So you want a Baldur’s Gate 3 full walkthrough that goes from the nautiloid crash to Act 3’s final boss without reading a 10-page essay? Good, because this one keeps it simple. I’ve played this game way too much, and these are the tips I use every single run.
New player warnings before we dive in: - If a fight feels unfair, you’re probably underleveled. Go clear side quests before the main path. - Save before big conversations. Trust me, you’ll want that undo button. - Don’t skip long rests. You’ll miss story and romance scenes if you do.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Full Walkthrough: Act 1 – From Crash to Goblin Camp
The Nautiloid Prologue, Step by Step
First, escape your pod. Hit the console, pass the check, and get out. Grab Shadowheart by interacting with her pod on your way.
Next, head to the helm. You can fight Commander Zhalk on the flight deck, but it’s totally optional. If your build uses two-handed weapons, I usually snag his Everburn Blade, but if you’re not confident, just jump to the transponder and skip it.
After the crash, explore the beach for supplies, then head to Emerald Grove. Skipping Zhalk? Don’t sweat it. Act 1 hands you plenty of great weapons.
Act 1 Main Quests and the Druid Grove
At the grove, talk to Zevlor and Nettie. Nettie tells you to find Halsin, the head druid, who went out looking for a cure at the goblin camp.
Then head to the goblin camp near the Shattered Sanctum. Halsin’s being held as a bear in the back room.
Best plan: sneak into the bear room, free Halsin, and let him help you clear the camp. Or kill the goblin leaders first, then free him. Both work.
You can also reach Act 2 through the Underdark or the Mountain Pass. The Mountain Pass has the Githyanki creche; the Underdark has more loot and harder fights. Do both if you’re on the higher side, because this BG3 full walkthrough wants you leveled up.
Here’s the Act 1 choice that matters later: side with the goblins and raid the grove, and you lose several merchants plus almost the whole tiefling storyline. Save the tieflings, and they show up in Act 2 and Act 3 with rewards and quests. In my opinion, saving them makes the full run feel way more complete.
Act 1 Bosses You Need to Know
Priestess Gut will try to lock you in her room and put you to sleep. Focus her with ranged attacks and break her concentration. Silence also works.
Minthara: use high ground, or push her off the bridge across the goblin camp. If you want her as a companion later, don’t kill her—use non-lethal damage instead.
Dror Ragzlin is the toughest goblin leader. Break the war drums first so he can’t call for backup, then use the rafters to shoot down on him.
Phase Spider Matriarch lives in the Whispering Depths under the Blighted Village. Shoot the web under her to drop her and deal big fall damage.
Grym is optional, in the Adamantine Forge. Let the forge hammer do the work: lure him to the center and pull the lever when the hammer’s overhead.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Full Walkthrough: Act 2 – The Shadow-Cursed Lands
Survival First: Moonlanterns and Last Light Inn
When you first enter the shadow curse, you need a Moonlantern to explore safely. You can take one from the drider Kar’niss when you meet him, or find one around Moonrise Towers.
Next, get to Last Light Inn. Talk to Isobel and the Harpers. Think of it as your save point and shop area.
Don’t skip the side quests here. Save the tieflings and rescue the gnomes in Moonrise Towers’ prison. They’ll give you strong allies for the final battle later.
Gauntlet of Shar and the Nightsong
Head to the Grand Mausoleum. Find it by entering the Thorm Mausoleum and passing the checks.
Inside the Gauntlet, do the three Shar trials: Self-Same, Soft-Step, and Faith-Leap. You’ll need the Umbral Gems from them.
Reach the Shadowfell and find the Nightsong, a trapped aasimar named Dame Aylin. Balthazar shows up to take her.
Best move: kill Balthazar and free the Nightsong. Save her and she joins you, gives you a powerful ally, and breaks Ketheric’s immortality. Let Shadowheart kill her, and you get a darker Shadowheart but lose one of the best allies in the game.
Also, take your time exploring Moonrise Towers before the fight on top. Clear the guards, loot everything, and handle the secret Mind Flayer colony below before you face Ketheric. It makes the final Act 2 boss fight much easier.
Act 2 Bosses and Strategies
Balthazar is a necromancer who’ll flood the room with undead. Kill him fast, interrupt his summons, and keep your party spread so his AoE spells don’t hit everyone. If you fight him in his lab at Moonrise Towers earlier, the Shadowfell version gets much easier.
Ketheric Thorm, first phase: if you saved the Nightsong, you can pour all your damage into him. He hits hard with melee and necrotic damage, so keep your healer ready.
Second phase: Ketheric turns into the Avatar of Myrkul, a giant skeletal monster. This is one of the hardest fights in a Baldur’s Gate 3 full walkthrough. Spread your party, avoid the big AoE scythe, and burn the avatar with your heaviest single-target damage. Radiant spells like Spirit Guardians help a ton.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Full Walkthrough: Act 3 – Baldur’s Gate and the Netherbrain
Main Quest Steps in Act 3
Once you’re in the city, your main goal is simple: grab the Netherstones. You already have Ketheric’s Netherstone. Gortash has one, Orin has the other.
Talk to your allies, like Voss and the Emperor. This BG3 full walkthrough says to finish ally quests before the big fight: the Gondians, the Harpers, the Githyanki, and your companion storylines. The Owlbear cub is adorable, but don’t count on him for combat. Focus on quests that give you actual reinforcements.
Go after Orin first or Gortash first—either works. Once you’ve got the Netherstones, they merge and you’re on to the final fight.
Act 3 Bosses: Orin, Gortash, and the Netherbrain
Orin, the Blade of Bhaal, has Unstoppable charges that block almost all damage. Use Magic Missile to chip those charges away first, then burst her down and watch for her Slayer form. She’s a shapeshifter, so pay attention to dialogue during the murder investigation quests if you want to find her before the temple.
Gortash hangs at Wyrm’s Rock Keep. Kill the Steel Watcher nearby, grab the Netherstone after he dies, and keep your party away from his traps. He’s easier than Orin if you bring a well-leveled party.
The Netherbrain is the final boss. You fight on top of the brain’s body while it throws tentacles and minions at you. Push through, enter the brain, and destroy its crown. Take out the tentacles first, then dump maximum damage on the crown when its barrier drops. Use the ally calls you collected during Act 3 to spawn reinforcements and give your spellcasters a free turn.
Common Mistakes in a Baldur’s Gate 3 Full Walkthrough
Don’t go to Act 2 before level 5. The Shadow-Cursed Lands have ambushes that will eat level 4 parties alive.
Don’t skip the Moonlantern. If you don’t have one, the shadow curse beats up your party at the start of Act 2. You can pick one up by looting Kar’niss.
Don’t kill Dror Ragzlin without destroying the war drums. He calls in goblin reinforcements and the fight becomes a nightmare.
Don’t forget to long rest. You miss story scenes, romance scenes, and important companion interaction. If you’re doing a full run, long resting right before new quests is a habit worth keeping.
Don’t fight Myrkul without freeing the Nightsong. It’s not impossible, but your life gets a lot harder, and you lose one of the game’s strongest allies.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Full Walkthrough – FAQ
What level should I be for each Act in BG3?
Act 1 runs from levels 1 to about 6. Act 2 is around levels 6 to 9. Act 3 expects level 10 to 12. If you’re under-leveled, do side quests and optional bosses before moving forward.
Should I free the Nightsong or let Shadowheart become a Dark Justiciar?
Free her. You get Dame Aylin as a powerful ally for the final fight, and Ketheric Thorm becomes way easier to kill. Shadowheart can also find a better ending if she doesn’t go full Dark Justiciar.
Can I do Act 1 content after starting Act 2?
Some areas close off, so no. Once you push into the Shadow-Cursed Lands, you lose access to most Act 1 zones. Do everything you want in Act 1 before you move on.
What is the best class for a full run?
You don’t need a “best” class, but a party with a martial class, a spellcaster, and a healer helps. Paladins are strong for both damage and dialogue, and Bards make great party faces. Play whatever you like.