Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 features several returning characters from previous titles, creating a sense of continuity and nostalgia for players.
- Characters like Jaheira, Sarevok, Viconia, Minsc, Volo, and Elminster have made appearances in previous games and now make a return in Baldur's Gate 3.
- These returning characters offer unique abilities, personalities, and storylines, adding depth and familiarity to the overall experience.
Baldur's Gate 3, as its name suggests, is not the first of its kind. Many Baldur's Gate titles predate the recent release, going back 25 years. Given the sheer amount of adventurous content taking place in and around the same city on the Sword Coast, players are likely to have noticed a handful of recurring characters.
Some of these returning characters are consistent in their purpose and alignment, while others shift between companion and villain. This acknowledgment of previous characters making a repeat appearance doesn't include religious figures such as Bhaal or Shar, since their existence is a central theme for the lore of Baldur's Gate and the Forgotten Realms, and consequently, they are mentioned regularly.
Jaheira
Jaheira is a pragmatic, acerbic half-elf and a member of the elusive Harper faction, dedicated to balancing the forces of good and evil across Faerun. She first became acquainted with players at the beginning of the Baldur’s Gate saga, going on to feature in the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion. Then, Jaheira appeared in Baldur’s Gate 2, in both Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. She can also be found in Siege of Dragonspear, an expansion for the Enhanced Edition of Baldur’s Gate.
This feisty character, being born a noble but having been raised by druids, embodies both these facets with her abilities. Jaheira has many druid spells, but also combines them with some Fighter abilities, making her a mean opponent all around. Her appearance has changed slightly over the years, as her hair color has ranged from blonde to brown to white. She is available in Baldur’s Gate 3 as an official companion after helping her in the Last Light Inn.
Sarevok
Sarevok Anchev was a former Bhaalspawn and the main antagonist in the first Baldur's Gate game. He aimed to start a war between Amn and Baldur's Gate, all with the intent of pleasing Bhaal, the Lord of Murder and his patron god. He was killed by his own brother in an epic final battle, but this wasn't the end of Sarevok. The player confronts him once more in Shadows of Amn, where he appears as a wraith. Even after this, Sarevok refused to accept his just afterlife, chaining his soul to Bhaal's pocket dimension, the Throne of Blood.
In Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal, Sarevok becomes a companion to the player, beseeching his brother to help him reincarnate as a mortal man. If the player wants, they can undertake the painstaking task of reforming Sarevok and changing his Chaotic Evil alignment, but this doesn't seem to have a permanent effect going forward. No longer a demigod, he eventually makes his way into Baldur's Gate 3 as judge of the Murder Tribunal. If the player chooses to, they will have to battle Sarevok once more, and this time, there is no indication that he survives.
Viconia DeVir
Viconia DeVir starts out in Baldur's Gate as a companion, recruited in Tales of the Sword Coast. Wanted for a brutal set of murders, the player's decision to fight alongside the drow inevitably hurts their reputation with the authorities. Viconia also appears as a companion in Siege of Dragonspear, having since shown great interest in Lady Shar, the goddess of darkness. In Baldur's Gate 3, Viconia is revealed once more during Shadowheart's personal campaign, and her ultimate fate lies in the hands of the player.
Minsc
Minsc is an impetuous but good-natured human whose muscles far outmatch his intelligence. He's a Berserker from Rashemen and, when first encountered during the events of Baldur's Gate 1, is on a journey to manhood wherein he hopes to prove himself a worthy warrior to his people. Minsc has been available as a companion fairly consistently, also appearing in Siege of Dragonspear and Baldur's Gate 2, both in Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal.
One of his most defining traits is his pet 'space hamster' called Boo, who never leaves his inventory. In Baldur's Gate 3, he can be a companion if spared by the player in an encounter with some Bhaalist cult members. He doesn't have a romance option, and there are multiple avenues within the game where he can become hostile and attack players out of sheer impulsivity, which is odd given his Neutral Good alignment.
Baldur's Gate 3 Build Makes the Monk Insanely Fast
A Baldur's Gate 3 player creates a build that makes their Monk insanely fast, showing just how creative players of Larian Studios' RPG can be.
Volo
Volothamp Geddarm is an eccentric bard with a knack for getting into trouble. He appears in the original Baldur's Gate as well as the Enhanced Edition and Throne of Bhaal. He's an adventurer and storyteller at heart, and can provide useful lore hints for players if they're so inclined to read his books or listen to his antics. In Baldur's Gate 3, the player can rescue Volo from both goblins and Absolute cultists, after which he is most grateful, albeit expressed in his own roundabout way. Despite his tomfoolery, Volo does appear to know more than he lets on, particularly with regard to the Absolute.
Elminster
Elminster Aumar, also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, is the founder of the Harpers and perhaps the most famous spellcaster in the Forgotten Realms. He is the chosen of Mystra, the godess of magic, and has lived for hundreds of years. He appears in all 3 Baldur's Gate titles, sometimes going by the name Terminsel, an anagram for Elminster. This witty but secretive character makes for a formidable enemy and an interesting ally, but mostly just offers his advice. In Baldur's Gate 3, he briefly shows up to inform Gale of a rather world-shaking revelation on behalf of Mystra herself.
There are a smattering of references to other returning characters in Baldur's Gate 3, such as the Emperor revealing that he used to be the legendary hero Balduran, but since Balduran is never encountered by the player in any Baldur's Gate titles, it is simply a powerful lore reveal and not a returning character per se. Either way, seeing old friends once more in new games is both intriguing and nostalgic, especially when looking at how they've changed over the years.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC and PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S version also in development.