Summary

• Larian Studios could include memorable NPCs from Dungeons & Dragons' Nine Hells in potential Baldur's Gate 3 DLC.
• Such characters have already been mentioned or alluded to in the game, and their inclusion would tie into existing storylines and the ongoing Blood War between demons and devils.
• Inclusion of these powerful devils and demons would provide players with new quests, environments, and choices.

Some of the most memorable NPCs in Dungeons & Dragons universe has many more that Larian Studios could include in potential DLC. Though not technically part of 5e canon yet, Larian's popular RPG takes place following the hardcover adventure Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, in which the players travel to the first layer of the Nine Hells and encounter an array of cambions, demons, and devils. Any number of these characters would be perfect for inclusion in Baldur's Gate 3 DLC.

[Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3.]

Players already get to interact with some interesting devils like Raphael, the archdevil that tries to trick the party into g away their souls at every turn, and the cambion Mizora, who is the warlock patron to recruitable companion and party member Wyll. Other devils like the orthon Yurgir and incubus/succubus Haarlep already appear throughout the game, making the Nine Hells an easy place to pull potential DLC content from. Even when the game ends, the Blood War between demons and devils is still raging, giving Larian Studios an easy way to include these cambions and demons while tying directly into storylines already brought up in the main story.

5 Zariel

The Archduke Of Avernus, The First Layer Of The Nine Hells

Zariel is a fallen angel, and the main antagonist of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus. She is mentioned numerous times throughout Baldur's Gate 3, but never makes an actual appearance. In any DLC where the players get to travel into the Nine Hells themselves, Zariel would make an excellent addition. Just as in the 5e adventure, she could overshadow everything the players see and do, being an ongoing threat, and eventually give the party a well-earned choice: redeem Zariel or destroy her. While this is the same choice players get in traditional DnD at the end of the adventure, seeing it live on-screen would definitely increase the impact for many players, especially those who have never played the 5e tabletop adventure module itself.

4 Yeenoghu

Creator Of The Gnoll Race, Demon Lord, & Enemy Of Baphomet

14-foot-tall demon lord of the gnolls, Yeenoghu is a creature from the Abyss that could make even the most hardened players squeamish. Yeenoghu's handiwork can already be experienced in Baldur's Gate 3, just not the Gnoll Lord himself. In Act 1, players can come across a pack of hyenas on a path near a ransacked cart. If the party kills any of these hyenas, a newborn gnoll will pop out of the corpse.

In traditional 5e lore, gnolls were created when a pack of hyenas that followed Yeenoghu as it rampaged across the Material Plane ate anything the demon killed. While this is not quite the same as what happens in Baldur's Gate 3, the grotesque creation of gnolls from corpses is certainly in line with Yeenoghu's other title, the Beast of Butchery. Players wouldn't even have to leave the Material Plane to encounter Yeenoghu, as it is perfectly capable and willing to travel there itself.

3 Mephistopheles

Ruler Of The Eighth Level Of The Nine Hells & Raphael's Father

Mephistopheles is the ruler of the Cania, the Eighth Level of the Nine Hells and one of the most powerful devils in DnD's Forgotten Realms setting. While not depicted in the game himself, one of the subrace options for Tieflings in Baldur's Gate 3 just happens to be Mephistopheles Tiefling, giving a blue tint to their skin and bonuses to magic. What's more, Mephistopheles is Raphael's father, a fact players can uncover through various quests. True to in-game descriptions, Mephistopheles is an unforgiving ruler with a habit of executing servants for simple annoyances.

He most often takes on the traditional appearance of a cambion, with horns and wings, but the level of the Hells he controls is anything but traditional. Cania is an icy laboratory that is more arctic wasteland than fiery pit, and that would be a vast departure from any environments players have seen already in Baldur's Gate 3. Plus, according to official 5e lore, his lieutenant, Hutijin, is almost just as powerful as he is and could threaten his rule of Cania, which could lead to some very intense quests in a DLC.

2 Demogorgon

D&D's Monster Adapted For Stranger Things

While the streaming series Stranger Things introduced Dungeons & Dragons and Demogorgon to a wider audience than ever before, the TV version of the demon wasn't a direct adaptation of the tabletop monster, just like other DnD monsters adapted into Stranger Things. Instead of multiple creatures with split heads and a taste for blood, the original Demogorgon is a single entity, often called the Prince of Demons. He has tentacles for arms and two ape-like heads. A lizard-like lower body and hulking, muscular torso round out the truly monstrous appearance.

It is quite a departure from the one popularized by Netflix. However, if the demon from the Abyss were to show up in Baldur's Gate 3, just the name alone would be enough of an Easter egg for Stranger Things fans. And if Larian were to be able to include a version of the smaller, creepier monster from the Upside Down, fans of both versions would have a reason to explore every nook and cranny of the Baldur's Gate 3 DLC.

1 Bel

Former Archduke Of Avernus, Zariel's Second-In-Command

Opposite Zariel, the Archduke of Avernus, is Bel, the cambion-looking former Archduke of Avernus before Asmodeus stripped him of power and gave it to his successor. While he still remains second-in-command of the armies of Avernus, Bel is not pleased at being deposed. It would definitely make sense if Baldur's Gate 3 players get to descend into Avernus and play a part in the power struggle between the two devils.

A major player in the Dungeons & Dragons story of Avernus, Bel's inclusion in the video game could mean a powerful ally for the players. Though unlikely, there is the possibility that Bel could the party as a playable character. However, there's also a chance of him being a potential warlock patron or even an ally to call on in a major fight, much like some of the encounters in the Upper City during Act 3. Bel could even be a new NPC romance option, which would no doubt excite many fans of Baldur's Gate 3.