiring Durge to resist. He wants to bring out the best in his partner, and will sweetly encourage The Dark Urge throughout all hardships in overcoming evil, including in camp during Act Two. It’s a very heartfelt experience that can be rewarding for a villian-turned-hero narrative.
Karlach, very similarly to Wyll, requires a good-aligned character in order topursue a romance. Like Wyll, she will leave the party if The Dark Urge invades the Emerald Grove (if the playerfinds herafter the invasion, she will be hostile) or is overall too evil, so her romance is best for a redeemed Durge.
That said, this only enhances the already compelling narrative of her romance. Despite the literal Hells she had to fight out of, she still chooses optimism and fights to live, a powerful inspiration for The Dark Urge. She sees the good, and does everything she can to get the player to see that same good, too. Her dialogue is also golden: Pay attention to her lines during the Act Two camp scene, they’re hilarious.
Dark Urge Pathway: Embraced Only
Unlike the previous romance options, Minthara will onlyromance the playerif they are genuinely evil and continue to make evil decisions. While shecan be recruitedwithout slaughtering the Emerald Grove, it won’t be possible to romance her, so she’s better suited for a Durge that has embraced their urges. She, like Halsin, doesn’t get a camp scene in Act Two either.
That said, she is openly enthusiastic about The Dark Urge, and she is enchanted by theSlayer Formthat can be earned in embraced playthroughs, saying she heard tales growing up in The Underdark. She also has a unique ending, one where she and The Dark Urge both become The Absolute, ruling together in a new age of tyranny. Her romance is fun for a narrative that embraces villainy, where the pursuit of happiness is one and the same as the pursuit of power.
Dark Urge Pathway: Redeemed Or Embraced
The narrative ofLae’zel’s romanceis already compelling, driven by her admiration for strength, ferocity in battle, and direct intimidation, all of which The Dark Urge demonstrates in abundance. She’s flexible in the fact that her romance is compatible with a Durge that’s either redeemed or embraced, depending on the player’s choices regarding Lae’zel’sdedication to Vlaakithor toOrpheus.
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Should she pursue ascension, her romance is ideal for an embraced Durge. If she rejects Vlaakith, though, her romance is better suited for redeemed playthroughs. Both offer wonderful stories, and her confidence during the Act Two camp scene is inspiring. She’s able to sympathise with a redeemed Durge more, especially on the account of their lives being controlled by similar evil entities in Vlaakith and Bhaal respectively.
2Shadowheart
Shadowheart offers one of the mostcompelling romancesin the entire game. With a strong connection to the main story and multiple routes that can be taken with her and her romance, it’s no wonder she is such a popular partner pick. The romance is just as compelling with The Dark Urge, with their embraced/redeemed narrative wonderfully paralleling Shadowheart’s darkness/light narrative.
For players romancing Shadowheart for the first time with a redeemed Dark Urge playthrough, play a cleric of Selûne for the extra treat. Even if she embraces Shar, she has a clear preference for defying Bhaal overall, but she’s consistently sympathetic in dialogue about the pressure they both would feel from their gods.
Also: during the camp scene during Act Two, try to bite her. Her reaction is hysterical.
Astarion’s romancewas built for The Dark Urge.
While playing a normal Tav, Astarion’s romance is stillrewarding despite some difficulty; but while playing The Dark Urge, the romance takes on entirely different, far more compelling themes, depending on the routes taken by Durge and Astarion. He’s in awe of the Slayer in embraced playthroughs and, like Minthara, has a unique ending to become The Absolute with Durge. This doesn’t even factor in the storyline changes whether Astarion becomes theVampire Ascendent.
However, the better story comes from redeemed playthroughs, with the most compelling camp scene during Act Two out of all the companions. He’s also the most sympathetic to The Dark Urge in every way, understanding the horror of losingautonomy of your own body. Redeemed playthroughs are even more enhanced in Act Three, especially upon refusing Ascension and refusing Bhaal.
With Astarion free from Cazador and The Dark Urge free from Bhaal, the narrative becomes a journey of healing and escaping the cycle of abuse rather than repeating it. It shifts into a beautiful love story involving two very hurt individuals with very dark pasts, trying to live and move on in spite of the horrors they were surrounded with. This makes Astarion thebest possible romance optionfor The Dark Urge.
Baldur’s Gate 3
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23 years on from the release of the seminal RPG, Baldur’s Gate 2, the third game in the series has been developed by Larian Studios (of Divinity: Original Sin fame). Set over 120 years after the events of the last game, Baldur’s Gate 3 tasks you and your party of heroes to fight off a mind flayer invasion of Faerun, while seeking a way to remove the tadpole in your brain that’s slowly turning you into the enemy…
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