Astral Prism

Walkthrough

The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.

1. 1

   Face the Dream Visitor

   When you enter the planar rift from Crèche Y'llek, follow the floating stone platforms directly into the alien cavern housing the crystalline sphere. Inside, speak with the Dream Visitor, who explains their role in halting your ceremorphosis and hands you a blade to strike them down. You can refuse or attack, but striking them will only prompt them to heal instantly and chide your obedience before you exit back through the rift.

   Tip: Take advantage of the native Astral Gravity condition to make massive leaps across the floating terrain without taking any falling damage.

2. 2

   Repel Orpheus's Honour Guard

   After entering the emergency portal during the Act 2 to Act 3 transition, leap down from the entry ridge to aid the friendly Intellect Devourers against the encroaching githyanki. Push forward into the colossal skull dome where the Emperor is holding Prince Orpheus captive, and eliminate the attacking githyanki strike team. Before taking the portal out to the city, ensure you search the battlefield thoroughly.

   Key fight: Defend the Dream Visitor (The Emperor)
   Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo: Dropped by Prelate Lir'i'c during the Act 3 ambush inside the Astral Plane Don't missVoid Bulb: from the entry portal ridge down along the perimeter floating rocks at coordinates X: -172, Y: -1134 to the groundHow: pick up the bulb from the stony surfaceMissable because: permanently locked out once you exit the Act 3 transition portal Don't miss New

   Tip: Target the Gish'ra monks and prelate quickly with crowd-control spells to prevent them from overwhelming the Emperor and your front line.

   Watch out: Prelate Lir'i'c holds the Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo, which are permanently lost if you enter the portal to the city without looting his corpse.

3. 3

   The Emperor's Offer

   Once the Honour Guard is defeated, speak to the Emperor at the center of the skull to discuss his true illithid identity and the captured Prince Orpheus. He presents you with the Astral-Touched Tadpole, offering you heightened powers at the cost of partial ceremorphosis. You can choose to commune with or consume the specimen, but you must pass a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw to refuse it if your character previously consumed any illithid tadpoles.

   Astral-Touched Tadpole: Offered directly by the Emperor after defeating Orpheus's honour guard Don't miss

   Tip: If you want the tier-3 illithid powers without permanent cosmetic changes on your main character, place the tadpole in your inventory to offer it to companions instead of consuming it directly.

   Watch out: Crushing or refusing the tadpole after having consumed mind flayer parasites requires beating a steep DC 21 Wisdom check, which forces partial transformation on a failure.

4. 4

   The Final Incursion

   When routed to the Astral Prism following the showdown at the Morphic Pool, gather your party inside the crystalline dome to make a final stand with the Netherstones. You must decide whether to give the stones to the Emperor so he can assimilate Prince Orpheus, or reject the mind flayer to free the githyanki prince yourself. If you side with the Emperor, prepare for Lae'zel to turn permanently hostile unless you talk her down with a DC 30 Persuasion check.

   Staff of the Emperor: from the central crystalline dome at coordinates X: -160, Y: -1165 in the Emperor's inventoryHow: disarm the Emperor using an ability that affects allies (such as Disarming Attack or Honeyed Paws), or reverse-pickpocket an auto-equipping weapon to unequip itMissable because: permanently lost if you leave the area without disarming him, as killing him inside the Astral Prism triggers an immediate Game Over rather than a lootable corpse Don't miss New

   Tip: If you plan to side with the Emperor and keep Lae'zel in your party, pre-cast Guidance and stock Inspiration points to handle the exceptionally high DC 30 Persuasion check.

   Watch out: Attacking the Emperor unprovoked or defying Raphael without having acquired the Orphic Hammer will leave you with no viable way to dominate the Netherbrain, triggering an immediate Game Over.

5. 5

   Shatter Orpheus's Bonds

   If you reject the Emperor and choose to free Prince Orpheus, watch the Emperor depart to join the Netherbrain before taking up your weapon. Equip the Orphic Hammer and strike both infernal binding crystals flanking Orpheus's psychic prison to shatter the field. Once free, converse with Orpheus to decide who will make the ultimate sacrifice to undergo ceremorphosis and wield the Netherstones before stepping through the exit portal to High Hall.

   Orphic Ring: from the central crystalline dome to Prince Orpheus's inventoryHow: interact with or loot Prince OrpheusMissable because: unobtainable if Prince Orpheus is consumed or leaves without being searched Don't miss New

   Tip: Equipping the Orphic Hammer on a high-strength warrior breaks each binding crystal in a single strike.

   Watch out: If you side against the Emperor without possessing the Orphic Hammer, you must sign Raphael's desperate pact right inside the dome, or your journey will instantly end in failure.

What you decide here and what it leads to.