How to beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)

Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3 makes for one of Larian’s toughest Act I fights. Her domain houses twisted and cursed minions, secret passages, and nasty traps around every corner. If you’re struggling with the final encounter in the witch’s lair, here’s how to beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3.

How to get into Auntie Ethel’s secret chambers

When you enter Auntie Ethel’s disguised swamp, you’re tasked with saving Mayrina, a girl tempted by the witch’s magic. Find the grotto by following the men looking for Mayrina and enter the building to the west. After a conversation with Auntie Ethel, she’ll make Mayrina disappear.

At this point, you can begin the fight with Auntie Ethel. She’ll summon her henchmen, who trickle in from the swamp. Personally, I don’t recommend trying to deal with Ethel all at once here, as it’s easier to fight the witch at a later stage.

Nevertheless, if you’re not quick enough at dispatching her, she’ll disappear into the chambers below. This is where it gets confusing. A Perception Check should reveal if the fireplace flames are an illusion, but regardless, you can shut the fire off with a nearby switch. It’s not necessary, Auntie Ethel’s flame is a phony with a hidden path behind it.

Next, you’ll find yourself in a cave. Ethel, now in her true form, will warn you against going any further if you didn’t fight her prior. There’s a barrier blocking your way further, so pick up the masks from the table to the right, put one on, and then walk through.

Then, immediately take it off before heading into battle. If you keep the mask on, your character will turn against your party. In the next room, you’ll encounter a few unfortunate souls Ethel’s enthralled. Eliminate the Mask of Terror to the right first, they’ll Frighten your party if left unchecked. A spell like Cloud of Daggers is quite useful here, as the foe begins on higher ground. You’ll need something with plenty of damage and accuracy.

How to kill Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3

After this encounter, head to the waterfall and jump to the next side. Traps and poisonous clouds litter the path forward, so heal and drink up any potions you have for resistance. Since BG3 parties are notoriously clumsy when traveling as a group, you may want to separate everyone and move them one at a time to the end. If you hit a trap, don’t panic. During my playthrough, these traps didn’t do much damage to my party.

At the bottom, you’ll find Ethel with Mayrina trapped in a cage. Ethel and the party are split far apart, so use Dash to get to the boss faster. Once you come into contact, use Lae’zel to hit her with your best attacks and soak her ire. Lacerate works great for an added bleed, causing more damage per turn. Lae’zel can also use Action Surge, which lets her have one more turn instantly. In one turn, I was able to shave around 50HP from the witch. Surprisingly, Fire Balls cause a nasty burn to her, too. For example, my Shadowheart dealt 15 damage in one cast, but your mileage may vary.

If your damage is slow going, make sure to tend to the cage Ethel lights on fire. You can use spells like Create Water to douse the flames and protect Mayrina from harm. Work wisely and quickly, as the ruthless with continues to target the young woman, and you’ll need to protect Mayrina if you want to uncover a little more quest lore.

As Ethel reaches the last section of her health, she’ll ask that you make peace with her. If you select “Go on” and let her escape, she’ll reward you with an item to add a permanent boost to one stat point. After that, you can intimidate Auntie Ethel to save both the girl and get the stat point. If you succeed, you’ll be able to win both ways. However, Auntie Ethel will remember what you’ve done.

Regardless of your choices here, navigate to Ethel’s lair in the last chamber and pick up the goods she leaves behind. You’ll acquire a few key items to move the quest line with Mayrina along. Remember, BG3 loves revisiting old events, so make decisions that rest easy on your conscious.