Baldur’s Gate 3’s Dark Urge outshines Tav in every way 

Baldur’s Gate 3’s choice to give The Dark Urge a preset backstory makes the gameplay experience more fulfilling than when playing as a regular Tav.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, players are granted the unique opportunity to shape their own characters and narratives. However, one character selection, The Dark Urge, offers a unique narrative experience. Its profound impact on the story has captivated players, leaving other character options in its shadow.

The Dark Urge, more commonly known as Durge, is a Bhaalspawn created from the dead flesh of villainous Bhaal. As the name suggests, the Durge have a darkness to them that gives them an unquenchable lust for blood, murder, and destruction.

Unlike a Tav, which requires the player to imagine a bit of their story, the Durge has a rich, pre-established backstory. This history, rooted in darkness, significantly influences how the player navigates the game’s various situations. This depth of character adds layers to the story beyond just becoming a villain.

There are two options for playing Durge: trying to overcome the madness or succumbing to it. Resisting the urge is another popular method of playing by going against what the Durge was put on the planet to do.

However, giving into the madness is usually more interesting and a superior option as it allows players to wreak havoc on anyone they encounter. Having the freedom to do whatever instead of suppressing the urge makes a much more chaotic playthrough.

When playing as Durge, you are the source of everything going wrong and even play a part in why the illithid has captured your companions.

This choice for those playing Durge allows players to stay as evil as they want without having to flip-flop. On the other hand, the Tav is only slightly driven by their theoretical backstory as Baldur’s Gate 3 leaves the story of Tav up to the player and has little impact on the story as a whole.

But that’s not all; Larian Studios recently revealed an upcoming update to the Durge endings, making them even darker. Since the release of the alternative endings, Baldur’s Gate players are starting to see the appeal of being the center of chaos.

“Honestly, I definitely think that Durge is the more interesting story, but you have to tailor your ideas about your character around it rather than decide for yourself. Considering how horrific some of the Durge backstory is, I can see that being unappealing for some. It’s less freedom and a character that canonically got up to deeply reprehensible stuff. There are other RPGs like that, but they usually have a predefined character,” said one player on Reddit.

For those who want their avatar to have an in-depth storyline just like their companions, then Durge is definitely the way to go, especially with the additional endings and prompts that come from having to either suppress or succumb to the darkness.

But for those who would instead choose the path of good or don’t have the stomach to go on a murderous rampage, the option remains to create a Tav from the ground up. Just be aware of some exciting twists and turns that come from being the source of all evil.