Endings

Achievements

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.

Ending Outcomes

In Baldur's Gate 3, there are many, many, different possible scenes that describe the "ending" or events that happen to specific characters once the player finishes the "final fight" of the game.

This page seeks to document those outcomes in a way that helps readers understand the "general" causes of those endings, to help show off the scope of unique possibilities available to fellow players.

The contributors of this wiki also want to stress, that regardless of however far in the future you are reading this, this page is most likely incomplete, and we want to encourage our fellow players to keep exploring this game to their hearts desire. Just because an ending outcome you know of is not listed on this page, this omission does not confirm or deny if such an ending outcome exists.

Things to Know

• '"Early" Endings and "Game Over": Depending on the player's decisions in their campaign, it can sometimes be possible to either reach an "ending" or encounter a "game over" screen prior to completing Confront the Elder Brain.
• 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.
• As some "ending outcomes" involve multiple characters in the same scene, this page will try to describe ending events depending on the rough "scene" rather than what happens to one specific character at a time.

Scenes that occur "On the Docks"

This section discusses Conversations and Scenes that trigger after the player fully resolves the quest Confront the Elder Brain, by choosing to Destroy the Elder Brain. It will not discuss resolutions of specific Quests, such as Companion quests, but may talk about what happens during these scenes depending on if/how the player chose to resolve them.

"We Made It"

A custom Tav seen on the docks, during the opening of this sequence.

When the camera first opens on the Docks, it briefly shows the 4 partied characters walking up one of the docks, presumably just after swimming to shore after the Elder Brain crashed into the water. Then a number of individual character lines will trigger, featuring different reactions depending on what the player chose.

Notable parts of this scene include:

• Wyll remarking 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, tell it that they "couldn't have done it without" them,
• 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!"

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. This sequence does not lock a romanced Astarion out of triggering a final conversation scene with the player, if applicable.

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?"

Players may be given one last opportunity to give input here about what Gale should do. These options may include, giving the crown to Mystra, having Gale wear the crown himself, and abandoning the salvage effort altogether (the reasoning for which is phrased in the dialogue choice as "Lest anyone should ever again be tempted by such power" -- but which "anyone" this is directed to is vague).

• 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's engine will begin to finally shut down, and the player must make a decision one way or another.

Generally available options seem to include, under the right conditions:

• Let Karlach die, then and there.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, alone.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, with either Wyll, or both Wyll and the player-character.
  • 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 Ascends

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 it 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 the player to ally 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 favor of killing Orpheus to win the favor of 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]}

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.

Scenes that occur "after leaving" the Docks

Romantic Wrap-up (One Partner)

If the player-character is technically in a "monogamous" relationship with another character, a conversation scene will generally trigger between the player and their romance option.

• Characters that this is confirmed to happen for include: Astarion

Romantic Wrap-up (Polyamory)

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

Players have observed the following combinations:

• 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.

'Daddy 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 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."

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 stabilizes, 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 either returning to Avernus with Wyll (allowed under certain conditions), or both the player-character and Wyll.
• It is not known if completion of Karlach's engine-related quests influence the outcome of this scene.^{[Needs Verification]}