Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 players are being plagued by the NPC Naaber, whose attachment to the player goes beyond life itself.
- The game is set 100 years after Baldur's Gate 2 and follows the player as they are abducted by Illithids and infected with a tad-pole-like organism, threatening to turn them into a Mind Flayer. Players must prevent the invasion while searching for a cure.
- Naaber, similar to Oblivion's Adoring Fan, overwhelms players with dialogue and follows them relentlessly. Even death won't stop Naaber from communicating with the player, though enduring his presence may be worth it in the end.
Baldur's Gate 3 officially launched on PC this month, following nearly three years of Early Access. The title's launch was highly successful with Baldur's Gate 3's Steam record potentially set to surpass that of Hogwarts Legacy. However, one NPC, who was revealed in the days leading up to release, is plaguing players with his adoration. This character, Naaber, has reminded many players of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion's Adoring Fan, who became infamous for his love of the player and commitment to staying by their side. That said, Baldur's Gate 3's Naaber might have The Elder Scrolls' Adoring Fan beat, as his attachment to the player appears to transcend life itself.
Baldur's Gate 3 adapts Dungeons and Dragons 5e to a video game setting and takes place nearly 100 years after the events of Baldur's Gate 2. Baldur’s Gate 3 begins with the player abducted while aboard a nautiloid, a ship used by the series' main enemies, the Mind Flayer-like Illithids. Throughout the game's extensive narrative, players are tasked with preventing the Illithids from invading Faerun. However, that is easier said than done, as the Illithids have infected the player with a tad-pole-like organism that has infected their body, threatening to turn them into a Mind Flayer. Players must thwart the Illithids' plan while searching for the cure before the infection progresses too far.
The Adoring Fan and Naaber Are A Unique Brand of NPC
Fans of The Elder Scrolls series are likely familiar with Oblivion's Adoring Fan. Players unlocked the Adoring Fan after becoming Champion of the Imperial City's Arena. The Adoring Fan was an eerily cheerful adolescent NPC, who would become a relentless follower of the player. While the Adoring Fan offered constant support and commentary, in an attempt to positively reinforce the player, he outright refused to fight in combat. Players have found a variety of ways to kill the Adoring Fan. However, the NPC would eventually respawn at his death site, catching up to the player eventually.
Baldur's Gate 3 features a similar NPC to the Adoring Fan, the "adventurer to be" Naaber. The NPC was announced on Baldur's Gate 3's official Twitter page, alongside a behind-the-scenes trailer. The Baldur's Gate series has a history of overly chatty NPCs, each featuring a similar name. Like both Noober and Neeber before him, from Baldur's Gate 1 and Baldur's Gate 2 respectively, Naaber overwhelms the player with dialogue and will follow them relentlessly, once spoken to. Should players attempt to silence or ditch Naaber, he will find them, disregarding any dialogue meant to dissuade his commitment to the player.
Naaber's Commitment to the Player Transcends Life Itself
Players will likely come up with increasingly hostile methods through which to relieve themselves of Naaber's non-stop chattering, played by veteran streamer Cohh Carnage. However, the Baldur's Gate 3 team jokes that "for legal reasons" they do not condone pushing him into a river as one of those methods. In fact, developers have confirmed that death will not be enough to stop Naaber's pestering, as he will simply keep communicating with the player. While Naaber will no doubt become the bane of many players' experiences, veterans of the Baldur's Gate series know that enduring his verbal onslaught may be worth it, in the end.
Baldur's Gate 1 and Baldur's Gate 2's Noober and Neeber rewarded players with experience if they could stand the characters' presence for long enough. Baldur's Gate 3's Naaber may be no different. However, it appears that putting up with Naaber will be much more difficult than NPCs from prior franchise entries. Fans who wish not to deal with Naaber can try and avoid making contact with the NPC. However, there may be more to the character than first appears, leading fans to potentially miss out on something much more significant.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC and launches September 6 on PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S port also being in development.
