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Permanent bonuses
Permanent bonuses are special conditions, character enhancements, or other abilities, which will generally remain permanently after obtaining them. Some permanent bonuses will, however, be removed if the character dies.
There are many different permanent character enhancements or bonuses that can be obtained throughout Baldur's Gate 3. See below for details on these bonuses and how they can be obtained.
 | Spoiler warning: The following content contains unhidden spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
Act One
The following permanent character bonuses can be obtained in Act One of the game.
Auntie Ethel's Hair
Gain +1 to an Ability Score of choice. Can be raised above 20.
How to unlock
Defeat Auntie Ethel during Save Mayrina and take her deal to spare her life.
Awakened
You can use all of your illithid powers as a Bonus Action
How to unlock
Make the Zaith'isk in the infirmary of Crèche Y'llek explode and succeed at all three saving throws. The saves are significantly easier if you are in the device rather than Lae'zel. The person that gets the buff is always the player character.
Failing any of the saving throws for the Zaith'isk inflicts permanent, stacking penalties to the Ability Scores of the character inside it: each failure will, respectively, give -2 to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Constitution. Partial ceremorphosis will remove the ability debuff.
BOOOAL's Benediction
Gain 
Advantage on attack rolls against 
targets.
How to unlock
Sacrifice a companion to BOOOAL in The Festering Cove. Effect stops working if all Kuo-toa in the Cove are killed.
This buff is granted to all present party members, and is permanently lost upon death.[Needs Verification]
You cannot use hirelings for the sacrifice.
Brand of the Absolute
Allows the benefits from Absolute Equipment and unlocks unique dialogue options when speaking to followers of the Absolute.
How to unlock
Agree to let a character be branded by Gut in the Goblin Camp.
Multiple characters can receive the brand after the first character has been branded by Gut (by controlling them and speaking to Warlock Greez).
Find Familiar: Scratch
Summon the best boy. Scratch's keen nose can discover many things hidden around the world.
How to unlock
Leave Scratch with your scent so he joins your camp, then later when he offers you a ball, throw it to play fetch with him. Having Scratch's Ball in your inventory allows you to use 
.
Find Familiar: Cheeky Quasit
Summon Shovel (or Basket, or Fork), the Cheeky Quasit.
How to unlock
Find the unique 
Scroll of Summon Quasit in one of the coffins of the hidden area in the Apothecary's Cellar beneath the Blighted Village. Wizards can learn this spell, or after summoning talk to the Quasit and they will permanently teach you the spell under certain conditions.
Instrument proficiency
You know how to play a variety of musical instruments and are able to entertain a crowd with them.
How to unlock
Pass one of two Charisma (Performance) checks while helping Alfira with her song in the Druid Grove.
Bards have this automatically and this provides no additional benefit to them.
Loviatar's Love
When you have 30% Hit Points or less, you gain a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls and Wisdom saving throws.
How to unlock
Submit to Abdirak and put on a good performance for him in the Shattered Sanctum.
Effect is permanently lost if the character dies and is revived.
Necromancy of Thay
Gain the 
passive feature and 
spell once per long rest.
How to unlock
Turn all three pages while reading Necromancy of Thay, a book found in a hidden area in the Apothecary's Cellar beneath the Blighted Village.
Turning only 1 page will grant only Speak with Dead. The reader does not need to succeed on the Saving Throws associated with turning the pages.
Paid the price
You have a +1 bonus to Intimidation checks, but 
Disadvantage on Perception checks. Additionally, you have Disadvantage when attacking Hags. Changes the chosen eye's appearance.
How to unlock
Accept Auntie Ethel's deal to remove the parasite at the Riverside Teahouse.
Survival Instinct
Gain the additional illithid power 
Survival Instinct.
How to unlock
Complete the quest Help Omeluum investigate the parasite with Omeluum in the Underdark.
This is an unique illithid power not obtainable through regular illithid power progression.
Volo's Ersatz Eye
Grants a permanent 
effect. Changes the right eye's appearance. The right eye's colour is permanently changed to "Blue 3". This cannot be reversed using the Magic Mirror.
How to unlock
Rescue Volo from the Goblin Camp. When speaking to him in the Campsite afterwards, tell him about your Tadpole infection and agree to his experimental surgery.
Act Two
The following permanent character bonuses can be obtained in Act Two of the game's story.
Arabella's Shadow Entangle
Entangle an Undead or shadow creature until long rest.
How to unlock
Tell Arabella about her parents' fate during the quest Save Arabella.
Githzerai Mind Barrier
Gain Advantage on Intelligence Saving throws.
How to unlock
Insert the Waking Mind (found at X: 750 Y: -139 after the brain connect puzzle in the Mind Flayer Colony) into the nearby Mind-Archive Interface. Speak to the Slack-Skinned Head, and agree to purge or consume its mind.
Effect is permanently lost if the character dies and is revived (as of Hotfix #6).
Level 3 Shadow Spell Slot
An additional Level 3 Spell Slot, separate from normal Spell Slots.
Recharge: Long rest
How to unlock
Only available to Gale while playing his Origin, and not as a companion.
Consume the Shadow Weave from the corpse of Gerringothe Thorm, Malus Thorm or Thisobald Thorm. Cleansing the Shadow Weave grants Mystra's Blessing until Long rest instead.
Potion of Everlasting Vigour
Gain +2 Strength. Can be used to raise Strength above 20, and will remain after respecing character.
How to unlock
Convince Astarion to bite Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers.
Slayer Form
Gain the ability to transform into the Slayer once per Long Rest.
How to unlock
Spoiler warning! This section reveals interactions with The Dark Urge.
Summon Us
Allows you to summon Us, an intellect devourer, as a familiar.
How to unlock
Prevent Us from dying on the Nautiloid during the Prologue, then free it from its cage in the Mind Flayer Colony.
Act Three
The following permanent character bonuses can be obtained in Act Three of the game's story.
Danse Macabre
Create 4 ghouls that fight alongside you. Comes with a curse that lowers Constitution by 5, but can be removed with the Remove Curse spell while keeping Danse Macabre
How to unlock
Read The Tharchiate Codex (found at the end of the Vault puzzle in Ramazith's Tower), then read the last page of the Necromancy of Thay (from Act 1) and pass a 20 Wisdom Saving Throw.
Monk's Hideous Laughter
Gain casting of Tasha's Hideous Laughter per long rest.
How to unlock
Carry the Sentient Amulet from Grymforge to a casket under the Open Hand Temple in Wyrm's Crossing, completing Help the Cursed Monk. Must choose to accept the curse yourself.
Possible wisdom loss if you fail Constitution/Wisdom saves. The sentient amulet seems to lose all of its abilities after the quest completion.
Mirror of Loss
Gain +2 to an Ability Score of your choice (and optionally +1 to Charisma).
How to unlock
Offer a prayer (
DC 25 Religion check) to the Mirror of Loss in the House of Grief, then sacrifice one of your ability scores, or your knowledge of the Necromancy of Thay. You'll receive the option to choose a +2 bonus to any ability.
If you sacrificed an ability, you'll receive the Stolen Vigour curse (-2 to that Ability). This can be cured via 
(this curse as of v4.1.1.3686210 goes away upon a long rest, and you retain the +2 bonus).
Occasionally, when sacrificing an ability to the mirror, you may receive the Patriar's Memory buff (+1 CHA). If this happens, interact with the mirror again, sacrifice your knowledge of Necromancy of Thay, and choose an ability to receive a +2 bonus. After both interactions, the mirror is sated. Cast Remove Curse and you are left with +1 to Charisma and +2 to an ability of your choice.
Can be raised above 20 (up to 24, for all memories, including the Patriar's) If no prayer is offered prior to sacrificing memories, no bonus is received.
As of Hotfix #4, all bonuses from the Necromancy of Thay are retained when you sacrifice its knowledge, along with the Ability Score increase - this is likely a bug.
As of Hotfix #4, it is unclear whether the Patriar's Memory buff is a bug, as it doesn't trigger every time. This may require several save-and-load attempts to attain. It is also unclear whether there is a way to gain a +1 bonus to ability scores other than Charisma. [Needs Verification]
In order to ensure you receive Patriar's Memory the story the Narrator tells you must be the following: "Disappointment floods your mind. You were sure to succeed Stelmane, but Lord Enver Gortash has stolen your support. All that charming and cajoling in the parlous of the Upper City, Wasted." You can continue to reload until you receive this specific memory.
Partial Ceremorphosis
Gain access to tier 3 illithid Powers, and automatically unlock all tier 1 illithid powers and the tier 3 illithid power Fly. This will cause a cosmetic change in the character.
How to unlock
Consume the Astral-Touched Tadpole offered by the Emperor.
Sweet Stone Features
Gain a 
+1d4 bonus to 
Attack rolls and 
Saving throws.
How to unlock
Pay Boney in the Circus of the Last Days 5000 gold to construct a statue of yourself or a companion. The effect goes to whoever is depicted.
Can only construct a statue for a single character. The effect begins once you long rest.
This effect will be overwritten if the character is affected by Bless or is healed by a character wearing The Whispering Promise. Once the Bless effect expires, they will not regain Sweet Stone Features until completing another long rest.
The Tharchiate Codex: Blessing
After a long rest, gain 20 temporary hit points. Remains active if The Tharchiate Codex is also used to obtain Danse Macabre.
How to unlock
Read The Tharchiate Codex (found at the end of the Vault puzzle in Ramazith's Tower).
Unstable Blood
Gain the passive 
. Your blood is now highly flammable and will explode on contact with fire.
How to unlock
Give your blood to Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers in Act 2, then meet her again east of The Blushing Mermaid in Act 3 and help her again. She will give you a potion that grants this feature once drunk.
Tip: Give to a Tiefling or Red/Gold Dragonborn or equip an item that grants 
Fire Resistance to minimise the damage you yourself take from the explosions.
Vampire Ascendant
Gain class actions Ascendant Bite and Misty Escape, as well as an extra 1d10
Necrotic damage to weapon and unarmed attacks.
How to unlock
Only available to Astarion (companion or origin).
Defeat Cazador without killing any of his spawn whilst having Astarion in your party. Afterward, allow Astarian to complete the ascension ritual.