Baldur's Gate 3: Unveiling the Ultimate Shortcut to Obtain the Everburn Blade Early
Learn how to effortlessly obtain the Everburn Blade in Baldur's Gate 3 without any hassle, avoiding the need to eliminate Commander Zhalk
In Baldur's Gate 3, weapons of different shapes and sizes are available, with some standing out for their impressive appearance. The Everburn Blade is a notable example, a greatsword that remains constantly ablaze. This weapon is incredibly powerful early on in the game, but obtaining it can be a formidable challenge.
The Everburn Blade is guaranteed to be dropped by Zhalk, the commander of the Tiefling forces attacking the Mind Flayer Nautiloid at the game's outset. Zhalk is significantly stronger than the player's party, and time is limited before the ship crashes and burns in Avernus. However, it is still possible to defeat him with Level 1 characters, and with the right party members, it may not be necessary to engage in battle with him at all.
How to Kill Commander Zhalk
The task at hand is no easy feat — eliminating Commander Zhalk with a crew of inexperienced adventurers presents its challenges. While the Mind Flayer demands most of his attention, the pressing issue lies in time. Failure to reach the transponder within a specified number of turns will result in a catastrophic crash of the Nautiloid, claiming the lives of all aboard. Complicating matters further, two additional Tieflings will arrive to reinforce Zhalk when only 8–9 turns remain.
To increase the likelihood of overpowering this formidable adversary, players should liberate the Intellect Devourer early on in their journey. The assistance of an extra pair of hands will prove invaluable when combating Zhalk, particularly since the accuracy rates for most party members hover around 30 or 40%. Upon vanquishing the initial wave of monsters near the entrance of the helm, unite forces against Zhalk and commence the assault.
Use your skills and spells to bolster and restore the Mind Flayer, as it will serve as the primary source of damage for the party. After employing cooldowns and depleting spell slots, launch a barrage of melee and ranged attacks against Zhalk until he meets his demise.
Once the enemy reinforcements arrive, it will take them approximately three turns to reach Zhalk's location. It is preferable to conclude the fight here if achievable. In case that is not possible, assign two party members to draw the attention of the two incoming Tieflings while the rest focus on defeating the commander. After eliminating Zhalk, swiftly seize the Everburn Blade using a player-controlled character and urgently head towards the transponder, disregarding any other monsters encountered en route.
For those playing solo, ensure that the sword is held by the individual who touches the transponder. Otherwise, there is a risk of it disappearing once the party reaches the beach.
How to Get The Everburn Blade Without Killing Zhalk
One effective strategy to easily defeat Commander Zhalk in the early stages of the game is to consistently save your progress after every successful turn. Whenever the Mind Flayer executes a critical strike or any party member successfully launches a powerful attack, promptly save the game. In case the situation takes a turn for the worse later on, simply reload the saved file and attempt the encounter again.
This is a more efficient and simpler method for acquiring the Everburn Blade, but it can only be accomplished if the party consists of a Cleric or Warlock possessing the Command spell. Proceed through the initial sections of the Nautiloid in the usual manner, and upon reaching the helm, eliminate the initial group of creatures and utilize the Command: Drop spell on Zhalk.
If the initial cast of the Drop command fails to connect, players may need to save and reload their game before trying again. If successful, they can simply approach Zhalk and retrieve the blade. Afterward, Zhalk will rely on his fists in the rest of the fight. It is recommended for players to head straight for the transponder at this point, unless they are interested in unlocking the achievement for killing Commander Zhalk.
Unfortunately, solo players who choose to play as a Fighter, Paladin, or Barbarian will not be able to use this strategy as Shadowheart does not have the Command skill equipped. They will have to use traditional methods or find an alternative sneaky approach to make Zhalk drop his sword.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now on PC and PS5.
