Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3officially launched on PC this month, following nearly three years of Early Access. The title’s launch was highly successful withBaldur’s Gate 3’s Steam record potentially set to surpass that ofHogwarts Legacy. However, one NPC, who was revealed in the days leading up to release, is plaguing players with his adoration. This character, Naaber, has reminded many players ofThe Elder Scrolls: Oblivion’s Adoring Fan, who became infamous for his love of the player and commitment to staying by their side. That said,Baldur’s Gate 3’s Naaber might haveThe Elder Scrolls' Adoring Fan beat, as his attachment to the player appears to transcend life itself.
Baldur’s Gate 3adaptsDungeons and Dragons 5eto a video game setting and takes place nearly 100 years after the events ofBaldur’s Gate 2.Baldur’s Gate 3begins with the player abducted while aboard a nautiloid, a ship used by the series' main enemies, the Mind Flayer-like Illithids. Throughout the game’s extensive narrative, players are tasked with preventing the Illithids from invading Faerun. However, that is easier said than done, as the Illithids have infected the player with a tad-pole-like organism that has infected their body, threatening to turn them into a Mind Flayer. Players must thwart the Illithids' plan while searching for the cure before the infection progresses too far.
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The Adoring Fan and Naaber Are A Unique Brand of NPC
Fans ofThe Elder Scrollsseries are likely familiar withOblivion’s Adoring Fan. Players unlocked the Adoring Fan after becoming Champion of the Imperial City’s Arena. The Adoring Fan was an eerily cheerful adolescent NPC, who would become a relentless follower of the player. While the Adoring Fan offered constant support and commentary, in an attempt to positively reinforce the player, he outright refused to fight in combat. Players have found a variety of ways to kill the Adoring Fan. However, the NPC would eventually respawn at his death site, catching up to the player eventually.
Baldur’s Gate 3features a similar NPC to the Adoring Fan, the “adventurer to be” Naaber. The NPC was announced onBaldur’s Gate 3’s official Twitter page, alongside a behind-the-scenes trailer. TheBaldur’s Gateseries has a history ofoverly chatty NPCs, each featuring a similar name. Like both Noober and Neeber before him, fromBaldur’s Gate 1andBaldur’s Gate 2respectively, Naaber overwhelms the player with dialogue and will follow them relentlessly, once spoken to. Should players attempt to silence or ditch Naaber, he will find them, disregarding any dialogue meant to dissuade his commitment to the player.
Naaber’s Commitment to the Player Transcends Life Itself
Players will likely come up with increasingly hostile methods through which to relieve themselves of Naaber’s non-stop chattering, played by veteranstreamer Cohh Carnage. However, theBaldur’s Gate 3team jokes that “for legal reasons” they do not condone pushing him into a river as one of those methods. In fact, developers have confirmed that death will not be enough to stop Naaber’s pestering, as he will simply keep communicating with the player. While Naaber will no doubt become the bane of many players' experiences, veterans of theBaldur’s Gateseries know that enduring his verbal onslaught may be worth it, in the end.
Baldur’s Gate 1andBaldur’s Gate 2’s Noober and Neeber rewarded players with experience if they could stand the characters' presence for long enough.Baldur’s Gate3’s Naaber may be no different. However, it appears that putting up with Naaber will be much more difficult than NPCs from prior franchise entries. Fans who wish not to deal with Naaber can try and avoid making contact with the NPC. However, there may be more to the character than first appears, leading fans to potentially miss out on something much more significant.
Baldur’s Gate 3is available now on PC and launches September 6 on PS5, with an Xbox Series X/S port also being in development.
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