With Baldur’s Gate 3 releasing its long-awaited Patch 8, many players are flocking back to the game to start another playthrough. For players hoping to embrace a Warlock Tav or Durge, they should know that not all power comes from mainstream gods or arcane study. Some of it slithers through the void, whispering promises a character was never meant to hear. For Baldur’s Gate 3 players hoping to add a little bit of an edge to their playthrough, the Great Old Ones subclass might just be a spooky match made in the Outer Planes for them. The ancient cosmic entities that make up the proverbial “Old Ones” exist outside the comprehension of most mortals in a Dungeons and Dragons setting, drawing their strength from the very fabric of reality. Their whispers echo in the minds of players who dare to listen, promising unimaginable power to Tavs and Durges in exchange for unspeakable loyalty.
For players causing trouble with a Warlock, one of the most flavorful choices for a subclass is the Great Old One: a Warlock with a mysterious, often unknowable entity as a patron that grants immense power. The Great Old Ones are intriguing entities with a complex, often malign nature. Aligning oneself with one in the Forgotten Realms carries significant implications that players should keep in mind when creating characters with this background.
All Baldur's Gate 3 Warlock Subclasses, Ranked
The Warlock Class of Baldur's Gate 3 makes deals with creatures of tremendous power in exchange for their magical ability, here's how.
What or Who Are the Great Old Ones in Baldur's Gate 3?
The Great Old Ones are powerful, alien entities that exist outside the typical pantheon of BG3 and DnD gods. Unlike the deities of Faerun, who thrive on worship and weave themselves into the fabric of mortal society, these beings are ancient, unknowable, and uncaring. They are similar to Cthulhu-adjacent horror: creatures so vast and incomprehensible that even acknowledging them risks madness. In Dungeons and Dragons lore, these patrons include entities like:
- Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion
- Dendar the Night Serpent, the hoarder of nightmares and foul visions
- Ghaunadaur, That Which Lurks and the god of abominations, oozes, and outcasts
- Hadars, The Dark Hunger
Larian Studios doesn’t assign specific names to Great Old Ones in Baldur’s Gate 3, which is fitting for two reasons. For one, it emphasizes how Warlocks may never fully understand the source of their power. They’re often just dreamers, touched by something ancient and wrong, speaking words or knowing things not suitable for mortal minds. Secondly, Warlocks who adopt a Great Old One patron may get their power simply by stumbling upon lore or secrets.
Are the Mind Flayers One of the Great Old Ones?
Not quite, but players who ask this question are thinking in the right direction. Mind Flayers (or illithids) are ancient beings from the Far Realm, a plane of existence beyond mortal understanding. They serve their own alien interests, particularly the Elder Brain. While not technically Great Old Ones, or servants of an official Great Old One, they are definitely kindred spirits.
Players whose next BG3 avatar is a Warlock of a Great Old One grappling with a tadpole in their brain must recognize a poetic kind of overlap that allows for maximum roleplaying capabilities. A patron might have sent a character to face these hardships. It could have planned this all along. Potentially, the tadpole and abduction may have been part of a larger plan, a Tav or Durge may conclude. Playing an eldritch Warlock in BG3 will provide an awesome playthrough for any player, any way they want to tell the story.
What Does a Great Old One Warlock Do in BG3?
Mechanically, choosing the Great Old One subclass gives a Warlock a toolkit of psychic powers that support both crowd control and mind games during roleplay. Here’s what stands out:
|
Level |
Feature |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Mortal Reminder |
When landing a Critical Hit, the target and nearby enemies must succeed a Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened until the end of their next turn. |
|
Expanded Spell List – 1st Level |
Dissonant Whispers, Tasha's Hideous Laughter |
|
|
3 |
Expanded Spell List – 2nd Level |
Detect Thoughts, Phantasmal Force |
|
5 |
Expanded Spell List – 3rd Level |
Bestow Curse, Slow |
|
6 |
Entropic Ward (Reaction) |
Impose Disadvantage on an Attack roll against the player. If it misses, gain Advantage on the next Attack roll against the attacker for 1 turn. (Recharge: Short Rest) |
|
7 |
Expanded Spell List – 4th Level |
Dominate Beast, Evard's Black Tentacles |
|
9 |
Expanded Spell List – 5th Level |
Dominate Person, Telekinesis |
|
10 |
Thought Shield: Psychic Resistance |
Gain Resistance to Psychic damage. |
|
Thought Shield: Psychic Reflection |
When taking Psychic damage, the attacker takes the same amount. |
This subclass offers excellent options for players interested in unique, supernatural themes combined with some of the most powerful spells in Baldur’s Gate 3. Great Old One Warlocks practically beg for narrative flair, too. If players want a Warlock who doesn’t just bargain with power but flirts with madness, the Great Old One subclass is perfect. It’s eerie. It’s effective. And it pairs beautifully with Baldur’s Gate 3’s dark, tangled narrative themes.
Baldur's Gate 3
-
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
- Engine
- Divinity 4.0
- Genre(s)
- RPG
