Baldur's Gate 3 : Nautiloid Interactive Map

What is the Nautiloid map in BG3?

The Nautiloid map is the opening segment for Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a prologue mostly meant to tutorialize you, but you can pick up a bunch of valuables to make some money later on. There’s also a character (Us) who can recur in the future, as well as your first variable encounter with the companion Shadowheart.

Notable loot includes the flavor objects Dark Mind and Slave Mind, which you can use in Act 2 for some additional details. There’s also Nautiloid Tanks you can pick up to use as explosives for barrelmancy later on. Finally, for those who want to collect unique weapons, Commander Zhalk drops the Everburn Blade, which is a great STR-based martial weapon for the early game. 

As you walk out into the main floor, take the stairs up to free Us, which will return in Act 2. You need to pass a strength or dexterity check, but it will be worth it to add a permanent ally if you find it again in Act 2.

What are the important things to pick up from Nautiloid map in BG3?

There's no quest-critical items on the Nautiloid. However, once you move on, there's no way return here or collect anything. 

For a completionist run, you should collect the following:

- Dark Mind

- Slave Mind

- Everburn Blade

- Summon Us

Can you get Everburn Blade from the Nautiloid without killing Zhalk in BG3?

Everburn Blade can be obtained without killing Zhalk. You can equip Shadowheart’s spellbook with Command before you move on to the helm chamber in the Nautiloid. Cast Command (Drop) on Zhalk, and theres a 50% chance the spell succeeds. If it does, have another character pick it up off the floor on the same turn. 

FAQs

Where can you use Dark Mind and Slave Mind?

Dark Mind and Slave Mind can be used in a Mind-Archive Interface at the end of Act 2, which gives you some additional dialogue. However, this is not mission-critical; nor does it give you any additional xp. 

What happens if you don't rescue Shadowheart?

Shadowheart still survives the crash even if you don't break her out of captivity on the Nautiloid map. There's no upsides to not rescuing her, but the penalties are also not that big. You will meet her at a different spot, and start off with less approval rating than you otherwise would.

Should you mutilate Us in the Nautiloid?

Us can be mutilated with a Dexterity check right after you rescue him. 

Disadvantage: Us gains the permanent debuff, ‘Lobotomized’. This reduces its movement speed and INT stat by a third.

Advantage: Us does not turn hostile if you try to kill the other stray Intellect Devourer on the Shadowheart chamber.

For only 10 xp, it’s not worth gaining this permanent debuff on Us, as you can get him later as a companion forever if he survives the Nautiloid.