The Ultimate Baldur's Gate 3: Mastering the Lord Enver Gortash Boss Fight Guide

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Don't Avoid Grenades, Throw Them Back

Pay Attention To Gortash's Buffs – Especially Reflectoguard

Save Powerful Spells For Phase Two, & Avoid Manifestations

In order to stop the damage caused by the Chains of Tyranny, players must disrupt Lord Enver Gortash's concentration. Introduced as a charming and youthful individual in Baldur's Gate 3, Gortash transforms into a formidable antagonist by Act 3. To successfully collect all three Netherstones and ultimately subdue the Netherbrain, players must thwart Gortash's plans.

As part of the final act, and Karlach's personal questline, players must eventually defeat Gortash. Despite his initial appearance of being less powerful compared to the other two Chosen, Gortash's fight is equally intricate, demanding players to diligently focus on various elements apart from Gortash himself.

Focus On The Extra Enemies First While Avoiding Traps

After bypassing his dedicated Flaming Fist followers on the lower levels and successfully traversing Wyrm's Rock Fortress, players will encounter yet another formidable adversary: Gortash, accompanied by a contingent of his Lieutenants. Similar to numerous boss battles in Baldur's Gate 3, defeating Gortash becomes significantly more manageable when players and their party confront him singlehandedly.

Black Gauntlet Ulova and Iron Consols Lo and Jaxbock possess the ability to cast Aura of Terror and Bane's Command on each other. This enables them to induce fear and deal additional damage. To counter this, consider using Silence on Gortash's minions to prevent these spells from being utilized. Additionally, assign a melee character to engage them and prevent their escape from the designated area. In order to effectively handle these additional enemies, it is recommended to utilize area of effect (AoE) and crowd control (CC) spells from a distance.

However, players must also be cautious of other threats during the Gortash battle. Throughout the fight, Incinerator and Grenade traps will either burn players or launch a Concussion Grenade at them. In phase two, Gortash will summon a Hand of Shadow that inflicts damage to characters within its range after a turn. In phase one, it is advisable to remain away from the walls and focus on eliminating weaker enemies. In the second phase, ensure that party members stay clear of the Hand of Shadow's area of effect while maintaining their focus on the battle.

Don't Avoid Grenades, Throw Them Back

Look out for Gortash's Concussion Grenades during the fight. These grenades are extremely deadly and are thrown at players periodically, usually after they have moved. While they may appear to be a death sentence due to their high damage, they can actually be advantageous.

In Baldur's Gate 3, players have the ability to pick up and throw various objects in the game world, including grenades that are about to explode. If a grenade is thrown near a character, they can use a Free Action to collect it and add it to their inventory. If the Throw action is available, they can then hurl it at Gortash or his minions for significant "free" damage.

But, in case the Throw action is not accessible, it should not detonate in the backpack and can be stored for the next turn. Ensure that party members are positioned closely on one side of Gortash and his minions so that grenades can be thrown to inflict damage on the maximum number of enemies without harming allies in the explosion.

Pay Attention To Gortash's Buffs – Especially Reflectoguard

During the battle, Gortash acquires various buffs, even prior to his transformation in Phase Two thanks to Bane's blessing. Reflectoguard, in particular, deserves close attention as it returns projectiles to their original source. This applies to projectiles such as arrows, grenades, certain spells, and Thrown weapons. Thus, before launching a ranged attack, always ensure to verify if Gortash has this protective buff active.

Save Powerful Spells For Phase Two, & Avoid Manifestations

In addition, there is another significant buff worth noting called Shell of Resistance. This ability not only provides Gortash with complete immunity to Thunder damage but also offers him general Resistance to Elemental damage. With the presence of Shell of Resistance, the highly potent Concussion grenades become practically ineffective against Gortash. Therefore, it is advisable to grab them and wait for an opportune moment to unleash a devastating blow upon Gortash's visage.

Gortash undergoes two distinct phases, similar to the second phases of other Chosen. When his HP is reduced to half, Lord Enver Gortash activates the skill "Invoke the Black Hand" and transforms into the Avatar of Tyranny, known as the Chosen of Bane. This revitalizes him by providing temporary HP points, unlocks new abilities, and summons Manifestations throughout the room, which further augment Gortash's power in Phase Two.

Prior to engaging Gortash directly, players should prioritize eliminating his minions, specifically the Manifestations of Tyranny present throughout the room. These minions have the ability to increase Gortash's strength if he is in close proximity to them. If the party is unable to swiftly conclude the second phase of the battle within a turn or two, it is recommended to focus on targeting one or two manifestations while leading Gortash away from the others.

Although Gortash's regular HP is not significantly higher than that of other endgame bosses, his power intensifies during the second phase. Therefore, it is crucial to defeat him quickly to prevent the party from suffering a complete wipeout. To expedite the battle against Gortash in his second phase, it is advised to reserve Level 6 spell slots, Level 6 scrolls, and Concussion Grenades.

Break Gortash's Concentration To Prevent Chains of Tyranny Damage

In Phase Two, Gortash acquires a spell of immense power known as Tyrant's Bindings. Within a virtually inescapable vicinity surrounding the Avatar of Tyranny, Gortash will cast Tyrant's Bindings, ensnaring party members who fail to pass a Saving Throw. These individuals will be bound to him until the chains eventually break on Gortash's next turn, resulting in 8d8 Force damage for those affected, unless Gortash's concentration is disrupted.

It is worth noting that this spell relies on concentration, meaning that as long as at least one character possesses a Bow and an Arrow of Arcane Interference, the detrimental effects of the Chains of Tyranny will never be activated. However, breaking concentration in BG3 can be accomplished through various other means, not just through the use of an Arrow of Arcane Interference.

To break the spell, players may choose to attack Gortash directly, forcing him to make a Concentration check with each successful hit. If hit by Tyrant's Bindings, the top priority should be finding a method to disrupt Gortash's concentration.

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently accessible on PC and PlayStation 5, with an upcoming version for Xbox Series X|S under development.