After spending dozens of minutes or potentially even hours working on creating your own customized character in Baldur's Gate 3, players might be surprised to find that they are then tasked with creating a mysterious second character referenced as the Guardian. Fortunately, you don't have to put as much work into this second character, merely focusing on their appearance rather than their abilities and build. But just who or what is this Guardian? Can they be trusted?
NOTE: There are some mild spoilers on this page as we discuss how to meet this character and some early conversations you have with them. Major plot developments can be found in the "major spoilers" section at the bottom of the page.
Who is the Guardian in Baldur's Gate 3?
As I previously mentioned, the Guardian is a mysterious person that you get to customize and create at the start of the game. You can make the Guardian any race except for Dragonborn. I won't spoil why this is, but I will say that this is not an oversight and actually makes sense according to Dungeons & Dragon lore.
Several of us at Windows Central have played and beaten this fantastic RPG already, as you can see from our Baldur's Gate 3 review. After doing so, we can say that the choices available in the Guardian character creator are completely cosmetic, so don't sweat too much about it and just make them look however you want them to.
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The first time you meet the Guardian happens after you use Illithid abilities of the Parasite (the tadpole parasite thing) a few times and then take a long rest in your camp. The Guardian will then appear to talk to you in your dreams on some sort of surreal astral plane. They tell you that they've been watching over you and kept you safe when the Nautiloid crashed. Then they go on to say that if you gain mastery over the parasite you'll gain powers and will be protected from turning into a Mind Flayer. You're further told that with the Illithid Powers you and can even save the world. Shortly thereafter, you'll awake to discover that you and all of your companions had the same dream.
But this brings in a major dilemma and a huge question. Up to this point, we've really been dying to get this tadpole parasite out of us. So, can the Guardian be trusted? Are they really here to protect us or are they trying to protect the parasite so it can gain control of us? This will be a conflict you struggle with throughout the course of the main plot.
The next time your dreaming leads to a Guardian encounter, they tell you more about themselves. They'll explain that they are stuck in this dream-like place and are constantly getting attacked because they stole magic from an enemy who wants it back. They also reveal that the reason they can keep you from being turned into a Mind Flayer is because they previously got infected. I guess it's like an iocaine powder immunity sort of thing. You'll continue to learn more information about the Guardian as the story progresses.
No Spoiler TL;DR —The Guardian is a being you choose whether or not to trust. You meet them in your dreams and they tell you they want you to keep the parasite that was put in your head because it will prevent you from becoming a Mind Flayer and will also give you special powers. However, this "Guardian" could be lying to you about that. More is discovered as you dive deeper into the story.
Baldur's Gate Guardian FAQ
How do I meet the Guardian in Baldur's Gate 3?
In order to meet the Guardian character you created at the start of the game, you must use the parasite a few times and then take a long rest while at your camp. You'll then have a dream that allows you to speak with the Guardian.
What is the point of the Guardian in Baldur's Gate 3?
From an overall story perspective, the Guardian's role of urging you to use the Illithid Powers adds a level of uncertainty and conflict to the plot, even with some small decisions. This forces you to struggle internally about whether or not you can trust that the advantages brought by using the worm in many scenarios don't come with a cost. You'll have to decide if you trust the Guardian or not as the story progresses.
Can you romance the Guardian in Baldur's Gate 3?
Yes! You can have a romantic relationship with the Guardian in Baldur's Gate 3 if you do and say the correct things.
Mysterious being in dream land
It's fun that players get to create another important character for Baldur's Gate 3 without having to worry about their specific abilities and class. That way if you had a difficult time choosing between two races while creating your main avatar you can still create that other character relatively quickly.
There is a lot to learn about Baldur's Gate 3's Guardian as the story progresses. Whether good or bad, this mysterious being makes various appearances in our dreams throughout the course of the story and forces us to come to our own conclusions in various instances. Keep playing and you might learn if they really are an altruistic force that has your best interest at heart or if they are truly evil.
Major Spoilers about the Guardian (Dream Visitor) in BG3
Now that you've had non-spoiler explanations for The Guardian, it's time to get into who this person actually is. If you don't want this information spoiled for you stop reading now.
As you continue to play Baldur's Gate 3, you'll eventually learn in the second and third acts that The Guardian is actually The Emperor, a person who was turned into a Mind Flayer while adventuring. The way you interact with them determines the ending, some of which could be considered bad endings or good endings depending on how you view things. He has his reasoning for doing the things he does and you will personally have to determine if you agree with his ideas or not.
There is honestly a case for saying that he's a good character as well as saying that he is a bad character depending on how your decisions shake out.
As an added speculation about the Guardian, the reason that they cannot be Dragonborn is likely due to how old they are. Dragonborn tend to only live up to 80 years of age and the Guardian is much older than that.
