Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3is a role-playing game with plenty of choices for players to make through the three acts of the title. While some of these choices inBaldur’s Gate 3only make minor differences others can have detrimental changes to the player’s adventure. With act three being the final act of the game, the choices made during this section of the game can make a big difference tothe final endingthe player receives.
Many players may be surprised at how many more quests players have left to complete inBaldur’s Gate 3. When they finally make it to Baldur’s Gate. However, these are by far some of the most important choices players have left to make in the game.
Updated on March 22, 224, by Megan Smith:BG3 has many important choices for players to make, with many of the Act 3 decisions in Baldur’s Gate 3 being some of the most important. By the third act of the RPG, players have likely made plenty of choices that have already shaped their story in a specific way, but there are still some important choices for players to make through this act. These Act 3 choices are likely to fully cement the ending for the player’s current playthrough and, therefore, these are by far the most important choices a player is likely to make in Act 3.
Warning: There are major spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3 Act Three mentioned in this article.
11Saving The Prisoners Within The Iron Throne
Being The Hero Means Being Attacked On Sight By The Steel Watch
Enver Gortash – one of the three main baddies ofBaldur’s Gate 3– has imprisoned both the player’s friends and also the friends and families of the Gondians he has working on his Steel Watch. One of the many quests players are free to complete in Act Three involves finding where these people have been imprisoned and hopefully freeing them. While this may at first sound quite straightforward as some players may have already helped the Tieflings and Ironhand Gnomes in act two, this quest is far more of a challenge.
Besides the actual difficulty of the quest, freeing these people will cause the player to become an enemy of Enver Gortash. This will mean that his Steel Watch will attack the player on sight which can bequite a challengewhen attempting to explore Baldur’s Gate. If players choose to not free these people, then they are likely to be unbothered by Gortash for the majority of their exploration as long as they don’t go near the Foundry.
10Making Gale Apologize To Mystra
Encourage Gale To Move On From Godhood
Throughout the three acts ofBaldur’s Gate 3, players will learn about how Gale caused violent netherese magic to be trapped inside him that threatens to explode. Learning about the crown that controls the Elder Brain, will give Gale a new goal of taking it for himself to free himself of the orb and potentially become a god himself.
However, many players may not like this typical hungry-for-power wizard behavior and get Gale to apologize to Mystra. This will potentially stop him from going after such power and instead do the arguably ‘right’ thing.
9Allowing Astarion To Ascend Or Not
Astarion Can Become Just like His Master, Or Rise Above His Abuse As A Thrall
Many of the companions' quest lines come to an end in Baldur’s Gate, while many of them have quite straightforward choices for players to select or simply encourage their companion to decide. Astarion is a special case as he finally gets to meet his master once more and put an end to the fear. However, there is more to this choice than simply allowing Astarion to ascend as players must think about the moral dilemma as well as how Astarion will be after it. Players are essentially given two options at the end of their companion quest; they either allow him to ascend and become a new sort of vampire that can walk in the sun, orsimply kill Cazadorand remain a Vampire Spawn.
While becoming an Ascended Vampire does sound cool and comes with plenty of interesting abilities, Astarion is permanently changed, and players may not enjoy how he treats them. Meanwhile, remaining a Spawn saves lives while also saving Astarion’s life too as he finally sees he doesn’t need that power.
8Agreeing To Truce Gortash
Avoid A Fight With One Of The Chosen Three
Before the player can even go into Baldur’s Gate while trying to cross the bridge to its entrance the player will be stopped and likely imprisoned. After this moment the next Steel Watch the player sees will tell them that Enver Gortash himself wishes to speak to the player. If the player agrees to go visit the Chosen of Bane, he will suggest that the player and himself form a truce.
Players may wish to take the high ground with this decision and simply attack Gortash although in this current situation, the player may be quite outnumbered plus Gortash has the support of his Steel Watch. The other option is agreeing to side with him, so they can freely explore Baldur’s Gate with no issues. Players are still able to betray Gortash later, but at least they have more time to prepare.
7Saving Shadowheart’s Parents
Break Shadowheart Free From Shar, Or Free Her Parents
Throughout the entirety ofBaldur’s Gate 3,players discover the religious beliefs of Shadowheart and can help her move away from the pull of Shar. Players will discover that Shadowheart’s parents are currently being held hostage by the Sharrans in Baldur’s Gate.
Shadowheart wishes to release her parents from this torment, only to discover that only by killing her parents will she free herself from Shar. During this moment, players can leave Shadowheart to make the decision but are also able to help her make her choice.
6Agreeing To Help Raphael
Avoid A Fight In The House Of Hope, But Make A Hard Bargain
Players may remember meeting Raphael for the first time during the first act of the game where he proposes a deal to the player. No matter how eager a player may be to agree to this deal already, they won’t be able to make the choice until they have met him again during the final act of the game.
Here players may either agree to the devil’s deal, instantly giving them the hammer to free Orpheus, or refuse Raphael’s deal and need to complete more steps if they want the hammer.
5Using The Astral-Touched Tadpole
Unlocking The Final Tier Of The Astral Powers, At The Cost Of Becoming More Illithid
This is likely the most important choice players will get at the start of Act Three. After leaving the Shadow-Cursed Lands they will be put into camp for a long rest, during the night the player is attacked by Githyanki and must flee to the Astral Plane to help their Dream Guardian. Here the player discovers the true nature of their Dream Guardian whom they now know as The Emperor and after aiding them, the player is given the most powerful gift, which is an Astral-Touched Tadpole.
This Tadpole has the potential to unlock thefinal tiers of the Ilithid abilitiesa player can use. Players who have been avoiding using the Tadpoles may easily decide to persuade their Guardian that they don’t wish to use it or simply destroy it. Meanwhile, those that have been using the Tadpoles may have a tougher time as consuming this does give them more power but also permanently makes the character covered in veins which isn’t a look for some players.
4Becoming The Chosen Of Bhaal
Embrace The Dark Urge’s Truth An Emerge With Power
This choice in the final act ofBaldur’s Gatewill only apply to players who had decided to choose the Dark Urge Origin at the start of the game. Throughout the story ofBG3players were given chances to either resist or give in to the urge as they learn more about themselves. By the time the player has made it to the Third Act, they may have finally uncovered that their character is actually a Bhaalspawn; an offspring of Bhaal himself.
Once the player has defeated Orin, they are given the choice to either stay true to Bhaal and do his bidding or attempt to become their own person and refuse to be Bhaal’s Chosen. Remaining true to Bhaal will allow the player to take on their Slayer form though they will never truly be free of him. Meanwhile, refusing to abide by his rules may see players explore an even more interesting story.
3Destroying The Foundry
Decide Between The Steel Watch Or The Enslaved Gondions
As mentioned earlier, the Foundry is the building where many of the Gondians are trapped by Gortash, here forcing them to create his Steel Watch, the giant automated suits of armor that are controlled by brains. The righteous thing to do is destroy the Foundry as this allows the player to not onlystop the Steel Watchfrom patrolling the streets but also possibly free the Gondians that are being kept there against their will.
Meanwhile, ignoring the Foundry allows players to stay in Gortash’s good books like ignoring the prisoners that are kept in the Iron Throne. Due to this being one of the main quests that involve the main three antagonists of the game, it’s vital for a player to decide where their loyalties lie.
2Freeing Or Leaving Orpheus
The Githyanki Prince Can Be a Friend Or Foe
Through the story ofBaldur’s Gate 3,players will discover that The Emperor is only able to protect them by using the power of Prince Orpheus, the son of Gith. Naturally, Lae’Zel is enraged to learn about this and tasks players with freeing Orpheus to either side with him or kill him depending on Lae’zel’s loyalties.
In act three players are finally able to find a tool thatwill free Orpheusfrom his orb prison though this may not be as good of an idea as it may first appear. Freeing Orpheus may give players a new ally, but they also risk becoming Mindflayers as this is the only thing stopping them from changing. Meanwhile, leaving Orpheus be and therefore allowing The Emperor to eat his brain when the time comes allows the player and their companions to keep their bodies as they are.
