Facebook
Reddit
Email
The undead necromancer Balthazar is found in the Gauntlet of Shar, and he can be fought on two different occasions.
Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t particularly known for blood-pumping brutal boss battles, but one boss fight in particular did push every other player to their limit. Balthazar, an underling of Ketheric Thorm, is an undead necromancer in search of the Nightsong – the key to Ketheric’s immortality.
Where To Find Balthazar
You encounter the undead necromancer in Act 2 of the game in the Gauntlet of Shar under the Thorm Mausoleum. Following the trials and the Umbral puzzle, go up the stairs on the west towards the room guarded by a mob of undead (X: -605, -1431).
Defeat the mob and talk to the man at the center of the table. The necromancer will reveal himself to be Balthazar, Chief Advisor to Ketheric Thorm, and will ask you to aid him in retrieving a relic. Persuade him, and he will tell you of the Nightsong and its ties to Ketheric.
How to Prepare Before Fighting Balthazar
To fight Balthazar, huddle your party as close to him as possible. Balthazar is at his strongest when at range. Keep Poison resistance potions handy so you can resist his spells and attacks. Also, stock up on Silence potions to block his spells entirely.
How To Kill Balthazar
You can choose to fight Balthazar immediately in this room or save it for Act 2. Fighting him at the first opportunity is harder, but you will be rewarded with a ton of XP.
The necromancer is weak to close proximity attacks, so make sure you’re as close to him as possible. He has a wide array of necrotic damage spells in his arsenal, so use Silence to prevent him from deploying those against your party. Since the undead around him stay close together, AoE spells are your best bet for managing them. Wipe them out together and deal with Balthazar up close.
Should you choose to not take on the fight early, you will face the necromancer later in Act 2. The boss arena will be at the edge of a cliff facing an abyss. You can use Shove or Gust of Wind to toss Balthazar into the abyss and kill him. However, do be careful as his skeletons can do the same to your companions.
Recommended Potions, Spells and Attacks to Use
Balthazar is a behemoth of a boss fight even on lower difficulty. To best tackle him, you should use AoE spells and attacks as they deal damage to his minions and him in one go. The Cloud of Daggers spell could prove to be very useful.
You need a strong defense against Balthazar’s wide array of attacks and spells. You can use the Silence potion or Counterspell and even keep anti-poison potions such as Protection from Poison.
Cast the Polymorph spell on Balthazar to turn him into a sheep in Act 2. This will make your life quite easy since you can just toss him into the void.
Should You Kill Balthazar Early?
You can kill Balthazar at any point during your interactions with him. Eliminating him early removes him as a threat later in the game, but you will miss out on a few potential rewards.
Balthazar is easier to tackle in the second half of the game, and you will also be better equipped to defeat him. Choosing to confront him at Shar could backfire on you. The platform at Shadowfell gives you an amazing opportunity to throw him into the abyss. Moreover, allowing Balthazar to live longer helps flesh out his personality more, which enhances the narrative.
Rewards For Beating Balthazar
Balthazar drops the Circle of Bones headgear, which grants the Animate Dead spell, upon his death. This Level 3 Necromancy spell can turn corpses into allies. It also gives a passive Undead Ward status to undead allies nearby.
What Happens If You Help Balthazar in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Choosing to help Balthazar in retrieving the hidden relic in the Temple of Shar grants you the Summon Golem Bell. The bell can be used to summon Flesh Golem as allies to fight enemies. He also gives you the Moonlantern, a quest item that grants immunity to Shadow Curse ailments.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!
