Mods have long been synonymous with PC gaming. Iconic titles like Killing Floor, Counter-Strike, The Stanley Parable, and DOTA 2 all began as mods before evolving into standalone games. Without mods, the gaming industry might be less vibrant, as many developers started their careers by modifying existing games.

Among the recent releases with thriving modding communities, Baldur's Gate 3 stands out. Already known for its vast possibilities, this game has become even more expansive and engaging thanks to the creativity of modders.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a massive game on its own, offering a wide array of character customization options that grow as the story progresses. However, one mod that truly shines is the Fantastical Multiverse, which adds numerous new playable races, further expanding customization and player immersion. This mod, along with many others, has been central to the experience of countless players, particularly in cooperative sessions.

The Fantastical Multiverse adds an impressive 31 new races to the game, while also updating existing classes to align with the official descriptions found in the Dungeons & Dragons books published by Wizards of the Coast. These changes make the game even more extensive and diverse, introducing new gameplay variations and altering dialogues to fit the new races.

The creator of the mod, known as DungeonsAndSouls, shared the motivation behind such an ambitious project: "I’ve always been the Dungeon Master in my campaigns, and none of my RPG characters were from the Player's Handbook races," he explained. Since the release of Early Access Patch 3, which revealed the game’s mod-friendly nature, he began working on the Fantastical Multiverse. His passion for the game and confidence in Larian Studios' commitment to the community were key factors that drove him to invest time in this project.

In addition to the new races, the mod also brings complete overhauls to existing races and even incorporates races from other games, like the Elezen from Final Fantasy XIV. The ultimate goal is to reach 100 playable races, a feat that requires meticulous planning and dedication.

DungeonsAndSouls initially created the mod to include races that he and his friends wanted to play, such as Yuan-ti Pureblood, Dhampir, Astral Elf, The Downcast, Eladrin, Hexblood, and Shadar-Kai. Now, the aim is to expand to 100 races, prioritizing those that don’t require 3D modeling tools like Blender to avoid project delays.

Creating new races and modifying existing assets is time-consuming, especially when new models and cosmetics are needed. Game files don’t always provide all the necessary resources, and modders often need to tweak assets to fit new races and characters. However, DungeonsAndSouls explained that so far, all assets used in the mod were extracted from Baldur's Gate 3 and modified to create unique and interesting visuals.

Aside from the Fantastical Multiverse, other mods available for the game also bring significant changes, such as adding new classes, races, and customization options. There are also lighter, more humorous mods, like Wither's Big Naturals, which alters the appearance of a specific NPC, resulting in hilarious moments during gameplay.

For those interested in modding, DungeonsAndSouls offers some valuable advice: "Think of something you really want to implement and start working on it. Watching tutorials or exploring the unpacked game files can be a great starting point."

With official mod support coming soon in the next major Baldur's Gate 3 update, and with Larian Studios already showing strong support for the community, it will be exciting to see just how far the creativity of modders can take this game.

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