When you arrive at Last Light Inn in Act 2 of Baldur’s Gate 3, you immediately have to decide to save Isobel, a half-elf cleric of Selûne.
You meet Isobel, a Selûnite cleric at the Last Light Inn who created and sustains the shield protecting the inn. You quickly find out Flaming Fist Marcus, who vouched for you at the gate, is there to capture Isobel and take her to Ketheric Thorm, leaving the Last Light Inn vulnerable. While challenging, saving Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3 is critical to avoid serious ramifications.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 2.
What Does Ketheric Thorm Want With Isobel?
General Ketheric Thorm is one of the primary antagonists in Baldur’s Gate 3, leading the cult of the Absolute. Knowing you’re a fellow True Soul, Flaming Fist Marcus confides in you that he’s on a mission to capture Isobel when you talk to him at the Last Light Inn. He then asks you to aid him and share in the reward.
Ketheric Thorm ultimately wants Isobel because she is powerful and happens to be his daughter. He plans to convince her to join him. Unfortunately, he will ultimately get his way if she is captured, as he brainwashes her. This also removes the source of protection from the Shadow Curse around the Last Light Inn.
What Happens if Isobel Is Taken?
If you aren’t successful in saving Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3, the barrier around the Last Light Inn immediately dissolves, leaving the inn vulnerable. Everyone at the Inn who did not personally receive Isobel’s blessing will immediately turn and attack you from the Shadow Curse.
This includes almost everyone at the inn. If you lose Isobel, all the vendors and side quests are no longer accessible. If those quests are partially completed, you immediately lose the quest. There’s no saving anybody from the curse. You also no longer have access to the Last Light Inn, which makes almost the entire Act 2 zone feel desolate and hopeless. The inn is a major refuge, and losing it severely damages the Act 2 experience.
Additionally, Ketheric brainwashes Isobel, and she aids him for the rest of the play-through. She even helps Ketheric when you fight him, but there’s no saving her after the fight. She immediately dies when you defeat Ketheric.
What Happens if You Save Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Saving Isobel is tricky but makes for the most desirable Act 2 experience. Playthroughs that save Isobel likely result in a much longer and more enjoyable Act 2 experience. The Last Light Inn hosts many engaging quests, like Wake Up Art Cullagh, Rescue the Tieflings, or Find Mol. However, many of the side quests involving the Last Light Inn require you to have saved the Emerald Grove in Act 1.
There are also no negative aspects to saving Isobel. Ketheric doesn’t know you stopped Marcus at the Moonrise Towers, but you can carry on with the rest of the story as usual.
How to Save Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3
You don’t have to talk to Isobel until you want to progress in the story. This fight is brutal. If you don’t want to reload saves until you save Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3, you must complete all of the side quests you want first. Once you’re finished with the Last Light Inn, talking to Isobel will start the fight with Marcus.
Isobel is not technically an ally. She also tends to run away from your group to cast spells at a distance. Marcus hits very hard and has a ton of hit points, making this a tricky encounter. Furthermore, he immediately calls in a Winged Horror swarm that also attacks Isobel. Even if you kill Marcus, they can still capture Isobel.
The easiest way to handle this encounter is to freeze Marcus before he can call reinforcements, then kill him before the freeze wears off. If he does call in a flock of Winged Horrors, you want to kill him as fast as possible. While he exclusively targets Isobel, the Winged Horrors will target other members of your party during the encounter, making it a little easier to save Isobel in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Additional Tips
If you are still struggling with this fight, make sure you have a character with high initiative. The Elixir of Vigilance, Gloom Stalker Ranger, or Alert feat are advised here. You can also cast a Sanctuary spell on Isobel, preventing direct damage attacks from landing on her. Also, make sure to buff before the fight casting Bless, Elxiir, and Oils, and be at a high level.
You aren’t forced to engage with the Isobel Fight until you are ready to move into the Shar Temple. Therefore, stock up, prepare, increase your level, and attempt the fight later in Act 2.
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