Baldur’s Gate 3 certainly doesn’t have a shortage of items the party can find during their journey, especially if they meticulously dig through every area and open all storage containers. It’s not unusual to pick up items that don’t seem to have a use besides selling them to a vendor, but even items that are pieces of a puzzle or a quest later in the game aren’t always obvious at first glance. However, part of the fun of a game based on Dungeons & Dragons 5e is exploring and discovering how the choices a player makes affect situations later.
The Ancient Tome is found during the “Search the Cellar” side quest in the Blighted Village. Since it’s locked, players aren’t able to open it right after picking it up, and they might not want to open it at all. This book is one of many decisions players will make with consequences that aren’t immediately clear, like deciding whether to help Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3. There are four primary uses for the Ancient Tome: give it to Astarion, let Gale suck out its magic, destroy it, or read it.
You Shouldn’t Destroy The Ancient Tome In Baldur’s Gate 3
The biggest reason the book should not be destroyed is that destroying the Ancient Tome spawns a set of shadow enemies that are pretty tough to kill, and it doesn’t seem like they drop items that are worth the fight. Plus, physical attacks are weaker against these creatures, so the melee members of the party will likely have a rough time in the fight. Overall, this seems like the worst option for the Ancient Tome in BG3 since the other options at least give some sort of benefit, even if it’s just increased approval.
The Benefits Of Other Ancient Tome Options In Baldur’s Gate 3
Giving the tome to Astarion or Gale results in an approval increase, which will be useful for those eyeing Gale or Astarion to romance in Baldur’s Gate 3. Reading the Ancient Tome gives characters Speak with Dead as a free spell, +1 to Wisdom Saves, and Gale will receive Inspiration – however, it requires a series of difficult Wisdom checks. The last option is to just let the Ancient Tome sit in the inventory. While this choice has no benefits, there’s no danger either.
When players come across the Ancient Tome, it’s better to avoid destroying it. Reading it or giving it to Astarion or Gale will provide more benefits in the long term, considering the goals a player has for their character. Players may never come across this tome at all, but now they’ll be prepared with the consequences of each option for the Ancient Tome in Baldur’s Gate 3.
