When to Enter Shadowfell in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)
After completing the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll discover theShadowfell entrance, which can fulfill a quest from the dark goddess. Although you may be eager to explore the mysterious Shar’s realm, it is best to tie up any loose ends, or you will skip out on several storylines. With that being said, we’ll show you what missions you should complete first before accepting the ‘Shadowfell point of no return’ notification.
All Quests to Complete Before Entering Shadowfell in BG3
In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Shadowfell acts as a point of no return, pushing the story forward to the next section, locking you out of areas that were previously accessible, and potentially changing the world around you. When players receive the Shadowfell warning, they must either press forward or choose stick around the area for a bit longer to complete other active missions.
It is highly recommend to complete all side quests and explore available areas in full before venturing into the Shadowfell, as any encounters or items located within Act 1 or Act 2 will be permanently lost upon moving forward.
After entering the Shadowfell, you will also wind up in several difficult encounters, first withBalthazar(depending on your choices), then with Z’rell, and lastly with Ketheric. Because of the difficulty of these battles, you may find yourself severely struggling to claim victory if you have not completed enough Quests beforehand to gain EXP and raise your level to an appropriate standard.
Here are some Quests and activities within Act 1 and 2 that you should aim to undertake prior to entering the Shadowfell,as they could be completely missed if you fail to do so:
Act 1 & Mountain Pass:
Apart from Quests, you’ll also want to ensure you’ve scavenged all previous areas such as Emerald Grove, the Underdark, the Mountain Pass, and the Shadow-Cursed Lands for any valuable items, as this is often your only chance to nab them for the entirety of your playthrough. While not every item is a must-have, here are a few key powerhouse items that you should add to your checklist:
The Shadowfell entrance is directly related to theFind Ketheric Thorm’s Relic side quest, where you attempt to discover the source of Ketheric’s invulnerability. Generally, you should visit Moonrise Towers first since you will get a mission that will direct you to Shadowfell, earning you some extra EXP along the way.
You also definitely want torescue Wulbren and the Tieflings from the dungeon. If you complete the Shadowfell first, you won’t encounter the prisoners and will automatically fail the side quest, with the prisoners all dying as a result. This quest extends further into Act 2 and even Act 3, where you may gain further quests and encounters with the characters involved.
Lastly, exploring the Moonrise Towers before the Shadowfell is also better for the story. After all, there are multiple vendors to spend your hard-earned gold with (or pickpocket) to gain some extra gear for your builds, as well as some unique characters you can meet, such as the likes of Araj Oblodra, a strange drow woman who is very interested in the blood of True Souls. As soon as you enter the Shadowfell, you will be locked out of exploring Moonrise Towers freely, as the story progresses towards the big boss fight against Ketheric to close off Act 2.
After completing the Quest inside the Shadowfell, you will be pushed to rush straight to Moonrise Towers for this fierce combat and then continue into Act 3 for good. Because of this, it is highly importantto only enter the Shadowfell once you are content with the level of your party, have completed every Quest you wished to do, and rounded up all items and conversations from the people at Moonrise.
Now that you know thebest time to enter Shadowfell, consider checking out otherBaldur’s Gate 3guides on Twinfinite. For instance, you can read our article forthe most popular classes in BG3to see how other fans play the game.
