The BALDUR’S GATE 3 team had to scrap a D&D spell because it “would double the size of the game”

Here is some interesting information regarding the hugely successful epic fantasy game Baldur’s Gate 3. Game director Swen Vincke recently shared that there was a Dungeons & Dragons spell that Larian Studios really wanted to include in the game, but couldn’t because it would have “doubled the size of the game”.

During a recent interview with Dungeons & Dragons, Vincke was asked what he would like to add to the game and he revealed, “We wanted to do Dispel Magic.”

With dispel magic, you can choose a magical creature, object, or effect within range, and on a successful check, the spell ends. Dispel Magic can be used in a variety of situations. It is useful for countering the spells of enemy spellcasters, removing curses or other harmful effects from allies, or nullifying beneficial spells on enemies. This spell can be a game changer in situations where magic plays a dominant role.

Although there are several spells that have not been included Baldur Gate 3, it is explained that Dispel Magic had been “on the table for a long time, but it has become too much, because there is so much magic in the game”. Vincke went on to say that during the game’s internal playtest, Dispel Magic caused a lot of problems and headaches for the developers.

He added that “there are still traces” of the spell in the game “where [developers] he “expected” the system and still wanted to get around it. Vincke says “we wanted to do this, but it was just too much. He would have literally doubled the size of the game just to properly support that spell.”

It’s pretty crazy to think how a spell like Dispel Magic could cause such insanity in game development. The game is already so damn massive, and the thought of doubling a spell feels like madness. But that’s why they make the games that I just play them.