Baldur’s Gate 3: Areas You Might Have Missed In Act 2

Baldur’s Gate 3 has so much to see and do that it’s easy to miss certain locations. Sometimes these areas are deliberately hidden by the designers as part of the setting or story, but often the size of the map can also play a role. Missing a tangle of climbable vines, a lost bit of mail, or failing a Perception check is all it takes to walk past a whole area.

The first Act takes the character through the saga of the Goblins and the Druid Grove, while the second Act includes The Underdark and The Mountain Pass. Either of these passages can be used to access the Shadow-cursed Lands. That’s a lot of ground to cover and there are a few things that any player, no matter how patient or meticulous, can easily miss.

Updated February 18, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: Months after its full release, Baldur’s Gate 3 is still gathering fans and followers at a steady pace, according to numbers on Steam and the lengthy wait times to see the game’s most popular VAs at recent conventions. More players mean that more people are exploring the vast world of BG3, so many of the locations that were once considered hidden or obscure are now widely known, and other hidden places have been uncovered. New content in the form of patches and updates also means new areas to find.

8 The Lakeside Cottage

A Tragic Story Hidden Near The Shore

• Where It Is: East of Last Light Inn, on the lakeshore.
• How To Find It: Walk east along the narrow path across the water or climb up from the Last Light Inn cellar.

It’s not directly related to the story or plot, and many players never find the small rocky outcropping where it’s partially hidden. The Lakeside Cottage, as the name indicates, is located on a narrow bit of rocky shore on the northeastern side of the big lake that takes up part of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.

It’s accessible via two pathways, and both are easy to miss. The player can walk along a narrow path north of the bridge that leads to the Harper graveyard to find this cottage on the opposite shore. Follow the warning signs to find the small cottage, which looks like it’s overgrown with roots and vines. It’s also possible to arrive here underground when exploring the Last Light Inn cellar.

Inside, there are two skeletons locked in a final embrace in the bedroom. In this same room is an opulent chest with the Prenumbral Armor, which gives the wearer +3 to Stealth checks. There’s also an entrance into the Hidden Cellar, which houses a secret Selunite shrine. This is outside Isobel’s protective bubble, so players will need the benefit of the Moon Lantern to explore it.

7 The Tadpoling Center

Hidden In An Obscure Part Of Moonrise Towers

• Where It Is: The Illithid nest section of Moonrise Towers.
• How To Find It: Defeat Kethric Thorm the first time, then explore the reaches of the Illithid nest before taking the elevator downstairs.

It’s easy to miss this part of Moonrise Towers because most players head directly to the final fight with Kethric Thorm. Those who want to finish up some other side quests and advance the Blade of Frontiers quest should explore more thoroughly and find the Tadpoling Center.

Mizora isn’t exactly in the nest, but when the party finds her location, they’re pretty close to it. After dealing with her, head through the tunnel to the left and find the Illithis Colony. This completes the quest “Finding Zevlor” and solves the mystery of why he abandoned the Tieflings, along with some fun and interesting dialogue choices from the companion characters.

6 Rolan’s Last Battle

Luck And Timing Also Make This Hard To Find

• Where It Is: Next to the last bridge leading to Reithwin Town, on the mainland side.
• How To Find It: Walk south along the eastern shore, and continue south from the end of the dock.

Rolan is one of the Tieflings characters that the party met at the Druid Grove. Should he survive the saga with the Goblins and the attack on Last Light Inn, his adventure continues in the Shadow-cursed Lands. Unless the protagonist finds them in time, this is where Rolan’s story ends, but if they find his obscure location in time, he appears again as a valuable ally in Act 3.

Rolan is out in the wilderness alone, overestimating his magical talents as usual. He gets mixed up with some malevolent shades in a small corner of land near the southernmost bridge from the mainland to Reithwin Town. If the party gets there too late, all they’ll find is his corpse, and his story will end here.

5 The Arcane Tower

A Quiet Corner Of The Underdark

• Where It Is: To the south of the Myconid Colony, near the edge of the map.
• How To Find It: Either speak to the Hobgoblin who’s part of the Society of Brilliance or explore the southern reaches of the Underdark.

This optional location is not even necessary to find, but if the player asks Blurg the Hobgoblin where he gets his mushrooms and other supplies, he mentions the nearby mage tower. There are a few side quests that either lead to the Arcane Tower or begin within its walls, and the location is a treasure trove of both rare items and valuable knowledge.

The whole tower is a puzzle. Several players might find the main floor but never find anything beyond it due to the array of arcane traps that guard the main inner door and lower floors. It takes some jumping, Feather Fall, or a similar ability to reach the important parts safely.

Players who use the hidden passages from Auntie Ethel’s house in Act 1 to get to this section of the Underdark will emerge right next to the Arcane Tower. The Selunite Outpost is directly to the east and the beach with the Dreugar boat is located to the north.

4 Festering Cove

The Hidden World Of The Kuo-Toa

• Where It Is: In a tunnel beneath the Underdark.
• How To Find It: Through a hidden entrance that requires a Jump and a long climb.

It’s easy to walk past just another hole in the floor, but closer inspection reveals a few fungal shelves that players can jump on, which leads to a climbable crevice that goes even further down. Mind the exploding mushrooms or take the short way down.

This is the realm of the Kuo-Toa, which Tav will know if they pass a Nature check. However, they seem to have adopted a new god named BOOOAL. This is a malevolent fey creature in disguise. If the protagonist chooses the right dialogue options and passes the Intimidation or Persuasion checks, they can take BOOOAL’s place as the new god of the Kuo-Toa.

3 The Adamantine Forge

Tricky To Find, Easy To Skip

• Where It Is: Next to Grymforge In The Underdark.
• How To Find It: Misty Step or Fly spells; using levers and platforms.

Players will find books, notes, and other bits of information about a mysterious underground forge starting in Act 1 and well into Act 2, so it’s not a question of not knowing about it. Once the party reaches the Grymforge, it’s visible from the platform where Nere is trapped, but getting there is the hard part.

Most players will use Misty Step and get the Waypoint to bring the rest of the party over. This is considerably easier than getting there manually using the platforms and levers scattered throughout the ruins of Grymforge. What follows is a tough boss fight with a twist, provided the player has done some reading.

2 The Chamber With Lathander’s Blood

Solve The Statue Puzzle In The Githyanki Creche

• Where It Is: In a secret passage beneath the Githyanki Creche.
• How To Find It: Solve the statue puzzle.

It’s easy to miss the whole Githyanki Creche if the party decides to go through the Underdark and skip the Mountain Pass, so this secret passage often goes overlooked. After fighting and defeating the Inquisitor, there’s a small room to the left that contains books, display cases, and two suspicious statues.

A cryptic message at the base of each statue mentions Lathander greeting the rising and setting sun, but closer inspection reveals neither statue is facing the right direction. They have to be turned, and one of them gets stuck, but a stronger character can smack it a few times with a weapon to move it.

The small alcove that opens leads into another puzzle. This time it’s a passageway with traps that need to be destroyed or disarmed that leads into a large and elaborate chamber holding a mace called the Blood of Lathander.

1 The Harper Interrogation Tower

In Ruins, But The Evidence Remains

• Where It Is: East of the most northern bridge to Reithwin Town
• How To Find It: Pass through the Potter’s Warehouse and head south along the shore.

It’s an interesting bit of lore, but like most of the secret locations throughout the list, it’s not mandatory to visit for any plotlines, unique gear, or quests, which is why it’s easy to miss. The party will come close to it during the Harper ambush event, which takes place in the shell of an old house on a ridge just next to it.

The road that leads into the Potter’s Warehouse is the easiest way to reach the Harper Interrogation Tower. This leads downhill from the main road and to the first bridge leading to Reithwin. There’s a trip-wire trap in front of the small arched doorway, and passing a Perception check to find it is one way to find this location.

Inside the tower is some interesting information regarding past Harper activity in the area, such as a transcript of an interrogation and some meager supplies. Smash a few jars and a bench to find the Ring of Twilight, which gives the wearer +1 to their AC while obscured.