Escape the Nautiloid is one of the Main Quests in Act 1 in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). See the detailed walkthrough, objectives, Side Quests unlocked, all collectibles, and important notes for this quest!

Escape the Nautiloid Walkthrough

	Escape the Nautiloid Objectives
1	Navigate through the tutorial
2	Decide the talking brain's fate (Optional)
3	Free or ignore Shadowheart
4	Escape through the Nautiloid's Helm

Navigate Through the Tutorial

You will be able to escape the Nautiloid ship by going though the helm and connecting to the transponder. You can reach it by passing through different rooms, starting from Myrnath's room, then going out on the open part of the ship and meet Lae'zel, heading to Shadowheart's Pod, and then going into the helm.

You will learn various basic gameplay mechanics, such as Skills Checks, different combat actions, using tools and more, as you go through each room.

There will also be options to save the brain (Us) from Myrnath's body and helping Shadowheart escape from the pod. You can ignore them, but there will be consequences later on and after the quest.

Meeting Lae'zel

Lae'zel will show up in a custcene as you reach the open (or broken) part of the ship. You can recruit her there and fight off the first enemies you will encounter in the game.

If you're using Lae'zel as an Origin character, you will see a different Githyank named Losiir on this part.
Lae'zel Companion Guide

Decide the Talking Brain's Fate

	Recruiting Us Objectives
1	Locate Myrnarth
2	Free and Tame Us with Skill Checks

The Intellect Devourer, also known as Us, is a creature you can recruit after a series of skill checks. You can recruit this cute tiny creature to help you with combat later on in the quest.

If you choose to ignore or failed to recruit Us, you will encounter it later in the ship as an enemy.
How to Free Us Walkthrough

Free or Ignore Shadowheart

	Freeing Shadowheart Objectives
1	Find the Eldritch Rune
2	Open the Pod using the Console and the Rune

You can help Shadowheart escape by going through the door on the opposite side where you came from and getting the key from a dead Thrall. If you choose to recruit her, you will have a Cleric on your team during this quest.

If you choose to ignore her, you can still find and recruit her by the Ancient Door on the next quest, but with lower approval rate.
How to Free Shadowheart Walkthrough

Escape Through the Nautiloid's Helm

There will be a fight between Commander Zhalk and a Mind Flayer once you reach the helm. The Mind Flayer will ask you to get to the transponder while it holds off Commander Zhalk. Fight your way through the transponder to escape the ship, but be mindful of the number of turns allowed, as you will have to restart if it reaches zero.

You can also just rush to the transponder using Dash and ignore all enemies on the way to finish faster. You won't be able to get a few XP for doing this, however.

Can You Kill Commander Zhalk?

How to Beat Commander Zhalk
Recruit all companions (Us, Lae'zel, and Shadowheart) Play on Explorer Difficulty to beat it easily Attack using higher accuracy moves Assist the Mind Flayer by providing healing and buffs Save before and during the fight to try again if you fail

Players can kill Commander Zhalk during his fight against the Mind Flayer. It is important to note that he hits hard at your current level, on top of his huge HP pool. The Mind Flayer will also turn hostile if it survives after Zhalk's death. Throttle their HPs throughout the fight to make the entire encounter easier.

If the Mind Flayer dies first, Commander Zhalk will go after your party. Do your best to run to the transponder quickly if that happens, or reload your save before that.

How to Beat Commander Zhalk

Escape the Nautiloid Notes

Notes and Origin Differences

• You will meet Losiir, another Githyanki, during Lae'zel's Origin playthrough. Losiir is in the area where you first meet Lae'zel using a different character or Origin.
• The Mind Flayer can die against Commander Zhalk and turn its attention to your team afterward.
• Two Tieflings will spawn after there are only 9 turns left (or after 6 turns have passed) during the fight at the helm.
• Shadowheart's pod during her Origin playthrough will be empty.
• Successfully initiating one of the three consoles in front of the entrance to Shadowheart's Pod will force a fight against the unconscious people in the area.

Escape the Nautiloid All Collectible Items

Everburn Blade

The Everburn Blade is a longsword wielded by Commander Zhalk as he fights the Mind Flayer. You can get this weapon by killing Commander Zhalk as you try to reach the transpoder in this quest.

How to Get Everburn Blade

Scale Mail

The Scale Mail is the armor that Commander Zhalk is wearing during his bout against the Mind Flayer. You can also get this equipment from Commander Zhalk after killing him.

Baldur's Gate 3 Related Guides

Main Campaign Walkthrough

Act 1 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 2 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 3 Campaign Walkthrough