When playingBaldur’s Gate 3, it’s easy to miss some side quests. The game is so large, it’s difficult to unlock all the options available during your first run. New players will find themselves overwhelmed with choices. Just when you think you’re done with a section of a map, you’ll find another quest.
Even veteran players find new dialogue options and fights after multiple in-depth play-throughs. In the second act, there are new recruitable companions and game-altering decisions you don’t want to miss. This article lists 10 of the best side quests in Act 2.
10Defeat Ketheric Thorm’s Family
As you exploreReithwin, you’ll encounter three twisted, undead Thorms. Malus Thorm is an insane surgeon located in the House of Healing, Gerringothe Thorm is a greedy tollmaster in the Tollhouse, and Thisobald is a grotesque bartender in the Waning Moon.
Each Thorm can be defeated via dialogue checks or combat, and they all possess a crazy amount of hit points, so many players prefer to defeat them without a fight. These encounters provide more insight into the history of the Thorm family and have interesting dialogue options.
9Decide Minthara’s Fate
Minthara is a recruitable character in Act 2. The Drow Paladin stars off a leader of the Goblin Army, but after defeat in Act 1, she can be found in Moonrise Towers as long as she is knocked unconscious rather than killed in combat.
After convincing her superiors to spare her life, you can find her in jail and make some choices that ultimately lead to her deciding to join you at Camp. She’s one of the more morally complex companions available, making her a unique addition to your party.
Minthara will be at Moonrise Towers in Act 2if she is knocked out in Act 1.
8Find Arabella’s Parents
During Act 1, players meet a young tiefling named Arabella and have the option to save her life; if you do so, you’ll encounter her again in Act 2. This time, she’s been separated from her parents on her way to find the Last Light Inn.
After finding her in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, you trigger the quest to locate her parents, and you can have her wait at camp while you look. Completing this quest gives you a new spell ability that you will find useful.
7Save Zariel’s Asset
In Act 2, you encounter Wyll’s fiendish patron, Mizora, when she pops up at camp and tasks him with rescuing an important asset for Zariel. This side quest is the next step to furthering Wyll’s storyline and is conveniently located in the Mind Flayer Colony you need to visit anyway.
When you find the imprisoned asset, you have a few choices for how to handle it. These choices are directly related to the fate of The Blade of the Frontiers, so choose wisely.
This quest areacannot be accessed until after Ketheric Thorm is defeatedat Moonrise Towers.
6Meet and Recruit Jaheira
Jaheira is another recruitable character you’ll encounter in Act 2. This veteran Harper is located at The Last Light Inn, one of the few safe havens in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and she has a massive network of allies, as well as a plethora of enemies, and is suspicious when she first meets you.
As she’s a bit standoffish, it can take a while to get on her good side. She’s a powerful druid and a great addition to any party, as long as she survives long enough for you to recruit.
5Rescue the Teiflings and Wulbren
If you side with the tieflings in Act 1, you’ll have the opportunity to rescue them in Act 2. While they made it out of the druid grove, they encountered trouble in the Shadow-Cursed Lands and found themselves ambushed and imprisoned by the Absolute cultists.
A group of gnomes is imprisoned in the same dungeon, including Wulbren Bongle; you can save all the prisoners without alerting the guards, or you can choose the violent approach if you prefer. You can interact with the ones you rescued later, for added character immersion.
If the Tieflings were killed in Act 1, youcannotaccess this quest.
4Punish the Wicked
This Act 2 side quest is often missed during the first playthrough; start it by speaking with He Who Was, a necromantic elf, located east of Last Light Inn. He is talking to a corpse when you approach.
If you choose not to fight him, you have the option to help him find a ledger belonging to the dead body he is attempting to punish. This side quest is worth checking out if you prefer the darker elements of Baldur’s Gate 3.
3Kill Raphael’s Old Enemy
Before entering Shadowfell, Raphael approaches your party and asks you to kill one of his enemies. If you do this for him, he’ll help decipher the scars on Astarion’s back.
There are many ways you can deal with this devilish enemy when you find him near the Point of No Return. Whether you fight him or find a way to set him free, this quest provides further insight into Raphael’s background and impacts Astarion’s storyline.
This will begin a quest to read the scars on Astarion’s back as long asAstarion is in your party when you speak with Raphael. Otherwise, the deal isn’t initiated.
2Find the Nightsong
Find the Nightsong is one of the larger side quests in Baldur’s Gate 3. While it starts in Act 1, depending on your actions, it can go through Act 3, and during the second act, the Nightsong is heavily tied to Shadowheart’s side quest.
The Gauntlet of Sharis required to find this valuable asset to Ketheric Thorm, and once it’s located, Shadowheart has multiple choices on how to decide the fate of the Nightsong. The decision made here will determine her storyline for the rest of the game, so choose carefully.
Entering the Shadowfell isa Point of No Return,so make sure you’ve completed other quest lines before finding the Nightsong.
1Lift the Shadow Curse
Halsinis a lovable, giant druid most players want in their party; to recruit him, you have to complete the Shadow Curse quest. After speaking to Art Cullagh at Last Light Inn, seek out Halsin, and he’ll tell you about his childhood friend, Thaniel, who is key to lifting the curse.
This quest requires you to dive deep into the Shadow-Cursed Lands, encountering shadowy spirits and playing a complicated game of hide and seek. It’s easy to miss and leave the land in ruins, so make sure you complete it or risk losing Halsin.
