Baldur's Gate 3 Walkthrough: Act 2 Part 2, Moonrise Towers and Ketheric Thorm

Part 4 of our Baldur's Gate 3 walkthrough finishes Act 2. You go through the Gauntlet of Shar, find the Nightsong, storm Moonrise Towers and chase Ketheric Thorm into the Mind Flayer Colony. It ends when you set out for the city of Baldur's Gate.

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The whole walkthrough

1. The Thorm Mausoleum

The Gauntlet of Shar starts in the Thorm Mausoleum in the north-west of the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Inside you find a set of paintings with buttons. Light them up in the right order to open a passage down. The clues are in the room, so read everything you find.

Take Shadowheart with you. This whole dungeon is tied to her past and her goddess, Shar.

2. The Gauntlet of Shar and the Umbral Gems

Below the mausoleum is a huge temple. The main doors open with Umbral Gems. You earn three of them by finishing Shar's trials, one gem per trial. They test stealth, trust and fighting yourself, so expect puzzles as well as fights.

• Each trial has a pedestal for its gem at the end. Pick up the gem and bring it back to the main hall.
• One trial is a dark maze full of shadows. Move slowly and stay on the safe path.
• In another, you fight copies of your own party. Strong area spells help, because the copies share your weaknesses.
• A fourth gem is tied to Yurgir, a powerful orthon. Raphael, the devil you met in Act 1, wants him dead. Hear Yurgir out before you fight: there's more than one way to settle it.

3. The Shadowfell and Balthazar

When you have the gems, the way to the Shadowfell opens. This is the point of no return: after you enter, you can't go back to Act 1 areas. Finish anything you still need there first.

In the Shadowfell you meet Balthazar, Ketheric's necromancer. He wants the Nightsong too. Kill him and his undead before you reach her. Focus Balthazar first. His minions fall apart quickly once he's down.

4. The Nightsong: Shadowheart's choice

At the end of the Shadowfell you find the Nightsong. She is the source of Ketheric's immortality. Shadowheart is told by Shar to kill her. This is one of the biggest choices in the game.

Shadowheart's approval matters here. If she likes you, it's much easier to talk her into sparing the Nightsong. Either way, Ketheric loses his protection, so you can now kill him.

5. Storming Moonrise Towers

Return to Last Light Inn and talk to Jaheira. The Harpers plan an attack on Moonrise Towers, and you lead it.

1. Prepare first: long rest, buy potions and scrolls, and finish any quests you want to keep. After the assault, Act 2 ends quickly.
2. If you haven't freed the prisoners yet, plan to do it now. Wulbren and the tieflings in the prison are useful allies in Act 3.
3. Fight your way through the towers. Use the stairs and doorways to split the defenders up.

Boss: Ketheric Thorm on the rooftop

• Ketheric is joined by guards, his dog and a group of Necromites on the platforms around him.
• If you freed the Nightsong, she fights on your side and takes care of many of the adds.
• Focus Ketheric early and push his health low before you clean up the rest. Area spells work well on the Necromites.
• When he's beaten, he escapes down into the Mind Flayer Colony below the towers. Follow him.

6. The Mind Flayer Colony

The colony is under Moonrise. It's a dangerous place full of mind flayers and intellect devourers. Explore carefully, because there are important story discoveries and loot here. Rest before the final room.

Boss: Ketheric and the Apostle of Myrkul

• The first stage is a long fight. Ketheric spams a spell that creates more undead, and mind flayers and Necromites keep coming.
• Deal as much damage to Ketheric as you can, but don't ignore the mind flayers. Their psychic attacks hurt.
• When Ketheric falls, the Apostle of Myrkul rises from his body. Defeat it to end Ketheric for good.
• Bring Silence, Hold spells and plenty of healing. Characters with high Intelligence and Wisdom saves do best here.

Take Ketheric's Netherstone from his remains. You'll need it at the end of the game. After the fight you learn what the Absolute really is, and where the story goes next. The road to the city of Baldur's Gate opens, and Act 3 starts when you leave.

Tips for this part

• Build Shadowheart's approval before the Gauntlet. Choices she likes and talks at camp make the Nightsong scene go smoother.
• Rest right before the Shadowfell. It's a long run with no easy way back to Act 1.
• Think hard before you take Raphael's deals. Read every contract before you sign it.
• In the Moonrise rooftop fight, kill the Necromites standing on the platforms with area spells before they swarm you.
• Most players are level 7 or 8 when they face Ketheric. Don't rush in under that.

My take

The Gauntlet is the best dungeon in the game for me, and the Nightsong scene is the moment I think about most. I spared her on my first run and I'd do it again. What did your Shadowheart choose?

FAQ

Should I kill or spare the Nightsong?

Sparing her helps you in the Ketheric fights and sets Shadowheart on a different path. Killing her makes Shadowheart a Dark Justiciar. Both end Ketheric's immortality.

How many Umbral Gems do you need?

The three trials give three gems, and a fourth is tied to Yurgir. The trial gems are what you need to move deeper.

What level should I be for Ketheric Thorm?

Around level 7 or 8. The colony fight is long, so bring healing and crowd control.

Is there a point of no return in Act 2?

Yes. Entering the Shadowfell in the Gauntlet locks you out of Act 1 areas. The assault on Moonrise Towers also starts the end of Act 2.

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