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Baldur’s Gate 3 The Dark Urge origin explained

The Baldur's Gate 3 The Dark Urge origin is a completely unique way to customize your character, so allow us to explain how it works.

A Dragonkin with white scales, wearing armor. He is contemplating embracing or resisting this Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge origin.

What is the Baldur’s Gate 3 Dark Urge origin? You have a wide variety of choices when creating a background for your character. While many of these origins are just the pre-designed companion characters, the Dark Urge origin is unique in that it’s not limited to one character.

Unlike other Baldur’s Gate 3 origin characters like Astarion and Karlach, you have the freedom to use whichever of the classes and races you desire with the BG3 Dark Urge origin, and it’s appearance is completely customizable. Instead, this unique origin simply determines the dark history of your character, and reveals unique dialogue options related to your sinister urges.

The character creation screen creating a Dragonkin character with the Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge origin.

What is the Dark Urge in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Dark Urge is one of the many origins you can have for your character in Baldur’s Gate 3. They are otherwise a character that you can fully customize, including your Baldur’s Gate 3 race and class. Dark thoughts plague your character’s mind, compelling them to commit heinous acts throughout the story. They can become evil or resist the dark urge and become good.

One example of Dark Urge gameplay differs was shown during a pre-release stream, in which a Dark Urge character examines a corpse, triggering the narrator to talk about the urge. Exclusive dialogue choices then appear in otherwise mundane events. When Gale’s hand appears in the ancient sigil, for example, there is the unique option to fantasize about hacking off the hand. In a blind daze, it turns out they actually act on their urge and chop off Gale’s hand, which you can then pick up, much to the disgust of your companions.

Dark Urge characters also have nightmarish moments while resting in camp. These restless moments trigger options where you recall your past actions and decide whether to resist or embrace the urges that compel you to act, or wonder and fret about what they mean.

The Dark Urge has only one true desire: to murder and to do it brutally. It’s important to state that this origin choice is absolutely not for the faint of heart, and can get very dark, very quickly. It’s up to you whether you indulge its fantasies or resist them and try to turn towards a more wholesome, well-meaning path. You’ll be guided by Sceleritas Fel, your loyal but depraved servant who wants you to fulfil your darkest desires – but will you listen?

That’s everything we’re going to tell you about the Baldur’s Gate 3 Dark Urge origin, we’ll let you uncover the rest of its dark secrets yourself – if you’re brave enough. However you create your custom character, there are plenty of things to know as you explore Faerun and the city of Baldur’s Gate, such how to change party members to suit any situation. We also have a list of all Baldur’s Gate 3 skills and how proficiency affects your dice rolls.