Baldur's Gate 3: How to Explore the Arcane Tower in the Underdark

As players explore the Underdark, they may run across an arcane turret that starts firing magic bolts at them. This is the entrance to the Arcane Tower, the former refuge of a cleric of Mystra. Players may end up exploring it to get ingredients for an optional part of the Baldur's Gate 3 main quest, but there's plenty more to do here beyond gathering mushrooms.

Of course, the biggest problem is that the arcane turrets can be deadly and are almost impossible to destroy. The turrets turn off when Baldur's Gate 3 players reactivate the tower, but the first step is getting past the turrets.

Updated on May 1, 2024, by Nahda Nabiilah: The laid-back and peaceful Mind Flayer Omeluum will be the one to task players to bring him the exotic magical ingredients in exchange for a potion that will suppress the Tadpole. This quest in Baldur’s Gate 3, falls under the "Remove the Parasite" category, where players have to try their luck to get rid of the squirming Tadpole before confronting the Elder Brain. The Arcane Tower is also where Tav can delve deeper into the secrets of the Tadpole and its origin if they manage to thoughtfully explore it.

Running The Arcane Turret Gauntlet In Baldur's Gate 3

The first thing players should do is choose one character to run past the turrets. One person on their own has a much better chance of getting past the turrets, especially since many of the hiding spots are very narrow.

The party member should be the most mobile person available. For instance, a monk or barbarian has extra movement speed, while a rogue like Astarion can dash twice thanks to Cunning Action. A good jump distance is also helpful, as are the spell Misty Step and Potions of Speed.

To get past the first two turrets, players should hide behind the large stalagmite in front of the first turret, then run to the ledge to the right of the stalagmite. Players can't climb up this directly, but they can use jump to get up instead. After that, players should dash to the statue just up the steps from the second turret.

From this point, the best option is to leap over to the shelf mushrooms behind the second turret. The party member may be exposed to attacks from the turret, but it's worth it to use a safe shortcut down to the base of the tower. The only problem is that these mushrooms are too far away to reach with a jump if the party member has normal strength. Players should make sure they use a strong character or one with a special ability who can get across.

Another option is to enter the tower and jump down the shelf mushrooms on the south side of the building. There are two more arcane turrets in the first tower room, but there are also pillars players can use to avoid getting hit. However, the second set of shelf mushrooms are far enough apart to cause a lot of falling damage, so players should head over to the north balcony first.

There's a chest here called the Chest of the Mundane, and it has the power to make everything placed inside appear to be worthless junk. One of the "mugs" in this chest is really Mystra's Grace, a pair of boots that let the wearer cast Feather Fall. This spell will come in handy when descending the tower and players can cast it and jump off the west balcony straight down to the ground below.

How To Power The Tower In Baldur's Gate 3

Behind the tower is a tree with glowing blue leaves. If players get too close to the blooms on the tree, they'll enter an antimagic field that prevents spellcasting, and they'll carry this field around with them if they pick one up.

The door leading into the tower is locked, but players have a few options. The lock on the door is DC 15, which most characters can pass eventually, but there's also a small hole on the south side of the building that a tiny creature can climb through. A druid wildshaped as a rat or cat can get in, as can a wizard or warlock's familiar. Once inside, players can flip the lever by the door to open it.

Inside the tower is a large arcane device with several withered blue petals next to it. This is a hint, as is the "Treatise on the Antimagic Properties of Sussur Tree Flowers" on the table nearby. To power the tower, players must grab one of the Sussur Blooms and drop it into the device. Hit "Combine" and the tower will power up, and the arcane turrets will power down.

Exploring The Tower In Baldur's Gate 3

Players may notice a secret door leading to a staircase right by the entrance to the tower's base. The door doesn't open from the outside, but players have a few ways to get there. First, while the door blocks line-of-sight to the stairs, the wooden stairs above have enough of a gap that players can use Misty Step to teleport down. From there, the character can pull a lever at the entrance to open the way for everyone.

Second, players can find a magic ring called Guiding Light later on in the tower. When a character equipped with this ring approaches the arcane elevator, two new buttons will appear that allow access to the basement. One other thing to do on the first floor is to open the gilded chest by the teleporter pad to get Uncovered Mysteries, a necklace that can cast Detect Thoughts.

If players manage to access the basement, they can find spare supplies of timmask spores and tongues of madness, which are mushrooms Omeluum needs to investigate the player's tadpole. Players can also pick up a Staff of Arcane Blessing, several magic items and De Hurst's Diary from a gilded chest, and a vial of Basilisk Oil. Also, be sure to check every bookshelf in the tower, since many of them have magic scrolls tucked between the books.

One floor up from the base level is the mushroom floor. This is another place where players can find the mushrooms Omeluum wants. Players can also check a shelf on the west wall for a supply pack and a Threadbare Book. Take it or leave it behind, but be sure to read the book to get the poem stanza.

The next floor is the entrance with the now-deactivated turrets. Grab everything out of the Chest of the Mundane if it isn't empty already, and don't miss the Mage Armor scroll or the silver cup on the railing. Players should also spot a Dusty Book on the north wall of the room. Read it to get another stanza. One of the traveler's chests by the door has a few useful potions inside.

Ascend one more time to reach the private quarters floor. Don't forget to check all the shelves for scrolls, and there's a chest on the south wall with some gold and a potion ingredient in it. The southwest corner has a number of useful books and other items, including an Enciphered Githyanki Disc. If Lae'zel is present, she'll translate it on the spot, but players can also pick up the disc and bring it back to camp for her to read.

Players can also translate the disc themselves using The Careful Art of Tir'su Ciphers, which is another Gith disc on a nearby desk. On the same desk is a Torn-Out Paper with another stanza. Another pair of important items sits on a larger desk in the corner. The Roads to Darkness is essential reading, and the Handwritten Note next to it has some hints about the tower owner's fate.

Go to the northeast corner to find a button on the wall. If players have found the enchanted Dog Collar elsewhere in the Underdark and equipped it, the button will dispense some raw meat. Finally, pick up the Mage's Friend ring from the chest by the bed.

The Rooftop Constructs In Baldur's Gate 3

Ascend one more time to reach the highest floor of the Arcane Tower. A construct named Bernard will challenge the party with a couplet from The Roads to Darkness, and if players have read the play, they can respond with the next line. Bernard won't understand any other reply, and if players say anything else, they may have to fight a tough battle with a level 5 construct and four animated armors.

Bernard also responds to four other stanzas found throughout the tower. The last one is on the Patched Parchment on the table south of where Bernard stands. Here's what they do:

Aside from Bernard, players can also find a bookshelf on this floor full of scrolls and Broken Machinery, which is an alchemy ingredient. Players can now explore the basement if they haven't already (there's a shortcut from the roof to the basement on the arcane elevator when Guiding Light is equipped), but aside from that, the Arcane Tower holds no more secrets.