Summary

• Siding with Gortash always has a disastrous outcome, resulting in companion approval, and even some characters' deaths.
• Killing Gortash immediately can be difficult, but allows the party to collect his Netherstone and move on with the main quest.
• It is possible to give Gortash a noncommital answer, then disable the Steel Watch, and return to him for a much easier battle.

In climactic confrontation with Ketheric Thorm. Gortash and Orin scamper off before the battle begins, but their appearance here sets them up as the big bads of Act Three. And just as Act Three is getting underway, the party is stopped at a series of checkpoints outside Baldur's Gate.

Today is Gortash's Archducal coronation at BG3's Wyrm Rock Fortress, and he won't abide any interruption. But the party is different, as Gortash has actually requested an audience with them. Despite their killing Ketheric, he's not mad. After Baldur's Gate, Gortash has set his sights on the world, which he intends to conquer by stealing Orin's Netherstone and taking control of the Elder Brain. But loath to get his hands dirty, he offers the party a deal: bring him the Netherstone, and he'll call off his guards while they explore the city. Here's what happens if they accept or refuse.

What Happens If The Party Sides With Gortash In BG3

Karlach's Disapproval & Safe age Through Baldur's Gate

First and foremost, agreeing to Gortash's deal invokes Karlach's disapproval. After all, he was the one who sold her to Zariel and set off her hellish ordeal, so she's obviously averse to the idea of working with him. She likely won't leave the party outright unless her affinity is already very low, but taking Gortash's side could hurt the chances of romancing Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3. Wyll is also personally invested in Gortash's goings-on, as the lord has his father, the Duke of Ravengard, captive. However, Wyll takes a more practical standpoint and doesn't mind taking the offer.

If they sided with The Emperor in BG3, throughout their conversation with Gortash, Tav may receive subliminal messages from their Illithid friend. The Emperor insists that accepting the deal is the wisest option. It's a matter of convenience: if they accept, Gortash will call off the Steel Watch, which will make it much easier to get around the city unbothered. The Emperor suggests that Gortash is true to his word, at least in that regard, and if Tav changes their mind, they can always come back and turn on Gortash later.

, Gortash wants to take over the world. It's a lofty goal, but even if the party sees his plan through, he'll never make it there anyway. Should they bring him Orin and Ketheric's Netherstones, Gortash will insist on traveling to the Morphic Pool with the party, to confront the Elder Brain. But The Elder Brain merely scoffs at Gortash for outliving his usefulness, and kills him on the spot. So, even those who want Gortash to succeed have nothing to gain - he always dies in the end, and there's no way to create a better outcome. Still, the player will presumably have all three Netherstones, and so this won't affect their choice of ending.

What Happens If The Party Kills Gortash Immediately In BG3?

Karlach's Approval & A Difficult Fight

If the party rejects Gortash's deal, he'll attack them on the spot. But if they bring Karlach along, she'll offer to kill him before the negotiations have even begun. Tav must one of two Persuasion checks to talk her down. Telling Gortash to go kick rocks results in approval from almost the whole party, except Wyll; , his father is still under Gortash's control. Attacking Gortash immediately means fighting, and likely killing, the Duke of Ravengard as well.

But one way or another, refusing Gortash leads to a pretty difficult battle. Gortash shouldn't be too tough at this point in the game, although he will spawn a shield to protect himself. The greatest concern during this fight are Gortash's many level 11 Steel Watchers, who can easily swarm the party and prove its downfall. It's probably best to divide and conquer here: the balconies make excellent choke points, and placing AoEs over the doorways can deal tons of damage over time.

The Steel Watchers are weak to Lightning damage, so clever use of spells like call lightning and witch bolt can help take them down quickly if the party does decide to fight them.

In addition to the Steel Watchers, the new Archduke has some pretty nasty tricks up his own sleeve once he emerges from his bubble. Gortash mostly specializes in ranged attacks with his very rare crossbow, Fabricated Arbalest. He can also use it to cast Dazzling Ray, a weapon action that can blind the entire party if they're not careful with their positioning. Tyrant's Bindings can halve its target's movement speed, while Gortash pummels them with Empowered Unarmed strikes from which they have no means of escape. He can also call upon Bane's power to give himself 150 points of temporary HP, summon Manifestations of Tyranny, or slam a giant fist down on the party for 4d8 Force damage.

Assuming the party is able to survive this confrontation with Gortash, they may be locked out of several other Act Three quests the would-be Archduke otherwise has a hand in. The Iron Throne prison becomes unavailable, which is an important step both in rescuing Wyll's father and in the "Save the Gondians" side quest. The party will also lose access to or immediately fail "Disable the Steel Watch," "Avenge the Drowned," "Retrieve Omeluum," and "Stop the Presses." So, even if they do decide to kill Gortash, it's best to complete all of the above first.

The Party Should Accept Gortash's Deal In BG3, Then Turn On Him Later

It's Also Possible To Avoid A Decision In Baldur's Gate 3

When they first meet him, it's best for the party to accept Gortash's deal in Baldur's Gate 3, at least temporarily. Gortash is an irredeemable villain, and helping him gain control of the Elder Brain is undeniably evil, even if it doesn't work out in the end. However, for the time being, having Gortash on the party's side comes in handy. Being able to walk around the Lower City unbothered makes Act Three go much more smoothly, and there are plenty of places to make up the lost XP.

But The Emperor's words: the party can always reneg on this deal, and unless they're in the final stages of an evil playthrough, they should come back to kill Gortash later. This gives them time to save the Gondians in BG3.

The Iron Throne and Steel Watch Foundry can be completed in either order.

Players can also complete as many other quests in the region as they like, just to be absolutely sure killing Gortash won't lock them out of anything. They can even agree to Orin's deal to kill Gortash and bring back his Netherstone, and even reneg on that agreement if they wish. With the Steel Watch out of commission, the battle against Gortash will be much easier; however, he'll know that the party is responsible, so they should be ready for an immediate fight.

It's also possible to give Gortash a noncommittal answer by refusing to provide a direct yes or no. Tav should question Gortash's plan at every turn of the initial conversation, and at the very end, they should have an option to ask for time to think about their decision. Choosing not to choose leads to the best possible outcome: it provides the same benefits as taking Gortash's deal without any of the drawbacks. The city guards will give Tav a , but they never promised Gortash anything, so their party won't disapprove. They can enter Baldur's Gate proper, complete their quests, and of course, return later to either fulfill Gortash's deal or kill him. They may, however, still be attacked by the Steel Watch in certain areas.

While taking Gortash’s deal and backing out of it later is arguably the best option, it only makes sense for certain types of characters. Evil characters may prefer to see his deal all the way through, while paragons of goodness may recoil at the thought of even pretending to side with him. This is just one of countless choices that depend entirely on the player character’s motivations in Baldur’s Gate 3.