Baldur’s Gate 3 is returning to comics, giving fans another official way to spend time with some of the Forgotten Realms’ most recognizable characters. Dark Horse Comics has confirmed an upcoming collaboration with Wizards of the Coast for a new Baldur’s Gate 3 comic series, with promotional artwork already revealing Astarion and Karlach as central figures in the project.
The upcoming project arrives as Baldur’s Gate 3 continues expanding beyond the game itself. The announcement via Nerdist follows news surrounding a potential Baldur’s Gate television adaptation and Astarion’s recently announced backstory novel by T. Kingfisher, showing how Larian Studios’ role-playing game is continuing to inspire stories across different formats. More details about the comics are expected very soon, making October an important month for fans.
Dark Horse’s New Baldur’s Gate 3 Comics Are Official
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics has teased the project as a “beautifully bloody new comic series,” although the publisher has deliberately kept the story details under wraps for now. What is confirmed is the partnership itself: Dark Horse is working with Wizards of the Coast on officially licensed Baldur’s Gate 3 comics, bringing the game’s characters into another established fantasy storytelling format.
Nautiloid Crash Site · Tadpole Infected How Well Do You Know Baldur’s Gate 3? “What a rush!” — Astarion, probably
🧘Mind FlayersCeremorphosis
🔮Arcane MagicThe Weave
⚛Divine PowerThe Gods
🔥Infernal PactsAvernus
🌿Druid GroveWild Shape
01
At the start of Baldur’s Gate 3, the player character is abducted and infected with a parasitic tadpole. What type of creature implants this parasite?
✓ Natural 20! Mind Flayers (Illithids) implant tadpoles into victims through a process called ceremorphosis. The tadpole devours the host’s brain and transforms them into a new Mind Flayer — unless your party finds a way to stop it.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is Mind Flayer. Also called Illithids, these tentacle-faced aberrations reproduce by inserting tadpoles into humanoid brains. The entire plot of BG3 revolves around the party’s race to remove their tadpoles before ceremorphosis is complete.
02
Astarion is one of BG3’s most popular companions. What is he?
✓ Natural 20! Astarion is a High Elf vampire spawn and rogue who was enslaved by the vampire lord Cazador for 200 years. His sharp wit, dramatic flair, and complex redemption arc made him the breakout character of BG3, with Neil Newbon’s performance winning widespread acclaim.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is a vampire spawn rogue. Astarion was turned by the vampire lord Cazador and spent centuries as his slave. The tadpole unexpectedly freed him from Cazador’s control, and his journey with the party becomes one of the game’s most compelling storylines.
03
Baldur’s Gate 3 is built on the rules of which tabletop RPG system?
✓ Natural 20! BG3 uses the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset, including its class system, spellcasting, ability scores, and the iconic d20 skill check rolls. Larian adapted these tabletop mechanics into a real-time/turn-based hybrid that feels remarkably faithful to playing at an actual table.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is D&D 5th Edition. The original Baldur’s Gate games used 2nd Edition AD&D rules, but BG3 jumped to the current 5e system. Pathfinder is a competing RPG system used by Owlcat Games’ titles, not Larian’s.
04
Baldur’s Gate 3 was developed by which Belgian studio, previously known for the Divinity: Original Sin series?
✓ Natural 20! Larian Studios, based in Ghent, Belgium, developed BG3 after proving themselves with Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2. Led by Swen Vincke, Larian spent six years crafting BG3 — including three in early access — before its full 2023 release swept every major Game of the Year award.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is Larian Studios. BioWare made the original Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 in the late ’90s, but Larian took over for BG3. Obsidian made Pillars of Eternity and InXile made Wasteland — both great CRPGs, but BG3 is Larian’s masterpiece.
05
Shadowheart is a half-elf cleric who guards a mysterious artifact throughout Act 1. Which deity does she initially worship?
✓ Natural 20! Shadowheart is a devoted cleric of Shar, the goddess of darkness, loss, and secrets. She’s a Trickery Domain cleric on a mission for her faith, carrying an artifact she can’t fully remember obtaining. Her story involves deep questions about memory, faith, and free will.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is Shar. Shadowheart serves the Lady of Loss, goddess of darkness and secrets. Selûné is Shar’s sister and sworn enemy (goddess of the moon), Mystra governs magic, and Lolth is the spider queen of the drow. Shar’s influence shapes Shadowheart’s entire arc.
06
BG3 famously lets players solve problems in wildly creative ways. What type of die is rolled for most skill checks and attack rolls in the game?
✓ Natural 20! The d20 is the iconic die at the heart of D&D and BG3. Nearly every important check — persuasion, stealth, attacks, saving throws — involves rolling a 20-sided die and adding modifiers. The thrill (and agony) of watching that die spin is one of BG3’s most defining moments.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is the d20. The twenty-sided die is the backbone of D&D 5e and BG3. Rolling a natural 20 is an automatic critical success, while a natural 1 is always a failure. Other dice (d6, d8, d10, d12) are used for damage rolls, but the d20 rules skill checks.
07
The main antagonist of BG3 is an ancient evil seeking to become a god using the power of the Illithid tadpoles. What type of being is the Absolute’s true mastermind?
✓ Natural 20! The true threat is the Netherbrain — an Elder Brain wearing the Crown of Karsus, a Netherese artifact that amplifies its power to potentially dominate the entire Sword Coast. The “Absolute” is a false religion it created to amass an army of thralls.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is an Elder Brain empowered by a Netherese crown. The Netherbrain is a colossal Illithid Elder Brain wearing the Crown of Karsus, granting it power to dominate minds across the Sword Coast. It created the cult of the Absolute as a front for its scheme to achieve godhood.
08
At The Game Awards 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 took home the top prize. What did it win?
✓ Natural 20! Baldur’s Gate 3 won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023, along with multiple other prizes. It also swept GOTY at the BAFTA Game Awards, DICE Awards, and GDC Awards — one of the most dominant award runs in gaming history.
✗ Critical miss! The answer is Game of the Year. BG3 didn’t just win Best RPG — it won the big one. Swen Vincke’s emotional acceptance speech and the game’s sweep across every major awards ceremony made 2023 a landmark year for CRPGs and proved the genre could dominate the mainstream.
Nautiloid · Ceremorphosis AvertedYour Adventurer’s Record
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Natural 20 — or did you roll a 1?
Astarion is already confirmed to appear, while the promotional material strongly indicates that Karlach will be part of the series as well. Their inclusion gives the comics an immediate connection to two of the game’s most recognizable companions, though it remains unclear whether they will share the same storyline or appear in separate adventures. That mystery leaves plenty of room for speculation.
For now, fans do not know when the series takes place, whether it follows events from the game, or whether other Baldur’s Gate 3 companions such as Halsin and Minthara will appear. Dark Horse has scheduled the full announcement for October 9 at New York Comic Con, meaning the publisher should reveal the creative team, storyline, release information, and additional characters then. The announcement could clarify how closely the comics connect to the game’s ending.
Astarion And Karlach Already Look Incredible In New Artwork
Dark Horse Comics
Although the plot remains secret, the first artwork offers a clear indication of the visual direction. Astarion appears in a stunning blood-soaked image that captures his vampiric personality, while Karlach receives equally dramatic treatment. The illustrations provide an early look at how the game’s recognizable character designs are being translated into comic-book form, without losing the fantasy atmosphere that made them memorable.
Astarion’s preview is especially notable because of how closely the artwork looks like his appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3. His expressive features and polished character design retain the distinctive look players know from the game, while the heightened comic style makes him feel perfectly suited for a bloody fantasy adventure outside the interactive format. The image also emphasizes the darker side of his vampire storyline.
Karlach’s artwork is just as attention-grabbing, particularly her bright, glowing eyes and imposing presence. With the official announcement arriving October 9 at NYCC, fans will not have to wait long to learn whether these two companions are heading into the same adventure. Whatever the answer, the new series marks another major expansion of Baldur’s Gate 3 beyond its original game and gives its characters another official story to inhabit.
Systems
Released
August 3, 2023
ESRB
Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
