In Baldur’s Gate 3 has many villains, each shining in their own way. MyMMO author Fabienne Kissel has compiled her top 5 in a ranking.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, you encounter a variety of impressive characters, some of whom embody the role of the villain with a compelling intensity. The diversity of their personalities, motivations, and actions makes it hard to categorize them easily.
Nevertheless, I decided to compile my personal top 5 favorites in a ranking. This is a personal opinion and ranking, which is not universally valid – everyone has their own preferences. Feel free to discuss this post and share your personal favorites at the end.
Warning – Spoilers ahead! Of course, we rank villains from all three acts of Baldur’s Gate 3. And when we write here Spoiler
, we mean the plot-totally-revealing version of it.
Place 5: Aunt Ethel – Brilliant setting and a pure nightmare
Aunt Ethel first enters the stage as an unassuming, harmless older lady, who lulls you into a false sense of security. One might easily tend to view her as an innocent figure.
However, throughout the game, her true nature is revealed, and it becomes clear that she is anything but harmless. Aunt Ethel is a despicable hag who unleashes her cruelty notably on the poor Mayrina.
Her tea house swamp setting is a brilliantly chosen place for her dark deeds. The location is riddled with her cruel acts, which enhances the frightening atmosphere.
Aunt Ethel is undoubtedly a character that has etched itself deeply into my memory, and the skillful implementation of the hag and the setting contributes to making her an unforgettable nightmare.
She is not only a physically threatening figure but also psychologically disturbing. The emotional cruelty she shows, among others, towards Mayrina gets under your skin. And at the same time, she makes you laugh with her unique humor. For me, Ethel is definitely one of the highlights in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Place 4: Astarion – Between Good and Evil
Astarion is not only my preferred companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 but also one of the most fascinating villains – not least because of my passion for vampires. However, my fascination for him goes far beyond a mere preference for bloodsuckers; it is rooted mainly in his multifaceted personality.
The darker sides of Astarion’s nature are evident: A hint of arrogance, selfishness, and above all, an insatiable hunger for power characterizes him. What particularly captivated me were his compelling charm, his sarcastic humor, and his dark backstory.
Neil Newbon’s voice acting as Astarion deserves special recognition. His talent unfolds, for instance, in a funny scene in the Githyanki cradle.
Astarion’s interest in the suffering of others and his joy in the pain of those he sees as weaker unmistakably reveal his dark side – a side based on deeply rooted traumas, oppression, and the cruel abuse by Cazador.
The story of Astarion is marked by an unstoppable drive for personal survival and freedom from Cazador. His desire for revenge against his former master reflects the dark instincts that bubble within him.
The prospect of rising to the exalted vampire with incredible power, who would never have to fear anyone again, seems extremely tempting to him – even if it means sacrificing thousands of vampire spawns in a ritual.
The decision of whether Astarion follows the dark path of his past or through conviction becomes a better version of himself adds extra depth to his character. Depending on the decision, he can either become the Cazador he hates – power-hungry and possessive – or muster the courage to free himself from his traumatic past and become an improved version of himself. In any case, Astarion remains a fascinating character for me, who blurs the lines between good and evil in an impressive way.
Place 3: Orin the Red – Unpredictable Sadist
Orin, the dark shapeshifter, finds herself in 3rd place on my list of favorite villains in Baldur’s Gate 3. For me, she embodies pure evil, reveling in her atrocities as an Chosen One of Bhaal. Her joy in killing and her greed for pain make her a true sadist. She loves it and enjoys playing with her victims.
What makes Orin particularly dangerous is her unique shapeshifting ability. With clever use of this gift, she can assume the appearance of any person, thus manipulating innocent victims in a perfidious way. Her impulsive reactions and the opacity of her plans make her an unpredictable villain, always up for surprises.
The dark family history of Orin adds to the complexity of her character. As the daughter of Sarevok and Helena Anchev, she experienced abuse and mistreatment in her own family. Sarevok is not only her father but also her grandfather, as he is the father of Helena.
The tragedy takes a particularly dark turn when Sarevok commissions Helena to sacrifice Orin for Bhaal. Helena wanted to carry out her act because she desperately wanted to prove herself worthy to Bhaal and rise as the Chosen One.
But she failed, as Orin, still a child at the time, killed her mother in self-defense. She lifted her corpse and displayed it in her room in the Bhaal temple. Later, she became the Chosen One of Bhaal after waiting for an opportunity to betray her family and gain Bhaal’s favor for herself. Orin is responsible for the Dark Urge, who is also a Bhaalspawn and can thus be seen as Orin’s brother, suffering from amnesia and being caught by the Illithids.
In Minthara’s story, you learn more about Orin’s cruelty. When Minthara was invited as an honored guest to the Towers of Dawn, Orin jumped on the table and slit her soldiers’ throats. Minthara was the only survivor, and Orin cruelly played with her – tortured her. Later, she made Minthara infect with a Mind Flayer larva, turning her into a True Soul
.
Impressive is also Orin’s character design. It perfectly combines coolness and abomination. And again, one must say how perfectly matched the choice of voice actress was. Orin was wonderfully portrayed by Maggie Robertson in my opinion – without her talent, it would not have been the same experience. Maggie Robertson also lent her voice to Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village. Kudos to Larian Studios – Orin is definitely one of those villains who will remain unforgettable for me.
Place 2: Raphael – Devilish Charm and Fun
Raphael is thoroughly a devil, who initially appears to us in the guise of a mysterious and charming human. But his true intentions and diabolical nature are quickly revealed when we are teleported into a room of the House of Hope and Raphael reveals himself as a Cambion. At that moment, I was overwhelmed by a sense of awe at the impressive setting – a place I wanted to explore as quickly as possible.
For me, Raphael is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating villains in Baldur’s Gate 3, mainly due to his charming and sophisticated character. Right from the start, he presents himself as an opaque figure who offers his assistance, while obviously pursuing his own dark motives. The constant temptation to accept his enticing offer went hand in hand with distrust.
What particularly sets Raphael apart is his charming and manipulative personality. Raphael’s inclination towards poetry and his dramatic staging of every scene make him a unique villain.
His obvious endless enjoyment of involving players in his treacherous schemes adds an entertaining note to the entire plot. Every encounter with Raphael was a delight for me, as he convinces with the liveliness and originality of his portrayal, which his voice actor Andrew Windcott has excellently presented.
Raphael also has a cool personal boss fight song. The decision to use the sound of an organ is simply perfect and creates a dark atmosphere.
A special highlight is that Raphael personally sings in the song. This artistic touch makes the boss fight against him not only more epic but has also ensured that I just can’t get the melody out of my head. I love this song – not as much as Down by the River
, but it has definitely left a lasting impression.
Here you can listen to Raphael’s song:
Place 1: Ketheric Thorm – The Broken Man
Placing Ketheric Thorm at number one is based on a personal decision. For me, he is the most well-developed and captivating villain in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is because Ketheric Thorm has managed to be an intimidating and evil character for whom one feels empathy – at least, that was the case for me. Among all the villains, he stands out mainly due to his human side, his motivations, and tragedies.
Before turning to evil and shrouding his existence in darkness, he was once a devout follower of Selûne, who ruled over the city of Reithwin. But pain and a series of fateful events followed.
The painful loss of his wife Melodia and later his daughter Isobel plunged him into a whirlpool of despair and darkness. Here began the dark journey that led him to become a follower of Shar and eventually the Chosen One of Myrkul.
The goddess Shar exploited his despair and grief for herself. Ketheric established an army of dark elite warriors in her name. He deceived Aylin, the beloved of his daughter, lured her to Shadowfell, imprisoned her there to later ultimately use her immortality for himself.
In the battle against the forces of the Harpers and the Druids of the Emerald Grove, Ketheric Thorm, however, failed and died. He is responsible for the Shadow Curse plaguing the land. Myrkul, the god of death and a member of the Dead Three, brought Ketheric Thorm back to life as an undead and made him his Chosen One with the task of forming an alliance with the other Chosen Ones of the Dead Three. All this was in return for his daughter’s return to life. However, upon her return, she turned away from him.
His willingness to serve Myrkul and sacrifice his own soul so that his daughter could return from the dead illustrates the extreme despair and lost faith in the goodness of the world.
What makes Ketheric Thorm so unique to me are his human motives. Unlike many villains driven by sadistic joy or insatiable thirst for power, Ketheric acts out of deep love for his family. He is not a simple template of evil but a broken man who has lost himself and everything else.
In the deepest abysses, Ketheric realizes that his actions were wrong, but that there is no place for redemption. His terrible deeds have destroyed too much, and he knows that he has lost himself and is no longer the same person he once was. He cannot return to the old self. The attempt to fix the unbearable and the impossibility of undoing the past weighs like an unavoidable judgment on his soul.
All of this is incredibly well embodied by the voice actor of Ketheric, J.K. Simmons. In my opinion, Simmons not only expresses the dark presence of Ketheric but also the nuances of despair, pain, and inner conflict.
What do you think of the ranking? Which villains have particularly fascinated you? Feel free to discuss this post and share your personal favorite villains from Baldur’s Gate 3.
To stay on the theme of evil: Player lists the worst things you can do to any companion
