BG3 Act 1 Walkthrough: Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Act 1 Overview

Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3 spans from the Nautiloid crash to the Shadow-Cursed Lands entrance. It covers:

• Main areas: Nautiloid → Wilderness → Emerald Grove → Blighted Village → Goblin Camp / Underdark → Grymforge / Mountain Pass
• Recommended level: 1-6
• Major bosses: Phase Spider Matriarch, Lump the Enlightened, Minthara, Dror Ragzlin, Priestess Gut, Grym
• Companions to recruit: Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Wyll, Karlach

Part 1: The Nautiloid (Level 1)

This is the tutorial area. You cannot return after completing it.

Walkthrough Steps:

1. After character creation, interact with the pod to your right → free Shadowheart
2. Enter the next room → pick up “Us” from the operating table
3. Fight imps in the following rooms (tutorial combat)
4. Reach the Helm → ignore Commander Zhalk and run to the transponder
5. Activate the transponder → crash cutscene

Collectible Checklist (Nautiloid):

• Recruit Shadowheart (mandatory)
• Recruit “Us” (optional brain companion)
• Everburn Blade from Zhalk (optional, requires Command spell)
• Various basic weapons from dead thralls

Part 2: Ravaged Beach to Emerald Grove (Level 1-2)

Beach Landing

You wake up on the beach. Immediately:

1. Loot the dead fisherman nearby for basic supplies
2. Head west along the beach → find Shadowheart unconscious (wake her up if you didn’t free her on the Nautiloid)
3. Ravaged Beach waypoint — activate it

Overgrown Ruins (Optional)

North of the beach, you’ll find the Overgrown Ruins (Dank Crypt). Inside:

• Fight or talk past the looters at the entrance
• Navigate the crypt interior (watch for traps — have Astarion disarm them)
• Find Withers’ sarcophagus at the far end of the crypt
• Withers joins your camp and provides resurrection + respec services

Companion Recruitment Route

Follow this order along the main road west:

1. Astarion — Near the wreckage west of the crash site. He’s a rogue (lockpicking, trap disarming).
2. Gale — Emerging from the Roadside Cliffs waypoint. Wizard companion.
3. Lae’zel — In a cage by two tieflings further west. Fighter companion. Free her (intimidate the tieflings or kill them).

Emerald Grove (First Major Hub)

At the grove entrance, a goblin attack is in progress. Join the fight:

• Focus the goblin archers on the hill (Wyll joins here as a temporary ally)
• After the fight, talk to Wyll to recruit him
• Enter the grove through the main gate

Inside the grove, talk to:

• Zevlor (tiefling leader) — Start “Save the Refugees” quest
• Kagha (acting druid leader) — Start “Investigate Kagha” quest
• Nettie (druid healer) — Main quest progression, receives healing supplies
• Dammon (tiefling blacksmith) — Sells +1 weapons, important for Karlach’s quest
• Auntie Ethel (old woman in the grove) — Merchant with potions; she’s more than she appears

Part 3: Blighted Village & Surroundings (Level 3-4)

The Blighted Village

West of the Emerald Grove. This goblin-occupied village connects to multiple quests:

• Windmill Rescue: East of the village, Barcus Wroot is tied to a windmill by goblins. Kill the goblins, then pull the “Brake” lever (not “Release”!) on the windmill to save him.
• Apothecary’s Cellar: In the southeastern building. The cellar contains the Necromancy of Thay book (requires a Dark Amethyst to unlock).
• Whispering Depths: Under the village (well or blacksmith’s basement). Phase Spider Matriarch boss fight.
• Lump the Enlightened: Three ogres in the abandoned house. You can hire them for 500g (persuasion check) or 1000g. They’re a powerful summon for the Goblin Camp fights.

Recruit Karlach

North of the Blighted Village, across the river at the Risen Road:

1. Follow the road north to find Karlach (tiefling barbarian)
2. She’s being hunted by Anders and his paladins
3. Fight Anders OR side with Karlach (recommended)
4. Anders drops the Sword of Justice (+1 greatsword with Shield of Faith spell)
5. Karlach joins your party

The Risen Road

Continue along the road to find:

• Toll House: Anders’ paladins and the Sword of Justice
• Gnoll Attack: Hyena/gnoll pack on the road. Tough fight. Use the high ground.
• Zhentarim Hideout: Under Waukeen’s Rest. Smugglers with unique items like the Titanstring Bow.

Part 4: The Goblin Camp (Level 4-5)

The Goblin Camp is west of the Blighted Village. This is the major Act 1 quest hub.

Getting Inside

• At the entrance, either pass dialogue checks (Illithid Wisdom / Deception / Intimidation) or fight your way in
• If you rescued Sazza (goblin in the grove prison), she vouches for you
• Once inside, explore freely — goblins won’t attack unless provoked

Shattered Sanctum (Interior)

The temple interior has three goblin leaders:

Rescue Halsin

Halsin is in the Worg Pens (bottom-right of the sanctum):

1. Kill the goblin children or pass dialogue
2. Free Halsin (he’ll fight with you as a bear)
3. He asks you to kill the three leaders

After Killing the Leaders

Return to the Emerald Grove. The tiefling party triggers:

• Long rest at camp → celebration scene
• Multiple companion romance scenes available
• Tieflings prepare to leave; you can trade with Dammon one last time

Part 5: Underdark & Grymforge (Level 5-6)

Accessing the Underdark

Four entrances:

1. Whispering Depths well (Blighted Village) — Jump down using Feather Fall
2. Zhentarim Hideout elevator (Waukeen’s Rest)
3. Goblin Camp — Priestess Gut’s chambers have a puzzle door
4. Auntie Ethel’s lair — Mushroom circle (after defeating her)

Underdark Areas

• Myconid Colony — Friendly mushroom people. Meet Sovereign Spaw and start the duergar quest.
• Arcane Tower — Solve the poetry puzzle (answer: “The sun is warm, the breeze is light”). Unique magic items.
• Sussur Tree — Collect Sussur Bark for the masterwork weapon quest in the Blighted Village.
• Spectator Fight — Petrified drow near the Selunite Outpost. A Beholder-kin breaks free. Very tough fight.

Grymforge (Duergar Stronghold)

Accessed by boat from the Underdark beach. Major content:

• Free True Soul Nere from the cave-in (time-sensitive — long rest too many times and he dies)
• Grymforge has the Grym boss fight — a massive construct. Use the forge hammer in the center to one-shot him.
• Adamantine Forge — craft a legendary weapon or armor from Mithral Ore

Part 6: The Mountain Pass (Alternative Route)

The Mountain Pass is an alternative path to Act 2 (you can do both Underdark AND Mountain Pass before proceeding):

• Rosymorn Monastery / Githyanki Crèche — Lae’zel’s personal quest. Meet the githyanki captain. Major story revelations.
• Blood of Lathander — Legendary mace hidden in the monastery. Requires solving the Dawnmaster puzzle.
• Death Shepherds — On the mountain path. Use crowd control; they resurrect each other.

Act 1 Completion Checklist

Before proceeding to Act 2, ensure:

• All 6 companions recruited (Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Wyll, Karlach)
• Withers unlocked (Dank Crypt)
• Goblin leaders defeated / Grove saved (or raided)
• Necromancy of Thay obtained (optional)
• Adamantine item crafted (optional)
• Blood of Lathander found (optional)
• Party is at least level 5 (ideally level 6)

Next: Proceed to the Shadow-Cursed Lands for Act 2.