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Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower walkthrough

Including how to easily disable Arcane Turrets.

A dark tower wall lit up by two braziers containing blue flames.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios
Jessica Orr avatar
Guide by Jessica Orr Senior Guides Writer
Updated on

The Arcane Tower in Baldur's Gate 3 contains some useful loot and interesting environmental storytelling, but exploring it is an optional activity not linked to any quest.

We do recommend you have a nosey inside though, as the loot contains some ingredients required for other side quests, and weapons that can come in very handy.

Although it seems like an impossible place to explore at first, there's actually some easy solutions and routes to take that won't harm your party that we've went over in our Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower walkthrough below, which includes how to disable Arcane Turrets, and how to fix the Arcane Tower elevator generator.

On this page:

12 Awesome Baldur's Gate 3 Beginners Tips and Tactics - How to get the Best Start in Baldur's Gate 3.Watch on YouTube

For more help in your adventure, check out our Baldur's Gate 3 tip and tricks.

Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower location

The Arcane Tower is located in the Underdark, south of the Beach and Sussusr Tree Underdark areas, and west of the Selunite Outpost. You'll know you're close to it when you see a Bulete burrowing in the ground.

Map showing the location of Arcane Tower.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Go up the steps to the west of this area, where you'll be greeted by a nasty Arcane Turret guarding the Arcane Tower.

How to disable Arcane Turrets at Arcane Tower in Baldur's Gate 3

While you can sneak past the Arcane Turrets unscathed by manually entering turn-based mode (Shift + Space) and making liberal use of dashing, jumping, and hiding behind structures in the environment, there's a much easier solution.

To easily disable Arcane Turrets in Baldur's Gate 3 you need to use Sussur Blooms. These luminescent flowers are found growing in the Sussur Tree area just north of Arcane Tower, and can be dropped near Arcane Turrets to shut them down. This works because the Sussur Blooms disable magic, and the turrets are powered by magic.

Cursor on a sussur bloom growing from a white tree in a glowing blue cavern area.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

If you haven't been to the Sussur Tree area yet, then be careful, as you'll have to fight Hook Horrors and a magic-user called Filro the Forgotten. For more information on this area and how it links to a side quest, check out our Sussur Bark location page.

Once the enemies are dealt with at the Sussur Tree, pick up at least 3 Sussur Blooms. This will temporarily disable your own magic capabilities, so head straight back to the Arcane Tower after picking them up, as taking any detours could be deadly.

There are two Sussur Blooms in the main Sussur Tree area, and one up the northern cliff near some poisonous gas. If you're having trouble picking up this flower without getting poisoned, drag and drop the Sussur Bloom near your character, then pick it up.

Cursor on a sussur bloom flower in a glowing blue cliff with green gas near the bloom.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Back at the entrance to the Arcane Tower, ungroup by pressing 'G', then switch to turn-based (Shift + Space) and send the character with the highest movement speed towards the first Arcane Turret with the Sussur Blooms in their inventory. You can use dash to double your movement and reach the turret in one turn.

White movement line showing the potential route of a character hiding behind a large rock on the right with a slightly pink large mushroom protruding on the left.
White movement line showing the route of a character moving beside a turret with a slight blue glow in a dark stone filled area.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Drop one Sussur Bloom at this turret, then repeat dashing in turn-based to reach the second Arcane Turret on the stairs and drop another Sussur Bloom. Press 'G' to group up again now that the rest of your party can safely move in the area.

Notable loot: Before or after exploring the Arcane Tower, you should loot the small nook behind the first turret, as the locked check contains the Skybreaker uncommon light hammer with 1d4+1 attack damage that also grants the Searing Smite spell - you'll have to use a lockpick to open the chest. There's also some other items in this area like a letter, some Ingots, and a dirt mount you can dig up with a shovel for gold, a sickle, and a Scroll of Stinking Cloud.

Cursor on the lockpick option of a wooden chest in a dark muddy area with some torch light and slight blue glow from a giant mushroom.
Cursor on a dirt mounfd in a muddy area lit by torches.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

You might want to ungroup again at the top of the Arcane Tower, as when you use a lockpick to open the main doors, there are two more Arcane Turrets ready to blast your party. We recommend sending one character back to the second turret and picking up the Sussur Bloom beside it, then using turn-based to dash back up to the entrance unharmed.

In the Arcane Tower entrance room, send the character with the most movement forward using dash in turn-based again, and repeat the Sussur Bloom tactic on both of the Arcane Turrets. Make sure to hide behind something when you need to end the turn.

White movement line showing the potential path of somebody moving beside a slightly blue glowing turret in a dark room.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Once the turrets are disabled, you can loot the boxes and chests here to get some Broken Machinery, and we recommend you read the Dusty Book in the northeastern corner.

Cursor on a dusty book in the corner of a dark room with glowing crystals to the right and a slightly blue glowing turret near them.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

We also recommend opening the door on the northside to get a Scroll of Mage Armour and to check out the Chest of the Mundane before moving on.

Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower Chest of the Mundane explained

This magical chest looks like it contains some spectacularly unremarkable, worthless loot - but it's actually a magic chest that turns items into seemingly ordinary things like cups and plates.

Cursor highlighting the chest of the mundane on a dark balcony outside a tower.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

When you add the chest's items to your inventory, you'll see that the Chest of the Mundane actually contains:

  • Hearthlight Bomb
  • Gold Ingot
  • Scroll of Mage Armour
  • Mystra's Grace (Uncommon boots that grants the Feather Fall spell)
  • Scroll of Protection From Evil and Good
  • x2 Silver Ingots

The best thing about the Chest of the Mundane, however, is that you can use it to store heavy items, as it converts everything you put in it to 0.5 weight items. Once you take it out, you'll get your loot back as normal.

So, right click on the chest and add it to your inventory if you want a boost to your inventory management.

How to fix Arcane Tower elevator generator in Baldur's Gate 3

Your goal while exploring the rest of the Arcane Tower is to fix the elevator generator so you can use it to get the best loot and find all items related to the story being told through the various books and notes found on each floor. It's important to read these notes to get all the best loot without starting a fight, so take your time!

Step 1 - Get to the floor below and loot

From the Arcane Tower entrance room, open the door on the southside, jump down to the blue mushrooms below, then jump from the mushrooms to the balcony on the next floor. This won't cause any fall damage.

White line showing potential jump to a giant blue mushroom from a balcony.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

The best loot in this area contains:

  • Camp Supplies
  • Timmask Spores
  • Tongue of Madness
  • A shovel
  • Brimmed Hat
  • Hat

You should pick up the shovel if you don't have one, but the most important thing to do in this second room is to read the Threadbare Book on a shelf in the western corner.

Cursor on the threadbare book a a shelf in a dark room with gaint yellow mushrooms.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Once you're done looting, head out the door to the balcony on the southern side.

Step 2 - Get to the bottom of the tower

You'll have to either equip the Mystra's Grace boots and cast Feather Fall on your party or go solo for this next part of the journey. If going solo, we recommend sending somebody who is good at lockpicking, or can turn into a small animal like a rat (or conjure one). Give them a shovel too. Don't worry about splitting up, as you'll group up again before any potential battles.

On the southern balcony of the second floor, either use the Feather Fall spell, Potion of Feather Fall or the Misty Step spell to jump down to the ground floor below without taking damage. You can also jump without using any of these methods if your character has the health to withstand the damage.

Cursor on the Potion of Feather Fall from the hotbar at the bottom of the screen.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

If you're using Potion of Feather Fall make sure to jump immediately after taking it before its effects run out. We found this out the hard way...

Step 3 - Fix the elevator generator

You need a Sussur Bloom to fix the elevator generator in Baldur's Gate 3, but don't worry if you don't have one right now, as there are some Sussur Blooms growing in the Arcane Tower's garden.

Cursor on a sussur bloom attached to a small tree in a small purple and blue glowing garden.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Go to the end of the garden and pick up a Sussur Bloom, and you might also want to pick up the following ingredients and materials found in the garden:

  • Bullywug Trumpet
  • Laculite
  • Bluecap

If your survival is high enough, you can also dig up the dirt mount found to the right of the small Sussur Tree and get:

  • Weavemoss
  • Acorn Truffle
  • Scroll of Stinking Cloud
Cursor on a dirt mount in a small purple and blue glowing garden.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Now it's time to get back into the Arcane Tower, and there are two ways to do so:

  • Lockpick the door
  • Use a rat to crawl through the hole

Lockpicking requires high dexterity or boosts to your roll to work, but you need to either have a spell that can conjure a rat, or be able to turn into one yourself to get through the hole.

Cursor on lockpick option to open a door in a dark outside area lit by a torch.
Cursor on a hole in a dark area lit by a torch.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Once inside the bottom floor of the Arcane Tower, go to the generator by the elevator in the centre of the room and use a Sussur Bloom to restore power to the entire tower, which fixes the elevator.

Cursor on a power generator in a dark dilapidated room with a slight blue glow from generator.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

If you're interested, the best loot available in this room includes:

  • Laculite
  • Sylvan Stone
  • Lolth's Candle
  • Dragon Egg Mushroom
  • Swarming Toadstool
  • Nightlight Frond
  • Bullywug Trumpet

Now that the power is restored, go up the stairs and rejoin your party by using the elevator - but make sure you open the Gilded Chest on the small table opposite the elevator first! It contains the rare Uncovered Mysteries necklace that lets the wearer Detect Thoughts.

Cursor on a small gilded chest on a small table in a dark room lit by torches.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Once you've gathered your party, take the elevator up to the room above the entrance room and read The Roads to Darkness on the table in the southeastern side.

Cursor on the road to darkness book on top of a desk lit by candles.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

The best loot in this room contains:

  • Gold
  • Alchemists Fire
  • Mage's Friend Ring (Uncommon - +1 to Arcana and Religion)
  • Camp Supplies
  • Carnelian Ring
  • Scroll of Flaming Sphere

There's also a Handwritten Letter and An Open Letter on Oppression and Peacocks found near the table with The Roads to Darkness book that we recommend reading for more story, and an interesting tidbit about keeping bears as pets in Baldur's Gate.

If you're curious about the mysterious button near the bed, it doesn't do anything unless you equip a dog collar found by digging up a grave in the Sussur Tree area. We won't spoil what this does, but don't worry - you're not missing out on any valuable loot.

Cursor on a white button near an open window in a dark room lit with a torch.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

As long as you've read the Threadbare Book and The Roads to Darkness, you're ready to take the elevator up to the top floor and speak with Bernard.

Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower Bernard riddle solution

At the top of the Arcane Tower you'll meet Bernard, a magical construct. Bernard turns hostile if you don't pick the correct dialogue options, so as long as you read the material listed in the previous section, you won't be harmed.

Drow character selecting dialogue options with a robotic looking creature in the foreground.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

The correct riddle solution to Bernard's questions in Baldur's Gate 3 is:

  1. Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely wake
  2. How can I trust? How can I ever know? / How can I show myself, my darkest me?

This makes Bernard set the Guiding Light ring on the desk to the west, which you need to enter the Arcane Tower's basement.

Item names highlighted in a dark dilapidated room lit up by a torch.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Alternatively, you can fight Bernard if you want the Light of Creation uncommon Glaive, which has a 1d10 +1 attack with additional 1d6 Lightning damage, but also has a chance to stun the wielder.

The best loot besides the Guiding Light ring in this room contains:

  • Broken Machinery
  • Trap Disarm Toolkit
  • Scroll of Magic Missile
  • Scroll of Grease
  • Scroll of Dimension Door

How to get to Arcane Tower basement in Baldur's Gate 3

With the Guiding Light ring equipped, walk back to the elevator to reveal a hidden button that takes you directly to the Arcane Tower basement.

Cursor on the basement button on a blue glowing elevator with a star pattern.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

Go up the stairs to pick up the Staff of Arcane Blessing beside a table and bookshelves. This is an uncommon quarterstaff with 1d8 (1d6) attack, the Bless Enchantment Spell, and Mystra's Blessing which grants and additional 1d4 to Saving Throws and Weapon Attack Rolls, and an extra 2d4 to Spell Attack Rolls.

Cursor on the staff of arcane blessing which is next to a desk and bookcase.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

We also recommend opening the Gilded Chest to the right of the staff, as it contains:

  • De Hurst's Diary
  • The Sparkswall (Uncommon ring - wearer can't be electrocuted and gets resistance to Lightning damage)
  • x118 Gold
  • Agate
  • Elixir of Vigilance
  • Scroll of Slow
  • Greater Elixir of Arcane Cultivation
Cursor on a gilded chest which is by a bookcase and desk in the foreground.
Image credit: Eurogamer/Larian Studios

As for the rest of the room, the best loot besides the staff and gilded chest includes:

  • Timmask Spores
  • Scroll of Enlarge
  • Scroll of Bestow Curse
  • Scroll of Magic Missile
  • Scroll of Grease
  • Basilisk Oil
  • Scroll of Scorching Ray
  • Scroll of Fly
  • Scroll of Web
  • Scroll of Feather Fall
  • Tongue of Madness
  • Scroll of Protection From Evil and Good
  • Scroll of Crown of Madness

When you're done looting the basement, you'll have completely explored the Arcane Tower! You can either take the elevator out, go out the door in the basement to get back to the room with the generator, or use a waypoint to fast travel to your next adventure.

For more help in your travels, we've got pages on Romance options, Multiclassing, how to get all companions, and how to respec.

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