It didn’t take long for Baldur’s Gate 3 players to ask, “What’s next,” as the game doesn’t reach the full scale of what Dungeons & Dragons 5E can offer. Developer Larian Studios is reportedly discussing potential DLC for the game. Yet, there is already a story waiting to be told that exists within D&D, and it’s already connected to Baldur’s Gate.
The reason fans are asking for more Baldur’s Gate 3 content is that the game doesn’t hit high-level play. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a level cap of 12, while D&D 5E goes up to level 20. This means there’s plenty of room for a post-story DLC, similar to what happened with Baldur’s Gate 2 and its Throne of Bhaal expansion.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 2’s Slayer Form Makes Surprise Return In Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus Acts As A Loose Prequel To Baldur’s Gate 3
Spoilers for The Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus D&D Campaign Below
Baldur’s Gate 3 entered Early Access on Steam in 2020, with enough content to let players finish most of Act 1. Fans already had an idea of Baldur’s Gate 3’s backstory, as there is a D&D campaign called Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus, which acts as a loose prequel to the events of the video game.
In Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus, the holy city of Elturel was dragged into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. This was all part of a plot concocted by Zariel, a former angel who once led an invasion into Avernus and was captured and corrupted by the forces of evil. Zariel eventually rose through the ranks and became the Archduchess of Avernus. She became the first line of defense against the invading forces of the demons as the Blood War (the eternal conflict between demons and devils in the D&D multiverse) was fiercely fought in Avernus.
The story of Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus involves the players discovering a conspiracy within the city of Baldur’s Gate to drag the city into the Nine Hells. Once the party has thwarted this plot, they must travel to Avernus, where they find Elturel still standing. This is due to Duke Ulder Ravengard (a character who appears in Baldur’s Gate 3) rallying the defense of the city, as well as the Demon Lord Baphomet sending an army into Avernus, forcing Zariel to pull her forces back from Elturel.
The final goal of Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus is to send Elturel back to the Prime Material Plane, and there are several ways they can go about this. The writers of the campaign heavily support the idea of redeeming Zariel, as characters and items from her time as an angel can be found in Avernus. It’s possible to turn Zariel back into an angel and have her free Eltrurel. If Zariel won’t play ball, then your next option is to depose her, and there are plenty of powerful devils in Avernus who will free Elturel in exchange for your help in booting Zariel off her throne.
Zariel’s Story Could Conclude In Baldur’s Gate 3’s DLC
There are several ways Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus could play out, but Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t settle on any single ending. All we know is that Elturel was freed, but all of the tieflings were exiled from the city, leading to the events of Act 1. Zariel is still the ruler of Avernus, and she is very much an active player in the grand scheme of things, as her servants are major players in the story, and her presence looms over everything that happens.
The fact that Zariel’s fate in Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus is unclear means that the developers of Baldur’s Gate 3 have the perfect storyline to use in DLC. From the cut content in Baldur’s Gate 3, we know that Avernus was once planned to be part of the game, with powerful enemies lingering within the Nine Hells that would act as some of the toughest opponents you could face, so why not finish the job?
The Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC could adapt the latter half of Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus, except without the city of Elturel on the line. Zariel has a major part in the story, so the characters getting dragged into the Nine Hells through one of her plots is feasible, especially if they had any kind of relationship with Karlach or Wyll, as they are tied to the Archduchess. Once there, the goal could be to either redeem Zariel or take her place as one of the Archdevils.
An adventure in the Nine Hells would also fit a high-level DLC campaign. Baldur’s Gate 3 currently has a level cap of 12, while the D&D 5E rules go up to level 20. Avernus is home to all kinds of powerful devils and undead, so there would be plenty of foes for the party to grapple with.
The only question is HOW this story will tie into the story of Baldur’s Gate 3, as there are multiple endings, each playing out differently. One possible way is to load your character into the DLC (or make a brand new one) and have it play out in an alternate timeline, one in which your decisions at the end of the game have yet to occur. This could also involve bringing back your old party members before they made their final decisions in the story, allowing you an alternative ending of sorts, where you go off the path from the main storyline and experience something new.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: When Should You Enter Baldur’s Gate in BG3?
Larian Studios has confirmed that DLC for Baldur’s Gate 3 is being discussed, and the game’s incredible success means that it will almost certainly happen. It’s unclear if the DLC will go all the way up to level 20. Still, a conflict with Zariel in Avernus feels like the perfect way to bring both Baldur’s Gate 3 and Baldur’s Gate: Descent Into Avernus to a satisfying conclusion, with one final battle to determine the fate of Zariel and Tav’s soul.
