Baldur's Gate 3: Uncover the Ultimate Cure Walkthrough

The primary objective in Baldur's Gate 3 Act One is to "Find a Cure." The protagonist and their initial party members all have a mind flayer tadpole in their brains, and they are eager to have them removed.

Due to the urgency of the situation, players will extensively search for a solution that can eliminate this parasite without causing harm or transforming them into mind flayers. This guide will detail the Act One quests in Baldur's Gate 3 that can contribute to the quest for a cure, as well as the advantages players can anticipate from each quest.

Get Help from Healer Nettie

The protagonist and their starting party members wash up on the beach, just before the druid enclave known as the Emerald Grove. Speaking to the inhabitants reveals that the head druid, Halsin, is missing. However, the specialist Healer Nettie, who is located inside the cave near the ritual area, may be able to provide assistance. Nettie is positioned several rooms back from the confrontation with Arabella.

When players encounter Nettie, she presents them with a thorny branch and proceeds to question them. It is crucial for the players to answer truthfully as Nettie is prepared to eliminate the party with poison if they exhibit signs of deceit. Even though Nettie does not possess a cure, she will supply the active speaker with a vial of poison and urge them to consume it before it is too late. While players have the option to pledge to use the poison or not, they can still apply it to a weapon since the opportunity to drink it will never arise.

Get Help from Auntie Ethel

Players can come across Auntie Ethel, an elderly woman, while exploring the Emerald Grove. Auntie Ethel runs a small shop where she sells various items. If players inform her about the presence of the parasite, she offers her assistance and marks the location of her home on the map. Her shop is situated on a stone dias in the northwest part of the grove, while her house can be found in the swamp towards the southwest. It is also possible to encounter Auntie Ethel, along with a pair of brothers, near the entrance to the swamp.

However, it is later revealed that Auntie Ethel is actually a malevolent witch, and her deals often come at a high cost. If players request her help with the tadpole, she proposes a gruesome solution: she offers to remove one of their eyes, enchant it, and then reinstall it. This infliction causes the protagonist to permanently acquire the "Paid the Price" condition, which grants a +1 bonus to Intimidation, but imposes disadvantages on Perception checks and attack rolls against hags. Additionally, the protagonist gains the ability to see through hag illusions. Unfortunately, Auntie Ethel is unable to eliminate the tadpole due to its enchantment. As a consolation, she bestows upon the protagonist a single-use charm called the Enhance Ability, which can be employed in times of need.

Ethel will depart from the tea house and proceed further into her lair after this encounter. However, players should keep in mind that they have the option to pursue the "Save Mayrina" quest by following Ethel through the deceptive hearth. Defeating Ethel will prove to be more challenging with the Hag's Eye, yet not entirely unachievable.

Ask the Goblin Priestess for Help

In the Emerald Grove, a goblin that has been captured discloses information about Priestess Gut, a cleric and healer residing in the goblin camp. By utilizing the tadpole's link to the Absolute brands, the party can peacefully enter the camp, ultimately discovering Priestess Gut in the primary chamber of the previous Selune temple. By receiving her branding, players gain access to the unique abilities associated with specific magical objects.

Players have the option to approach Gut and discuss the tadpole or the internal "darkness." If they do, Gut will propose examining the party in her private chapel. It should be noted that this conversation could serve as an opportunity for players to eliminate Gut if they are assisting the druid grove against the goblin raiders.

Should players opt to seek Gut's assistance, she will detect the presence of the tadpole, unaware of its significance in determining a True Soul. Gut will request a private conversation with the protagonist, separate from the rest of the party. Once alone, she will offer a potion. If the protagonist consumes it, they will awaken in captivity, restrained by chains. Players can attempt to free themselves using either Acrobatics or Strength. Failure to do so will result in the arrival of a woman named Korrilla, who will eliminate both Gut and her ogre assistant. Korrilla has been sent by her master to rescue the protagonist, and players will meet this master either shortly before or after this encounter.

Rescue the Druid Halsin

Halsin, the master of the Emerald Grove, has gone missing in the goblin camp. To locate him, players should search for a door towards the back of the camp which leads to a separate area called the Worg Pens. If the party frees him and presents the tadpole, Halsin will utilize his magical abilities to examine the protagonist.

During the examination, Halsin will discover the magic of the tadpoles that prevents the transformation but will also reveal that he is unable to remove them. However, he will mention that the tadpoles originate from Moonrise Towers, the focal point of Act Two, and offer assistance to the party in exchange for their help in eliminating the leaders of the goblin raiders.

Alternatively, players have the option of bypassing the Worg Pens and either eliminating the goblin leaders or enticing the raiders to launch an assault on the druids, whom they can then shield within the grove. Upon conclusion of the perilous situation, Halsin will autonomously return to the grove and join forces with the party, but only if they have convincingly demonstrated their allegiance.

Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite

Located in the Underdark, specifically within the Ebonlake Grotto, players have the opportunity to come across Blurg, a hobgoblin, and his companion Omeluum, a free mind flayer. Similar to Halsin and Ethel, Omeluum will identify the magical barrier safeguarding the parasite, and he proposes the idea of creating a potion to counteract its enchantment.

To create this potion, Omeluum requires Tongue of Madness and Timmask Spores, two mushrooms that can only be found in the Arcane Tower located at the southern edge of the Underdark region. Once you have obtained the items, return them to Omeluum and consume the potion he provides.

Regrettably, the potion has the unintended consequence of strengthening the tadpole. As a result, a special ability called Survival Instinct is unlocked, resembling the Death Ward spell but lasting only for three turns. Omeluum expresses remorse for the failure and compensates by offering his Ring of Mind-Shielding. However, players are still required to pay for the ring. Wearing the ring grants the wearer an advantage against being Charmed.

Find the Githyanki Creche

If players save Lae'zel from the beach, she will insist that her people possess a method to eliminate the parasite. She will propose seeking out Zorru, a tiefling located in the Emerald Grove, who witnessed a githyanki patrol in the vicinity. Zorru can be found near the prison cave, in front of a locked wooden shack. Players may opt to let Lae'zel handle the conversation for a prompt and non-violent resolution.

Zorru will indicate a location southwest of Waukeen's Rest, where the patrol will divulge the whereabouts of Creche Yllek (Caution: Avoid mentioning the Astral Prism). The creche is a prominent feature in the Mountain Pass area and falls within Act One. Therefore, players should ensure they complete all desired tasks before venturing there.

Travel through Rosymorn Monastery to reach Creche Yllek, where Lae'zel's persuasive skills can once again secure the party's entry without resorting to combat or skill checks. The githyanki guards will then guide the group to the creche infirmary, where they will come across a device known as a zaith'isk.

Regrettably, the zaith'isk's purpose is to extract the memories of infected githyanki and subsequently terminate them, rather than eliminate the parasite. If the protagonist or Lae'zel fail to escape in time, they will permanently lose their ability points. Nevertheless, this moment holds significant importance as players can later utilize it to convince Lae'zel that her queen does not have her best interests in mind.

In the end, none of the methods in Act One will successfully eliminate the parasite, requiring the party to progress through the entire game to discover a permanent solution. However, the majority of the methods featured in the "Find a Cure" quest are worthwhile attempts due to the additional advantages gained upon completion.

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently accessible on macOS, PC, and PS5.