With an epic story spanning three acts, there are so many quests and side quests inBaldur’s Gate 3that it’s very easy to miss some. As the party battles to save the Sword Coast from mind flayers and cultists, many can become so focused on the main questline that some smaller side quests get forgotten or overlooked. And with so many interlinking aspects toBG3’s quests, knowing what to look out for during subsequent playthroughs can be invaluable.
[Warning: The following article containsspoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]
One of the best ways to find newweird and wonderful quests inBaldur’s Gate 3is to explore every corner of the map and chat with NPCs. This might sound obvious, butthere are plenty of unmarked side queststhat are triggered in hidden areas or by simple conversations that are very rewarding and fun. From naughty children to gathering unexpected allies for the final battle, there are lots of surprisingly easy-to-miss quests that even veteran players might not know about.
10Get Musical Instrument Proficiency
Act 1: Emerald Grove
While most parties will be familiar with the sweet tiefling bard Alfira, especially if playing as the Dark Urge, many might not realize she has an early game unmarked quest available. Alfira can be found in the Emerald Grove, strumming her lute, overlooking the Sacred Pool area where the druids are conducting their ritual. When spoken to, Alfira will confess she is struggling to finish a song she is writing to honor her mentor Lihala, andthe party will have the option to offer to help her finish it.
Bards will not have to complete any Performance checks to gain the lute as a reward.
To fully complete the quest, the character speaking with Alfira will need to offer to perform with her. They will then have tocomplete two Performance checks, the first DC 15 and the second DC 10, to play along with Alfira as she sings. The reward for this short quest is Lihala’s Lute and proficiency with musical instruments for the character who completes the quest, allowing them to perform well for crowds to gain gold.
9Return The Locket
There are more than a few quests inBG3that rely on previous actions of the party to trigger, and the short quest“Return the Locket”is one of these. For the quest to trigger, Aradin and his group need to return to the Emerald Grove and, after speaking with Zevlor, not immediately leave. This will allow Barth to reenter the Grove and discover that his belongings have been gone through.
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The party can pick up the quest from either Barth or Meli once the pair begin to argue, up on a raised area opposite Dammon’s forge. Barth is furious that the young tiefling has stolen theBrass Locketfrom him and the party can intervene to stop Barth from hurting Meli.There are tons of options with this fun little quest, and it’s a great opportunity for roleplay. I always like to persuade Meli to tell Barth why he stole the locket, as it’s quite touching and leads to Barth letting Meli keep it.
8Steal The Sacred Idol
Staying in the Grove and another quest that requires the party to make particular choices is “Steal the Sacred Idol.” Mol is the cunning leader of the group of tiefling children, andif the party gets on her good side, she will ask them to help her steal the Idol of Silvanusfrom the Sacred Pool in the Grove. This is a tricky quest to pull off while the druids are still focused on the ritual, so I often wait until completing the quest toinvestigate Kagha and the Shadow Druids.
The quest will not be offered by Mol if the Rite of Thorns has already been stopped, so make sure to pick up the quest first before dealing with Kagha.
There are plenty of ways the Idol can be grabbed without angering the druidsin the area, such as usingFog CloudorPotion of Invisibility. However, one of the easiest is to use a summoned creature like Shovel orMage Handto throw the Idol to an area the druids can’t see. After bringing the Idol to Mol, she will give the party theRing of Protectionwhich gives a plus-one bonus to saving throws and AC.
7Free The Artist
Act 1: Zhentarim Basement
Fully exploring the northern area of the map in Act 1 will reveal the ruined inn of Waukeen’s Rest, along with the hidden area underneath that acts as a hideout for the local Zhentarim agents. Venturing down into this basement, the party can meet Zarys, who will not be pleased to see intruders. However,if the party can gain access to the hideout peacefully, then they will be able to meet Oskar Fevras, an artist captured by the Zhentarim.
Helping Rugan and Olly with“Find the Missing Shipment”will make gaining access to the Zhentarim Basement much easier.
The Zhentarim trader Brem can be persuaded to part with Oskar either using a variety of Intimidation or Persuasion checks or bought outright for 600 to 1,000 gold.Oskar can then be met again in Act 3 at Lady Jannath’s Estate, where the party will have to deal with ghosts and Oskar’s possession to complete the quest. This quest has multiple endings depending on how the situation is resolved, including gaining the rare rings Till Death Do Us Part and After Death Do Us Part.
6Lift The Shadow Curse
Act 2: Shadow-Cursed Lands
Sometimes important quests can be missed by not speaking to the right NPC or missing an important detail in character dialogue.“Lift the Shadow Curse”is a perfect example of this, and I’ve seen so many people confused about how to lift the curse or why Halsin won’t join them in Act 3.The quest can be started by speaking with Halsin as soon as the party reaches Act 2and directly asking him how to lift the curse.
To wake Art from his coma, the Battered Lute will need to be picked up from Malus Thorm, who can be found in Reithwin’s House of Healing.
Halsin will explain that the spirit of the land named Thaniel needs to be rescued, but he isn’t sure how to find him. The answer is inside the Last Light Inn, as a man named Art Cullagh will provide the next clue. From there, the quest is much more straightforward, andHalsin will explain what the party needs to do at each step, from guarding the portal to finding Oliver.
5Reclaim The Blue Jay’s Nest
Act 1: Rosymorn Monastery Trail
Not all quests inBG3have a huge impact on the wider world, with some simply about helping others. When exploring the area along the Rosymorn Monastery Trail on the way to the githyanki crèche, the party can speak to a rather upset blue jay usingSpeak with Animals.The little bird will spin a sob story about how its nest was stolen from it by giant eaglesand will ask for the party’s help in reclaiming its home.
The eagles can be found on the roof of the Monastery and will become hostile if approached. After defeating the eagles,the blue jay can be returned to and will mark a spot on the party’s map called Blue Jay’s Find. This loot is a buried chest that will contain randomized low-level items. This is a fun little quest, especially as it’s obvious the nest is far too big for a blue jay, and the party is helping the little guy steal it from the eagles.
4Find Rolan In The Shadows
Act 2: Last Light Inn
Grumpy wizard apprentice Rolan can be first met at the Emerald Grove in Act 1, and if he and his siblings are persuaded to stay, he’ll play a pivotal role in saving the tiefling children from the Absolutists. Rolan can be found again in Act 2 at the back of the Last Light Inn, where he is drunk and angrily blames the party for his siblings being captured. What many might not know is thatthis conversation will trigger Rolan to leave the inn, and if he isn’t found in time, he will die.
Tosave Rolan inBG3’sShadow Cursed Lands, he must be located before the party has taken two long rests, so it is best to find him immediately after leaving the inn for the first time.
Rolan will be found fighting shadowsnear the bridge that leads to Reithwin’s Tollhouse at the southern end of the Ruined Battlefield. Rolan is a fantastic character who can become a useful ally instead of Lorroakan, so saving him is a must for any good-aligned party. Rolan will also reappear in Act 3 as a vendor and sell some fantastic items, such as theRing of Regenerationand theQuickspell Gloves.
3Stop The Presses
Act 3: Baldur’s Mouth
When first entering Act 3, the party can speak with one of three reporters who will reveal thatthe Baldur’s Mouth Gazette is planning on running a very unflattering storyabout them. Heading into the city and talking to the editor only confirms this and begins the quest“Stop the Presses”. This quest is very easy to miss as, unless the party is chatting to every NPC they cross paths with, the reporters are easily overlooked.
If Dolly Dolly Dolly was freed from the Moonlantern in Act 2, the enchanted press will recognize the party and offer to help print a positive article.
Once the editor Ettvard is spoken to, the party will have to complete it before taking a long rest, otherwise, the negative story will be published, and their reputation will take a hit. Although the impact is negligible, the quest is still fun to do, andI usually wait to speak to Ettvard until after I’ve completed“Disable the Steel Watch,”as that makes sneaking around inside the basement of the Baldur’s Mouth much easier.
2Investigate The Beach
While exploring the Emerald Grove in Act 1,it is easy to overlook the dirt paths leading off to the east. One path will lead up to Alfira, and the other will lead to a beach where strange music can be heard, triggering the quest“Investigate the Beach.”As the party approaches, they will see a small tiefling boy standing in the water, mesmerized by odd singing, before a harpy quickly appears.
The quest is simple enough – you need to keep Mirkon safe from the harpies, but the fight can be tough at lower levels. I find it best to make sure to have a long rest before heading to the beach, but be careful:if the quest is triggered, long resting will result in Mirkon dying. After he is safe, Mirkon will let the party know about the hideout the children have and saving him is a great way to get on Mol’s good side for her quest.
1Gain A Kuo-toa Army
Act 1: Underdark
Finally,a very easy location to miss is the Festering Cove, which can be reached by jumping down some mushrooms, northeast of the Arcane Tower (X:70 Y:-240) in the Underdark. This area is home to a group of Kuo-toa, and as the party arrives, the tribe is worshiping a weird creature calling itself BOOOAL. Speaking with the leader of the Kuo-toa, Pooldripp, will begin an unmarked quest that has several outcomes.
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The party can attempt to convince the Kuo-toa that they are being duped, with BOOOAL eventually revealing themselves to be a redcap.If the option"I’ll just kill you and claim it for myself"is chosen, a fight will ensue with just BOOOAL, allowing the Kuo-toa to be recruited as allies by instructing them to build an army. Since such a specific path must be followed to find and complete this hiddenBaldur’s Gate 3quest, it’s no surprise that very few have brought the Kuo-toa into battle against the Netherbrain.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
