Lower City
The Lower City serves as the sprawling urban hub of Act Three, bustling with crowded taverns, magical establishments, dockyards, and deep sewers. Here, you pursue the Netherstones belonging to Lord Enver Gortash and Orin the Red while uncovering dark plots throughout local estates. You can explore numerous sub-locations such as Sorcerous Sundries, the Counting House, and Cazador's Palace to wrap up extensive companion questlines.
- Region
- Baldur's Gate
- Levels
- 10–12
- Getting there
- North from Wyrm's Rock Fortress, across the North Span bridge to the city transition zone leading into the Basilisk Gate entrance (X: 134 Y: -38)
- Connects to
- Wyrm's Rock Fortress, Lower City Sewers, Undercity Ruins, Counting House, Sorcerous Sundries, Bloomridge Park, House of Hope, Cazador's Palace
- Related quests
- Acquire the Gauntlets for Helsik · Aid the Underduke · Avenge the Drowned · Avenge the Hag Survivors · Avenge the Ironhands · Disable the Steel Watch · Find Dribbles the Clown · Find Mystic Carrion's Servant
- Services and people
- Helsik · Derryth Bonecloak · Mystic Carrion · Nine-Fingers Keene · Rolan · Lorroakan · Devella Fountainhead · Manip Falcão
- Enemy types
- Bhaalist Cultists · Steel Watchers · Flaming Fist · Doppelgangers · Sharrans · Vampires · Wererats · Ghouls
The short version
What matters
- •Defeating Allandra Grey in the Flymm Cargo basement yields both the Wavemother's Robe and Wavemother's Sickle.
- •Non-lethal attacks are required against Minsc to spare him and unlock both Minsc and Boo.
- •Passing a DC 20 Persuasion check with Helsik waives the 20,000 gold fee to enter the House of Hope in exchange for the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength.
- •Choosing between Nine-Fingers Keene and the Zhentarim determines your ally bonus for Gather Your Allies.
Common mistakes
- •Accidentally killing Minsc with ranged attacks, spells, or lethal melee blows instead of non-lethal strikes permanently loses Minsc and Boo.
- •Surrendering Redhammer to the Waveservants forfeits the chance to loot the Wavemother's Sickle from Allandra Grey.
- •Spending 20,000 gold on Helsik's portal without attempting the DC 20 Persuasion check wastes a massive amount of party gold.
Walkthrough
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
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1
The Counting House and Sorcerous Sundries
Head to the Counting House to speak with Head Clerk Bloris Meadhoney and Head Banker Rakath Glitterbeard before venturing down into the vaults. You can bypass the vault door code entirely by creating an electrified water surface in front of it, but prepare to repel hostile infiltrators once inside. Afterwards, make your way to Sorcerous Sundries to confront the wizard Lorroakan and his elemental constructs.
Key fight: Lorroakan Key fight: Counting House Vault AmbushTip: Create an electrified water surface directly before the Counting House vault door to bypass entering the numeric code.
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2
The Guildhall and Undercity Pursuit
Gain access to the Guildhall through the alley guarded by Tusgront, where you meet Nine-Fingers Keene. Pursue the cultists deeper underground to confront the mind-controlled Minsc alongside Bhaalist cultists and doppelgangers, using non-lethal melee strikes on Minsc to ensure he survives. Return to the Guildhall to choose whether to support Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild for Guildmaster Keene's Fixers, or Roah Moonglow, Boss Friol, and the Zhentarim for Black Fist Enforcers.
Tip: Use non-lethal melee attacks to knock Minsc out so you can recruit both him and Boo.
Watch out: Siding against your desired faction in the Guildhall permanently locks you into their respective Gather Your Allies bonus.
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3
Central Districts and Hidden Caches
Survey the central avenues to unearth two buried chests, one at X: -183 Y: -22 and another at X: -130 Y: -20 that requires a DC 20 Survival check. Check the garden room labeled 'Keep Out' north of the Steel Watch Foundry, where stepping on two wall pressure plates simultaneously reveals a hidden area. Then, visit the Devil's Fee to negotiate with Helsik for passage to the House of Hope, either paying 20,000 gold or passing a DC 20 Persuasion check to promise her the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength instead.
Tip: Passing Helsik's DC 20 Persuasion check saves you 20,000 gold in exchange for promising to retrieve the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength.
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4
Water Queen's House and Flymm Cargo
Visit the Water Queen's House to speak with Flood Tide priestess Allandra Grey, then proceed to Flymm Cargo and pick the door locks at X: -169 Y: -150 to defeat the ambush of worgs. Clear away the trunks and crates concealing the hatch at X: -164 Y: -141 to enter the submersible basement and meet the pilot, Redhammer the Deviser. If you shield Redhammer when Allandra Grey and her Waveservants arrive, defeat them in combat to loot the Wavemother's Robe and Wavemother's Sickle, or turn him over to Allandra to receive the Wavemother's Robe peacefully.
Watch out: You will permanently miss the Wavemother's Robe and Wavemother's Sickle if you allow the Waveservants to leave peacefully or complete the Iron Throne without speaking to Redhammer.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Helsik's Entry Fee
Bargaining for passage to the House of Hope at the Devil's Fee
- Pay 20,000 gold→ Grants immediate ritual access without strings attached
- Pass a DC 20 Persuasion check→ Waives the financial cost in exchange for a deal to bring her the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength
Most players pick: Pass the DC 20 Persuasion check
Redhammer's Fate
Confronting Redhammer or returning to Flymm Cargo's basement after visiting the Iron Throne
- Surrender or slay Redhammer→ Allandra Grey gifts you the Wavemother's Robe
- Defend Redhammer from the Waveservants→ Initiates battle against Allandra Grey and her followers, and Redhammer hands over 332 gold
Siding with Redhammer without defeating Allandra forfeits the Wavemother's Robe
The Underduke Turf War
Returning to the Guildhall following the confrontation with Minsc
- Back Nine-Fingers Keene and the Guild→ The Guild remains in command and pledges Guildmaster Keene's Fixers for Gather Your Allies
- Back Roah Moonglow/Boss Friol and the Zhentarim→ The Zhentarim conquer the Guildhall and provide Black Fist Enforcers for Gather Your Allies
Checklists
Don't miss 0/2
Achievements here
Secrets
0/6
Key fights
Enemies: Lorroakan, 4 Elemental Myrmidons (Air, Earth, Fire, Water), and animated servant constructs
Threats: Elemental Retort deals massive reactive damage whenever attacked; casts high-tier evocation spells (Fireball, Chain Lightning)
Weaknesses and resistances: Lorroakan siphons immunities to Fire, Cold, Lightning, and Poison from the living myrmidons; susceptible to Silence, Hold Person, and physical/Force damage
Tactics: Cast Silence or Globe of Invulnerability on the central upper platform, bait out Counterspell, and focus down the Elemental Myrmidons first (or burst him with physical single-target smites inside a Silence bubble)
Rewards: Shelter of Athkatla robe, Despair of Athkatla quarterstaff, access to Markoheshkir and The Foebreaker
Enemies: Bhaalist infiltrators, shapeshifters, and cultists (alongside manipulated banker guards)
Threats: Permanent Invisibility cycling, Sanctuary protection, paralyzing/stunning Bhaal strikes, Unstoppable charges
Weaknesses and resistances: Susceptible to See Invisibility, AOE elemental surface damage (Water + Lightning, Fire), Faerie Fire, and Spirit Guardians
Tactics: Take high ground on the entry stairs and vault catwalks; reveal stealthers with Faerie Fire or large-radius spells like Ice Storm/Fireball to strip Sanctuary and invisibility
Rewards: Very heavy bags of gold, Counting House vault keys, Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen, access to High Security Vault legendary loot
Enemies: Avery Sonshal, Fist of Bane Volgu Drak, Black Gauntlet Uva, and Banite cultist guards across three floors
Threats: Massive chain explosions using smokepowder barrels and fireworks, ranged multi-attacks, Bane divine strikes
Weaknesses and resistances: Vulnerable to Fire-triggered environment chain reactions, blindness, and ranged knockback effects
Tactics: Station ranged snipers on the exterior roof across the street or funnel cultists down the narrow central stairwell chokepoints while detonating internal explosive caches with Fire Bolt
Rewards: Infernal Mace, Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen, crates of smokepowder, Smokepowder Arrows, and completion of "Investigate the Suspicious Toys"
Enemies: Mystic Carrion, multiple Ancient Mummies, and flying Ghoul servants
Threats: Mummy Rot (prevents healing, deals necrotic damage), Cloudkill, Ghoul paralysis claw strikes, infinite self-resurrection if his canopic jars are intact
Weaknesses and resistances: Immune to Poison and Necrotic, resistant to non-magical physical damage; vulnerable to Fire and radiant damage; severely weakened by destroying his four organ jars beforehand
Tactics: Chokepoint the narrow entryway of Philgrave's Mansion; pre-cast Daylight or cast wall spells (Wall of Fire/Blade Barrier) across the doorway to burn arriving mummies
Rewards: Staff of Cherished Necromancy, Crypt Lord Ring, Hood of the Weave
Enemies: Cazador Szarr, Chatterteeth, Fallen Gur hunters, bats, and Werewolves
Threats: Vampire Ascension ritual timer (sacrificing Astarion), Mist Form evasion, Life Drain, Swarm of Bats, high Necrotic burst spells
Weaknesses and resistances: Sensitive to Sunlight (Daylight spell halts Mist Form and regeneration), vulnerable to Radiant damage; resistant to Necrotic
Tactics: Cast Daylight directly onto the central ritual altar before engaging, bottleneck the long walkway to block werewolf rushes, and immediately dash an ally to help Astarion out of the ritual circle
Rewards: Rhapsody (legendary dagger), Woe (quarterstaff), Szarr Family Ring, ascension choices for Astarion
Enemies: Mother Superior Viconia DeVir, Sharran Fidelians, Justiciar Crusaders, and Shar cultists
Threats: Radiant Retort (reflects Radiant damage as double Force damage), multiple simultaneous Darkness clouds causing Blindness, high Necrotic bursts
Weaknesses and resistances: Immune/counter-offensive to Radiant damage; vulnerable to terrain control (Spike Growth, Ice Storm), Force, and non-radiant AOE bursts
Tactics: Fall back to the grand staircase to turn the entry hallway into a lethal funnel; layer Wall of Fire, Spike Growth, and Hunger of Hadar at the base of the stairs while using Eversight/Devil's Sight against Darkness
Rewards: Viconia's Walking Fortress (legendary shield), Handmaiden's Mace, Viconia's Priestess Robe, Mirror of Loss access
Enemies
A massive construct found inside the Steel Watch Foundry that summons Hellfire Watchers and retreats into a defensive protocol after sustaining heavy damage.
Shops and people
- Helsik (Devil's Fee): Sells rare magical artifacts, ritual sundries, and offers the portal materials required to breach the House of Hope.
Tips
- When confronting mechanical enemies like Steel Watchers throughout the district, using lightning spells or lightning arrows deals substantial burst damage to disrupt their offensive turns.
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