Act 1 Walkthrough
Prologue: Nautiloid Crash
- Escape the Nautiloid: After character creation, you start on a Mind Flayer ship. Loot everything you can. Fight through the Imps and interact with the console to free Shadowheart (optional companion).
- Combat with Thralls: Use ranged attacks or spells like Firebolt to hit explosive barrels and thin enemy numbers.
- Reach the Helm: You'll encounter Lae'zel, another potential companion. Join forces and continue to the helm to trigger a cutscene that takes you to the surface.
Act 1: The Wilderness
Crash Site
- Explore the Crash Site: After escaping the Nautiloid, you'll wake up at a crash site. Loot the area and meet your first companion, Shadowheart (if not rescued earlier).
- Recruit Companions: As you explore, you'll meet other companions such as Astarion (Rogue), Gale (Wizard), and Lae'zel (Fighter). Adding these characters to your party will help build a balanced team.
Key Quests in the Wilderness
The Druid Grove:
- Objective: The Druid Grove is under threat from a group of goblins. Upon arrival, help defend the grove by defeating the goblins at the gate.
- Subquests:
- Save Arabella: Rescue the Tiefling child Arabella from Kagha, who is attempting to expel the Tieflings.
- Find Halsin: Halsin, the Archdruid, is missing, and you’ll need to search the Goblin Camp to rescue him.
Goblin Camp:
- Objective: You can choose to either ally with the goblins and help them attack the Druid Grove or fight the goblins to protect the druids and Tieflings.
- Strategy: The goblin leaders are located in a large, fortified area. Try to pick them off individually rather than triggering a massive fight.
- Defeat the Goblin Leaders: The three leaders are Dror Ragzlin (a tough melee fighter), Priestess Gut (who uses dangerous spells), and Minthara (a powerful Drow). If you choose to fight them, prepare your party with buffs and split the leaders up.
Lae'zel's Creche:
- Objective: If Lae'zel is in your party, she will urge you to visit a Githyanki creche to cure the parasite. This quest takes you to an important part of the main storyline.
- Strategy: Expect a tough fight at the creche, as the Githyanki are formidable warriors. Be well-prepared before taking them on.
The Owlbear Cave:
- Objective: Inside this cave is a powerful Owlbear that can deal significant damage. If you defeat it, you can find valuable loot, including the "Owlbear Egg" and a possible companion, the Owlbear Cub.
Defending the Grove:
- Objective: If you sided with the druids, you’ll face a siege on the Druid Grove. Use the environment to set traps, and position your ranged characters on high ground for an advantage.
Act 2: The Underdark and Moonrise Towers
The Underdark
- Exploring the Underdark: The Underdark is a dangerous zone with tougher enemies like Hook Horrors and Minotaurs. Make sure your party is at a decent level (4-5) before venturing in.
- Key Locations:
- Selunite Outpost: Here, you can rest and prepare for encounters.
- Myconid Colony: A friendly NPC group here can offer you quests and a potential alliance.
- Defeat the Beholder: This powerful boss is found in the Underdark and can be a challenge. Use cover and attack from a distance to avoid its deadly gaze attacks.
Moonrise Towers
- Reaching Moonrise Towers: As you progress through the Underdark, you’ll find a path leading to Moonrise Towers, the stronghold of the cultists.
- Key Quest: Freeing the Nightsong:
- Objective: The Nightsong is a powerful entity imprisoned in a temple. Freeing it is a pivotal point in the storyline and will drastically affect the course of your game. Expect a challenging dungeon with many puzzles and enemies.
Act 3: Baldur’s Gate
Entering Baldur's Gate
- Explore the City: Baldur's Gate is a large, bustling city with numerous quests, factions, and interactions. There are many side quests here that can affect the final outcome of the game, so take your time exploring and talking to NPCs.
- Key Factions:
- The Flaming Fist: The city’s law enforcement may be useful allies or enemies, depending on your actions.
- The Cult of the Absolute: The main antagonists of the game have a heavy presence in Baldur's Gate. Infiltrate their ranks to learn more about their plans.
Endgame Quests
Confronting the Absolute:
- Objective: Your goal is to stop the cult from completing their nefarious plot. This will take you to some of the most challenging battles in the game.
- Strategy: By this point, your characters should have a wide range of powerful spells and abilities. Focus on crowd control (using spells like Hold Person, Fireball, etc.) to limit enemy numbers.
Final Showdown:
- Objective: The final battle will pit you against the leaders of the Absolute. Prepare for a multi-phase battle with numerous enemies and hazards.
- Strategy: Keep your party spread out to avoid area-of-effect attacks, and prioritize eliminating high-damage enemies like spellcasters. Use all available consumables, scrolls, and potions.
Combat Strategies
- Crowd Control Spells: Spells like Sleep, Hold Person, and Web can disable enemies, making battles easier.
- Use Terrain: High ground gives bonuses to attack rolls and can make ranged attacks more effective. Push enemies off ledges for fall damage.
- Focus Fire: Eliminate enemies one by one rather than spreading damage across multiple foes. This reduces the number of actions the enemy takes.
- Healing: Always keep a healer in the party and stock up on healing potions. Spells like Healing Word can revive downed allies in a pinch.
