A familiar face from Baldur’s Gate 2 will be returning in Baldur’s Gate 3, as the Slayer appeared in one of the final trailers for the game. Those who have played Baldur’s Gate 2 know what a big deal that is, as it proves that Bhaal, the Lord of Murder and one of the most powerful evil forces in Dungeons & Dragons, will be part of the story.
In Baldur’s Gate 2, the protagonist is one of the many children of Bhaal, the deceased God of Murder. When the protagonist has their soul stolen, they gain the ability to transform into the incredibly powerful Slayer form, which lowers their Reputation (a stat in Baldur’s Gate 2), but lets them temporarily transform into an engine of pure destruction: a beast worthy of the Lord of the Murder.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: All Races & Classes
The Bhaalspawn Slayer Form Will Return In Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is set a century after the events of its predecessor, and Bhaal is now alive again, having returned through the final Bhaalspawn. While Bhaal is no longer the story’s focus, his presence will remain in the story, as a Slayer appears near the end of the Baldur’s Gate 3 Release Teaser on the official Larian Studios YouTube channel.
One possible reason the Slayer will appear could be due to Baldur’s Gate 3’s new Dark Urge Origin story, which lets you play a truly evil character. The Dark Urge storyline involves the protagonist interacting with a strange, top hat-wearing individual. This person is seen summoning a circle that contains the symbol of Bhaal, so there may be Bhaalspawn content in this route, with the protagonist able to turn into the Slayer if they’re evil enough.
Another possible answer involves a new villain revealed during the final Panel of Hell. This villain appears to be a worshiper of Bhaal, and she may be among a new breed of Bhaalspawn. Either that or the ability to transform into a Slayer is just part of the final battle against her, where she pulls a Sephiroth and whips out an ultimate form to use against your party.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Release Date, Pre-Order Editions, Trailers
Baldur’s Gate 3 is free to carve its own path regarding villains, as the Bhaalspawn Saga has long since concluded, and plenty of other enemies are to be fought in the Forgotten Realms. It would be nice if the Bhaal stuff is contained within one or two storylines but isn’t a major focus of the game, as there are so many other, more interesting directions the game can go with its villains.
