Player discovers a weird way to remove tadpole in Baldur’s Gate 3. It kind of breaks the game, but at least it works

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of those games where, at a certain point, even the developers probably had no idea just how many exploits players would discover for almost every situation. There’s a clever trick to make the first encounter with Auntie Ethel way easier, or even avoid the brutal fight with Ansur entirely, while still walking away with Balduran’s Giantslayer. For many of us, that first BG3 run was all about getting rid of the tadpole lodged in our brains. As it turns out, there’s a completely unexpected way to do just that. I’d bet the devs didn’t see this one coming either.

Tadpole removed, game logic broken

Mindflayer tadpoles are pretty much the core of Baldur’s Gate 3. The whole story revolves around them. Getting that thing out of your head is basically your number one goal, at least at the beginning. Along the way, you’ll run into many NPCs who seem really eager to “help” with your little problem... though most of the time, it’s either a trap or a straight-up lie.

But one player actually managed to break the game’s rules and pulled the tadpole out of a companion, without triggering the usual permanent death. Sadly, it came with some side effects. They shared the experience on Reddit.

Here’s what went down: Wyll got killed by a goblin after an unfortunate critical hit in Act 1. The player looted his body, took everything, including his clothes and the tadpole, and then completely forgot about him, just left him lying there. I guess Wyll isn’t exactly a fan favorite, some people even think he’s a joke character.

Source: Baldur's Gate 3; Developer: Larian Studios

Later, at the end of the act, they decided to go back and used a scroll of revivify to bring Wyll back. He came back to life, missing his horns and wearing only his underwear, didn’t say a word, and wandered back to his training spot in the Druid Grove. Technically, the tadpole was gone, so mission accomplished.

Someone in the comments pointed out there was a hint about this in the game. Edowin, the dwarf who gets mauled by the owlbear, proves that tadpoles leave dead hosts. But since this kind of broke the game’s mechanics (Wyll couldn’t be recruited afterward), it’s probably less of an exploit and more of a funny glitch.

But another wild idea is to try getting the tadpole out of your character after Astarion drains you dry in Act 1. Then have another party member loot your body and resurrect you. Who knows, it might just work. It’s at least worth a shot.

So, if you were looking for another excuse to start a new playthrough (not that we ever really need one), here it is. And if you're in the mood to push the game even further, remember – you’re don’t have to stick with the default classes. Want Karlach to be a Bard? Go for it. There’s even a hidden weapon that turns you into a powerhouse, plus a few tricks to build a nearly invincible character.

Baldur's Gate 3

August 3, 2023

Rate It!

• Overview
• Guide
• Maps
• Review

• Wizards of the Coast
• exploit
• Larian Studios
• Baldur's Gate (franchise)