Baldur's Gate 3 Walkthrough: Act 1 Part 2, Underdark, Grymforge and the Creche

Part 2 of our Baldur's Gate 3 walkthrough covers the rest of Act 1: the Underdark, Grymforge and the Mountain Pass with the githyanki creche. Both routes lead to the Shadow-Cursed Lands, where Act 2 begins. You can do one route or both.

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The whole walkthrough

Which route should you take?

There are two ways from Act 1 to Act 2:

• The Underdark route: down into the Underdark, then by boat to Grymforge, then up to the Shadow-Cursed Lands. It has more content and better loot.
• The Mountain Pass route: on the far west of the Act 1 map. It leads to Rosymorn Monastery and the githyanki creche, which matters a lot to Lae'zel.

You get a warning when you are about to move the story forward, but you can still go back to Act 1 areas for a while. The best plan for most players: do the Underdark first, then come back up and do the Mountain Pass, then cross into Act 2 from either side. Make sure the grove situation from part 1 is settled before you cross.

1. Getting into the Underdark

There are four common ways down:

• The Defiled Temple in the Shattered Sanctum at the Goblin Camp. Solve the moon puzzle or find the hidden lever to open the passage, then climb down. This is the route most players take.
• The Zhentarim Hideout near Waukeen's Rest: a lift behind an illusory wall.
• The Whispering Depths: the well in the Blighted Village.
• The Riverside Teahouse: through an illusory wall in Auntie Ethel's lair.

Some drops need Feather Fall. Bring the spell or a scroll.

2. The Myconid Colony

The Myconid Colony is a peaceful mushroom settlement and your base in the Underdark. It has a trader and a safe place to rest.

1. Talk to Sovereign Spaw, the myconid leader. He asks you to deal with a duergar called True Soul Nere at Grymforge and bring back his head.
2. A rival myconid, Glut, wants to replace Spaw and asks for your help. Your choice decides which one rules. Siding with Spaw keeps the colony friendly.

3. Exploring the Underdark

Other spots worth a visit before you leave:

• The Selûnite Outpost: a ruined camp with a Bulette that bursts out of the ground. It's a tough fight, so go rested.
• The Arcane Tower: a wizard's tower with puzzles and good loot. You need to get the power running to use the lift.
• The docks: a duergar boat that takes you to Grymforge. Taking it moves the story forward.

4. Grymforge and True Soul Nere

Take the boat to Grymforge, a ruined dwarven forge run by duergar. Talk to Sergeant Thrinn at the start. Nere and a group of deep gnome slaves are trapped behind a cave-in.

1. You need explosives to clear the rubble. Look for explosives in the area, or use the gnome Philomeen, who has her own plan.
2. Once the wall falls, Nere comes out and starts killing gnomes. You can fight him and the duergar, or use your parasite powers to force him to free the gnomes.
3. There is a time limit. If you rest or wait too long, the duergar clear the wall themselves and the gnomes are executed. Do this quest quickly.
4. Bring Nere's head back to Spaw in the Myconid Colony to finish the quest.

5. Boss: Grym at the Adamantine Forge

Below Grymforge is the Adamantine Forge. It's optional, but it gives you some of the best armour and weapons in Act 1.

• To start the fight you need a mould and Mithral ore. Put them in the forge, pull the levers, then go down to the lava floor.
• Grym is a huge adamantine golem with around 300 hit points. It can't be damaged normally until it is Superheated. It gets that status when it stands in lava.
• The fast way: lure Grym onto the anvil in the middle of the room and drop the forge hammer on it. Two hammer hits usually end the fight. The Minor Illusion cantrip is a good lure.
• Ranged characters can stay on the higher platforms and avoid the fire.

After the fight you can craft one adamantine item per mould you bring.

6. Mountain Pass and the githyanki creche

Back on the surface, head west to the Mountain Pass. It leads to Rosymorn Monastery, where a githyanki crèche hides below. Lae'zel has been looking for this place since the start, so bring her.

1. Explore the monastery. There are puzzles and a well-hidden treasure here, so look around carefully.
2. Go down into the Githyanki Creche. The githyanki treat you as guests at first, because of Lae'zel.
3. Lae'zel wants to use the Zaith'isk to cure the parasite. What happens there depends on your choices.
4. The Inquisitor in charge wants the artefact you carry from the Nautiloid. You won't hand it over, and he attacks.

Boss: Inquisitor W'wargaz

• He starts with Mindsteal Link, which you can't avoid. Linked characters lose 2 AC, become vulnerable to psychic damage and feed him extra damage.
• Clear the rest of the creche before you confront him, so you don't fight extra githyanki.
• Rest before the fight, focus him down and keep your healer out of the middle.

7. Crossing into Act 2

When you're ready, cross into the Shadow-Cursed Lands. From Grymforge, the path out near the docks leads up there. The Mountain Pass also connects to it. The game warns you before you cross. Most players are about level 5 at this point.

Before you go, check your journal. Finish the goblin camp, Ethel and any timed quests. Some Act 1 quests can't be finished once you are deep in Act 2.

Tips for this part

• Do Grymforge fast. The gnome rescue is timed by rests and travel.
• Bring at least one Feather Fall scroll. It saves you from big drops in the Underdark.
• Talk to Lae'zel before and after the creche. Her quest is one of the biggest in the game.
• Don't skip the Adamantine Forge. The gear carries you through most of Act 2.
• Use the Myconid Colony as your rest stop, but remember that every long rest counts against the Grymforge timer.

My take

The Underdark is my favourite area in the whole game. It looks strange, it's full of secrets, and the Grym fight is a great puzzle boss. I'd always do it before the creche. Which route did you take to Act 2?

FAQ

Should I go to the Underdark or the Mountain Pass first?

The Underdark first. It has more content, and you can still walk back up and do the Mountain Pass before you cross into Act 2.

How do I beat Grym without the hammer?

Keep pushing it into lava to keep it Superheated and hit it while it lasts. It works, but it takes much longer than the hammer.

Is the Githyanki Creche required?

No. It's optional, but it matters for Lae'zel's personal story, so most players do it.

What level should I be for Act 2?

Around level 5 is normal. Most of Act 2 is fine at 5 or 6.

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