Baldur’s Gate 3 Guardian explained – who is it, where to find them, and what they do

Looking for the mysterious Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3? Players have been flocking to the D&D world of Faerûn since the game left Early Access. And after a lengthy character creation process, fans are wondering why they have to design yet another character.

Before we get to what role this character plays, here’s our Baldur’s Gate 3 character customization guide. The appearance and race options apply to both your custom character and your Guardian.

And while picking one of Baldur’s Gate 3 origin characters saves you from making a custom one, you still have to create a Guardian. While they aren’t a bodyguard per se, we’ll tell you what role this character plays in the campaign. Read on if you’re okay with mild Act 1 spoilers.

Who is the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3?

The Baldur’s Gate 3 Guardian is a manifestation in your dreams from the Illithid tadpole in your head. You can meet them in your dreams as long as you consistently use your Illithid Wisdom power in conversations. Whether it is a manipulative entity or a benevolent one is up to you to decide. Early in the first Act, a long rest will let you meet this character. This will usually happen when you reach Druid Grove.

They instruct you not to remove the tadpole from your head. It’s a rather suspicious introduction, especially with the character standing in a mystical field of asteroids and stars. A flashback or a vivid conjuration shows us that it was them who protected us during the Nautiloid crash.

How to find the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3

This character shows up in your dreams in cutscenes so take long rests to see them. The Guardian asks you to give in to the parasite’s power to save the world. It’s a sketchy premise, one that asks you to trade your humanity for sweet Mind Flayer-based Baldur’s Gate 3 Illithid Powers. Before you think you’re the special one, all companions note that they had visits from their Guardians too.

Upon your next meeting with the Guardian, you learn a bit more about them. They tell you that they are stuck in the dream-like location you always meet them in where they are constantly attacked, because they stole magic from an unknown person. You also find out that the reason your parasite hasn’t turned you into a Mind Flayer is that they are preventing it, thanks to them having previously been infected, gaining immunity.

Act 1 also exposes the player to the Absolute, a supposed divine entity worshipped by the goblins. Considering that their three leaders also have these parasites in their brains, it’s not a stretch to consider this deception on a massive scale. Or is it a different power altogether? The game’s narrative will hopefully have those answers for us. Uncovering the Guardian’s identity and curing your party of the Mind Flayer parasites will definitely play a big role in Baldur’s Gate 3.

A second dream builds on the same case the Guardian makes: embrace the tadpole’s powers. They explained that The Absolute is using the tadpoles to control the cult’s leaders. These leaders can supposedly be turned into mind flayers. The Guardian says they can protect the player from the transformation. There’s some more dialogue that basically points to this important character stealing powerful magic from an entity that wants it back. It’s a murky affair wrought with uncertainty.

There’s a third dream as well that tempts you into giving in to the urge. While it can seem inconsequential, this character plays a big role in the final segment of the game.

Can you romance the guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3?

While the Early Access version of the game did let you romance the Dreamlover (name in Early Access), things play out differently in the full release of Baldur’s Gate 3. You can indeed romance the Guardian but not directly.

Considering that you can customize this character, it makes sense to have a romance route as they plunder both your mind and your heart. There’s a lot more that you will learn about this character in Act 3, the final act of the game.

Should you listen to the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Leaning into the tadpole’s machinations lets you use Illithid Wisdom to make certain dice rolls easier. It also grants you Illithid powers that can be used in combat. We still don’t know how this will affect the player’s character and the main narrative. It also affects NPC characters that travel with you from one quest to another.

The Guardian character grants mastery over the Illithid abilities from the parasite at a cost that is yet to be determined. You can also enhance these abilities by consuming Illithid parasites and specimens that you find during your time in Faerun.

Another potential reason to keep the parasite is that it is a key part of your ability to romance the Guardian. Getting rid of the parasite will completely remove this possibility, so you’ll have to weigh up your options carefully depending on what you want to do.

That’s everything we know about the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3. Over the course of the story, expect to learn more about the dream visitor that resides in the player’s dreams via the Mind Flayer tadpole. Check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 romance guide to see the Dreamlover, the Early Access version of the Guardian. And if you fancy Illithid Powers, check out the Baldur’s Gate 3 feats that characters can unlock in level 4 on PC and the PlayStation 5.

What does a guardian do in Baldur’s Gate 3?

In Baldur’s Gate 3, your Guardian meets you in your dreams and moves the story forward by tempting you to give into your Mind Flayer powers.

Is the Guardian evil BG3?

Players don’t know if the Guardian in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a good or evil entity.