Now that we’ve played through the amazing Baldur’s Gate 3, we’ve got opinions on the designs from Battle for Baldur’s Gate! Gaby and Tim break down each of the vidoegame’s six companions, their existing card, their personality, and design something new for them!
Lae’zel
[scrycard]Lae’zel, Vlaakith’s Champion[/scrycard]
- Part of the very harsh (often stereotypically evil) githyanki culture
- Upbringing involves killing fellow youths to show mastery
- Rigid hierarchy and rules
- Strength-based character, more about swinging big weapons than using bows/etc
- As a githyanki she has psionic powers to jump far, professor-x style stunning, etc
Our stopping point in the episode:
1WW
4/3
Ward 3
Attack or block alone, gain choice of double strike or flying.
Shadowheart
[scrycard]Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar[/scrycard]
- Cleric of Shar, a god of misery, loss, forgetting
- Shar’s domain involves trickery, invisibility
- She wants to become a dark justiciar which is a ruthless, armored secret agent
- Starts the game with a mysterious artefact that she was sent to receive
- Has had most of her memory stripped to make for a better agent
- Has a mysterious wound on her hand that never heals
Our draft:
3B
Bless – 2W: Target creature gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
Bane – 2B: Target creature gets -2/-1 until end of turn.
Dark Justiciar – Activated abilities of ~ cost 2 less to activate if your devotion to black is five or greater.
2/4
Astarion
[scrycard]Astarion, the Decadent[/scrycard]
- Vampire on the run
- Has to scavenge for blood and/or regularly drink blood from party members
- Super charming and pleasantly derisive
- As a rogue, has a sneak attack that does way more damage if he starts in stealth or attacks someone next to an ally
Our stopping point:
2B
Lifelink
Kicker 1R/W
When ETB, if kicked, deal 3 damage to any target.
At the beginning of your end step, you may destroy target creature that was dealt damage this turn.
3/2
Gale
[scrycard]Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy[/scrycard]
- Happy, adventurous wizard
- Several character beats involve clones of himself
- Has a bomb in his chest that requires feeding
- As a wizard, has a number of “spell slots” a day and then has to drop down to weak spells
Our stopping point:
2U
When ETB get EEE
T, Spend X E: Copy target instant or sorcery spell with mv X.
At end of turn, can sac an artifact to gain EEE.
1/3
Wyll
[scrycard]Wyll, Blade of Frontiers[/scrycard]
- Daring, dashing swordsman with warlock powers
- Is bonded by contract to a devil and gets powers from that
- Son of a powerful noble
- Warlocks in D&D have a couple high power spell slots per fight
- Fiend Warlock gives protection when killing enemies and occasionally manipulates dice
Our stopping point:
1R
When ~ ETB, search your library for a Devil or Demon and exile it.
1R/B: ~ gains the abilities of the exiled card until end of turn.
2/2
Karlach
[scrycard]Karlach, Fury of Avernus[/scrycard]
- Big-hearted barbarian trying to help people
- Spent many years coerced into fighting for Zariel
- Has a powerful “Infernal Engine” in her chest that can be revved up but which also seems to be breaking down and close to failure
- As a barbarian she can “rage” to gain extra strength and abilities
Our stopping point:
Gaby thinks Karlach is a perfect angel and shouldn’t be changed. 🙂