How to play Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer and co-op with friends, explained

Being able to head into the Forgotten Realms along with friends would make for an incredible co-op experience. Dungeons & Dragons has always been about different ideas coming together with friends – often with hilarious results. Before you think of playing the game with a friend, check out our Baldur’s Gate 3 races guide to build your character. Teaming up with the right builds can mean the difference between smooth sailing and a rough time. And if you’re wondering about playing with friends on other platforms, check out our crossplay guide. With that out of the way, let’s discuss multiplayer and co-op in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Multiplayer and co-op in Baldur’s Gate 3

Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 has co-op multiplayer with player characters tied to campaign save files. You’ll be able to play with your friends in cooperative gameplay. This is facilitated through each player taking on the role of one party member. These can be custom characters or existing companions like the Baldur’s Gate 3 Origin characters. You can all move and explore separately in real time out of combat. In combat, each player will work within the turn-based mechanics. Players can also create their unique character from the character creation screen if they properly set up their multiplayer session from the main menu. This can help you all to form a direct connection to the main storyline.

How does Baldur’s Gate 3 co-op multiplayer work?

You have a few options when it comes to your co-op multiplayer approach.

• Play co-op multiplayer with friends in a new game.
• Play co-op multiplayer with friends in an existing game.
• Play multiplayer with random players by hosting or joining an open game.
• Play split-screen local co-op multiplayer.

BG3 Multiplayer basics

In all multiplayer, the same real-time and turn-based rules apply, so there’s a good amount of freedom. Players will be able to listen in on each other’s conversations with NPCs and suggest dialogue options. One or more players can take on turn-based combat without the whole party there. All of your party members can go off and explore the open-world map at their own discretion. Effectively, it follows Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules. Ultimately though, you’ll always find the most success from coordination and cooperation, just like D&D on the tabletop. Let’s go through multiplayer with friends, random multiplayer, and split-screen multiplayer a little more closely, to get a full picture of how the feature works in Larian Studio’s newest title.

Multiplayer with friends

First, you can invite them into an ongoing game using the current save. In this instance, they’ll take over pre-created companions in your party. While this takeover is random, they will be able to load back into the same characters in the future. Second, you can start a brand-new game. This is likely the more popular method. This way, all players can create their own characters from scratch. Everyone will be able to choose what races and classes they go with and shape their abilities and skills more to their liking.

Random multiplayer

If you can’t get the friends together for some Baldur’s Gate 3 fun, you also have the option of random online multiplayer. This is fairly easy to set up. You can join an ongoing game through the multiplayer screen by finding an open multiplayer lobby. Alternatively, you can hop into your own save, navigate to the multiplayer menu at the bottom of the screen, and create and open your own lobby. This will allow random players to join in.

Whether you’re the one joining or others are coming to you, the joining players will take control of a random character in the host’s party. For this type of multiplayer, there’s an extra caveat: all NPC dialogue choices are ultimately in the hands of the host since it’s their story. Random players will still be able to participate by suggesting or voting on options, though.

Split screen co-op multiplayer in Baldur’s Gate 3

If you fancy a more casual multiplayer experience, Baldur’s Gate 3 also supports local co-op play. Local co-op couch play allows up to two people to play together on the same device. Using split-screen, you and a friend will be able to engage in multiplayer in the same way as you would with other forms of online play, only from the comfort of the same sofa. You can set up split-screen co-op from the multiplayer menu when starting or loading into a new game.

How does loot work in multiplayer?

Loot is one of the most important aspects of an RPG like this. The loot system for this game works just like a previous Larian Studios title, Divinity: Original Sin 2. This means that all loot is party loot rather than individual – so if one item drops, it’s just that single copy for the whole party, not one for each player. This means that you’ll have to work as a team to divide up loot evenly and fairly – but it does create the possibility for certain players to hoard gear. When players go to loot, it’s essentially a free-for-all system, where the first one to pick something up gets to decide what to do with it. There are three options for what to do with loot:

• Keep it – hold onto the loot to equip it or use it at a later date.
• Sell it – sell off the loot for some quick coin.
• Transfer it – by dragging a piece of loot over the portrait of another party member, you can give it to them.

Of course, you can also transfer any item or loot later on if you want to. Party trade and swapping are perfectly viable, just like in a single-player save. You can carry heavy pieces of gear for your allies and give it to them later, for example.

Players just starting the game can check out our how to stop windmill guide. Why not take a look at the state of Baldur’s Gate 3 cross save too, so you can make the most out of your multiplayer experience?