Baldur’s Gate 3 players want a better end for their party in Act 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 players have revered the game for its excellent storytelling, but there is an Act 3 choice that puts your party in danger of a bad ending. 

Baldur’s Gate 3 gives players the option to rescue Orpheus or side with the Emperor and keep him locked up. Siding with the Emperor means that you have a plan to defeat the Absolute in place, but if you go against him, you’re going to have to come up with something new. 

If you decide to rescue Orpheus and go against the Emperor, however, the Githyanki Prince has a plan – even though you may not like it. The plan is that Orpheus, your main character, or someone else from your party must turn fully illithid. If you have Karlach in your party, she will voluntarily change. 

This decision didn’t sit well with some players. Looking at it simply, deciding to save Orpheus is one of the ‘good’ decisions you can make in the game. Then it presents you with the unskippable choice to become a Mind Flayer – the very thing you have been fighting against all game. 

Redditor ‘satanic_black_metal_’ posted about the issue. “Okay so we need someone to become ilithid to stop the Netherbrain,” they said. “So, what? I’m supposed to sacrifice my Tav or one of her allies here? No! I want a happy end for them.”

More Baldur’s Gate 3 fans took to the comments to agree with this sentiment. One player said that the issue with this choice is that it is not rewarding, because the justification for it doesn’t play out well in the larger story. 

“With a moment that big. There should have been a robust dialogue tree that at least lets you attempt a truce between [the Emperor and Orpheus],” they said. “And the options for Illithid Karlach and the Galebomb shouldn’t be locked behind a very specific series of dialogue.”

Not all players thought that the choice was bad, however. Some did mention that being presented with difficult choices like this was what made Baldur’s Gate 3 a great game. If anything, players just wanted the relationship between the Emperor and Orpheus dealt with better. 

“I think [the decision] is great too, I just wish they handled the Emperor better if you decided to free Orpheus,” a fan commented. “Feels really stupid that he decides to help the enemy instead of just hearing things out.” 

For more on Baldur’s Gate 3, read about why players raid Emerald Grove and this clever use for Sussur Blooms.