Is Baldur’s Gate 3 getting a hardcore permadeath mode?

Jake Nichols
Baldur's Gate 3 Githyanki

Baldur’s Gate 3 players have been calling for a more hardcore experience and it seems a permadeath playthrough option is on the way. Here’s everything we know about the hardcore permadeath mode coming to Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 offers players immense challenges and a plethora of pitfalls, together with its highly-regarded storytelling and gameplay.

Players can customize their experience by selecting one of three difficulty settings that can help to make the game easier or harder depending on their desires. But one “feature” that remains no matter the difficulty setting is the safety net of multiple save slots and the ability to simply reload the game after defeat.

However, it seems that could change soon for the hardcore enthusiasts out there who are seeking a more challenging path as Baldur’s Gate 3 is expected to get a hardcore permadeath mode in the near future.

Baldur's Gate 3 quests
A permadeath mode seems be coming to Baldur’s Gate 3

Is Baldur’s Gate 3 getting a hardcore permadeath mode?

It appears that Larian Studios is set to introduce a hardcore permadeath option dubbed “Honour mode” to Baldur’s Gate 3, and it might be happening sooner rather than later.

A Redditor by the name of Scornz spotted an achievement on the GOG launcher titled “Foehammer” with the description stating, “Complete the game in Honour mode.”

Honour mode was previously included in Divinity: Original Sin 2 and limited players to just one save that will be deleted if the entire party dies. The difficulty will be set to Tactitician mode, which is Baldur’s Gate 3’s hardest difficulty setting.

Although the game mode won’t be titled “hardcore” or “permadeath” in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’ll play in a similar way to a hardcore or permadeath playthrough in other RPGs. That means no more save-scumming and no more simply reloading the game once you and your party meet an end.

Save-scumming is the classic gameplay method that involves saving the game just before some of the game’s most dangerous moments. Whether it’s a challenging fight or a potentially game-changing decision, save-scumming allows players to have more control over their playthrough.

But now, those who play on Honour mode won’t have that luxury. And with Baldur’s Gate 3 offering near-endless ways for players to die, ranging from being unexpectedly pushed off of a cliff to being slain in battle, players who opt for the game’s Honour mode will need to be extremely careful with every decision in both combat and dialogue.

We’ll keep you updated on all news regarding Baldur’s Gate 3’s hardcore permadeath mode named Honour mode right here.

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About The Author

Jake Nichols was formerly a Senior Writer on the Australian Dexerto team. A "washed-up" competitive gamer with an economics degree, he has a unique angle on industry trends. When not writing, he's snapping away in Marvel Snap and hunting purple sector times in sim racing games. You can contact Jake at jake.nichols@dexerto.com