I’ve been diving into the lore surrounding Baldur’s Gate and Dungeons & Dragons, and I’m intrigued by the game’s portrayal of deities. It seems like there are quite a few gods referenced throughout the game, but many of them aren’t available as patron deities for players. For instance, we hear about the Oak Father, whom Halsin worships, or Maglubiyet, the goblin god, yet you can’t choose them. I also noticed the absence of Maïlkki, the goddess of forests, especially in Act 1 when you meet a lot of druids. Why aren’t these gods included in the game?
3 Answers
It’s also worth noting that not every god fits neatly into the game’s story. For instance, interactions with certain deities could create awkward scenarios for characters, like Shadowheart having to deal with another cleric of her god, Shar. The narrative has to mesh, and bringing all the gods in would complicate things unnecessarily.
Furthermore, providing too many options for patron gods could overwhelm players, and Larian might not have had the full rights to reference every god from D&D lore. They probably chose to focus on the most relevant ones to ensure a smooth gaming experience.
The absence of many gods in Baldur’s Gate 3 is largely due to practical limitations. There are over 100 gods in the Forgotten Realms, and adding them all with unique dialogues and cutscenes would be a colossal task for the developers. Imagine the workload! So, they selected a number that they could handle while still creating an engaging story.
Totally get that! It’s a huge universe with so much lore. They probably had to narrow it down to keep the story focused.
Exactly! Some gods would just clash with the game’s tone or the characters’ backgrounds. It’s about balancing lore with gameplay.