It’s sometimes surprising just how much creativity can accomplish in Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s also possible for a unique strategy to be just a little bit too effective. Some classic tricks can be a little silly, like tossing a bundle of rope onto a poison vent to block it completely, but justify their inclusion by adding to the fun of strategizing and exploring mechanics. However, one major Baldur’s Gate 3 plot point can be completely derailed by employing an unusual technique that has the unexpected capability to pull the wool over the eyes of an actual deity.
One goddess who has a particularly big impact on the story of Baldur’s Gate 3 is Shar, the Mistress of the Night and Lady of Loss, who acts as a dark counterpoint to the moon goddess Selûne. Act 2 focuses on surviving the Shadow-Cursed Lands that have fallen under her spell, where only the light of a Moonlantern can protect from her darkest shadows. The Origin character Shadowheart is an acolyte of Shar, who can start to struggle with her allegiances depending on the path taken in the game, putting the goddess at the forefront of her personal evolution regardless of what decisions she ultimately makes.
Disguise Self Can Trick Shar In Baldur’s Gate 3
Disguise self is a classic Dungeons & Dragons spell that shows up in Baldur’s Gate 3, and using it is the key to keeping Shar in the dark about Shadowheart’s behavior. In line with its name, disguise self makes it possible to comprehensively change the appearance of a character, potentially fooling NPCs into failing to recognize a party member. Although it’s not particularly surprising that this would work on a random citizen, one might expect that a goddess would be slightly more discerning when it comes to such a simple trick.
This technique can be employed in the Shadowfell in Act 2, as Reddit user rokamuda discovered by accident. There, Shadowheart’s story comes to a major junction point with the choice of how to deal with the Nightsong, a woman imprisoned there who holds the secret to Ketheric Thorm’s immortality. Maintaining loyalty to Shar requires killing the Nightsong with a special weapon, a choice that will be displeasing to Ketheric Thorm and the Selûnite cleric Isobel alike. If Shadowheart takes this course while disguise self is affecting her appearance, however, Shar won’t recognize her loyalty at all.
The absurd situation becomes clear upon exiting the Shadowfell, where Shar will appear before Shadowheart to curse her for her betrayal and mark her as the enemy. It’s certainly strange that a goddess who could be considered an expert on shadows, illusion, and underhanded doings would be so confused by such an issue, but it would seem to be a random side effect of the way disguise self is programmed rather than any intentional story fork. It’s not a scenario that’s likely to happen in most campaigns, but it could be a frustrating one in any instances where it does appear.
What Fooling Shar Does In Baldur’s Gate 3
This odd disguise self trick might seem like a potentially interesting way to open up a unique path in Baldur’s Gate 3, but its effects are generally inferior to any intended approach to the encounter. Saving the Nightsong has the most positive narrative effects and can provide some aid in a couple of key encounters while killing the Nightsong, and having Shar recognize it properly can maintain her favor and explore the darker narrative path for Shadowheart. Accomplishing the goddess’s will while tricking her into thinking otherwise is, in some ways, the very opposite of a typical successful ruse.
That being said, this path isn’t entirely without its merits. Shadowheart still receives certain rewards for her act before exiting the Shadowfell, upgrading Dark Justiciar gear to reflect the favorable status in Shar’s eyes that she should, in theory, merit. The quest will still update as a failure, however, while the Last Light Inn will lose its protection from the shadow curse, resulting in the death of a number of important NPCs. The main fascination this approach would hold is for a truly dark playthrough, where even the Lady of Loss herself turns her back on a villainous party, albeit for no reason beyond confusion.
Disguise Self Is An Inconsistent Baldur’s Gate 3 Spell
Although the situation with Shadowheart and Shar is a uniquely striking misapplication of disguise self, it’s far from the only scenario where the spell doesn’t seem to work quite as intended. The efficacy of its application can feel somewhat random in game, sometimes fooling NPCs who should know better and often failing to accomplish anything at all. The best use is generally for casting speak with dead on NPCs who refuse to speak to their killer, as taking on a different form can realistically make them think that they’re having a conversation with someone less guilty.
Like many features in Baldur’s Gate 3, disguise self can be applied with the most consistency in the earlier parts of the game, as the early access period for Act 1 gave it a level of polish that Act 3 fails to manage in all of its vast possibilities. Taking on a drow appearance in the goblin camp is one such use, making it easy to lord it over the goblins without trouble. On the other hand, sneaking into various parts of the city in Act 3 where the party isn’t welcome tends to raise an alert regardless of disguise self, which can make it lose some of its luster toward the end.
Disguise self isn’t the only inconsistent Baldur’s Gate 3 mechanic, but it might be the only one with the power to fool a shrewd goddess with a simple ruse. Shar could benefit from paying a bit more attention to the affairs of mortals, especially the ones that are doing her bidding. Although it makes sense that the Mistress of the Night would leap to vengeance at any perceived slight, the ability to use disguise self to trick her isn’t one of the finest moments of Baldur’s Gate 3.
