Is Baldur’s Gate 3 4 Player Co-op? A Deep Dive into Multiplayer
Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 supports 4-player cooperative gameplay, but it’s important to understand the nuances of how this works. You can assemble a party of up to four players, each controlling their own character, creating a truly collaborative experience in this epic RPG. This means you can team up with up to three friends to battle the illithid threat, explore Faerûn, and navigate the complex narrative together. However, the implementation varies depending on your chosen platform. While 4-player online co-op is standard across all platforms, the situation is different for local couch co-op.
How Does Co-op Work in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a seamless co-op experience that integrates beautifully with the single-player campaign. Whether you are playing with friends online or side-by-side, the core game experience remains consistent. Here’s a breakdown of how co-op works:
Online Co-op
With online co-op, you and up to three friends can join the same game world. Each player controls their own custom character or a pre-generated companion, with individual characters progressing through the storyline and contributing to the party. This mode offers the most flexibility and supports up to four players simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The entire campaign can be played co-operatively.
Local Co-op (Split-Screen)
Local co-op, also known as couch co-op or split-screen, is where the limitations appear. On the PlayStation 5, Baldur’s Gate 3 currently supports a maximum of two players for split-screen. Unfortunately, due to the technical demands of the game, 4-player local co-op is not possible on PS5. This restriction is due to the current hardware constraints, making it challenging to render four perspectives simultaneously without significant performance issues.
While two-player local co-op still offers a fantastic, shared experience, those hoping for a four-player couch co-op experience will be disappointed. It’s not yet clear whether the console versions will ever get full 4-player split-screen functionality. However, the PC version offers 4-player co-op regardless of if you want online or local using multiple screens on one PC.
What To Expect From Co-op Gameplay
Whether you are playing online or local co-op (with the above limitations) the experience is largely the same:
- Shared Narrative: Players will collectively experience the rich storyline. All player choices and actions influence the game world, meaning every decision has the potential to impact the overall narrative.
- Tactical Combat: Battles are taken together, allowing players to strategize and execute complex maneuvers as a team. You have to work together!
- Character Progression: Each player is responsible for their own character’s build, skills, and gear. However, players can, and likely should, coordinate their character creation to create a cohesive and well-rounded party that can overcome any challenges together.
- Dialogue and Interaction: Conversations and interactions with NPCs are shared. This means the party will collectively decide on dialogue options and impact the storyline through collaborative decision-making.
Related FAQs: Baldur’s Gate 3 Multiplayer
Here are some frequently asked questions to help clear up other common queries regarding Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer:
1. What is the maximum party size in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The maximum party size in Baldur’s Gate 3 is four characters, including your main character. This holds true regardless of if you play solo or with friends.
2. Can you create a custom party in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Yes, it is possible to create a custom four-person party in Baldur’s Gate 3. This allows you to fully customize each party member’s race, class, background, and appearance.
3. Is it possible to play Baldur’s Gate 3 in split screen?
Yes, split-screen play is available, but only on the console versions. Keep in mind that split-screen is limited to two players on the PlayStation 5.
4. Can you play Baldur’s Gate 3 online with friends?
Absolutely. Online co-op allows up to four players to experience the game together on all platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
5. Can you recruit all the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3?
No, you cannot recruit all companions in a single playthrough. Your choices will exclude some party members. Therefore, you’ll need to consider who you want to travel with carefully.
6. How do you group and ungroup party members in Baldur’s Gate 3?
You can easily group and ungroup party members by using right click on each portrait on PC. On a controller, you’ll need to press the left trigger button and utilize the buttons that appear on the bottom of the screen.
7. What is the level cap in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The level cap in Baldur’s Gate 3 is 12.
8. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 like D&D?
Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 is deeply rooted in the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset, but it makes some adjustments to ensure a more seamless and engaging video game experience, such as replacing grid-based movement with line-based movement.
9. Can you romance multiple characters in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Yes, polyamorous relationships are possible in Baldur’s Gate 3, but certain characters may be closed to the idea or only accept it under specific circumstances.
10. Can you play Baldur’s Gate 3 with more than 4 players?
Officially, no. The base game does not support more than 4 players. However, there are mods, such as “Party Limit Begone”, that allow up to 16 characters in a party and up to 8 players, but these mods are not officially supported and may introduce unexpected issues.
11. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 bigger than Divinity: Original Sin 2?
While Baldur’s Gate 3 is a massive game, it’s often cited that it isn’t as large as Divinity: Original Sin 2. Players have noted that while they can spend many hours in the starting area of Divinity 2, the overall playtime of Baldur’s Gate 3 is shorter.
12. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 a AAA game?
Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 is considered a AAA title, offering high production values, a huge scope, and polished gameplay.
13. Is co-op only two players?
No, co-op in Baldur’s Gate 3 is primarily designed for up to four players. The two-player limit is only for local split-screen on PS5.
14. What is the party limit in a Baldur’s Gate 3 multiplayer mod?
Mods like “Party Limit Begone” can increase the party size to up to 16 characters, and support up to 8 players. It should be noted that these mods are not officially supported and may introduce technical issues.
15. What is the best class to play in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The Paladin is often cited as one of the most powerful classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, due to its exceptional damage output, survivability, and versatility. However, every class offers a unique and enjoyable gameplay experience.
Conclusion
Baldur’s Gate 3 provides a rich and engaging 4-player cooperative experience that enhances the core gameplay. While the PS5 version is limited to two-player split-screen, online multiplayer is seamless for all platforms. Whether you want to play with friends or tackle the adventure solo, the depth of this epic RPG is sure to provide countless hours of entertainment.