What are the consequences of letting the hag live and take Mayrina's child in Baldur's Gate 3?
In Baldur's Gate 3, the encounter with Auntie Ethel, the hag, and her involvement with Mayrina's child presents a morally complex decision with significant consequences. Letting the hag live and allowing her to take Mayrina's child is one of the possible outcomes of this questline, and it has lasting effects on the story, characters, and your party's moral alignment. HereÔÇÖs a detailed breakdown of the mechanics, strategies, and consequences involved in this choice.
The quest begins when you encounter Mayrina in the Sunlit Wetlands, who is desperate to save her unborn child. She believes Auntie Ethel can help her, but as you progress, you discover that Ethel is a hag who plans to take the child as part of a dark bargain. The confrontation with Ethel takes place in her lair, a twisted and dangerous area filled with traps, illusions, and enemies. During the fight, Ethel will eventually offer a deal: she will spare Mayrina and the child if you let her live and leave with the child. This is the key moment where you must decide whether to accept her offer or continue fighting to kill her and save the child.
To achieve the outcome where the hag lives and takes the child, you must first weaken Ethel enough during combat for her to propose the deal. This typically happens when her health drops below a certain threshold, usually around 20-30%. At this point, she will stop fighting and offer her terms. You must then choose the dialogue option to accept her deal, which involves letting her leave with the child in exchange for sparing Mayrina and ending the fight. ItÔÇÖs important to note that this choice locks you into a specific narrative path, as killing Ethel would lead to a different set of consequences.
One important tip is to ensure your party is well-prepared for the fight. Ethel is a formidable opponent with powerful spells and abilities, such as her ability to create illusory duplicates of herself. To make the fight easier, focus on dispelling her illusions quickly by using area-of-effect spells or abilities that reveal hidden enemies. Additionally, positioning your party strategically can help you avoid her traps and environmental hazards in the lair. If youÔÇÖre struggling with the combat, consider using crowd control spells like Hold Person or Silence to limit her effectiveness.
A common mistake players make is underestimating EthelÔÇÖs strength and not being prepared for her tricks. Her lair is filled with traps and environmental hazards, such as explosive mushrooms and poisonous gas, which can quickly turn the tide of battle against you. Make sure to scout the area carefully and disarm traps before engaging in combat. Another mistake is failing to weaken Ethel enough to trigger her deal. If you deal too much damage too quickly, you might accidentally kill her before she offers the bargain, locking you out of this specific outcome.
From a roleplaying perspective, letting the hag live and take the child is a morally ambiguous choice. While it spares MayrinaÔÇÖs life, it condemns the child to a dark fate, as hags are known for their malevolent intentions. This choice can affect your relationships with your companions, particularly those who value justice and morality, such as Wyll or Karlach. They may disapprove of your decision, while others, like Astarion, might see it as a pragmatic move. The long-term consequences of this choice are not fully revealed until later in the game, but itÔÇÖs implied that the child will grow up under the hagÔÇÖs influence, potentially becoming a threat in the future.
In terms of D&D mechanics, hags are powerful fey creatures with innate magical abilities and a penchant for making deals. Their bargains often come with hidden costs, and their promises are rarely trustworthy. This aligns with the lore of hags in Dungeons & Dragons, where they are known for their cunning and cruelty. By letting Ethel live, you are essentially allowing a dangerous entity to continue her schemes, which could have broader implications for the world of BaldurÔÇÖs Gate.
In conclusion, letting the hag live and take MayrinaÔÇÖs child is a choice that reflects the complex moral dilemmas present in BaldurÔÇÖs Gate 3. It requires careful preparation for the combat encounter, strategic decision-making during the fight, and an understanding of the narrative and roleplaying consequences. While it may seem like a pragmatic solution in the moment, it carries significant weight in the story and can shape your partyÔÇÖs journey in unexpected ways.
The quest begins when you encounter Mayrina in the Sunlit Wetlands, who is desperate to save her unborn child. She believes Auntie Ethel can help her, but as you progress, you discover that Ethel is a hag who plans to take the child as part of a dark bargain. The confrontation with Ethel takes place in her lair, a twisted and dangerous area filled with traps, illusions, and enemies. During the fight, Ethel will eventually offer a deal: she will spare Mayrina and the child if you let her live and leave with the child. This is the key moment where you must decide whether to accept her offer or continue fighting to kill her and save the child.
To achieve the outcome where the hag lives and takes the child, you must first weaken Ethel enough during combat for her to propose the deal. This typically happens when her health drops below a certain threshold, usually around 20-30%. At this point, she will stop fighting and offer her terms. You must then choose the dialogue option to accept her deal, which involves letting her leave with the child in exchange for sparing Mayrina and ending the fight. ItÔÇÖs important to note that this choice locks you into a specific narrative path, as killing Ethel would lead to a different set of consequences.
One important tip is to ensure your party is well-prepared for the fight. Ethel is a formidable opponent with powerful spells and abilities, such as her ability to create illusory duplicates of herself. To make the fight easier, focus on dispelling her illusions quickly by using area-of-effect spells or abilities that reveal hidden enemies. Additionally, positioning your party strategically can help you avoid her traps and environmental hazards in the lair. If youÔÇÖre struggling with the combat, consider using crowd control spells like Hold Person or Silence to limit her effectiveness.
A common mistake players make is underestimating EthelÔÇÖs strength and not being prepared for her tricks. Her lair is filled with traps and environmental hazards, such as explosive mushrooms and poisonous gas, which can quickly turn the tide of battle against you. Make sure to scout the area carefully and disarm traps before engaging in combat. Another mistake is failing to weaken Ethel enough to trigger her deal. If you deal too much damage too quickly, you might accidentally kill her before she offers the bargain, locking you out of this specific outcome.
From a roleplaying perspective, letting the hag live and take the child is a morally ambiguous choice. While it spares MayrinaÔÇÖs life, it condemns the child to a dark fate, as hags are known for their malevolent intentions. This choice can affect your relationships with your companions, particularly those who value justice and morality, such as Wyll or Karlach. They may disapprove of your decision, while others, like Astarion, might see it as a pragmatic move. The long-term consequences of this choice are not fully revealed until later in the game, but itÔÇÖs implied that the child will grow up under the hagÔÇÖs influence, potentially becoming a threat in the future.
In terms of D&D mechanics, hags are powerful fey creatures with innate magical abilities and a penchant for making deals. Their bargains often come with hidden costs, and their promises are rarely trustworthy. This aligns with the lore of hags in Dungeons & Dragons, where they are known for their cunning and cruelty. By letting Ethel live, you are essentially allowing a dangerous entity to continue her schemes, which could have broader implications for the world of BaldurÔÇÖs Gate.
In conclusion, letting the hag live and take MayrinaÔÇÖs child is a choice that reflects the complex moral dilemmas present in BaldurÔÇÖs Gate 3. It requires careful preparation for the combat encounter, strategic decision-making during the fight, and an understanding of the narrative and roleplaying consequences. While it may seem like a pragmatic solution in the moment, it carries significant weight in the story and can shape your partyÔÇÖs journey in unexpected ways.