Baldur's Gate 3 is known for its vast options for storyline progression. While the Dark Urge is the poster character for an evil playthrough, there are a few stand-outs characters from the Origin cast who fit seamlessly into a dark narrative. Players might be naturally drawn to Astarion or Lae’zel for a villain playthrough, considering their alignments lie on the eviler side of the table. Shadowheart’s internal conflict can swing both for or against Shar, offering an interesting direction for the player to balance. However, players may not initially consider Wyll for their walk on the dark side.
Wyll is a folk hero, written in a way that follows the path of someone who tries to always do what is right in any situation. His selfless act that cemented him as the Blade of Frontiers has sealed his fate within the Hells. Even with the devil, Mizora, whispering into his ear, he remains virtuous to a fault. When playing as Wyll, many of the decisions that Wyll would never make become optional. This opens the door to a Wyll that a Tav or other BG3 Origin character playthrough would never witness.
Related
The latest Baldur's Gate 3 update gave players access to the Paladin class, empowered by the sacred Oaths they keep and the Oaths they break.
Shifting Wyll’s Alignment Has Less Effect On The Game
Wyll Is Written To Be A Hero
Each companion has a moment where they can lean towards an alignment based on their relationship with the player character and the player’s own alignment. Lae’zel’s loyalty to Vlaakith, Shadowheart’s devotion to Shar, Gale’s aspiration to Godhood, and Astarion’s hunger for power; each fork in the road can be influenced by the player and given to the companion to decide for themselves. Wyll lacks this urgency, having his decision based entirely on the player’s whims, unaffected by past actions and their relationship. This odd development choice makes Wyll’s internal journey even more suitable as a player, rather than a companion.
No matter what happens throughout the game, Wyll’s persona and outlook remain relatively stable. He will protect the weak, scour the world for evil, and stand against tyranny – that is his characterization without any room for altering. Even if warlock is generally considered a class for a character with fewer heroic aspirations, Wyll’s backstory explains his decision to partner up with a devil and the power he obtained can, and will, only be used for good if he has anything to say about it. If the player is controlling Wyll, however, he has much less to say about it.
Each companion has a certain relationship point meter in a numerical value on their Detailed View page. Their approving or disapproving reactions to the player's actions will determine how likely they are to align with Tav or be convinced by their arguments.
An Evil Wyll Offers A New & Interesting Dynamic
Wyll Has The Potential To Be Deceitfully Evil
Having a Wyll who condemns the Druid Grove to the mercy of the goblin horde or sacrifices the Last Light Inn for his own growth in power shows a character consumed by the tendrils of Mizora’s influence. Mizora is even impressed with Wyll’s direction in life if he chooses to leave his father, Ulder Ravengard, in Gortash’s hands and expresses it with some unique dialogue. The decision is always the player's to make, whether playing Wyll or any other character, but allowing Wyll to make the decision brings more urgency to the character – such a giant choice should be his.
What makes an evil Wyll run worth the time is the fact it throws the entirety of Wyll’s set characterization out of the window. It can be a refreshing take on Wyll to explore the story with a version of him who is not so obsessively good, reaching an ending to Baldur's Gate 3 with his position of Duke secured and either standing alone or with a mischievous devil by his side. On the surface, Wyll appears to have the least alternative routes to his journey. With a bit of imagination and love for Tiefling hunting, an entirely new Wyll can be born for the player to steer through Baldur's Gate 3, deceiving the world into believing he is a hero.
Baldur's Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur's Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
RPG
- Franchise
- Baldur's Gate
- Platform(s)
- PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-2 Players
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical Only
