Gate 3: Should You Assist He Who Was? Baldur
Helping He Who Was in Baldur's Gate 3 might provide a difficult conundrum since both helping the enigmatic character has advantages and drawbacks. A shadar-kai elf, He Who Was works in the darkness weaving arts. Basically a necromancer of sorts, he views himself as a judge and a paragon of morality. Provided players traverse a substantial amount of the Shadow-Cursed Lands, the character makes first appearance in Act 2 of the game. Approaching him will set off a unique side quest known as "Punish the Wicked," which will force players to make a tough choice particularly given the possible prizes.
[This page features a number of Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3 spoilers.] Since the "Punish the Wicked" quest emphasizes just morally repugnant decisions and how players respond to them, it can help to contribute to an evil playthrough in Baldur's Gate 3. This could be a great chance for the player to deepen their roleplaying experience depending on their concentration. Following his conversation with He Who Was, the character will describe his mission while standing next to the tomb of a character called Madeline and ask that players locate her personal ledger at the distillery she worked at.
What From The Party In Baldur's Gate 3 He Was Wanting?
He Who Was basically wants to punish Madeline for her transgression. Although the dead character kept a ledger in the distillery, it lacked paid tabs and alcohol inventory. Madeline would record her customers' grievances about Ketheric Thorm's land authority. After Madeline insisted on keeping the ledger, she gathered the data and then made two of the offending customers stab each other under duress. He Who Was thus perceives Madeline as the one who caused their deaths and seeks to punish her.
Through one approach or another, players must pass Thisobald Thorm in the Waning Moon and then recover the object to return to He Who Was. Either you fight him outright or you drink him beneath the table with a sequence of Constitution saving throws (or just pretend to using Sleight of Hand Checks). Once the party returns the ledger, He Who Was will utilize his body as an avatar so Madeline may speak through him once more. To punish for her sins, He Who Was invites the athlete to assist in torture of her. But throughout their discussion in the "Punish the Wicked" Side Quest, players will learn that Madeline was merely following orders and had no intention of killing her customers. She actually emphasizes that the Dark Justiciar claimed they would just speak with the offended parties, not cause them to kill one another. She really regrets the whole circumstances since she left in terror for her own life. an is where players can make the option of either supporting He Who Was or forgiving Madeline in Baldur’s Gate 3, further hurting an already tormented soul, or helping relieve her own pain so that she may rest in peace.
Benefits and drawbacks of serving He Who Was in Baldur's Gate 3
In Baldur's Gate 3, Helping He Who Was is a morally repugnant choice since Madeline obviously feels honest grief over the death of her customers and atones for her crimes. Should players decide to punish her, they will be gravitating toward a darker side of their own personalities. Still, the best pay-off from the "Punish the Wicked" mission is assisting the enigmatic elf. Players that help He that Was will be endowed with Gold and a unique equipment known as Raven Gloves. This device lets them call Quothe the Raven, a special familiar meant for exploration and combat. This is the only known method to obtain Raven Gloves; Quothe can still be summoned via other applications of the discover familiar spell.
Though its Rend Vision attack can blind adversaries, the deals very little damage and have extremely little HP. Especially in BG3's Gauntlet of Shar, its flying capability can also help one solve several platforming challenges. Making Madeline feel guilty or physically hurting her while He Who Was is channeling her spirit will aid him. The simplest approach to accomplish this is to listen to her story and subsequently label her as a coward for her deeds. The party can persuade her to stab herself alternatively. Still, both choice calls for a Persuasion check. Should it be successful, she will consent and spend more time in grief. This will delight He Who Was, who will present the gloves described here. If the player wants to breach a Paladin's Oath in Baldur's Gate 3, this is also a fantastic method of doing it. Though driven toward evil, serving He Who Was turns out to be the best reward-wise decision. Helping He Who Was could potentially influence the player's standing among some Baldur's Gate 3 friends. Shadowheart, Astarion, and Lae'zel disapprove of calling Madeline a coward, preferring the more extreme stabbing option. Shadowheart, a Sharran cleric herself, plainly aligns with the Dark Justiciar in this context. Following Cazador's orders causes Astarion to feel internal remorse, thus he finds great offense in Madeline doing the same strikes. Lae'zel values her sense of obligation. All other friends, however, agree this is a better choice than the stabbing.
Benefits and drawbacks of not helping someone who lived in Baldur's Gate 3
There are a few ways one could refuse to assist He Who Was, and siding with Madeline could or could not be among them. The first and most straightforward option is to simply refuse to help He Who Was on first meeting him. The greatest approach to produce the intended outcome is for He Who Was to assault the party almost right away. But it does not deepen the player’s understanding of Madeline’s story in Baldur’s Gate 3, and, while they can still meet Thisobald Thorm and explore the Waning Moon, they'll miss out on an important part of the Shadow-Cursed Lands' story.
The second method of refusing to help him is to exempt Madeline from her guilt, saying that she was not responsible for her patrons’ deaths. One also needs to check Persuasion. Should players fail, He Who Was will formally still have benefited from their efforts. If they pass the check, however, they will have successfully sided with Madeline and refused to help He Who Was. This is the most virtuous of choices for a good-aligned playthrough: Madeline has undeniably done wrong, but her death is punishment enough. Karlach, Gale, Halsin, and Wyll approve of this choice, resulting in a slight affinity gain. Forgiving Madeline will, however, displease He Who Was, making him and his raven attack the player and their party. Strangely enough, Gale approves of any dialogue option that judges Madeline verbally without physically hurting her. The last way of refusing to help He Who Was is the most curious of them. Players can convince Madeline to stab herself in the body of He Who Was. The first time she does this, He Who Was accepts it as a punishment. But if they convince her to continue (requiring a second Persuasion check), He Who Was begins to feel the pain and snaps out of his channeling state immediately. This torments Madeline, but ultimately displeases He Who Was, as his body takes a beating. Making him stab himself will also force a battle with him in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, this option isn't necessarily recommended, as it combines the worst of both possible options.
The He Who Was Fight in Baldur’s Gate 3
If players return to him with the ledger and choose not to help He Who Was by any means, they will end up fighting the character and his pet raven. It's far from the hardest battle in Baldur's Gate 3. The best advice is to try and keep the raven down: just like the summoned version, Quothe, He Who Was' raven can blind party members by using Rend Vision, which can seriously impact their overall damage output. He Who Was will attempt to inflict other status effects, like Bane, Confusion, and Fear. He'll also turn himself invisible, so this is a good time to use see invisibility (or a scroll thereof) if a party member has it available.
Attacking He Who Was will also block them from receiving the Raven Gloves, as this item is not part of the loot pool on his body. He Who Was has very bad loot, including a random spell scroll and a note urging him to return to the Shadowfell. Ultimately, there are more material benefits to helping He Who Was than sticking with Madeline, even if that is a vile and wicked choice to make. But forgiving Madeline is the kinder choice overall. The correct choice is whatever makes the most sense for the player character in Baldur’s Gate 3.
The He Who Was Quest: A Deeper Look
The quest involving He Who Was in Baldur's Gate 3 is an intriguing exploration of morality, justice, and the consequences of our actions. The quest challenges players to consider the complexities of right and wrong, particularly within a world where the lines between good and evil are often blurred. It presents a compelling narrative that raises questions about the nature of guilt, forgiveness, and the pursuit of vengeance. The choice players make ultimately reflects their character's alignment and their understanding of justice.
The quest also highlights the importance of compassion and empathy. While He Who Was seeks vengeance and punishment, the player is presented with the opportunity to show mercy and offer Madeline peace. This choice ultimately shapes the player's journey and reflects their moral compass. The "Punish the Wicked" quest is a reminder that the choices we make have consequences, and that sometimes, the most difficult choices are the most important ones. Baldur's Gate 3 is a game that encourages players to make their own choices, to forge their own path, and to grapple with the moral complexities of the world they inhabit. The He Who Was quest, with its challenging choices and its thought-provoking themes, adds a layer of depth and complexity to Baldur's Gate 3, making it a truly engaging and immersive RPG experience.
Baldur's Gate 3: A New Adventure
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur's Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a highly anticipated game that promises to deliver a rich and immersive RPG experience. The game features a compelling story, a beautiful world, and engaging gameplay. The He Who Was quest is just one example of the many interesting and challenging choices that players will face. With its intricate storylines, its engaging characters, and its deep gameplay mechanics, Baldur's Gate 3 is set to be one of the most captivating RPGs of the year.
