Larian Studios may not be making more Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC, but the fans are happy to pick up the slack with BG3 mods.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game jampacked with content, even without the help of mods. Act 1 alone takes most people 40+ hours, and every player has a different experience, whether that’s through gameplay or narrative. Of course, the most hardcore players may be absent of new things around the 300-hour mark.
Thankfully, Larian Studios has graciously provided fans with the means to make mods for its immensely popular game. With the official modding kit released in 2024, fans have created impressive mods for the fantasy RPG. Here are some of the best BG3 mods to pick up in 2024.
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Best Baldur’s Gate 3 mods for aesthetics: From UI to
There’s no use denying it. Most modders want their characters to look pretty, and Baldur’s Gate 3 is no different. Players have a great deal of control over their Tav’s appearance during the game, but they can take things a step further with mods. Whether it’s changing their character’s face or altering the appearance of armor, mods let players have complete control over their Baldur’s Gate 3 team.
Unique Tav Custom Appearance
The loveable OC Tav deserves more than just the preset character creation settings. Kartoffels’ Unique Tav Custom Appearance adds dozens of new textures, makeup, and tattoos for the player.
All these additions can be seen from the character creation menu upon installation. The mod author also provided a handy list of compatible character creation mods, so players can make the Tav they truly want.
Transmog Enhanced
For players that have a piece of high-level gear that just doesn’t pass the fashion vibe check, this is the perfect mod to get. Eralyne’s Transmog Enhanced allows players to glamour almost any equipable item into another, even those added by mods.
Even better, these changes can be made in-game. The modder does note to back up Baldur’s Gate 3, in case of any compatibility issues. However, the mod remains popular, especially for those who want high stats on their favorite outfits.
Pavelk’s UI Mods
Moving away a bit from making characters pretty, Pavelk focuses on making the in-game UI as smooth and pleasing as possible. A quick browse through their profile reveals mods for the inventory, sidebar, top bars, and other text elements.
For players that have issues with Baldur’s Gate 3’s base UI, Pavelk essentially has everything they could want. By having each mod be individual, players can also pick and choose which aspects of the UI they want changed.
VFX Library by Shivero (Part 1)
Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t lack for presentation, but there’s no such thing as too flashy in Dungeons and Dragons. Shivero’s VFX Library adds thousands of new visual effects, particularly for spells and status effects. The mod will brighten up any campaign with veritable fireworks of unique visual effects.
Thankfully, these visual effects can also affect modded spells, ensuring the flashy experience remains consistent. There’s also Part 2 in Shivero’s profile, albeit with significantly fewer additions.
More playable races through Baldur’s Gate 3 mods
Races, or Species as Wizards of the Coast prefers to call it nowadays, are restricted to the most common in Baldur’s Gate 3. With the power of mods, players can choose from a multitude of old and new races.
Whispers of the Divine – Aasimar Definitive Edition
After seeing the celestial might of Dame Aylin, some players may wish to don a pair of wings themselves. Trips’ Aasimar Mod brings the celestial spawn to the mortal realms of Faerun. The class mod boasts four subraces and a plethora of new cosmetic choices in character creation.
Contrary to popular belief, Aasimar can also look quite demonic, if in a more regal way. In addition to looking cool, the class also adds dialogue options unique to Aasimar, on top of their unique abilities.
Flutter and Whimsy (Fairy Race)
The Feywild has countless creatures lurking in its many trees, but the fairy ranks among the most mischievous. Labotor’s Fairy Race adds the fey creatures to BG3 in all their sparkly glory. Highlights include permanent flight, size changing, and copious puffs of glitter.
Players also have the option between different kinds of insect wings, or none at all if they want the ghostly kind of fairy. Mods such as Tav’s Hair Salon and Padme’s Vanilla Masc Heads also work natively with this mod, to make the fairy OC as pretty as possible.
The Dunmer (Playable Dark Elf Race)
The multiverse is a big place, and sometimes, races from other fantasy settings get lost and land in the wrong universe. Ghouls0Rules’ Dunmer Race mod adds the iconic dark elves from the Elder Scrolls into Baldur’s Gate 3. Unlike the dark elves of DnD, the Dunmer are a bit less inclined toward evil, history of systemic racism aside.
The mod acknowledges the cultural diversity of the Dunmer through subraces, meaning the different houses of the Dunmer. These offer unique bonuses and aesthetics to further immerse the Dunmer into Faerun.
Transient Guests Are We – Playable Dhampir
Unfortunately for Astarion fans, Tav can’t be a fully-fledged vampire in vanilla Baldur’s Gate 3. Thankfully, that’s where the Playable Dhampir race mod comes in. The Dhampir are natural-born vampires, instead of infected like the usual kind.
As expected, there’s a plethora of blood-sucking abilities that come with playing as a Dhampir. Best of all, Dhampirs are natural daywalkers, so no need to worry about any debuffs from the sun. That said, best to keep the blood diet sufficiently satisfied.
More classes and subclasses through Baldur’s Gate 3 mods
One of the biggest requests from players is more classes and subclasses, and modders have quickly taken it upon themselves to add some DnD 5e favorites.
Mystic Class
One of the most in-depth class mods for Baldur’s Gate 3, Xhevo’s Mystic Class brings the Unearthed Arcana class to life. Mystics are psionic masters, essentially the Jedi of Forgotten Realms. While they never made it to 5e, players can now get a taste of how the class would have played.
Unlike subclass mods, Mystic Class offers the entire class with its multiple subclasses and features. Whether players want to be masters of emotion or augment their physical form, Mystic Class gives a whole new way to play Baldur’s Gate 3.
5e Horizon Walker – Ranger Subclass
Rangers typically get the short end of the stick design-wise in 5e, with many criticizing the class for its weaknesses. However, the Horizon Walker subclass is one of the few aspects that even critics have praised about Ranger.
Sumradagnoth’s Horizon Walker mod brings the astral archer to Baldur’s Gate 3 with a faithful recreation. Horizon Walker shines even more in the modified 5e rules of Baldur’s Gate 3, where mobility got a huge boost.
Echo Knight Fighter Subclass
Fighters have often been accused of being the most “boring” class, but Echo Knight showcases just how badass the Fighter class can get. Wesslen’s Echo Knight reimagines the iconic spirit fighter for in-game action.
Unlike the typical Fighter loop of hitting things really hard, Echo Knight grants players incredible mobility and versatility. The Echo allows seamless swapping of positions, making fights even more dynamic and cool-looking.
Warlock – The Undead Subclass
Wizards shouldn’t have all the necromantic fun. CyberSpektre’s Undead Warlock is a faithful adaptation of the Undead subclass from Dungeons and Dragons 5e. Whether the player wants to be the thrall of a Vampire Lore or wrap themselves in the powers of a Greater Mummy, The Undead Subclass is surprisingly in-depth.
Better yet, the mod still gets regular updates, meaning any issues found can still be ironed out when communicated to the modder. Given the scope of a typical class, it’s highly appreciated.