Summary
- A Karlach cosplay showcases both her battle-hardened barbarian appearance and softer side.
- The inclusion of a teddy bear plush in the cosplay nods to Karlach’s endearing personality.
- Svizee’s iteration on the Karlach cosplay demonstrates the improvement on an already strong costume.
Baldur’s Gate 3 character Karlach has been the inspiration for a lot of great cosplays, but not all of them showcase a major facet of what makes the character so endearing. As a character that’s quite literally been through hell, Karlach is a battle-hardened barbarian capable of slashing through enemy hordes with minimal trouble. She’s also one of the kindest and most upbeat party members, however, putting on a very different face than Astarion’s iconic mocking demeanor or Shadowheart’s frequently stony countenance.
Cosplayer Svizee shared some images of their impressive Karlach cosplay on Reddit, and the final photo in the gallery shows the character cuddling a small plush in a set mimicking a Baldur’s Gate 3 camp. Other shots show Karlach in more battle-ready stances, brandishing a huge battleaxe and showing off her biceps.
The intricate straps of Karlach’s costume and red, tattooed skin can take a lot of work to replicate, and Svizee’s take delivers fully on the source material. A mix of a skin-tight patterned suit and extensive makeup look pretty seamless in practice, as do the horns, pointed ears, and tail that define her devilish tiefling appearance.
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Karlach’s Softer Side Makes Her A Great BG3 Character
A Hard Life Can’t Keep Karlach Down
Although Karlach was introduced later in development than other core Baldur’s Gate 3 party members, it didn’t take long for the tiefling to become a fan favorite. Her indefatigable spirit and plenty of amusing lines make recruiting Karlach in Baldur’s Gate 3 a great choice, and playing a barbarian in combat is a lot of fun. Like most Baldur’s Gate 3 characters, Karlach also has a compelling backstory, but the injustice of what she’s been through has never taken away her fundamental goodness.
The inclusion of the plush in the cosplay is a nod to Karlach’s actual tent set-up in the game, which features a teddy bear named Clive. Considering the often harsh nature of the Baldur’s Gate 3 campaign and the horrific trials that Karlach has been through, Clive stands out as a marked reminder of just how much of a cinnamon roll Karlach can be, and seeing him make it into a cosplay is especially endearing.
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This isn’t the first time that Svizee has cosplayed Karlach, and a Reddit post from a couple of months before the new rendition shows an older take on the character. The core details like the makeup, bodysuit, and streaked hair were in place for that iteration of the cosplay, but all the intricate armor wasn’t yet crafted, not to mention the lovable teddy bear. It’s a great example of iterating on an already strong cosplay to make it even better, and it makes the prospect of any future Baldur’s Gate 3 cosplays from Svizee even more appealing.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
- Platform(s)
- PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios