Explore the captivating aspects of all Baldur’s Gate 3 Acts with our comprehensive guide, ranking them to enhance your gaming journey.
The best act might be subjective and dependent on each player’s preferences or personality. What stories do we like? Do we focus on dimensional, well-written characters or complex, interesting plots of each mission? Is combat your favorite part of the game? We all will have a slightly different experience, even based on when we played the game.
However, a few factors can help us determine why each part of Baldur’s Gate 3 might be better than the other. Our best acts in the BG3 ranked guide take into consideration regional map number and size. Also, we will explain how many companions can join your camp and what legendary gear you can get, and we will try to determine how impactful the main story of each Act is.
We think that Act 3 is the best, thanks to its size, number of legendary items, and story where you can finally see the results of all your decisions made during the journey.
Baldur’s Gate 3 story is divided into prologue, epilogue, and three acts. Additionally, each act has big-size region maps and smaller location maps (caves and houses). We can summarize each bg3 act as follows:
- Act 3: The team becomes truly powerful and resolves the story with epic battles.
- Act 1: Sets up the story and explains core game mechanics.
- Act 2: The main story speeds up and raises the stakes. Also, we learn more about our companions.
- Epilogue: Reveals the impact of the player’s decisions on the game world. Also, it’s time to celebrate!
- Prologue: Introduces the world. Grabbing player’s interests with one of the most epic cutscenes in game history.
#5 Prologue
- Notable Maps: 1
- Nautiloid
- Legendary Gear: 0
- Companions: 3
- Shadowheart (temporary)
- Lae’zel (temporary) or Losiir (temporary)
- Us (temporary)
- Number of Bosses with Legendary Actions: 0
- Permanent Bonuses: 0
The prologue is very short, but it’s the first introduction to the story, your character’s dark and troublesome start. It’s also where we meet two great companions, Shadowheart and Lae’zel. As a result, it feels like a crime, not to mention it on the Best Acts in Baldur’s Gate 3 tier list.
Players who played Earlu Access and saw the game-changing over the development process might feel nostalgia for the prologue that evolved many times and eventually shortened to the epic story introduction we know today.
Battles in Prologue
There is only one significant fight at the end, where the player must control Nautiloid to escape. Most prologue battles are straightforward with weak enemies and shouldn’t be challenging.
The Impactful Choices
You cannot make many choices that would significantly impact the story. Only deciding what to do with companions, including Us, will have consequences in following acts. Notable choices in Prologue:
- Save the Brain or Destroy the Brain
- Rescue The Trapped Woman or Leave Shadowheart
The map is small and linear, but Baldur’s Gate 3 prologue accomplishes everything it should. It introduces the characters, story, and world setting, but most importantly, it captivates attention with mysteries and the promise of an unforgettable journey.
#4 Epilogue
- Notable Maps: 1
- Wilderness Campsite and Withers’ Workshop
- Legendary Gear: 0
- Companions: 0
- Number of Bosses with Legendary Actions: 0
- Permanent Bonuses: 0
Epilogue is a short part of the game with limited location, but truly, it’s where players can see the results of their decisions. The immersive storytelling and intricate character development throughout Baldur’s Gate 3 leave a lasting mark on players’ hearts as an epic, unforgettable conclusion. Regardless of whether it’s the first journey or simply another playthrough. As you engage in final conversations with friends, companions, and lovers, the impact of your decisions becomes evident.
The Impactful Choices
The epilogue is not filled with as many choices as it is with the results of your choices. The developers’ dedication to crafting meaningful cutscenes and dialogues is a testimony to their commitment to delivering a rich and emotionally resonant gaming experience. The epilogue deserves its spot on our list.
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#3 Act 2
- Notable Maps: 3
- Shadow- Cursed Lands and Moonrise Towers
- Gauntlet of Shar
- Mind Flayer Colony
- Legendary Gear: 1 (two Versions of the Legendary Spear)
- Companions: 3
- Number of Bosses with Legendary Actions: 10
- Permanent Bonuses: 7
Act 2 sets up a dark and grim atmosphere. You either like it or hate the limitations that deadly shadow brings. Constantly dealing with shadow curse effects can become tiring for some players. Regardless, the Shadow-Cursed Lands offer smaller map sizes than the two other acts and a more linear story. However, in Act 2 the story takes completny new turn. Your character and their companions discover the truth behind some of the secrets they were chasing in Act 1 and finally learn more about the Dream Visitor’s identity. Act 2 is a crucial turning point in the main story, with many impactful decisions. Additionally, you already can see some of your Act 1 decisions results, which is worth noting.
Combat
Combat in Act 2 is as dark and doom as those dark lands. Creatures you will encounter are literally taken out of the horror movie. The strength of Act 2 are fights. While traveling, you will encounter new enemies and many fights at any corner. So if you enjoy combat in Baldur’s Gate 3 you will like this part of the game. And there are many challenging bosses with one of them, Kethrick Thorn being crucial for the story that will transfer to the much bigger plot twist in Act 3.
The Impactful Choices
Almost anything you do matters as soon as you arrive at Shadow Cursed-Lands. Last Light-Inn and Moonrise Towers are the most significant places to spend more time and carefully take steps because of the weight those conversations and missions carry. Below are notable choices you will need to take in Act 2:
- Decide the fate of Nightsong, Isabella, Jaheira, Gnomes, and Tiefling Refugees.
- Will you Cure Shadow Curse with Halsin?
- What companions and allies will join You?
- Help Shadowheart decide her destiny.
Overall, Act 2 is a solid chapter with a unique atmosphere and essential story moments. Still it’s biggest advantage for some might most significant disadvantage. Shadow Curse may become annoying after a while. Maps available in Act 2 are smaller and lack the multiple locations and expanding quest paths that Act 1 and 3 possess.
#2 Act 1
- Notable Maps: 4
- Wilderness, Emerald Grove, and Crash Site
- Underdark
- Grymforge
- Mountain Pass and Creche Y’llek
- Legendary Gear: 3
- Mask of the Shapeshifter (Exclusive item from the Digital Deluxe Upgrade or Deluxe and Collector game’s editions)
- Silver Sword of the Astral Plane
- The Blood of Lathander
- Companions: 9
- Number of Bosses with Legendary Actions: 9
- Permanent Bonuses: 12
Among all Baldur’s Gate 3 Acts, the first is the most polished, earning a number two in our ranking. It’s longer than Act 2, and for players who just started and don’t know what to expect, it just continues, revealing the gigantic amount of content hidden in the game. It feels like Act 1 never ends. Some players reported it took up to 60 hours to finally reach Act 2. The amount of content is surprising.
Players wake up on the beach to discover Emerald Grove, Blighted Village, Goblin Camp, swamps, mountain pass and learn that another world is hidden undernith, called Underdark. Act 1 doesn’t end there. We must mention the legendary Grymforge, where you can craft fantastic adamantine gear. Moreover, if you take a Mountain pass to shadow-cursed lands in Act 2, you will discover another big area to explore where Creche Y’llek took control over the Monastery. That’s where you can get one of the best legendary weapons: The Blood of Lathander.
Act 1 is also where we learn more about companions. They are presented in a rich series of dialogues and cutscenes that help you decide who will be your favorite. Moreover in this part of the game you can also adopt Scratch, a white cute dog and adorable Owlbear Cub. The First Act is an introduction and slow tutorial to the epic journey.
Battles in Act 1
Along the way, you will learn more about game mechanics and combat. Act 1 can be named a tutorial, where as you venture forward, more challenging battles await. You will probably then discover the power of potions and special arrows and what classes are your favorite. Few bosses are worth mentioning. Auntie Ethel in Swamps, taking her deal can reward you with permanent ability improvement. If you defeat Grym in Grymforge, you can craft Adamantine armour or weapons. Some fights can be challenging, and most are very impactful.
The Impactful Choices
There are many essential choices players must make in Act 1. Here are a few notable ones:
- Which Companions do you recruit?
- Accept Or Reject Raphael’s Deal
- Decide the fate of Owlbear and Owlbear cub.
- Karlach or Wyll?
- What to do with Auntie Ethel?
- Accept Or Reject The Mark Of The Absolute
- Will you side with Goblins or Druid’s Grove?
- Who will you help in Underdark, and how will you navigate in the Underdark and legendary Grymforge?
- What will you do with Githyanki Egg?
- How will you solve the creche Y’llek situation?
Your choices in Act 1 vastly determine your path, will you be an evil, good, righteous or will simply follow your heart. The importance of those first impressions and decisions makes Act 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3 an essential and unique journey.
#1 Act 3
- Notable Maps: 4
- Lower City
- City Sewers and Undercity Ruins
- Rivington and Wyrm’s Crossing
- The High Hall
- Legendary Gear: 12
- Balduran’s Giantslayer
- Bloodthirst
- Crimson Mischief
- Devotee’s Mace (obtaining it is dependent on the team’s level, but the majority of players hit level 10 in Act 3)
- Duellist’s Prerogative
- Gloves of Soul Catching
- Gontr Mael
- Helldusk Armour
- Helm of Balduran
- Markoheshkir
- Nyrulna
- Viconia’s Walking Fortress
- Companions: 2
- Number of Bosses with Legendary Actions: 11
- Permanent Bonuses: 9
The most extended of all acts on our ranking and Baldur’s Gate 3 is Act 3. It features multiple maps and various small locations, including basement caves and houses. In Act 3 you finally reach the civilisation. Some players argue that Act 3 is so lengthy that it could be divided into two parts.
In terms of legendary items and the increasing power of your team, Act 3 excels in this category. It’s the stage where you truly feel powerful, as if no one can defeat your party. Some notable must-have legendary items include Nyrulna for Barbarians, Markoheshkir for spellcasters, and Helldusk Armour, which is considered the best for almost every build.
In Act 3, the missions and story threads converge towards the final battle. Without revealing too many details, the concluding battle is memorable; once you initiate the mission, pausing and resisting spending consecutive hours until you learn the solution becomes challenging. The experience is captivating, and dealing with the outcomes of your decisions is both satisfying and impactful. Whotever you choosed to do during Prologue, Act 1, and Act 2 now you must face the consequences of your actions, featuring numerous battles and even tougher decisions along the way.
The Battles and Combat of Act 3
Combat in Act 3 feels less frequent compared to Act 2, but the number of challenging battles remains consistent, if not increased. This is likely due to the vast size of Act 3, offering many areas to explore and discover. Obtaining legendary gear often involves engaging in tough fights, and encounters with formidable bosses such as Orin, Gortash, Raphael and the final battle that can be pretty tricky.
The Impactful Choices
What distinguishes Act 3 from other acts is that it is packed with an equal number of choices and outcomes. Arguably, in the final act, players must deal with some of the toughest decisions in the entire game. Many find it challenging to decide between Emperor or Orheus, navigate the delicate political intricacies of the Githyanki conflict intertwined with Lower City leadership, and, perhaps most crucially, determine the extent to which their character will retain their humanity or give in to the enchantments of the Illithid.
Below is a list of some of the most impactful choices in Act 3:
- Will you save the prisoners in the Iron Throne and help them destroy the foundry?
- Destroy the final boss or control the Netherbrain.
- Accept Or Reject Raphael’s Deal
- The Emperor Or The Prince?
- Will Astarion become ascended?
- Destiny of Shadowheart and her family.
- Will you Help Wyll and his father to free from devils deal?
- Take or reject Gortash’s offer.
- Take or reject Orin’s offer, or become Bhaal’s chosen.
- How much of a human or Illithid will you become?
- Decide Lae’zel, Karlach, and Gale’s fate.
Act 3 offers an extensive and unforgettable experience that concludes the many hours players invest in the game, ultimately making it the best of all acts in Baldur’s Bate 3.
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