Endings

Endings

Game Over screens

Epilogue

This page details the possible endings to Baldur's Gate 3. Ending scenes may play out in different ways depending on choices made earlier in the adventure. As some ending outcomes involve multiple characters in the same scene, this page will describe the general events of a scene, as well as specific character resolutions.

Most endings occur at the completion of the quest, Confront the Elder Brain, which takes place during Act Three. However, it is possible to encounter an ending prior to its completion, and even prior to Act Three, depending on the choices made during the game.

It is sometimes possible to encounter a Game Over screen as the result of a conversation option or failed condition during a combat encounter. As these do not have story resolutions, they are listed separately in Game Over screens.

Control the brain

After weakening the Netherbrain, there will be the opportunity to once again use the Netherstones to give the brain a command to either destroy it or dominate it.

“	---together- -conquer-- ---rule---- -COMMAND---	„
	— The Netherbrain

Emperor Ruling

If the Emperor is with the player character, they can try and Persuade it to rule with them. The Emperor will take control and then take its place at a throne atop the Brain, an enthralled party and player character cheering alongside it. Upon arriving back in the city, the Emperor and player character arrive together to a gathered crowd. The player character, no longer able to leave, can try to kill the Emperor, but by now he's too powerful and instead forces the player character to end their own life. Or the player character chooses to remain the Emperor's loyal general, and will be given command of the enthrall legions of the city to begin invading Faerûn and beyond.

“	In my name.	„
	— The Emperor

Rule alone

If the player character chooses to dominate the brain and rule alone, the final scene will show them sitting down on a throne atop the brain, with an enthralled party cheering around them.

“	In my name.	„
	— The player character

The player character will descend to a crowd of citizens who were rounded up by mind flayers. If the player character indulged in the tadpole's power, they could begin the ceremorphosis process. that will transform them into a mind flayer. As a mind flayer, they can feel the pull of the hivemind other illithids to enact the Grand Design. Should the player character choose to do so, or fails a Constitution Check, they will follow the Grand Design, starting with forcing the citizens of Baldur's Gate to become infected with a tadpole and become mind flayers.

Choices all player characters can make

Assuming the player character was able to entirely avoid becoming a mind flayer, or at least, able to resist the desire to enact the Grand Design, there are some options that the player character will always have, regardless if they an Origin character or not.

To war

The player character can use their power to make all the citizens become soldiers for their army. The enthralled citizens gather their weapons and begin marching to war, to conquer other worlds.

Ruling over blissfully ignorant slaves

The player character make the citizens of the city their slaves, sending their minds into a state of ecstasy, seeing only a place of a mindless bliss, while in reality, their bodies are acting through the will of the player character, rebuilding the city, including a statue of the player character.

Execute everyone

The player character can kill everyone. Using the power, they easily collar all living beings, including mind flayers, and executes them all in a swift manner. Once all are dead, the player character then lies amongst the bodies.

Let chaos reign

The player character can use the power to bring discord to the city. Soon, many citizens get the desire to commit aggressive and mindless acts of violence against each other, creating a riot. The player character just wanders through the mayhem, delighting in their work.

Choices to specific Origin characters

Each Origin character has a specific option, flavored to them, which they can make, provided they did not choose to rule with the Emperor, or become a mind flayer.

Astarion - Sun King

As Astarion, he can choose to use the might of the Absolute, making himself ruler of all Baldur's Gate, believing himself to become a benevolent ruler. He first shines brightly, drawing eyes to him in awe. As he reaches out to one of the citizens, darkness soon begins to encircle the crowd, getting tighter, as creatures (possibly vampires) fill the shadows. Astarion, still shining bright, takes hold of a citizen reaching for him and the vampire feeds on him, showing Astarion, while still believing himself to become a good ruler, will continue to indulge in his vampiric hunger.

Gale - No more gods

With such power, even the Orb no longer poses a threat to Gale as he gave its fill by taking the power of the Absolute. As Gale, he can choose to dedicate himself to bringing down all the gods. He first opens a window to the heavens, and then enthralls the citizens to destroy all the idols and other symbols to the gods, denying the gods their followers. While it is a start, Gale plans to end the existence of all the gods in the future.

Lae'zel - god-regent of the githyanki

As Lae'zel, she can choose to usurp the throne which Vlaakith holds. Lae'zel calls forth her fellow githyanki, and sends the mind flayers out to war against Vlaakith. She calls forth a red dragon to ride. She and her forces fly, as she opens portals into Vlaakith's throne room, where they can easily attack without resistance. Lae'zel is then seen flying into one of those portals, ready to fight.

Karlach - Bring them hell

As Karlach, she first berates the citizens for choosing to to allow Gortash to rule, to keep them safe. In rage of feeling rejected by the city, Karlach using the Absolute's power to open portals from Avernus, allowing devils to attack the city. Before it could burn her away, Karlach reaches into her chest, and rips out her Infernal Engine. With the power of the Absolute, the act does not kill her as the engine burns away.

Shadowheart - Neither light nor dark with reign

As Shadowheart, she can choose to bring an end to the faith of both Shar and Selûne. She plans to start her own church, and she has the members of both faiths gathered and enthralls the citizens to kill them. She plans to rid the world of their faiths, while she becomes the new leader of the new flock.

Wyll - the great unifier

As Wyll, he can choose to use the power of the Absolute to rule Baldur's Gate. In his new kingdom, he turns all the citizens into mind flayers, and plans to do so for the rest of the world, so they can be unified as a single society, achieving some form of peace.

Claim in the name of Bhaal

The Dark Urge will have the opportunity to claim the Netherbrain "in the name of Bhaal". If the Emperor is wielding the Netherstones, they will kill it and take control of the brain themself. The following events play out as in Rule alone above.

“	In Bhaal's name.	„
	— The Dark Urge

Following their choice to take rule in Bhaal's name, they can choose to kill their fellow companions, as the first deaths, or give them a running start before the massacre begins. As they land, they begin the slaughter, summoning blades to penetrate citizens of Baldur's Gate and mind flayers. The bloodshed increases, as the Elder Brain enacts the Urge's will, killing more and more people. When the immediate deaths have finished, Bhaal sends the Urge a premonition, of a bloody landscape, filled with bodies of the Urge's future victims, that they will bring death to all the world.

Destroy the brain

After weakening the Netherbrain, the player character can choose to use the Netherstones to command it to destroy its tadpoles and then itself. Afterwards, the crown will break and fall into the river Chionthar. The dying Netherbrain will descend and likewise fall into the river, before exploding with a wave of psionic energy.

• Narrator: *Hopes, nightmares, and the screams of legions upon legions of unborn illithids.*
• (If the player character is not half- or full-illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling. Your tadpole burns in your brain.*
• (If the player character is half-illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling. You can feel your tadpole burning, and the power it granted you starting to wane.*
• (If the player character is illithid)
  • Narrator: *The pain rips through you, obliterating all thought, all feeling.*
• (Dark Urge Origin who resisted Bhaal)
  • Narrator: *Silence. Free of Urge and worm, your brain is battered and bruised, but it is yours. Yours at last.*
• (Dark Urge Origin who accepted Bhaal)
  • Narrator: *Silence. The overbearing quiet of your Father's disappointment before the rush of your tragic fall.*
• (Not Dark Urge Origin)
  • Narrator: *Silence. For the first time in a long time, your thoughts are entirely your own. And then - gravity.*
• (End of dialogue)

On the docks

The player character on a dock in Baldur's Gate, silhouetted by sunset.

After destroying the Netherbrain, the camera will open on the docks where the party have gathered, presumably after swimming to shore following the brain crashing into the water.

Depending on who is present, the following lines may play:

• Wyll makes a short remark to indicate that his powers are now draining, if the player character managed to break his pact with Mizora.
• If the player character sided with the Emperor during the final fight, Lae'zel or Astarion have been observed to remark about this and express their thanks. The player character will also be given the option to thank the Emperor, or select from two other possible response options.
• Astarion has been observed to remark about the player character choosing an outcome where none of the party members (besides the Emperor) had to newly become a mind flayer to reach the current game state.

The ending of this sequence is marked by the player character being asked to input a conversation choice, but the exact choice that appears may vary depending on prior choices, and whatever prior lines were spoken by other characters.

Astarion's sunlight resolution

"What the-oh gods. Oh no."

“	"I honestly don't mind what we do, once we get - ow!"	„
	— Astarion

Depending on how The Pale Elf was resolved, Astarion can become vulnerable to sunlight again, now that the tadpoles have been destroyed.

The timing of this sequence trigger seems to vary, but always results in Astarion running off-screen. A romanced Astarion will still later appear for his wrap-up scene.

Gale's Crown resolution

“	"The Crown - it's somewhere in the Chionthar. If I salvage the stones, I can reforge it. The power of Karsus would be in my hands... But what then? What would I do with it, once I have it?"	„
	— Gale

There can be one last opportunity to give input here about what Gale should do. If so, these options include: giving the crown to Mystra; having Gale wear the crown himself; and abandoning the salvage effort altogether ("Lest anyone should ever again be tempted by such power").

With Gale at an approval of 100, none of these conversation options are locked behind checks, even when Gale is not romanced.

Karlach's engine resolution

Karlach, as seen when this sequence opens.

“	"It's the one thing I can't beat, isn't it? I wanted to live. In my city. With my friends."	„
	— Karlach

This scene triggers only if Karlach didn't undergo Ceremorphosis, since the process rids her of her engine.

Karlach's engine will begin to finally shut down, and a decision must be made one way or another. Under the right conditions, generally available options include:

• Let Karlach die, then and there.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, alone.
• Convince Karlach to return to Avernus, with Wyll and/or the player character.
  • Wyll only offers to come along if he has become the Blade of Avernus by resolving his companion quest.^{[Needs Verification]}
  • Wyll still provides this offer if his pact with Mizora was broken.

With Karlach at an approval of 100, none of these conversation options are locked behind checks, even when Karlach is not romanced.

If the player character convinces Karlach to return to Avernus, a second scene will occur just before the End Credits roll.

Lae'zel's Ascension resolution

Lae'zel, "ascending."

“	"The Netherbrain is dead. To slay a ghaik was my sworn duty. I must call out to Tu'narath - my ascension's at hand."	„
	— Lae'zel

Lae'zel will say that her Ascension is at hand, and unless convinced not to, will summon a red dragon, and depart upon its back to what the narrator describes as an "uncertain fate," but in spite of this Lae'zel will appear very happy to finally get "her own" Dragon.

This option requires siding with the Emperor during the final fight, and that Lae'zel not helping Kith'rak Voss in his efforts to free Prince Orpheus -- the latter condition ensures that Lae'zel is still in favour of killing Orpheus to please Queen Vlaakith.

There can be one last opportunity to convince Lae'zel to stay instead of ascending. This option can be locked behind a Persuasion Check, the DC for which has been observed to be as high as DC 30. Other (earlier) decisions that have been observed to exist could plausibly lower it, and companion approval level may also be a factor.^{[Needs Verification]}

This sequence always begins with seeing the other Red Dragons portaling away from Faerûn, and one of several characters then asking Lae'zel what she plans to do. Characters observed to speak up for this line include Astarion, and Jaheira, but may include others not listed here.^{[Needs Verification]}

Lae'zel's Orpheus resolution

Lae'zel, being asked by Orpheus to join him.

“	"Come, Lae'zel. We will free the githyanki and dismantle the empire. Let them be imprisoned no longer!"	„
	— Orpheus

If Orpheus was freed from the astral prison, and someone other than Orpheus underwent ceremorphosis for the final fight, then Orpheus will leave to fight against Vlaakith, asking Lae'zel to accompany him.

This option requires freeing Orpheus after attempting to control the Netherbrain for the first time, instead of allying with the Emperor.

There can be one last opportunity to convince Lae'zel to stay instead of going to fight against Vlaakith. This option can be locked behind a Persuasion check, the DC for which has been observed to be as high as DC 30. If the player character underwent ceremorphosis, then Lae'zel will refuse to stay.^{[Needs Verification]}

Orpheus's mind flayer resolution

Orpheus: "I will not be ghaik!"

“	"I will not be ghaik! I did what I did to save my people."	„
	— Orpheus

If Orpheus underwent ceremorphosis, his potential behaviour in all ending scenes – including Lae'zel's scenes – changes drastically. Orpheus may ask Lae'zel, or the player character, or both to take up 'his' fight against Vlaakith. He then asks another character, including Lae'zel or the player character, to kill him. If no character honours Orpheus's request for death, Orpheus will, unless convinced not to, take his one life.

• Other potential outcomes from this scene may exist.^{[Needs Verification]}
• Some conversation options require dice checks.^{[Needs Verification]}

If Orpheus is in Displacer Beast Shape when the brain is defeated, he will not show up at all. Instead, characters will act as though the player character underwent ceremorphosis.

Party planning

“	"I'm sure Mystra will summon me soon enough, but until then, I propose we celebrate our victory the mortal way - with a drink in our hands, and reckless abandon in our hearts."	„
	— Gale

• Gale may end up closing out his Crown resolution sequence by suggesting that the group have a celebration.
• Wyll has been observed to react to this suggestion and express agreement.
• After some varied number of reaction lines occur, the player character will be allowed to give input on what they think.
• After the player character gives input, other characters will chime in for various reasons expressing agreement or disagreement.
• Astarion's Sunlight resolution and Karlach's multiple resolutions may be triggered afterwards.
• This sequence may also trigger The Emperor's announcement that it will not be joining the party.

The Emperor's departure

“	Now that you no longer live in each others minds, it's hard to tell if the mind flayer is being sincere. Though perhaps, no harder than it ever was.	„
	— The Narrator

If present, the Emperor may find an opportunity to disclose that it will not be joining the party. This sequence appears to potentially trigger for multiple reasons, including Gale's party suggestion.

At least one character will react to The Emperor's announcement. Characters observed to do this include Astarion and Minsc, but may include others not yet listed here.^{[Needs Verification]} After other characters react, the Emperor may even respond to the other character with "I will miss you too."

As The Emperor exits the scene, the narrator will speak up with a few lines.

After the docks

Romantic wrap-up

If the player character is in a relationship with another character, a conversation scene will generally trigger between the player character and their romance option. This scene still happens if the player character chose to undergo full ceremorphosis before the final fight, but the outcome of this scene does generally seem to be affected by their choice to transform.

Characters with confirmed scenes include: Astarion, Shadowheart, Karlach, Lae'zel, Halsin, Minthara, Wyll

Polyamory

More testing is needed to determine what conversations appear in polyamorous situations.[Needs Verification]

If the player character is in a relationship with more than one character, the following combinations have been observed to happen:

• If the player character first romances Halsin, then the Emperor, a scene with Halsin will trigger, but no scenes seem to trigger with the player character's second partner.
• If the player character first romances Karlach, then Halsin, both partners will have a scene.

Halsin

“	"At last count, there were nine whole wagons of children in tow. They are my duty now. 'Daddy Halsin', they call me. Who am I to tell them otherwise?"	„
	— Halsin

Halsin will tell the player character of his plans to return to Thaniel's now-curse-lifted lands, and create a home to welcome orphan children from the War of the Absolute. This requires Destroy the Elder Brain to be completed, instead of a 'Control' option.^{[Needs Verification]}, and Lift the Shadow Curse to be completed by the end of Act Two, with the Curse successfully lifted. It does not require Halsin to be in the party during the final fight.

Karlach goes to Avernus

"It worked. My engine's calmed down."

“	"Well, soldier. Here we are. It worked. My engine's calmed down."	„
	— Karlach

The camera will open on an unspecified portion of Avernus, and display Karlach and whoever came with her appearing out of a Portal. Karlach's engine stabilises, she whips out some cigars, and the present characters run forward into the horizon where impending battle awaits them. To trigger this scene, the player character must make specific choices during the earlier scene at the docks. Conversation options must be selected that result in Karlach returning to Avernus with Wyll (allowed under certain conditions) and / or the player-character. It is not known if completion of Karlach's engine-related quests influence the outcome of this scene.^{[Needs Verification]}

Character deaths

Characters whose deaths occur due to conversation choices, or who are killed after becoming permanently hostile, are not known to trigger scenes at the end of the game.

Achievements

These achievements are possible to obtain in association with one or more of the endings on this page.

Absolute Power Corrupts
Reign with terror: take control of the Netherbrain and bend the world to your will.

All's Well That Ends Well
Finish the game (with a heartfelt 'thank you' from Larian Studios).

Ceremorphosis
Make the ultimate sacrifice: become a mind flayer to defeat the Netherbrain.

Hero of the Forgotten Realms
Save the day: kill the Netherbrain and destroy the Absolute tadpoles.