While you journey through the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3, you will come across an Arcane Tower. It's heavy guarded by Arcane Turrets and the only questions remains: How to enter the tower and disabling the Turrets to unravel the secrets? We have the answers you seek, fellow adventurer.
Welcome to our little tour guide through the Arcane Tower. There are dangers waiting for us. We have to tackle various challenges such as defeating enemies, escaping lasers, or jumping over canyons. But the rewards we discover hidden along the way make the difficulties worthwhile.
Let's get started!
Baldur's Gate 3: Enter The Arcane Tower
In the first section, we need to outrun some Arcane Turrets, hide or just use an electrical attack to disable them. From the base of the Arcane Tower, run around the staircase to shield your entire group from the Turret's impact. Then climb the cliff with the jump command and run to the next door.
Pause for a moment and don't open the door yet. There are waiting Arcane Turrets to blast your whole party away, and we won't this to happen, right? Instead, toggle off the group mode and use your stealthiest character with Sleight of Hand proficiency, or just use Astarion.
Now go through the left window, while facing to the door, and jump through it. Once you're inside, hide immediately behind the pillar and take shelter from the blast of the Arcane Turret.
Baldur's Gate 3: Inside The Tower
Once the Arcane Turret has stopped attacking you, run to the door on your left. Open it and step out onto the balcony to stay out of the turret's view. There you will notice a giant mushroom. Jump down to it and then onto the next balcony on the floor below.
Here you'll find the important items "Tongue of Madness" and "Timmask Spores" for the side quest "Help Omeluum Investigate the Parasite". It's located in the Underdark as well. After you collected everything, jump onto the next mushroom and the bottom ground of the Arcane Tower.
Run directly to the glowing trees and grab a "Sussur Bloom" before returning to the back door of the Arcane Tower. Either lock pick this one or just destroy it with brute force.
Baldur's Gate 3: The Generator & The Three Books
In the basement, there are some items worth collecting, but the generator is our main point of interest. Click on it so the combine item screen appears. Drag the collected Sussur Bloom into the empty slot and combine it.
It fires up the generator, switches the lights back on and the Arcane Turrets finally stop working, at long last! Now go up the stairs into the elevator and press once to ascend.
Now we need to read three books that are lying around in the Arcane Tower. This is a mandatory task to progress even further, here are the locations:
- Outside the elevator, there lies the "Threadbare Book" on the shelf. Grab it and read it!
- Get up another floor, regroup with your party by opening the front door and pick up the "Dusky Book" on the lectern.
- Now going back into the elevator to ascend another time. Search the floor for loot and read "The Roads to Darkness" and the handwritten letter on the table.
Before we go up another floor, don't forget the Mage's Friend ring inside the chest.
Baldur's Gate 3: Bernard The Automaton
On this floor you meet Bernard the electrified automaton. If you read the books and not just skipped it – hah, I caught you! You'll notice he speaks in lines from the book "The Roads to Darkness". In order to satisfy him, you need to answer correctly.
We'll help you with the replies you need to give him:
- With "Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake" Bernard won't attack you on the spot
With the next answer, you can control how the last part of the conversation may unfold, as you have two different option.
- "How can I trust..." he will place the "Guiding Light" ring on the table. While equipped, it reveals a secret button to, which opens the basement.
- "There is light in every living thing..." will lead Bernard and the other automatons in the room to attack you. Only trigger this fight if you feel ready, as it's a tough fight but also a rewarding one.
After your encounter with Bernard, move on, press the secret button and go to the basement.
- Want to fight more Automatons? Grab Nier Automata and safe humankind!
Baldur's Gate 3: Rewards In The Basement
With all being dealt with, now it's time for the long awaited reward.
You'll find tons of scrolls lying around just waiting for your arrival. But also another set of "Madness Tongue" and "Timmask Spores". Besides the side quest items, you also get a unique staff and a basilisk oil to revive the petrified drows in Underdark.
Progress further and go up the stairs. Here you can pull a lever to open a false wall leading you to the exit. But before you leave this pesky place for good, get yourself to the Arcane Turrets. There's a locked chest just begging to be opened. With the unique hammer in your backpack, we now venture back to the open space.
Congratulation, you've done well! Enjoy your time in the Underdark.
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