Things To Do Before Going To Act 3 In BG3

The Second Act in Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 vastly raises the stakes from Act One and tells some, quite literally, darker stories. Act Two sees adventurers progress from the luscious wilds of the Sword Coast to the stricken Shadow-Cursed Lands. The encounters to be had here are far more sinister and worth experiencing.

However, plenty of these moments can be missed, especially since the broken streets of the Shadow-Cursed Lands can be challenging to navigate. 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 December 10, 2023 by Nyah Payne: Baldur’s Gate 3 rocked the 2023 Game Awards on December 7th, where they won five awards, including the prestigious Game of the Year award. Already a huge night for Larian, they also announced on their X/Twitter account that the award-winning RPG is now available on Xbox Series X/S, finally bringing the incredible fantasy experience to Xbox players.

Whether players are picking up Baldur’s Gate 3 for the first time, perhaps on their Xbox, or celebrating Larian’s win with yet another replay, these are some must-sees for players exploring Act Two.

1 Explore The Githyanki Creche

Interesting Plot Progression For Companion Lae’zel

• Location: Rosymorn Monastery
• Related Quests: The Githyanki Warrior, Find The Githyanki Creche, Steal A Githyanki Egg, Find The Blood Of Lathander, Discover The History Of Prince Orpheus, Discover The Artefact’s Secrets
• Notable NPCs: Ghustil Stornugoss, Kith’rak Therezzyn, Ch’r’ai W’wargaz, Varsh Ko’kuu, Youth Varrl
• Notable Loot: The Blood Of Lathander, Githyanki Egg

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. These range from stealing a githyanki egg to attempting to remove the characters’ tadpoles, and even having an audience with the githyanki goddess, Vlaakith.

2 Find The Last Light Inn

Safe Hub Within The Shadow-Cursed Lands

• Location: The Last Light Inn
• Related Quests: Seek Protection From The Shadow Curse, Resolve The Abduction, Lift The Shadow Curse, Wake Up Art Cullagh, The High Harper, The Hellion’s Heart
• Notable NPCs: Jaheira, Isobel, Art Cullagh, Alfira, Counselor Florrick, Rolan, Dammon, Barcus Wroot, Mol
• Notable Loot: Moon Devotion Robe, Rippling Force Mail, Shield Of Scorching Reprisal, Snowburst Ring, Penumbral Armour, Covert Cowl, Coruscation Ring

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.

3 Mend Karlach’s Heart

Important Progression To Karlach’s Companion Quest

• Location: The Last Light Inn
• Related Quests: The Hellion’s Heart
• Notable NPCs: Dammon
• Notable Loot: N/A

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 will require finding infernal iron and bringing it to Dammon, so he can make improvements to her heart. The interactions with Karlach throughout are heartwarming, and make it a companion quest thoroughly worth investing in before act three.

4 Find Arabella’s Parents

Assisting Arabella Grants Players A New Spell And Powerful Ally

• Location: The House Of Healing
• Related Quests: Find Arabella’s Parents, Gather Your Allies
• Notable NPCs: Arabella, Sister Lidwin, Withers
• Notable Loot: Shadow Blade Ring

If Arabella escaped her run-in with Kagha in Act One, she can 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.

5 Assist He Who Was

Easily Missed But Fascinating Encounter

• Location: Shadow Cursed Lands
• Related Quests: Punish The Wicked
• Notable NPCs: He Who Was, Raven, Thisobald Thorm
• Notable Loot: Raven Gloves

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.

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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.

6 Defeat The Thorms

Three Creepy And Challenging Boss Encounters

• Location: The House Of Healing, Reithwin Tollhouse, The Waning Moon
• Related Quests: Wake Up Art Cullagh, Lift The Shadow Curse, Punish The Wicked
• Notable NPCs: Malus Thorm, Gerringothe Thorm, Thisobald Thorm
• Notable Loot: Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet, Battered Lute, Twist Of Fortune

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.

7 Infiltrate Moonrise Towers

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

• Location: Moonrise Towers
• Related Quests: Infiltrate Moonrise Towers, Balthazar’s Experiment, The Pale Elf, Our Fiery Friend
• Notable NPCs: Ketheric Thorm, Minthara, Mig, Linsella, Barnabus, Z’rell, Araj Oblodra, Lann Tarv, Roah Moonglow
• Notable Loot: Potion Of Everlasting Vigor, Shadow Lantern, Derivation Cloak, Coldbrim Hat, Cloak Of Elemental Absorption, Spineshudder Amulet

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.

8 Recruit Jaheira Or Minthara

Powerful Companions Only Accessible In Act Two

• Location: Moonrise Towers
• Related Quests: The High Harper, Decide Minthara’s Fate, Defeat Ketheric Thorm
• Notable NPCs: Jaheira, Minthara, Ketheric Thorm, Questioner Sumera, Questioner Jasin
• Notable Loot: N/A

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.

9 Rescue Moonrise’s Prisoners

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

• Location: Mindflayer Colony
• Related Quests: Find Zevlor, The Blade Of Frontiers
• Notable NPCs: Zevlor, Mizora, Us
• Notable Loot: Infernal Rapier

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 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.

10 End The Shadow Curse

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

• Location: Shadow Cursed Lands
• Related Quests: Wake Up Art Cullagh, Lift The Shadow Curse, Gather Your Allies
• Notable NPCs: Halsin, Art Cullagh, Oliver, Thaniel, Malus Thorm
• Notable Loot: N/A

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.