Community Update #29 Playing With Mods
Why hello there! You’re looking great, have you done something with your hair or just reconfigured your entire face to look like a fish?
If your mods are any indication, the answer is yes and then some. It’s not even a month since Patch 7 dropped on PC - complete with our official modding toolkit - and already you’ve uploaded over 1,000 mods and racked up more than 15 million downloads!
We’ve watched as you’ve customised your dice with flames and iridescent pearl, lightened the load of gold in your packs, and adjusted your party limit from 4 to 16 - because who needs personal space anyway?
And now, those of you on console and Mac can finally join in, with Patch 7 rolling out to these platforms starting today. Keep reading to learn how to kick off your modded run, plus check out some of the most popular mods ready for you to explore.
Today’s update also brings Hotfix #26 and Hotfix #27 to all platforms - if you want to check out the patch notes in full, point your eyes in this direction. But far from being our last patch, you can still expect to see crossplay and a photo mode for Baldur’s Gate 3 in the future.
Over 15 Million Community-Made Mods Downloaded - and Counting!
What better way to celebrate the inevitable chaos set to ensue than with another animated short made in collaboration with Spud Gun Studios, the masterminds behind Mashed. This time, our brave heroes are facing off against the latest threat to Baldur’s Gate: Mods!
Giant space hamsters? Old news. It’s rabbits you’ve got to worry about now.
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Patch 7 & Modding Information Check out the links below! |
Playing With Baldur’s Gate 3 Mods
If you’re thinking about starting a modded run and want to know what you’re getting into, whether you’re playing on console, Mac, or PC, then this is the guide for you!
Where do I even start?
So you want to enhance your journey to Baldur’s Gate with a little community-made magic?
While the Baldur’s Gate 3 Toolkit used to create mods is only available on PC, a whole selection of player-created mods are now available on console and Mac!
How are mods chosen for release on other platforms?
Only mods made with and uploaded using the Baldur’s Gate 3 Toolkit and which pass internal testing can be eligible for release on the console and Mac in-game mod browser.
Technical limitations on certain platforms mean that some PC mods will not be available for Mac or console. Our team will need to test all mods requested to be brought to these platforms to confirm whether they can be made available.
Mod Authors can let us know if they’d like to see their mod available on console and Mac during the upload process. Our Community Team will then check whether the mod adheres to our modding guidelines, before sending over batches of mods to undergo internal checks that look at the mod’s basic functionality, usability, and stability.
If all looks good, the mods will then be made available on these platforms!
Will more mods be made available on console and Mac?
Yes! There are currently, uh, 69 mods that have passed internal testing, and we’ll be adding more as we go. Making mods available on platforms other than PC will be a continuously reviewed process that may change to include additional functionality in the future. Mods ready for both Mac and console that have passed testing will be released in batches, so keep an eye out on your in-game mod browser to see when new mods are added.
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Please note: Not all PC mods will make it to consoles or Mac, and we kindly ask that you do not build upon an existing mod or port another mod author’s mods in an attempt to make them available in the in-game mod manager. To read up on what mods you can expect for console and Mac, please click here! |
Navigating The In-Game Mod Manager
Browsing Mods In-Game
- Discover mods by heading to the in-game Mod Manager when you start the game!
- On the Browse tab, use the filters to browse through a range of different mods.
- Please read the mod Description carefully. You may need to take additional steps for the mod to work correctly, such as downloading a separate mod or adjusting in-game settings.
- Hit the download button to install a mod, wait for it to download, and get ready to play!
Managing Your Mods
- Head to the Installed tab to view your installed mods.
- Disable or enable mods by checking the box to the right of the mod.
- Disabling some mods might affect your existing saves, so it’s a good idea to keep this in mind when you install mods!
Synchronising Mods
Whether you’re loading a modded savegame or planning on playing Multiplayer with your mods enabled, you’ll need the same version of mods installed.
Say hello to the Verification Window! This window is designed to give you all the information and opportunity to synchronise the mods you currently have installed/enabled to the savegame or multiplayer game that you’re trying to join.
When loading a savegame from either the main menu or when joining a Multiplayer session through direct connect from the lobby or by selecting a server, this window will be triggered.
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Support Guide: How to enable Direct Connections. |
When the Verification Window is shown, you might be presented with a few different options, which we’ve detailed in the table below.
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Download |
You’ll see the option to download a mod if you don’t already have it installed, but the Multiplayer session or savegame has that mod enabled. |
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Enable |
If you don’t have a mod currently enabled, but the Multiplayer session does, you’ll see the option to enable it. |
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Update |
You’ll see the option to update a mod if you have the mod enabled, but the Multiplayer session has a newer version. |
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Downgrade |
You’ll see the option to downgrade a mod if you have the mod enabled, but the Multiplayer session has an older version. |
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New Mods |
Mods listed under New Mods are ones that you have enabled but are not enabled in the Multiplayer session you are joining. |
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Third-Party |
Mods listed as Third-party are mods that are not available via the in-game mod browser. |
Cross-saves and Patch 7
With Patch 7 now rolling out to Mac and console players, cross-saves will once again be compatible. If you have PC saves that include curated mods (mods that have been approved for console or Mac), these should now work on your platform, and you will be prompted to download these mods when you try to use a cross-save on another platform.
If you have been playing with mods on PC that were not approved for console, the cross-save using these mods cannot be loaded on console.
Platform-based Achievements
Achievements are automatically disabled when you’re using mods, so keep this in mind if you’re still planning on completing your Baldur’s Gate 3 achievements!
Troubleshooting Mods
When you download and play with files that modify your game, you change the way your game behaves, which can create conflicts with the way your game is designed to run.
While console mods undergo basic stability testing, they are community-made, and changes to the game, such as a new update or mods with certain dependencies or conflicts, can impact how your mods function.
Playing with a modded save sometimes means that issues can occur, such as:
- Failing to load past a certain percentage when starting a save
- Crashing on launch
- Issues with the UI, including missing options or overlapping menus
- Shader issues, including missing makeup or face textures
- A land of naked avatars during Character Creation
If you run into an issue while using mods, you can help our support team track bugs by identifying whether the problem is with the game itself or a mod you may have installed. Understanding the distinction means we can offer you better official game support. However, we are unable to directly manage or fix any community-created mods.
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Reporting Supported Mods: If you’ve noticed a mod that violates our guidelines, you can report it using the reporting functionality on the mod listing. |
Try these steps:
- Navigate to the in-game Mod Manager and un-check your installed mods. With the mods disabled, see if the issue persists.
- If the issue no longer persists, and therefore seems related to a particular mod, you can reach out to the mod author and leave them a comment on the mod listing that explains some more about the issue you’re experiencing.
- If the issue persists without the mod installed and you believe the issue is with the base game, please report it to our support team using this report form.
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Please note: If you are using third-party mods on PC, uninstalling and reinstalling the game will not remove all mod files. Please follow the steps outlined here to remove third-party mods! |
Mods To Get You Started
Patch 7 releases on console with more than 60 community-made mods available and ready to download! Here are some of our favourites to get you started.
Adjustable Party Limit by PixellBytes
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
A favourite for many, this mod by PixellBytes allows you to leave no companion behind as you journey through the Sword Coast!
Adding spells that allow you to adjust the number of companions in your party, you’ll now have the opportunity to bring along up to 15 other party members. This mod also works in Multiplayer, but you’ll need to make sure everyone has the same mods loaded!
ImpUI (ImprovedUI) by Djmr
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
Djmr’s ImpUI provides support for UI mods, and acts as a dependency for layout tweaks to the Character Creation screen, so this is a great one to have in your arsenal if you’d like to experiment with your character’s appearance!
The ‘Chin’ category here is used by the Kay’s Hair Extensions mod, with ImpUI.
Mods that are required to make another work are referred to as a dependency. These mods can be seen in the mod listing and should be automatically downloaded and enabled when you download a mod that requires it as a dependency.
FaerunColors by TechRoot
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
Complete with more than 80 dyes that aim to represent Deities and famous entities from Faerun, TechRoot’s mod allows you to switch up the colourways of your favourite garments with a range of dyes that you’ll be able to find in your camp chest!
Faces of Faerun by Aloija
Available on: PC
Dependency Mod Required: ImpUI (ImprovedUI)
If vanilla isn’t your flavour, then Aloija’s mod could be the one for you!
This mod adds a range of alternative heads for Character Creation and uses ImpUI, mentioned earlier in this list, to allow you to access and customise the available heads.
Kay’s Hair Extensions by perseidipity
Available on: PC
Dependency Mod Required: ImpUI (ImprovedUI)
Are Gale’s locks not voluminous enough for you? Then Kay’s Hair Extensions mods could be the perfect option for you! This mod includes a range of hair pieces that have been meticulously cut and snipped from existing vanilla hairstyles, allowing you to mix and match styles to create unique looks.
UnlockLevelCurve by Dustbag
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
If you’re interested in multiclassing and want to continue your journey beyond Level 12, Dustbag’s UnlockLevelCurve mod allows you to continue to climb through levels 13-20, as well as provides more resources, spell slots and class features!
All Camp Clothes and Dyes by KatLix
Available on: PC
Head to camp and let out your passion for fashion with KatLix’s All Camp Clothes and Dyes mod, which offers you containers containing all camp clothes, all origin clothes, all underwear and shoes, as well as dyes and dye removers.
Weightless Gold by Curious_George
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
If your pockets have been weighing you down and causing you to strut around the Sword Coast, this mod changes the weight of gold to 0, so you can go about your day without dragging your feet!
Want to really go fast? Weightless Consumables by Belinn is another great mod also available on console that makes a number of consumables entirely weightless.
Leicarna's Piercings: Crystals by Leicarna
Available on: PC
Leicarna’s mod adorns the ears of all vanilla races (except dragonborn), with glitz and glam in the form of four new piercing sets with multiple colour variations that can be added during Character Creation.
Better Inventory UI by Caites
Available on: PC, Mac, and Console
Dependency Mod Required: ImpUI (ImprovedUI)
This mod by Caites adds a range of icons to help distinguish read and unread books, throwable items, consumable drinks and alchemy components, better identify instruments from weapons, highlights camp clothing from that of armour, as well as usable items.
This mod also has an add-on mod that can be downloaded to add new icons and categorise food, dyes, healing potions, arrows, and story-related items!
New to the world of modding? Feeling overwhelmed, frightened, yet desperate to give Astarion a beard? We’ve also prepped a video walking through some of the best starter mods, on the newly launched Larian: Channel from Hell which promises exclusive behind-the-scenes looks, developer interviews, and more regularly scheduled chaos: https://youtu.be/DQYMwztczUs