One of the party members in Baldur’s Gate 3 is known for using the power of their wild side, but one fan theory states that they’re actually a monster in disguise.
Halsin the Druid quickly became infamous before Baldur’s Gate 3 even launched, thanks to a legendary promo involving his bear form. This is because Halsin has the Wild Shape ability, allowing him to turn into animals, including a massive bear, which he uses during at least one romance scene.
But what if Halsin’s Wild Shape power is hiding a secret? What if he’s actually something else and is using his druidic powers to transform into a humanoid, the same way most player characters use it to shift into animals?
As discussed by fans online, there are theories that Halsin is either a bear with human intelligence, or a werebear that uses his Druid powers to hide his natural shapeshifting abilities.
Bears with human intelligence are a thing in D&D 5e lore, thanks to the Awaken spell, which is used by Druids. Awaken allows a Druid to increase an animal or a plant’s Intelligence score to 10, putting it on par with the average human.
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The bear theory states that Halsin was a bear who was granted intelligence by Thaniel, the nature spirit in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Halsin is also massive and hairy for a wood elf, which is a race that is usually slender and androgynous. He also has trouble maintaining his form, as demonstrated throughout the game.
The werebear theory is simpler, as it suggests Halsin is an elven lycanthrope who managed to gain control over his bear form through training, as is possible in D&D 5e rules. There is a lot of stigma against lycanthropes in the Forgotten Realms, so he trained as a Druid to hide his powers.
The main drawbacks to these theories involve the game rules. Nothing in Halsin’s stats or powers is unusual for a wood elf Druid. He also maintains his elven form when he dies, rather than returning to a “base” bear form.
The Halsin bear theory hints may also involve traces of a cut werewolf character who was planned for the game but didn’t make it in. Maybe there was going to be more to Halsin’s origins, but they were cut for time, leaving fans to speculate about his past.
