Should You Let Gale Use The Netherese Orb in BG3? (2024)

As companion quests are progressed in Baldur's Gate 3, some characters begin to affect the game's overarching story in unique ways, giving extra options for dealing with certain situations. While these options are unique, they may not always be the best available choices, and depending on the desired outcome, might be better left ignored. In particular, Gale has the most potential to affect the events of the main storyline in major ways by using the Netherese Orb in his possession - but while doing so leads to unique events, they may not be desirable in most playthroughs of the game.

Deciding to help Gale in Baldur's Gate 3 comes with a somewhat major caveat at first, as he will intermittently need to absorb the power of rare magical items, permanently destroying each item and preventing it from being used or sold. Fortunately, in practice, there are plenty of less-than-useful magical items in the first act of Baldur's Gate 3 that fulfill the requirements to be sacrificed, and once Gale's quest is progressed further, he stops needing to absorb items at all. Instead, moving into the game's second act, a new plot line opens up for Gale regarding the Netherese Orb in his chest.

BG3's Gale Gains A Powerful Narrative Option In The Second Act

What The Netherese Orb Is For

After the nature of the Netherese Orb is revealed by Elminster in the Mountain Pass, Gale unlocks the ability to cause a giant explosion by activating his Netherese Orb. However, this isn't effective as a combat ability - instead, it's an option which can be selected during certain cutscenes, and offers unique repercussions and consequences. Notably, multiple endings can only be seen through using the Netherese Orb at select times, all of which involve using the Orb to put an end to the threat of the Absolute. While the endings are unique, however, they may not be an especially satisfying way to put an end to any given playthrough.

What Happens If You Use Gale's Netherese Orb In Act Two Of BG3?

Pros & Cons Of Letting Gale Use The Netherese Orb In Act Two

Ultimately, the consequences of letting Gale use the Netherese Orb depend on the point in the story at which it's activated. There are two additional endings that can be seen through using Gale's Netherese Orb, but both will cut the game short to varying degrees. Most notably, the Orb can be used at the end of Act Two, when the party first encounters the three Chosen and the Elder Brain that they have made into the Absolute. Here, if the decision is made to have Gale use the Orb, the resulting explosion will end the game significantly earlier than usual, cutting off the final fight of the second act and the entirety of the third.

In exchange, one of Baldur's Gate 3's more unique endings will play out - Gale sacrifices himself to make the Orb explode, killing the rest of the current party, the three Chosen, and the Absolute, effectively ending the threat of the game's main villain. However, aside from resulting in the deaths of the party, the narration also notes that, without the control of the Absolute, the tadpoles that have infested much of the Sword Coast will carry out their transformations as usual, causing an invasion of mind flayers. So, although the Absolute is killed early, this ending still leaves the fate of the world uncertain at best.

As an ending to a playthrough, having Gale use the Orb in Act Two is potentially unsatisfying, as it cuts off a significant section of the story and gives little closure to many of the game's ongoing plot threads, as well as being somewhat of an anticlimax compared to the usual battle with Ketheric Thorm. For those who just want to see the ending and then reload a save, however, there are no consequences for picking the option, as the game either ends after the choice is made, or Gale doesn't use the Orb and the game continues as normal.

What Happens If You Use Gale's Netherese Orb In Act Three Of BG3?

Pros & Cons Of Letting Gale Use The Netherese Orb In Act Three

Later in the game, during the third act, there is another opportunity for Gale to use the Netherese Orb's power. During the final battle, just before climbing up to the Absolute to attempt to dominate it, Gale will again bring up the option for him to sacrifice himself. Players will have to pass a DC 30 Persuasion check to select this option. This time, however, he will use the Orb's power to explode away from the rest of the party; if this option is chosen, he will send the rest of the party away with a spell and climb up to the Elder Brain by himself. The sacrifice succeeds in destroying the brain, but at the cost of Gale's life.

Since, unlike the sacrifice option in the second act, the entire party doesn't die with this option, character-specific endings will still play out after the explosions, aside from Gale's (although, due to a bug, his endings may sometimes play out regardless). While this option ends up cutting out significantly less than its second act variant, a playthrough that ends in this way will still end up skipping a major part of the final battle. Additionally, the ending also prevents Gale's character-specific endings from occurring, which can be especially frustrating if Gale was romanced in Baldur's Gate 3.

Overall, having Gale use the Orb in the third act has more to recommend it than in the second - it's a more complete ending overall, cuts off significantly less content, and can serve as a legitimate conclusion to Gale's character arc while not excluding the endings of other companions. Additionally, for those who may struggle with the combat of BG3, sacrificing Gale allows one of the game's most potentially difficult encounters to be skipped. However, those aiming for any sort of "evil" ending where the player character takes control of the Absolute should disregard the option to sacrifice Gale, as it will cut off the choice to take control.

What Happens If You Don't Use Gale's Netherese Orb In BG3?

Pros & Cons Of Convincing Gale To Live

Refusing to use the Netherese Orb in Baldur's Gate 3 opens up a wide variety of options, the particulars of which depend on the player's choices during Gale's final confrontation with Mystra. Once players arrive in the city of Baldur's Gate proper, they can visit the Stormshore Tabernacle to gain an audience with the goddess of magic. Although she'll initially chastize Gale for failing to complete his mission, she'll eventually come around and explain that what she really wants is the Crown of Karsus. He'll need to retrieve it from the Elder Brain.

[Warning: The following paragraph contains minor spoilers for the ending of Baldur's Gate 3.]

Then, after the Elder Brain sinks into the Chionthar River, Gale resolves to retrieve it. Here, players can either persuade Gale to bring the Crown back to Mystra, keep it himself and become a god, or leave it untouched. All this really affects, though, is his dialogue in the epilogue. If he retrieves the Crown, Gale will explain that he's back in Mystra's good graces, and that she removed the Netherese Orb from his chest. If he keeps it for himself, he'll gain a new, megalomaniacal attitude, and become Mystra's enemy as they both vie for control of the Weave. If they convince him to let it go, Gale will return home, drop the "of Waterdeep" from his moniker, and become a teacher.

Ultimately, it's best to avoid using the Netherese Orb at all in Baldur's Gate 3 - or, if Gale does blow himself up, load the most recent save immediately after and choose not to use it. Activating the Netherese Orb at any point inevitably locks the player out of a significant amount of content, whether that's Gale's epilogues or the entirety of the third act. While activating it in the final battle does allow the party to skip a difficult fight, and represents a somewhat appropriate ending to Gale's storyline, it's not quite as varied or satisfying as letting him live.

Using the Netherese Orb is a major decision in Baldur's Gate 3, but not one that has far-reaching consequences, as using it leads directly to ending the game, which can then be simply reloaded to choose a different option. Using it in the second act gives an especially early ending that may be unsatisfying as the actual end of a playthrough, while using it in the third gives a more complete end. Overall, having Gale use the Netherese Orb in Baldur's Gate 3 is a choice that exists mostly to provide some additional unique endings to the game; it's best to leave it untouched throughout.

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Baldur's Gate 3

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.

RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:96/100 Critics Recommend:98%

Franchise

Baldur's Gate

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , PS5 , Xbox Series X

Released

August 3, 2023

Developer(s)

Larian Studios

Publisher(s)

Larian Studios

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence

How Long To Beat

100+ Hours

X|S Enhanced

yes

Metascore

96

Split Screen Orientation

Vertical Only

Number of Players

1-4

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players

Cross Save

yes

Cross-Platform Play

Baldur's Gate 3 doesn't support crossplay