Baldur’s Gate 3: What is a Guardian, Explained

When you begin your Baldur’s Gate 3 journey, at the very start of the game, you’ll be asked to create a custom Guardian. You can customize the look of this character as if you were making a brand new character, and we encourage you to take your time and have some fun making them just right. You’re going to see them quite frequently.

The actual purpose of this Guardian is a mystery. They’re tied to the plot, and they appear every so often, but what their goal actually is can seem extremely shady. There’s no exact answer for this from anyone in your party, but there are subtle hints. Here’s what we know about the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3.

What Does The Guardian Do in Baldur’s Gate 3?

The actual nature of the Guardian and their overall tie-in with your character is a story spoiler, and it does have to do with the tadpole inside of your head. As the Guardian reveals to you each time that you see them, they explain that they are the reason they are holding the tadpole’s powers back, preventing you from transforming Baldur’s Gate 3. They want you to tap into the power of the tadpoles, believing your character to be an important role that will have to do with the unfolding events that hold the world together.

Unfortunately, we are still learning the identity and reason this Guardian wants us to use the tadpole’s powers. Our Baldur’s Gate 3 journey is still unraveling, and we’re trying to learn these mysteries while working through the many side quests and main story quests of the game. For now, though, we can share that the Guardian has something to do with the tadpoles.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Heal Your Party Members in BG3

I imagine the Guardian’s identity and true purpose will be revealed as we dive deeper into Baldur’s Gate 3. I’ve been doing my best to avoid story spoilers about the game and want to remain in the dark as much as possible, leaving me to guess myself about the Guardian second, believing them to be someone who is acting in the tadpole’s interests, and trying to give me a false sense of hope that the tadpole could legitimately be used for good. I think it’s all garbage, and the tadpole wants me to tap into these powers to unleash it so that it can take control.

The fact that the Guardian feels like they consistently want to protect you in a world where everyone wants to take advantage of your character and control the tadpole feels like a red flag. Having a “Guardian” in a game like this has always felt like a trap to me. I’m immediately untrustworthy of them, especially throughout my Baldur’s Gate 3 journey, as I’ve decided not to have anything to do with the tadpole or its powers.

Right now, we’re not too sure, and how your character trusts the Guardian remains entirely up to you. For now, the Guardian has everything to do with the tadpole and, supposedly, greater events happening outside of the material plane, if what the Guardian says is accurate, and they’re trying to keep forces at bay so they can’t control you.