How do I unlock the secret ending with the githyanki in Baldur's Gate 3?

To unlock the secret ending involving the githyanki in Baldur's Gate 3, you need to carefully navigate the story choices and build a strong relationship with Lae'zel, the githyanki companion. This ending is tied to her personal questline and the broader githyanki narrative, which revolves around the conflict between the githyanki and their lich queen, Vlaakith. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to achieve this ending.

First, you need to understand the mechanics involved. The githyanki secret ending is heavily influenced by your choices in Act 1 and Act 2, particularly in how you handle Lae'zelÔÇÖs loyalty and the githyanki creche storyline. Lae'zel starts the game as a devout follower of Vlaakith, but her faith can be shaken depending on your actions. To unlock the secret ending, you need to guide her toward questioning VlaakithÔÇÖs authority and ultimately rejecting her, which opens up a path to a different resolution for the githyanki conflict.

Step-by-step, hereÔÇÖs how to achieve this. In Act 1, you will encounter the githyanki patrol near the Mountain Pass. This is a critical moment where you must choose how to interact with them. If you want to unlock the secret ending, you should avoid outright hostility and instead try to negotiate or deceive your way through the encounter. This helps maintain Lae'zelÔÇÖs trust and keeps her open to questioning Vlaakith later. After this, you will head to the githyanki creche, which is a major turning point in Lae'zelÔÇÖs story. Inside the creche, you will find the zaithÔÇÖisk, a device that Vlaakith claims can purify you of the tadpole. However, using it is a trap, and it will harm you or Lae'zel. If you allow Lae'zel to use the zaithÔÇÖisk and then convince her that Vlaakith is lying, this will plant the seeds of doubt in her mind. This is crucial for the secret ending.

In Act 2, you will encounter more githyanki and learn more about VlaakithÔÇÖs plans. During this time, you need to continue supporting Lae'zelÔÇÖs growing skepticism. When you reach the Astral Plane and meet Vlaakith, you must choose to defy her. This is a pivotal moment. If you have built up Lae'zelÔÇÖs trust and encouraged her to question Vlaakith, she will side with you against the lich queen. This defiance is key to unlocking the secret ending.

Important tips and considerations include maintaining a high approval rating with Lae'zel throughout the game. This means agreeing with her githyanki beliefs early on, but subtly guiding her toward questioning Vlaakith as the story progresses. You should also avoid actions that alienate her, such as siding against the githyanki or openly criticizing her culture. Additionally, make sure to explore all dialogue options with Lae'zel, as these conversations are where you can influence her worldview.

Common mistakes to avoid include being too aggressive with the githyanki patrol in Act 1, which can lead to combat and make it harder to gain Lae'zelÔÇÖs trust. Another mistake is failing to explore the creche thoroughly, as this is where much of Lae'zelÔÇÖs character development happens. Finally, do not rush through her dialogue options or ignore her personal quest, as these are essential for unlocking the secret ending.

Advanced techniques involve optimizing your character build to handle the challenges of the githyanki storyline. For example, having a high Charisma score can help you persuade Lae'zel and other githyanki during key moments. Additionally, having a strong party composition with good crowd control and damage output will help you survive the tougher encounters, such as the githyanki patrol and the creche.

In terms of D&D rules and mechanics, the githyanki storyline involves several skill checks, particularly Persuasion, Deception, and Insight. These checks are used to influence Lae'zel and navigate the githyanki encounters. Understanding how these skills work in the context of D&D 5E can help you prepare for these moments. For example, Persuasion is used to convince Lae'zel to question Vlaakith, while Deception can help you bluff your way past the githyanki patrol.

Specific examples and scenarios include the zaithÔÇÖisk encounter in the creche. If you fail to convince Lae'zel that Vlaakith is lying, she may remain loyal to the lich queen, locking you out of the secret ending. Another example is the confrontation with Vlaakith in the Astral Plane. If you have not built up Lae'zelÔÇÖs trust and encouraged her to question Vlaakith, she may side with the lich queen, leading to a different outcome.

In summary, unlocking the secret ending with the githyanki requires careful navigation of Lae'zelÔÇÖs personal questline, maintaining her trust, and making specific story choices that lead her to reject Vlaakith. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can achieve this unique ending and explore a different resolution to the githyanki conflict.