Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game in which players design characters by choosing their fantasy race and adventuring class. Players participate in a campaign run by one player, dubbed the Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master creates a narrative, describes the world, and provides quests and non-player characters (NPCs) for the players to interact with. Dungeons & Dragons was first released in 1974, and by the 1980s, it was a cult classic. Today, according to Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast, more than 50 million people worldwide actively play Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and the game’s cultural influence can be observed across media.

The fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons has given way to a larger sphere of fantasy media. Video game developers have taken inspiration from the game’s fantasy elements and character statistics for game-building. Video games like Divinity: Original Sin, Dragon Age, and The Elder Scrolls allow players to create characters of similar fantasy races with class-specific statistics that impact their gameplay. Set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons itself, Baldur’s Gate 3 closely replicates the experience of playing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign by allowing players unprecedented freedom with mechanics and NPCs.