Summary
There’s no lack of unique items inBaldur’s Gate 3, artifacts and common bits alike. While some players only care about the stat boosts they get from their new hats, you should totally indulge in reading flavor texts of anything you care to pick up: these small prints often contain jokes, references, and hints at the objects’ true nature.
The Baldur’s Gate 3 team put a lot of effort into adding detail and humor into their game, and you’ll feel much more immersed if you know the history of your items. It’s hard to recount all the bizarre item descriptions in BG3, but here are the best ones.
12Gem Of Restitution
Can Be Won From Akabi At The Circus Of The Last Days
An exceedingly loyal gem that just so happens to return to its owner’s pocket if sold. Very useful… were it not for the fact that it is the circus genie who owns it.
One of Akabi’s notorious treacherous items, the Gem of Restitution, is the jewelry version of the Returning Pike. Considering that it’s worth 55 gold, your brain cogs may immediately start spinning to come up with great profit-making schemes… And that’s why you should always read the descriptions in full. Sadly, the great fortunes the gem promises aren’t yours to make — but Akabi has surely earned a lot with it.
11Shield Of Shielding
Can Be Found In The Basement Of Stormshore Tabernacle
Named in the style of Extremely Unimaginative Jimmy, the geographer and interior decorator who named the ‘waterfall’ and the ‘fireplace’.
While it sounds wacky, the Shield of Shielding’s name makes perfect sense: on top of being your classic +2 AC shield, it grants you the ability to cast Shield, the Reaction spell that allows you to avoid any incoming damage once per Long Rest. For the double protection this artifact offers, it’s worth tolerating the Extremely Unimaginative Jimmy’s dull naming style which also protects you from all creativity.
10Definitely A Broom Of Flying
This magical broom bestows the power of flight to winged beings. Warning: chickens not included.
Another jewel from the circus genie’s collection, Definitely a Broom of Flying, works exactly as advertised. In most scenarios, if you happen to have wings and this powerful artifact, you would be able to fly. But on top of that, it also works incredibly well with the Grant Flight spell, theHalf-Illithid Fly ability, and even with the Dire Raven Wild Shape of Druid characters. All in all, it’s well worth the investment!
9Hat Of Eminent Giggles
Can Be Found In Baldur’s Gate’s Sharran Enclave
‘What do you get when you cross a fiend with a rogue? A thiefling’ - nameless comedian moments before his (perhaps timely) murder.
The Hat of Eminent Giggles is not a magical item but a great-looking piece of garb. It’s hard to tell whether it once belonged to the comedian who supported the awful prejudices toward tieflings or the upset audience member that killed him, but it adds class to your Charlatan character nonetheless. Sadly, the author of the joke is unknown — otherwise, Zevlor might have wanted to pay his grave a visit.
8Comeback Handaxe
This loyal axe always returns to its owner after being thrown. However, it has no eyes and therefore dreadful aim, inevitably returning to its thrower blade-end-first.
Everyone knows that throwing builds are among the strongest ones in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the game only offers so many “loyal” weapons. On top of the Returning Pike and theNyrulnatrident (which can also be gained from Akabi), the Comeback Handaxe is a welcome addition to your collection. It’s a bummer it damages you as much as your enemies, but hey — you have been warned. All casualties are on you.
7Fishing Rod Of Alertness
Can Be Bought From Mattis At Last Light Inn
The wielder of this rod cannot be Surprised, unless something unexpected happens.
The Surprised condition is among the most frustrating in Baldur’s Gate 3: when an enemy gets the jump on you, you miss an entire turn unless you have the Alertfeat. This can well lead lead to your party’s extermination and introduce you to Barbarian’s Rage in real life if you are (or rather were) playing on the Honour Mode difficulty. But Mattis is there for you! With this fishing rod, you’re safe as long you’re, well, safe.
6+1 Breastplate
Wearing this “plus one” garment allows you to bring one additional person to a wedding or any other similar occasion.
Enchantments that improve your chances of surviving combat encounters are outdated. To get with the times, you can — and should — opt for the +1 Breastplate. Instead of giving you an AC bonus as you might have expected, it improves your socialite endeavors by allowing you to bring another person with you even with one invitation. Gortash might not have invited Karlach to his ball, but here she is!
5Cloak Of Protection
Can Be Bought From Quartermaster Talli At Last Light Inn
Wizards Otiluke and Bigby may be renowned as dignified members of the Circle of Eight, but on one occasion, as younger men, Bigby bet Otiluke that he couldn’t suck thirteen litres of vodka out of a protection cloak like this one. Bigby won.
For an Uncommon item, the Cloak of Protection is surprisingly good. It gives you free +1 bonuses to AC andSaving Throwsand looks great, but most importantly, this piece of clothing has an outstanding history. You don’t need to be a spellcaster to understand the importance of Otiluke and Bigby in the wizarding circles, and possessing an item that once gave them a night to remember is truly special.
4Magical Walnut
If planted, this nut will grow into a tree that grants the planter a single wish. However, its a nasty-minded nut, and will only flower into a tree once the planter is dead.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, you meet the level cap at Level 12 — which is rather unfortunate since, before the game’s release, fans were speculating about the return of the iconic Level 9 Wish spell from Baldur’s Gate 3. The Magical Walnut might have somewhat compensated for the lack of this mechanic were it not so insidious in its nature. Imagine planting the magical wish tree only to never see it flower!
3Netherese Briefs
Can Be… Discreetly Borrowed From Gale
Energy crackles around these. Gale wouldn’t… Surely he didn’t enchant his…
The flavor texts of the companions’ underwear are iconic in their own right, each of them perfectly representing their owner’s nature. Gale of Waterdeep, the powerful wizard obsessed with the Weave’s wonders, is known to rely on magic for everything. Despite what the description of his briefs suggests, if anyone would ever enchant their undergarments just because he could, it would totally be Mystra’s ex.
