Unleashing the Divine: A Comprehensive Guide to the Gods in Baldur's Gate 3

The world of Baldur's Gate 3 is shaped by numerous gods who indirectly influence its events and occurrences. Although they are commanded not to directly interfere in mortal affairs, many gods manage to find ways around this prohibition. From patron deities to the manipulation of the Dead Three, the gods in Baldur's Gate 3 significantly impact the future of Faerun.

Understanding the gods is essential to comprehending the storyline and, particularly when developing an original character to navigate Faerun, knowing the existence of gods and their role in the lore is crucial. This knowledge greatly influences the perspective of the player character, especially if they are a cleric in Baldur's Gate 3. Clerics rely on their patron deities to grant them magical abilities, and maintaining a connection through worship is vital. The choice of which god to worship can influence non-combat dialogue options and provide unique insights into situations that other characters may overlook.

Patron Deities in Baldur's Gate 3

Other Gods in Baldur's Gate 3

Below is a list of the deities that clerics, NPCs, and so forth worship in Baldur's Gate 3's setting.

Selune, the Moon Goddess, is the twin sister of Shar and holds a significant role in Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3 as well as in Shadowheart's story.

Bahamut, the Dragon-God of Justice, is the brother of the malevolent goddess Tiamat.

Tempus - A God of War and soldiers.

Tyr - The God of Law and Justice.

Helm - The God of Guardians.

Ilmater - The God of the Oppressed.

Mystra - The Goddess of the Weave. Mystra plays a large role in Gale's story.

Oghma - The God of Invention.

Moradin is revered by the dwarves and is considered the deity of Smiths, Artisans, and Miners.

Kelemvor, known as the God of the Dead and the Afterlife, bestows his clerics with intriguing understanding during conversations with Withers.

Corellon Larethian - The Creator of the Elves and the head of the Elven pantheon.

Garl Glittergold - The Gnomish God of Trickery and Humor.

Yondalla, the Halfling deity associated with nature.

Lolth, the Spider-Queen who reigns as the goddess of the Drow in the dark caverns of the Underdark. Followers of Lolth bear distinctive red eyes and adhere to a rigid matriarchal hierarchy. Only Lolth-sworn Drow clerics are permitted to worship her, while even giant spiders encountered in the game acknowledge her as their divine patron.

Gruumsh - The Orcish God of Victory.

Tiamat - Sister of Bahamut and almost universally considered one of the most evil gods.

Vlaakith - The githyanki's lich-queen possesses power that equals that of the gods.

Eilistraee - The Moonlight, Dance, and Beauty Goddess. Numerous Drow who reject Lolth choose to follow Eilistraee instead, as she strives to liberate all Drow from Lolth's oppressive rule.

Lathander - The God of Dawn.

Talos - The God of Nature.

Tymora - The Goddess of Luck.

Mielikki - The Goddess of Forests.

All the gods mentioned above grant clerics the ability to wield magic, regardless of the cleric's subclass or alignment in Baldur's Gate 3. However, there are certain restrictions. For instance, Drow clerics who have sworn allegiance to Lolth may only worship her, and non-githyanki races are unable to worship Vlaakith. Clerics will have access to unique dialogue options based on their patron's domain, and NPCs' reactions towards them will vary depending on their perception of the chosen deity.

Withers' Role in Baldur's Gate 3

In addition to the aforementioned gods, Baldur's Gate 3 features other significant deities like Shar, Sylvanus, the Dead Three, and Jergal. Although not open for clerical worship, Sylvanus, also known as the Oak Father and the God of the natural world, is revered by most Druids.

The initial mention of Shar is made by Shadowheart, who reveals that she is a cleric devoted to Shar. Known as the Lady of Loss, Shar is the twin sister of the moon goddess Selune and holds opposing beliefs. Worshipers of Shar are controversial due to their extreme dedication to loss, which inevitably brings about death and destruction wherever their worship is found. This is evident in Act 2, where Shar is responsible for the Shadow-Cursed Lands surrounding Moonrise Towers. Not only does Shar oppose Selune, but her Shadow Weave, a dark form of magic, also opposes the Weave of Mystra, causing disapproval among wizards and other magic-users.

The Dead Three play a significant role in Baldur's Gate 3 and the city's history. United by the theme of death, they consist of Bhaal, the Lord of Murder; Bane, the Lord of Tyranny; and Myrkul, the Lord of Bones. These three were once mortals who achieved godhood. Bhaal, in particular, has been a recurring adversary in the Baldur's Gate series, appearing in both Baldur's Gate 1 and Baldur's Gate 2, and holds a negative reputation in the city.

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Jergal, known as the Lord of the End of Everything, was the predecessor to the Dead Three. It is said that when his position was challenged, he willingly relinquished his role and instead became a seneschal whose duty was to keep a record of the deceased. In an intriguing twist, it is highly likely that the character Withers is actually Jergal himself. In Baldur's Gate 3, Jergal chose to oppose the Dead Three due to their abuse of power and their involvement with the Absolute.

This presumption is supported by the fact that the Dank Crypt where Withers is found likely serves as a Temple of Jergal, as evidenced by the symbols of Jergal within the tomb. Withers poses the question, "What is the value of a single mortal's life?", a query mentioned in a book dedicated to Jergal. Furthermore, Withers possesses the ability to revive companions from the dead, restoring them to full health. By charging gold for this service, he cleverly circumvents the rule that gods are prohibited from intervening in the mortal realm.

Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC, releases on PS5 on September 6, and will release on Xbox Series X/S by the end of the year.