Nothing suits my Baldur's Gate 3 bard quite like the Blazer of Benevolence. From the ruffled collar to the bird decal on the belt that cinches at the waist just so, it perfectly complements the showmanship and performance prowess of the class. Not only does it look good, but it also gives me a very fitting bonus: Remedial Rhymes. When I inspire an ally using Bardic inspiration sporting this number, I gain 4 temporary hit points. It's both stylish and functional, and experimenting with the dyes to make the decorative details pop has only made me fall in love with the outfit all the more. I can't imagine anything better suited to a bard in all of Faerûn, but it's not the most protective of garments. As the item description even reads, 'the embroidered velvet won't help against a sharp blade', so you better not get too close to anyone or anything wielding a sharp weapon when you're out and about.
Since it offers up a very useful perk and looks just right, I rarely changed my outfit during my bard run, but there were occasions when I wanted to give my elf better protection against the dangers of the Sword Coast. Still, I was never willing to compromise on the aesthetic of my serenading silver tongue. If only I could retain the look of my favorite attire and give myself a defensive boost with another armor set. Actually, I've caught myself thinking much the same thing when I've come across a particularly fetching piece of headgear that serves no purpose for my class; or I've stumbled upon armor that looks incredible on a party member but just doesn't do them any favors in terms of their skillet.
Time and again this has left me with the same thought: Baldur's Gate 3 needs a transmog feature that lets me play around with my sense of style without losing out on my stats.
Style and substance
I have to tip my hat to Larian for the amount of beautiful armor sets there are in Baldur's Gate 3. When I'm not admiring the Robe of Summer for its golden stitching, I'm enjoying the way the light catches on the red shard at the center of the Circlet of Psionic Revenge. It's always a joy to read the item descriptions, with many offering up a miniature tale detailing the origins or reputation of the garment in question. Most recently I nabbed the Potent Robe, and even I was surprised by the excited, audible cheer the sight of it elicited from me. Whenever I stumble upon a new armor set during my escapades, I can't wait to inspect it and see what it looks like on both my character and my companions. These days, I almost treat returning to camp as a veritable fashion show, swapping out gear to see who looks best in what.
Thanks to Patch 3, I'm one step closer to turning Baldur's Gate 3 into The Sims 4 Medieval
Given there's such a pleasing array of rather dashing looks to discover, the RPG is tailor made for a complete transmog feature that lets us play around with the world's eye-grabbing designs. There are happily some transmog options already present, such as the ability to toggle helmets and outerwear on and off, but I would love to be able to retain any completed looks I put together as I swap out gear.
If I didn't have to care about the stats, the world really would be my oyster. So many outfits look amazing on any one of the party members, but many of them are ill fitting when it comes to the perks, buffs, or armor ratings they offer. Transmog would fix all of that. Anyone could rock a becoming robe or a tasteful set of shiny plate armor without worrying over who it suits best in a practical sense.
Fancy-pants
I first truly appreciated having a transmog feature when it was initially introduced in the likes of Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Suddenly, I could give Kassandra the best looking get-up and still get the most out of the stats from less flattering sets of armor. When it came to Valhalla down the line, I could hardly wait to jump back into the world of Viking England and change up my style without losing out on my defenses.
I was also over the moon when news came that Cyberpunk 2077 was getting the transmog treatment. Some of the useful apparel in Night City is as garish as the neon-tinted lights that decorate the streets. Suddenly, the wardrobe transmog feature allowed me to deck out with V with some tasteful clothes and still keep the best armor ratings. While the Cyberpunk 2077 2.0 update has changed things up when it comes to armor stats, I'm still glad to have the wardrobe option to save and easily swap between my favorite looks.
Of course, I've already seen mods floating around that have made transmog in Baldur's Gate 3 possible for PC players, but I would love to see an update introduce this feature as a permanent fixture in the game – especially since I've been tucking into the adventure on PS5. The recent introduction of the magic mirror – which allows you to change up your character's appearance – was a most welcome addition. If we someday see a fully fledged transmog feature follow, that really would be the best cherry on top of it all. For now, though, I'll continue appreciating all of the snazzy outfits in Baldur's Gate 3.
Interviewing animals in Baldur's Gate 3 is my new favorite RPG pastime.
