Waypoint · The Long Road
Baldur's Gate 3: a first evening on the beach
Three hours: a character, the ship, the beach, and the first two companions. Play on Explorer if the rules are new; you can raise the difficulty any time.
Make a custom character, keep it simple
A human or half-elf Fighter or Paladin is forgiving. Origin characters are wonderful but better on a second run, when you know them.
Set Explorer or Balanced difficulty
Explorer is the story with easy fights. Balanced is the intended experience. Nobody is watching.
Play the ship to the end
It is a twenty-minute tutorial with a real spectacle at the end. Free the creature in the pod; you will see why.
Find Shadowheart and Astarion
Both are near the beach. Talk to everyone; the game rewards curiosity constantly.
Learn the long rest
Camp resets your spells and triggers story scenes. Rest more than feels necessary.
Stop at the grove
The first settlement is a natural pause. The next act of the story starts here and deserves a fresh evening.
Before you go
- Quicksave before every conversation you care about.
- Jumping and shoving are as important as attacking.
- Send loot to camp from anywhere to keep your bags light.
- There is no wrong build; the game bends around you.
Read the full Baldur's Gate 3 chart entry for the bearings, the toll and who it suits.