The mimic has become one of the most recognizable creatures in gaming both digital and tabletop. A simple concept in and of itself, a mimic is a creature that finds its prey by taking on the shape of a mundane object before revealing its true form in order to ensnare unsuspecting adventurers for its next meal. Treasure chests are the most iconic form these monstrosities take on, as seen in recent trailers for the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie and other video games like Dark Souls and Final Fantasy. This tried-and-true iteration of the creature is shown off in all its visceral majesty in the most recent trailer for Baldur’s Gate 3.
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Mimics’ Role in Baldur’s Gate 3
Mimics’ penchant for trickery is exemplified by their tendency to imitate treasure chests. If there’s anything an adventurer in any game finds irresistible, it’s loot. Baldur’s Gate 3 shows off just upsetting the reveal of a mimic can be for the unwary player. The seemingly normal chest is suddenly dotted with multiple eyes popping open before extending its massive maw and revealing its true nature. It seems to tower over the player character, which only adds to the menace it exudes. Many iconic elements of Baldur’s Gate and Dungeons and Dragons at large are set to return in the full release, and it seems like the developers are aiming to put their own visual touch on the classic carnivorous chests.
One of the big draws of running a Dungeons and Dragons game for many DMs is the chance to put their own artistic spin on famous monsters like the mimic. It seems like Baldur’s Gate 3 is applying a bit of that philosophy in its designs of creatures. The mimic is often an almost whimsically gross monster, with buggy eyes and exaggerated tongues.
From what’s shown in Baldur’s Gate 3’s new trailer, this iteration of the mimic looks specifically more monstrous. The dark tones of its color palette help paint the creature in a more “realistic” tone and the enlarged size of the mimic help add a real sense of danger to a monster that’s often used in Dungeons and Dragons games as a bit of comedic relief. It will be interesting to see if other versions of the mimic make their way into Baldur’s Gate 3.
Creativity is one of the cornerstones of Dungeons and Dragons, and changing up creature designs is one way this gets expressed. Especially with the increased prevalence of independent content and 3D printing in tabletop, mimics have taken on many more forms than just a treasure chest. Mundane objects of all kinds like barrels, chandeliers, and even a dragon’s hoard like in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons have all been given the mimic treatment. Introducing different variants of the classic creature could be a fun way for Baldur’s Gate 3 to keep even the most eagle-eyed players on their toes throughout the game. If the classic mimic shown off in the new trailer is any indication, variants of the mimic could be a terrific visual touch when the game releases next August.
Baldur’s Gate 3 releases in August 2023 for PC.
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