One Baldur’s Gate 3 Class Completely Warps Its Historical Inspiration

Summary Druid is a popular character class in Baldur's Gate 3.

Druids in BG3 are based on ancient Celtic figures, highlighting their versatile and real-world origins.

Druids in BG3 showcase their connection with nature, even if historical accuracy is exaggerated.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been a smash hit, winning the acclaim of both critics and consumers alike. The RPG took home numerous Game of the Year awards in 2023, raising the bar for future games in its genre. Furthermore, the tremendous success of BG3 is a rebuke to publishers who eschew single-player experiences in favor of games laden with predatory microtransactions. Critics have praised the game on nearly every front: gameplay mechanics, art design, and storylines. Also celebrated are BG3's well-crafted character classes, each with their strengths and weaknesses, that work together like a puzzle.

The druid class is interesting, as it is one of the few classes that is modeled after particular, real cultural figures. Every culture has its own version of a cleric, fighter, or wizard. However, druids are a specific nod to ancient Celtic figures who were of great importance to their communities. In BG3, the druid is a popular class due to its versatility and efficiency when paired with the proper subclass. Despite all the fantastical elements the game assigns to them, druids remain a very real and mysterious subject in the annals of ancient European history.

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The Druidic Connection To Nature Is Represented In Baldur's Gate 3

Ancient Celtic Druids Revered The Natural World

Little is currently known about the elusive figures known as druids. The Ancient Celts adhered to an oral tradition, often never committing their myths and customs to writing. The Romans, however, wrote extensively about the Ancient Celts. Since the ultimate goal of the Romans was to conquer the Celts, it's assumed that they didn't always have the deepest understanding of their culture, and often wrote with a bias against it. While not always true to the realities of who the druids were, BG3 uses the little knowledge that is known and weaves real history into its own interesting interpretation.

Actual druids served many roles in Celtic society. Often they were looked to for guidance as priests, with authority in law, education, and history. It's fitting that Wisdom is the primary attribute of the druid class in BG3, as the ancient priests were revered for their intellect and spirituality. They followed a polytheistic belief system, worshiping a multitude of gods – many of whom were entities connected to nature. The druidic connection to nature is a cornerstone of who these figures were, with many of their religious practices celebrating the natural world. BG3 depicts them as such, but with an exaggerated fantasy flair.

Most notable is the druid's ability to shape-shift into various animal forms. Hardly any historical writings claim that druids truly had the ability to morph into animals, but this romanticized idea is based on the druids' reverence for nature. Most claims of shape-shifting came from their Roman occupiers, who often depicted the druids as fearsome figures. BG3 makes this ability central to its druid class with Wild Shape, especially when implementing the Circle of the Moon subclass. The Wild Shape action is one of the most notable features of playing this class, allowing the player to transform into a myriad of wild beasts.

Baldur's Gate 3 Adds Fantastical Elements To Fill The Historical Gaps

Druidic Mystycism Makes For Good Fantasy Characters

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Where BG3 strays the most from true druidic practice is in the depiction of them as warriors. In most situations, druids had no direct involvement in combat. They were certainly sought out for their counsel, but any militaristic involvement would have been in an advisory role. Given their status in Celtic society, they would have ranked above the warrior class, and most archaeological evidence supports this. They were too important to the fabric of Celtic society to risk dying on the battlefield. As so little is known about these mystical figures, sensational elements often fill the blanks in pop culture.

For cultural figures about whom so little is known, the mythos of the druid lives on in pop culture. Neo-druidism is a thriving faith that adapts the practices of the druids for the modern era, honoring their cultural heritage. Games featuring druids like Diablo, World of Warcraft, and Baldur’s Gate lean into the mystery of these figures. While greatly exaggerated, nearly all maintain the druidic connection to the natural world. One can't help but wonder how these Iron Age sages would react to their modern depiction. Baldur's Gate 3 may warp druidic history in some ways, but their legend lives on regardless.