How do I get the Amulet of Greater Health in Baldur's Gate 3?

The Amulet of Greater Health is one of the most powerful items in Baldur's Gate 3, offering a significant boost to your character's Constitution score. This amulet sets your Constitution to 23, which not only increases your hit points but also improves your saving throws and other Constitution-based abilities. Obtaining this item requires careful planning, exploration, and sometimes combat, as it is tied to a specific quest and location in the game.

To get the Amulet of Greater Health, you need to complete the quest related to the House of Hope, a hidden location in the game. This quest becomes available in Act 3, and it involves dealing with the devil Raphael. The House of Hope is a pocket dimension that serves as Raphael's personal domain, and it is filled with traps, puzzles, and powerful enemies. The amulet is located in the boudoir of Haarlep, a cambion who serves Raphael. To reach this area, you must first gain access to the House of Hope, which requires obtaining the Orphic Hammer or finding another way to enter.

The first step is to locate the Devil's Fee, a shop in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate. The shop is run by Helsik, a tiefling who has connections to the infernal planes. Helsik can provide you with the means to enter the House of Hope, but she will not do so for free. You will need to either pay her a significant amount of gold or complete a task for her. If you choose to pay, the cost is 20,000 gold, which is a steep price but can be worth it for the rewards. Alternatively, you can persuade or intimidate her into lowering the price or even giving you the information for free, depending on your character's skills and abilities.

Once you have the means to enter the House of Hope, you will need to prepare for the challenges ahead. The House of Hope is filled with traps, puzzles, and powerful enemies, so it is important to bring a well-balanced party with strong combat and utility abilities. Characters with high Perception and Investigation skills will be useful for detecting and disarming traps, while those with high Charisma and Persuasion can help you navigate social encounters. It is also a good idea to bring characters with strong healing and support abilities, as the enemies in the House of Hope can deal significant damage.

When you enter the House of Hope, you will need to navigate through several areas, including the boudoir where the Amulet of Greater Health is located. The boudoir is guarded by Haarlep, who will try to seduce or intimidate you. You can choose to engage in combat with Haarlep, but this can be a difficult fight, as Haarlep is a powerful cambion with strong melee and spellcasting abilities. Alternatively, you can try to negotiate with Haarlep, using your Charisma and Persuasion skills to avoid combat. If you succeed, Haarlep will allow you to take the amulet without a fight.

Once you have the Amulet of Greater Health, you can equip it to any character in your party. The amulet sets your Constitution to 23, which provides a significant boost to your hit points and Constitution-based abilities. This makes it an excellent choice for characters who rely on their Constitution for survivability, such as front-line fighters, tanks, and spellcasters who need to maintain concentration on their spells. The amulet also provides a bonus to Constitution saving throws, which can be useful for resisting effects like poison, disease, and other debilitating conditions.

There are a few important tips and considerations to keep in mind when pursuing the Amulet of Greater Health. First, make sure to save your game before entering the House of Hope, as the challenges inside can be difficult and you may need to reload if things go wrong. Second, consider bringing characters with high Charisma and Persuasion skills, as these can help you avoid combat and navigate social encounters more easily. Third, be prepared for a tough fight if you choose to engage Haarlep in combat, as she is a powerful enemy with strong abilities.

Common mistakes to avoid include underestimating the challenges of the House of Hope, failing to prepare your party adequately, and not saving your game before entering. The House of Hope is a dangerous place, and it is easy to get overwhelmed if you are not prepared. Make sure to bring a well-balanced party with strong combat and utility abilities, and be ready to adapt to the challenges you face.

Advanced techniques and optimizations include using stealth and invisibility to avoid combat, using spells like Dispel Magic and Counterspell to counter Haarlep's abilities, and using items like Potions of Speed and Scrolls of Protection to give your party an edge in combat. You can also use environmental hazards to your advantage, such as pushing enemies into traps or using area-of-effect spells to deal damage to multiple enemies at once.

In terms of related D&D rules and mechanics, the Amulet of Greater Health is based on the D&D 5E item of the same name. In D&D 5E, the amulet sets your Constitution score to 19, but in Baldur's Gate 3, it sets your Constitution to 23, making it even more powerful. This change reflects the increased difficulty and power level of the game, as well as the need for powerful items to help players overcome the challenges they face.

Specific examples and scenarios include using the Amulet of Greater Health on a Barbarian to increase their hit points and survivability, or on a Sorcerer to improve their Constitution saving throws and concentration checks. The amulet can also be used on a Cleric or Paladin to increase their hit points and make them more durable in combat. Overall, the Amulet of Greater Health is a powerful and versatile item that can significantly enhance your character's effectiveness in combat and other challenges.