Baldur’s Gate 3 Writer Reveals Wyll’s Cut Content and Arc
▼ Summary
– Larian senior writer Kevin VanOrd expressed personal frustration that the companion character Wyll received less post-launch development and a sparser story arc than other characters in *Baldur’s Gate 3*.
– VanOrd explained this was due to unfortunate timing, including a late story rewrite, a key cut scenario (the Red War College), and his own unexpected illness during development.
– Wyll’s story is split into two separate narratives involving Mizora and Duke Ravengard, which VanOrd suggested may have been a mistake in hindsight.
– Despite minor dialogue tweaks in Patch 7, Wyll received no significant new story content post-launch, unlike Karlach who received a major new ending.
– Analysis shows Wyll has less dialogue than most main companions, though more than some late-game characters like Halsin and Minthara.
While Baldur’s Gate 3 has received extensive post-launch support, adding significant new material for characters like Karlach, many players feel one companion remains noticeably underdeveloped. Wyll, the “Blade of Frontiers,” continues to have a narrative arc that feels sparse compared to his fellow adventurers. This sentiment is shared by the game’s own writers, as revealed in a recent discussion with Larian Studios staff.
During a Reddit question-and-answer session, a fan directly asked why Wyll hadn’t seen more substantial updates through patches. Senior writer Kevin VanOrd responded, expressing his own disappointment with the character’s final state. He explained that Wyll’s development was hampered by a chain of difficult circumstances and timing issues.
VanOrd confirmed that the team struggled to connect with Wyll’s original storyline during the game’s Early Access period. This led to a major, late-stage rewrite when other companion narratives were already firmly established. A pivotal story element planned for Wyll, involving the Red War College near Baldur’s Gate, was ultimately cut from the game. This forced another narrative reset, pushing the team to link him more closely to Duke Ravengard.
Just as work on this new direction began, VanOrd fell unexpectedly ill and was away from the office for a prolonged period, including after the game’s epilogue update was released. He noted that the Ansur’s lair dungeon was added as a standalone piece of content, but it only resulted in a boss encounter for Wyll rather than a deeper story beat.
The writer acknowledged that Wyll’s content ended up split between two distinct threads, his pact with Mizora and his relationship with his father, which may have been a structural mistake. He also lamented that Wyll’s potential endings sometimes lack impact, allowing him to revert to being the “Blade of Frontiers” without meaningful change. Despite these regrets, VanOrd emphasized his pride in the character’s sincere and heroic nature.
It is important to note that Wyll did receive some minor attention after launch. Patch 7 included light dialogue tweaks to improve his romance path, though it added no new story missions. This pales in comparison to the entirely new ending provided for Karlach in the same update, another character initially seen as having less narrative focus.
Recent fan analysis quantifying character dialogue minutes placed Wyll below most core companions, though ahead of late-game recruits like Halsin and Minthara. For his supporters, the writer’s candid explanation offers a form of consolation, confirming that the character’s thinner content was a result of production challenges, not a lack of creative care or intention.
In the same forum discussion, Larian’s CEO Swen Vincke also addressed player questions regarding the studio’s stance on generative AI for future projects.
(Source: IGN)
