Baldur’s Gate 3 is massive, complex, and full of possibilities. From the moment you crash onto the beach, the game opens up with countless quests, secrets, and NPC interactions. But with so much freedom, it’s easy to feel like you might miss something important or lock yourself out of key story beats. To help you get the most out of Act 1, we have compiled a detailed guide to the best Act 1 quest order in BG3.
Nautiloid Crash Site Cleanup and Recruit Companions
Right after you escape from the Nautiloid, you’ll find yourself in the Ravaged Beach area. Before running off, take the time to poke around and obtain some essentials.
- Recruit Shadowheart – She’s unconscious on the beach, just a little north of where you start.
- Fight Intellect Devourers – These little brain guys give you some trouble, but they’re worth taking out for XP.
- Find Your Crew:
- Explore the Dank Crypt – Near the crash site, there’s an entrance to the crypt. Inside, you’ll meet Withers, an undead NPC who lets you respec later. This place is crawling with undead, so be ready to fight. Don’t miss the secret button that opens a hidden room where Withers sleeps.
Head to the Emerald Grove
After assembling your starting crew, head north to the Emerald Grove, where the heart of the early Baldur’s Gate 3 story begins. The Druid Grove is north of the Nautiloid ship, and as you approach, you’ll get caught up in a battle between Tieflings and Goblins. Help the Tieflings win, and you’ll gain access to the Grove.
Inside the Grove, there’s a lot to do. Here’s the order I recommend:
- Pick Up Quests in the Grove:
- Save Arabella from Kagha (she’s the leader of the Druids and has some shady things going on).
- Rescue a Tiefling child from harpies near the eastern shore.
- Talk to Alfira for a fun duet (bonus: you’ll get a free musical instrument proficiency).
- Chat with Volo, the eccentric Bard who’ll show up again later.
- Investigate Kagha’s connection to the Shadow Druids by analyzing her notes and the swamp.
Exhaust all dialogue options; you’ll pick up quests like Find the Nightsong and Save the First Druid. Wyll, the Blade of Frontiers, is available near the training yard. Talk with him and choose the dialogue options to recruit him. He will kill goblins for you, so he’ll fit right in with your next big objective.
Explore Owlbear Cave and Blighted Village
After the initial Grove quests, go to explore the surrounding areas. Head northwest from the Grove to find these key locations.
Near the bridge to the Blighted Village, you’ll find the Owlbear Cave. Inside:
- Don’t kill the cub. Spare it, and it’ll join your camp later after a few long rests.
- Get the Owlbear Egg, but don’t eat it—it’s important for a quest later. You can kill the owl mother but this isn’t required.
The Blighted Village is south of the Risen Road crawling with Goblins, but it’s also full of secrets and side quests. Here’s what to focus on:
- Save the gnome Barcus Wroot, captured and tied to the windmill.
- Search the Necromancy of Thay book in the basement of the big house. Keep it or hand it to Gale—your call.
- Find the Infernal Iron in the blacksmith area, you’ll need this to save Karlach later.
- Spider Cave (Whispering Depths): You can head down here to fight the Spider Matriarch and loot the Dark Amethyst.
South of the Blighted Village is a creepy swamp where you’ll meet Auntie Ethel, a suspicious NPC who’s up to no good.
- Evidence Against Kagha: Before you confront her in the Grove, you’ll find proof of her connection to the Shadow Druids in this swamp.
- Auntie Ethel’s Teahouse: Ethel’s quest is tough but with good rewards. You can agree to her deal for a +1 stat boost, but you should act as a righteous hero and save Mayrina from her who is held captive in the basement, and defeat Auntie Ethel.
Journey through the Risen Road and Waukeen’s Rest
Now it’s time to push west and explore the Risen Road and Waukeen’s Rest. These areas are linked regarding the quests.
The Risen Road has some dangers like gnolls, but the quests here are interesting you don’t want to miss and a lot of valuable loot. Here, you should focus on:
- Gnoll Ambushes: You’ll encounter gnolls causing chaos in the area. Take them out and save Rugan and Olly during the Find the Missing Shipment quest. They’ll thank you and hand over a secret chest that they’re supposed to deliver to the Zhentarim (an anonymous organization).
Tip: Don’t open the chest just yet. It plays into a quest that ties back in Act 3, and keeping it intact adds to the story later. But if curiosity kills the cat (or Tav), simply know that breaking the flask inside leads to a surprise.
- Karlach Quest: If you haven’t already met Karlach, this is the location where you’ll find her. She’s a fierce (and lovable) tiefling with a strange Infernal Engine in her chest. She will ask for help fixing it, which you can do by giving Infernal Iron found in the Blighted Village to Dammon, the smith in the Emerald Grove.
Be careful, though—this quest intersects with the Hunt the Devil quest, where some fake Paladins may want Karlach dead. If you want to recruit her, you’ll need to side with her instead of the Paladins.
When you approach Waukeen’s Rest, you’ll notice that it is a scorched ruin. Do this in the area:
- Rescue the Trapped Man: After starting this quest, you’ll encounter Benryn, a Half-Elf NPC trapped inside the burning building and calling for help. Save him from the fire to unlock a follow-up involving his wife who isn’t in the best state. Use Speak with Dead on her corpse for a heartbreaking tale.
- Zhentarim Hideout: In the barn nearby, find a hidden entrance to the Zhentarim Hideout. If you still have the chest from Rugan, you can deliver it here. Alternatively, kill everyone inside the hideout. There are slaves to free, great loot to collect, and even an exciting interaction with an artist working on a painting.
- Rescue the Grand Duke: This quest links to Act 3, so don’t worry too much about it now.
After exploring Waukeen’s Rest and the Risen Road, you’ll have leveled up. Use this time to long rest, regroup, and chat with your companions to unlock their story quests. You’re about to head into one of the most important areas in Act 1—the Goblin Camp.
Break into the Goblins’ Camp
The Goblin Camp is one of the major hubs in Act 1, with plenty to do and kill. It is situated east of the Blighted Village and is a big, dangerous area with multiple quests and important decisions. Here are the quest orders I recommend:
- Main Quests:
- Rescue Volo: He’s being held captive by the Goblins in the camp. Save him, and recruit him in your party.
- Save the Refugees takes place during the completion of the rescue Halsin. He is the First Druid of the Grove, and saving him is important to resolve the Grove’s story. You’ll find him locked up in the Shattered Sanctum, the camp’s main building. To free him, first kill the three Goblin leaders—Priestess Gut, Dror Ragzlin, and Minthara. You can talk to Gut to learn more about the Absolute or let her “help” you with your mindflayer parasite, which ends poorly. Otherwise, poison her drink or sneak attack her to avoid a big fight. Ragzlin is tough, but you can sneakily push him off the ledge of his throne for a quick kill. Regarding the third leader, you can either kill Minthara or knock her unconscious, this lets her show up later in the story if you’re not siding with the Absolute.
- Free the Owlbear Cub during the goblin chicken chase game. After a couple of long rests, it’ll show up in your camp.
- Optional: If you freed Goblin Sazza in the Grove, she’ll vouch for you here and make exploring the camp easy.
While exploring the camp, you’ll also find an entrance to the Underdark through Selune’s Temple. Even if you’re not ready to enter the area, locating the entrance will save you time later.
Go Inside the Underdark
Once the Goblin Camp is dealt with, you can head into the Underdark. There are a few entry points for it:
- From the Spider Cave in the Blighted Village.
- Via the portal in Auntie Ethel’s basement (wear the mask to see it).
- Through Selune’s Temple in the Goblin Camp.
These are the main things to do in the Underdark:
- Arcane Tower: This abandoned structure is full of traps and secrets. Reach the top for an encounter to claim good loot and a crucial story item.
- Myconid Colony: You’ll meet the Myconids, who are at odds with the Duergar. You can choose to side with Sovereign Spaw or Sovereign Glut in their conflict.
- Cure the Poisoned Gnome: A side quest that rewards you with useful items.
- Find the Mushroom Picker: Another Myconid-related task.
- The Adamantine Forge: It’s one of the best locations in Act 1. After a tough boss fight with Grym, use the forge to craft two powerful Adamantine items.
- Rescue Missions: Free True Soul Nere, trapped in the forge area, or kill him. Also, find the Barcus, the gnome you saved at Waukeen’s Rest. This time, you can invite him to your camp.
Mountain Pass and Githyanki Patrol
If Lae’zel is at your party, you’ll want to head to the Githyanki Creche at some point. This area is accessed via the Mountain Pass, and it is related to Lae’zel’s quest.
- Explore the Rosymorn Monastery area for more great loot. Solve a challenging Dawnmaster Crest puzzle involving ceremonial weapons and claim the legendary Blood of Lathander mace.
- You’ll encounter a group of Githyanki led by a powerful warrior. If you’re not ready for a fight right now, tread carefully.
- Discover the Artefact’s Secret mission involves the Shadowheart’s story and the main plot.
Back to the Druid Grove
Once you’ve completed everything you want to in Act 1, return to the Emerald Grove to resolve the Tiefling and Druid conflicts. Depending on your choices, you’ll either celebrate with a Tiefling party or witness a darker outcome. Make sure everything is completed here before moving to Act 2 towards the Moonrise Towers—you won’t be able to come back. Following this Baldur’s Gate 3’s Act 1 quest order, you’ll most likely hit all the major beats without worrying about missing important content or getting locked out of side quests, NPC relationships, and rewards.
