I’m at a crossroads. As a Larian Studios fan, I’m excited to see what’s next. But as a Baldur’s Gate 3 fan, I’m devastated. The RPG that stole my heart gave me everything I could ever want in a game: a parasitic infection, an otherworldly threat, and a crew of beautifully broken heroes who carried my Tav through every inch of the Sword Coast. After pouring hundreds of hours into this world, I thought I’d be first in line when Larian announced a DLC for Baldur's Gate 3. Little did I know that line would never form and that I’d be left with nothing but my tadpole and a dangerous amount of free time.
It’s greedy, I know. Larian’s decision not to make Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC is a testament to how complete the game already is. But completion doesn’t quite lull my hunger to return—to step once more into the Sword Coast, to linger in stories that feel like they’re still breathing somewhere. And while we may never get that opportunity in the form of a DLC, an upcoming Dungeons & Dragons release centered on a beloved Baldur’s Gate 3 character feels like the next best thing. It’s not an expansion, it’s not a detour, and it’s not something I can make space for on my Xbox to experience. But it is an invitation to descend once more into the world that made us fall in love with this world and its characters.
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Astarion’s Book of Hungers: The Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC We’ll Never Get
Astarion's Book of Hungers feels like a love letter to everyone who ever rolled their eyes at Astarion, only to end up hopelessly devoted to him. And its content will surely please any Baldur’s Gate 3 fan getting into Dungeons & Dragons. Astarion’s Book of Hungers is a rules and adventure supplement written from Astarion’s POV. Think of it as the D&D Monster Manual’s cousin that can’t stay too long under the sun. This upcoming book will be released digitally on November 11 as a digital expansion for the Forgotten Realms Ultimate Bundle. It will be released separately at an unknown date.
Although Astarion’s Book of Hungers may lend itself to controversy, it is an undeniable win for D&D monster aficionados, fans of the Ravenloft setting, and Baldur’s Gate 3 players who are looking for a segway into the tabletop. On a technical level, Astarion’s Book of Hungers’ additions are already promising:
- New Origins: Three vampire-themed backgrounds that let you build a character steeped in blood, charm, and tragedy.
- New Species: Eight playable species, including the dhampir, returning from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.
- New Feats: Sixteen unique character feats that give your adventurers a sharper edge, both literally and figuratively.
- New Villains: Five stat blocks featuring infernalist vampires and Mephistopheles’ servants, perfect for adding gothic horror to your next campaign.
Mechanically, it’s an easy sell for BG3 fans curious about D&D. But where the Book of Hungers truly shines is in its roleplaying potential: the way it teases a continuation of Astarion’s story, not through cutscenes or DLC, but through the limits of your imagination.
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Astarion’s Backstory
Before the spawn, before the tadpoles, before the stars aligned over the Sword Coast for an Astarion romance in the woods, there was a place called Rat’s Run Tavern. Astarion’s Book of Hungers breathes life into this forgotten haunt, transforming it from an unknown footnote in lore into a fully mapped adventure setting pulsing with secrets. The tavern isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a confession booth.
Whether the book indicates that this old stomping ground was his favorite in life or undeath, it remains a compelling setting regardless. It’s the kind of place players can easily imagine Astarion haunting in any of his former lives—charming, conniving, and always three steps ahead. On the other hand, it could be a place that reclaims a piece of Astarion’s humanity. For Baldur’s Gate 3 players, it’s an almost disorienting invitation: a chance to stand in the very place your favorite vampire might have smiled before his circumstances broke him.
Continuing the Adventure
The real seduction of Astarion’s Book of Hungers lies in what comes next. The supplement doesn’t just let you read about Astarion; it lets you fight alongside him again. Two fully realized mini-adventures invite players to adventure with the vampire spawn at either level 3 or level 12. And they sound perfect for a D&D one-shot or a sweet side quest in a campaign. It remains to be seen whether he’s a guiding figure like Jaheira after BG3, or simply taking a detour from Tav’s or Durge’s command. But I can’t imagine that many Baldur’s Gate 3 fans who yearn to see more of their favorite characters would reject a chance to adventure with him just one last time.
There’s a bittersweet magic in that premise. Baldur’s Gate 3 gave us closure, maybe too much of it for those of us who are sentimentalists. And for players like me, somehow hundreds of hours still aren't enough. I could play this game for thousands of hours and still yearn for the magic of experiencing Baldur's Gate 3 for the first time. But Book of Hungers cracks the door open again, just enough for the moonlight to spill in. So while there may never be DLC for BG3, I’ll take this as the next best thing. If I can’t find solace holding a controller, I can find it around a table: dice in hand, surrounded by friends, and continuing a story that we refuse to bury.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
