Why you should specialize everyone into a bard in Baldur's Gate 3

I did not particularly feel inclined to have a bard in my party for Baldur's Gate 3. In my current Dungeons & Dragons campaign (which is quite sizable), I already have two bards, neither of whom truly make a significant impact. Oh, Bardic Inspiration, how marvelous. Will you be doing that again in the next round?

This notion was reinforced by several aspects in Baldur's Gate 3. Firstly, I still cannot determine precisely whom I wish to have in my party, let alone make room for a bard, whom I genuinely do not desire. Furthermore, my colleague James Troughton felt utterly useless as a bard in his own gaming session, so why should I divert my companions, who are currently extremely useful, into a class that is not only tedious but also ineffectual?

There is only one reason to do so: to witness the extent of care and attention that Larian Studios has poured into this game. I have come across online rumors regarding bardic companions and felt compelled to see it for myself.

When you specialize a character into a bard, they gain access to "Vicious Mockery." This spell inflicts some damage on enemies and imposes disadvantage on them if they fail the saving throw. However, that is not the primary reason to use it. The true purpose is to hurl a multitude of vulgar expressions at the being you are facing.

Different types of Dungeons & Dragons players will approach this in different ways. Some (and if I were to choose a bard, this would be my preference) would simply hurl an expletive or a series of other fitting profanities at their foe. Others take the exact opposite route and simply say, "I cast Vicious Mockery," without any flavor or role-playing. Lastly, there are the truly creative individuals who concoct a hyper-specific insult that somehow isn't offensive at all, yet it is the sharpest and most penetrating thing you've ever heard, leaving you almost feeling a sense of agonizing second-hand embarrassment.

It appears that the writers at Larian are firmly rooted in this third category. "Vicious Mockery" comes with an extensive list of insults that feel incredibly personal to the character casting the spell. These taunts are used in the game for no other purpose, they are not recycled but specifically crafted for the occasion when you specialize a character into a bard. Astarion has my favorite quips ("Is that your face? Goodness..."), and they thematically align well with a bard, but you would need to specialize all characters to experience them firsthand.

Of course, there are a few other ways to access "Vicious Mockery." For instance, you can acquire it by choosing the "Magic Initiate" feat, but it is a spell iconic to the bard class. Most of us do not wish to have a bard in our party, so you can still access these spells, but it feels like a waste of a valuable level-up slot. I simply utilized the save and load function to try it out.

However, Larian doesn't stop there. If you specialize Gale as a rogue, he becomes concerned about the legality of his thievery, and Karlach laments being too large for all the sneaking around. Larian has considered every possibility, every decision you might make throughout your gameplay, and has thoughtfully designed elements for them in advance. There's a yak that tells you it has witnessed the entire story when you speak to it by casting "Speak with Animals." Larian has accounted for every eventuality, making the world of Baldur's Gate 3 feel meticulously crafted as a result.

So much of it relies on design choices and meticulous attention to detail, but it comes to life through the voice actors who are consistently outstanding. One can't help but think they had so much fun recording those fish-out-of-water lines, while also unleashing their profane creativity in the recording studio for Vicious Mockery. When you specialize your characters, it becomes evident just how much thought Larian has put into this game, and that's precisely what makes it an anomaly in modern gaming.