Things To Do Before Going To Act 3 In BG3

Summary

• In Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3, players can explore various locations, interact with numerous NPCs, and participate in several quests.
• The Last Light Inn: This is a hub for players to interact with various NPCs, including Dammon, who is essential to the companion quest “The Hellion’s Heart.” Players can also meet with a cleric called Isobel and uncover secrets within the inn.
• Find Arabella’s Parents: This quest involves helping Arabella find her parents, which can be found in the House of Healing. Completing this quest grants players a new spell and a powerful ally.

Act 2 of the riveting plotline that makes up the main questline of Baldur’s Gate 3 raises the stakes from Act One and tells some darker stories. Act Two sees adventurers progress from the wilds of the Sword Coast to a much darker story of the stricken Shadow-Cursed Lands.

The encounters to be had here are far more sinister and worth experiencing but they aren’t mandatory. The following encounters are some of Act Two’s most intriguing, and players can make the most of their experience with Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3 by ticking these off before they finally reach the city itself.

Updated January 31, 2025 by Kristy Ambrose: From required quests to exploration and side quests, there is something to do around every corner in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and the Mountain Pass in Act 2. However, players have reported skipping Moonrise Towers and the Monastery completely, and the broken streets of the Shadow-Cursed Lands can be challenging to navigate.

Whether fans are playing for the first time, revisiting the game, or testing their abilities in the dreaded Honour Mode, there is probably something new waiting for them in the vast area that makes up Act 2.

1

Start A Romance

Many Romances Must Be Initiated Before Reaching Baldur’s Gate

• Raise approval with a companion and they will mention starting a relationship, some have special cutscenes in Acts 1 and 2

Most relationships with companions begin in Act 1 and then build into Act 3. Jaheira, Minsc, and Halsin are the exceptions to this because Halsin cannot be romanced until Act 3, when he joins the party and the other two cannot be romanced at all.

While romances can be started later in the game, the player can miss out on content like dialog and cutscenes if they have not begun a romance until later in the game. While these relationships are purely optional, players who want to experience the full range of content should make sure that they gain approval from their desired partner and then get all the special dialog and scenes with them.

2

Reach Level 8

The Lowest Recommended Level For Act 3

• The game gives an alert if players leave Act 2 at Level 7 or below, Act 3 starts with a combat encounter against Level 9 enemies

The combat encounters in Baldur’s Gate 3 do not scale their difficulty based on the player’s level, so making sure to have enough experience to be at the recommended level is very important. If the player tries to leave the Shadow-Cursed lands and head to Baldur’s Gate before reaching level 8, the game shows a warning message that the fights ahead will be too difficult.

Act 3 starts with a combat encounter against some githyanki warriors who are all level 9. This fight is difficult and will be nearly impossible for a party at level 7 or below. Fortunately, players can easily reach the minimum level or higher by completing all the quests and fighting all the optional bosses, like the Thorms, while still in Act 2.

3

Astarion Speaks With Raphael

The Devil Reveals The Truth Of His Scars

• Outside Thorm Mausoleum, related to the quest “The Pale Elf”

When players reach the Thorm Mausoleum for the first time, Raphael will appear and present the player with a quest to defeat his old enemy Yurgir. If Astarion is in the active party for this conversation, he can make a deal with Raphael to learn the truth about the scars on his back.

If the player kills Yurgir, Raphael follows through with his end of the bargain and shows up in camp to explain Cazador’s ritual to him. Astarion approves of the player’s actions to help him out and can enter Act 3 armed with the knowledge of what Cazador is truly planning for him and his fellow spawn.

4

Rescue The Gnomes

A Faction Tied To Act 3

• Finish this quest in the Moonrise Towers Prison and progress in the “Rescue Wulbren” quest

Players who successfully rescue Barcus in Act 1 and/or rescue the Grymforge Gnomes, then know about Wulbren Bongle and the Ironforge Gnomes who are imprisoned in Moonrise Towers. Before entering the Shadowfell, players can go into the prison and rescue these gnomes by foot or by boat.

If players throw Wulbren any Bludgeoning weapon, the gnome will break through the wall at the back of the cell. He and his cellmates will make their way to a boat waiting in the tunnels behind their cells, but it can be very tricky to avoid combat because they will probably be spotted.

The player can also open their cells by using a lever in the Warden’s office, but this route guarantees combat. Either way, when the gnomes are safely back at Last Light Inn, the player can insist on a reward to receive 444 Gold from Wulbren. Rescuing them also leads to some interesting things in Act 3.

5

Explore The Mason’s Guild

Learn About The Town And Moonrise Towers

• Explore Reithwin Town and continue the quest “Investigate the Selûnite Resistance

Players can find a note on Inquisitor Verzen Wranlock’s skeleton in the Ruined Battlefield that will start the quest “Investigate the Selûnite Resistance.” They will learn that the Mason’s Guild was helping them fight against Ketheric Thorm before the shadow curse enveloped the land.

There is a door in the Mason’s Guild basement that can be lockpicked with a roll of 18 or higher or opened by a key obtained from Mattis at Last Light Inn. This leads to a secret area with a few shadow enemies and some good loot. Reading the Mason’s Log will complete the quest and there is also some Infernal Iron and the Helmet of Arcane Acuity, Mason’s Log, and Moonrise Diagram to be gained before leaving.

6

Find The Sharran Sanctuary

Pass The Checks To Gain A Special Item

• Solve the puzzle in Reithwin Town and find the Ritual Dagger of Shar, a Scroll of Revivify, a Scroll of Blight, a Potion of Angelic Reprieve, and an Elixir of Necrotic Resistance

Just north of Moonrise Towers sits a large statue of Ketheric Thorm with three plaques. By interacting with these plaques in the order of north, west, and then east, a small doorway opens up beneath the statue. The spiral staircase leads down to a small Sharran sanctuary where three statues of Shar offer trials in the form of Charisma, Wisdom, and Intelligence checks.

By passing each of these checks with a roll of 14 or higher a small chamber is revealed. Players can interact with the altar to Shar inside and perform a blood ritual to reveal some scrolls and potions. This also reveals the Ritual Dagger of Shar, but players should know that taking it initiates combat with three sentinels and gains Disapproval from Shadowheart unless she is the character who takes it.

7

Find The Blood Of Lathander

A Powerful Legendary Weapon

Upon entering Act Two via the Mountain Pass, players are likely to be drawn to the stunning but ruined Rosymorn Monastery. Within the monastery, players will soon hear whispers of an ancient relic dedicated to the god of new beginnings, The Blood of Lathander.

This legendary relic is a powerful weapon for clerics to wield that can be found as soon as players enter Act Two and will serve them spectacularly up to the final battle in Act Three. With a cleric in the party, retrieving this weapon is a must, although it can be a challenge. Players will need to retrieve four weapons scattered throughout the monastery, tangle with the toughest gith hiding out in the depths of the monastery, and get past the various traps that guard the relic.

8

Solve The Brain Node Puzzle

Can Grant Players A Helpful Condition

• Find this puzzle in the Mindflayer Colony and progress in several quests: “Find Zevlor,” “The Blade Of Frontiers,” “Defeat Ketheric Thorm”

Towards the climax of Act Two, players will find themselves in the mindflayer colony hidden beneath Moonrise Towers. Amid this twisting network of treacherous tunnels, players can find the menacing-looking Brain Node puzzle, which is essentially just a tangled web of neural nodes.

Players can use the nearby console to solve this puzzle by connecting the four neural pathways, signified by four different colors, to their corresponding colors on the opposite side of the web, without any of the four different paths sharing the same node at any point.

It’s as confounding as it sounds, but the reward is great. Players will unlock the Waking Mind brain, which they can then talk to in the nearby Mind Archive. Doing so and agreeing to the brain’s request to be purged will grant players the Githzerai Mind Barrier condition, which gives Advantage on intelligence saving throws.

9

Find Balthazar’s Experiment

Players Can Create A Powerful Weapon Or Gain A Blessing

• Located in Moonrise Towers, related to the “Balthazar’s Experiment” quest

While infiltrating Moonrise Towers, it’s well worth taking a peek into the chambers of Balthazar, Ketheric’s proficient necromancer. Players will need to get past Balthazar’s trapped bookcase first by interacting with the top right section of protruding books, which will unlock an altar, and then place a heart on the altar.

This unlocks Balthazar’s private necromancy chamber, at which point it is beneficial for players to have Gale, the wizard companion character, in their party. Balthazar has been creating Moonlanterns, and there is one currently under construction. Gale can either complete the process with his own forbidden magic, crafting the powerful Shadow Lantern, or destroy the profane ritual to earn the favor of his goddess, Mystra.

10

Speak To Araj Oblodra

An Unusual Vendor In Moonrise Towers

• An NPC on the main floor of Moonrise Towers, she appears again in Act 3 if the player interacts with her

Araj Oblodra is one of the many unsavory characters who follow the Absolute in hopes of gaining more power, whether through improved spells and explosives or making the right connections for social credit. She’s a Drow of the Oblodra Clan, and since her family lost their estate in a bizarre natural disaster, she’s left the comforts of Menzoberranzan in hopes of returning honor to her name.

How she plans on doing that is with a series of gruesome experiments involving blood, and she expresses an interest in the protagonist, especially if they’re playing a Dark Urge character, and vampire spawn Astarion. If the player is romancing Astarion, the dialogue choices could make or break the relationship.

11

Explore The Githyanki Creche

Interesting Plot Progression For Companion Lae’zel

• Beneath the Rosymorn Monastery, related to several quests and home to many important NPCs

If players take the Mountain Pass route to the Shadow-Cursed Lands, they are likely to discover the Rosymorn Monastery. The monastery itself is a beautiful building to explore, with interesting combat encounters and puzzles to solve. Hidden deep within the monastery, however, is the Githyanki creche that Lae’zel has been searching for.

Exploring the githyanki creche, especially with Lae’zel in tow, can uncover some interesting scenarios and quests, including “The Githyanki Warrior,” “Find The Githyanki Creche,” “Steal A Githyanki Egg,” “Discover The History Of Prince Orpheus,” “Discover The Artefact’s Secrets.” These range from stealing a githyanki egg to attempting to remove the characters’ tadpoles, and even having an audience with the Githyanki goddess, Vlaakith.

12

Find The Last Light Inn

Safe Hub Within The Shadow-Cursed Lands

• Related quests include “Seek Protection From The Shadow Curse,” “Resolve The Abduction,” “Lift The Shadow Curse,” “Wake Up Art Cullagh,” “The High Harper,” and “The Hellion’s Heart”

The Last Light Inn is likely to be one of the first locations that players discover within the Shadow-Cursed Lands, particularly if they enter via Grymforge. Run by the druid Jaheira and her Harpers, it is a Beacon of Hope
amidst the curse, staving off the darkness.

The inn has vendors, important NPCs to check in on, some quite frankly bizarre combat encounters, and secrets to uncover. Players are informed to meet with a cleric called Isobel in the room upstairs, but players should ensure they have explored as much of the Last Light Inn as they want to before talking to Isobel.

13

Mend Karlach’s Heart

Important Progression To Karlach’s Companion Quest

• Speak to Dammon in the barn at The Last Light Inn to progress in “The Hellion’s Heart”

One of the prominent NPCs that can be found at The Last Light Inn is Dammon. Dammon is a tiefling, who is vital to the companion quest, ‘The Hellion’s Heart’. While Dammon can be found and this quest initiated in the Druid Grove in Act One, the second act is likely where players will make the most headway with it.

Dammon is an infernal mechanic, and Karlach needs him to mend her mechanical heart. The quest involves finding infernal iron and bringing it to Dammon so he can improve her heart. The interactions with Karlach throughout are heartwarming, making it a companion quest thoroughly worth investing in before Act 3.

14

Find Arabella’s Parents

Assisting Arabella Grants Players A New Spell And Powerful Ally

• Near The House Of Healing, related to “Find Arabella’s Parents” and “Gather Your Allies”

If Arabella escaped her run-in with Kagha in Act One, she could be found in the graveyard surrounding the House Of Healing. When the player interacts with her, she will inform them that she has been separated from her parents and needs the player’s help to find them.

While players search for them, Arabella can stay at their camp and, there, she forms a strange friendship with Withers. For players who are struggling to find the absent parents, they were right under Arabella’s nose. Should players search the House Of Healing itself, they are likely to find Arabella’s parents. All that remains is for the players to return to Arabella. It is an impactful quest and not one to be missed, especially as it is part of the path to getting Arabella as a surprisingly powerful ally.

15

Assist He Who Was

Easily Missed But Fascinating Encounter

• In a northeastern corner of the Shadow Cursed Lands, related to the quest “Punish The Wicked”

One of the more hidden encounters in Act Two, He Who Was is a shadar-kai elf who can be found just up the hill where players encounter the hunting party of Harpers. If he isn’t distinguishable enough, he is accompanied by a pure white raven and is communing with a body through the “Speak With Dead” spell.

Talking to He Who Was initiates the quest, “Punish The Wicked.” He wants players to journey to The Waning Moon tavern and find a ledger to convict Madeline, the deceased woman he has been conversing with. How players resolve the situation is up to them, but it is an intriguing side quest that is otherwise easy to miss.

16

Defeat The Thorms

Three Creepy And Challenging Boss Encounters

• Find them in The House Of Healing, Reithwin Tollhouse, and The Waning Moon tavern

The big bad of Act One, General Ketheric Thorm, is a threatening adversary. But he is not the only member of the Thorm family leading a corrupted and sadistic life. Players can find three other Thorm baddies and deal with them in turn. Each looks like a potential Dark Souls boss, and they tend to fight like them as well. Thankfully, all three can be dealt with through dialogue and some lucky dice rolls.

Malus Thorm is a twisted doctor who can be found in the House Of Healing, Gerringothe Thorm is an overly dedicated toll collector found in the Reithwin Tollhouse, and Thisobald Thorm runs The Waning Moon, although seems to have drunk himself out of business a long time ago. All three are worth investigating for their gloriously hideous character designs alone.

17

Infiltrate Moonrise Towers

Players Can Access Quests And Allies Not Available Once An Attack Begins

• Related to several quests, including “Infiltrate Moonrise Towers,” “Balthazar’s Experiment,” “The Pale Elf,” and “Our Fiery Friend”

Given the extent of Ketheric’s villainy, it can be tempting to take him down as soon as players are able. However, there is a lot to be gained from undertaking some subterfuge within Moonrise Towers before assaulting it.

Should players explore Moonrise as a temporary ally to the Absolute, they can uncover a trove of secrets and even gain themselves some allies within the Towers. Barnabus is a particularly charming potential friend. To ensure players can enter Moonrise as an ally, as opposed to an attacker, they should explore the Towers before venturing into the Mausoleum near the House Of Healing.

18

Recruit Jaheira Or Minthara

Powerful Companions Only Accessible In Act Two

• Related to the quests “The High Harper,” “Decide Minthara’s Fate,” and “Defeat Ketheric Thorm”

Jaheira and Minthara are both powerful companions that players can add to their party in Act Two. If players refrain from killing Minthara in Act One, they can find her being tortured in Moonrise Towers’ prison. Successfully rescuing Minthara from this fate will allow players to recruit her as a companion.

Jaheira, leader of the Harpers, can be recruited during the assault on Moonrise Towers. If players speak to her before the assault, she can temporarily join the party, right up until the fight against Ketheric himself. Once he makes an unusual retreat, the players are afforded a moment of respite. During this breather, players can talk to Jaheira to officially integrate her into the party.

19

Rescue Moonrise’s Prisoners

Completes Many Quests, Including A Companion Quest, And Gain A Summon

• Located in the Mindflayer Colony and the prison, related to the quests “Find Zevlor” and “The Blade Of Frontiers”

Many unfortunates are being held prisoner in Ketheric’s hidden mindflayer colony. Before players descend on the Mindflayer apparatus to confront him for the second time, it is worth sparing the time and resources to rescue them. Prisoners include Tiefling’s leader, Zevlor, and other innocents. Freeing them requires a tough fight against multiple Illithids, but Zevlor provides huge assistance during that battle.

Players can also complete Wyll’s mission to rescue Zariel’s devil asset. This turns out to be his patron, Mizora. Engaging with her deepens Wyll’s companion quest. If they survived the nautiloid, the intellect devourer, Us, is even being held captive. Freeing Us is beneficial, as it allows players to summon them.

20

End The Shadow Curse

Heroic End To Act Two That Allows Halsin To Stay A Companion

• Related to the quests “Wake Up Art Cullagh,” “Lift The Shadow Curse,” and “Gather Your Allies”

Slaying Ketheric is the climactic battle of Act Two but doesn’t succeed in ending the shadow curse. To do this, players must wake the Flaming Fist, Art Cullagh, by retrieving his Broken Lute
from Malus Thorm in the House Of Healing. Art speaks of a boy called Thaniel, which piques the interest of Halsin.

The Druid undertakes a ritual outside The Last Light Inn to retrieve the fey boy, Thaniel, and players must assist him with this. Halsin returns with Thaniel, but the boy is ill as if part of his soul is missing. From this point onwards, players can recruit Halsin. The other part of Thaniel is a corrupted version of him, called Oliver.

Oliver can be found in a Shadow-Cursed house, and taking Halsin to him will result in a fight. Defeat his shadowed summons and players can convince him to reunite with Thaniel, bringing an end to the shadow curse. Ending the curse plaguing the land is a nice way to round off Act Two, and Halsin is a powerful ally to have heading into the final act.