Daria "Foxdari" Sedelnikova The vast open world of Baldur's Gate 3 unfolds gradually with each new playthrough. The huge amount of content, branching dialogues, and numerous event outcomes make the game infinitely replayable. Even after the first hundred hours of exploration and several completed campaigns, the game continues to surprise. In this ocean of possibilities, it's easy to overlook some hidden gems that Larian Studios has cleverly concealed in less obvious places.
Parents' Revenge
Image: youtube.com / Kagha
In the first act, when the player encounters Komira arguing with the druids, a quest to save her daughter Arabella from Kagha is triggered. If the player fails to persuade the woman to release Arabella, or if playing as the Dark Urge and provoking the snake's bite causes Arabella’s death, the mission fails. In this case, Komira and her husband Locke will poison Kagha at the celebration after the grove's defense, provided all characters survive until that point. The player can choose to interfere or let it happen.
The Rarest Item in the Game
Image: youtube.com / Gale and Tara
Before the adventure begins, you can create your own character or play as one of the origin heroes encountered later in the story. If you start as Gale, you will meet his tressym companion named Tara in the first act. During a long rest after the prologue, the winged cat appears at the camp, worried about Gale's condition, and gives a very rare magical item — the Ring of Evasion. This artifact can only be obtained when playing as Gale and only from Tara in the camp: there are no other ways to get it.
Temporary Allies
Image: ensigame.com / BG3 characters
In the Underdark, when facing the Spectator, a subspecies of Beholder, you might notice several petrified drow during the battle. The Spectator can release some of them, turning them into temporary allies in the fight. As a result, the player may defeat all the drow without realizing they can be saved, albeit briefly.
When the Spectator removes the petrification, the NPCs are charmed and forced to fight against the player. However, this charm can be dispelled with any hit to the drow. Once freed, these adventurers will fight alongside the player against the Spectator, giving an advantage in the first battle... and in the second.
But why is there a second fight? It turns out that these drow had been searching for The Adamantine Forge many years ago, but were trapped by the Spectator and turned to stone. After a brief dialogue, whether or not you have found the forge, a fight against the drow will begin.
Steal Infernal Food
Image: ensigame.com / Raphael
In the first act, a suspiciously aristocratic-looking man named Raphael starts following the player's party. However, he soon reveals his true form and intentions. Raphael is, in fact, the son and heir of the archdevil Mephistopheles. The demon begins to intimidate the party, even teleporting them to Avernus to persuade them to make a deal.
The player can listen to all of his offers while pocketing food from the rich infernal table. Raphael will be surprised by the hero's indifference but won't stop them. After the conversation, the demon will return the group to camp, where they will find three stolen pastries from the devil’s table in their inventory.
The Clown Performs at the Circus
Image: ensigame.com / Astarion with clown makeup
In the third act of BG3, the party encounters the Circus of the Last Days — a creepy, extraplanar circus that travels between different worlds. Upon entering the location, you can watch a performance by its star, Dribbles the Clown. Approaching the stage, the clown invites a member of the party to join him on stage. The player must choose the candidate, but not all companions will be happy about this performance, each having a unique dialogue.
Astarion will be the most angered, reacting in his usual sarcastic manner. He’ll humor the crowd but quietly threaten the player's character with foul language. Halsin, on the other hand, will react naively, unfazed if sent to perform. The druid won’t understand why the man on stage is wearing makeup and will ask the player if this is some kind of punishment or ritual.
The Maniac Bull
Image: youtube.com / The Maniac Bull
In Baldur's Gate 3, not only companions and NPCs have backstories — some animals do too. In the first act, using a potion or spell of animal speech, the player can find a strange ox in the Emerald Grove who is actually an evil shapeshifting ooze in disguise. If the player passes all dialogue checks, the ox will reveal it’s headed for the city.
The ox can be encountered again in the second act near the Last Light Inn alongside the blacksmith Dammon. During this second dialogue, the ox will reveal its bloody past. The player can either kill the wereox or keep its secret. If you choose the latter, the maniac bull will appear again in the third act, asking the player to smuggle it into the Lower City by transforming into an apple. If you attempt to eat the apple, the ox will get angry and a fight will ensue.
If the quest is completed, the creature will leave a short note saying, "Thanks for getting me in! I owe you one."
The Talking Throne
Image: ensigame.com / Yurgir
How often do you experiment with spells? Especially with Speak with Dead? Some unique lines of dialogue can be found in the most unexpected places, like in Yurgir’s devilish quarters located in the Gauntlet of Shar. It turns out he is such a brutal individual that he sleeps on the bodies of his enemies. Nearby, you’ll find a pile of corpses that can be spoken to using Speak with Dead.
The fallen servants of the goddess Shar will reveal that the goddess abandoned them and now they must endure the heavy weight of the devil even after death.
A Very Rare Plot Twist
Image: youtube.com / Korrilla
The world of BG3 lives on its own. In the first act, in the goblin camp, the priestess Gut offers to save the player from the parasite and invites them to her "chambers". Once there, the cunning goblin gives the player a sleeping potion. If an elf character drinks it, the potion will not work due to racial traits, and a fight will break out. However, if any other character drinks it, Gut will chain them up. In truth, the priestess cannot cure anything — she just wants to observe the transformation.
If you fail all the dexterity checks and cannot escape the shackles, a warlock named Korrilla, sent by Raphael, will appear to save the party. She will kill Gut and the ogre Polma.
The Barn Situation
Image: ensigame.com / Ogre
In the first act, there’s a barn where an ogre and a bugbear are having an intimate moment. If you enter the barn playing as Astarion or with him in your party, he’ll have a peculiar expression of pain mixed with laughter. The disturbed creatures will stop their intimacy and a fight will break out.
However, the fight can be avoided if you are playing as a bard or a barbarian. The bard can use persuasion to convince the couple that they will write a beautiful ballad about their love, while the barbarian will laugh so hard and mock the "pathetic act" to the point that the couple will flee.
Evil Hero
Image: ensigame.com / Karlach
If the player sides with the druids and defends the grove from the goblins, the grateful tieflings will throw a party at camp during a long rest. However, if you kill all the tieflings beforehand, the characters still remain heroes, and the party goes on without disruption. In the evening, new NPCs will appear to replace the slain tieflings.
These ten things are just the tip of the iceberg of Baldur's Gate 3's secrets. With each new playthrough, the game reveals itself in new ways. Larian Studios has hidden many secret mechanics, locations, and subtle character interactions. Share in the comments what interesting features you’ve discovered in BG3!
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