There are many dungeons in Baldurās Gate 3, but the Gauntlet of Shar is no ordinary dungeon. This area lies on the main path of Baldurās Gate 3ās second act, whether you stumble upon it naturally or get sent here. And the events that take place within will ultimately spur on the conclusion of this act, and the start of a new one.
Inside the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldurās Gate 3, youāll have to take on several trials to acquire Umbral Gems, which you eventually use to open the way forward towards the final chamber. These puzzles test different parts of your Baldurās Gate 3 acumen, like stealth and combat. Heck, reading comprehension is on the table, too. Youāll probably want to have Shadowheart in your party at all times, too. As the resident Shar stan, sheāll want to partake in the trials, and the narrative tidbits are worth making space in the lineup if you arenāt already.
How to get to the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldurās Gate 3
The Gauntlet of Shar is located at the Grand Mausoleum, shown below on the map, in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Youāll need to complete the Thorm Mausoleum puzzle to gain entrance. Youāll also probably need some sort of greater protection against the Shadow Curse, either through a Moonlantern or the Pixieās Blessing.
After youāve gained entrance, you can descend down into the Gauntlet of Shar and tackle its first obstacle, surround a statue and some torches.
Statue puzzle solution
In this area, youāll have a statue in the center you need to navigate around. It will send your character flying in comical fashion if you get close. You have to get into the four different corner rooms around the arena to hit a lever and drop torches, then interact with the torches to enshroud the place in darkness.
There are pressure plate traps on the floor, so keep an eye out. I recommend ungrouping (Shift+G) and having one character navigate this area by themselves. Remember you can hit levers from afar with a crossbow or other projectiles. Once the room is dark, a pattern will appear. Navigate through, without touching the circles, and interact with the orb on the statue.
Congratulations! One puzzle down. In the next area, youāll get into a set sequence of battles, as Dark Justiciars rise to attack and some mysterious undead aid you. Make sure to take out the portals that appear, as theyāll spawn more enemies unless you take them out. Work your way through the battles, and youāll eventually meet Balthazar at his hideaway inside the Gauntlet of Shar.
Depending on how you got in here, you may or may not know who Balthazar is. Either way, he wants your help in getting to the relic hidden away in here: the Nightsong. (That may also sound familiar, depending on the side quests youāve done so far.)
Whether youāre actually helping him or just using his assistance, youāre now free to roam the halls and find a path through. Youāre going to need several Umbral Gems in order to advance, as well as a special piece of equipment. Gear up, and maybe get Misty Step equipped on some characters. Itāll come in handy more than once.
Dealing with Yurgir
The easiest place to get to right away is directly across from where you came in. Head back in the way you came and take the other fork, and youāll find a destroyed, messy area. Youāll know youāre heading the right way if you see a Displacer Beast leading you along.
If you follow it, youāll eventually encounter Yurgir. Raphael, the tricky devil, warned you about this guy before you walk in the door of the Mausoleum. And yes, he is an absolute beast.
You can try fighting him and his small army, though itās a very difficult fight at this point in the game. You can also try talking it out. But might I recommend a different and altogether stranger path?
Where to find the Gauntlet of Shar rats in Baldurās Gate 3
Instead of going over to Yurgir, head back and out, and start to navigate down the stairs of the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldurās Gate 3, until youāre on the lowest floor. Youāll see some craggy rocks you can descend down, to get to the base of the massive Shar statue in the center. Head over near the foot, and youāll find a ritual circle. Interact with some of the items here, and youāll find a rat. There are a few notable outcomes, depending on what you do next and whether you have Speak with Animals active.
If you have Speak with Animals on and talk to the rat, itāll begin bargaining with your party. From here, you can listen to and accept its bargain or fight the rats, leading to more appearing.
What happens if you accept the ratās bargain?
If you accept the ratās bargain, Astarion will instantly disapprove of your choice. Following this, a marker named Sharran Provisions will appear on your map, indicating the location of some hidden treasure. To get here, youāll have to travel through the corridor where you found the Displacer Beast before traveling north, jumping across some stones, and entering a small room. Most regular characters canāt get here easily without high Strength stats, Misty Step, or jump enhancement, so be prepared to cast a few spells or get one of your tougher party members over to the other side.
Upon arriving here, youāll find a loose tile in the wall housing gold and three random alchemical ingredients that change with each playthrough. With these, you can craft various potions and elixirs. Outside that, they have little use. If youāre lucky, you may get a rare item or two, but you wonāt find anything too noteworthy outside this.
Alternatively, you can fight and defeat the rat horde. Once you fight the first rat, more rats will show up. Donāt worry about this, just start squashing them with as many AoE attacks as you have. Theyāre all fairly low health, so just swinging and spell-slinging will win out. The rats will reconstitute back into a manāa Dark Justiciar named Lyrthindor. This dude was actually just a bunch of rats. Lyrthindor is also not happy about the current situation and will attack you after a brief dialogue.
What happens if you kill Lyrthindor?
Killing the rats and Lyrthindor rewards you with the Justiciarās Scimitar and Greatshield. Both are powerful in their own ways, with the shield having Shield Bash and Darkness Cloak and the scimitar having Shadow-Blinding. With these, you have a chance to blind your enemies if you attack with advantage while also knocking them prone if they hit you with a melee attack.
Once you take out Lyrthindor, head back to Yurgir. It turns out he couldnāt complete his contract because Lyrthindor was running around as a bunch of rats. Raphael will show up and you can encourage the two to negotiate a new contract. They both disappear, and youāre free to take the Umbral Gem and the spoils. Easy!
Now head back towards Balthazarās and out along the rows of rooms that overlook the Shar statue. These trials will also offer Umbral Gems, and youāll need to spill blood (or let Shadowheart eagerly do so) at each, then complete their task.
How to kill Yurgir
If you want to kill Yurgir instead, youāll have to succeed in several Charisma checks during his dialogue. You have two options with this route: attack him and his entire army head-on, or slowly weaken him until he and his army are gone. However, the latter requires succeeding in an Insight check and three high-roll Charisma checks to pull off fully, so be prepared for potential mishaps or a lot of save-scumming.
How to make Yurgir kill himself
If your party is persuasive enough to pass his various persuasion checks, you can avoid combat altogether by convincing Yurgir to kill his minions, pet, and himself. Itās a brutal end, but it will satisfy Raphael.
However, youāll have to pick specific dialogue options to reach this point, as well as succeed with an Insight Check to unlock one of them. Below are the exact options thatāll lead you to your persuasion checks:
- Put that thing down. Iām here to talk.
- You know Raphael?
- Iāve had dealings with that devil. Maybe we can help each other out.
- Letās share our experiences about Raphael. Perhaps we can help each other.
- Show me this contract. Perhaps thereās something you missed.
- Raphael wanted you to kill Dark Justiciars? Why? (Requires a successful Insight Check)
From here, youāll have three Charisma checks you can attempt. The first will eliminate Yurgirās minions, followed by his Displacer Beast and, lastly, himself. Be careful, as the first check requires a 16 DC Charisma check, followed by two consecutive DC 21 checks. If you fail any, youāll initiate combat with whoever is still alive.
Once youāre done killing Yurgir or persuading him to do it himself, you can take on the rest of the Gauntlet of Shar.
Soft-Step Trial puzzle solution
This is a maze patrolled by shadows, where you will need to sneak around, disarm traps, and not get caught. Itās Metal Gear Baldur. There are a few advantages you can give yourself. First off, ungrouping and going with just one person is absolutely the only way to go. And despite Shadowheartās insistence in partaking of the trials, you should probably send someone sneakier, like Astarion.
You can use invisibility and other tools, and there are some shortcuts you can open along the way. If you get caught, you get bounced back to the beginning. Remember that Misty Step I told you to lock in? You can also use that to bypass many things, including the obstacles and gate barring you from the Umbral Gem.
Self-Same Trial puzzle solution
Walk in prepared to fight, as this will require you to defeat an exact replica of your own party. Thereās a twist, too; characters will receive a debuff that reduces their stats if they attack someone who isnāt their reflection.
My suggestion? Ignore that. Just beat the bajeezus out of your team how you see fit. The debuff goes away after a Long Rest, which you can take after dumping all your spells on these hapless projections.
You know your own team better than anyone, so dismantle it like only you can. Get the Umbral Gem, as well as a really useful ring that lets you get some free crits for taking out enemies.
Faith-Step Trial puzzle solution
I wonāt lie, this oneās a bit easy. Youāll enter a dark room, with a carving on the floor. This indicates the path youāll have to take through the room to get to the other side, and towards another Umbral Gem.
You donāt really need that though, as even with a pretty standard brightness setting, you can make out the floor layout as you walk. I recommend doing it this way, as falling and dying is a real pain here. Misty Step also comes in clutch if you have Darkvision. Thatās every Gauntlet of Shar trial in Baldurās Gate 3 finished, and youāre ready for the finale.
You can also press the āOā key to get a better view of the area to make this even easier.
A detour for Sharās spear
Weāve got our Umbral Gems, but before we head to the end, stop by the Silent Library. Some Dark Justiciars roam here, covered by a silencing field that negates spellcasting. Sneak your crew in, preferably one that can rely on martial arts over magical ones, and try to take out the silencer ASAP. Alongside the silent debuff, it also spawns enemies.
Once youāve taken them all out, you can access the back area, where a circular disk with the Riddle of Night awaits. Youāll have to find the answer to its question among the books in the library. Simply find the one detailing what can kill the Nightsong, and place it in the receptacle.
Youāll gain access to some treasure and the Spear of Night, which will play an all-important role in the upcoming conclusion of the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldurās Gate 3.
Make your way down
Head back to the entryway, where a round device sits. Place an Umbral Gem in, and youāll be able to take a platform around and down to another landing, where another receptacle waits for more Umbral Gems. Deposit them, and the path forward will open.
At this point, if you have not completed the Mountain Pass and Githyanki Creche content, Laeāzel will express her frustration. Depending on your choices, you can convince her to stay, fight her, or let her leave. I highly, highly recommend you complete the Creche content; not just for its excellent gear, but itās a really compelling story too.
Additionally, once youāve reached the waypoint that opens up here, youāll want to double-back and take care of any lingering side quests. The events that happen from here on out can radically change the game state. Youāll want to drop a save down and finish any side quests, including Thanielās Shadow Curse content.
Otherwise, head towards the pool and gear up to deal with the conclusion. Youāre all done with the puzzles of the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldurās Gate 3.
Published: Apr 18, 2024 3:18 PM UTC