Baldur's Gate 3 Best Mods & How To Install Them

Baldur's Gate 3 is finally here! And as the reviews are in: it's incredible. But if you're here then you probably already play and own BG3 and you just want to know how to install mods.

Here is a complete guide to installing mods in Baldur's Gate 3, as well as our five favorite mods so far. Obviously, you'll have to proceed at your own risk, but if you want to give it a go - keep reading.

How To Install Mods In Baldur's Gate 3

At the moment, you can't just install mods directly from Steam. The whole process is a little janky and we only recommend it to those who feel confident messing with game files. If you still want to give it a go, this is how you install mods in Baldur's Gate 3:

1. Download this Mod Manager for Baldur's Gate 3.
   
2. Extract the BG3ModManager.zip file anywhere you like and then open the BG3ModManager application.
3. Create an account at Nexus Mods.
4. Download the Full Release Mod Fixer from Mharius.
5. Extract the Full Release Mod Fixer here: C:\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods
6. Download a mod you actually want to install, for this example we will use a simple mod that increases carry weight.
7. Extract the files from that mod and move the .pak file into the same folder as the Mod Fixer: C:\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods
8. Now in the Mod Manager go to File - Import Mod, and from this new window select the mod you want (in our case the Carry Weight mod's .pak file from C:\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods)
9. The mod will appear in the column on the right labelled "Inactive Mods", drag and drop it into the column on the left labelled "Active Mods".
10. Now go File - Save Order.
11. Now go File - Export Order To Game (Control + E).
12. When you start the game you will have a message saying "Mods Detected, Could Cause Issues", just ignore this and try to launch.
13. You should have your mods installed!

If something goes wrong: Don't panic, you can just delete all the files from this folder (C:\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\Mods), then go and delete the modsettings.lsx from this folder (C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\Public) and your game should revert to normal. If you keep having issues, Larian offer fantastic mod support advice.

We're sure mods of this nature will be coming soon:

The 5 Best Mods In Baldur's Gate 3

Here are five of our favorite Baldur's Gate 3 mods, enjoy!

5. Fast XP

Fast XP is exactly what you expect, double XP. Although it's quite clever in that it only doubles XP until level 6 and then progress continues as normal. Level 6 is when almost all builds have "come online", so this is a good mod if you want to rush through the early game.

• But don't rush too hard! You want to stop and smell the roses along the way, whether that means recreating moments from Drizzt in Faerun, or simply giving in to your darkest urges...

4. Backgrounds Enhanced

This is a great mod for those who want to slightly tweak and improve the game to their own taste without fundamentally changing the experience Larian intended. The mod simply diversifies the default Background options, and gives them an additional skill to be proficient in. It doesn't do anything game-breaking, but it's a nice touch for those who are narratively invested in their character.

3. Level 20 (Multiclass)

This mod will extend gameplay far longer than any other we've seen; with this mod you can level up all the way to 20, provided you multiclass (no single class can go past level 12). Obviously it would be cool to get a single class to level 20, but modders would then have to make all the late-game abilities you get in 5e. With this mod you still get to enjoy more levelling, so we're a big fan.

2. PHB Racial Ability Scores

When Larian announced that they would remove Racial Ability Scores it divided the community and brought up the same conversations as Tasha's release did for 5e. Some folks want the limitless freedom to combine any race with any class and still be fully optimized, while others prefer the traditional DnD approach, in which races have pre-set ability bonuses that make them better or worse for certain classes. If you are a traditionalist, then you can use this mod to give each race their own racial ability bonuses again.

1. Bard's Backpack

Okay, this one is a shameless pick for number 1. What can we say? We LOVE Bards in 5e, and we're upset that they aren't one of the best classes in Baldur's Gate 3. This mod gives them a buff that helps a lot, although it doesn't get to the point of cheating. It's basically: start with a Rapier and a few items that buff Bardic Inspiration (which does need buffing). This is perfect for those who want the Bard to be improved, without completely throwing off the balance of the game.

And there you have it a guide on installing mods in Baldur's Gate 3, and a short overview of some of our favorite BG3 mods. We hope you found it helpful.