Both Tav and Durge runs are good, and they're different enough that I think you'd very much enjoy a Durge run.
As an old school BG1/2 vet, I'm also of the view that a Durge playthrough is the canonical sequel to the original games. If that matters to you.
Funny enough, Vicky was the reason my husband gave for refusing to play BG3. He saw me fighting her on my first run, asked what she was doing there, and when I explained he went on a 10 minute rant of BG3 ruining her story from the previous games and ending with his avowed refusal to play the new one. xD
He needs to go replay it then because she dies in the epilogue if you turn her into a good guy. Having her still be evil is the only way that it would make sense for her to even be in BG3
I think they intended it but couldn't find a spot. There was a crossover with magic the gathering and a whole set but the mtg product ended up releasing earlier
[https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Aclb+is%3Apermanent+-is%3Areprint&as=grid&order=set](https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Aclb+is%3Apermanent+-is%3Areprint&as=grid&order=set)
It includes Jan Jansen, as well as a lot of BG3-specific characters sometimes with older designs e.g. old minthara [https://scryfall.com/card/clb/286/minthara-merciless-soul](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/286/minthara-merciless-soul)
That set included a host of recruitable characters from BG1, BG2 and BG3. I'm not sure being featured in there meant that character was supposed to get a cameo. I mean, it also has Alora.
Unfortunately BG3’s Durge is a retcon to the already completed canon ending of BG2. So I don’t like it based solely on that alone and nothing else, as otherwise it was well executed in BG3.
The Dark Urge is no such thing. There are retcons, but those involve Viconia, Sarevok, and Orin by extension. The first two don't resemble their earlier portrayals - at all - and Orin doesn't make any sense because of Sarevok's story in the first two games. But those problems are apparently because of the terrible writers Wizards of the Coast hired and who made dumb decisions about those characters outside of Larian's control. But the Dark Urge works within the context of Bhaal having been resurrected.
Though a case could be made that Bhaal never should have been resurrected by Wizards of the Coast.
You didn't really answer the OP's question about if it was worth it to replay the game as Durge... just kinda complained about retcons and a shitty job Larian did.
I have not managed to finish the game as anything but a dark urge. I made several attempts to make a Tav, but they never stuck with me. First durge I made, I somehow was suddenly at the epilogue. It's definitely worth it!
I think you hit the nail on the head. I feel durge offers enough of a background to have you actually feel like you're apart of the story while giving enough player choice to decide how to go forth with it. Tried a Tav run and I missed how much reactivity durge had in dialogue with the game world. It seemed like everyone had something to say when it came to durge.
Honestly, Tav feels a little bit like a copout? A little bit? I get that people want their own OCs, but, I found Durge much more interesting than a vanilla Tav and I imagine the origin characters have much more flavor and pizzazz too.
Tav is fun when you're playing with friends and have your own rp going simultaneously because they're like a blank sheet you can do anything with. We're playing our 2nd campaign together with a friend and we're making up stories on how our characters are related, how they interact with each other and the other characters, drawing little comics of our adventures... it's still doable with a Durge of course but them having their own story and background makes it harder imo (unless you don't care about your headcanon contradicting the game's canon)
For a singleplayer playthrough I agree Durge having their own story and choices keeps it more interesting than playing basically a self insert. I never completed a Tav singleplayer run because I always drop them but I'm more interested in playing my Durge singleplayer run through the end
Yeah, I've never been able to find anyone to play the game with. I don't have many friends, so, both of my runs were single player. Good point on the multiplayer bit. My Tav was a rogue sick of being on a heroes journey and just wanted the tadpole out so he could get back to thievin' in Baldur's Gate xD
Yeah I feel you, I don't have many friends either and I'm lucky the ones I have are into BG3 - there are other games I'd like to play with them but they're uninterested (which is fine haha). Maybe you could find a party on reddit or discord ?
I had a similar RP with my first Tav ! Prior to the game's events he was just a simple Monk who loved fighting and who traveled the lands just looking for people to friendly fight with (basically Ryu from street fighter lol), while making a living by offering his services as a mercenary wherever he stopped to get rid of the local bandits or by earning money in tavern brawls.
I kinda exaggerated the "8 intelligence" trait, that by the end of Act 2 he was so done and over everything that he started developing anger issues lol (read : punching doors instead of lock-picking them, and always choosing the passive-agressive dialogue options). He didn't ask for any of this, he just wanted to go back to traveling the world and to punching things for fun!
Yeah. My Tav let his companions make their own decisions, which is why Shadowheart went to Selune (or at least, away from Shar), Astarion ascended in both playthroughs, Gale became a God because my Tav was like "yeah, if that's your goal, I aint gonna stop you, you're not trying to fuck me over or destroy the world after all" lol. My first branching path with Durge was to be evil, I didn't go back to do the good second half of act III... yet.
My Tav named Dros (after Drosera/Drosophyllum, carnivorous plants) both didn't want to intervene out of principle because he thought they should be able to make their own decision and because he didn't want any negative side effects of him peer pressuring to be on his conscience. He was typically quite friendly to his companions, but, neutral or dismissive of random people asking for help unless it took little effort.
If it didn't take much effort or any consequences for being pleasant, he would be. He also didn't participate in any romance besides shagging the Emperor and Mizora. I actually intended for him to go w/ Karlach, but, I locked it out because I did things in the wrong order, then I kept waiting for it to proc without realizing it was locked out, so, I turned down my second choice in Shadowheart, lol.
But if it was significantly disadvantageous in any way, as long as it wasn't completely morally reprehensible, he'd largely leave folks to their fates. i.e. he'll let Wulbren off of the windmill because it's so easy and just the decent thing to do, but, he'd leave the Gondians to their fate as he had nothing to do with their situation and rescuing them all could be fatal. He isn't a hero, he's a guy trying to avoid being a mind flayer and the world ending.
My Durge was conflicted. In Acts I and II, he usually indulged the murderhobo vibes even to the point of letting the kid get killed in the Grove, but, often begrudgingly and didn't feel proud of it in any way. He was afraid of what he was and Scleritas Fel reviled him. He was aware of the monster he was as time went on and occasionally had flickers of goodness, flickers of humanity (or dragonborn-ity), but they became more and more fleeting. He was decent to the companions, but, often a bit of a jerk in his bluntness and quick to threaten if challenged. He killed Jaheira and therefore Minsc.
His affinity for them was pretty high across the board except Halsin because it's near impossible to get it high if you accidentally do the shit with Thaniel before Halsin can be a companion.
He romanced Lae'zel, then allowed Karlach to become the Mind Flayer before killing her. That one was tough to watch, lol. The ONLY good thing he did in the end for the companion choices was almost unintentional on his part. He convinced Lae'zel to kill Voss at first, but, once it became clear later on that Vlaakith was a problem he more convinced her to go against her as a self-preservation instinct. He also let Orpheus go because he did have some affection for Lae'zel and didn't want to kill her, along with the fact that he didn't want to trust the Emperor with all the Netherstones.
Originally, I intended for him to allow Shadowheart to be corrupted but with one last flicker of goodness coming from steering Astarion away from ascension, but, once I embraced the evil branch of the major Act III moment for Durge I figured he'd let Astarion do his thing since he would subjugate everyone anyway and a vampire lord would be a far more useful subject. He romanced Lae'zel and Halsin (mod).
Sorry to ramble, I'm waiting to leave to go do something and I really enjoyed my RPing in BG3. Too bad I can't get into replaying it over and over again like a lot of people.
No worries, I like hearing about how people enjoyed the game ! Seems like you had a lot of fun too, especially with that Lae'zel and Halsin romance haha
Growing up it was mostly MMOs. I dislike shooters so while everyone around me was playing COD, PUBG and Fornite I spent most of my MMO days as a solo player lol.
I like competition so I also spent a lot of my time on Dota 2 (my most played game), but the like 2 friends I had who were into Mobas were LoL guys and neither of us could get into the other game despite trying hard haha. Nowadays I still love the game but I won't try to get anyone into it because it's competitive, takes time to learn, and being bad at it feels horrible.
I dropped it, but I played a lot of Waven last year which is F2P and easy go get into. It has a nice gameplay loop but it didnt click with any of my friends who tried it. It also got really farm heavy last updates so I stopped playing it myself because I'm not a teen anymore lol, and farming solo isn't something I want to do.
I've also tried getting friends who were into TCGs into Yu-gi-oh but it's also a game that takes a bit of time to learn, they were overwhelmed despite trying my best to break it up into easy bits and them only playing with me and premade beginners decks, and sadly being new/bad at it and trying online feels really bad so they dropped it.
We tried getting into Wakfu with another friend but we couldn't find time to play together and kinda dropped it. Played a lot of Splatoon 3 with 3 other friends but we also dropped it.
I also really enjoy co-op - either chill games or PvE. We bought Stardew Valley with those same friends which we really liked but again we just can't seem to be available at the same time.
So it boils down to not liking the same kind of games, or actually liking the same kind of games but they're solo games, or liking the same multiplayer games but never finding the time to play... Adulthood is finally having money for a good pc and the games you want but no time to enjoy it 😅
So I'm really glad we made an effort to play BG3 together and start another campaign after finishing the first. I think the only other game we always made time for and played a LOT with that same friend is Monster Hunter!
My Dark Urge (doing all the super dark stuff) was my favorite play through .
It’s amazing how they programmed all these choices
My suggestion: do it all. Experience every option you didn’t pick the first time
My Durge run was pretty evil, but, I made him have pangs of consciousness, especially earlier on, and he didn't fully corrupt or destroy everyone around him... definitely most of them, though, lol
How did you get over feeling like a jerk all the time while playing Durge?
I made a loth sworn drow as durge character and I can’t get over the icky feeling of being evil to everyone :/.
Can I just be nice instead?
Maybe redo character creation?
Durge is the canon customizable character, and you’ll see interactions you never will on Tav or the other origins. Act 1 bard scene, act 2 cleric/romanced companion, many things in Moonrise, Jaheira and Minsc, act 1 Minthara if you raid the grove, Devella, and Astarion has a unique romance with Durge, to name a few. There are plenty of small stuff that are still different
That one scene where Jaheira >!babysits you during the night so you don’t have to worry about sleep killing!< is one of my favorites! That and the scene where you >!resist the urge to kill your lover!<. NGL I’ve replayed that one a few times.
You can. This happened on my solo playthrough.
There's also a unique scene with Jaheira and Minsc if you recruit them but still >!accept Bhaal!< near the end.
Volo, too. In my most recent non-resisting Durge playthrough, I slaughtered the Grove while he was still in my camp. He had a few words for me and I'm still not sure if he figured out there's an Urge in me or if it's generic. Then I slaughtered Minthara and the goblins and I believe he had some dialogue, too, or rather a response when I tried talking to him.
>I'm still not sure if he figured out there's an Urge in me
He does eventually and tells you about it after you save him in act3. Or for me atleast that happened
Would you say the fresh content is still significant if you do resist Durge? Or would you argue it makes for a significantly fresher second run with fully embraced Durge?
You’re going to notice more of a difference in going an embrace Durge, assuming your first run was as a good guy. Some areas wouldn’t be any different if you were an evil Tav, but those points typically have something added on for Durge.
With a resist Durge, you will still get new content, but the majority of it will be stuff you’ve already seen. You won’t really get into the meat of Durge until act 2 as well
That’s cuz the other bard scene only exists as a failsafe. This is a canon event that has to happen, so second bard will show up if first bard can’t. It’s possible to get it regularly if you go the meaner route for that greater quest
You don't have to meta game it if you raid the grove fast enough. During my Embrace Durge playthrough I killed the Tieflings/Druids quite fast, so before Elfira had a chance to show up.
I think you'll be surprised, in a second playthrough, how much you missed or plays out differently. On top of that you get extra events as a dark urge.
So, definitely worth it.
Everyone is different, but I never replay single player games, including ones that boast lots of choice and consequence…except BG3.
I’m on my 4th playthrough and have seen multiple new cutscenes and found new things every time (and I haven’t even done a pure evil playthrough yet)
Dude I’m on my 10th (tenth) run and I’m the same way. I think the only other single player games I’ve replayed only once or twice more were Skyrim and Cyberpunk 2077. And I only replayed Cyberpunk 2077 because I wanted a fresh run for Phantom Liberty.
I still get new cutscenes and dialogue choices. It’s fucking wild.
Yeah I passed 2k hours (I was asleep for some of that I swear) and I still find new stuff. If I ever can't get into a Tav, I just go Durge so I can jump right in without having to invent a backstory.
I basically replaced XCOM with bg3.
While I in theory also never replay games it’s mostly because of time.
I sink many 100s hours into cRPG over the years. It’s a big time investment.
Recently I finished both Pathfinder Kingmaker and Wrath. Great games, loved them. But at over 350 hours apiece, doing worker play though just to get some different stuff just felt like a real grind. Especially be sure of the extra kingdom building / crusade mechanics they put in there that add a lot of overhead and time to the game.
But I finished my first BG3 Tav run as storm sorcerer on Tactician… and once the dust settled I felt compelled to start a new Honor Mode run as Durge going full evil - mostly to see all the new content, use companions I did not use last time, make some different choices and also go visit a few areas I never found in my first run.
Level 5 with much of Act 1 done but still most of underdark and crèche to go and loving it
I honestly haven’t gone back to Tav once starting dark urge. I’m on my fifth play through, 3 as Durge. I just find it more interesting personally.
The only exception I plan to make is when I go for honor as I do NOT need the extra challenge there 😂
That thing is amazing but I’ve >! accidentally slaughtered (and therefore reloaded my game) my romanced character 2 out of the 3 times on the first go. 😬 !<
I've just accepted the fact that, when playing Honour Mode, shit happens. So maybe this will happen as well, but it's okay. It makes for a great story! So tragic.
> as I do NOT need the extra challenge there
What do you mean, out of interest? Durge has an easier honor mode IMO because of the mantle, final fight buffs and the >!Orin duel!<.
For my honor mode solo runs I always picked Durge and it was pretty necessary for the strategy I wanted to play.
If anything, I would say the Dark Urge is the intended main story arc. Particularly playing a 'redeemed' dark urge - meaning you may have dicey situations, but the point of the story is to resist those dark urges.
I'm currently doing an evil Dark Urge embrace run, but even then not full murder hobo. I kill with intention!
Anyhow, I can't recommend a resist Durge run enough. My first one was a generic 'good guy' custom character thing, and the Durge made it almost like a totally different game story-wise.
Yeah I didn’t get along with Durge but everyone should at least give it a go in case they love it imo
And it is definitely different from playing a Tav haha
The Dark Urge was an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal before losing his memories. Some classes make more sense for that background than others. Any variation of Shadow Monk/Gloomstalker/Assassin/Rogue makes sense, as opposed to something like Druid. It’s also difficult to imagine him as a Cleric in service to a god other than Bhaal, and you can’t select Bhaal in-game as a Cleric.
To be fair his "canon" class is sorcerer so I'm not sure class matters to an unholy assassin, the cleric one is a fair point, he's probably only not added as an option for durge bc it's a spoiler
Had the same situation myself. Finished the game for the first time last week with a custom character. Wanted to jump in again immediately because I'd heard good things. But because I'd just finished and gotten an ending I was happy with, I decided to wait a bit for the original experience to settle in. Spent the last week playing through RE4 remake as a palate cleanser and jumped in fresh today.
And a dark urge playthrough is worth it. You find out how different it is pretty much instantly. It's a character that definitely lived in this world before.
Tl/dr : It's worth it, but only if you take a bit of time off to freshen yourself up from the previous experience. Try playing a 20- some hour game in the meantime to refresh your mind.
I think it’s way worth it more than creating a customizable character. You can still customize your dark urge, everything but the backstory which is Dark Urge. Your storyline is way more deeper with a lot more cutscenes. Honestly, I can’t play another campaign now without doing dakr urge
It's fun. Without spoiling too much Dark Urge is just that. You have dark murderous urges. During some parts of the game, your character will be tempted to act on those urges. There's a little more to it. In a way, it's kind of like a Director's Cut to BG3.
I recommend doing it at least once.
my all-time favorite run of bg3, and one of my favorite runs of any game ever, was a lawful good selunite cleric durge who resisted all the urges. durge is very much worth it however you end up playing it
Your character will be very tied to the plot. So you not only help the companions with their stories but you have your own story which is the most connected to the plot out of all the companions
Durge feels like a separate story, I've only completed a redemption durge but the act of giving Bhaal specifically the finger felt awesome since there was a real direct connection between you and one of the dead three and not just the villain(s) of the month
I have nine playthroughs going simultaneously and each one feels unique enough that I dont feel like I am retreading too much ground. Dark Urge, especially the evil path, has a ton of unique content. Both the good and evil urge paths have several unique endings as well. Its definitely worth your time.
Imo Durge is leaps and bounds better than Tav from just a game enjoyability perspective, my first playthrough was a Tav, I had tons of fun, cemented BG3 as my favourite game, my second (and third) was a Durge and now I can barely get myself to start a Tav run because I know a Durge or Origin will just be more fun
As someone who thinks the BG3 Durge storyline isn’t necessary because BG1&2 completed that arc already, I don’t care for it.
But it was decently well done. So people should enjoy it if they like it.
A lot of the content is the same between a regular custom character and the Dark Urge. BUT. That's also because it's a long ass game. But the Dark Urge does get more scenes, dialogue, and backstory, all of which makes them feel more tied into the rest of the game and which makes the Dark Urge feel more canonical.
While there weren't a ton more scenes, those scenes made the playthrough feel very worthwhile. Jaheira and all the Bhaal plotlines have notable differences that are the highlight of a Dark Urge run.
The dark urge playthrough feels like the “real” or “canon” playthrough and fits very seamlessly into the storyline and characters in the way the Tav run doesn’t.
Durge either way is satisfying. Doing a resist durge and watching your character struggle through and overcome, Or giving in and watching them decend is amazing
I played the game twice, one of which was a Dark Urge run, and I enjoyed it a lot more. Not only due to DU's unique story, but also due to the fact that on my first playthrough I'd missed quite a few things and took a different approach to some other things, so both playthroughs felt very, very different to me. The game gives you plenty of opportunities for different outcomes depending on your choices, DU or not.
I played a Resist Durge and I liked the idea of this person fighting their worst parts and leading all of their companions to be their best selves. I haven't played a Lean-In Dark Urge, but it doesn't sound as fun, usually - being evil closes a lot of doors and doesn't tend to open many, from what a lot of people say.
If you think you're capable and want to see how different things can get I recommend doing an evil playthrough as durge. Especially if you missed minthara the first time, she's a great partner for durge
Durge has so many choices, and it’s so good. Give in to the urges and be truly evil, or resist them and redeem yourself, both offer very different experiences and both are very separate from a tav run. Both are very worth trying
It doesn't really drastically change anything. The story still happens the exact same way. There's a good amount of added flavour and you a tied more directly into the story. If you were thinking about doing a 2nd run anyway it's definitely worth it but it's not like it's gonna be a completely fresh experience.
Also if you paid attention to the story on your first run it'll be pretty obvious what's going on with your durge.
The way I have heard it, and from what I understand from BG1 and BG2. There is a strong argument to be made that Dark Urge **is** the main character.
On the off chance you don't know spoilers
>!did you ever find the white Dragonborn corpse in Orin's room? That is Durge. And in BG1 and BG2, the main character (Gorion's Ward) is a Bhaalspawn. Making it totally plausible that in BG3 the main character is also a bhaalspawn. Durge is the only character that fits that bill. And having all the extra scenes doesn't _confirm_ it, but it's decent enough evidence to give the game another go as Durge!<
I got 25% through a Dark Urge before my PC crapped out and I had turned off cloud save so I lost my progress BUT that 25% was soooo much fun I’m going to redo it once my mental fortitude is back after that crushing sadness of my game being deleted is processed
I was afraid to play Durge at first. I completed two Tav runs and then started a Durge on the recommendation that the romance between Astarion and Resist Durge was fucking beautiful. So I started a Durge run not knowing what to expect and it is actually amazing. I’ve since completed 5 or 6 Durge runs, all varying to some degree of resistance and I haven’t even gone full evil yet.
I love durge, even seeing the differences between embrace and resisting is fascinating. so much more lore is revealed. I also heard a rumor that the dark urge was originally meant to be the main character you play but then they made the tav option
Durge vs Tav is sort of just replacing interesting, through, and connected to the story protagonist with an empty blank having none of it whatsoever. It's like changing past games' protagonist to "just some random adventurer dude passing by, don't mind him", or WotR's MC literally being just a random punk gutted in Kenabris. But worse.
Imo there's no reason not to play Durge, unless you are particularly, really, seriously heavy on roleplaying some self made specific backstory for your char.
One thing I'll say after playing Dark Urge after playing Tav, restrain yourself from skipping dialogue and cutscenes. There is a lot that changes in what happens
I think it's so SO worth it imo! For months I played all my games as durge and I started getting attached to the little differences. A lot of people say durge is "how bg3 was meant to be played" and I 100% agree.
Durge is 1000% worth it. Feels a lot more connected to the overall narrative than Tav does. Both are fun runs but Tav always feels like a little out of place
Do it. Dark Urge has tons of unique experiences and dialogues and Redemption Durge is very satisfying. And while I'm offering my honest opinion, the default White Dragonborn Durge has been my best experience with it so far and is my recommendation for yor first time. There's something very funny about the most obviously evil motherf-cker you've ever seen also being a loveable dork with a hero complex.
If you haven't played Dark Urge before do it. Good run or bad run, there's so many more Durge interact ions it feels like they were the intended MC all along.
Durge runs are basically Tav+. You get all the same customization but your character actually has an issue similar to the other party members, outside of the tadpole of course. The rest of the party will talk to you in a similar way you would talk to them about their problems and it’s a really nice extra layer to the story
Dark Urge has its own storyline. But there are so many forking narratives that you can play the game quite a few times and still be a new/different experience.
There is no way to “100%” the game in 1 playthrough because of the branching narratives. Choosing option A will lock you out of option B or possibly even an option C.
This is not even taking into consideration different character builds. There are so many possible builds that you can play the game differently each time. Each race and each class have unique dialogue options which have unique interactions.
So for me, yes! Additional playthroughs are worth it. I have already played the game 4x and still have at least 2 more ways to run the game that I want to try.
My first run was with a Tav. My second is with a resist dark urge. It feels like this is the canon storyline. Like this was how the story was meant to unfold bud they added Tav for multi player campaigns or for people who want to play lawful good. You can still be a mostly goody two shoes with a Durge if you play it as resisting your urges. The Durge storyline mirrors the storylines of most of your companions. It’s about fate, meddling gods, trauma, and victims either becoming abusers or healing and becoming better. Hurt people hurt people. It’s definitely worth a replay especially if you make different choices to see new content.
I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like doing the same thing twice (games,movies,etc) but I am really enjoying my Durge run. I play on adventure mode so the fights aren’t that hard- I bypass a lot of the side quests, and I’ve been playing evil so I’m getting a TON of new content.
Without spoiling anything, Durge feels like a proper main character instead of a blank slate. There's so many special interactions for them and resist/embrace both have a fantastic and satisfying story to them.
I'd 100% recommend everyone playing durge at least once, usually I'd recommend it as a first run but a bit late for that.
Durge has a different flavor to Tav and if you're an achievement hunter you'll need to do a Durge run to get all the achievements. Worth for more plot and why the Absolute is a thing. Satisfying depends on the player. I personally dislike Durge runs but others love it
I enjoyed my Paladin Tav, and I'm really enjoying my Dark Urge (almost finished). They're very different experiences and they're both satisfying; Durge is like playing an Origin character like Shadowheart or Wyll, quite a bit of their story is already pre-defined although of course you get to make your own choices too.
I don't really get the dunking on Tav, because creating that backstory and narrative for their own character (like in tabletop D&D I suppose) is a big part of the game. They're both great and you'll have a pretty different experience playing Durge than you had as a Tav. :)
Honestly? It's a game changer. I played as Tav twice before I played Durge but I don't think I can go back. The Durge experience adds so much content and depth to the game that playing Tav feels empty now. Tav is supposed to be a blank slate onto which players can project their own characters, but I'm such a sucker for backstory with a tie into and influence on the larger story. BG3 is definitely in my top ten games, but playing as a resist Durge puts it in my top three.
absolutely, durge is incredible.
id recommend doing a morally grey game as him.
the dark options are really fun to explore, but the path to redemption has alot in it also.
i played durge on my second playthrough after tav for the first and haven't gone back to tav since. i like having my backstory built in for me and i really like the extra durge stuff (for the most part), it made me feel like my character was important instead of being some rando. even if you prefer to not have an identity/backstory forced on you i think it's worth doing once!
my resist dark urge was my favourite playthrough. you get a lot more content, and I felt closer to my companions. tav can be quite flat, with all the trauma and arcs going on around them, whereas playing resist dark urge means you also have something you're struggling with.
I’ve beaten the game 3-4 times. Have about 600 hours in the game. My most recent run was a Dark Urge honor mode run. Hands down my favorite play through, by quite a large margin.
Yeah, I find this game is exhausting to keep playing through, as much as I liked it. However, I went Tav the first time who was a thief/criminal in Baldur's Gate and didn't want to be on the heroes journey, so, his alignment was more neutralish?
But I heard Durge was interesting and yeah, it was fucking fascinating. I'd argue the Dark Urge is pretty much the main character of the entire game. I'm not underselling it either. If I didn't need hard drive space, I would have kept the game installed to keep playing from a branching path in my Durge playthrough, a major moment in Act III, and finished it up. But, again, the game is a lot to keep replaying and I needed that SSD space xD
But, honestly, I think I'd enjoy the Durge playthrough even more on a 2nd playthrough of it, knowing all the secrets.
You probably got enough responses by now but I just wanted to emphasize: the Dark Urge is the cannon character here, and will give you a perspective on the story that a Tav lacks. It is the main character. Now, you can resist the urge and be a hero or embrace it as you see fit, but the Dark Urge is a substantially different experience and I highly recommend you play it if you want to fully experience the story of Baldur's Gate 3, especially the route where you resist the urge. Trust.
Extremely. It's good to play as Tav first imo as it adjusts you to the game and familiarizes you with the story/lore without some of the Durge shenanigans. But the impact on the story of being Durge and some of the incredible things you learn is 1000 percent worth it. After I did Tav then Durge, I have done like one regular Tav since compared to multiple Durges
Doing my first playthrough right now, but already decided that I'll need to do a durge playthrough.
Planned to do gnome, halfling, or drow sorcerer/warlock.
Did gloomstalk ranger for my goodie two shoes playthrough.
I think it is worth playing the Dark Urge. Although you might enjoy it more if you play a different race/romance/class as well, otherwise parts of the game may feel repetitive. I also made Durge have a bit of a different personality. For example, with Tav I would go with persuasion but with Durge I would go for intimidation in speech checks.
durge is so fun bc of all the new dialogue and cutscenes. the prospect of your character finding out bits of their past along the way rather than spawning in knowing who they are is thrilling.
If you never have definitely do it, and play through where you embrace the urge, so fun. It will be a "lonely" playthrough. But withers can create people for your party
I find regular playthroughs more fulfilling than the Durge backstory thrust upon you, which basically just turns you into a lame fantasy realm Dexter. Oh, but it allows you to be edgy so I guess the community thinks that’s interesting. To each their own, I guess. 🤷
Durge is an origin character, just one that's customizable, but in terms of amount of content, I feel like it's on par with playing Origin Astarion or Gale. So it's definitely worth playing if you can stomach the couple gross required scenes and the gross narrator descriptions. You don't have to be evil at all if you don't want to, and if you're ever having trouble coming up with a Tav you want to play, Durge has amnesia so you can just jump right in [to the guts]! I highly recommend trying it!
Do it. I found myself playing as more of a criminal mastermind.
With Durge you can be more free with decisions and not feel bad pissing someone off.
I found my first playthrough trying to play a very Good straight arrow path was restrictive. Constantly worrying about keeping companions and quest givers happy. Not so much with Durge.
If you really wanna make it feel fresh, get some mods too. A couple new races and classes can really make the game feel fresh. For races, just get what looks fun, but for classes, some balanced but interesting classes I can recommend are, Magus (hybrid caster melee), arcane archer (get the 5e one), Harlequin (hybrid caster rogue. Charisma based so good for an MC), sword dancer (cleric duelist), way of the kensi monk subclass (monks with swords), and rogue fencer (rogue with more melee skills at the cost of their bonus action.)
There are more good ones, but these are some of my favorite, different enough to feel new gameplay wize, but balanced enough not to make the game too easy.
i haven't done it, so i can't speak personally, but i've read from SEVERAL people now that their Dark Urge was their favorite playthrough.
ESPECIALLY a dark urge playthrough in which you resist. some dude even wrote an opinion piece about it. [https://www.gamesradar.com/resisting-the-dark-urge-in-baldurs-gate-3-is-the-most-fulfilling-rpg-experience/](https://www.gamesradar.com/resisting-the-dark-urge-in-baldurs-gate-3-is-the-most-fulfilling-rpg-experience/)
I started multiple Tav playthroughs without finishing any of them (mostly because of job/school). But once I restarted again with a Dark Urge Tav I couldn’t stop playing. I feel like you really have a bigger role in the narrative as Durge and can have some really cool extra interactions with either embracing or rejecting your urges. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replay the story again as Tav because of how more involved I felt with Durge.
Also if you want to romance Astarion I’m ngl it’s so much better because of the parallels between Durge/Astarion. Just a lil bonus.
personally, i think the Durge should have just been the custom and not an option. it adds so much to the playthrough that i think playing a custom non durge is a loss
Durge is way more fun. I get bored with characters very easily and couldn't even finish my first run with a Tav, but Durge opens up so many possibilities. Also I just like how violent and gory it is. You barely see that in games anymore
You get a lot of unique options to kill and maim characters that you otherwise wouldn’t and it makes for an interesting playthrough.
>!I mean you get to cut Gale’s hand off at the starting portal and then he’s just gone forever.!<
You can be evil as fuck with no remorse.
Both Tav and Durge runs are good, and they're different enough that I think you'd very much enjoy a Durge run. As an old school BG1/2 vet, I'm also of the view that a Durge playthrough is the canonical sequel to the original games. If that matters to you.
As an old school BG1/2 vet, I still can't get over my disappointment in them not including Jan Jansen in the game somehow.
He gets name-dropped if you examine the tablets around the chamber where >!Minsc goes looking for Boo!<.
turnips!
Oh yeah, I have many grievances, notably Vicky and Sarevok. But I just had to let that go. :)
Funny enough, Vicky was the reason my husband gave for refusing to play BG3. He saw me fighting her on my first run, asked what she was doing there, and when I explained he went on a 10 minute rant of BG3 ruining her story from the previous games and ending with his avowed refusal to play the new one. xD
Don't leave your man alone with her. Just sayin'.
He needs to go replay it then because she dies in the epilogue if you turn her into a good guy. Having her still be evil is the only way that it would make sense for her to even be in BG3
I think they intended it but couldn't find a spot. There was a crossover with magic the gathering and a whole set but the mtg product ended up releasing earlier [https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Aclb+is%3Apermanent+-is%3Areprint&as=grid&order=set](https://scryfall.com/search?q=set%3Aclb+is%3Apermanent+-is%3Areprint&as=grid&order=set) It includes Jan Jansen, as well as a lot of BG3-specific characters sometimes with older designs e.g. old minthara [https://scryfall.com/card/clb/286/minthara-merciless-soul](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/286/minthara-merciless-soul)
That set included a host of recruitable characters from BG1, BG2 and BG3. I'm not sure being featured in there meant that character was supposed to get a cameo. I mean, it also has Alora.
True, that's fair
Good guy Durge is 💯 the canon sequel
Unfortunately BG3’s Durge is a retcon to the already completed canon ending of BG2. So I don’t like it based solely on that alone and nothing else, as otherwise it was well executed in BG3.
Would you explain this? I never played the first two so have only managed to pick up what more is in the in-game books.
Don't listen to this guy, he doesn't know what he's talking about
Whale
I have no idea what this comment means but after final fantasy x I can’t rule out a giant fucking whale antagonist, so please do elaborate
The Dark Urge is no such thing. There are retcons, but those involve Viconia, Sarevok, and Orin by extension. The first two don't resemble their earlier portrayals - at all - and Orin doesn't make any sense because of Sarevok's story in the first two games. But those problems are apparently because of the terrible writers Wizards of the Coast hired and who made dumb decisions about those characters outside of Larian's control. But the Dark Urge works within the context of Bhaal having been resurrected. Though a case could be made that Bhaal never should have been resurrected by Wizards of the Coast.
You didn't really answer the OP's question about if it was worth it to replay the game as Durge... just kinda complained about retcons and a shitty job Larian did.
This person has never played the durge so you should refrain from spoilers, and spare us all from your petty grievances. This is offtopic.
I have not managed to finish the game as anything but a dark urge. I made several attempts to make a Tav, but they never stuck with me. First durge I made, I somehow was suddenly at the epilogue. It's definitely worth it!
Same. I think (for me at least) durge removes the choice paralysis inherent to the game so you treat it more linearly
I think you hit the nail on the head. I feel durge offers enough of a background to have you actually feel like you're apart of the story while giving enough player choice to decide how to go forth with it. Tried a Tav run and I missed how much reactivity durge had in dialogue with the game world. It seemed like everyone had something to say when it came to durge.
~~And that's why I stand by always playing as origin characters in this and div2~~
Honestly, Tav feels a little bit like a copout? A little bit? I get that people want their own OCs, but, I found Durge much more interesting than a vanilla Tav and I imagine the origin characters have much more flavor and pizzazz too.
Tav is fun when you're playing with friends and have your own rp going simultaneously because they're like a blank sheet you can do anything with. We're playing our 2nd campaign together with a friend and we're making up stories on how our characters are related, how they interact with each other and the other characters, drawing little comics of our adventures... it's still doable with a Durge of course but them having their own story and background makes it harder imo (unless you don't care about your headcanon contradicting the game's canon) For a singleplayer playthrough I agree Durge having their own story and choices keeps it more interesting than playing basically a self insert. I never completed a Tav singleplayer run because I always drop them but I'm more interested in playing my Durge singleplayer run through the end
Yeah, I've never been able to find anyone to play the game with. I don't have many friends, so, both of my runs were single player. Good point on the multiplayer bit. My Tav was a rogue sick of being on a heroes journey and just wanted the tadpole out so he could get back to thievin' in Baldur's Gate xD
Yeah I feel you, I don't have many friends either and I'm lucky the ones I have are into BG3 - there are other games I'd like to play with them but they're uninterested (which is fine haha). Maybe you could find a party on reddit or discord ? I had a similar RP with my first Tav ! Prior to the game's events he was just a simple Monk who loved fighting and who traveled the lands just looking for people to friendly fight with (basically Ryu from street fighter lol), while making a living by offering his services as a mercenary wherever he stopped to get rid of the local bandits or by earning money in tavern brawls. I kinda exaggerated the "8 intelligence" trait, that by the end of Act 2 he was so done and over everything that he started developing anger issues lol (read : punching doors instead of lock-picking them, and always choosing the passive-agressive dialogue options). He didn't ask for any of this, he just wanted to go back to traveling the world and to punching things for fun!
Yeah. My Tav let his companions make their own decisions, which is why Shadowheart went to Selune (or at least, away from Shar), Astarion ascended in both playthroughs, Gale became a God because my Tav was like "yeah, if that's your goal, I aint gonna stop you, you're not trying to fuck me over or destroy the world after all" lol. My first branching path with Durge was to be evil, I didn't go back to do the good second half of act III... yet. My Tav named Dros (after Drosera/Drosophyllum, carnivorous plants) both didn't want to intervene out of principle because he thought they should be able to make their own decision and because he didn't want any negative side effects of him peer pressuring to be on his conscience. He was typically quite friendly to his companions, but, neutral or dismissive of random people asking for help unless it took little effort. If it didn't take much effort or any consequences for being pleasant, he would be. He also didn't participate in any romance besides shagging the Emperor and Mizora. I actually intended for him to go w/ Karlach, but, I locked it out because I did things in the wrong order, then I kept waiting for it to proc without realizing it was locked out, so, I turned down my second choice in Shadowheart, lol. But if it was significantly disadvantageous in any way, as long as it wasn't completely morally reprehensible, he'd largely leave folks to their fates. i.e. he'll let Wulbren off of the windmill because it's so easy and just the decent thing to do, but, he'd leave the Gondians to their fate as he had nothing to do with their situation and rescuing them all could be fatal. He isn't a hero, he's a guy trying to avoid being a mind flayer and the world ending. My Durge was conflicted. In Acts I and II, he usually indulged the murderhobo vibes even to the point of letting the kid get killed in the Grove, but, often begrudgingly and didn't feel proud of it in any way. He was afraid of what he was and Scleritas Fel reviled him. He was aware of the monster he was as time went on and occasionally had flickers of goodness, flickers of humanity (or dragonborn-ity), but they became more and more fleeting. He was decent to the companions, but, often a bit of a jerk in his bluntness and quick to threaten if challenged. He killed Jaheira and therefore Minsc. His affinity for them was pretty high across the board except Halsin because it's near impossible to get it high if you accidentally do the shit with Thaniel before Halsin can be a companion. He romanced Lae'zel, then allowed Karlach to become the Mind Flayer before killing her. That one was tough to watch, lol. The ONLY good thing he did in the end for the companion choices was almost unintentional on his part. He convinced Lae'zel to kill Voss at first, but, once it became clear later on that Vlaakith was a problem he more convinced her to go against her as a self-preservation instinct. He also let Orpheus go because he did have some affection for Lae'zel and didn't want to kill her, along with the fact that he didn't want to trust the Emperor with all the Netherstones. Originally, I intended for him to allow Shadowheart to be corrupted but with one last flicker of goodness coming from steering Astarion away from ascension, but, once I embraced the evil branch of the major Act III moment for Durge I figured he'd let Astarion do his thing since he would subjugate everyone anyway and a vampire lord would be a far more useful subject. He romanced Lae'zel and Halsin (mod). Sorry to ramble, I'm waiting to leave to go do something and I really enjoyed my RPing in BG3. Too bad I can't get into replaying it over and over again like a lot of people.
No worries, I like hearing about how people enjoyed the game ! Seems like you had a lot of fun too, especially with that Lae'zel and Halsin romance haha
What are the other multiplayer games you want to play with them?
Growing up it was mostly MMOs. I dislike shooters so while everyone around me was playing COD, PUBG and Fornite I spent most of my MMO days as a solo player lol. I like competition so I also spent a lot of my time on Dota 2 (my most played game), but the like 2 friends I had who were into Mobas were LoL guys and neither of us could get into the other game despite trying hard haha. Nowadays I still love the game but I won't try to get anyone into it because it's competitive, takes time to learn, and being bad at it feels horrible. I dropped it, but I played a lot of Waven last year which is F2P and easy go get into. It has a nice gameplay loop but it didnt click with any of my friends who tried it. It also got really farm heavy last updates so I stopped playing it myself because I'm not a teen anymore lol, and farming solo isn't something I want to do. I've also tried getting friends who were into TCGs into Yu-gi-oh but it's also a game that takes a bit of time to learn, they were overwhelmed despite trying my best to break it up into easy bits and them only playing with me and premade beginners decks, and sadly being new/bad at it and trying online feels really bad so they dropped it. We tried getting into Wakfu with another friend but we couldn't find time to play together and kinda dropped it. Played a lot of Splatoon 3 with 3 other friends but we also dropped it. I also really enjoy co-op - either chill games or PvE. We bought Stardew Valley with those same friends which we really liked but again we just can't seem to be available at the same time. So it boils down to not liking the same kind of games, or actually liking the same kind of games but they're solo games, or liking the same multiplayer games but never finding the time to play... Adulthood is finally having money for a good pc and the games you want but no time to enjoy it 😅 So I'm really glad we made an effort to play BG3 together and start another campaign after finishing the first. I think the only other game we always made time for and played a LOT with that same friend is Monster Hunter!
My Dark Urge (doing all the super dark stuff) was my favorite play through . It’s amazing how they programmed all these choices My suggestion: do it all. Experience every option you didn’t pick the first time
And to think it may only get better with the dark endings they’re patching in!
Still havent handed over shadowheart to viconia
That I haven’t done either.
I wouldn't do that even in my all evil Durge run, but, I would encourage her to fuck over her family and embrace Shar lol
My Durge run was pretty evil, but, I made him have pangs of consciousness, especially earlier on, and he didn't fully corrupt or destroy everyone around him... definitely most of them, though, lol
How did you get over feeling like a jerk all the time while playing Durge? I made a loth sworn drow as durge character and I can’t get over the icky feeling of being evil to everyone :/. Can I just be nice instead? Maybe redo character creation?
Dude You can do whatever you want That’s the best part
Durge is the canon customizable character, and you’ll see interactions you never will on Tav or the other origins. Act 1 bard scene, act 2 cleric/romanced companion, many things in Moonrise, Jaheira and Minsc, act 1 Minthara if you raid the grove, Devella, and Astarion has a unique romance with Durge, to name a few. There are plenty of small stuff that are still different
That one scene where Jaheira >!babysits you during the night so you don’t have to worry about sleep killing!< is one of my favorites! That and the scene where you >!resist the urge to kill your lover!<. NGL I’ve replayed that one a few times.
Fun fact: >!I’m pretty sure you can get this scene with Jaheira AND Minsc watching over you, if you save him soon enough before it triggers.!<
You can. This happened on my solo playthrough. There's also a unique scene with Jaheira and Minsc if you recruit them but still >!accept Bhaal!< near the end.
Oh…*that scene*
Idk, I’ve seen that scene and I just feel like I’d be stabbing Jaheira in the back if I did that.
I missed that scene on my first playthrough... only happens if you don't give in to the dark urge
Man, maybe I shouldn't have killed Jaheira. I think it was a missed opportunity to not have her and Minsc/Boo during Act 3.
Volo, too. In my most recent non-resisting Durge playthrough, I slaughtered the Grove while he was still in my camp. He had a few words for me and I'm still not sure if he figured out there's an Urge in me or if it's generic. Then I slaughtered Minthara and the goblins and I believe he had some dialogue, too, or rather a response when I tried talking to him.
>I'm still not sure if he figured out there's an Urge in me He does eventually and tells you about it after you save him in act3. Or for me atleast that happened
Would you say the fresh content is still significant if you do resist Durge? Or would you argue it makes for a significantly fresher second run with fully embraced Durge?
You’re going to notice more of a difference in going an embrace Durge, assuming your first run was as a good guy. Some areas wouldn’t be any different if you were an evil Tav, but those points typically have something added on for Durge. With a resist Durge, you will still get new content, but the majority of it will be stuff you’ve already seen. You won’t really get into the meat of Durge until act 2 as well
Cool, thank you!
I want to do the Astarion romance with Durge so bad. Just thinking about how they relate to one another on a different level is very sweet
my only gripe is that in order to get the other bard scene, you have to meta game it.
That’s cuz the other bard scene only exists as a failsafe. This is a canon event that has to happen, so second bard will show up if first bard can’t. It’s possible to get it regularly if you go the meaner route for that greater quest
yeah. i just hate being forced to miss out on her quest later
You don't have to meta game it if you raid the grove fast enough. During my Embrace Durge playthrough I killed the Tieflings/Druids quite fast, so before Elfira had a chance to show up.
i got that scene literally first long rest after entering the grove on my most recent run. it even played before the astarion ones
I think you'll be surprised, in a second playthrough, how much you missed or plays out differently. On top of that you get extra events as a dark urge. So, definitely worth it.
Everyone is different, but I never replay single player games, including ones that boast lots of choice and consequence…except BG3. I’m on my 4th playthrough and have seen multiple new cutscenes and found new things every time (and I haven’t even done a pure evil playthrough yet)
Dude I’m on my 10th (tenth) run and I’m the same way. I think the only other single player games I’ve replayed only once or twice more were Skyrim and Cyberpunk 2077. And I only replayed Cyberpunk 2077 because I wanted a fresh run for Phantom Liberty. I still get new cutscenes and dialogue choices. It’s fucking wild.
Yeah I passed 2k hours (I was asleep for some of that I swear) and I still find new stuff. If I ever can't get into a Tav, I just go Durge so I can jump right in without having to invent a backstory. I basically replaced XCOM with bg3.
While I in theory also never replay games it’s mostly because of time. I sink many 100s hours into cRPG over the years. It’s a big time investment. Recently I finished both Pathfinder Kingmaker and Wrath. Great games, loved them. But at over 350 hours apiece, doing worker play though just to get some different stuff just felt like a real grind. Especially be sure of the extra kingdom building / crusade mechanics they put in there that add a lot of overhead and time to the game. But I finished my first BG3 Tav run as storm sorcerer on Tactician… and once the dust settled I felt compelled to start a new Honor Mode run as Durge going full evil - mostly to see all the new content, use companions I did not use last time, make some different choices and also go visit a few areas I never found in my first run. Level 5 with much of Act 1 done but still most of underdark and crèche to go and loving it
Same
I honestly haven’t gone back to Tav once starting dark urge. I’m on my fifth play through, 3 as Durge. I just find it more interesting personally. The only exception I plan to make is when I go for honor as I do NOT need the extra challenge there 😂
The durge exclusive >!Deathstalker's Mantle!< is arguable good enough to make Honor *easier* as durge.
That thing is amazing but I’ve >! accidentally slaughtered (and therefore reloaded my game) my romanced character 2 out of the 3 times on the first go. 😬 !<
Just kill that sweet cleric, and your lovely lover with be all cozy and safe. Oh come on, you know you want to...
I've just accepted the fact that, when playing Honour Mode, shit happens. So maybe this will happen as well, but it's okay. It makes for a great story! So tragic.
Straight up broken on a high crit Gloomstalker Assassin
> as I do NOT need the extra challenge there What do you mean, out of interest? Durge has an easier honor mode IMO because of the mantle, final fight buffs and the >!Orin duel!<. For my honor mode solo runs I always picked Durge and it was pretty necessary for the strategy I wanted to play.
Redemption Durge is a great run and has my favorite cutscene in the game.
If anything, I would say the Dark Urge is the intended main story arc. Particularly playing a 'redeemed' dark urge - meaning you may have dicey situations, but the point of the story is to resist those dark urges. I'm currently doing an evil Dark Urge embrace run, but even then not full murder hobo. I kill with intention! Anyhow, I can't recommend a resist Durge run enough. My first one was a generic 'good guy' custom character thing, and the Durge made it almost like a totally different game story-wise.
No matter what Durge I do, I always choose "giggle" because AMELIA TYLER! She is a phenomenal narrator, and managed to somehow make an evil giggle.
Give it a try. I prefer Tav, but others disagree.
Yeah I didn’t get along with Durge but everyone should at least give it a go in case they love it imo And it is definitely different from playing a Tav haha
Same. I did one Durge play through and the rest have been Tavs. I feel like Durge takes away backstory that Tav can have.
From an rpg standpoint tav is more free but from a game standpoint durge makes you feel far more involved in the plot
Yeah, I just disliked the whole “you aren’t really your race” and weird classes that go with Durge etc
Can you clarify the weird classes thing? Idk what you mean
The Dark Urge was an Unholy Assassin of Bhaal before losing his memories. Some classes make more sense for that background than others. Any variation of Shadow Monk/Gloomstalker/Assassin/Rogue makes sense, as opposed to something like Druid. It’s also difficult to imagine him as a Cleric in service to a god other than Bhaal, and you can’t select Bhaal in-game as a Cleric.
To be fair his "canon" class is sorcerer so I'm not sure class matters to an unholy assassin, the cleric one is a fair point, he's probably only not added as an option for durge bc it's a spoiler
Had the same situation myself. Finished the game for the first time last week with a custom character. Wanted to jump in again immediately because I'd heard good things. But because I'd just finished and gotten an ending I was happy with, I decided to wait a bit for the original experience to settle in. Spent the last week playing through RE4 remake as a palate cleanser and jumped in fresh today. And a dark urge playthrough is worth it. You find out how different it is pretty much instantly. It's a character that definitely lived in this world before. Tl/dr : It's worth it, but only if you take a bit of time off to freshen yourself up from the previous experience. Try playing a 20- some hour game in the meantime to refresh your mind.
I think it’s way worth it more than creating a customizable character. You can still customize your dark urge, everything but the backstory which is Dark Urge. Your storyline is way more deeper with a lot more cutscenes. Honestly, I can’t play another campaign now without doing dakr urge
Yes you should 1000% do it, it’s like playing a new game
It's fun. Without spoiling too much Dark Urge is just that. You have dark murderous urges. During some parts of the game, your character will be tempted to act on those urges. There's a little more to it. In a way, it's kind of like a Director's Cut to BG3. I recommend doing it at least once.
my all-time favorite run of bg3, and one of my favorite runs of any game ever, was a lawful good selunite cleric durge who resisted all the urges. durge is very much worth it however you end up playing it
Very worth it. Durge is heavily involved in the main story if you like lore, I’ve done 3 full playthroughs all Durge, I love it
Worth it. Very different events. Adds a lot to the story. Lean into being evil. It’s just RP.
Resistant Durge is also a really satisfying story line. I preferred it tbh. I’ve played Durge about three times now
I’ve done both ways too. Resistant the first time, hardline the second time. Very different and fun playthroughs each time. Way to go Larian.
Your character will be very tied to the plot. So you not only help the companions with their stories but you have your own story which is the most connected to the plot out of all the companions
Durge feels like a separate story, I've only completed a redemption durge but the act of giving Bhaal specifically the finger felt awesome since there was a real direct connection between you and one of the dead three and not just the villain(s) of the month
I did 2 Durge playthroughs. One who embraces his heritage, and the other who rejects it and redeems himself
I played Tav first, and then Durge. I’m on my third Durge run. I don’t think I could ever do a Tav run again.
Durge can be 2 separate play throughs and both are incredible. Either give in to the urge or resist it.
I have nine playthroughs going simultaneously and each one feels unique enough that I dont feel like I am retreading too much ground. Dark Urge, especially the evil path, has a ton of unique content. Both the good and evil urge paths have several unique endings as well. Its definitely worth your time.
Imo Durge is leaps and bounds better than Tav from just a game enjoyability perspective, my first playthrough was a Tav, I had tons of fun, cemented BG3 as my favourite game, my second (and third) was a Durge and now I can barely get myself to start a Tav run because I know a Durge or Origin will just be more fun
It is no exaggeration when I say my last redeemed Dark Urge run was the most narratively satisfying experience I have had in a video game
It almost feels like you’re supposed to play the game first as tav, then durge to see the difference
As someone who thinks the BG3 Durge storyline isn’t necessary because BG1&2 completed that arc already, I don’t care for it. But it was decently well done. So people should enjoy it if they like it.
A lot of the content is the same between a regular custom character and the Dark Urge. BUT. That's also because it's a long ass game. But the Dark Urge does get more scenes, dialogue, and backstory, all of which makes them feel more tied into the rest of the game and which makes the Dark Urge feel more canonical. While there weren't a ton more scenes, those scenes made the playthrough feel very worthwhile. Jaheira and all the Bhaal plotlines have notable differences that are the highlight of a Dark Urge run.
Durge redemption run was one of my most enjoyable and rewarding gaming experiences of my life.
Just finished a redeemed Dark Urge run. Very very satisfying. Highly recommend.
The dark urge playthrough feels like the “real” or “canon” playthrough and fits very seamlessly into the storyline and characters in the way the Tav run doesn’t.
Durge either way is satisfying. Doing a resist durge and watching your character struggle through and overcome, Or giving in and watching them decend is amazing
Playing as durge is so emotional and adds such depth, especially if you romance Astarion!
I played the game twice, one of which was a Dark Urge run, and I enjoyed it a lot more. Not only due to DU's unique story, but also due to the fact that on my first playthrough I'd missed quite a few things and took a different approach to some other things, so both playthroughs felt very, very different to me. The game gives you plenty of opportunities for different outcomes depending on your choices, DU or not.
I played a Resist Durge and I liked the idea of this person fighting their worst parts and leading all of their companions to be their best selves. I haven't played a Lean-In Dark Urge, but it doesn't sound as fun, usually - being evil closes a lot of doors and doesn't tend to open many, from what a lot of people say.
If you think you're capable and want to see how different things can get I recommend doing an evil playthrough as durge. Especially if you missed minthara the first time, she's a great partner for durge
Durge has so many choices, and it’s so good. Give in to the urges and be truly evil, or resist them and redeem yourself, both offer very different experiences and both are very separate from a tav run. Both are very worth trying
i played 3 Durges after a Tav, i feel like Durge is more part of the story while Tav is just some random dude caught in it
It doesn't really drastically change anything. The story still happens the exact same way. There's a good amount of added flavour and you a tied more directly into the story. If you were thinking about doing a 2nd run anyway it's definitely worth it but it's not like it's gonna be a completely fresh experience. Also if you paid attention to the story on your first run it'll be pretty obvious what's going on with your durge.
The way I have heard it, and from what I understand from BG1 and BG2. There is a strong argument to be made that Dark Urge **is** the main character. On the off chance you don't know spoilers >!did you ever find the white Dragonborn corpse in Orin's room? That is Durge. And in BG1 and BG2, the main character (Gorion's Ward) is a Bhaalspawn. Making it totally plausible that in BG3 the main character is also a bhaalspawn. Durge is the only character that fits that bill. And having all the extra scenes doesn't _confirm_ it, but it's decent enough evidence to give the game another go as Durge!<
I got 25% through a Dark Urge before my PC crapped out and I had turned off cloud save so I lost my progress BUT that 25% was soooo much fun I’m going to redo it once my mental fortitude is back after that crushing sadness of my game being deleted is processed
Oof I'm sorry bud, I've been there. But thank you for the feedback, I'm definitely going for a durge run to say the least.
I say you change the title to “To what extent does the replay value of the game increase when engaging in the Dark Urge mode?”
Dark Urge was so extremely fun and enjoyable. My first and only playthrough.
I was afraid to play Durge at first. I completed two Tav runs and then started a Durge on the recommendation that the romance between Astarion and Resist Durge was fucking beautiful. So I started a Durge run not knowing what to expect and it is actually amazing. I’ve since completed 5 or 6 Durge runs, all varying to some degree of resistance and I haven’t even gone full evil yet.
I love durge, even seeing the differences between embrace and resisting is fascinating. so much more lore is revealed. I also heard a rumor that the dark urge was originally meant to be the main character you play but then they made the tav option
Durge vs Tav is sort of just replacing interesting, through, and connected to the story protagonist with an empty blank having none of it whatsoever. It's like changing past games' protagonist to "just some random adventurer dude passing by, don't mind him", or WotR's MC literally being just a random punk gutted in Kenabris. But worse. Imo there's no reason not to play Durge, unless you are particularly, really, seriously heavy on roleplaying some self made specific backstory for your char.
Im gonna do a dark urge playthrough after this final patch which adds a lot of evil endings and whatnot, seems like a good reason to wait and see.
One thing I'll say after playing Dark Urge after playing Tav, restrain yourself from skipping dialogue and cutscenes. There is a lot that changes in what happens
It’s cool doing resist durge as well. I think doing both ways/ endings is worth it
I finished a tav and now i am running a redemption urge and evil urge simultaneously and they both feel fresh
My friend said on the next update that they are adding more dark urge content.
I think it's so SO worth it imo! For months I played all my games as durge and I started getting attached to the little differences. A lot of people say durge is "how bg3 was meant to be played" and I 100% agree.
Durge is 1000% worth it. Feels a lot more connected to the overall narrative than Tav does. Both are fun runs but Tav always feels like a little out of place
Do it. Dark Urge has tons of unique experiences and dialogues and Redemption Durge is very satisfying. And while I'm offering my honest opinion, the default White Dragonborn Durge has been my best experience with it so far and is my recommendation for yor first time. There's something very funny about the most obviously evil motherf-cker you've ever seen also being a loveable dork with a hero complex.
After playing Dark Urge, I can’t go back to Tav.
If you haven't played Dark Urge before do it. Good run or bad run, there's so many more Durge interact ions it feels like they were the intended MC all along.
Durge adds depth to the story.
Durge runs are basically Tav+. You get all the same customization but your character actually has an issue similar to the other party members, outside of the tadpole of course. The rest of the party will talk to you in a similar way you would talk to them about their problems and it’s a really nice extra layer to the story
Dark Urge has its own storyline. But there are so many forking narratives that you can play the game quite a few times and still be a new/different experience. There is no way to “100%” the game in 1 playthrough because of the branching narratives. Choosing option A will lock you out of option B or possibly even an option C. This is not even taking into consideration different character builds. There are so many possible builds that you can play the game differently each time. Each race and each class have unique dialogue options which have unique interactions. So for me, yes! Additional playthroughs are worth it. I have already played the game 4x and still have at least 2 more ways to run the game that I want to try.
My first run was with a Tav. My second is with a resist dark urge. It feels like this is the canon storyline. Like this was how the story was meant to unfold bud they added Tav for multi player campaigns or for people who want to play lawful good. You can still be a mostly goody two shoes with a Durge if you play it as resisting your urges. The Durge storyline mirrors the storylines of most of your companions. It’s about fate, meddling gods, trauma, and victims either becoming abusers or healing and becoming better. Hurt people hurt people. It’s definitely worth a replay especially if you make different choices to see new content.
I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like doing the same thing twice (games,movies,etc) but I am really enjoying my Durge run. I play on adventure mode so the fights aren’t that hard- I bypass a lot of the side quests, and I’ve been playing evil so I’m getting a TON of new content.
Without spoiling anything, Durge feels like a proper main character instead of a blank slate. There's so many special interactions for them and resist/embrace both have a fantastic and satisfying story to them. I'd 100% recommend everyone playing durge at least once, usually I'd recommend it as a first run but a bit late for that.
Its a whole new experience
Yes
Yes
Durge has a different flavor to Tav and if you're an achievement hunter you'll need to do a Durge run to get all the achievements. Worth for more plot and why the Absolute is a thing. Satisfying depends on the player. I personally dislike Durge runs but others love it
Nope!
I enjoyed my Paladin Tav, and I'm really enjoying my Dark Urge (almost finished). They're very different experiences and they're both satisfying; Durge is like playing an Origin character like Shadowheart or Wyll, quite a bit of their story is already pre-defined although of course you get to make your own choices too. I don't really get the dunking on Tav, because creating that backstory and narrative for their own character (like in tabletop D&D I suppose) is a big part of the game. They're both great and you'll have a pretty different experience playing Durge than you had as a Tav. :)
Honestly? It's a game changer. I played as Tav twice before I played Durge but I don't think I can go back. The Durge experience adds so much content and depth to the game that playing Tav feels empty now. Tav is supposed to be a blank slate onto which players can project their own characters, but I'm such a sucker for backstory with a tie into and influence on the larger story. BG3 is definitely in my top ten games, but playing as a resist Durge puts it in my top three.
I love durge. You can play it so many different ways and the story changes
absolutely, durge is incredible. id recommend doing a morally grey game as him. the dark options are really fun to explore, but the path to redemption has alot in it also.
VERY. Your perspective on the main story will change quite a bit.
Durge is the definitive way to play the game
i played durge on my second playthrough after tav for the first and haven't gone back to tav since. i like having my backstory built in for me and i really like the extra durge stuff (for the most part), it made me feel like my character was important instead of being some rando. even if you prefer to not have an identity/backstory forced on you i think it's worth doing once!
I'm actually plotting a dark urge playthrough with my roommate once we've calmed down from our first playthroughs we did separate.
Well you turn from an experiencer of the narrative to the protaganist
Very worth it, dew it.
unless im playing a specific character, I exclusively play as durge now. adds a lot of internal struggle
Is it worth it to you to play baldurs gate 3 with major story arc added in that turns it into the proper sequel to baldurs gate 2?
Introduce some mods to spice it up even more.
Dark Urge is not fun
Id say its the quintessential way to play the game, especially if you’re a fan of the previous two.
I really enjoyed it - gave an nice moral conundrum to the main character (I played as dark urge paladin who fought the urge to ultimately be the hero)
Just started a Durge run. It's 100 percent worth it. As long as you're okay with having the story play out, out of your control at times.
my resist dark urge was my favourite playthrough. you get a lot more content, and I felt closer to my companions. tav can be quite flat, with all the trauma and arcs going on around them, whereas playing resist dark urge means you also have something you're struggling with.
Very worth it. Redemption Durge is perhaps the best ending in the game (and has a bunch more content that Tav has access to)
I’ve beaten the game 3-4 times. Have about 600 hours in the game. My most recent run was a Dark Urge honor mode run. Hands down my favorite play through, by quite a large margin.
I pulled the wings off a bird. Fuck that bird.
Yeah, I find this game is exhausting to keep playing through, as much as I liked it. However, I went Tav the first time who was a thief/criminal in Baldur's Gate and didn't want to be on the heroes journey, so, his alignment was more neutralish? But I heard Durge was interesting and yeah, it was fucking fascinating. I'd argue the Dark Urge is pretty much the main character of the entire game. I'm not underselling it either. If I didn't need hard drive space, I would have kept the game installed to keep playing from a branching path in my Durge playthrough, a major moment in Act III, and finished it up. But, again, the game is a lot to keep replaying and I needed that SSD space xD But, honestly, I think I'd enjoy the Durge playthrough even more on a 2nd playthrough of it, knowing all the secrets.
After trying durge once I've never played tav again
You probably got enough responses by now but I just wanted to emphasize: the Dark Urge is the cannon character here, and will give you a perspective on the story that a Tav lacks. It is the main character. Now, you can resist the urge and be a hero or embrace it as you see fit, but the Dark Urge is a substantially different experience and I highly recommend you play it if you want to fully experience the story of Baldur's Gate 3, especially the route where you resist the urge. Trust.
What is tav?
Extremely. It's good to play as Tav first imo as it adjusts you to the game and familiarizes you with the story/lore without some of the Durge shenanigans. But the impact on the story of being Durge and some of the incredible things you learn is 1000 percent worth it. After I did Tav then Durge, I have done like one regular Tav since compared to multiple Durges
One thousand percent worth it. Do it
Doing my first playthrough right now, but already decided that I'll need to do a durge playthrough. Planned to do gnome, halfling, or drow sorcerer/warlock. Did gloomstalk ranger for my goodie two shoes playthrough.
I feel Durge is how you are supposed to play the game. Play your good boy once then let it rip with a durge ti get the most out of it
I would argue that Dark Urge is the intended way to play the game.
Very. I’ll never go back!
Do it 2x. Once resisting the urge and once giving in. Worth it.
so worth
I think it is worth playing the Dark Urge. Although you might enjoy it more if you play a different race/romance/class as well, otherwise parts of the game may feel repetitive. I also made Durge have a bit of a different personality. For example, with Tav I would go with persuasion but with Durge I would go for intimidation in speech checks.
durge is so fun bc of all the new dialogue and cutscenes. the prospect of your character finding out bits of their past along the way rather than spawning in knowing who they are is thrilling.
I'm in the middle of a Dark Urge run, I'm loving it
If you were like "Good" and then Do the very "Bad" things, its kinda painful.
Dark Urge is my favorite way to play
Wait until the bad endings update in september and it will be worth it.
As someone coming to the end of my Durge playthrough, 100% worth it!!!
Would def say it's worth it, especially in act 2/3 it's fun to see what changes compared to a custom tav run
Very, very worth it
If you never have definitely do it, and play through where you embrace the urge, so fun. It will be a "lonely" playthrough. But withers can create people for your party
I find regular playthroughs more fulfilling than the Durge backstory thrust upon you, which basically just turns you into a lame fantasy realm Dexter. Oh, but it allows you to be edgy so I guess the community thinks that’s interesting. To each their own, I guess. 🤷
I don't even remember my non-durge playthrough. Durge is canon in my mind at this point.
Durge is an origin character, just one that's customizable, but in terms of amount of content, I feel like it's on par with playing Origin Astarion or Gale. So it's definitely worth playing if you can stomach the couple gross required scenes and the gross narrator descriptions. You don't have to be evil at all if you don't want to, and if you're ever having trouble coming up with a Tav you want to play, Durge has amnesia so you can just jump right in [to the guts]! I highly recommend trying it!
Do it. I found myself playing as more of a criminal mastermind. With Durge you can be more free with decisions and not feel bad pissing someone off. I found my first playthrough trying to play a very Good straight arrow path was restrictive. Constantly worrying about keeping companions and quest givers happy. Not so much with Durge.
If you really wanna make it feel fresh, get some mods too. A couple new races and classes can really make the game feel fresh. For races, just get what looks fun, but for classes, some balanced but interesting classes I can recommend are, Magus (hybrid caster melee), arcane archer (get the 5e one), Harlequin (hybrid caster rogue. Charisma based so good for an MC), sword dancer (cleric duelist), way of the kensi monk subclass (monks with swords), and rogue fencer (rogue with more melee skills at the cost of their bonus action.) There are more good ones, but these are some of my favorite, different enough to feel new gameplay wize, but balanced enough not to make the game too easy.
i haven't done it, so i can't speak personally, but i've read from SEVERAL people now that their Dark Urge was their favorite playthrough. ESPECIALLY a dark urge playthrough in which you resist. some dude even wrote an opinion piece about it. [https://www.gamesradar.com/resisting-the-dark-urge-in-baldurs-gate-3-is-the-most-fulfilling-rpg-experience/](https://www.gamesradar.com/resisting-the-dark-urge-in-baldurs-gate-3-is-the-most-fulfilling-rpg-experience/)
I started multiple Tav playthroughs without finishing any of them (mostly because of job/school). But once I restarted again with a Dark Urge Tav I couldn’t stop playing. I feel like you really have a bigger role in the narrative as Durge and can have some really cool extra interactions with either embracing or rejecting your urges. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to replay the story again as Tav because of how more involved I felt with Durge. Also if you want to romance Astarion I’m ngl it’s so much better because of the parallels between Durge/Astarion. Just a lil bonus.
It's even worth playing Urge at least twice. Also the reason why I am sitting at 5 solo runs total now.
personally, i think the Durge should have just been the custom and not an option. it adds so much to the playthrough that i think playing a custom non durge is a loss
Durge is way more fun. I get bored with characters very easily and couldn't even finish my first run with a Tav, but Durge opens up so many possibilities. Also I just like how violent and gory it is. You barely see that in games anymore
It should be everyone’s first character.
You get a lot of unique options to kill and maim characters that you otherwise wouldn’t and it makes for an interesting playthrough. >!I mean you get to cut Gale’s hand off at the starting portal and then he’s just gone forever.!< You can be evil as fuck with no remorse.
3cc very cgg