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| Overview | Combat |
The Dream Guardian is a mysterious armoured figure that interacts with the player character and their party throughout the game.
Their appearance is specific to each member of the party, with Karlach describing them as a "golden paladin" and Gale referring to them as female, while the player character sees a version created by the player which can be any gender and playable race except dragonborn. Their default appearance in character creation is a female Lolth-sworn drow.
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 their camp clothing (a Mellow Fruit-dyed Elegant 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
In the Full Release the Guardian is supportive of the player character regardless of their decisions, encouraging the destruction of the Absolute while also utilising the strength of the tadpole. However, Larian appeared to have a very different story in mind for the Guardian initially because their presentation, behavior, and actions were more hostile and manipulative throughout the Early Access content.
The visions granted by the Dream Visitor were of domination and power, and if the player character resisted these visions the Dream Visitor would become hostile.[1][2]
The Dream Visitor would eventually attempt to seduce the player character, and this storyline was bolstered suggestions during the Guardian's character creation guiding you to create someone you are attracted to. The song Down by the River from the game's Original Soundtrack was likely related to these interactions as the dreams took place by a river and the song's lyrics ask the player character to stay there in the dream with them forever (Don't wake me up, Just leave me there dreaming).
Gallery
Close-up of the default appearance.
Female Model
Male Model
Portrait 1
Portrait 2
Portrait 3
Portrait 4
