The Arcane Tower is a mysterious and deadly location in Baldur's Gate 3. When I first stumbled upon the tower, my party got blasted with Arcane Turrets that dealt a ton of damage from afar. To make matters worse, my own attacks didn't seem to do anything to them in return. Luckily, I've figured out how to get past them—and return the tower to its former glory. Here's everything you need to know to reactivate the Arcane Tower in Baldur's Gate 3.
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BG3 Arcane Tower guide - How to get past the Arcane Turrets in Baldur's Gate 3
The Arcane Tower is located in the southwest corner of the Underdark, pictured above (X:-19 Y:-284). A pair of turrets guard the entrance; while their Sturdy effect makes destroying them a tough task, it can be done; if you have a spellcaster in your party, you can fling Lightning spells at them to quickly decimate their small HP pools.
It's also possible to get around the turrets without taking any damage. This is the route I chose; to do it, you'll need to send one party member around the turrets and down an outside wall of the tower. I highly recommend sending a character like Astarion, as his Dash class action and Sleight of Hand proficiency will be useful. You can also send a druid with Wild Shape.
To get past the turrets, ungroup your party and enter Turn-Based Mode. This will allow you to move precisely and better predict when the turrets will fire. Then, follow the steps I've outlined below:
- First, move right behind the large rock in front of the first turret (X:13 Y:-263) and end your turn. You'll be shielded from the turret's fire.
- Once the environmental turn is over, head for the rocks to your right (X:-3 Y:-264). You'll probably need to use Dash to cover the distance.
- Use Jump to get up the rocks, then stand behind the granite bench (X:6 Y:-271). I saw the second turret's laser aiming at me, but it never fired while I was behind the bench.
- Use Dash again and make your way up the stairs leading to the tower. You'll find an open window on the far left side.
- Jump through the open window, but be warned; there are more turrets inside the tower! You can hide behind the frontmost pillar (X:-30 Y:-290).
- Move to the door next to the turret (X:-38 Y:-297) and open it. Head outside to the balcony and close the door behind you. From here, you're safe to exit Turn-Based Mode.
Related: BG3 – How to Save Baelen in Baldur’s Gate 3
How to Repair the Arcane Tower Elevator in Baldur's Gate 3
You've made it past the turrets, but now what? Well, inside the Arcane Tower is an elevator that will allow you to travel to each floor—but you have to restore the power first. To do this, you'll need to get to the bottom level of the tower and turn the generator on. Here's how I did it:
- Next to the balcony, you'll see a cluster of giant blue mushrooms. Use Jump to reach them, then climb down and jump again to the balcony on the floor below (X:-34 Y:-304).
- This might hurt: you need to jump for a third time to reach the ground underneath the balcony. I used a Scroll of Feather Fall to avoid taking damage; a druid in Dire Raven form can also use Fly.
- Head left and jump (yes, again) to the blue mushroom at (X:-42 Y:-305). Continue moving left until you reach the garden behind the tower.
- In the garden, you'll find plants called Sussur Blooms, pictured above, that radiate a blueish aura. Pick up at least one, but keep in mind that you won't be able to cast spells while holding it.
- Turn around and head for the door (X:-56 Y:-293). You'll need to pick the lock to get it open. Alternatively, a druid in Cat form or a rat familiar can get in through a hole by the wall.
- You'll find yourself on the bottom floor of the Arcane Tower. There are a ton of alchemy ingredients here, but your main focus is the Power Generator in the center of the room (X:-33 Y:-284).
- Interact with the Power Generator. Place a Sussur Bloom in the generator, then hit Combine below it. A cutscene will play showing the tower coming back to life; the Arcane Turrets will deactivate as well!
How to Open the Arcane Tower Basem*nt in Baldur's Gate 3
Once you've turned the elevator on, head for the stairs to the right of the generator. At the top, enter the elevator and press the Ascend button twice; this will take you to the ground floor where you can regroup with the rest of your party.
From here, feel free to explore the tower and hunt for loot, but don't head to the top floor just yet. First, you'll want to find all the poetry stashed around the Arcane Tower. These are books or pages that contain brief excerpts from poems; you need to read all of them. Note that you won't be able to get the Patched Parchment until you reach the top floor.
| Book | Location |
|---|---|
| Dusty Book | Ground floor, on a lectern by the wall (X:-29 Y:-271) |
| Threadbare Book | Second floor from the bottom, on a shelf by the elevator (X:-50 Y-287) |
| Roads to Darkness | Second floor from the top, on a table in the corner (X:-27 Y:-294) |
| Torn-Out Paper | Second floor from the top, on a table next to the elevator (X:-35 Y:-288) |
| Patched Parchment | Top floor, on a table in the corner (X:-28 Y:-288) |
Once you've done your reading, head to the top floor of the Arcane Tower. You'll be confronted by a giant automaton named Bernard. He'll speak a line of poetry from the Roads to Darkness; if you've read it, you'll have the dialogue option "Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake?"
Choosing this option will unlock more dialogue with Bernard, but most importantly, it allows you to avoid fighting him. Bernard is a tough opponent, and he isn't alone; there are Animated Armour enemies in the room with him. Choosing any other option will immediately cause him to turn hostile. On the other hand, he does drop a unique lightning weapon; if you decide it's worth killing him for, then go for it.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Who are the Companions?
All Bernard Dialogue Options in Baldur's Gate 3
If you've read all the books, you can speak with Bernard to give him various commands in the form of poetry. Each line of poetry will make him do something different, but the most important one is the line that gives you the Guiding Light ring.
| Command | Result |
|---|---|
| "How can I trust? How will I ever know? How can I show myself, my darkest me?" | Bernard will place the Guiding Light ring on the table (X:-28 Y:-288). |
| "These empty sheets are all that's left of you. / The last of all the thoughtless gifts you gave." | Bernard will give you a Potion of Greater Healing. |
| "The silence stretches on - I'm all alone. / Please, can I hold your hands, for just a while?" | Bernard will give you a hug. |
| "There is a light in every living thing. / It's crawling t'wards the surface to survive." | Bernard will turn hostile. |
Whether you choose to fight Bernard or not, be sure to pick up the Guiding Light ring and equip it. Head back to the elevator, and a second button will be revealed. This button takes you to the basem*nt; hit it to go there automatically.
Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower Basem*nt Loot
There's plenty of loot to be found in the Arcane Tower basem*nt, including a powerful magic staff. Other items range from scrolls to books and even quest items. Here are the highlights:
- Timmask Spores on the table next to the elevator (X:161 Y:-416), and a Tongue of Madness at the top of the stairs to the right (X:163 Y:-430). Both items are necessary for a later quest.
- The Staff of Arcane Blessing by the shelf at the top of the stairs (X:163 Y:-431). This staff comes with the Mystra's Blessing passive and grants Bless, a level one Enchantment spell.
When you're ready to leave, interact with the metal door across the rope bridge (X:166 Y:-411). Climb up the stairs and interact with the lever on the stone wall. The wall will move, and you'll emerge at the bottom floor where the generator is. From here, you're free to continue exploring the Underdark as you please.
For more on Baldur's Gate 3, check out Trap Disarming Guide and How to Save Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 here at Pro Game Guides.
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