Control the Elder Brain

A new Absolute reigns.

Control the Elder Brain is a sub-quest of the quest Confront the Elder Brain in Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3.

Objectives

Dominate the Netherbrain.

• Whoever has control over the Netherbrain will hold unspeakable power. We could dominate it and have a thousand kingdoms at our command.

Quest Complete

• We dominated the Netherbrain.
• We chose to destroy the Netherbrain instead of dominating it.

Walkthrough

During Chapter Three, the party briefly ponders what they will do with the Elder Brain once it is confronted. This occurs during a camp event. Any decisions chosen do not lock in the choice from the party.

The true choice on what to do with the Elder Brain occur at the very end of Confront the Elder Brain. Once the Elder Brain, now a Netherbrain, is defeated using Karsus' Compulsion, a cutscene plays where the illithid in the party uses the Netherstones to destroy the Brain. The following choices appear:

• Go ahead. Command the brain to destroy all tadpoles and then itself.
• Dominate the brain. Become the Absolute. Conquer the world.
• Betray the Emperor. Dominate the brain. Become the Absolute.
• Betray Orpheus. Dominate the brain. Become the Absolute.
• Betray Karlach. Dominate the brain. Become the Absolute.

Choose the latter options and the illithid party member is stabbed to death, and the brain is controlled by the player character as the new Absolute. All the tadpoled companions remain as thralls, their free will gone.

Achievements

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