Throughout its three acts, Baldur’s Gate 3 throws an overwhelming number of choices at the party, all while they try to focus on saving Faerûn. While some might seem small at first, they can have a large impact on a playthrough later down the road. Some other decisions might not directly affect the party but will have negative consequences for other characters or even the world.

[Warning: Spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3.]

All the examples below show how complex the plot and narrative of BG3 truly are, and how tiny choices can change the story in unpredictable ways. Some of these may come as part of the main plot, while others are the result of side quests or simply exploring. From not stepping in at crucial moments to flat out killing the wrong person, there are a surprising number of ways to derail a playthrough unintentionally.

10

Giving Lady Esther An Egg

Whether A Githyanki Or Owlbear, The Result Is Disaster

When exploring the Mountain Pass area, the party will be able to meet a lone traveler named Lady Esther. Although she will seem pleasant at first, Esther will soon reveal the awful reason she is in the area. She has been contracted by the Society of Brilliance to bring them a githyanki egg, and she will ask the party to help get one for her from the nearby githyanki crèche. Stealing a child is obviously horrific and most will tell her they won’t help, especially if Lae’zel is in the party.

However, as she is offering gold, some may wish to give her what she asks for and go fetch the egg, or satiate her by giving her an owlbear egg from the cave near the Druid Grove. Whichever egg is handed over will result in the party discovering a bloodbath in Act 3 when the Society lodge is visited. Having hatched the egg given to them, all members of the Society will be dead, including Omeluum and Blurg, locking them out as traders along with the rewards for the quest “Retrieve Omeluum.”

9

Denying Or Insulting Vlaakith

The Lich Queen Won’t Tolerate Disrespect

During their time at the githyanki crèche, the party will eventually be granted an audience with Vlaakith, the god-like lich queen of the githyanki. Vlaakith is cold and cruel as she demands the party enter the Astral Prism and kill the corrupting being inside it. The sensible thing for most parties is to agree to her command and, once inside, make up their own minds about how to proceed.

After all, Vlaakith is clearly a powerful being and angering her wouldn’t be the smart thing to do. However, during the conversation with the githyanki leader, there are options to refuse her or, even worse, insult her. Doing this will lead to an immediate game over as Vlaakith will use the wish spell to kill the entire party. Needless to say, unexpected instant death can at the very least ruin the party’s day, if not their campaign.

8

Not Interrupting Lae’zel & Shadowheart’s Fight

In This Situation, Staying Quiet Will Cost A Companion

During Act 1, after encountering Kith’rak Voss on the road to the Mountain Pass, the party will learn that the strange artifact Shadowheart is carrying is githyanki in origin. This revelation will trigger a cutscene in camp where Lae’zel will confront Shadowheart, with the cleric admitting she stole it from the githyanki. Although Lae’zel will suggest a duel, both can be talked down, and the matter will be seemingly resolved.

However, the next long rest after that cutscene, another scene will trigger where Shadowheart will attempt to kill Lae’zel in her sleep. If a DC 10 Persuasion check is passed, Shadowheart will back down and a tentative peace between the two is achieved. But if the player character does nothing to intervene, then Shadowheart will kill Lae’zel, robbing the party of a key member and all her content.

7

Not Convincing Rolan To Stay

Staying Out Of The Siblings Fight Will Doom The Tieflings

As the party first arrives in the Druid Grove, they will overhear an argument between three tieflings siblings. Lia will be shouting at her brother Rolan, as she wants to stay and help, while he wants to get on the road to Baldur’s Gate. The party can get involved, but if Rolan is sided with, or if the trio are simply ignored, then there are some shockingly far-reaching consequences.

Upon entering Act 2, there will be far fewer tieflings in the Last Light Inn as Rolan will not have been there to help save the children. His siblings Cal and Lia will also be dead, and Rolan will not be encountered again until Act 3 in Sorcerous Sundries. The final terrible consequence of a small Act 1 decision will be Rolan siding with Lorroakan during the fight with the Nightsong, which may result in his own death.

6

Not Saving Arabella

Minding Your Own Business Can Cost A Child’s Life

An early game decision many will be familiar with is the confrontation between Kagha and a young tiefling girl, Arabella. Arabella stole the sacred Idol of Silvanus and Kagha intends to lock the child up until the Rite of Thorns is complete. Kagha can be persuaded to back down; however, if the party chooses to remain silent or fails the skill check, then Arabella will attempt to run.

The tragic result will be Kagha’s loyal snake chasing her down and biting her, killing her instantly. Arabella’s parents will then seek revenge and kill Kagha at the camp celebration at the end of Act 1. On top of a child’s death being terrible in its own right, Arabella also plays an important role in Act 2 and is one of many ally buffs that can be gained in Act 3.

5

Not Getting Out Of Raphael’s Deal

Forgetfulness Can Spell Doom Where Devilish Deals Are Concerned

Raphael is a powerful devil who will pop up at various points in BG3 to tempt the party before finally making his offer in Act 3. Offering the Orphic Hammer to free Prince Orpheus, Raphael wants the Crown of Karsus in return. But there are two ways this can go very wrong and either ruin a playthrough or potentially the world.

The party can break into Raphael’s House of Hope to find their contract, but if they forget to destroy it and Raphael finds the party, it will result in an immediate game over as he takes their souls, killing them. The second way Raphael’s deal can ruin everything is if the contract is not destroyed, but the party don’t give Raphael the Crown, instead letting Gale hand it over to Mystra. This will result in an epilogue cutscene where Raphael will taunt the player and insinuate that Mystra with the Crown is a bigger threat than he would have been.

4

Letting Isobel Die

Losing One Character Can Mean Certain Death For A Lot More

Isobel is the cleric of Selûne who can be found inside the Last Light Inn in Act 2’s Shadow-Cursed Lands. Isobel is crucial to the people there as she is maintaining a shield over the small encampment which holds back the effects of the curse. As the daughter of Ketheric Thorm, Isobel plays an important role in the plot of Act 2, which makes keeping her alive all the more important.

There are a few ways Isobel can die, or be removed from the Last Light Inn, but all will result in the same consequence. With Isobel gone, the shield will fail, causing the shadows to overtake the area, killing or corrupting everyone there. There are several vital NPCs that can be lost, such as Dammon, Rolan, Jaheira, and Art Cullagh, locking off quests and content if they fall.

3

Not Helping Halsin

Forgetting To Help The Druid Will Curse An Entire Area

A sure fire way to ruin a campaign is to lose out on rewards and a new companion by failing to complete a quest. After joining the camp at the end of Act 1, Halsin will only join the party as a full follower once the first parts of his personal quest have been completed. This involves lifting the Shadow Curse by finding the nature spirit of the area trapped in the Shadowfell.

Halsin must be spoken to in order to progress this questline, so if he is ignored or the quest is forgotten about, it will automatically fail once the party enters the Act 3 area. Not only will this result in the lands around Moonrise Towers forever being cursed, but Halsin will leave the group and remain behind. Presumably, as the party continues on with their journey, Halsin will try to lift the curse alone.

2

Give Scratch Back To Mar’hyah

Give A Good Boy Back To An Angry Woman

Scratch is without a doubt the best boy in all of Faerûn and can be met in Act 1 next to the body of his former master. With the right dialogue choices, Scratch can be persuaded to come back to camp, where he can be petted and played with. So it would take a special kind of monster to hand this gentle pup over to someone who clearly hates animals.

Once in Act 3, in the town of Rivington, the party can find where Scratch was trained, the courier service, along with the horrible woman in charge of the dogs there: Angry Mar’hyah. She will demand that Scratch be returned to the Sword Coast Couriers, as he is their property. There is literally no good reason to hand Scratch over, as he is a great way for the party to find hidden loot, Mar’hyah gives no reward in return, and she will undoubtedly abuse the poor boy.

1

Hand Astarion Over

Giving A Valuable Companion Back To His Abuser

Finally, while exploring the area in Baldur’s Gate 3‘s first act, the party will come across the Sunlit Wetlands at the south of the map. This is home to Auntie Ethel, and on the way to her house the group can spot a man also seeking the hag’s aid. This is Gandrel, a Gur monster hunter, who will explain he’s hunting for a vampire named Astarion.

While anyone attached to Astarion will deny knowing him, deny the rogue is a vampire, or even allow Astarion to kill Gandrel, there is an option to just hand him over. Obviously, this will result in Astarion being removed from the party permanently and his Baldur’s Gate 3 quest ending prematurely. Considering the torture that Astarion has had to endure from Cazador for 200 years, giving him over feels especially cruel.