Baldur’s Gate 3 tells a story made up of three Acts, and the first has the most to see and do as a way of immersing players and training adventurers. By the time they’ve explored every nook and cranny of the Wilderness, they’re well-prepared for the dangers of the Underdark, the temptations of the Absolute, and the political peril of the big city.
As soon as players free themselves from the nautiloid and venture forth into the great expansive lands of Act 1, they’ll uncover some hidden secrets that will set them on a path to power, mystery, or even hilarity. It’s possible to move on to Act 2 without discovering any of these secrets, but for those players who are completionists or want the full story with all the backstory and details, it’s worth the trouble.
Every Background In Baldur’s Gate 3, Ranked
Choosing a background in Baldur’s Gate 3 is just as important as race or class. Here are some of the best options players can choose.
Updated February 19, 2026, by Anastasia Maillot: Baldur’s Gate 3 may not be getting the DLC that fans dreamed of, with Larian Studios moving on to greener pastures now that the next Divinity game has been revealed. In the meantime, jumping into BG3 either for the first time or for another fun run is completely valid, given how many secrets each of its three Acts holds. I’ve added two more easily missed details that you’ll want to visit during your next playthrough.
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
17
The Chest Of Mundane Items
It’s Actually Anything But Mundane
- Main floor of the Arcane Tower, at X-35 and Y: -265
In the Underdark, you’ll eventually find your way to the Arcane Tower, guarded by machinery. This place has a lot of great loot, and you can even find a pretty unique boss encounter up top if you’re looking for a challenge or a special weapon. Head to the main floor of the Tower after disabling the defenses, and move to one of the balconies that has a pretty normal-looking chest.
If you open it, you’ll see boring loot inside, but if you transfer those items into your inventory, it turns out they were anything but normal. This is why it pays off to be a loot goblin that just grabs everything without discrimination! Oh, and while you’re at it, don’t forget to destroy the little inconspicuous stool at the top floor of the tower for one of the best melee weapons in the game: the 
Club Of Hill Giant Strength.
16
Sparing Minthara’s Life
You Can Just Knock Her Unconscious
- Unlock one of the rarest companions in the game by using a non-lethal attack as the final blow.
If you haven’t yet had Minthara as your companion and you’re starting up another playthrough (or even your first one), be sure to do this the next time you enter the Goblin Camp. This method is specifically for people who don’t want to turn against the Druid Grove by marching in with her. Start the fight as usual, and damage her until she only has a bit of health left. Then, just hit her with a non-lethal attack, and the fight will end with her knocked out. You can even loot her for all her stuff while she’s in this state. Also, the quest updates and considers you’ve taken care of the Goblin Camp leaders, even if she’s still technically alive.
The next time you see her will be in Moonrise Towers, in front of Ketheric. She’ll be condemned to the dungeons, and you can rescue her from there by entering the lower levels, and the first door on your left. Take her through the outside part of Moonrise Towers while invisible to avoid aggroing the guards, and once you make it to the east of the tower (looking at the map), you can hop over to safety and tell her to go back to your camp. Congratulations, she’s now part of your gang!
15
Freeing Us
Found In The Nautiloid’s Second Room
- Appears again in the Mind Flayer colony at the end of Act 2.
When players begin their journey, they will need to escape the Nautiloid. However, there are a few goodies here that players should be aware of before they begin their adventure. Firstly, there is Us, the living brain trapped inside the head of an elf named Myranth, inside the second room that players enter upon waking up on the Nautiloid.
While players can indeed mutilate the brain and lobotomize Us, it’s not a good idea. Players should free Us from their entrapment and allow the NPC to become a temporary companion. While players will lose this strange companion after leaving the Nautiloid, the brain does make an important appearance later, so it’s an early investment.
14
Lihala’s Lute
Pass Alfira’s Skill Checks at the Cliff in Emerald Grove
- This item might not be attainable for Dark Urge characters.
Alfira is a lovely tiefling who joins the band of refugees. She can be located at the Emerald Grove overlooking the cliff as she attempts to compose a song. Players who interact with her can aid her troubles, and pass a few Performance checks to successfully play the lute she provides them with.
Baldur’s Gate 3: All Bard Subclasses, Ranked
Bard players in Baldur’s Gate 3 get the choice between College of Valour, Lore, and Swords during subclass selection.
To players who are successful in both of those skill checks, she will reward them with Lihala’s Lute, which may not serve much purpose to players who are not the Bard class, but it’s still a nice gift, especially since it allows players to play any instrument they find from then on. For those who are playing the Dark Urge, Alfira comes to a tragic end unless the protagonist knocks her out, and another Bard shows up at the campsite to take her place.
13
Lump The Enlightened’s Horn
Convince Lump to Become Allies in the Blighted Village
- Easier for a character with a lot of money or high Charisma.
Allying oneself with an ogre isn’t usually the best idea, but there’s something oddly intellectual about Lump when players interact with him at the Blighted Village. Lump is rather intelligent for an ogre, and players can convince him and his friends to join up if they pass a Deception Skill Check.
Convincing Lump to join isn’t too hard, so long as players have decent luck with Deception, Persuasion, or even just 500 Gold. Lump gifts the Lump’s War Horn item that can be blown to summon these three in any combat situation in Act One. It can be a lifesaver, but players have to convince Lump to stick around for another fight. Failing that, they can let Lump go or kill him for the Warped Headband of Intellect.
12
Brand of the Absolute
Speak to Gut in the Shattered Sanctum
- Getting this brand gains disapproval from some Companions.
When players are tasked with venturing to the Shattered Sanctum, most will simply follow their instructions to kill the three leaders within and free Halsin. Yet, if players are more tactical about it, they can speak to Gut, who is offering the irreversible and unseen Brand of the Absolute. This brand synergizes with certain items and NPCs and can offer permanent bonuses later in the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Get The Mark Of The Absolute?
Getting branded or not in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a permanent one-time decision that will have an impact on the rest of the game.
With the Brand of the Absolute, players can see further functionality of the Absolute’s set of weapons and armor, as well as specific dialogue with other members of the Absolute. It might earn the disapproval of some companions, but it could be worth it to be a double agent.
11
The Shadow Druids
Locate A Letter In The Putrid Bog
- Find Kagha’s dark secret in the swamp.
Upon entering the Grove, players might immediately suspect that Kagha isn’t exactly a nice person, since she was all too willing to murder a child for something so minuscule. Upon further investigation, players can locate a letter addressed to her within the Emerald Grove and begin the Investigate Kagha quest, which sees them travel to the Putrid Bog in search of a note that reveals dark secrets.
This note indicates the interference of the Shadow Druids, manipulative cultists who want to initiate the Rite of Thorns. If players fail to find the original letter addressed to Kagha, or deal with Kagha thanks to Halsin, then the Shadow Druids will never be exposed, and players will miss out on an important story thread that might make them think twice about judging Kagha.
10
Orpheus, Prince of the Comet, Part One: Betrayal
Found On The Fourth Floor Of The Arcane Tower In The Underdark
- Easy to miss but important for Githyanki lore.
Whilst it might not be the most powerful secret hidden in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s still vitally important if players are to further uncover the truth of the Githyanki people and to help Lae’zel see that there is more to the universe than war and combat. Uncovering this chapter of Orpheus, Prince of the Comet, players can decipher it through Lae’zel, who will begin to question her queen early on.
Baldur’s Gate 3: All Romances, Ranked
Every romance option in Baldur’s Gate 3 offers unique stories and companion quests that can further the journey and emotional growth of the game.
There are a few chapters, but players can find the first in the Arcane Tower, a rather tricky area to traverse due to the puzzle elements involved, and the death that is assured by the turrets that defend the secrets within.
9
Loviatar’s Love
Complete Abdirak’s Dialogue 3 Times In The Shattered Sanctum
- A buff that gives the bearer a +2 to their attack rolls and Wisdom saves when they have 30% of their hit points or less.
Loviatar’s Love is a permanent buff that can be provided to the player in Act One, and it will allow them to receive a +2 to attacks and saving throws when they are below 30% health. There is only one way to acquire this, and it’s entirely missable if players fail the necessary dice rolls.
Players need to venture to the Shattered Sanctum and discuss Loviatar with Abdirak. If they read the book on the table in front of him, entitled “On Receiving Her Grace,” players get an extra choice of torture device.
Abdirak will hit the player three times, and players must not fail the dialogue options that will see them scream in pain. By completing this section, the buff will be theirs forever, and players can so easily miss it if they fail the dialogue or simply ignore Abdirak due to his strangeness.
8
The Phalar Aluve
Found In A Corner Of The Underdark
- A Rare long sword that gives +1 to Performance and gives the bearer the Phalar Aluve: Melody ability.
This mysterious sword is tucked in a quiet corner of the Underdark. It’s not hard to find the location, which is just to the north of the Selunite Outpost. However, the party can easily walk past this obscure spot or get distracted fighting the nearby minotaurs and never find it.
Baldur’s Gate 3: 10 Best Weapons For Astarion
As a Rogue, Astarion has access to a range of great weapons. These, however, are the best ones Baldur’s Gate 3 players should give him.
The Melody ability gives the 
Phalar Aluve the ability to Sing to buff allies’ mental abilities, like Concentration. It also gives the user Shriek, which gives enemies Disadvantage on their saving throws and extra Thunder damage when the bearer hits them.
Once the party finds the sword, they discover it’s embedded in a rock, and are required to pass a few skill checks to retrieve it. If the character has a high Strength ability score, they can pull it from the rock. A Religion check will reveal that a blood sacrifice will release the sword. Clerics of Eilistrae, the Drow goddess of beauty and freedom, can free the sword without an ability check.
