A player on Reddit found himself in a very tricky situation with his Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3. The moment left him with only two options, both of which would lead him to break his oath.
What situation was the player in? At a significant point in the second act of Baldur’s Gate 3, Reddit user Ghetsis_Gang faced an uncomfortable situation. He was playing a Paladin, and when he reached a certain point in the story, there were only 2 options for him to choose from, as he shares on Reddit.
Since he had previously killed an important NPC, he was left with only 2 options to choose from at this point. However, both decisions ultimately led to him breaking his Paladin oath.
What role does the oath play? For a Paladin player, the oath is an important gameplay mechanic. On one hand, the oath dictates the values the Paladin commits to in role-playing and must uphold. On the other hand, he receives specific powers and magic for the oath, which are lost if he breaks his vow.
If one breaks their vow, they receive the subclass “Oathbreaker” along with different abilities. Players must then decide whether they want to remain an Oathbreaker or atone (i.e., pay gold corresponding to their level) and restore the oath.
Decision for or against authority and the protection of the innocent
Why did it not matter which decision broke the oath? The “Oath of the Crown,” which the user chose as a subclass, is based on the four principles of Law, Loyalty, Courage, and Responsibility. One breaks their oath when they violate these principles.
Unlike other oaths, which often revolve around the alignment of good and evil, this one primarily concerns the maintenance of order and authority. And this is where the crux of this moment apparently lies.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
For in the moment when the player decides to save Aylin, he seemingly interferes with the order. Shadowheart is a cleric of the evil goddess Shar, while Aylin is a daughter of Selûne – and both deities are deeply opposed to each other.
From the perspective of the community in the comments of the Reddit thread, the player here contradicts the natural order and enmity of the two goddesses and their followers with his decision. However, if he allows Shadowheart to kill Aylin, the player does not fulfill his oath to protect the innocent. So he breaks his oath with both decisions.
Other users see a potential reason in another decision why the player broke his oath. For he had promised an NPC to help another person but instead killed them.
Whether this is a bug or a deliberate dilemma is hard to say. Either way, the decision has cost the user quite a bit of gold to restore his oath. Another user notes that he suspects this dilemma can be circumvented by completing the Shar Temple before heading to the tower (via Reddit).
The Paladin with the Oath of the Crown was only added in the latest patch in Baldur’s Gate. Yet even before, the Paladin was by far the most popular class. Why that is, you can read here: Why is the Paladin actually the most popular class in Baldur’s Gate?
