D&D General BG3 Impact: Players Embracing the BG3 Companions As PCs

[Reynard]

This is mostly curiosity, as I have read a mention here and there online.

In your tabletop D&D games since BG3 came out, have you seen players choose characters similar to or inspired by BG3 companions? And if so, which ones (poll attached).

I will leave it to you to define exactly what "similar to or inspired by" means to you. Feel free to explain that part in the comments.

Also, you can answer from the other side too if you have seen DMs bringing some of these characters or their clones into your games.

Since we are here: do you think this is a good thing? And do you think BG3 was a "good thing" for D&D at your table or tables you have seen?

 

[Chaltab]

Hm... I haven't had any instances of this at all, though I haven't started DMing a new game since well before BG3 launched.

 

[Burnside]

You forgot Minthara.

Currently running for 29 players across 4 campaigns, plus one-shots like one per month or so. Players range in age from 20s-50s; most are in their 30s. I haven't seen any instances of this. I'd say maybe 25%-30% of them have played BG3.

 

[Reynard]

You forgot Minthara.

Added

Currently running for 29 players across 4 campaigns, plus one-shots like one per month or so. Players range in age from 20s-50s; most are in their 30s. I haven't seen any instances of this. I'd say maybe 25%-30% of them have played BG3.

I wonder if it was on those "reddit realities" that does not actually exist i the real world.

I decided to start the poll because I have one player who was considering a Shadowdark like, but ultimately changed their mind.

 

[pukunui]

I am running two games. I am only aware of one of my players being a BG3 fan, and he is currently playing a PC inspired by Ozzy Osborne rather than a BG3 character.

 

[Seramus]

None of them, really. I did see an uptick in people interested in vampire spawn and vampire-like characters, but directed them to the Dhampir race. None of them were trying specifically to be Astarion, though. And to be fair, the uptick in interest in vampire-like characters (and werewolves, etc) always rises and falls depending on the media.

I saw an uptick as Vampire: the Masquerade got popular, and an uptick from Twilight and Underworld.

The last true copycat I had was someone playing a Warforged as Alphonse Elric a few years back.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I am running two games. I am only aware of one of my players being a BG3 fan, and he is currently playing a PC inspired by Ozzy Osborne rather than a BG3 character.

Unleash the dire bats!

 

[pukunui]

Unleash the dire bats!

Izzy Isbourne is a blue dragonborn with the tattoo of a man wearing dark glasses. He happens to be a bladesinger wizard. (This is for my Witchlight game, and the PCs are all performers.)

 

[Reynard]

Outside of players wanting to play thinly veiled versions of the companions, has anyone had BG3 affect their game otherwise?

 

[Burnside]

Outside of players wanting to play thinly veiled versions of the companions, has anyone had BG3 affect their game otherwise?

I've had occasional instances of somewhat less experienced players expecting certain abilities or spells to function more like they do in BG3. For instance, in a game a couple of weeks ago, a cleric tried to "lawnmower" enemies with Spirit Guardians like you can in the game (in the 2024 rules, this spell DOES work like that, but we're using 2014 for that game).

Also seen a couple of people assuming you could cast two leveled spells in a turn as long as one was a bonus action (because you can in the game) or that they could make an off-hand bonus action attack even if they hadn't made a main had attack (same reason).