Summary
- Baldur’s Gate 3 offers hidden encounters, loot, and locations that encourage thorough exploration and multiple playthroughs for players to discover.
- The game takes place over a century after Baldur’s Gate 2, where the protagonist must find a cure for a mind flayer tadpole parasite with the help of companions.
- Secret rooms, messages, and loot can be found in various locations, such as a crypt, owlbear cave, blighted village, and a mini-dungeon, providing powerful armor and items for characters.
Larian Studios, the developers behind Baldur’s Gate 3, are quite fond of hiding secret encounters, loot, and locations within their games, and their latest project is no exception. Following up on the prior Baldur’s Gate games developed by Bioware, the newest entry delivers the fluidity and variety of choices that make a role-playing game stand out. Baldur’s Gate 3 encourages thorough exploration and multiple playthroughs in order to discover everything hidden throughout its world.
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place over a century after the events of Baldur’s Gate 2, where evil forces are threatening the world once again. The protagonist is infected with a mind flayer tadpole parasite and must work together with a number of companions to find a cure before they transform entirely. Act I of the game was available throughout its early access period, providing more opportunities for its depths to be combed for secrets and surprises. Hidden quests dependent on characters’ wrongdoings, trap doors, and loot caches are all possible to find in the starting segment of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Secret Room In the Crypt
Larian is fond of hiding secret rooms, messages, and loot around its games’ expansive worlds, and Baldur’s Gate 3 is no exception. Located within the crypt that Shadowheart points out, a secret trigger point can be found at X: -289, Y: -230. Investigating the wall makes it possible to enter the hidden area, which houses a sarcophagus that can initiate a conversation with the Baldur’s Gate 3 party. Sticking to friendly options will earn a character The Watcher’s Guide Spear and The Amulet of Lost Voices. The Watcher’s Guide provides 1d8 piercing damage and imbues the wielder with the Rush ability and Death’s Promise.
Recruiting An Owlbear Cub In Baldur’s Gate 3
The Owlbear Cave is located within the first area of Baldur’s Gate 3, hidden beyond Druid Grove and the Tieflings’ camp. Following the path along the river leads parties to a cave, and they may meet victims of an owlbear attack along the way. A fully grown owlbear with cubs and eggs is hidden inside the cave and can quickly become aggressive. Spellcasters with Baldur’s Gate 3’s speak with animals spell can interact with the owlbear and escape the situation swiftly, but the ensuing combat for characters that don’t manage smooth negotiation presents the opportunity to slay the owlbear mother and recruit her orphaned cub later in the game.
After killing the mother, the owlbear cub will flee and be captured by the goblins set up in a nearby camp. The goblins have a so-called “chicken-chasing” game, which requires a participant interested in getting the owlbear cub in Baldur’s Gate 3 to successfully navigate through a maze and encourage the cub to find their camp. The cub can also be purchased outright for 500 gold, although this sum might set a character back significantly in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 4. Afterward, the owlbear cub has a chance to appear at the camp and interact with the protagonist, companions, or Scratch the Dog.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Owlbear Cave Has Amazing Loot
Aside from initiating the owlbear recruitment in the Owlbear Cave, perceptive characters can also gather a powerful piece of armor hidden close by. Knocking out the owlbear mother and the owlbear cub can allow parties to loot the cave without the threat of being attacked. Baldur’s Gate 3’s owlbear mother and the cave’s terrain can inflict nasty damage to unprepared parties, but the loot within (and the subsequent companion quest) provides plenty of reasons to see the encounter through. These goods can be found both through general exploration and by tackling a puzzle within the cave
The Oak Father’s Embrace is a piece of medium armor that provides the Order of Nature buff, making undead enemies attacking the wearer take 1d6 Radiant damage, while beasts that attack the wearer gain an extra 1d6 Radiant damage against their target. Solving the statue of Selune puzzle in Baldur’s Gate 3 and opening the gilded chest provides another selection of earnings, most notably an Idol of Selune and a Moondrop Pendant that can reduce triggers for opportunity attacks in combat.
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Blighted Village Holds Some Secrets
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Blighted Village provides several tense locations, but a single house contains three orcs guarding precious loot. Parties with the health (and spell slots) to spare should confront the orcs and loot the house to acquire the Warped Headband of Intelligence. This item is handy for lower-intelligence characters, as it automatically boosts their intelligence stat to 18 as long as it is worn. As a result, the Warped Headband of Intelligence can assist in conversations, exploration, and combat, becoming one of the most powerful items available in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Another key secret in the Blighted Village lies in a cellar, which can be found underneath the Apothecary. This isn’t the subtlest quest line to sniff out, but figuring out the entire process can be more challenging. The door to a secret section of the cellar is hidden behind a bookcase, and the lever to move that bookcase is likewise masked by a pile of crates. Navigating a conversation with a magic mirror is the last major challenge before finding a lair with a rare tome called The Necromancy of Thay, which can be unlocked with a gem found in the lair of a Phase Spider Matriarch.
The Phase Spider Matriarch Is A Hidden Baldur’s Gate 3 Encounter
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Phase Spider Matriarch is a difficult (and rewarding) boss located in a mini-dungeon hidden at the bottom of the Blighted Village’s Well. Fighting through spiders and other underground beasts leads to a teleporting spider boss accompanied by minions and a number of fresh hatchlings. While this encounter is difficult, it also leads to fantastic loot, including Spiderstep Boots, Poisoner’s Robe, and a gem to place in the cover of The Necromancy of Thay book. The Spiderstep Boots prevent characters from becoming Enwebbed, while the Poisoner’s Robe deals an extra 1d4 Poison damage for poisonous spells.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Rewards Non-Lethal Combat
The default settings for Baldur’s Gate 3 leave all combat as lethal, so the last blow will always be a killing one. While this is an efficient method to clear the world for unhampered exploration, it also blocks off loot and opportunities. Traders and merchants provide more gold and items if knocked unconscious rather than killed. Additionally, not killing enemies or NPCs opens the opportunity to interact with them later. An example of this mechanic is the outraged human adventurer in front of the gates to Druid Grove. His anger (depending on choices) can result in some entertaining dialogue, but he can also point toward a powerful hidden artifact.
While Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a thrilling storyline and exploration, locating the hidden details also presents an entertaining pastime while exploring the world. Ensuring that no stone can go unturned without leaving powerful weapons, armor, or hidden cutscenes behind is an excellent way to increase the game’s replayability. Act I is only the beginning of the game’s secrets, but it has plenty to offer in reward for thorough searches. Baldur’s Gate 3 is nothing if not expansive, and the sense of discovery around every corner plays a huge part in making this rewarding.