Highlights
- Act 3 in Baldur’s Gate 3 is filled with major resolutions and reveals, impacting the game’s ending.
- Key events in Act 3 include the Astral Prism fight, the coronation of Gortash, and the final fight with Orin.
- The outcome of these events is influenced by player choices and can have significant consequences in the game.
There’s a lot that happens in the third act of Baldur’s Gate 3, and it’s packed into a space that’s much smaller relative to the wilderness in Acts 1 and 2. All of the remaining quest resolutions and storylines are coming to a close, which includes those for the companions as well as the main character.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Most Important Characters, Ranked
Some characters in Baldur’s Gate 3 hold greater importance over others, whether that’s their vast knowledge or destructive power.
It is difficult to choose only a few events in Act 3 that are the most important because almost everything at this point in the game is a major resolution or reveal. Most of what takes place is crucial to how the ending will ultimately look. The most important include the big bosses, one’s fellow party members, and major players in the story.
For those that haven’t reached Act 3 yet, most of the pivotal events in this part of the game involve major spoilers for quests, characters, NPCs, and other events that started in Acts 1 and 2.
5 The Astral Prism Fight
The Guardian Is Revealed
This is one of the first major events of Act 3. It’s triggered by the protagonist’s first long rest after leaving the Shadow-cursed Lands and involves the being formerly known as the Dream Visitor. It’s revealed that Prince Orpheus is the one locked in the Astral Prism, and players have to choose whether to side with the Emporer or the Githyanki.
Fighting the Emperor at this point isn’t a good idea, and not only because fans then have to fight both him and the Githyanki. He’s also the only protection from ceremorphosis, at least for the time being.
4 The Coronation Of Gortash
More Of The Dead Three’s Plot Is Revealed
At the beginning of Act 3, players have to travel from the outskirts of Baldur’s Gate to the main city, and the only way there is through a bridge called Wyrm’s Crossing. This is also where they find important locations like Sharess’ Caress and Danthelon’s Dancing Axe.
Years ago, this was known as the Bridge District and it was part of the city. It’s important, but not mandatory, to stop at Wyrm’s Rock Fortress to attend Gortash’s coronation. Players will be stopped by one of the Steel Watch and offered an invitation.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Side With Gortash?
Siding with Gortash in Baldur’s Gate 3 has its advantages. Here’s what happens if players accept or reject his offer.
Gortash reveals some valuable information about Orin and their plot during this meeting and will offer to make a deal with players instead, providing they get Orin’s Netherstone. If fans have Karlach in their party, they can move forward in her quest if they bring her along. Mizora and Duke Ravengard are also present, so taking Wyll is also a good idea.
3 Impress The Murder Tribunal
Kill Sarevok For Good This Time
Anyone familiar with Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 will find this event familiar. Sarevok Anchev also appeared as an antagonist and occasional companion in the early games, so it makes sense that he would be the leader of the local Bhaalist Murder Tribunal.
Players can choose to kill the Murder Tribunal or become an Unholy Assassin in the service of the Lord of Murder. This confrontation with the Murder Tribunal can end in a few different ways, but no matter what, it’s one of the ways to access the Temple of Bhaal to find Orin.
2 The Final Fight With Orin
The stakes are high for this event already because Orin has abducted one of the player’s companions by this time. For those playing the Dark Urge, this is a one-on-one fight, and depending on one’s class it might be tough to even get a turn before going down.
Baldur’s Gate 3: All Orin’s Murder Effigies Explained
Orin the Red’s grisly artistic murder effigies in Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3 reference iconic enemies from Baldur’s Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal.
Confronting Orin about her ancestry and saving one’s companion from being her latest Bhaalist offering is part of this event in every playthrough, but for the Dark Urge, this is a crucial moment. Losing the fight with Orin, even if one’s companions take her down eventually, results in the Lord of Murder’s rejection, making it a bad ending indeed without the tadpole’s protection.
Triumph in the fight, however, and players can choose between embracing Bhaal and all of the murderous habits that go along with it or rejecting the dark god entirely. Choose the latter, and he kills the player character, but they are resurrected by Withers to continue the fight with the Absolute.
1 The 99 Roll
Players Aren’t Supposed To Win Anyway
This event takes place at the shore of an underground lake that players reach via an entrance in the sewers, north of the Temple of Bhaal. Once they take that boat into the darkness, there’s no going back. That’s when players have to take a few dice rolls in which they attempt to take control of the Absolute using the three Netherstones.
It’s an impossible roll, with a ridiculous threshold of 99, and even rolling a natural 20 won’t change the outcome. Just reaching the Elder Brain is an epic adventure. It requires climbing up a partly wrecked building and dodging incoming Nautiloid fire until players finally reach the stem and climb up to it, revealing the Elder Brain.
