Player Reactions to Expensive Drow Armor in Baldur’s Gate 3

Not all armor in Baldur’s Gate 3 is created equally, as some players have noticed a significant difference in price between sets that have nearly identical stats.

The widespread success of cosmetic DLC in video games has shown that individuals are willing to spend money to enhance their appearance, even in virtual environments. This trend extends to the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3, as certain clothing items from the Divinity games can only be obtained through pricier editions.

Fortunately, for PC players, there is no need to be concerned about their game version, since there is an abundance of custom costume modifications available for Baldur’s Gate 3. These mods allow players to outfit their characters with more impressive gear than what can be found within the game itself.

It was discovered in a thread on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit that the in-game merchants have no qualms about charging extra for cosmetic items. This was evident in the pricing of Drow Studded Leather at 1000 gold pieces, compared to the nearly identical Leather Armor +1 which only costs 130 gold pieces.

Sorry, what is (effectively) the difference between these? byu/Leon_Art inBaldursGate3

According to one user, wearing Drow armour makes everyone look attractive, stating that this is the main difference. Another user also expressed that the allure of this armour is equivalent to a value of 870gp.

“In terms of stats, there is no difference. However, one user pointed out that the armor on the right is considered “magic”while the one on the left is not. They were unsure why the one on the left is labeled as blue or more rare, as according to the DM guide, the armor on the right would typically be more valuable.”

There is a slight distinction in mechanics, but it is limited to certain classes. The Drow armor may have a more visually appealing appearance, but there is a specific scenario where it excels. Due to its coding, a +1 bonus for stealth is factored in after the proficiency modifier, resulting in a total of +1.

“Having proficiency in stealth (or possibly being a bard) would grant a total increase of +2 when wearing Drow armor. While the bonus may be small, it comes at no additional cost.”

The price increase for Drow armor is logical within the context of the fictional universe, as this type of armor is notoriously hard to obtain. Its nonmagical yet durable nature also presents advantages, as it can be easily enchanted for additional strength.

Despite the allure of potentially making Astarion even more attractive, the extra few hundred gold does not justify the act of metagaming and analyzing the numbers.