How do I unlock the secret ending with the hag in Baldur's Gate 3?
To unlock the secret ending with the hag in Baldur's Gate 3, you need to navigate a complex series of interactions and choices during the quest involving Auntie Ethel, the hag who resides in the Sunlit Wetlands. This quest is one of the more intricate and morally ambiguous storylines in the game, and achieving the secret ending requires careful planning and specific actions. Here is a detailed guide on how to achieve this outcome.
First, you need to encounter Auntie Ethel in the Druid Grove. She appears as a harmless old woman selling potions, but if you investigate further, you will discover her true nature as a hag. To progress her storyline, you must follow her to her lair in the Sunlit Wetlands. This area is filled with dangerous creatures and environmental hazards, so make sure your party is well-prepared with healing items and spells.
Once you reach the Sunlit Wetlands, you will need to navigate through the swamp to find the entrance to her lair. Be cautious of the redcaps and other hostile creatures in the area. When you find the entrance, you will need to solve a puzzle involving a locked door and a series of levers. The solution involves pulling the levers in a specific order, which can be deduced by examining the environment and paying attention to visual clues.
Inside the lair, you will encounter Auntie Ethel and her captive, Mayrina. The hag will offer you a deal: she will give you a powerful reward in exchange for leaving Mayrina in her clutches. This is where the secret ending comes into play. To achieve it, you must refuse her offer and engage her in combat. However, this is not a straightforward fight. Auntie Ethel is a powerful foe with a variety of tricks up her sleeve, including the ability to create illusory duplicates of herself and teleport around the battlefield.
During the fight, it is crucial to focus on the real Auntie Ethel and avoid wasting attacks on her illusions. Use area-of-effect spells and abilities to damage multiple targets at once, increasing your chances of hitting the real hag. Additionally, be prepared for her to use powerful spells like Hold Person and Polymorph, which can incapacitate your party members. Having characters with high Wisdom saves or abilities like Counterspell can be very helpful in mitigating these effects.
As the fight progresses, Auntie Ethel will eventually retreat deeper into her lair, leading you to a final confrontation. Here, she will attempt to bargain with you again, offering to spare Mayrina in exchange for your compliance. To achieve the secret ending, you must refuse her offer once more and continue the fight. This will force her to reveal her true form, a monstrous hag with even greater powers.
At this point, the battle becomes even more challenging. Auntie Ethel will summon additional minions and use more powerful spells. Focus on taking down her minions first to reduce the number of threats on the battlefield, then concentrate your attacks on the hag herself. Use crowd control abilities to limit her movement and prevent her from escaping or summoning more allies.
Once you defeat Auntie Ethel, you will have the opportunity to free Mayrina and decide her fate. The secret ending involves convincing Mayrina to leave the lair and return to her normal life, rather than seeking revenge or falling into despair. This requires successful persuasion checks and careful dialogue choices. If you succeed, Mayrina will thank you and leave, and you will gain a unique reward from the hag's lair, such as a powerful magical item or a significant amount of gold.
There are several important tips and considerations to keep in mind while pursuing this secret ending. First, make sure your party is well-equipped and leveled before attempting this quest. Auntie Ethel is a formidable opponent, and having a balanced party with strong melee fighters, ranged attackers, and spellcasters is essential. Additionally, stock up on healing potions and scrolls, as the fight can be long and grueling.
Common mistakes to avoid include falling for Auntie Ethel's illusions and wasting attacks on her duplicates. Pay close attention to her movements and use abilities like Detect Magic or True Seeing to identify the real hag. Another mistake is failing to protect Mayrina during the fight. If she dies, you will not be able to achieve the secret ending, so make sure to keep her safe and use healing spells or abilities if necessary.
Advanced techniques for optimizing this quest include using stealth and ambush tactics to gain the upper hand in combat. Positioning your party strategically before initiating the fight can give you a significant advantage. Additionally, using environmental hazards to your benefit, such as pushing enemies into traps or using the terrain to block their movements, can make the fight easier.
In terms of D&D rules and mechanics, this quest involves several key elements, including illusion magic, teleportation, and polymorph effects. Understanding how these mechanics work in the context of the game can help you better prepare for the fight. For example, knowing that illusions can be dispelled with certain spells or abilities can save you from wasting attacks on fake targets.
Specific examples and scenarios include using a character with high Perception to spot the real Auntie Ethel among her illusions, or using a spell like Faerie Fire to reveal her true form. Another scenario involves using a character with high Charisma to persuade Mayrina to leave the lair peacefully, ensuring the secret ending is achieved.
In conclusion, unlocking the secret ending with the hag in Baldur's Gate 3 requires careful planning, strategic combat, and thoughtful dialogue choices. By following the steps outlined above and keeping the tips and considerations in mind, you can successfully navigate this challenging quest and achieve the desired outcome.
First, you need to encounter Auntie Ethel in the Druid Grove. She appears as a harmless old woman selling potions, but if you investigate further, you will discover her true nature as a hag. To progress her storyline, you must follow her to her lair in the Sunlit Wetlands. This area is filled with dangerous creatures and environmental hazards, so make sure your party is well-prepared with healing items and spells.
Once you reach the Sunlit Wetlands, you will need to navigate through the swamp to find the entrance to her lair. Be cautious of the redcaps and other hostile creatures in the area. When you find the entrance, you will need to solve a puzzle involving a locked door and a series of levers. The solution involves pulling the levers in a specific order, which can be deduced by examining the environment and paying attention to visual clues.
Inside the lair, you will encounter Auntie Ethel and her captive, Mayrina. The hag will offer you a deal: she will give you a powerful reward in exchange for leaving Mayrina in her clutches. This is where the secret ending comes into play. To achieve it, you must refuse her offer and engage her in combat. However, this is not a straightforward fight. Auntie Ethel is a powerful foe with a variety of tricks up her sleeve, including the ability to create illusory duplicates of herself and teleport around the battlefield.
During the fight, it is crucial to focus on the real Auntie Ethel and avoid wasting attacks on her illusions. Use area-of-effect spells and abilities to damage multiple targets at once, increasing your chances of hitting the real hag. Additionally, be prepared for her to use powerful spells like Hold Person and Polymorph, which can incapacitate your party members. Having characters with high Wisdom saves or abilities like Counterspell can be very helpful in mitigating these effects.
As the fight progresses, Auntie Ethel will eventually retreat deeper into her lair, leading you to a final confrontation. Here, she will attempt to bargain with you again, offering to spare Mayrina in exchange for your compliance. To achieve the secret ending, you must refuse her offer once more and continue the fight. This will force her to reveal her true form, a monstrous hag with even greater powers.
At this point, the battle becomes even more challenging. Auntie Ethel will summon additional minions and use more powerful spells. Focus on taking down her minions first to reduce the number of threats on the battlefield, then concentrate your attacks on the hag herself. Use crowd control abilities to limit her movement and prevent her from escaping or summoning more allies.
Once you defeat Auntie Ethel, you will have the opportunity to free Mayrina and decide her fate. The secret ending involves convincing Mayrina to leave the lair and return to her normal life, rather than seeking revenge or falling into despair. This requires successful persuasion checks and careful dialogue choices. If you succeed, Mayrina will thank you and leave, and you will gain a unique reward from the hag's lair, such as a powerful magical item or a significant amount of gold.
There are several important tips and considerations to keep in mind while pursuing this secret ending. First, make sure your party is well-equipped and leveled before attempting this quest. Auntie Ethel is a formidable opponent, and having a balanced party with strong melee fighters, ranged attackers, and spellcasters is essential. Additionally, stock up on healing potions and scrolls, as the fight can be long and grueling.
Common mistakes to avoid include falling for Auntie Ethel's illusions and wasting attacks on her duplicates. Pay close attention to her movements and use abilities like Detect Magic or True Seeing to identify the real hag. Another mistake is failing to protect Mayrina during the fight. If she dies, you will not be able to achieve the secret ending, so make sure to keep her safe and use healing spells or abilities if necessary.
Advanced techniques for optimizing this quest include using stealth and ambush tactics to gain the upper hand in combat. Positioning your party strategically before initiating the fight can give you a significant advantage. Additionally, using environmental hazards to your benefit, such as pushing enemies into traps or using the terrain to block their movements, can make the fight easier.
In terms of D&D rules and mechanics, this quest involves several key elements, including illusion magic, teleportation, and polymorph effects. Understanding how these mechanics work in the context of the game can help you better prepare for the fight. For example, knowing that illusions can be dispelled with certain spells or abilities can save you from wasting attacks on fake targets.
Specific examples and scenarios include using a character with high Perception to spot the real Auntie Ethel among her illusions, or using a spell like Faerie Fire to reveal her true form. Another scenario involves using a character with high Charisma to persuade Mayrina to leave the lair peacefully, ensuring the secret ending is achieved.
In conclusion, unlocking the secret ending with the hag in Baldur's Gate 3 requires careful planning, strategic combat, and thoughtful dialogue choices. By following the steps outlined above and keeping the tips and considerations in mind, you can successfully navigate this challenging quest and achieve the desired outcome.