Baldur’s Gate 3: 10 Essential Tips for an Evil Playthrough

In Baldur’s Gate 3, your journey through Faerun is entirely shaped by the choices you make. From your character’s backstory to their moral compass, everything is in your hands. Whether you wish to be a noble hero or a malevolent villain, the game allows you to follow your own path.

While choosing the Dark Urge origin is the most direct route for an evil playthrough, you don’t need to select this option to embrace your darker side. No matter which origin you pick, there are plenty of ways to make cruel and ruthless decisions throughout the game. Here are 10 key tips for an unforgettable evil playthrough.

Spoilers ahead for Baldur's Gate 3.

10. Save the Evil Path for a Second Playthrough

As tempting as it is to dive into an evil playthrough, it’s best to avoid doing so on your first run. Choosing dark and violent options right away can cut you off from important content, such as valuable quests, companions, and loot.

To fully experience all the game has to offer, consider playing through once as a hero. Once you’ve completed the game, you can then start a second playthrough as a villain and compare the differences in storyline, items, and outcomes.

9. Opt for the Dark Urge Origin

While evil choices are possible in any origin, the Dark Urge storyline is tailor-made for a truly malevolent experience. As the Dark Urge, your character has no memory of their past but possesses an overwhelming drive to kill, leading to extra cutscenes and brutal dialogue options.

This murderous backstory makes evil decisions almost inevitable. While it’s not necessary to play as the Dark Urge for an evil run, it certainly enhances the roleplay experience with additional narrative depth.

8. Corrupt Your Companions

Certain companions, like Wyll and Karlach, will abandon you if you lean too far into evil. However, others will stick around as you descend into cruelty, and you can even guide them toward darker choices.

For instance, let Astarion ascend in place of his master, Cazador, and encourage Shadowheart to embrace her faith by killing the Nightsong and her parents. Leading your companions down a wicked path will make your playthrough even more sinister.

7. Recruit Minthara

Minthara, a Lolth-sworn drow and Paladin of Vengeance, is the embodiment of cruelty and power. She is one of the most evil companions you can recruit, driven by her desire to secure dominance for herself and The Absolute.

While it’s possible to recruit her without becoming a villain, the easiest way to earn her favor is by siding with her in the slaughter of the tieflings at The Grove. Her thirst for bloodshed and pragmatic approach to power make her an ideal ally for your dark playthrough.

6. Strike a Deal With Auntie Ethel

Auntie Ethel is a recurring villain in the game, but if you’re playing as an evil character, she can become a powerful ally. At the end of your battle with The Hag, she offers you a choice: let her live in exchange for a power boost, at the cost of the life of her captive, Mayrina.

An evil character would gladly accept this offer, gaining a +1 to an ability score. Wyll, if he’s in your party, will call you a monster for this decision, further solidifying your villainous reputation.

5. Hunt Down Karlach

One of the more heartless decisions you can make is to hunt down Karlach, trading her life for The Infernal Robe, a powerful item. This choice is not only wicked but also graphically brutal, as you decapitate Karlach and display her head as a trophy.

Karlach cannot be revived after this act, and you lose her as a companion, but the sinister nature of the decision makes it one of the best for an evil playthrough.

4. Side With Nere in Grymforge

True Soul Nere is one of the most despicable characters in the game, a slaver and racial supremacist. When you reach Grymforge, you have the option to either rescue or abandon him, but an evil character would undoubtedly side with him.

By helping Nere, you betray the slaves who had pleaded for your help in their rebellion, turning your back on them for personal gain. This brutal act of betrayal adds another dark layer to your character's pursuit of power.

3. Let the Snake Kill Arabella

One of the most shocking moments in an evil run comes when you allow a tiefling child, Arabella, to die. After being caught stealing, she is threatened by the druid Kagha, who sets a poisonous snake upon her.

Instead of intervening, an evil character would remain silent, watching as the snake bites and kills the child. This chilling decision not only solidifies your role as a villain but also deepens the moral depravity of your playthrough.

2. Side With Glut in the Underdark

In the Myconid colony, you’ll meet Spaw, the peaceful leader, and Glut, an ambitious myconid seeking power. Glut asks for your help in overthrowing Spaw and taking control of the colony.

For an evil character, siding with Glut and betraying the myconid colony is the perfect choice. The violent takeover and massacre of your peaceful hosts further cements your path of darkness.

1. Betray the Tieflings and Zevlor

One of the most devastating evil choices in Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in The Grove during Act 1. Instead of defending the tiefling refugees, you can turn against them and side with the goblins, led by Minthara.

By opening the gate to the goblins, you unleash a slaughter upon the defenseless tieflings. Zevlor, in disbelief at your betrayal, watches in horror as you massacre the unarmed refugees. After the carnage, you celebrate with wine among their lifeless bodies. This act is so evil that several companions, including Wyll, Halsin, and Karlach, may leave your party.