Baldur's Gate 3: Unmissable Must-Dos Before Embarking on Act 3

Highlights

Act Two in Baldur's Gate 3 takes players to the dark and sinister Shadow-Cursed Lands, offering intriguing encounters and quests worth experiencing.

Don't miss out on key highlights in Act Two, including exploring the githyanki creche with Lae'zel, discovering the Last Light Inn, and assisting Karlach's quest.

To progress the story and lift the shadow curse, make sure to infiltrate Moonrise Towers, recruit companions like Jaheira or Minthara, and rescue prisoners.

Act Two of Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 takes the game to a whole new level, providing darker and more compelling storytelling than Act One. As adventurers journey through the lush wilderness of the Sword Coast to the devastated Shadow-Cursed Lands, they will encounter truly sinister experiences that shouldn't be missed.

However, navigating through the broken streets of the Shadow-Cursed Lands can be challenging, leading to the possibility of missing out on these memorable moments. To fully enjoy Act Two of Baldur's Gate 3, players should prioritize experiencing these intriguing encounters before reaching the city.

10 Explore The Githyanki Creche

Taking the Mountain Pass route to the Shadow-Cursed Lands may lead players to stumble upon the Rosymorn Monastery. This magnificent structure offers captivating adventures through challenging combat encounters and mind-bending puzzles. Within the depths of the monastery lies the hidden githyanki creche that Lae'zel has desperately been seeking.

Delving into the depths of the githyanki creche alongside Lae'zel presents a myriad of intriguing scenarios and quests. These possibilities include stealing a githyanki egg, attempting to remove the characters' tadpoles, and even being granted an audience with the revered githyanki goddess, Vlaakith.

9 Find The Last Light Inn

Players entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands, especially via Grymforge, are likely to come across The Last Light Inn as one of their first discoveries. Managed by the druid Jaheira and her Harpers, it stands as a symbol of hope in the midst of the curse, warding off the encroaching darkness.

Within the inn, players will find vendors, important NPCs to interact with, peculiar combat encounters, and hidden secrets waiting to be uncovered. While players are advised to meet the cleric Isobel in the upstairs room, it is recommended that they thoroughly explore all the nooks and crannies of the Last Light Inn before engaging in conversation with Isobel.

8 Mend Karlach's Heart

Dammon, a prominent NPC at The Last Light Inn, plays a crucial role in the companion quest called 'The Hellion's Heart'. While players can encounter Dammon and initiate this quest at the Druid Grove in Act One, the majority of progress is likely to be made in the second act.

Dammon, an infernal mechanic, holds the key to mending Karlach's mechanical heart. In order to do so, the quest entails locating infernal iron and delivering it to Dammon for him to improve her heart. The interactions with Karlach throughout the quest are heartwarming, making it a worthwhile investment before entering act three.

7 Find Arabella's Parents

If Arabella managed to escape from her encounter with Kagha in Act One, players can locate her in the graveyard surrounding the House of Healing. When the player engages with her, Arabella will explain that she has become separated from her parents and requests the player's assistance in locating them. Throughout the player's search, Arabella can stay at their camp and develop an odd friendship with Withers.

For players who are having difficulty finding the missing parents, they may be surprised to discover that they were right in front of Arabella the whole time. If players explore the House of Healing itself, there is a high chance of encountering Arabella's parents. The only thing left to do is to bring them back to Arabella. This quest carries significant impact and should not be overlooked.

6 Assist He Who Was

In Act Two, there is a hidden character named He Who Was, a shadar-kai elf. He can be found near the hunting party of Harpers, up the hill. He is distinguishable by the presence of a pure white raven and his use of the 'Speak With Dead' spell to communicate with a deceased body.

Interacting with He Who Was triggers the quest 'Punish The Wicked.' He requests that players go to The Waning Moon tavern to find a ledger that will incriminate Madeline, the deceased woman he has been conversing with. The resolution of this quest is left to the players, making it an intriguing side quest that is often overlooked.

5 Defeat The Thorms

The antagonist of Act One, General Ketheric Thorm, poses a serious threat. However, he is not the only corrupt and sadistic member of the Thorm family. Players will encounter three other Thorm villains, each resembling bosses from Dark Souls, and they fight fiercely as well. Fortunately, players can confront all three through dialogue and some lucky dice rolls.

Malus Thorm, a deranged doctor, can be located in the House Of Healing. Gerringothe Thorm, an overly dedicated toll collector, operates at the Reithwin Tollhouse. As for Thisobald Thorm, he used to run The Waning Moon but appears to have driven himself out of business due to excessive drinking. Investigating these three characters is well worth it, especially for their impressively grotesque designs.

4 Infiltrate Moonrise Towers

Rather than immediately confronting Ketheric, the players may benefit from engaging in subterfuge within Moonrise Towers. By temporarily aligning with the Absolute, they can discover valuable secrets and potentially recruit allies, such as the charming Barnabus. To ensure a non-aggressive approach, players should explore the Towers before proceeding to the Mausoleum near the House Of Healing.

3 Recruit Jaheira Or Minthara

In Act Two, players have the opportunity to add Jaheira and Minthara, two powerful companions, to their party. If players choose not to kill Minthara in Act One, they can find her being tortured in the prison of Moonrise Towers. Successfully rescuing Minthara allows players to recruit her as a companion.

During the assault on Moonrise Towers, players can recruit Jaheira, the leader of the Harpers. If players speak to her before the assault, she can temporarily join the party until the fight against Ketheric. After Ketheric retreats, players have a moment of rest and can officially integrate Jaheira into the party by talking to her.

2 Rescue Moonrise's Prisoners

There is a hidden mindflayer colony in Ketheric where numerous unfortunate individuals are being held captive. Prior to the players' second encounter with Ketheric, it is highly recommended to allocate time and resources towards rescuing these prisoners. Among them is Zevlor, the leader of the tieflings, as well as other innocent individuals. Freeing them involves engaging in a challenging battle against multiple illithids, with the significant assistance of Zevlor.

In addition to this, players have the opportunity to complete Wyll's mission of rescuing Zariel's devil asset. To their surprise, this asset is none other than Wyll's own patron, Mizora. Interacting with Mizora further enriches Wyll's companion quest. If the players have managed to survive encounters with the nautiloid and the intellect devourer, they will discover that Us, the intellect devourer, is also being held captive. Freeing Us is highly advantageous, as it allows players to call upon their assistance when needed.

1 End The Shadow Curse

In Act Two, the climactic battle known as Slaying Ketheric does not succeed in ending the shadow curse. In order to accomplish this, players must awaken Art Cullagh, also known as the Flaming Fist. To do so, they must retrieve his broken lute from Malus Thorm in the House of Healing. Art Cullagh mentions a boy named Thaniel, which catches the attention of Halsin. In order to retrieve Thaniel, a fey boy, Halsin performs a ritual outside The Last Light Inn, and players are required to assist him.

Once Halsin returns with Thaniel, it becomes apparent that the boy is unwell, as if a part of his soul is missing. From this point onward, players have the option to recruit Halsin. The other part of Thaniel exists as a corrupted version known as Oliver, who can be found in a Shadow-Cursed house. Bringing Halsin to meet Oliver results in a confrontation. Players must defeat Oliver's shadowed summons, and then convince him to reunite with Thaniel, thereby ending the shadow curse. This serves as a fitting conclusion to Act Two, and having Halsin as an ally proves valuable as players move forward into the final act.

Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC, and will release for Playstation 5 on September 6, 2023. A version for Xbox Series X/S is currently in development.