Baldur’s Gate 3 draws you deeper into the world of Faerûn with every decision you make. This walkthrough describes the path from the first second on the Nautiloid to the end of the first act – with real strategies, locations and decisions that determine life, death and relationships. No spoiler overkill, but a clean, gameplay-based route for your first or second journey.
Prologue – Escape from the nautiloid
The adventure begins in the chaotic corridors of the nautiloid ship. You wake up with the parasite in your head and learn the basic mechanics of Baldur’s Gate 3: camera control, initiative, action points and environmental interactions. Important: Collect every weapon and elixir you find – even simple vials of healing will save your life in your first real battle.
After you have freed Lae’zel and found Shadowheart, encounter the first Mind Flayer. Let him fight instead of doing everything yourself; this saves resources. Use the catapult on the upper platform to catapult yourself out of the burning ship – a first taste of how Baldur’s Gate 3 registers every decision.
Act 1 – The Lost Coast and the Druid Grove
Arrival at the coast
After the crash, you wake up on the Lost Coast. Gather your team: Astarion, Gale and Shadowheart can be found nearby. The first battles against intellect devourers and bandits will teach you how to take up positions. Pay attention to elevated positions – ranged fighters on rocks give you +2 to the hit roll. Use crates and bottles as improvised cover.
The cave of the tieflings
Enter the druid grove via the forest path in the north. This is where one of the game’s central quest series begins: the conflict between Druids and Tieflings. Talk to Kagha and Zevlor – your choice decides which factions will help you or fight you later.
Recommended path for the first run: Help the Tieflings. You’ll get more XP, accompanying merchants and a chance to get Karlach as a companion. Don’t attack the goblin outpost immediately – spy first and gather information about Priestess Good and the minotaurs at the ruins.
Goblin camp – The first big branch
The goblin camp is located in the north-west of the map and presents you with your first big moral decision: either you free the druid Halsin and overthrow the leaders, or you join them. The latter opens up some dark dialog and brings rare loot options, but completes Zevlor’s quest line.
If you decide to take the liberation path: First take out Priestess Good – otherwise she will constantly heal herself. Then Minthara, then Dror Ragzlin. Use barrels with fire or acid effects and pay attention to height advantages. Use “Sleep” or “Hold Person” to control Bossadds. After victory, return to the grove – you’ll experience one of the most emotional moments of the game with the rescued children.
The cursed village & the mounds of death
In the southwest of the area lies the abandoned village with the death mounds. Here you will find the first magical weapons and the cursed chapel with the moon puzzle – a prelude to Act 2. Solve the runes in the order of the moon phases (new → half → full) and open the way to the underworld. There you will meet the Enlightened One and the first traces of the Absolute.
Preparation for Act 2
Before you leave the grove, talk to all your companions. Astarion will reveal his vampire nature, Wyll will consider breaking his pact and Shadowheart will begin her journey to Selûne. These dialogs not only influence the ending later on, but also your combat efficiency – familiar companions work better together (slightly higher initiative in combat).
Act 1 Summary
Once you have freed the grove, defeated the goblin leaders and solved the moon riddle, Act 1 ends with the path to the Cursed Plains. At this point, you should have reached level 5-6, have several rare pieces of equipment and have deepened at least one relationship. Your decisions up to this point will set the tone for Act 2 – whether you choose light or shadow.
Act 2 – The Shadowlands and Moonrise Towers
After leaving the Druid Grove, you enter the Shadowlands – a region that immediately confronts you with darkness and the pressure of curses. This is where Baldur’s Gate 3 intervenes heavily in the narrative structure for the first time: Light sources, buffs and rolls against Wisdom suddenly become vital for survival. The shadow area is merciless for impatient players, but it rewards thorough preparation.
The shadow curse – surviving in the dark
Before you venture deep into the Shadowlands, make sure you have at least one stable source of light – the Lamp of Selûne or a staff with a light spell. Every step in the dark causes permanent curse damage and lowers your saving throws. If you have Shadowheart with you, you gain additional dialog options to use the Blessing of Selûne. This blessing acts as a permanent protection against the curse – accept it even if you are following Shar, otherwise Act 2 will be unnecessarily difficult.
The burden of Last Light Inn
Your first safe zone is the Last Light Inn. Here you will meet Jaheira – a returnee from the classic Baldur’s Gate universe. Talk to her and free the Selûne priest Isobel from captivity. As soon as she falls, the blessing of the inn collapses and the entire camp is overrun by the Shadow Curse. So: Protect Isobel at all costs. A successful battle will not only give you glory, but also access to a crucial side quest with the paladin Marcus.
Moonrise Towers – Preparation and camouflage
The Moonrise Towers are at the center of Act 2 and are more than just a dungeon: they are a social labyrinth. You can sneak in and pretend to be a member of the Absolute in order to gather information about Ketheric Thorm. Or you can appear openly as an enemy and have to fight your way through several floors. Both paths lead to the same end, but the stealthy path opens up an additional dialog with Balthazar – a necromancer who reveals crucial bits of lore about Thorm.
Ketheric Thorm – Boss fight and strategy
Ketheric Thorm is an immortal war leader whose body is supported by the parasite in the tower. His battle takes place in two phases and represents the first truly epic moment of the game.
- Phase 1 – Roof fight: Stay away from the corners as he can push you off the platform. His Undead Adds are easy to take out with “Light” and “Holy Fire”. A cleric with Dispel is worth its weight in gold.
- Phase 2 – Underground: After falling into the catacombs, the real battle begins. Destroy the blood-filled cocoon in the arena to break Thorm’s regeneration. He is then vulnerable and you can finish him off with “Thunderclap” or critical hits.
After defeating Thorm, an impressive cutscene follows in which his death frees the region from the shadow curse. This is also the moment when you realize that your parasite no longer just curses you, but gives you power.
Decision paths in Act 2
After Ketheric’s fall, two main paths open up:
- Selûne’s Path (“Light”): Free Isobel, rescue Jaheira, and keep the blessing of Selûne. This ending leads to a brighter Act 3 with more NPC support in Baldur’s Gate.
- Shar or Absolute Path (“Shadow”): Sacrifice the Blessed, ally yourself with the Absolute and receive powerful items such as the “Armor of the Fallen Paladin”. This leads to different dialogs and a dark finale.
Both routes are mechanically equivalent, but emotionally completely different. Choose according to your character concept, not “good or evil” – that’s what makes Baldur’s Gate 3 so special.
Act 2 Conclusion
Before you start Act 3, you should have reached level 10 and organized your camp. Take all the potions and scrolls with you – there’s no going back. The journey now takes you straight to the gates of Baldur’s Gate – the capital and the heart of the finale.
Act 3 – Baldur’s Gate & the end of the journey
Welcome to Baldur’s Gate, the largest city in Faerûn. After weeks in the wilderness and shadows, the time has come to live out your decisions. Act 3 is a massive section – politically, morally and narratively. You enter the upper city through the Bridge of Rivington, where the city guard is already checking every newcomer. With a little charisma or cunning, you can easily be waved through – or you can fight your way in at gunpoint, just like your character.
Rivington & the Gazette
Your first big quest takes you to the Gazette – the town’s newspaper. If you weren’t paying attention in the earlier chapter, a reporter may have already planned a devastating headline about you. Enter the printing house, find the lever mechanism and stop the automatic press to save your reputation. This will open up access to further city quests about corruption, smuggling and the intrigues of the noble families.
Companion quests in the last act
Act 3 is the emotional center of all companions. Astarion is confronted with his past as a servant of Cazador – decide whether to accept the vampire curse or break it for good. Shadowheart is faced with the choice between light and darkness: Selûne or Shar. Wyll’s demon pact comes to a head, and Karlach confronts you with her imminent death. Each of these stories can end differently, depending on whether you support them or turn away.
The path to the Netherbrain
The final main quest “The Last Step” takes you into the depths beneath Baldur’s Gate, where the Netherbrain extends its control over the city. Here, the game perfectly interweaves narrative and tactics: you navigate through psionic labyrinths, fight mind flayers and collect shards of the brain to gain access to the central nexus.
Before the final battle, you should activate all potions, buffs and enhancements. Use valor, speed and protection from magic – the final battle is long but fair.
Final boss – The Netherbrain(tips for the final boss)
- Phase 1 – Siege: Place your ranged fighters on the bridge sections and concentrate on the energy cores. Each destroyed core weakens the mindlink of the brain.
- Phase 2 – Psionic Storm: The Netherbrain pulls you into the mental nexus. Watch out for control spells – use “Freedom of Movement” and “Protection from Evil and Good”.
- Phase 3 – Decision: When the parasite core is exposed, you can destroy it or take it over. This choice determines your ending.
Decisions & Endings
After defeating the Netherbrain, you decide the fate of Baldur’s Gate – and your character. There are three main paths:
| Ending | Description | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Liberation of Faerûn | You destroy the parasite and end the cycle of control. | The city is saved, companions survive, you are honored as a hero. |
| Power of the absolute | You take over the Netherbrain and rule as the new Absolute. | A dark but powerful ending – you control Faerûn. |
| Githyanki Trail | Lae’zel convinces you to use the parasite to overthrow her queen. | A bittersweet ending that strengthens the Githyanki but weakens the world. |
These variants branch out further through your companion decisions. If you have allowed Astarion to ascend as a vampire, he will not survive the sun. Shadowheart can become a priestess of Selûne or sacrifice herself. Baldur’s Gate 3 thrives on these nuances – and no decision is ever purely good or evil.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions from the community
How many files are there?
Three acts plus the prologue on the Nautiloid. Each act lasts between 20 and 40 hours, depending on exploration and decisions.
Can I continue playing after Act 3?
No. The game ends after the final battle. However, there are New Game Plus-like builds to experience alternative decisions.
What is the maximum level?
Currently level 12 (patch 8). Many classes unfold their full potential here – warlocks with 6 spell slots, paladins with divine wrath, wizards with double spells.
When is a second round worthwhile?
Immediately after Act 2, the counter-paths (goblins, shar-path, absolute ending) change large parts of the game. Each run reveals new dialogs and endings.
Closing words
Baldur’s Gate 3 ends as it began – with a decision. Whether you save Faerûn or take the power of the Parasite: Every choice shapes your story. This walkthrough shows you the way, not the rules. Use them to find your own style, keep allies and enjoy every dialog. You’re not just a player – you’re a storyteller. And in Baldur’s Gate 3, the world listens to your voice.
More Baldur’s Gate 3 Guides
Stop the “printing press” – prevent negative headlines
This is how you prevent the unpleasant headline about your group in Act 3.
Endgame & Boss Fight – Strategies & Builds
Optimize your equipment and team for the final battle against the Netherbrain.
Owlbear cub – pet in the camp
Location & quest for the most popular companion in BG3.
Astarion – Vampire Ascension
This is how you unleash the full potential of your charismatic villain.
