Summary

• Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3 can have consequences, with certain party disapproving of their use while others approve.
• Overusing Illithid Powers, and making two specific choices at certain points in a playthrough, can lead to one of the game's bad endings, so it's important to use them sparingly and be mindful of their effects.
• While there are risks involved, the benefits of using Illithid Powers outweigh the potential drawbacks in combat situations.

Baldur's Gate 3 grants players access to the immensely powerful Illithid Powers, but doesn't make immediately clear whether they have any long-term consequences. These abilities are revealed and improved upon throughout the game. Some Illithid Powers are equivalent to other in-game spells or abilities, like Charm or Horrific Visage, but can be cast without magical ability or expending a spell slot. Others, like Inkblot or Aberrant Shape, are completely unique, reflecting their sinister and otherworldly origin.

[Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for one possible ending of Baldur's Gate 3.]

In case the story doesn't make it totally clear, Illithid Powers come from a parasitic tadpole implanted in the player character's mind. They become infected during the introductory sequence, and it doesn't take long for the protagonist's primary goal to become curing themselves and their party , a task which takes up nearly the entire runtime of Baldur's Gate 3. The conflict, however, comes from the growing influence of the tadpoles and the mysterious Guardian's promises of great power. Some wariness is warranted here; the tadpoles may be useful, but they also come from a potentially malevolent source.

Yes, There Are Consequences For Using Illithid Powers In BG3

Unfortunately, yet predictably, using Illithid Powers comes at a cost in Baldur's Gate 3. The most immediately apparent consequence is that certain party disapprove when the player character uses these mysterious abilities; in particular, Lae'zel is not a fan. She's a githyanki, which means she comes from a culture that values physical strength and resents mind flayers. She'll become disgusted if the player character repeatedly relies on Illithid Powers, which may lock out certain options. Lae'zel is one of the best companions in Baldur's Gate 3, so it's worth modulating the use of Illithid Powers to maintain her approval.

However, despite its connotations, "consequence" isn't always a negative term. There are other party - namely Gale and Astarion - who actually approve of the player character's liberal use of Illithid Powers. Again, this tracks with their unique characteristics: Astarion is obsessed with accruing strength, while Gale has an interest in arcane knowledge. Therefore, overuse of Illithid Powers can actually be helpful in developing certain relationships with Baldur's Gate 3 NPCs - but still, it's not without its drawbacks.

More importantly, overusing Illithid Powers can lock the player into one of the bad endings of Baldur's Gate 3. That may be a perfectly valid choice; the game emphasizes player freedom and plot flexibility, and an unfortunate end may be the best way to wind up the story a particular player character is trying to tell. But that won't be the case for everyone, so in most cases, it's best to be mindful about Illithid Power use.

Baldur's Gate 3 won't surprise a player with this fate, as the game will display a warning when the player character seems to be going too far, giving them plenty of time to curb their Illithid Power habits before it's too late. The best way to avoid a bad ending in Baldur's Gate 3 is to use Illithid Powers sparingly, and not to eat every single mind flayer parasite the party comes across. that these can also be shared among infected companions to level them up evenly.

How To Use Illithid Powers In Baldur's Gate 3

However, these consequences shouldn't totally preclude anyone from using Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3. Simply put, they're too useful to ignore entirely from a practical standpoint. One of them in particular, Favorable Beginnings, is especially versatile. It allows a character to add their proficiency bonus to the first roll they make - whether that's an attack or a skill check - against a target. Since proficiency scales up with a character's level, this is an especially effective Illithid Power that can give the party an early advantage in a variety of encounters throughout the entire game.

However, for the most part, Illithid Powers are geared toward giving the party an advantage in battle. Moves like Force Tunnel can aggressively push a character forward, blasting back anyone who might stand in their way. Others, like Concentrated Blast, allow characters to deal damage while focusing on a concentration spell. Still others come with more direct costs, like Psionic Overload, which adds 1d4 psychic damage to all attacks but also deals damage to the caster every turn. And yet others might put opponents in a tricky position - for example, by inflicting disadvantage on attack rolls with Stage Fright.

Building up a strong library of Illithid powers in Baldur's Gate 3 can make it possible to get incredible mileage out of Cull the Weak, an option that instantly kills opponents beneath certain HP thresholds. The ability scales with the total amount of Illithid Powers unlocked, so it can be especially powerful for anyone who wants to lean into mind flayer abilities. Of course, that will require a wholehearted embrace of the contentious mechanic, so it isn't necessarily a strategy for the faint of heart.

How To Get Illithid Powers In Baldur's Gate 3

Getting the very first Illithid Powers is as easy as booting up Baldur's Gate 3 and making a character; they'll automatically receive the most basic ones during the introductory sequence. From then on, Illithid Powers appear in a brain-based skill tree. However, unlike typical RPG skill tree progression, acquiring new Illithid Powers requires the player character to consume various mind flayer parasites, which may be found throughout the world. They're usually provided as item drops when certain characters die, but can also occasionally be stolen from unsuspecting marks.

Again, those who want to avoid the bad ending should avoid eating all the parasites themselves - they can be shared with companions to give them access to new skills, too. Some companions obviously require convincing, but even those staunchly opposed to the idea might be brought around with the right persuasion. There are enough parasites scattered throughout the game to push several characters reasonably far along the Illithid Power skill tree or give more minor boosts to every companion in sight.

How To Become A Mind Flayer In Baldur's Gate 3

Later in the game, there's an additional way to gain further access to better Illithid Powers - but doing so can lock in a particular ending. Throughout Baldur's Gate 3, the player character will be ed in dreams by a mysterious figure called the Guardian. The Guardian repeatedly promises greater power, and, at a certain point, offers the player character an Astral-Touched Tadpole. Consuming this will turn them into a half-mind flayer, which opens up more of the Illithid Power skill tree. This brings a permanent appearance change, and can't be walked back, but it doesn't yet lock players into a specific ending.

It's also possible, if difficult, to convince a companion to become a half-mind flayer instead.

As the final moments of Baldur's Gate 3 draw near, the Guardian will offer the player character a Supreme Tadpole. Accepting this gift will transform them fully and irreversibly into a mind flayer, locking them into a special ending sequence. It's not a bad ending per se, but it's also not the best. The transformed player character destroys the Netherbrain, which frees their companions from their parasitic infections. However, the player character will lose their humanity and memories of their former self, and in their final moments, will seriously consider manipulating or murdering their former friends.

Ultimately, the benefits of using Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3 greatly outweigh the risks. Those who want to pursue certain Baldur's Gate 3 romance options with characters who disapprove of Illithid Powers would do well to avoid them, or at least use them sparingly. Illithid Powers are an interesting mechanic because of how they make the player mirror the character: by tempting them with incredible strength while threatening them with dire consequences. Simply put, they're too useful - and fascinating - to be avoided entirely in Baldur's Gate 3.