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Discover how to get the Moonlantern, an item you’ll need to move through the Shadow-Cursed Lands in Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3 will bring your adventuring party into the dark and foreboding Shadow-Cursed Lands. You can move safely through some of the early territory with a regular light source provided by a torch. However, areas deeper in will require a light with a lot more strength to keep the shadows at bay. The bright, magical glow of a Moonlantern is what you will need, and there are a couple of different sources for one.
Where you find or how you get a Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3 will depend on where you enter the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Moreover, it can also change depending on how you choose to interact with certain NPCs. In the following guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to get the Moonlantern so you can travel through Act 2 without fearing the Shadow Curse!
Everything About the Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3
The Moonlantern is a utility and story item in Baldur’s Gate 3 which you will need to find and use during your journey through the Shadow-Cursed Lands in Act 2. The Moonlantern has a Moonshield Aura trait that gives off a magical light that will protect you and anyone within a 13m/43ft radius from the shadows. It will be absolutely necessary for you to have this item equipped to a party member before you venture deep into the Shadow-Cursed Lands. The light from a basic torch will keep you safe at the outer edges, but farther in you will need something more powerful.
Additionally, the Moonlantern also has a unique class action called Inspect Moonlantern. Under certain circumstances, this can be used to free the living pixie inside. If you choose to do so, you will be granted the Pixie Blessing, which gives you the same protective benefits of the Moonshield Aura.
All Moonlantern features in BG3:
- Weapon Type: Club
- Damage: 1d4 (1~4) Bludgeoning (One-handed); 1d6 (1~6) Bludgeoning (Two-handed)
- Requirements: Simple Weapons Proficiency
- Location: Taken from Kar’niss, given by Isobel, or found in Moonrise Towers during Act 2.
- Weight: 0.9 kg
- Value: 30 gp
- Bonuses
- Moonshield Aura: Protected by the light of a Moonlantern. The Shadow Curse does not affect anyone within a 13m/43ft radius.
Where To Find a Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3
There are two different places you can find a Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Kill Kar’niss and loot the Moonlantern from him, either after the Harper ambush or at the top of Moonrise Towers.
- Inside Balthazar’s room in Moonrise Towers.
Additionally, there is a third option, depending on how you deal with the Harper ambush of the Convoy. If you side with the Harpers and let them take the Moonlantern, then you will need to find the Harper’s headquarters at Last Light Inn. There, you will meet the Cleric Isobel, who will give you the Moonlantern taken from Kar’niss.
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How to Get a Moonlantern in BG3
There are two different ways to get a Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3, either by killing the drider Kar’niss or finding the one in Balthazar’s room in Moonrise Towers. Both of these methods will require that you make your way down to Moonrise Towers where the darker Shadow Curse resides.
Therefore, you need to enter the Shadow-Cursed Lands using the Mountain Pass where you will encounter Kar’niss and the Convoy. Or, if you enter the Shadow-Cursed Lands from the Grymforge then find the Last Light Inn and receive Selûne’s Blessing from Isobel. Selûne’s Blessing is not as powerful as the Moonlantern, but it should get you down to Moonrise Towers where you can find a lantern.
How to Get the Moonlantern from Kar’niss
The best way to get the Moonlantern from Kar’niss is to enter the Shadow-Cursed Lands from the Mountain Pass in Act 1. Shortly into the shadows, you will meet a goblin who is waiting to take you to a meeting point. Play along, grab a lit torch, and follow the goblin down to the group. You will then need to play the Spider Lyre to summon the drider guide.
There are four different ways to obtain the Spider Lyre:
- Loot it from Minthara after killing her at the Goblin Camp
- Side with Minthara against the Emerald Grove and receive the Lyre as a reward at the party
- Loot it from Nere after killing him at the Grymforge
- Side with Nere and convince him to help you get through the Shadow-Cursed Lands
Speak with the drider and start the journey to Moonrise Towers. Halfway there, you’ll encounter a group of Harpers who attempt to ambush the Convoy. Side with the Harpers, and kill the Absolute Cultists and Kar’niss. Once the fight is over, loot Kar’niss for the Moonlantern.
You can let the Harpers claim the lantern and take it back to the Last Light Inn. If you visit the Inn and speak to Isobel she will give you the Moonlantern back. You will want to visit the Last Light Inn at some point, but in general, it’s more efficient to simply keep the Moonlantern yourself.
Another option is to side with Kar’niss and the Convoy and kill the Harpers. Afterward, the drider will continue to lead you safely to Moonrise Towers. There, you can get a Moonlantern by finding Kar’niss at the top and killing him there. Or, you can find the Moonlantern in Balthazar’s room inside.
How to Get a Moonlantern from Balthazar’s Room in Moonrise Towers
To find Balthazar’s Room at Moonrise Towers you will need to make your way up to the first floor from the ground floor you entered in. Once you get past the guards and inside the tower, you need to find the throne room in the center of the main floor. The first time you arrive there will be a cut scene with Ketheric Thorm. Afterward, you will be free to move around and can go up the stairs behind the throne itself.
There are several rooms that loop around the outside of the tower and most are behind locked doors and off-limits. It’s best to have a character like Astarion in your party who has a high Sleight of Hand skill. Also, keep an eye out for guards so you don’t get spotted while lock picking.
You can find the entrance to Balthazar’s rooms to the northeast. The Moonlantern can be found leaning against a pole rack just to the right of the desk that is at the center of the room below the dais.
Finally, if you have Gale in your party while visiting Balthazar’s rooms, you can also use the ritual circle in the secret antechamber to create a Shadow Lantern. It won’t protect you from the Shadow Curse but will grant the wielder access to a Level 6 Necromancy spell called Conjure Shadow Lantern Wraith.
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How To Use The Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3
To use the Moonlantern can gain the Moonshield Aura protection from the Shadow Curse you will need to equip it to the character of your choice so that they are visibly carrying it. Just having the Moonlantern in your inventory is not enough. The light will not grant you protection unless someone in your party is visibly holding it aloft.
Consequently, this will mean that the Moonlantern will take the place of your equipped melee weapon. Therefore, if you encounter any enemies as you travel you will have to use the Moonlantern as a club, which does rather weak damage. The better option in a fight is to equip it to a Wizard or Sorcerer who primarily casts spells, or switch to ranged attacks with a bow.
Furthermore, you rid yourself of the physical lantern while still retaining the light protection by using the Inspect Moonlantern class action and freeing the pixie. The pixie will give you a Filigreed Feywild Bell, and if you ask nicely will grant that item Pixie Blessing. The Pixie Blessing gives you the same powerful protection against the Shadow Curse and you can carry it in your inventory. Thus, freeing up your hand to use your normal melee weapon.
Can You Fix the Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3
If you looted a Broken Moonlantern from Nere in the Grymforge, unfortunately, there is no way of fixing this item so that it is useable. The appearance of this item in Act 1 is just a foreshadowing of something you will need in the future. If you were able to fix it while still in the Grymforge, then there would be less of a driving reason for you to visit the Last Light Inn or find Kar’niss.
Thankfully, the events of Act 2 give you a few different avenues for acquiring a working Moonlantern.
FAQs about the Moonlantern in Baldur’s Gate 3
1. Question: What is the purpose of the Moonlantern?
Answer: The light from the Moonlantern is needed to protect you from the deepest reaches of the Shadow Curse during Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3. Without it, you and your party take 2d4 Necrotic damage every turn. Moreover, this damage doubles each turn the party members are affected by the Shadow Curse.
2. Question: Does the Moonlantern run out of power?
Answer: No, the light from the Moonlantern does not extinguish on its own. However, if you use the Inspect Moonlantern class action and free a live pixie, then the Moonlantern will no longer have any light. If you are kind to the pixie you should receive a Pixie Blessing, which will provide the same light and protection.
3. Question: What happens if I lose the Moonlantern?
Answer: If you lose the Moonlantern while exploring then you need to recover it, find the second moonlantern, or go to Last Light Inn and get Selûne’s Blessing from Isobel. These aren’t perfect solutions and you may still struggle with the darkest places in the Shadow Curse until you can recover a full moonlantern.
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