How To Free Orpheus: Baldur’s Gate 3 Walkthrough
Freeing Orpheus, the Githyanki prince, is a pivotal point in the massively popular RPG Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s not as straightforward as some of the other quests in the game. Trapped within the Astral Plane, Orpheus requires a unique solution to break free. You’ll be faced with two options, and how to free Orpheus will be entirely up to you and how you’d like the story to play out.
Successfully freeing Orpheus not only adds a powerful ally to your party but also significantly impacts the game’s narrative. In this guide, we’ll show you the steps required to liberate Orpheus and the challenges you’ll face along the way.
How To Rescue Orpheus
In Act 3, you can travel below the Lower City toward the Elder Brain, leading you to Orpheus. Before this point, you should have the Orphic Hammer and all three Netherstones.
Start by heading toward the Basilisk Gate waypoint, which will take you to the Undercity Ruins, and then the Temple of Bhaal.
When you reach this point in the game, you’re nearing the end and will have to continue to the finale. It’s also important to note that it will be a while before you can change your party.
Prior to reaching the Elder Brain, your party will need to have successful rolls in Saving Throws. Should you fail these rolls, a character’s mind may be broken before you reach Orpheus.
Tip: Casting Guidance on your characters can give them an extra d4 for Saving Throws, helping you resist the Elder Brain.
You will then travel to the Morphic Pool located in the northern part of the Undercity Ruins and cross it via boat.
The three Netherstones are required to travel across, and you should have received them earlier in the game from Lord Gortash, Orin the Red, and Ketheric Thorm.
Once crossed, you’ll meet the Emperor, and they will take you to Orpheus. Here, you’ll make choices that each have a different outcome if you have the Orphic Hammer:
- You can approach Orpheus in the Astral Prism and free him. When you do so, the Emperor becomes furious and leaves.
- You have the option to speak with the Emperor and tell him you’ve decided to free Orpheus. The emperor then leaves to join the Elder Brain, and you’ll fight him in the final battle.
Once Orpheus is freed, you will again be faced with two options:
- Use the Netherstones to sacrifice yourself or an ally and become a Mind Flayer.
- You can free Orpheus without becoming Illithid by convincing him to become a Mind Flayer himself.
There is also a third, less desirable option you can choose prior to freeing the prince. You can tell the Emperor that you don’t want to wield the power of the Netherstones. This results in the Emperor taking the power and eating Orpheus’ brain.
How To Get the Orphic Hammer
The Orphic Hammer is a legendary weapon you can eventually use to break the chains holding Orpheus. To obtain the hammer, you must explore Act 3’s side content.
First, travel to Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. Although your plan is to steal the hammer, the Cambion devil Raphael offers you a deal instead. Raphael will give you the hammer in exchange for the Crown of Karsus with a binding pact.
You can choose to decline Raphael’s offer and head to the House of Hope in Avernus. You’ll then fight Raphael, and your victory will result in receiving the powerful hammer.
Tip: Deals with Raphael are binding, but you can get out of it by stealing the infernal contract from the devil’s lair. This prevents him from using the crown to rule the Nine Hells.
Is It Possible To Save Orpheus Through Personal Sacrifice?
Rather than turning Orpheus into a Mind Flayer, Karlach will offer herself instead. If she turns into a Mind Flayer, she’ll eat the prince’s brain.
You can also choose to sacrifice yourself instead by refusing Karlach’s suggestion. You will then turn into a Mind Flayer and have new abilities, ending your character’s story. Doing this also results in you eating the prince’s brain.
Tip: If you have Lae’zel in your party, she won’t be happy about Orpheus dying. If you don’t pass a DC 30 Persuasion check, Lae’zel will attack you and the rest of the party out of anger.
What’s the Benefit of Saving Orpheus?
Similar to freeing Shadowheart, saving Orpheus brings a powerful ally with unique abilities and spells to your party. Due to his Githyanki heritage, his character class gives him access to powerful psionic abilities, allowing him to manipulate minds, control objects, and teleport. This comes in handy for upcoming exploration and future combat.
The downside of saving Orpheus is that you don’t receive the help of the Emperor, so it’s a choice between one powerful ally and another. You need to decide whether the allyship of the Githyanki or Mind Flayers is more important to you as you head into the final battle.
You may save some time by not getting the Orphic Hammer and not saving Orpheus, but this comes with consequences. Siding with the Emperor guarantees that someone in your party will become a Mind Flayer and that Lae’zel will most likely leave your party.
More Adventures Await RPG Lovers
If you love Baldur’s Gate 3 and are looking for more RPGs to explore, there are plenty on PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Role-playing games can take you to different places and times, each with a rich story and immersive experience. Whether you want to play games on your computer or bring the adventure with you on your tablet or smartphone, there are many RPGs to check out.
