Senior Brain in Act 3, when meeting with whom you have to make the last choice: the ending of the game directly depends on him. The aberration will evolve from the crown of Karsus and become a Netherian brain, as a result of which 2 paths will open - subdue or destroy a monster. The consequences of both options are not so obvious, and therefore doubts may arise when choosing.
In this guide, we will tell you how to subdue or defeat the Elder Brain in BG3, and what each decision will lead to. We will explain how to get to the final enemy, whose side to take: the Emperor or Orpheus, and also how to deal with the enemies in the Upper City and kill the Netherian brain.
How to get to the Netherese Brain
You can get to the Netherian brain only after you receive 3 Netherian stones - their owners are the chosen ones of the Absolute:
- Ketheric Torm -he dies first at the end 2 acts.
- Steel guards, since you can form an alliance with him (in the future the villain will still die).
- Murder Tribunal.
Once you have collected all the Netherian stones to take possession of the Crown of Karsus, go down into the sewers of the Lower City and, from Temple of Baal, move north to the rune circle “Docks of the Pool of Changes”. When you find yourself there for the first time, you will have to overcome a huge pile of rats.
Take the skiff and sail through the Pool of Change to get closer to the Elder Brain. After that you won't be able to return and continue completing any tasks.
After completing the cutscene, you will find yourself in a new area that you need to cross to meet the Netherian Brain. On the road to it, fight several waves of intelligence devourers and pick up some resources.
What to choose: subdue or defeat the Netherian brain
The main choice that will affect the fate of the entire kingdom will not be made in the Pool of Changes, but after the final battle in the Upper City, when you again encounter the Netherian Brain as part of the side quests "Subdue the Elder Brain" и "Destroy Elder Brain". The creature will offer to suppress it and become the Absolute, which will lead to a negative ending and the rule of the illithids. The positive ending will be the victory over the brain, the destruction of all parasites and the salvation of Baldur's Gate.
How to defeat the Elder Brain in Baldur's Gate 3
To defeat the Brain in Baldur's Gate 3, you must first learn how to suppress it, and then, along with all your allies, break through the horde of enemies in the High City and destroy the monster.
skill checks
When you first meet the Netherese Brain in the Pool of Changes, you will try to subdue it by overcoming 4 checks for various characteristics one after another [CS - 20, 25, 30 and 99]. The result of the die roll does not affect anything, but the decision “Bow before the power of the Netherian brain. Submit to his power" or “Give up. Let your brain take over you.", will result in a game over and a bad ending as you turn into an illithid puppet.
If you the 4th check of any stat with a 99, rolling a 20 and getting a critical success, then the next time you encounter a Netherian Brain, its health will decrease by 1/5 (from 300 it will drop to 240 HP), which will simplify the battle.
Side with the Emperor or Orpheus
After an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the brain, you are automatically teleported from the reservoir of Changes to the Astral Prism, where, if there is Orphic hammer will have to finally take the side of the Emperor or Orpheus. This will affect the composition of the final enemies during the Brainstem Slaughter.
The main choice is who exactly influences the monster with Netherian stones, since only a brain-eater, which is the Emperor, is capable of this. The main character himself, Orpheus, or Karlach. In the absence of the Orphic Hammer, the option of having an heir to Gith is no longer available, since his mind will have to be absorbed.
In a separate article they talked in more detail about who to choose - Emperor or Orpheus.
Destroy enemies in the Upper City
As soon as you leave the Astral Prism, you will move to the Upper City and see all the characters on the task "Gathering of Allies", which you can summon in the battle with Absolute monsters. Also, make your last purchase from the merchant - Red Coll.
After exiting the Guardian Citadel, you will encounter soldiers and, if you the automatic insight check [DC - 20], then with the successful use of persuasion, deception, intimidation or force in a conversation [KS - 20] enlist another group of allies on the battlefield.
Keep in mind that the of summoned allies will also come in handy when you get to the Netherian Brain, so use your allies wisely - you can only summon them 1 times.
Getting to the brain stem
Once you've broken through the enemies and past the double doors to the High Hall, turn left and go up to the brain stem, breaking the door along the way [KS - 20]. If you go right, you'll come across an illithid with a couple of insatiable little brain eaters.
On the way up, you will meet the servants of Baal and the devourers of intellect, and shells will begin to fly to the ground from the enemy nautiloid’s cannons, so the spells “Levitation”, “Acceleration” and “Misty Step” will be extremely useful. Main reach the brain stem of at least one character, since the entire squad will move with him. Next, restore all spell slots, actions and health of the characters in the team at the fountain.
If the team has Gale, then you can ask him to climb the Netherian brain alone and destroy the monster thanks to the sphere in his chest - the magician’s sacrifice will allow you to skip the difficult final battle and get a good ending.
How to Defeat the Netherian Brain
The battle with the brain is limited by turns and is divided into 2 parts - first make your way to Karsus's crown, and then come face to face with the monster. The composition of the final opponents is influenced by the choice between the Emperor and Orpheus: on the side of the 1st, 4 copies of characters in the form of monsters will be summoned, and if there is a 2nd on the team, fight the Emperor and the Dreamcatchers.
В 1st half The battle will take 4 turns to reach the crown at the end of the arena, where, in addition to the mentioned enemies, there are 4 Illithid Arcanists and a Subordinate Red Dragon - an achievement will be awarded for defeating him Interfectorem Draconis. Moving on the ground will be made difficult by hidden tentacles that can bind the hero.
Having reached the opposite edge of the battlefield, as an illithid hero, use a spell on the crown "The Compulsion of Karsus", which must be maintained for 1 turn for the teleport to appear. If the process is interrupted, you will have to repeat the action again. To prevent this from happening, you can apply invisibility to the character or protect him from enemies with walls.
How do you enter the portal? 2-th stage battle you will find yourself in the mind of a monster. The indestructible will of the Netherian Brain must be killed within 5 turns. Aberration, in response to damage dealt once per turn, creates waves of psychic attacks, which can be protected from with appropriate potions.
Once you lower the monster's health to 0, he will offer to subdue him and become the Absolute, but you can still refuse and destroy the brain.
Aftermath
If you defeat the Netherian Brain, you will get a good ending and will be able to see certain scenes with everyone alive companions, including additional dialogue with the romantic companion. The aberration will fall into the sea along with the crown of Karsus, the parasites will disappear from the Absolute, and the inhabitants of Baldur's Gate will get rid of the illithids that have infested the city, after which it will begin to recover. After the cutscene, the epilogue in the camp will become available.
In a separate guide you can find all Baldur's Gate 3 endings.
How to subdue the Elder Brain in Baldur's Gate 3
To suppress an aberration, act in the same way as if you wanted to defeat it. After the battle on the Netherian Brain, you will hear from the monster that it is going to surrender. Agree to the offer and decide whether to subjugate the brain together with an allied illithid or betray it. The last action may require a strength check [DC – 12].
Aftermath
If you decide to subdue the brain in Baldur's Gate 3, you will end up teaming up with the Absolute, taking the path of evil and saving the parasites. Either the main character or an illithid partner will seize power, and the remaining characters will be enslaved and become puppets. Due to this outcome of events, you will not see separate scenes for each character, including the epilogue.
We hope our article helped you decide whether to destroy or subjugate the Elder Brain in Baldurs Gate 3. If you have any difficulties completing the quest, something remains unclear, or you want to discuss the ending, then leave comments. In the corresponding section of the site you can find other Baldur's Gate 3 guides.
There is a cool "trick" in the battle with the brain. We give the brain a debuff, an Ilithid skill, which removes the characteristics of the victim. Although the skill says that the target will lose characteristics over 5 turns, but with the brain everything ends in 1 turn.
What mods were used to create the main character to get such a beauty?)
Regular Persians are far from ideal
Hello. There really aren't that many mods here. Tieflings have some of the best faces)
Otherwise the horns are modified "Horn of Faerun". The armor is from the mission from the third act about the drowned, it was also repainted along with the cloak in “white and scarlet paint,” it seems (or “sinful red on bone white”). The tattoo is standard, since some mods replace them automatically with NPCs, which is why they sometimes look funny)
The hairstyle is also kind of ordinary, a ponytail, but I can recommend it Tav's hair salon.