The beauty ofBaldur’s Gate 3is the endless routes and decisions players can make. Despite debuting almost two years ago, players are still finding new clues and interactions in the hit game. One such new discovery may finally uncover how longBaldur’s Gate 3’s quest is in-game. Though players ultimately decide how they want their runs to end, the canonical length of the game has been up for speculation for quite some time.
Players may argue that the canonicallength ofBaldur’s Gate 3isn’t necessary information for a fun run of the game. This may be true, but trivia like the game’s canon length can recontextualize certain scenes or key events. Having this information in mind could also change how some gamers choose to play their next run, feeling less need to rush through quests or less worried about loading old saves. Ultimately, it’s a fun and harmless piece of trivia that’s worth exploring, especially if it leads to further community discussion.
Withers Reveals Baldur’s Gate 3’s Canon Length
But one player may have uncovered this fun fact in one ofBaldur’s Gate 3’s many endings. Reddit user u/TheImageworks revealed the tidbit of info on theBaldur’s Gate 3sub after noticing a voice line said by Withers. If a player’s runconcludes with Karlachpassing on the docks, Withers will say the following line in reference to the tiefling barbarian:
“In but a dozen tendays, an entire life was lived. More than mortal years. Mortal centuries were hers.”
Therefore,Baldur’s Gate 3canonically takes place over the course of “a dozen tendays.” Ten multiplied by twelve is a hundred and twenty, making this figure the official amount of time the ragtag group of companions save Faerun. To get even more specific, this would make each Act roughly forty days if divided equally.
Four months may seem like quite a bit of time, but with the amount of leg work players must accomplish, this timeframe certainly feels impressive. Additionally,Baldur’s Gate 3’s partymoves from Level 1 to 12 during this timeframe, which is quite a feat. Players who have been counting their long rests as an indicator of a day passing will certainly want to increase the number of rests they take if they want to maintain canon.
Certain Quests Take More In-Game Time Than Others
Of course, players struggle with certain quests more than others, depending on how long they’ve played the game. Find and search quests, which are some of the most labor-intensive in the game, can also be incredibly lengthy. With all of these different factors, speculatinghow long different quests take out ofBaldur’s Gate 3’sentire hundred-twenty-day period is an interesting thought experiment.
One Reddit user joked that thirty-eight days were dedicated to “checking basements for clown pelvises.” This is, of course, a reference to Act 3’s Dribbles the Clown, whose body parts are scattered about for players to find. While theDribbles the Clown series of questsis certainly notorious for its length, the Trials of Shar in Act 2 also lives in infamy for its difficulty. Puzzle-minded players may find the Sharan Trials engaging, but for a large swath ofBaldur’s Gate 3fans, this core plot quest in Act 2 can be extremely tedious, especially after a few runs.
Travel Factors into Canon In-Game Length
Travel time is another factor that players will want to take into consideration. Loading screens technically factor into the game’s canon length. Additionally,traveling through the Shadow Cursed Landsis canonically a detour that doubles the time it would typically take to travel from Emerald Grove to Baldur’s Gate. Add in other stops like the Creche, the Underdark, and Grymforge, andBaldur’s Gate 3’s canonical length of four months feels nothing short of impressive.
