The Underdark is a dangerous underground area in “Baldur’s Gate 3.” It’s filled to the brim with deadly creatures, but it also houses precious items, making it a thrilling place for exploration and treasure hunting. There are also several different entrances you can use to access the Underdark.
This guide will show you all of the known Underdark entrances.
Entering the Underdark
At this time, players have found four different entrances into the Underdark. There’s also a fifth way you can access this area, but you’ll have already needed to enter the Underdark via one of the other four entrances to access the fifth one.
The entrances can be tricky to find and access. Two of them have bosses that need to be either killed or bypassed, and the other two involve their own unique challenges. In short, getting to the Underdark isn’t easy, but here’s all you need to know about each entrance.
The Whispering Depths
The first Underdark entrance is located in the Whispering Depths. To use this entrance, you’ll need to battle your way through some spiders, and you’ll absolutely need the Feather Fall spell to keep your party safe. This is because the entrance is actually a big hole in the ground that you have to jump into. Follow these general steps:
- Travel to the Blighted Village waypoint.
- Find the well just beside the waypoint and go down it. This will bring you to a dungeon filled with Phase Spiders.
- Either sneak through or battle your way through the Phase Spiders to reach the boss, Phase Spider Matriarch, that guards the final cavern that shows glimpses of the Underdark.
- Defeat the boss.
- Cast Feather Fall on every party member.
- Dive down the hole to enter the Underdark.
Watch out when you land, as there are Minotaurs nearby.
The Zhentarim Hideout
The Zhentarim Hideout Underdark entrance requires some more steps to access. You won’t have to fight any bosses to reach it. However, you will need to make sure you have a party member who is good at lockpicking or someone with the Detect Thoughts spell. Here’s what you need to do:
- Travel to Risen Road, which is north of the Blighted Village, and then head northwest to find a burning building at Waukeen’s Rest.
- Head left around the burning inn to find another little shed-like building with a door that has been blocked with crates.
- Move the crates and enter the building to meet a Sorcerer called Salazon.
- You can use the Detect Thoughts spell on Salazon to get a key from him. The key unlocks a secret stairway, leading to the Zhentarim Hideout.
- Either talk or fight your way through the hideout. The easiest way is to use Detect Thoughts and Persuasion to make your way through unharmed.
- Head to the northwest corner of the cave where some wolves are standing in front of an illusory wall.
- Beyond the illusory wall, you can find the elevator to take you down to the Underdark.
The Defiled Temple
The third way to access the Underdark is via the Defiled Temple, an area in the Shattered Sanctum. This method involves a mixture of puzzle-solving and combat. But, just like most things in Baldur’s Gate 3, there are numerous ways you can overcome the obstacles to reach the Underdark entrance. Here’s what you should know:
- Head to the Goblin Camp, then make your way to the Shattered Sanctum.
- Travel northwest to Priestess Gut’s private room, use a lockpick to unlock the door. You will need to either befriend, sneak past, or fight goblins along the way.
- Follow the halls until you reach a room with four circles on the floor.
- You’ll need to rotate a series of platforms so that the four empty slots all line up around the lower circle.
- With the puzzle complete, a secret wall will open up, revealing a ladder you can take to get down to the Underdark.
Auntie Ethel’s Portal
The fourth entrance to the Underdark is via Auntie Ethel’s Portal, and this is the most dangerous of the four. It’s also the most complicated, with quite a few steps and a boss to beat. Most players won’t even be able to complete the steps for this entrance until level 4 or 5 (so late into Act 1). Here are the details:
- Head to the Riverside Teahouse (Auntie Ethel’s Teahouse) in the western area of the Sunlit Wetlands.
- Approach the fireplace and turn it off to reveal a secret entrance.
- Head through, down the stairs, and grab a Whispering Mask from the table, but don’t put it on.
- Continue on through the rooms, defeating or sneaking past the enemies.
- You’ll eventually reach the hag, Auntie Ethel, and have to fight her.
- With the hag defeated, put on the Whispering Mask and look for a wall with a face on it. The mask will reveal this as an illusory wall that you can pass through.
- You’ll then find a circle of mushrooms, which you can use as a portal to teleport to the Underdark.
The Fifth Entrance: Grymforge
Once you’ve entered the Underdark via any of the four methods above, you can unlock a fifth entrance. Here’s how to do this:
- Travel to the Grymforge.
- This will unlock a waypoint at the Grymforge Docks.
- When you want to access the Underdark, fast travel to the waypoint.
- Take the boat over to the Underdark Beach.
FAQs
How soon can I enter the Underdark?
It’s actually possible to get into the Underdark quite close to the start of the game. However, it’s not recommended to rush in there. The Underdark is very dangerous and houses a lot of deadly enemies that can make short work of low-level parties. In general, it’s recommended to be at least level 3 to have a chance of surviving.
Which is the best Underdark entrance to use?
In general, the Whispering Depths entrance is the easiest to get to for most players. It does involve a battle with the Phase Spider Matriarch, but that shouldn’t be too difficult for a leveled-up party. However, the problem with this entrance is that it also involves dealing with Minotaurs when you land. The Defiled Temple entrance is a good alternative, especially if you’re friendly to goblins.
What’s the point of going to the Underdark?
Since it’s such a dangerous place, with death around every corner, you might wonder why you’d even want to visit the Underdark. Well, there are several valuable treasures and useful items down there which are worth finding. You can find several interesting NPCs and merchants, too, and various quests will involve visiting the Underdark at some stage.
Delve Into the Depths of the Underdark
Trips into the Underdark are risky, but necessary if you want to find all the treasure and complete all the quests that Baldur’s Gate 3 has to offer. Just remember to level your party well before entering the depths, and be ready for anything.
Have you dared to enter the Underdark yet? Which entrance do you think is the easiest for new players? Share your view in the comments.
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