Baldur's Gate 3 — Achievement Walkthrough

Story-locked. Complete the tutorial — fight through the Mind Flayer ship, reach the helm, crash on Faerûn. Unmissable.

Long rest at camp using Camp Supplies. 4 across the game. Comes naturally — most players rest 20+ times during a playthrough.

## How to get Detect Thoughts
- Consume tadpoles until the dialogue option appears
- Or play a Warlock/Sorcerer that learns the spell

Use it in any dialogue where the option appears. The skill check is usually Wisdom save. Achievement on first success.

Buried chests are marked by disturbed-earth sprites. Use a shovel (any character can dig) on the spot. 5 cumulative.

Locations: Risen Road farm, Goblin camp, Selûnite outpost, Druid Grove forest, Underdark crypts. Wiki has a comprehensive map.

Each origin background (Soldier, Folk Hero, Outlander, etc.) has hidden 'goals' that pop when you do background-appropriate things. Pick a background, then act in-character. 10 goal completions = achievement.

Most achieved organically; if you're short, pick a goal-rich background like Folk Hero (rescue civilians, etc.).

Fighter's Action Surge gives an extra action. At level 11, Fighters have 3 attacks per action. Action Surge + Extra Attack + bonus action = 5+ attacks per turn.

Also achievable with Haste (extra attack) + Action Surge. Easy on a level 11 Fighter.

Tadpoles drop from various creatures. Consume one via the parasite menu (right-click → use). Achievement on first consumption.

Note: tadpole use has gameplay consequences with companions — some judge you for it.

Story progression. End Act 1 by crossing into Act 2 via the Mountain Pass or the Underdark route. Achievement on Act 2 entry.

After recruiting Astarion, you'll find him about to feed on you at camp. Allow the bite. He becomes a friend instead of an enemy.

If you refuse, he becomes hostile but rejoinable later. Allowing the bite triggers the achievement and unlocks his romance path.

Shove action (bonus action) pushes targets backward. Find a fight with a ledge — push enemies off for fall damage. Goblin Camp's ramparts, the Underdark mushroom forest, and the Druid Grove all have shove opportunities.

Gale has the Netherese Orb in his chest. His questline involves feeding it magical artefacts. Eventually you confront Mystra in Act 3.

Mystra's offer: have Gale detonate the orb to defeat the brain. Refusing keeps him alive. The achievement is about completing his arc, regardless of choice.

Unarmed Strike = no weapon equipped, attack with fists. Take a Monk level for the easiest version, or use Tavern Brawler feat for damage scaling. Kill any enemy with a bare-fist attack.

Zhalk is the Cambion fighting Lae'zel in the prologue. Most players ignore him. To kill him: focus your party's damage on him, use the Mind Flayer's tadpole powers, ignore the imp swarm.

Reward: Everburn Blade (a +1d4 fire greatsword). Sets you up well for Act 1.

Act 3 begins when you cross the Rivington bridge into Baldur's Gate proper. Story-locked.

## The quest
At Rosymorn Monastery (mountain pass), find the Blood of Lathander. Bring it back to the mosaic puzzle. Successfully reflect the sunlight through the mirrors to activate Lathander's blessing. Mace becomes forged.

The mosaic mirror puzzle requires careful angle-rotation — wiki has the exact solution.

Books are everywhere — shelves, desks, NPC inventories, hidden caches. Each unique book read counts once. Wiki has the full count (well over 200 in the game).

Don't sell books before reading. Camp companions' inventories also have books.

Scratch is a dog you can rescue near the Old Mansion in Act 1. Bring him to camp. Use the Throw Ball action while interacting with him. Achievement on first fetch.

Lae'zel's arc revolves around faith in Vlaakith. Mid-game she discovers Vlaakith's lies. Final Act 3 confrontation with Vlaakith herself.

Choose to side with the Githyanki resistance or with Vlaakith. Either choice completes the achievement on resolution.

Astarion's vampire questline. At Cazador's lair, after defeating him, choose to let Astarion ASCEND (drink the blood). Mutually exclusive with the 'free Astarion' path. Major character implications.

In Act 2's Shadow-Cursed Lands, NPCs offer you cursed food. REFUSE every offer. Particularly the Last Light Inn dialogue with the suspicious host. Achievement on consistent refusal.

Camp Supplies for Long Rest is usually food + alcohol mixed. Drop ONLY alcohol items (wine, beer, mead) into the rest pool. If the supply count is enough (40 supplies), you rest on booze alone.

Get arrested by the Flaming Fist in Baldur's Gate (steal openly, attack guards, etc.). You're sent to the Counting House prison. Pick the lock, dig through walls, or fight your way out. Achievement on escape.

Collect alchemical ingredients (plants, fungi, body parts). Open the alchemy menu, craft 3 different potions/elixirs. Easy via the Healing Potion + Elixir of Hill Giant Strength + a poison vial.

Toll Collector miniboss at the Mountain Pass road. She has an ability that throws gold at you, dealing damage. Kill her or interrupt her before she casts it.

Use Counterspell, Silence, or just kill her fast (focus-fire opener). The interrupt is the achievement trigger.

Shadowheart serves Shar (goddess of dark). Her arc reveals her past in Act 2. At the Gauntlet of Shar, she chooses Shar's path or rejects her. Either choice completes the questline.

Achievement on resolution. Multiple endings have different consequences for her companion fate.

Tons of locked doors. Use a Rogue's Sleight of Hand or any character with lockpicks. Achievement on first successful pick.

Versatile weapons (longsword, battleaxe, warhammer, quarterstaff) can be switched between one and two-hand grip. Equip one, two-hand it, attack with it. Achievement on first kill.

Standard 'good' ending — destroy the brain, free the world. Most-played ending. Achievement on final cinematic.

Raphael appears multiple times — Last Light Inn, his House of Hope, etc. He offers contracts. Sign one (carefully read the terms). Wyll's pact with Mizora also counts.

Most signings have devastating consequences. Save before.

Complete the final battle (Netherbrain encounter). Choose any ending — defeat the Brain, control it, or evil-path. All four major endings count toward this single achievement.

## The Surgeon
Optional fight in Mayrina's hut at the Blighted Village. Triggered if you let yourself get caught for surgery.

Kill the Surgeon BEFORE he uses his surgery action (it's a long animation). Use high-damage opener like Magic Missile, Smite, or sneak attack. Win = achievement.

## The puzzle fight
Grym is fought in the Adamantine Forge. Standard combat is brutal — Grym hits like a truck. The intended solution:

1. Lure Grym to the centre platform
2. Activate the magma pour (large lever)
3. Magma falls on Grym for massive damage
4. Repeat 2-3 times

Magma is the trick, not your damage. Use the platform's positioning.

Land the first kill in any combat encounter — initiative-based, so your first attack must finish a target. Trivial on weak early enemies (cranium rats, kobolds).

Withers (skeletal Lord of the Dead NPC) at camp offers to summon hirelings — custom-built party members. Pay 100 gold, customize one. Achievement on recruitment.

Dragons in BG3: the prologue's red dragon (not killable), Ansur the Bronze Dragon in the Wyrmway (Act 3), the brain-dragon in the endgame. Ansur is the most accessible kill.

Pick the most aggressive/insulting dialogue options. NPCs will eventually walk away or attack. Achievement on the first walk-away.

Alternative: insult Astarion enough — he has many rude dialogue trees that count.

Phase Spider Matriarch lair in the Whispering Depths (under Blighted Village). Each large arena room has 3-5 spider eggs visible. Burn or destroy them all BEFORE engaging the Matriarch. Achievement after all eggs cleared.

Mind Blast is unlocked via tadpole consumption. Use it in combat against any enemy as the killing blow. The damage type is psychic, ignoring most armor.

## How to throw an enemy
- Use a Barbarian with Tavern Brawler feat for max throw range
- Or use the Thrown action on a smaller enemy/object
- Throw at another enemy for the kill

Gnomes, halflings, and small enemies are throwable. Achievement when a thrown enemy kills another.

The Emperor offers you (or a companion) the chance to become a half-illithid. Accept it at the Astral Prism encounter. Significant story consequences; companions react strongly. Achievement on transformation.

Attack any non-hostile NPC openly in Baldur's Gate. Achievement on first witnessed murder.

Note: triggers serious reputation damage. Save first if you don't want to actually be hunted.

## The Dark Urge
Custom origin character with built-in compulsions. Periodically, the urge speaks to you, asking for violence.

## To get this achievement
Always YIELD to the urge. Kill the NPCs it tells you to (your bard companion, an ally, etc.). Slowly become Bhaal's chosen.

Polarises companions — many will leave. Worth a dedicated evil playthrough.

Ansur the Bronze Dragon has a flying phase. To knock him down, use abilities like Eldritch Blast (push), Repelling Blast invocation, or Thunderwave timed during his hover. Achievement on the successful knockdown.

Requires precise timing — wait until he's mid-flight, not just mid-cast.

At the final choice, claim the Netherbrain's power instead of destroying it. Triggers the 'You become the new tyrant' ending. Mutually exclusive with the good ending in a single playthrough.

Tactician boosts enemy HP, AC, damage, AI cleverness. Most encounters become genuinely challenging.

Strategy: focus-fire damage builds (Sorlock Eldritch Blast, GWM Paladin), heavy use of consumables, save-scumming is fair.

## Companions to keep alive
Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae'zel, Wyll, Karlach, plus Halsin and Minsc (Act 3 additions).

## Common death traps
- Wyll — keeping him alive requires careful Mizora quest navigation
- Karlach — engine instability quest must be solved
- Gale — Mystra's quest must be addressed properly
- Lae'zel — Vlaakith confrontation has lethal stakes

Reload from save before any companion-killing moment.

## Romance basics
- Build companion approval through dialogue
- Long rest at camp when approval is high
- The companion will initiate a tent visit

## Easiest romance
Karlach has the most-direct flirt options. Halsin is also accommodating for any race/gender. Astarion is the most-complex (especially Dark Urge route).

Gortash's throne room has multiple traps (firebombs, lightning, false floors). Detect them with Perception. Disarm with Sleight of Hand or step around them.

Then fight Gortash without trap explosions. Use Misty Step / Flight to bypass floor traps. Hardest part is the cinematic introduction; pause and scout before combat starts.

Karlach (recruitable Tiefling) has an infernal engine that's killing her. Her quest spans Acts 2-3: cool her engine in the river, find Dammon to repair it, ultimately face Zariel for the final solution.

Follow each step; missing any breaks the chain. Save before key dialogue.

Play as the Dark Urge origin character. Specific Act 3 confrontation with Bhaal. Completing the Bhaal questline (either embracing or resisting) triggers this. Origin-locked — won't appear if you're not Dark Urge.

## The full list
Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.

## Strategy
Use Withers' respec service. Take 1 level in each class across your character's level-up cycle. You'll have to respec at level 12 and rebuild.

Most-overlooked: ensure stat prerequisites are met (some classes need 13 in primary stat — e.g., Paladin needs 13 STR + 13 CHA).

## Honour mode
- Permadeath: if your whole party dies, the save is over
- One save slot — no quick-load on bad outcomes
- All Tactician modifiers PLUS unique 'Legendary Action' for major bosses
- Legendary Actions = bosses act between your characters' turns

## Strategy
Know the game cold. Use cheese strategies (push enemies off ledges, lure into AoE bottlenecks). Build a focused party — Sorlock + Paladin + Tanky Cleric is meta. Run from impossible fights, don't engage.

Most-respected BG3 achievement. Months of practice or a guided playthrough.

Drink alcohol in your inventory until the Drunk status applies. Then fight. Cumulative 20 kills.

Drunk also gives a Disadvantage on ability checks but doesn't break combat. Tavern Brawler builds enjoy this.

Bards have a Perform action that earns gold from passersby. Use it in busy areas (Baldur's Gate streets, Druid Grove). Cumulative 100 gold from performances.

Non-Bards can also Perform but earn less. Bring a Bard hireling if your main isn't musical.