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The Dream Guardian, known as the Dream Visitor in Early Access, is a mysterious armoured figure that appears to the party as a being of any playable race (except dragonborn) and any gender that is chosen by the player character. By default, they appear as a female Lolth-sworn drow. A tiefling character will often see a githyanki form instead.
Involvement
Act One
The Dream Guardian first appears to the party shortly after their adventure begins while they sleep. They attempt to ease the player character into a sense of comfort, claiming to be the one protecting them from the influence of the Absolute, in addition to preventing their transformation into Mind Flayers. Throughout Act One, they will encourage the player character to fully utilise the Illithid Powers, as well as encouraging them to use the Tadpoles of other infected hosts to further bolster their powers.
Act Two
If a Long Rest is performed after arriving in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, the Dream Guardian will appear to the player character once again in a dream, wearing a ceremonial robe rather than their usual armour. The Dream Guardian shares that being in such close proximity to the Absolute is taking a toll on them, and the player character is given a number of different responses for how to react to that. More choices are unlocked with the right dialogue options, and by succeeding automatic dice checks that the player character cannot modify.
After defeating Ketheric Thorm, and the Apostle of Myrkul, the Dream Guardian will appear to manifest outside of the player character's dreams, congratulating them, but urging them to travel to Baldur's Gate to finally destroy the Elder Brain that is behind the Cult of the Absolute, as well as the rest of the Chosen of the Dead Three, Orin the Red and Enver Gortash.
Act Three
At the beginning of Act Three, the camp will be disturbed by the demands of the Elder Brain, with the Dream Guardian pleading for the party to help them. Upon the party's arrival into the 
Astral Prism, they will meet not their hand-crafted Dream Guardian, but rather a Mind Flayer named the Emperor, who admits to having deceived the party in the form of the Dream Guardian.
The Dream Guardian may appear one more time after this, should the party choose to free Orpheus and fight the Emperor. Four versions of the Dream Guardian will appear as enemies.
Combat
Early Access
The Dream Guardian was called The Dream Visitor in the Early Access version of the game and appears to meant to play an extremely different role. In the Full Release the Guardian is much more supportive of the player character, regardless of their decisions. They encourage the destruction of the Absolute, while also utilising the strength of the tadpole.
Otherwise in the Early Access, the Dream Visitor was more hostile, and granted the player character visions of domination and power.
In Early Access, the Dream Visitor wore an ornate dress (which was reused as the 
Elegant Robe camp clothing in the full release) rather than a set of armour. The Dream Guardian still uses the ornate dress in one of the dreams, likely as a call back.
The Dream Visitor would also attempt to seduce the player character. It is likely, the song Down by the River was originally based on these interactions as the Dreams took place by the river and the song asks the player character to stay there in the dream with them forever (Don't wake me up, Just leave me there dreaming).
Gallery
The Dream Guardian as a Female Tiefling, and wearing an ornate robe rather than the usual armor.
Notes
- They will appear to each member of the party in different appearances, as implied by each character controlled by an individual player creating their own Guardian, as well as the events within Act Three. Karlach describes them as a "golden paladin", while Gale refers to them as female.
- The Dream Visitor is named "Daisy" in the game files.