Baldur’s Gate 3’s best written character is the one everyone hated when the game released

Baldur’s Gate 3 has many characters with deep backstories and personalities, but one Origin Character has the best development out of them all.

While some franchise fans would argue that fan favorites like Astarion, Shadowheart, or Karlach have the best personal storylines stories, it’s actually Lae’zel who takes the cake in my eyes.

As the first character your Tav comes in contact with at the start of the game, you’re given a very rough outline of what Lae’zel is about. Even as Act 1 continues, it may be hard for some people to connect with the Githyanki warrior.

The Githyanki are Astral Plane warriors, wielding legendary silver blades and riding formidable red dragons. Their ultimate goal is the complete annihilation of mind flayers who once enslaved their ancestors under a tyrannical empire for millennia, a common goal among those affected by the tadpoles in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Larian Studios

Lae’zel’s strong personality comes out when finding Shadowheart still trapped in the pod, and she is quick to suggest that you leave her behind. This may put some off of Lae’zel from the start, especially those attempting Honor Mode runs or hoping to get on Shadowheart’s good side.

“People love her for some ungodly reason even though she is a lawful evil character, she’s pragmatic, arrogant, rude, and racist, but she eventually learns that being a piece of s*** does not pay off, though it does take a very long time, so I’ll bet that this is the reason: she gets character development,” pointed out one Reddit user.

And yes, all of that is true at the beginning. Lae’zel starts out as one of the most abrasive characters in the game. But as the quote above points out, her low starting point allows her to have a great comeback and redemption arc.

Those who stick with her throughout the game will see the initially harsh Lae’zel become a completely different person. By the end of the story, she can become a mother and a diplomat who unifies her people with the Githzerai, who are an ascetic faction of the gith, residing in the Limbo Plane following centuries of enslavement by mind flayers.

Her softer nature at the end of the game is nothing compared to the kill-first, ask-questions-later approach she has when you meet her. It’s a vast improvement – unless you’re really set on a full-on evil playthrough.

It is important to mention, however, that a lot of Lae’zel’s personality change and growth comes from how you interact with her. Like all characters, some choices can turn one ending from good to bad.

But if you treat Lae’zel right – even if you’re not romancing her – your time invested in trying to be a good friend and companion for her will have paid off.

One of her more desirable traits is her openness with your character throughout the game. Lae’zel takes no sh*t and reminds you that you shouldn’t either. As one Redditor put it, “She makes her needs explicit and is the only companion who never lies to you, misleads you, or omits important information. If you mirror that and be upfront with her, even if that would hurt most people’s feelings, she’ll respect and trust you.”

More games should pay attention to the care Larian Studios put into fully fleshing out Lae’zel’s character. Though it was brave of them to put such an abrasive and generally unpleasant character in front of you when so many other options to choose from, sticking with her ultimately pays off.

From her expanding her vocabulary to bettering her understanding of others, Lae’zel is the prime example of Baldur’s Gate 3’s excellent writing and character development.