Larian’s latest RPG is filled with tough, dramatic decisions to make. But one of the hardest choices in Baldur’s Gate 3 arrives late in the game when you must determine the fate of Orpheus. Warning: major endgame spoilers ahead – if you somehow wandered in here from Act 1, turn back now.
Here’s a rundown of whether or not you should free Orpheus in Baldur’s Gate 3 and what ramifications that might have on the plot.
When can you free Orpheus in BG3?
You can’t free Orpheus until the end of Act 3 or the actual end of the game. So, if you’ve recovered the hammer from the House of Hope and are looking to use it, you’ll need to start the endgame sequence to do so.
Once you’ve confronted the Netherbrain the first time and failed, in whatever manner you so choose, the Emperor will appear and whisk your party away to the Astral Prism. Here, we meet back up with Orpheus, who we first learned was chained up here at the beginning of Act 3. And it’s where the Emperor provides us with an ultimatum.
Who is Orpheus in BG3?
Orpheus is the Githyanki prince, son of Gith and the true heir over the impostor Vlaakith. The Prince of the Comet led a rebellion after Vlaakith betrayed Gith, but ultimately lost and was imprisoned in a special cage: the artifact that has been following you, the player, throughout Baldur’s Gate 3. You can learn more about Orpheus through various discs found around the world.
The prince has the power to resist illithid (mind flayer) control, so his abilities are critical for the upcoming fight against the Absolute, a newly born Netherbrain.
Should you free Orpheus in Baldur’s Gate 3?
On the gameplay side, this decision mostly comes down to whether you want to have a party member forced to become a mind flayer or not. If Orpheus is freed, you lose the option of having the Emperor handle the Netherbrain, so either Orpheus, yourself, or Karlach will become a mind flayer, depending on your choices. They’ll get some kick-butt combat prowess but also be doomed to being an illithid.
Alternatively, the Emperor can stick around and make the choice easy. But depending on your decisions thus far, Lae’zel may turn on you, and the githyanki fighting the Netherbrain may also decide to be less-than-helpful.
What happens if you free Orpheus in BG3
Freeing Orpheus does open up some really compelling ending options for those interested in the githyanki side of the story. It also offers Karlach an out from her Infernal Engine if you go that route. If you want to help Lae’zel or Karlach, free Orpheus. If you want to assuredly avoid making anyone a mind flayer, then don’t.
For those who do decide to free him, he’ll back you up in the coming battle. He’s a Monk with some decent stats, and while he won’t massively surprise you with his combat prowess, he can hold his own.
What happens if you don’t free Orpheus in BG3
If you don’t free Orpheus, the prince will have to be assimilated, either by you or Karlach as a mindflayer, or by the Emperor if you choose to ally yourself with him.
Choosing not to free Orpheus and instead consuming him can have varying consequences, the largest of which is Lae’zel possibly turning on you. While you can dialogue check your way into keeping your companion, be warned this can be a big risk, especially for Honour Mode players who were relying on the Githyanki warrior.
How to stop the Netherbrain
To stop the Netherbrain, you’ll need the power of a mind flayer and the power of Orpheus. The Emperor surmises that the best path towards this is letting him assimilate Orpheus, becoming powerful enough to control the Netherbrain and destroy it.
Doing so would kill Orpheus, though. Depending on your relationship with Lae’zel or feelings on the githyanki in general, you might want to avoid this outcome. But beware: if you free Orpheus, the Emperor will turn his back on you and side with the Netherbrain. Your choice here will also affect another imminent decision, too.
Ultimately, you have to pick a side: the Emperor or Orpheus.
