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In the massive world of Baldur's Gate 3, you can wander down some truly fascinating, and sometimes frustrating paths. If you're like me, and want to take it all in (and avoid a ton of "what ifs" and a world of spoilers!), knowing what you're walking into is critical to maximizing the gameplay. One of the big questions people have: Should you hit Shadowfell first, or explore the Moonrise Towers? The short answer is – save the Shadowfell for later, unless you have specific plans!
The Shadowfell is, basically, a whole plane of existence. Imagine a grim place of dark magic. You enter through a spooky portal after facing a bunch of crazy challenges from a goddess named Shar. You know, one of those things in D&D where you walk in and the game gives you that “oh boy, it's time for big choices!” feeling. While Shadowheart, a powerful companion, will absolutely be wanting to make the journey, there are some other areas in Baldur's Gate 3 that make the most sense to check out first.
Moonrise Towers may look like it's all that and a bag of chips, especially since they hold a major plotline for Act 2, but listen carefully, you’re about to be handed the keys to the entire second act of this epic game! Why bother heading there before heading to Shadowfell? It's easy! They literally let you walk right in without a fight. That's because you, and your party's tadpoles in their heads, have that mysterious True Soul vibe going. They have to be pretty friendly, right?
But here’s where things get a little crazy! When you head to the Shadowfell, you basically destroy that "let me into the towers no questions asked" thing. The gates suddenly slam shut, so you lose out on all those good vibes, which, in a game that is all about narrative decisions and consequences, can be super critical. But more than the good vibes you'll lose access to some major quests, which might even affect other key parts of the game as well, including character progression for companions. It’s a big decision!
Listen closely – the Shadowfell isn't like your average dungeon where you clear it out and then walk away. It’s a big deal, so when you go in, you are pretty much stuck. It's an epic decision to dive into the Shadowfell. It locks out access to a whole slew of choices! Remember that you also lose access to all the maps you found in the first act! What makes things worse is if you have a companion like Lae'zel you might even be cutting them off from essential parts of their journey. Let's not forget some quests related to Astarion, Karlach (trying to save that internal engine!), or even the big plans for Halsin's adventures to save the little tiefling, Thaniel!
You are in the midst of a deep narrative with a lot of consequences – so making decisions carefully is always important! That’s why most experienced players advise on finishing what they can in Moonrise Towers, especially getting all those tieflings and gnomes out of jail! This might also lead you to a really critical encounter – where those decisions really matter.
If you go the Shadowfell route before exploring the Moonrise Towers, it isn't like you can just walk away with a fresh, new start in Act 2! No way, that's impossible! Now those big choices for your companions – goodbye! Some romance choices will be out of reach too, making the choices in Act 2 less than pleasing, or just kinda boring! Also, Moonrise Towers are now under attack, making it harder to get around and less enjoyable to take it all in.
You have to keep an open mind; if you aren't in the Shadowfell yet, don't go unless it's what the story dictates! All this being said, it makes sense why many players prefer the Shadowfell! You may want to go into that dark magic! Maybe you even need some extra time to make up your mind.
It looks like Ketheric Thorm – the absolute ruler, who is kind of in charge of everything that’s bad about the Moonrise Towers – can only be taken out if you do that trip to the Shadowfell. If you are planning to go after that bad guy – that’s the key. However, before you enter Shadowfell for the final confrontation, you will have ample opportunity to get everything done.
Keep in mind, when the main quest starts, your options change, and sometimes things will lock you in to particular paths, so you want to get your choices ready to go!
Before venturing into the Shadowfell, there's another benefit to Moonrise first! If you go on friendly terms and try stealth mode, you might even take out some of the villains before getting to the real “let's see if we’re ready for a battle" part of Act 2. This could make things much more smooth for the battles that await you!
Let's be honest, most experienced gamers will advise to head to Moonrise Towers first! It will lead you to some critical choices and give you that opportunity to experience more. Plus, if you go to Shadowfell first, you are literally stuck, so even those players that don’t usually make a "play it safe" approach might want to give some consideration to those "what if" decisions.
Even with a super crazy world that has more surprises around each corner than the most mind-bending dungeon master, there's a pretty straightforward order for taking on those quests that leads to more options! Basically, visit the Moonrise Towers, then you can do the Shadowfell!
Moonrise might seem like a place to go right after leaving Act 1, but those friendly people aren't just going to open up their gates to anyone just yet. You don’t have to go on the defensive when you hit those towers either. The gates will be open! But when you take on that Shadowfell mission? It's not exactly a casual trip! Take on some of those bigger tasks, check out your NPCs and get ready for those awesome moments where the big battles take over! It’s gonna be fun!