How To Free Orpheus In Baldur's Gate 3 (2024)

Orpheus is an essential Baldur's Gate 3 character tied to several story-defining decisions that could see your party save the royal figure or cause his demise. Captured by the Emperor, the Githyanki Prince only has a short time before the Mind Flayer consumes his brain. Your choices throughout your adventures might make saving Orpheus easy or a tragic sacrifice.

The "Free Orpheus" quest appears in Baldur's Gate 3's Act 3 as part of a personal mission tied to the potential companion Fighter Lae'Zel. This Githyanki warrior has remained loyal to Orpheus despite their circ*mstances and has no doubt been reminding your character of the Prince's plight during your journey. You'll discover that Orpheus has been trapped in the Astral Prism, with his powers used to suppress the Absolute's influence.

How To Rescue Orpheus

Find The Right Artifact Or Make A Sacrifice

Two paths help you free Orpheus in Baldur's Gate 3, either using the Orphic Hammer to break his chains or sacrificing a character to become a Mind Flayer. Before thinking about this, you must travel towards the Elder Brain hidden far below the Lower City in Act 3. Traveling through the sewers near the Basilisk Gate Waypoint will lead your party to the Undercity Ruins and, eventually, the Temple of Bhaal.

After you face the dangers in each of these places, your group should reach the Morphic Pool Dock, an area you must take a boat across to reach the Elder Brain. As you get closer to the source of the Mind Flayer hive mind, everyone in your party will have to succeed in Saving Throws against the Brain. Failing these rolls could cause a character's mind to be broken before you can even reach Orpheus in Baldur's Gate 3.

To travel across the Morphic Pools, you must have collected all three Netherstones from the events of Baldur's Gate 3's main story. Defeating Ketheric Thorm, Orin the Red, and Lord Gortash are steps your party must complete before trying to rescue Orpheus. When you get close enough to the Elder Brain, you can try to dominate it using Strength or Intelligence to reveal it and the Emperor.

Confronting the Emperor reveals that the Brain is being transformed into something far worse. The Ilithid leader offers to take your party to Orpheus, where the choices mentioned earlier finally come to fruition. To free the Prince from their bonds, you must provide an alternative character to be turned into an Illithid or even choose to turn into a Mind Flayer yourself in Baldur's Gate 3.

How To Get The Orphic Hammer

Break The Chains Through A Devil's Deal

Your party may also get the Orphic Hammer Legendary weapon to break Orpheus' chains instead of turning a character into a Mind Flayer. This instrument of war may only be found through exploration of Act 3's side content. You'll have to travel to the Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, to steal the Hammer from a powerful devil who may offer the weapon to your party first in an infernal deal.

The Orphic Hammer belongs to the Cambion devil Raphael, who will gladly hand over the weapon in exchange for the Crown of Karsus once the Absolute has been taken down. Dealing with a devil is dangerous, as their pacts are binding and hardly lead to a good outcome. The devil will honor any deal made for the Hammer once your party collects all the Netherstones in Baldur's Gate 3.

Another way to get the Hammer involves stealing it from Rapheal's lair, the House of Hope in Baldur's Gate 3. This mansion in Hell is a massive dungeon filled with enslaved minions, devils, and terrifying infernal magic. Taking the weapon under the devil's nose leads to one of the hardest boss battles in the game against Raphael, requiring your party to be close to the max level cap to stand a chance against the fiend.

If you manage to reach Orpheus with the Hammer, all you need to do is break the two crystals binding the Prince to the Astral Prism. You may only do this after declaring your intentions to the Emperor, although the Mind Flayer won't try to stop you. Doing this will free Orpheus but cause the Emperor to retreat and become assimilated by the Netherbrain, making the Aberration a permanent enemy at the end of Baldur's Gate 3.

Can You Save Orpheus Through Sacrifice?

Decide Whose Adventure Comes To An End

If you can't obtain the Hammer, Karlach will suggest that she become a Mind Flayer instead of Orpheus as you talk to The Emperor in Baldur's Gate 3. According to her, the Infernal Engine that may explode at any moment within Karlach made her days numbered anyway. Even if you agree, Karlach can't sacrifice herself without eating Orpheus' brain, making this option save you, but not the Prince.

Refusing Karlach's suggestion allows you to sacrifice your character instead, transforming you into a half-Mind Flayer with new abilities. Not only does this mark a tragic end to your original character's story, but it also does not save Orpheus. Even though the Emperor suggested you might not have to eat the Prince's brain, he was deceptive and forced you to consume the Githynaki's mind anyway.

Surprisingly, Orpheus can also willingly turn into a Mind Flayer after you use the Orphic Hammer, preventing anyone in your party from having to make a sacrifice in Baldur's Gate 3. When speaking to the Prince, say, "Someone will need to turn into a Mind Flayer. Are you willing to do that?" This selfless act will save anyone in your party from becoming an Aberration but cause you to lose Orpheus forever.

Should You Save Orpheus?

Make The Decision That Suits Your Party Best

Saving Orpheus makes you lose the help of The Emperor, robbing you of a powerful ally as you gain another. You have to decide whether you want the help of Githyanki or Mind Flayers for the final battle of the game through this choice. Ultimately, the decision to save Orpheus in Baldur's Gate 3 comes down to what sacrifices you are willing to make.

It is much easier not to save Orpheus since you don't have to obtain the Orphic Hammer and risk dying in the Nine Hells. However, siding with The Emperor almost guarantees that one member of your party becomes a Mind Flayer, like yourself or Karlach. Furthermore, Lae'Zel will likely be lost as a companion forever, unless you have the Charisma to keep her by your side temporarily.

If you manage to save Orpheus at any point, he offers to join your party as a high-level Monk with many different class features and abilities. During the "Gather Your Allies" mission, you can also call upon the Prince for the final events of the story. The extra strength of this powerful martial artist may convince some parties to save the Prince as they reach the game's ending.

You should try to free Orpheus only if it suits your party's interests, and you have the means to do so. For example, those playing as a Githyanki character or in a relationship with Lae'Zel may be more invested in Orpheus' freedom than others. Those indifferent and simply wanting extra power should let the Prince die and gain the strength of a Mind Flayer instead.

Losing The Emperor's help may seem bad, but keep in mind that the Illithid leader's goals are far from pure. Making the effort to free Orpheus in Baldur's Gate 3 creates an eternal ally who gladly helps your group with every ounce of power they possess.

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Baldur's Gate 3

RPG

Franchise

Baldur's Gate

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Publisher(s)

Larian Studios

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence