Cut and unimplemented content

Overview

Unimplemented spells

Helia

Nightsong

Shadowheart

Early models of the Chosen

Baldur's Gate 3 had a long development cycle with many features that were cut or unimplemented, and in some cases implemented differently than it was originally conceived. Most of the contents detailed in this article are therefore not canon to the events of the game.

Removed Content

A significant amount of content was removed or reimagined during Early Access or at an earlier stage of development.

Backgrounds

Some backgrounds present in the pre-release versions of the game still exist in the game files, but are otherwise unusable without modifications.

Backgrounds for the player character

• Hermit
• Sailor

Special backgrounds of the companions

• Astral Zealot (Lae'zel): In the release version of the game, Lae'zel has the Soldier background instead.
• Blade of Frontiers (Wyll): In the release version of the game, Wyll has the Folk Hero background instead.
• Blood War Veteran (Karlach): In the release version of the game, Karlach has the Outlander background instead.
• Cloistered Stray (Shadowheart): In the release version of the game, Shadowheart has the Acolyte background instead.
• Grove Tender (Halsin): In the release version of the game, Halsin has the Outlander background instead.
• Legend of Baldur's Gate (Minsc): In the release version of the game, Minsc has the Folk Hero background instead.
• Trickster Hedonist (Astarion): In the release version of the game, Astarion has the Charlatan background instead.
• Underdark Exile (Minthara): In the release version of the game, Minthara has the Noble background instead.
• Wizard of Waterdeep (Gale): In the release version of the game, Gale has the Sage background instead.
• World-Wise Heroine (Jaheira): In the release version of the game, Jaheira has the Soldier background instead.

Characters

Helia

Main article: Helia

Helia was datamined during Early Access as a potential origin. Little is known about her, as she has never been officially confirmed, but the datamined content suggests she might have been intended to be a werewolf bard.

Lotan

Lotan was a tiefling child originally planned to act as a Trader in the Emerald Grove, although he was cut during Early Access. His mother was a worshipper of Umberlee who was mistaken for being a cultist, which, as Lotan would have implied, resulted in her murder. Lotan would have traded various "junk" goods with the party in return for shells, which he would have planned to "return to the sea" as a way of appeasing Umberlee. While most of Lotan's goods were uninteresting, he would have offered at least two unique magical items: the Cup of Endless Water, which would have allowed to summon a water surface at will, and the Bitch Queen's Blessing, which would have been a single-use item that acted as an AoE charm spell.

Nerela

Nerela during the cutscene

Nerela was a tiefling refugee that could have been encountered in the Emerald Grove, on a rocky ledge behind Mattis. She was never finished, and was cut sometime before Early Access, though her model, animations, dialogue and interactions still remain in the game files. She was to be in the possession of a Music Box, playing  The Power as the party approached her; Nerela tells the party that her husband used to make music boxes for their daughter in order to keep her distracted. During her family's flight to Baldur's Gate, they stumbled upon a pack of gnolls that soon killed Nerela's husband and daughter, with the music box being one of the few possessions she still has left. She mentions hearing about how entry into Baldur's Gate would require coin and bribes, and how that she doesn't have anything to her name. The party can then offer to buy the music box from her, be charitable and give her gold, or tell her to accept Auntie Ethel's offer of purchase instead.

However, should the party instead inspect the music box and pass an Insight check, it'd reveal that Nerela had been lying the whole time, shedding fake tears and making up an elaborate sob story in order to get the party to part with their coin. The tiefling conwoman reveals her scheme and states that she'd need to coin to enter Baldur's Gate, as guards there fish for bribes. Nerela can then be forced to part with the music box through Intimidation or  Detect Thoughts, applauded for her acting skills, or the party can still give her some gold, to which she'll accept and tell the party to watch out for the tiefling children instead, calling them the real swindlers.

Rurik

Main article: Rurik

Rurik was a dwarven rogue found outside the Risen Road Toll House, in Early Access. He was a member of Anders' group, hunting the origin character Karlach. Unlike Karlach, he was removed from the final game.

Spencer

Spencer was a halfling paladin monster hunter that was cut sometime before Early Access. He could have been situated in or nearby the Emerald Grove, and the currently-existing tiefling called Eramas was once meant to be his associate. He also had interactions with Wyll, could tell the party about his profession, and was at some point involved with a mysterious vampire ambush that would have happened during Act Two, within the Shadow-Cursed Lands. It's unclear as to who his hunt was, but it is possible that his vampire target was Cazador Szarr himself, as he is associated with a deprecated wanted poster for Cazador.

Items

• The Blade of Frontiers' Eye - was Wyll's starting eye item. During Early Access, the eyes were an equippable item along with Volo's Ersatz Eye.
• Belts - during Early Access there was a slot for belts on the left side of the equipment doll in the inventory screen. Although there were no belts in the game to obtain, there was at least one non-magical belt in the game files. In the release version of the game there isn't a slot for belts anymore.
• Various other items that were present in the Early Access are now unobtainable in the full release version, among them are the Non-Wizard Scrolls due to the fact that wizards could add these scrolls to their spell list in the Early Access.

Non-Wizard Scrolls

• Scroll of Armour of Agathys
• Scroll of Bane
• Scroll of Barkskin
• Scroll of Bless
• Scroll of Cure Wounds
• Scroll of Guiding Bolt
• Scroll of Healing Word
• Scroll of Heat Metal
• Scroll of Inflict Wounds
• Scroll of Lesser Restoration
• Scroll of Moonbeam
• Scroll of Prayer of Healing
• Scroll of Protection from Poison
• Scroll of Resistance
• Scroll of Shield of Faith
• Scroll of Silence
• Scroll of Spike Growth
• Circlet of Fire

Other Items

• Doom Axe
• Gloves of Succour
• Promise
• Ring of Restorative Gravity
• Scale Mail Armour +1
• Wyvern Poison

See Also

• Inaccessable items
• Unobtainable items

The World Map

In Early Access, when the party reached the Mountain Pass crossing, they were sent to the Overworld menu with the worldmap, where icons of previously discovered locations could be clicked on akin to Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II. The map for the final version still exists, albeit only as a Digital Deluxe bonus image and isn't actually in the game.

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  The world map in Early Access.

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  Digital Deluxe Map

Thralls saving the Mind Flayer

In the Ravaged Beach there is a dying mindflayer. During Early Access, it wasn't alone, as there were a few enthralled fishermen trying to rescue it with one of them thinking it's his daughter.

Redesigned Content

A significant amount of content was changed during development. Some were placeholder models, like Karlach's and the Chosen from Early Access Patch 5.

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  Karlach's EA Model

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  Astarion's EA Starter Costume

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  Gale's Earliest look

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  Concept Art of Guardian of Faith's Shields that would have changed depending on deity.

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  Placeholder Karlach

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  Chosen Placeholders from Early Access Patch 5

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  Gale in Early Access

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  Harper Lassandra pre-release as seen in the Official Launch Trailer

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  Gauntlet Yeva in Early Access

Minsc

Minsc may have at some point been intended to be an origin character available as early as Act One, with datamined dialogue in the Druid Grove of Guex talking with Minsc and mentioning an attack hamster.

(Minsc is probably proposing that Guex gets himself an attack hamster.)

• Minsc: [Dialogue not found]
• Guex: A hamster? I'm afraid the armory is fresh out of attack rodents.
  • (Followed by Minsc likely telling him to try to rage.)
  • Minsc: [Dialogue not found]
  • Guex: Rage, you say? RrrrrrrARGH! Step-brace, parry, swing - ugh. Still not landing!
  • Minsc: Again! More anger! Make evil quake!
    • [Unknown dialogue branch]
  • Minsc: Spineless exuses! Cowardice is the manure from which evil grows!
    • Guex: Spineless? Well, I'll show you! Brace and step swivel swing! Yes! <...>
    • ( +1  +1  +1  +1)
  • Minsc: Leave

Dream Visitor

In Early Access, the Dream Guardian was known as the Dream Visitor, and was portrayed differently than in the full release, wearing ornate dress similar to the Elegant Robe camp clothing rather than a set of armour.

Named "Daisy" in the game files (even after release), the Dream Visitor would grant the player character visions of domination and power, and became hostile should they resist these visions.

The Dream Visitor would also attempt to seduce the player character. It is likely, the song Down by the River was originally based on these interactions as the Dreams took place by the river and the song asks the player to stay there in the dream with them forever (Don't wake me up, Just leave me there dreaming).

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  Tell me. Who do you dream of at night? - Narrator

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  Waking up in a dream

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  Watching Baldur's Gate burn

Nightsong

Main article: Aylin/Cut content

The Nightsong plot apparently had significant differences during early development from what appears in the full game.

Isobel was supposed to have been killed by Balthazar, and Aylin was framed for her murder. Isobel's father Ketheric Thorm turned Aylin into Nightsong as an act of revenge. A century later, Ketheric tasked Balthazar with bringing Isobel back. This ritual also bound Isobel's life to Ketheric, sharing his immortality with her. If Ketheric was killed before unthethering Isobel from him, they would both go to the afterlife.

Shadowheart

Main article: Redesigned Shadowheart content

Shadowheart had at some point in development a different backstory and storyline that was revamped prior to the game's release. This previous version of Shadowheart once had a high elven mother named Eliriana, a human father named Sebastian, had been acquainted with a Mother Superior (different from Viconia DeVir), a Sister Superior, as well as a Sharran torturer.

Nose of the Nautiloid

An entire area of the Nautiloid ship in the Prologue was removed. This area could be visited right after a slightly different imp battle and provided a roundabout way to get to Shadowheart's room. It was available in Early Access but was eventually removed likely to shorten the Prologue chapter to enhance replayability.

When walking out into open air, a short cinematic played, in which the nose of the Nautiloid in front of the party was badly damaged by attacking red dragons. Thankfully this did not affect the party's route.

Nose of the Nautiloid

The path forward

• Various dead lesser imps and thralls could be looted around this whole area for minor riches and equipment, including a Studded Shield. One incinerated dead thrall all the way towards the nose of the ship had a File:Potion of Poison Resistance Unfaded Icon.pngPotion of Poison Resistance (where the "1" is marked on the map). It was necessary to jump over some fire to reach the body. The thrall also held on to yet another brain in a jar, and this one is called Our Mind.

• Turning back, the party could climb another set of stairs to reach an upper level of the Nautiloid, from either side. An intellect devourer told the party that they must go to the helm of the ship to provide assistance. The party could choose to attack, but the ensuing fight might actually proved difficult as there were also two lively thralls there maintaining some cannons.

• There were also two lesser imps towards the south, having some sort of argument, one of them already wounded. There was a Battleaxe lying on the ground here.

Talking to some of the dying enthralled cultists on the ground around this area granted the party a little insight on how they thought. One talked about red, flying rats in the kitchen clawing at him, clearly referring to the imps who attacked the thralls. Another spoke as if he was talking to his mother, saying that he was tired and wanted to go to sleep early. Although talking to them revealed, rather tragically, that the thralls were just poor victims under mind control.

The path forward was back into the Nautiloid via a corridor to the north, stretching east. There was a mucous membrane the party needed to attack to break through, and then a door leading into the next major room, where Shadowheart was locked up in Mind Flayer pod.

Assaulting Moonrise Towers

Florrick at Moonrise Towers

At some point in development, the Act Two questline called for the inclusion of Counsellor Florrick and the deeper involvement of the Flaming Fists during the Assault on Moonrise Towers. In addition to Florrick, this version of the assault called for the involvement of the following characters:

• Manip Vidor
• Fist Cyril
• Fist Thadwick
• Unknown gnome Harper that resembles Lanni

The following characters are nowhere to be seen and are possibly not involved:

• Lymn
• Essius
• Ulthred
• Helena
• Rhed

In the release versions of the game, Florrick as well as her cohort (Vidor, Cyril, and Thadwick) disappear from Act Two as soon as the party long rests after they encounter them at Last Light Inn. Additionally, there's also a cut Flaming Fist character in the game's files called Fist Hadenwell, referred in-game as S_MOO_AssaultFlamingFist_004 that can not appear anywhere in the game, despite having the same name string as Nipawa, Helena, and Rhed (S_MOO_AssaultFlamingFist_001 to 003); it's not clear as to what purpose this character once served.

There are also some very minor differences for Disciple Z'rell, who is instead clothed in white Absolutist robes and missing the Shield in her off-hand.

Rugan at the Guildhall

Rugan had originally been planned to be present at the Guildhall, but his presence in Act Three was seemingly cut from the released version of the game. Despite this, there are still trace amounts of information in the game files that attest to his unimplemented role.

By saving Rugan from the gnolls in Act One, and remaining on friendly terms with the Zhentarim of the Zhentarim Hideout, Rugan will tell the party to look for him once they were in Baldur's Gate, promising to buy them a drink should they ever cross paths again. Nevertheless, in the release version of the game, Rugan is never seen again from this point forward - were his cut content implemented however, the party would've originally been able to find him the Guildhall alongside both members of The Guild and the other Zhents; tipsy and dejected, he'd attempt to celebrate the party's arrival by telling the Zhents around him his rescue from the gnolls, only to elicit no reaction and get ignored by everyone around him.

Rugan then goes on to reveal that the original Zhentarim in Baldur's Gate were backstabbed and put under "new management" in an internal power play, with every single Zhent beneath Waukeen's Rest returning to the city being betrayed, turned to the Steel Watch, and then hanged. He then explains that their new superiors thought they were responsible for the kidnapping of Duke Ravengard, and that he owes his survival to his decision to confess to the lies and accusations as though they were true. Further dialogue elaborates that he is the only original "Gate crew" Zhentarim left and that he'd drink to his fallen comrades. Upon asking who the new Zhent management are, he simply says that he has no idea who they are, but that they impressed Darkhold enough for them to send additional support in the form of reinforcements. As he's still loyal to the Zhentarim after all this, the party could then convince him to leave their ranks.

• [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim have brought you nothing but trouble, Rugan. Cut your losses. (DC 15)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim sold your friends out. You think they wouldn't do the same to you? (DC 10)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim made you turn on your people. You really think you owe them loyalty? (DC 10)

Successfully doing so will make him move away from his posting in the Guildhall, and head towards the bar where he'd start drinking incessantly; there, he'd drink to his fallen comrades, like Olly, who he'd rather humorously misremember his name to be Ronnie or Ozzy. During the Zhentarim's attempted takeover of the Guild, Rugan will not join combat and keep drinking. Talking with Rugan after the battle ends simply has him ask the party incredulously if a fight happened.

As Rugan's involvement in Act Three has been cut from the game, much of the story and information concerning the original Risen Road Zhentarim and the Zhents' internal intrigue has been lost. The only piece of information about this that the party can learn comes in the form of an interaction with Slick Inatra, who only reveals it to the party if the latter seized the Caravan Strongbox from Rugan in the first place, received the quest to deliver the strongbox to Inatra from Zarys, and killed Rugan on her orders. Slick Inatra then simply states that the original caretakers of the cargo are already dead, and that there is new Zhentarim leadership in the city, without elaborating any further.

It's unclear as to who the new management refers to, though it may be possible that it may refer to either Roah Moonglow, Boss Friol, or Trinoda as Rugan never seems to acknowledge or is aware of their existence. Likewise, it appears that the rest of the Zhentarim in Act Three are either the new crew, and/or reinforcements from Darkhold.

Illithid Powers

In Early Access, illithid powers were much simpler. Instead of consuming other tadpoles to gain points to spend on powers, the tadpole grew more powerful when using Illithid Persuasion options in dialogue. Once Illithid Persuasion were used three times, a special cutscene was triggered during the next long rest and each character gained a single illithid power unique to their class. Some of these abilities were reworked into the current illithid powers. A full list of Early Access powers can be seen below:

Early Access Illithid Powers
Power	Class	Description	How to Obtain
Endless Rage	Barbarian	While Raging, deal an additional 1d4 damage with weapon attacks, but receive 1d4Psychic damage each turn. Prevents Rage from ending early.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Stage Fright	Bard	Drown your enemies in an overwhelming fear of failure. They receive Disadvantage on Attack Rolls and take 2d6Psychic damage each time they miss an Attack Roll. Ends when they hit with an Attack Roll.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Survival Instinct	Cleric	Infuse a creature with psionic force. If it reaches 0 HP, it regains 3d4 HP instead of falling Unconscious.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Aberrant Shape	Druid	Magically assume the shape of an Intellect Devourer that can deal Psychic damage.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Psionic Pull	Fighter	Pull a creature or object toward you.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Fracture Psyche	Paladin	Invade a target's mind and disrupt its defenses (Reduces target's  Armour Class by 1).	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Force Tunnel	Ranger	Charge forward and push all objects and creatures in your path away from you.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Inkblot	Rogue	Create a cloud of magical darkness and immediately attempt to hide. Creatures within the cloud are Heavily Obscured and Blinded. Creatures cannot make ranged attacks into or out of the darkness.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Horrific Visage	Sorcerer	Release the eldritch magic within you and terrify a creature with your twisted powers. Regain 2 Sorcery Points and potentially deal 1d4Psychic damage per turn for 3 turns.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Supernatural Attraction	Warlock	You are part of a greater whole. Concentrate on your connection to teleport to another tadpole-infected creature.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Reflective Shell	Wizard	A protective shell envelops you. It reflects any projectiles targeted at you to their point of origin. Does not affect creatures that don't rely on sight or that can see through illusions.	Succeed on 3 Illithid Wisdom Skill Checks, then rest until you receive a dream cutscene.
Repulsor	All Classes	Channel the power of the Absolute, knocking back all creatures and objects and dealing 2d6Force damage.	Help Omeluum investigate the parasite

Unimplemented Content

Unimplemented Spells

Main article: Unimplemented spells

Many spells were never fully implemented in the game, but remnants of them remain in the game files.

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Unimplemented Coinage

More Coins - icons for various types of coins from Forgotten Realms can be found in the game files, matching their look from the Fifth Edition of D&D. It's possible the developers were initially going to implement the D&D coin system: copper > silver > gold > electrum > platinum. They were probably cut to make the money system simpler as the previous Baldur's Gate entries didn't have the other types of coin either.

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  Copper Coin

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  Copper Pile

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  Silver Coin

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  Silver Pile

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  Electrum Coin

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  Electrum Pile

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  Platinum Coin

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  Platinum Pile

Unimplemented Instruments

Icons for several additional Musical Instruments can be found in the game files.

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  Dulcimer

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  Pan Flute

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  Shawm

Unimplemented Jewelry

A few more necklaces, including one with a Harpers symbol on it, can be found in the game files.

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  Magic Amulet Necklace Gold

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  Magic Amulet Necklace Silver

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  Magic Amulet Necklace Bronze

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  Outpost Jewelry

Unimplemented D20 Design

GEN_Quest.dds is an item that looks like a D20 dice. The name suggests it to be a generic placeholder image for a quest-related item, possibly for the Mysterious Artefact. The design is different than any of the implemented die designs.

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  GEN Quest

Unimplemented Scrolls

The "Jergas Scroll of the Dead" (sic) is referencing Jergal, a god of death who appears in the game, and was likely an early design iteration of the Scroll of Circle of Death.

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  Jergas Scroll of the Dead (sic)

Cancelled Content

Gnome village region

Concept art of the gnome village

A gnome village was once proposed as a potential region early in the game's development. It is unclear as to how far development of the gnome village went, but it has since then been either cut or cancelled, and no official trace of the gnome village remains; except for a 2018 concept art of the village drawn by Dan Iorgulescu.

It is unknown where this village was supposed to fit within the game's story, but there are still enough lingering traces of information left to get an early grasp of the region. As the artwork's name has angla-ved in the name, it is very likely that it is supposed to represent Anga Vled, a gnome village located on the river Chionthar, west of both Elturel and Moonrise Towers. The only other piece of information on the village comes in the form of an in-game note named Urgent Report for Duke Ravengard, where a Flaming Fist Manip reports on the advances of the Absolutist army. The note mentions that Anga Vled has been taken by the Absolute's forces shortly after they left the Shadow-Cursed Lands in Act Two. It is possible it was originally intended for the party to reach Anga Vled sometime between the current Act Two and Act Three sequences, though the objectives and goals of such a sequence are unknown.