Baldur's Gate 3 Players Unveils Wacky Character Encounters

Larian Studios celebrated Baldur's Gate 3's anniversary by unveiling fascinating player statistics, offering a captivating glimpse into player choices and gameplay styles. The data, shared on X (formerly Twitter), reveals everything from romantic entanglements to bizarre in-game escapades.

Romance and Relationships in the Forgotten Realms

The statistics highlight the significance of romance in many players' Baldur's Gate 3 journeys. A staggering 75 million companion kisses were recorded, with Shadowheart receiving the most (27 million), followed by Astarion (15 million) and Minthara (169,937). Act 1's celebratory night saw 32.5% of players choosing Shadowheart, 13.5% opting for Karlach, and 15.6% choosing solitude. By Act 3, Shadowheart's popularity soared, with 48.8% experiencing her final romance scene, compared to 17.6% with Karlach and 12.9% with Lae'zel.

A significant number of players also pursued less conventional romances. 658,000 players engaged in intimate encounters with Halsin (70% in human form, 30% bear form), while 1.1 million experienced romance with the Emperor (63% in Dream Guardian form, 37% with mind flayer tentacles).

Whimsical Adventures and Unexpected Encounters

Beyond the main narrative, players indulged in a variety of quirky activities. 1.9 million players transformed into cheese wheels, 3.5 million visited friendly dinosaurs, and 2 million freed Us from the Colony. Surprisingly, 3,777 players, including Dark Urge characters, found a way to spare Alfira, leading to an increase in lute rock within the game.

Animal companions also garnered significant attention. Scratch the dog received over 120 million pets, while the Owlbear Cub received over 41 million. A curious 141,600 players attempted to pet the Emperor's cat—the same number who completed Honour Mode.

Character Creation and Class/Race Preferences

An impressive 93% of players created custom characters, showcasing a strong preference for personalized heroes. Among pre-made characters, Astarion (1.21 million players), Gale (1.20 million), and Shadowheart (0.86 million) were the most popular choices. Interestingly, 15% of custom characters were based on the Dark Urge.

Paladin proved to be the most popular class (nearly 10 million players), followed closely by Sorcerer and Fighter (over 7.5 million each). Other classes, including Barbarian, Rogue, Warlock, Monk, and Druid, also enjoyed considerable popularity. Elves were the most chosen race (over 12.5 million), followed by Half-Elves and Humans (12.5 million each). Tieflings, Drow, and Dragonborn also exceeded 7.5 million selections.

Specific class-race combinations also emerged as favorites. For example, Dwarves favored Paladins (20%), while Dragonborn leaned towards Sorcerers. Halflings preferred Bards and Rogues, reflecting their in-game traits.

Epic Achievements and Story Outcomes

The statistics also highlighted significant gameplay achievements and story choices. 141,660 players conquered Honour Mode, while 1,223,305 playthroughs ended in defeat (76% of whom deleted their saves, 24% continuing in custom mode).

In terms of story endings, 1.8 million players betrayed the Emperor, 329,000 convinced Orpheus to remain a mind flayer, and 3.3 million killed the Netherbrain (200,000 with Gale's sacrifice). A remarkably rare outcome saw 34 players experience Avatar Lae'zel's self-sacrifice after rejection by Vlaakith.

The anniversary statistics paint a rich and multifaceted portrait of the Baldur's Gate 3 community, showcasing the diverse and engaging ways players have experienced the game. From grand victories to humorous mishaps, the journey through the Forgotten Realms has been truly unique for each player.