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The Netherbrain
| The Netherbrain | |
|---|---|
| Level 20 | |
 | |
| Role | Overarching Antagonist |
| Voiced by | Cissy Jones, Various |
| Information | |
| Title | The Absolute |
| Race | Elder Brain |
| Age | 1000's of years |
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 | Spoiler warning: The following content contains unhidden spoilers for Act 3. |  |
The Netherbrain is the final boss of Baldur's Gate 3. It is an Aberration.
| “ | Bhaal's Chosen placed the Crown upon me in the depths of Moonrise Towers, and there I was born. |
„ |
| — The Netherbrain |
Overview
Background
The Netherbrain is an empowered elder brain who was "enslaved" by the Dead Three, brought under their command by the Crown of Karsus. However, in truth, the brain was guiding events, amassing an army for itself and pitting the Chosen against each other, all the while empowered by the Crown.
Related quests
History
The Netherbrain was created, unintentionally, by the Dark Urge, as part of a larger plan to create an army of illithids with the Crown of Karsus, controlled by proxy of a dominated elder brain wearing the Crown.
The Urge and Enver Gortash devised a plan to steal the Crown of Karsus from Mephistopheles' vault and use it to create a mind flayer army to exterminate all life as tribute to Bhaal. After successfully obtaining the Crown, it was brought to the elder brain located beneath Moonrise Towers, beginning the brain's time as the Absolute. [1] However, while at Moonrise Towers, the Urge was betrayed by Orin, who attacked them and took their place as Bhaal's chosen of the Dead Three.
Though the brain was inspired by the Urge's plan, happy to follow along and grant them their army, [2] without them, the Dead Three's plans quickly fell apart. With the Dark Urge out of the picture, the Dead Three squabbled and fought among themselves, with Ketheric[3] and Orin planning to betray their fellow Chosen. Unimpressed, the Netherbrain began planning its takeover, giving power to each of the Chosen enough to harm the others.[4]
While the brain could be controlled, so long as all three Netherstones were separate from the Crown, it was still able to guide events to its favour. The Netherbrain granted the Emperor its freedom so it could retrieve the Prism, and planted the knowledge of Orpheus' power. Unwittingly following a larger plan, the Emperor and his protected allowed it so that at least one Netherstone would be brought back to the brain, and it would be liberated.
Combat
| The Unbreakable Will of the Netherbrain | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huge Aberration | |||||||||||||
| Level 20 Aberration | |||||||||||||
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| Stats | |||||||||||||
| Hit points |
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| Movement speed | 0 m (0 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 10000 kg (20000 lb) | ||||||||||||
| Initiative | -15 | ||||||||||||
| Ability scores | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Proficiency bonus | +4 | ||||||||||||
| Saving throws |
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| Conditions | |||||||||||||
 | Will break free of its domination within 5 turns | ||||||||||||
 | Begins with a portion of its HP mission, depending on an earlier ability check | ||||||||||||
 Honour | Gains immunity to recent forms of damage | ||||||||||||
| Features | |||||||||||||
 | Use a reaction to release a brainquake | ||||||||||||
| Actions | |||||||||||||
 | 10d6 Psychic and  in response to damage. | ||||||||||||
 | Mark platforms for negation, destroying them the next turn. | ||||||||||||
Conditions
- - After using Karsus' Compulsion on the Netherbrain
- - If a natural 20 was rolled on the final check to dominate the Netherbrain at the Morphic Pool it will have this condition, which will greatly reduce its HP.
- - On Honour mode only, the Netherbrain becomes immune to all types of damage that was dealt to it the previous round.
Attacks and abilities
Tactics
Accessing the Netherbrain
- Dimension Door, Arcane Gate and Misty Step are all useful spells to have assigned or distributed as scrolls for moving from the entrance to "Atop the Netherbrain", over to the Crown of Karsus.
- Stepping anywhere on the brainy surface will summon tentacles, so it may be easier to approach from the two platforms on either side. Otherwise, if intending to sprint across, using a character who can avoid Opportunity Attacks, such as one with the Mobile feat.
- Globe of Invulnerability is also useful for protecting the caster of Karsus' Compulsion. However, the nearby Mind Flayers will still be able to
creatures inside the globe, which ends the spell prematurely.
- Tossing Mind Flayers over the edge with moves like Telekinesis will not kill them, as they will just reappear atop the Netherbrain.
- Only party members can enter the Netherbrain's Psyche (or The Unbreakable Will of the Netherbrain), so once the portal is open it is no longer necessary to continue fighting other enemies.
Fighting the Netherbrain
- On Tactician, the Netherbrain will have 450 hit points.
- The Netherbrain's hit point total can be reduced initially from rolling a natural 20 for the final skill check in the Morphic Pool
- For each round, the first attack against the Brain will cause it to use Retributive Brainquake which will damage everything in range
- The Brain will use Orb of Negation to summon several orbs which cause damage at the end of the next round. These orbs will destroy the platforms beneath them, so it is important to move characters off of any marked platforms. Further, the brain should be quickly killed before all platforms are destroyed.
Achievements
Hero of the Forgotten Realms
Save the day: kill the Netherbrain and destroy the Absolute tadpoles.
Absolute Power Corrupts
Reign with terror: take control of the Netherbrain and bend the world to your will.
Sins of the Father
Claim your Throne of Blood: take control of the Netherbrain for Bhaal and break the world.
Gallery
Concept art
Illusion
Crown of Karsus close-up
Cinematic
Cinematic
References
- ↑ You brought the Crown to me, Bhaalspawn, thinking the army I amassed with it would become yours. - The Netherbrain to the Dark Urge
- ↑ Your plan was devious, your cruelty unparalleled. I would have followed it, were your mind not destroyed by your sister. - Netherbrain to the Urge
- ↑ Elder Brain Domination - Ketheric Thorm
- ↑ But with you gone, the three pitiful Chosen fought like children in your wake. I gave them power to harm one another with, while I crafted my design. - The Netherbrain to the Urge
External links
The Netherbrain on the Forgotten Realms Wiki
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