Baldur’s Gate 3: Who is the Guardian in BG3?

The Guardian is the second character that you create in Baldur’s Gate 3, but very little else is revealed about your mysterious new friend in the early game. Other than their gender and race, not much is known about them, at least in the beginning.

Who is the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3? Explained

The Guardian is an NPC you create just after you create your own character in Baldur’s Gate 3. Even though you don’t have as many customization options, you can still select their gender, race, and build.

The Guardian will appear in several cutscenes, and you’ll see them early in act one. In your first encounter with the Guardian, they’ll tell you not to remove the mind-flayer parasite from your brain—which is the whole purpose of your ragtag group. You need to decide whether you trust them or not.

If you decide to follow the Guardian’s advice and become stronger, you’ll need to collect and consume more parasites. But it will affect your abilities, decisions, and relationship with particular companions.

At this early stage, I’m still progressing through the newly-released main Baldur’s Gate 3 campaign, so anything else about the Guardian’s personality and relationship with the player character is a mystery. There appear to be some minor changes to the Guardian (including the name) in the full release and I’ll update this guide as I learn more.

Can you romance the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3?

One question I’ve been asked about BG3 is if the Guardian is romanceable—and yes, they are. But, like all of your decisions, there’s a catch.

In early access, you had to give in to the Guardian’s wishes, which meant you had to embrace the mind-flayer parasite. So, if you didn’t want this, you can’t romance the Guardian. 

As I haven’t gotten to this point yet, I’m unsure about the romance sequence, if it’s still possible, and how much of the Guardian has changed.

But thanks to the Guardian being an NPC, which are romanceable in BG3, and because it’s Larian Studios, it may still be possible.

Best Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3

There’s no “best” Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3. There’s technically no difference between the available choices and it’s more about your personal preference than anything. You can select from up to 10 races and their multiple subraces and tinker around with their visuals, but you can’t customize their class or stats.

I chose a horny-looking female Tiefling and have absolutely no regrets. She pops up in cutscenes now and then and adds to the ongoing narrative. You can’t change the appearance of your Guardian after character creation, so make it count or you’ll be stuck with them.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 romance guide: All romanceable companions and how to woo them