WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for the plot of Baldur's Gate 3. Proceed at your own risk.
Key Takeaways
- Baldur's Gate 3 is a game where decisions determine character fate & relationships.
- The power of the Illithid tadpole is a major point of contention for player characters and their companions.
- Using Illithid powers has pros like a powerful skill tree, but cons like disapproval from companions and the possibility of becoming a mind flayer.
Baldur's Gate 3 is all about decisions that determine the fate of your character and the fates of the characters they're tied to. Though the companions that accompany the player character are all vastly different from each other in terms of alignment, values, and backgrounds, they're forced to work together to work on the problem they all share, whether they like it or not. One of the biggest points of contention for the characters and the player is whether to use the power of the Illithid tadpole swimming in their brains. Either path has its pros and cons, but for some the cost may be too high.
Baldur's Gate 3 opens with the player character, whether custom or one of the Origins, captured aboard a mind flayer ship. The player character is infected with an Illithid, colloquially called a tadpole, a worm-like creature that mind flayers use to turn other species into mind flayers. The process usually only takes a few days, and lets the victim experience a sort of mind-meld with the mind flayers and other thralls in the interim. Upon escaping the mind flayer ship, getting rid of the Illithid becomes the first priority before the transformation into a mind flayer happens.
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The Case for Harvesting Illithids in Baldur's Gate 3
Illithid pros:
- Unlocks a powerful skill tree.
- Makes Illithid Wisdom more powerful.
Illithid cons:
- Some companions will disapprove of the choice.
- Raises the possibility of becoming a mind flayer.
These plans get a wrench thrown in them when the party has a long rest and the Dream Guardian appears to them in their sleep. Left to the player to design during character creation, the Dream Guardian is a mysterious figure whose voice is heard throughout the game while the party is both asleep and conscious. The Guardian claims to be keeping the mind flayer transformation at bay, but also encourages the player and their companions to use their Illithids and the power they offer, even supplementing them with more as they find them in other infected people, known as True Souls.
The party is split on this opinion, with some agreeing that tapping into the power of the Illithid is the best way to fight the Absolute and the source of the hand behind everything, while the rest argue it's a trap and that the only way to move forward is to get rid of the Illithids completely. Absorbing more Illithids comes with a host of powerful abilities that can be used in battle, which makes Baldur's Gate 3 combat far easier.
Using the Power of the Tadpoles is a Practical Choice
Embracing Illithid power goes hand-in-hand with Illithid-Wisdom during conversations, which becomes more powerful the more it's used. Success along this path means getting access to information and places not normally available, and it means avoiding difficult fights. It does, however, impact the story in several fundamental ways that don't align with a heroic player, and so players who have rolled a good aligned character might want to be careful with this route. It also means possibly turning into a mind flayer, something that is incredibly unpleasant and which alienates the player from many Baldur's Gate 3's party members.
However, turning into a mind flayer is largely a player choice and can be avoided by disobeying orders from mind flayers and True Souls. While party members may disapprove of the choice to embrace the tadpole, most of them can be persuaded to at least accept someone else, namely the player character, experimenting with them. The biggest cons of using the Illithid powers come if the player chooses to become a mind flayer in BG3, which doesn't necessarily need to happen if the Illithid powers are chosen.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently available on PC and is slated for a September 6, 2023 release for PlayStation 5.
MORE: Baldur's Gate 3: All Subclasses, Explained
FAQs
Similarly, if you plan to go against the Emperor, siding with the Absolute, then transforming is a bad idea. It makes this mostly a roleplaying decision, but if you want to become as powerful as possible, then yes, you should evolve into a half-Illithid.
Is there a downside to illithid powers? ›
More importantly, overusing Illithid Powers can lock the player into one of the bad endings of Baldur's Gate 3. That may be a perfectly valid choice; the game emphasizes player freedom and plot flexibility, and an unfortunate end may be the best way to wind up the story a particular player character is trying to tell.
What happens if you let Orpheus become illithid? ›
If Orpheus becomes an illithid, he'll ask you to kill him after defeating the Netherbrain. He'll die at your blade after requesting Lae'zel take his dragons and face Vlaakith in his stead. On a successful DC20 Persuasion check, Orpheus can be persuaded to live rather than die at your sword.
What is the best illithid power to start with? ›
As you learn how to unlock the Illithid powers, you might notice there's not a lot to choose from at first. Among those first options, Favorable Beginnings has to be the best one. This power is one of the few that isn't limited to combat encounters only, and in reality it shines the most in social situations.
Can illithids be good? ›
It is possible, but unlikely for various reasons. But Illithid as a species are not innately evil by default, just strongly urged to be evil. There are some canonical(ish) good illithid, but it's definitely not the norm.
Is being partial illithid bad? ›
As for the game's narrative, while becoming just a half-Illithid has no major impact, it opens the door later down the line to become a full Illithid. Fully transforming into a Mind Flayer will dramatically change the game's ending, so be careful going down this path.
What are the benefits of turning illithid? ›
Embracing Illithid power goes hand-in-hand with Illithid-Wisdom during conversations, which becomes more powerful the more it's used. Success along this path means getting access to information and places not normally available, and it means avoiding difficult fights.
What happens if you never use the illithid powers in BG3? ›
To summarise:
Not using illithid powers - Has no bearing on the story, and companions will approve of not using them. You will miss out on some cool powers, but this is best for those completing a morally good, hero playthrough.
Does using illithid powers change the ending? ›
Furthermore, using Illithid Powers will not limit the content to which players have access, nor will it determine the Baldur's Gate 3 ending that they can receive. As such, fans should absolutely feel free to use tadpoles and Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3 as much as they want.
Can an illithid become a vampire? ›
Illithid vampires were a rare variety of mind flayer that was also a vampire. In order to create an illithid vampire, an egg must be planted in a vampirized host. Such creatures were quite insane, however. The High Master Illithid wished to become one of them.
To summarize, players should side with the Emperor if they don't want to become Mind Flayers, and they should free Orpheus if they don't mind risking having tentacles on them or their companions.
Does the Emperor betray you in BG3? ›
He will make threatening remarks that emphasize the control he seeks to have over his chosen adventurer, and he will even completely betray the party and join the Netherbrain if the player seeks to free Prince Orpheus.
Is using the illithid powers worth it? ›
The short answer is yes, you should use your Illithid powers, but there is a caveat. While your Baldur's Gate 3 companions worry over the disastrous consequences of giving Mind Flayer tadpoles some influence over you, there's not actually anything to worry about until Act 3.
Should you give illithid powers to companions? ›
From a mechanical standpoint, companions should definitely make liberal use of Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3, as long as the player modulates their hunger for more. There may be perils that come along with using Illithid Powers, but the perks that they offer are just too good to ignore.
Can you max out illithid powers? ›
At maximum, 25 illithid powers can be unlocked, which makes it easy to see just how powerful the ability can be.
What happens if you let Karlach become illithid? ›
4) Make her an Illithid
This will allow her to help you take down the Netherbrain. However, the Mind Flayer parasite will completely change her personality. It's one of the more difficult choices to make because while making her an Illithid will ensure her survival, it will warp her very nature for the worse.
Should I use the illithid tadpoles? ›
As such, fans should absolutely feel free to use tadpoles and Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3 as much as they want. In fact, it is recommended that players do exactly that, and the Favourable Beginnings and Luck of the Far Realms abilities are great places to start.
Is there a downside to consuming tadpoles in BG3? ›
All are reasonable choices, so pick what works best for you. Consuming tadpoles in Baldur's Gate 3 has no further consequences.
Can I avoid becoming a Mind Flayer in BG3? ›
It also means possibly turning into a mind flayer, something that is incredibly unpleasant and which alienates the player from many Baldur's Gate 3's party members. However, turning into a mind flayer is largely a player choice and can be avoided by disobeying orders from mind flayers and True Souls.
