Baldurs Gate 3: Hunt the Devil walkthrough

Hunt the Devil is a quest in the first act of Baldur's Gate 3. It is a very important quest offering great rewards and impacting the personal storylines of several companions. On this page of the guide, you will learn whether you should ally with Karlach or with the paladins of Tyr.

• Should you choose Karlach or the paladins of Tyr?
• How to defeat the paladins of Tyr?
• What are the rewards for sparing or killing Karlach?

Should you choose Karlach or the paladins of Tyr?

You can start the quest by meeting one of the two sides of the conflict, Karlach or Anders, on The Risen Road. Karlach waits by the river near a ruined village, while the paladins of Tyr, led by Anders, have taken refuge in an abandoned toll house nearby. Both sides will share conflicting stories - the paladins claim that Karlach is a devil from hell who murders people (Wyll also believes this), while Karlach presents herself as an escaped slave of the archdevil Zariel, accusing the paladins of being servants of hell. Both Anders and Karlach will ask you to kill the other side - you will have to make a choice.

There are several ways to discover who is telling the truth. You can, for example, cast a Detect Thoughts spell on Anders or a Speak with Dead spell on the refugee's corpse at the gatehouse. Karlach is telling the truth - she is not a devil but a tiefling, while Anders is not a paladin but an agent of Zariel trying to enslave her again. If you believe Anders, the fight with Karlach will be very easy due to your numerical advantage. If you believe Karlach, she will join you as a new companion to defeat Anders and his men together.

How to defeat the paladins of Tyr?

When you return to the gatehouse with Karlach, you will face the false paladins of Tyr. Before the fight, it's worth positioning yourself advantageously - the conversation with Anders will start as soon as he notices you, so entering through the front door might trap you in the doorway, blocking the rest of the party from entering. We recommend climbing onto the roof using the ladder next to the gatehouse and positioning the more delicate party members on the upper floor, from where they can safely shoot at the paladins. The encounter can be challenging, but it is possible to complete it with characters at level 3.

The biggest threat is definitely Anders. He can attack twice per turn and use Divine Smite, dealing massive damage. Additionally, he projects an aura of protection around himself, granting him and nearby enemies a +4 to all saving throws, so forget about applying status effects on him. During a rage, Karlach is the only party member with a chance to survive Divine Smite. Kill Anders as quickly as possible; fortunately, he doesn't have an excessive amount of health. Also, pay attention to the rug on the floor. Above the rug hangs a makeshift chandelier - if Anders is standing on the rug or you push him onto it, you can shoot or throw something at the chandelier's hook to drop it on his head.

Without Anders, the remaining enemies shouldn't pose too much of a problem. Trynn fights exclusively at a distance and stands right next to Anders, so any melee character can easily catch up to her and eliminate. Cyrel knows a few spells, but she spends most of her time on the roof - with a bit of luck, a single push might be enough to send her plummeting to the bottom of the nearby ravine.

Before you finish the fight, make sure Karlach has a decent amount of health. After the fight, she will go into a rage, and you will lose control over her. For the next minute, she will blindly destroy furniture in the gatehouse and may take minor damage in the process. Leave the gatehouse and wait for Karlach to calm down, then talk to her to complete the quest. She will then permanently join your party as a companion.

What are the rewards for sparing or killing Karlach?

Regardless of how you resolve the quest, you will receive the Sword of Justice. You will either be rewarded with it by Anders or take it from his corpse. It is a two-handed sword that allows you to cast Tyr's Protection for free once per short rest, a spell that increases the armor class of a chosen character by 2. The Sword of Justice is one of the best weapons in the first act and will serve you well for a long time.

During one of the next long rests, your camp will be visited by Mizora, Wyll's patron. Depending on your choice during the quest, the visit will end in two different ways.

1. If you spared Karlach, Mizora will transform Wyll into a half-devil. The transformation is permanent and cannot be reversed. However, it does not affect gameplay, and Wyll will still play the same way.
2. If you kill Karlach, Mizora will reward you with Infernal Robe. It grants a +1 to armor class, fire resistance, and the ability to cast the Fire Shield: Warm spell once per long rest. Wyll will remain human but will not be able to forgive himself for killing Karlach.

The Infernal Robe is a decent item, but it is definitely not worth killing Karlach. Consider it a consolation prize in case of a mistake or playing an evil character. Sparing Karlach is the optimal choice both narratively and in terms of gameplay.

Baldur's Gate 3

August 3, 2023

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