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Nere, also known as True Soul Nere, is a True Soul of the Absolute, and potential boss in Baldur's Gate 3. In Act One, he can be found at Grymforge, trapped inside a room that suffered a cave-in. He is a pivotal character for the quests Free True Soul NereFree True Soul Nere and Deliver Nere's HeadDeliver Nere's Head.
Heretics. Let Nere be your end.
Nere

Involvement edit

Act One edit

Main article: Free True Soul Nere

A group of enslaved deep gnomes are trying to free Nere from a cave-in near the main room of the Grymforge. To save him, the gnomes tell the party to find PhilomeenPhilomeen, a runaway gnome in possession of an explosive capable of destroying the rubble.

Caution: Nere dies if fast travelling or long resting more than once after first communing with him at the cave-in.

After freeing him, the party can fight Nere and his mercenaries to save the gnome slaves. The party can also complete the quest Blind the AbsoluteBlind the Absolute - convincing Elder BrithvarElder Brithvar to side against Nere.

Alternatively, it is possible to betray Brithvar and convince Nere and the Absolute Cultists to turn on the mercenaries.

It is also possible to lock the party out of either of these options through dialogue choices prior to rescuing Nere, leading him to kill both the gnome slaves and Sergeant ThrinnSergeant Thrinn immediately after he is freed from the rubble. He then demands that the party help him to kill the rest of the cultists and duergar mercenaries; this turns all characters except Nere hostile and starts combat.

If the party defy Nere when he kills the gnome slaves (or when he demands to kill the other cultists, and not having a deal with Elder Brithvar), a fight starts against him and all the duergar at the same time. However, if the party have a deal with Elder Brithvar, it is possible to interrupt Nere from killing the gnome slaves and still side with him once Elder Brithvar attacks Nere, leading to an option of saving the gnomes while Nere is still alive.

Deciding to fight Nere's mercenaries before freeing him unlocks a dialogue option to convince him that the Absolute is little more than a group of cultists. This results in Nere abandoning the Cult of the Absolute and leaving Grymforge for good.

If Nere is defeated (or dies off-screen from a revolt or poisoning), it is then possible to remove his head (earning the Head of the SnakeHead of the Snake inspiration for party members with the Haunted One background) and deliver it to SpawSpaw or GlutGlut, completing the quest Deliver Nere's HeadDeliver Nere's Head.

Regardless of his status, the party receives a Broken Moonlantern, a precursor to a crucial item needed to travel through the Shadow-Cursed Lands to reach Moonrise Towers. There is no way to fix this lantern, but the there are several options to find a working one later.

Act Two edit

If Nere survives in Grymforge and remains loyal to the Absolute, he appears briefly in Act Two in the Gauntlet of Shar as a zombie servant to BalthazarBalthazar.

Combat edit

Attacks and abilities edit

FlourishFlourish (Bonus Action)   –  Sword of Screams
Damage: 1~4

Feint an attack to possibly throw your opponent Off Balance Off Balance.

DEX SaveDEX Save
Range: Normal weapon range Range: Normal weapon range
Recharge: Short rest Recharge: Short rest
Dissonant WhispersDissonant Whispers (Action + Level 1 Spell Slot)
Damage: 3~18
3d6PsychicPsychic

Frighten Frighten a creature: they'll have Disadvantage Icon.png Disadvantage on Ability checks and Attack rolls and they cannot move.

WIS SaveWIS Save
Range: 18 m / 60 ft Range: 18 m / 60 ft
Main Hand AttackMain Hand Attack (Action)   –  Sword of Screams
Damage: 5~15
1d8 + 3PiercingPiercing
+ 1d4PsychicPsychic

Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft
Piercing StrikePiercing Strike (Action)   –  Sword of Screams
Damage: 5~15
1d8 + 3PiercingPiercing
+ 1d4PsychicPsychic

Stab an enemy and possibly inflict Gaping Wounds Gaping Wounds.

Undead and Constructs can't receive Gaping Wounds.

CON SaveCON Save
Range: Normal weapon range Range: Normal weapon range
Recharge: Short rest Recharge: Short rest
Shield of ScreamsShield of Screams (Bonus Action + Level 1 Spell Slot)
Damage: 2~12
2d6PsychicPsychic

Recall the voices of all who scorned you - and how they screamed in the end. They form a shield around you.

Your Armour Class increases by 3, and anyone who hits you with a melee attack takes 2d6PsychicPsychic damage.

Range: 18 m / 60 ft Range: 18 m / 60 ft
Weakening StrikeWeakening Strike (Action)   –  Sword of Screams
Damage: 4~7
1d4 + 3WeaponWeapon

Target an enemy's hands with a non-lethal attack and possibly inflict Weak Grip Weak Grip.

Creatures without weapons can't have Weak Grip.

STR SaveSTR Save
Range: Normal weapon range Range: Normal weapon range
Recharge: Short rest Recharge: Short rest
Wicked CoercionWicked Coercion (Action + Level 2 Spell Slot)
Damage: 2~8
2d4PsychicPsychic

Invade an enemy's mind and force them to join your side. They also take 2d4PsychicPsychic immediately, and 1d6PsychicPsychic per turn.

WIS SaveWIS Save
Range: 16 m / 52 ft Range: 16 m / 52 ft

Honour mode edit

Psionic VisagePsionic Visage
Damage: 2~12
2d6PsychicPsychic

Summon 3 psychic copies of yourself to protect you. As long as one of those copies remain, you are immune to BludgeoningBludgeoning, PiercingPiercing, and SlashingSlashing damage.

When the caster is struck, a Psionic Visage will Detonate Detonate.

Range: Self Range: Self
Recharge: Per turn Recharge: Per turn
Shatter VisageShatter Visage
Damage: 2~12
2d6PsychicPsychic

Detonate a psionic visage, striking the attacker with a psychic wave that pushes it back 3 m / 10 ft.

Allies edit

If not completing Blind the AbsoluteBlind the Absolute, then additional allies will side with Nere:

* = These duergar do not join the fight until it gets close to them. If this does not happen before the fight ends (either by winning or escaping), then these characters disappear. PhilomeenPhilomeen also disappears, but SkickpitSkickpit and the Deep Rothé stay.

Encounter details edit

If the party completes Blind the AbsoluteBlind the Absolute then many duergar will choose to ally with them against Nere, significantly reducing the difficulty of the fight.

Several enemies have spells which can control the minds of party members. Nere uses Wicked CoercionWicked Coercion, and both Mind Master DunnolMind Master Dunnol and Mind Master FonmaraMind Master Fonmara use Mind MasteryMind Mastery, forcing the party to waste actions fighting each other.

This battle also occurs next to LavaLava which will quickly meltmelt anyone who falls into it. Many enemies have ways of pushing party backwards into the lava, such as ShoveShove, Thrinn's ThunderwaveThunderwave, or Nere's Shatter VisageShatter Visage on Honour mode. Nere has an abnormally high AthleticsAthletics bonus of +9 and the MuscularMuscular passive, making it very difficult to shove him (DC 24), though he does not actually possess the Shove ability himself.

Caution: the gnomes may move into area of effect spells like Hunger of HadarHunger of Hadar and, as they are not in combat, take damage in real time, potentially preventing the caster from ending ConcentrationConcentration before they die.

Tactics edit

It is most important to take out enemies that can mind control party members first.

It is advisable to keep away from the lava as well, as it will almost certainly kill anyone who falls inside. However, this can be used to the party's advantage by knocking enemies in, using actions such as ShoveShove, Pushing Attack (Melee)Pushing Attack (Melee), Flurry of Blows: PushFlurry of Blows: Push, ThunderwaveThunderwave, or Arrow of Roaring Thunder.

Proximity to a Sussur Bloom greatly reduces the amount of magic used, thanks to its Sussur Flower Antimagic Field. This is particularly effective against Nere since his spells are far more dangerous than his physical attacks. Failing that, he can be attacked with a Sussur Greatsword, Sickle, or Dagger to SilenceSilence him.

In Honour mode, Nere's legendary action, whilst stating it triggers when attacked, instead triggers on many offensive actions which do not require an attack roll. Even spells which do no damage and require no save, such as Create WaterCreate Water, will trigger it. SilencingSilencing him does not impact his ability to trigger this action; IncapacitatingIncapacitating him prevents him from using it.

Also, while Psionic VisagesPsionic Visages are active, the DetonationsDetonations triggered by attacking Nere are centered on the character who triggered the DetonationDetonation, rather than Nere.

Loot edit

It is possible to get both Gift from the Absolute and Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen by first completing Free True Soul NereFree True Soul Nere then killing Nere later.

Related literature edit

Related quests edit

Speak with Dead edit

Nere can be spoken to with Speak with DeadSpeak with Dead.

  • Who are you?
    • Nere
      True Soul... Nere...
  • How did you get trapped?
    • Nere
      Corridor... triggered old trap... cave-in...
  • What were you doing here?
    • Nere
      Find... path to temple... orders of GeneralGeneral...
      • What about this temple is so important?
      • Tell me more about this General.
        • Nere
          Absolute's Chosen... Moonrise Towers...
  • Where did you come from?
    • Nere
      Moonrise... Towers...
      • How can I get to Moonrise Towers?
        • Nere
          MintharaMinthara in goblin camp... safe passage... Moonlantern... drider...
  • Did you come here with the duergar?
    • Nere
      Mercenaries... Absolute unites...

Bugs edit

Gallery edit

External links edit