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To change your character’s appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3 after starting the game, go to camp, interact with the Magic Mirror, edit your character, and confirm. The mirror is free and can be used as often as you like, but it is not a full character-creation reset: you can change features such as hair, face, voice, pronouns, and name, but not race, subrace, or body type. Custom characters and the Dark Urge can use it; named Origin characters cannot.
Where is the BG3 Magic Mirror?
The Magic Mirror is in camp, once you have finished the Nautiloid prologue and reached the Ravaged Beach. There is no quest or fee to unlock it. You can usually reach the first camp after roughly 30 minutes to an hour of the opening, though your pace may vary.
To get there, open camp using the campfire icon in the bottom-right corner and choose Return to Campsite. Taking a Long Rest also brings the party to camp. Look for a gold-framed mirror icon with sparkles on the camp map, then travel to it. The campsite furniture and mirror’s position can change between locations, so the map icon is more reliable than a landmark description.
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- Wilderness camp: In the standard Act One outdoor camp, the mirror is in a small ruined fort in one corner.
- Dungeon or ruins camps: It may be in a side room reached through a door on either side of camp.
- Later camps: Its furniture placement changes in the Underdark and other unique camps. In Act Three, it is in the Elfsong Tavern Suite campsite.
Control the character you want to edit, approach the mirror, and interact with it. The appearance-customization portion of character creation opens. Make your changes and confirm them; the character portrait updates immediately.
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If you are looking for a fixed landmark and cannot see the mirror, check the campsite map first: a camp that uses different rooms or furniture can make a familiar route misleading. The mirror icon remains the useful clue across layouts. The location changes do not mean the editor is unlocked by reaching a particular act or completing a side quest.
How do you change appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3?
- Finish the prologue and reach the Ravaged Beach.
- Go to camp through the campfire menu or by taking a Long Rest.
- Use the camp map to find the gold-framed Magic Mirror icon.
- Switch to the eligible character whose appearance you want to change.
- Interact with the mirror, edit the available options, and confirm.
The mirror is the official post-creation appearance editor. Its changes are persistent, not a temporary disguise, and there is no gold cost or usage limit. You do not need Withers or a particular quest reward to use it.
After confirming, check the character portrait to make sure the edit took effect. The portrait updates immediately, rather than waiting for a level-up. If you are editing a hireling, make that hireling the controlled character before interacting; changing the active character is a simple but easy-to-miss step when the mirror appears not to be responding to the person you meant to edit.
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The mirror lets you revise many cosmetic and identity choices without restarting the campaign. Available selections include facial structure, hair and hair colour, facial hair, eyes and eye colour, makeup, body art, scars, skin colour, and maturity. You can also change identity or gender presentation, pronouns, voice, genitals (sometimes labelled “nether regions”), and your character’s name.
Some labels differ from the character-creation screen or between guides, but the important distinction is what the mirror edits: appearance and selected identity details, rather than the character’s underlying race or body type. The ability to change a name arrived in Hotfix 9 on 6 October 2023; the mirror itself was added in Patch 3, which went live on 22 September 2023.
These options let you revise the visual presentation of the same character, not create a new character slot. You can, for example, try a different hairstyle or eye colour while retaining the campaign, class, and race you already chose. Voice, pronouns, and identity are individual settings: changing one does not require you to change the others. The game does not make a character’s race editable just because you can alter identity or gender presentation.
Larian’s 21 September 2023 Patch 3 announcement summed up the boundary: “💄 Change appearance, voice, pronouns” and “🧝♀️ Race & body type can’t be changed.” The patch restrictions also specify that “appearance, voice, pronouns and nether regions” can be changed, while race/subrace and body type cannot. Name editing came later, in the 6 October Hotfix 9 announcement.
What can’t you change after character creation?
The mirror does not let you start over with a completely new character. Larian’s Patch 3 restrictions specifically exclude race and body type; subrace is locked as well. Character identity choices are not the same as a race change: being able to edit pronouns or gender presentation does not change your race or body type.
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- Race or subrace: Locked after creation. The mirror is not a race-swap tool.
- Body type: Locked, even though other appearance options can be edited.
- Named Origin characters: Their appearance cannot be rewritten through the mirror.
- Some story-caused changes: The mirror cannot reverse certain permanent plot effects, including Volo’s Ersatz Eye, Auntie Ethel’s Paid the Price eye, or physical changes caused by the Astral-Touched Tadpole.
Full ceremorphosis is also a special case: the original Patch 3 restrictions barred full illithids from using the mirror. Do not assume that a completed transformation can be edited back to an earlier face. The current mirror guidance also excludes Origin characters generally; no later official mirror redesign is identified in the available patch information.
This means the mirror is useful if you want a new hairstyle, face details, or name, but not if you regret the character’s fundamental build identity. The same distinction applies to hirelings: they can receive cosmetic edits, but their race, subrace, and body type remain fixed. If changing those locked choices is essential, creating a different character is the vanilla option; temporary shapeshifting only disguises the current character.
Can you change race in BG3 after character creation?
No. The Magic Mirror cannot change your race, subrace, or body type. If you want to play a different race, you need a different character; temporary shapeshifting can disguise you, but it does not rewrite your character’s permanent identity.
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Who can use the Magic Mirror?
Custom player characters, including Tav and the Dark Urge, can use it. Hirelings can also be edited, but named Origin characters such as Astarion, Shadowheart, Gale, and the other companions cannot have their established appearances changed with the mirror.
The hireling rule changed after the mirror launched. Patch 3 initially excluded hirelings along with Origins and full illithids. Larian added hireling appearance editing in Hotfix 9 on 6 October 2023. To edit a hireling, control that hireling, take them to the mirror, and interact with it; their race, subrace, and body type remain locked. Hirelings also cannot change their voice.
Older guides may still say that hirelings are barred. That reflects the original Patch 3 rules, not the later Hotfix 9 change. Conversely, the hireling exception does not mean the mirror works on Origin companions.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe distinction is between an editable hireling and a named Origin character, not between characters who are currently in your active party and those who are not. Larian’s Hotfix 9 note specifically added hirelings; the current BG3 wiki Magic Mirror page likewise describes support for a Custom or Dark Urge player character, or a hireling, but not other Origin characters. Hiring a companion does not turn an Origin character into an editable hireling.
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Why won’t the Magic Mirror work?
If you cannot find or use the mirror, check the save version, the selected character, and whether the appearance change is one of the locked story effects.
- The mirror is missing: Make sure you have reached camp after the prologue. If the save predates Patch 3, it may not include the mirror; Patch 3 added it in September 2023.
- You are controlling an Origin companion: Switch to your custom character or the Dark Urge. Origin companions cannot use the mirror to change their appearance.
- You are controlling a hireling: Hirelings became eligible in Hotfix 9, but they cannot change their voice. If your game is not updated to include that hotfix, update it before trying again.
- You are fully illithid: The original restriction excluded full illithids. Treat the mirror as unavailable for a completed ceremorphosis unless your game’s current behavior or an official later note establishes otherwise.
- You are trying to undo a plot effect: The mirror cannot reverse certain story-caused changes, including the eye consequences described below.
- You cannot find the mirror at a familiar landmark: Camp layouts vary. Use the gold-framed mirror icon on the map instead of relying on a fixed location.
Also check that you are interacting with the mirror as the character you want to edit. The eligible character’s customization panel should open; if it does not, switch characters and try again. A mirror that is present but will not offer the desired change may simply be enforcing a lock, rather than indicating a broken save or a missing quest reward.
Can the Magic Mirror undo Volo’s eye or Auntie Ethel’s deal?
No. The mirror cannot undo either of these story outcomes. Volo’s Ersatz Eye surgery is irreversible: once inserted, the eye cannot be removed, and its appearance cannot be changed through the mirror. The closest vanilla eye-colour match is described as similar to “Blue 3,” but that is only a cosmetic match, not a way to remove the effect.
Accepting Auntie Ethel’s Paid the Price bargain permanently changes the chosen eye, and the Magic Mirror cannot reverse it. Volo’s eye and Paid the Price are mutually exclusive, so these two eye outcomes cannot be taken together. Wyll and Minthara cannot undergo Volo’s surgery.
Physical changes from the Astral-Touched Tadpole also cannot be undone at the mirror. You may be able to adjust other editable features around a fixed change, but that does not remove the story effect itself.
That distinction matters if you are trying to restore a face exactly as it looked before a story choice: the mirror can edit ordinary appearance selections, but it cannot erase the permanent effect of the choice. For example, matching an eye colour to “Blue 3” may make Volo’s eye blend more closely with a preferred look, but it does not remove the Ersatz Eye or its story-related effect.
Is Withers the way to change your appearance?
No. Withers handles class and build respecs, not cosmetic editing. Use the Magic Mirror for eligible appearance changes; speak to Withers when you want to change a character’s class, subclass, stats, or other character-creation build choices he supports.
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Withers charges gold for a respec. The Magic Mirror does not. Respeccing with Withers does not give you a new face, hairstyle, race, or body type, and the mirror does not change your class or build.
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Put another way, these are separate services: the mirror keeps the same character and revises eligible cosmetic settings; Withers changes supported mechanical choices for a fee. If you want a new hairstyle and a different class, you need to use both tools, and neither one replaces the other. Withers is also not a route to change an Origin character’s established appearance.
| Option | What changes | Who it works on | Cost and permanence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Mirror | Eligible cosmetics and identity options; not race, subrace, or body type | Custom character, Dark Urge, hireling (voice excluded for hirelings) | Free; changes persist |
| Withers | Class, subclass, stats, and supported build choices; not face or hair | Characters Withers will serve | Gold fee; respec changes build |
| Clothing, armour, hats, and dyes | Outfit and colour, not the underlying character | Party characters wearing the gear | Depends on loot or vendor; appearance lasts while equipped |
| Shapeshift or Mask of the Shapeshifter | Temporary disguise, including race and gender presentation; not a permanent character rewrite | The character using the spell or mask | Temporary; can end on a Long Rest or other conditions |
What alternatives can change how your character looks?
Gear is the simplest cosmetic workaround if you want a different outfit rather than a different face. Armour, clothing, hats, and dyes change what your character wears, but they do not alter the character-creation choices beneath the equipment. Hats can also change how a hairstyle sits or appears, so remove the hat before deciding that the mirror needs to fix a hairstyle.
For a temporary change of form, the level 1 Illusion spell Shapeshift offers masculine or feminine versions of each race. It is a disguise, not access to the full custom face editor, and it lasts until a Long Rest according to the cited guide. Conditions can end a disguise earlier.
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The Mask of the Shapeshifter is a Digital Deluxe Edition bonus found in the camp traveler’s chest. Equipping it casts Shapeshift and can provide disguises across races and genders, including some racial benefits. It is temporary and can be broken; it does not permanently turn a Tav into another race or substitute for the Magic Mirror. Availability depends on having the Digital Deluxe Edition, not merely owning a physical copy of the game.
Mods are another optional route on supported platforms, not a requirement for the vanilla mirror. Appearance preset mods may work through the Magic Mirror or a mod configuration menu; an “Incompatible” warning can indicate a race or body-type mismatch. The mirror’s vanilla restrictions still apply, and console mod curation does not accept new playable races.
For a simple wardrobe adjustment, dyes and equipment are the least disruptive choice: they change the look of the clothes currently worn, not the underlying character. If what you want is a different race or gendered form for a scene, Shapeshift or the Deluxe Edition mask is temporary. None of these alternatives gives you a permanent race change through the mirror.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When was the appearance editor added?
Baldur’s Gate 3 launched on 3 August 2023 without a mid-game appearance editor. Patch 3 added the Magic Mirror on 22 September 2023, following Larian’s announcement the day before. Hotfix 9 then added name changes and hireling appearance editing on 6 October 2023.
Patch 8 arrived on 15 April 2025 and was described by Larian as the game’s final major content patch. Its announced features included cross-play, Photo Mode, and 12 subclasses; the available information does not identify a replacement for the Magic Mirror. Minor bug fixes are distinct from the final major content update. These dates explain why older guides may describe a different set of mirror users or options.
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Larian introduced the mirror after community requests for a way to revisit appearance choices. The feature has no published official usage rate or number of available hairstyles, so those figures should not be inferred from the patch notes.
The key dates help explain conflicting instructions online: the Patch 3 launch notes excluded hirelings, while Hotfix 9 later added them. For the current vanilla method, the practical answer remains camp and the Magic Mirror for eligible cosmetics, Withers for a paid respec, and gear or shapeshifting for outfit changes or temporary disguises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my name at the Magic Mirror change the name other characters use in dialogue?
The mirror’s name option changes the player character’s name; it does not rewrite the dialogue or story identity of named Origin companions. For a Dark Urge character with a custom name, current reset behavior is not confirmed, so check the General tab before confirming.
Can I edit my character again after using the mirror once?
Yes. The mirror can be used repeatedly, with no stated usage limit. You can return to camp and make another eligible change later.
Can I change my character’s voice but keep the same pronouns?
Yes. Voice and pronouns are separate editable options, so changing one does not require changing the other. Hirelings are the exception for voice: their appearance can be edited, but their voice cannot.
Does changing my appearance affect my class or equipment?
No. The mirror is for appearance and identity selections, not class or build respecs. It does not serve as an equipment-dye menu either; outfit changes come from gear and dyes.
Can I change an Origin character’s appearance with the BG3 Magic Mirror?
No. Named Origin characters, whether you are playing as one or have recruited one, cannot have their established appearance rewritten with the mirror. Custom Tavs, the Dark Urge, and hirelings are the eligible characters.
Can I change a hireling’s appearance in BG3?
Yes. Larian added hireling editing in Hotfix 9 on 6 October 2023. Control the hireling and interact with the mirror. Race, subrace, and body type remain locked, and hireling voices cannot be changed.
Why can’t I change my race or body type at the mirror?
Those choices are locked after character creation. Larian’s Patch 3 announcement says race and body type cannot be changed; subrace is locked as well. The mirror edits selected cosmetics and identity details, not the character’s underlying race or body type.
Can I use the Mask of the Shapeshifter to permanently change my character?
No. The Digital Deluxe Edition mask casts a temporary Shapeshift disguise. It can change your apparent race or gender presentation and may grant some racial benefits while active, but it does not permanently rewrite your character.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Go to camp and use the Magic Mirror to change eligible cosmetics for free, as often as you like. It works for custom characters, the Dark Urge, and hirelings, but not named Origin characters; race, subrace, body type, and certain story-caused changes remain locked. Use Withers for a paid class or build respec, and treat gear or shapeshifting as outfit changes or temporary disguises—not a permanent character reset.
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