Embrace Your Potential

Consuming tadpoles grants special abilities.

Embrace Your Potential is a Quest spanning Acts One through Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3. It is first encountered by finding a Mindflayer Parasite Specimen after the Dream Visitor has appeared to the party.

Objectives

Explore the powers your parasite gives you.

• "We were visited in our dreams by a mysterious figure, who told us that our illithid parasites are special and the source of great potential."
• "We used the power of our parasite to exert an influence beyond our selves. How far does this power go?"
• "We found a special parasite like our own - we were drawn to its potential."

Harvest the parasite's memories.

• "The Dream Visitor told us that the True Soul parasite can enhance us if we absorb its potential."

Find more parasites to absorb and grow your power.

• "We absorbed the parasite's memories. It nourished our minds, and grew our powers."

Commune with the Astral-Touched Tadpole.

• "The Emperor has given us the means to unlock the next stage of our illithid transformation, without becoming mind flayers. If we commune with the Astral-Touched Tadpole, we will evolve."

Quest Complete

• "Communing with the Astral-Touched Tadpole unlocked the next stage of our illithid transformation."
• "We did not commune with the Astral-Touched Tadpole, and our illithid potential remains untapped."

Walkthrough

Embrace Your Potential occurs once a  Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen has been discovered. It unlocks the use of the Illithid skill tree.

The next step in the quest occurs after Help Your Protector. Now revealed as the  the Emperor, an illithid, it implores the party to also embrace their potentials as illithids. It grants an  Astral-Touched Tadpole which turns a user into a Partial-illithid. The tadpole's immense knowledge can be used on all companions in the party.

The player character can commune with the Astral-Touched Tadpole immediately upon receiving it from the Emperor, or try to refuse - though if they have used any parasite specimens already, they must pass a DC 21 Wisdom check check to decline doing so. A successful refusal still results in the player character receiving the Astral-Touched Tadpole as an inventory item.

The Astral-Touched Tadpole can be used at any time with the player character; doing so gives options to consume the tadpole, commune with it (if that has not already happened) or destroy it. Destroying the tadpole ends the quest.

While the player character can use the tadpole at will, most companions must be convinced, with vary degrees of difficulty. If the companion requires convincing, this can be accomplished with skill checks and an appropriate approval rating. Some party members are easier to convince than others. The Astral-Touched Tadpole can only be used with characters already infected with a tadpole, so  Halsin and  Jaheira are not eligible.

In any case, convincing the companion to use a tadpole results in a brief cutscene with choices. There is always a brief window where the companion can back out of using the tadpole.

Astarion

 Astarion is extremely reluctant to take the tadpole, as he recalls the pain of his vampiric transformation. However, he can be convinced.

• [WISDOM] Enter his mind, tempt him with the wonders of your new-found form. (DC 15) (if player embraced the tadpole)
  • Push into his fear, prove his weakness if he does not accept the tadpole.

Pushing further to explore Astarion's greatest fear:

• [INTIMIDATION] There are worse fates than Cazador out there. You should use the tadpole. (DC 15) (if Cazador defeated)
  • I want you to become part-illithid. To protect yourself. (if Astarion didn't ascend)
  • A feeble coward is all you shall ever be, unless you become more. (if Astarion didn't ascend)

  • Astarion

    All right. Fine. Give me the worm. I will take every weapon I can, damn it all. (if Astarion ascended)

• Your illithid powers are the only reason you can stand up to Cazador. This will help you defeat him. (if Cazador is alive)
  • [WISDOM] Tell me of the wewakest moment you ever felt in those two hundred years. (DC 18)
  • [INTIMIDATION] You're nothing. Just a frail spawn who will burn to a crisp soon enough. (DC 18)
• We need to use every advantage our infection has to offer.
  • [WISDOM] Break into his mind. Look for a way to convince him. (DC 18)

If the player broke into his mind, one of the following options will convince him:

• You never want to risk that again. Even if it means becoming part illithid.
• That forgotten wretch is who you'll be again unless you become more.
• I want you to become part-illithid. To protect yourself.

Gale

 Gale takes the Astral-Touched Tadpole, regardless of if the player character has become half-illithid themselves.

• We've been given a rare gift. An Astral-Touched Tadpole, with the power to grant you a new, partial illithid form...
  • [PERSUASION] You will wield this power well, and with wisdom. There aren't many I'd trust with this. (DC 18 ) (Approval 60+)
  • [PERSUASION] I offer you the chance at a truly unique power. One that no other could wield as you would, Gale. (DC 18) (Approval 20+)
  • [PERSUASION] Don't be coy, Gale. You want this power. You know you do. (DC 18 )

Karlach

 Karlach can be persuaded to use the tadpole as it offers an advantage to facing off against the Chosen Three.

• [PERSUASION] I really think we should do this, Karlach. (DC 7 ) (Approval 60+)
• [PERSUASION] Consider it, Karlach. These powers could be the difference between victory and defeat. (DC 14) (Approval 20+)
• [PERSUASION] We need every advantage we can get. Give it some thought. (DC 14 )

Karlach hesitates again, asking if ten years in Avernus wasn't enough. However, she can still be pushed to use the tadpole:

• [INTIMIDATION] I asked nicely,. Do you want to know what comes after that? (DC 14)
• [PERSUASION] If we finish this, and win, we'll be free. Really free. (DC 14)

Lae'zel

 Lae'zel can be convinced using her desire for power to protect the Githyanki people.

• The Emperor's Astral-Touched Tadpole promises exceptional power.
  • [WISDOM] Connect with Lae'zel's mind. Let her feel the sense of power coursing through you. (DC 15) (if player embraced tadpole)
  • [PERSUASION] It's not like that, Lae'zel. Accept the Astral-Touched Tadpole's power. You'll be unstoppable. (DC 18 ) (Approval 60+)
  • [PERSUASION] It's not like that, Lae'zel. Accept the Astral-Touched Tadpole's power. You'll be unstoppable. (DC 18) (Approval 20+)
  • [PERSUASION] It's not like that, Lae'zel. Accept the Astral-Touched Tadpole's power. You'll be unstoppable. (DC 18 )

Minsc

 Minsc can be persuaded by assuring him it makes a huge difference in defeating the Cult of the Absolute:

• The Emperor has a way for us to become stronger. The Astral-Touched Tadpole.
  • [PERSUASION] This could make all the difference in defeating the cult. Trust me, Minsc. (DC 18 ) (Approval 50+)
  • [PERSUASION] Trust me. This could make all the difference in defeating the cult. (DC 18) (Approval 20+)
  • [PERSUASION] Trust me. This could make all the difference in defeating the cult. (DC 18 )

Minthara

 Minthara is easily convinced to take the Astral-Touched Tadpole, as she is eager to unlock more powers of the mind. The player character can offer it to her, and she accepts:

• The Emperor has offered us a special tadpole. We'll become partial mind flayers, but we'll get great powers in turn...
  • Use it - become greater.

Shadowheart

 Shadowheart can be convinced by mentioning the powers the tadpole provides:

• [PERSUASION] Trust me. We need these powers... and you're going to love what you can do with them. (DC 15 ) (Approval 60+)
• [PERSUASION] Trust me. We need these powers... and you're going to love what you can do with them. (DC 15) (Approval 20+)
• [PERSUASION] Trust me. We need these powers... and you're going to love what you can do with them. (DC 15 )

Wyll

 Wyll can be persuaded to take the tadpole by appealing to his desire to protect the Sword Coast.

• [WISDOM] Call on your tadpole, connect with Wyll. Show him how potent you feel. (DC 15) (if player embraced tadpole)
• [PERSUASION] The Sword Coast's future is at stake. We need to pursue this power. (DC 18 ) (Approval 60+)
• [PERSUASION] The Sword Coast's future is at stake. We need to pursue this power. (DC 18) (Approval 20+)
• [PERSUASION] The Sword Coast's future is at stake. We need to pursue this power. (DC 18 )

Quest Rewards

• Unlocking Illithid Powers
• Half-Illithid form

Achievements

Expand Your Mind

Consume a parasite and unlock a new power - is it meant to wriggle the whole way down?