Endings

Endings

Game Over screens

Epilogue

This page details the possible endings to Baldur's Gate 3. Ending scenes may play out in different ways depending on choices the player made earlier in their adventure. As some ending outcomes involve multiple characters in the same scene, this page will describe the general events of a scene, as well as specific character resolutions.

Most endings occur at the completion of the quest, Confront the Elder Brain, which takes place during Act Three. However, it is possible to encounter an ending prior to its completion, and even prior to Act Three, depending on the player's choices.

It is sometimes possible for players to encounter a Game Over screen as the result of a conversation option or failed condition during a combat encounter. As these do not have story resolutions, they are listed separately in Game Over screens.

Control the brain

After weakening the Netherbrain, the player will have the opportunity to once again use the Netherstones to give the brain a command to either destroy it or dominate it.

“	---together- -conquer-- ---rule---- -COMMAND---	„
	— The Netherbrain

Rule together

If the Emperor is with the player, they can try and Persuade it to rule with them. The Emperor will take control and then take its place at a throne atop the Brain, an enthralled party and player cheering alongside it.

There are no further cutscenes or epilogue.

“	In my name.	„
	— The Emperor

Rule alone

If the player chooses to dominate the brain and rule alone, the final scene will show them sitting down on a throne atop the brain, with an enthralled party cheering around them.

There are no further cutscenes or epilogue. ^{[Needs Verification]}

“	In my name.	„
	— The Player

Claim in the name of Bhaal

The Dark Urge will have the opportunity to claim the Netherbrain "in the name of Bhaal". If the Emperor is wielding the Netherstones, they will kill it and take control of the brain themself. The following events play out as in Rule alone above.

“	In Bhaal's name.	„
	— The Dark Urge

Destroy the brain

After weakening the Netherbrain, the player can choose to use the Netherstones to command it to destroy its tadpoles and then itself. Afterwards, the crown will break and fall into the river Chionthar. The dying Netherbrain will descend and likewise fall into the river, before exploding with a wave of psyonic energy.

• Narrator: *Hopes, nightmares, and the screams of legions upon legions of unborn illithids.*
• (If the player is not half- or full-illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling. Your tadpole burns in your brain.*
• (If the player is half-illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling. You can feel your tadpole burning, and the power it granted you starting to wane.*
• (If the player is illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling.*
• (Dark Urge Origin who resisted Bhaal)
  • Narrator: *Silence. Free of Urge and worm, your brain is battered and bruised, but it is yours. Yours at last.*
• (Dark Urge Origin who accepted Bhaal)
  • Narrator: *Silence. The overbearing quiet of your Father's disappointment before the rush of your tragic fall.*
• (Not Dark Urge Origin)
  • Narrator: *Silence. For the first time in a long time, your thoughts are entirely your own. And then - gravity.*
• (End of dialogue)

On the docks

The player on a dock in Baldur's Gate, silhouetted by sunset.

After destroying the Netherbrain, the camera will open on the docks where the party have gathered, presumably after swimming to shore following the brain crashing into the water.

Depending on who is present, the following lines may play:

• Wyll makes a short remark to indicate that his powers are now draining, if the player managed to break his pact with Mizora.
• If the player allied with the Emperor during the final fight, Lae'zel or Astarion have been observed to remark about this and express their thanks. The player will also be given the option to thank the Emperor, or select from two other possible response options.
• Astarion has been observed to remark about the player choosing an outcome where none of the party members (besides the Emperor) had to newly become a mind flayer to reach the current game state.

The ending of this sequence is marked by the player being asked to input a conversation choice, but the exact choice that appears may vary depending on prior choices, and whatever prior lines were spoken by other characters.

Astarion's sunlight resolution

"What the-oh gods. Oh no."

“	"I honestly don't mind what we do, once we get - ow!"	„
	— Astarion

Depending on how the player resolved The Pale Elf, Astarion may become vulnerable to sunlight again, now that the tadpoles have been destroyed.

The timing of this sequence trigger seems to vary, but always results in Astarion running off-screen. A romanced Astarion will still later appear for his wrap-up scene.

Gale's Crown resolution

“	"The Crown - it's somewhere in the Chionthar. If I salvage the stones, I can reforge it. The power of Karsus would be in my hands... But what then? What would I do with it, once I have it?"	„
	— Gale

Players may be given one last opportunity to give input here about what Gale should do. If so, these options include: giving the crown to Mystra; having Gale wear the crown himself; and abandoning the salvage effort altogether ("Lest anyone should ever again be tempted by such power").

With Gale at an approval of 100, none of these conversation options are locked behind checks, even when Gale is not romanced.

Karlach's engine resolution

Karlach, as seen when this sequence opens.

“	"It's the one thing I can't beat, isn't it? I wanted to live. In my city. With my friends."	„
	— Karlach

This scene triggers only if Karlach didn't undergo Ceremorphosis, since the process rids her of her engine.

Karlach's engine will begin to finally shut down, and the player must make a decision one way or another. Under the right conditions, generally available options include:

• Let Karlach die, then and there.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, alone.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, with Wyll and/or the player.
  • Wyll only offers to come along if he has become the Blade of Avernus by resolving his companion quest.^{[Needs Verification]}
  • Wyll still provides this offer if his pact with Mizora was broken.

With Karlach at an approval of 100, none of these conversation options are locked behind checks, even when Karlach is not romanced.

If the player convinces Karlach to return to Avernus, a second scene will occur just before the End Credits roll.

Lae'zel's Ascension resolution

Lae'zel, "ascending."

“	"The Netherbrain is dead. To slay a ghaik was my sworn duty. I must call out to Tu'narath - my ascension's at hand."	„
	— Lae'zel

Lae'zel will say that her Ascension is at hand, and unless convinced not to, will summon a red dragon, and depart upon its back to what the narrator describes as an "uncertain fate," but in spite of this Lae'zel will appear very happy to finally get "her own" Dragon.

This option requires that the player allied with the Emperor during the final fight, and that Lae'zel did not agree to help Kith'rak Voss in his efforts to free Prince Orpheus -- the latter condition ensures that Lae'zel is still in favour of killing Orpheus to please Queen Vlaakith.

Players may be given one last opportunity to convince Lae'zel to stay instead of ascending. This option may be locked behind a Persuasion Check, the DC for which has been observed to be as high as DC 30. Other (earlier) decisions that have been observed to exist could plausibly lower it, and companion approval level may also be a factor.^{[Needs Verification]}

This sequence always begins with seeing the other Red Dragons portaling away from Faerûn, and one of several characters then asking Lae'zel what she plans to do. Characters observed to speak up for this line include Astarion, and Jaheira, but may include others not listed here.^{[Needs Verification]}

Lae'zel's Orpheus resolution

Lae'zel, being asked by Orpheus to join him.

“	"Come, Lae'zel. We will free the githyanki and dismantle the empire. Let them be imprisoned no longer!"	„
	— Orpheus

If Orpheus was freed from the astral prison, and someone other than Orpheus underwent ceremorphosis for the final fight, then Orpheus will leave to fight against Vlaakith, asking Lae'zel to accompany him.

This option requires the player to free Orpheus after attempting to control the Netherbrain for the first time, instead of allying with the Emperor.

Players may be given one last opportunity to convince Lae'zel to stay instead of going to fight against Vlaakith. This option may be locked behind a Persuasion check, the DC for which has been observed to be as high as DC 30. If the player underwent ceremorphosis, then Lae'zel will refuse to stay.^{[Needs Verification]}

Orpheus's mind flayer resolution

Orpheus: "I will not be ghaik!"

“	"I will not be ghaik! I did what I did to save my people."	„
	— Orpheus

If Orpheus underwent ceremorphosis, his potential behaviour in all ending scenes – including Lae'zel's scenes – changes drastically. Orpheus may ask Lae'zel, or the player, or both to take up 'his' fight against Vlaakith. He then asks another character, including Lae'zel or the player, to kill him. If no character honours Orpheus's request for death, Orpheus will discuss taking his own life, and unless convinced not to, will proceed with his attempt and succeed.

• Other potential outcomes from this scene may exist.^{[Needs Verification]}
• Some conversation options require dice checks.^{[Needs Verification]}

If Orpheus is in Displacer Beast Shape when the brain is defeated, he will not show up at all. Instead, characters will act as though the player underwent ceremorphosis.

Party planning

“	"I'm sure Mystra will summon me soon enough, but until then, I propose we celebrate our victory the mortal way - with a drink in our hands, and reckless abandon in our hearts."	„
	— Gale

• Gale may end up closing out his Crown resolution sequence by suggesting that the group have a celebration.
• Wyll has been observed to react to this suggestion and express agreement.
• After some varied number of reaction lines occur, the player will be allowed to give input on what they think.
• After the player gives input, other characters will chime in for various reasons expressing agreement or disagreement.
• Astarion's Sunlight resolution and Karlach's multiple resolutions may be triggered afterwards.
• This sequence may also trigger The Emperor's announcement that it will not be joining the party.

The Emperor's departure

“	Now that you no longer live in each others minds, it's hard to tell if the mind flayer is being sincere. Though perhaps, no harder than it ever was.	„
	— The Narrator

If present, the Emperor may find an opportunity to disclose that it will not be joining the party. This sequence appears to potentially trigger for multiple reasons, including Gale's party suggestion.

At least one character will react to The Emperor's announcement. Characters observed to do this include Astarion and Minsc, but may include others not yet listed here.^{[Needs Verification]} After other characters react, the Emperor may even respond to the other character with "I will miss you too."

As The Emperor exits the scene, the narrator will speak up with a few lines.

After the docks

Romantic wrap-up

If the player is in a relationship with another character, a conversation scene will generally trigger between the player and their romance option. This scene still happens if the player-character chose to undergo full ceremorphosis before the final fight, but the outcome of this scene does generally seem to be affected by their choice to transform.

Characters with confirmed scenes include: Astarion, Shadowheart, Karlach, Halsin, Minthara

Polyamory

More testing is needed to determine what conversations appear in polyamorous situations.[Needs Verification]

If the player is in a relationship with more than one character, the following combinations have been observed to happen:

• If the player first romances Halsin, then the Emperor, a scene with Halsin will trigger, but no scenes seem to trigger with the player's second partner.
• If the player first romances Karlach, then Halsin, both partners will have a scene.

Halsin

“	"At last count, there were nine whole wagons of children in tow. They are my duty now. 'Daddy Halsin', they call me. Who am I to tell them otherwise?"	„
	— Halsin

Halsin will tell the player of his plans to return to Thaniel's now-curse-lifted lands, and create a home to welcome orphan children from the War of the Absolute.

• Requires Destroy the Elder Brain to be completed, instead of a 'Control' option.^{[Needs Verification]}
• Requires Lift the Shadow Curse to be completed by the end of Act Two, with the Curse successfully lifted.
• May require Halsin to be in the party during the final fight.
• May require Halsin to be romanced, and/or to tell the player about what he plans to do after the Brain is felled.

Karlach goes to Avernus

"It worked. My engine's calmed down."

“	"Well, soldier. Here we are. It worked. My engine's calmed down."	„
	— Karlach

The camera will open on an unspecified portion of Avernus, and display Karlach and whoever came with her appearing out of a Portal. Karlach's engine stabilises, she whips out some cigars, and the present characters run forward into the horizon where impending battle awaits them.

• To trigger this scene, the player must make specific choices during the earlier scene at the docks.
• The player must select Conversation options that result in Karlach returning to Avernus with Wyll (allowed under certain conditions) and/or the player-character.
• It is not known if completion of Karlach's engine-related quests influence the outcome of this scene.^{[Needs Verification]}

Character deaths

Characters whose deaths occur due to player conversation choices, or who are killed after becoming permanently hostile, are not currently known to trigger scenes at the end of the game.

Achievements

These achievements are possible to obtain in association with one or more of the endings on this page.

Absolute Power Corrupts
Reign with terror: take control of the Netherbrain and bend the world to your will.

All's Well That Ends Well
Finish the game (with a heartfelt 'thank you' from Larian Studios).

Ceremorphosis
Make the ultimate sacrifice: become a mind flayer to defeat the Netherbrain.

Hero of the Forgotten Realms
Save the day: kill the Netherbrain and destroy the Absolute tadpoles.