Does Using Illithid Powers Have Consequences?

The use of Illithid powers will grant you access to several, unique abilities which can potentially affect the story of the game. Read on to learn the possible outcome from using Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3).

Warning!	This article contains spoilers for the main story of Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Proceed with caution when reading the Possible Outcomes section of this article.

Does Using Illithid Powers Have Consequences?

Choosing to Unlock All Illithid Powers Will Cause Permanent Changes

Using Illithid Powers may result to your companions either approving or disapproving of your actions, with some like Astarion being open to wielding Illithid Powers while others like Lae'zel may oppose it.

You can also have an ally consume it, provided that you can persuade them through dialogue options. Do note that continuously failing to persuade them will earn you their disapproval and result in a strain in your relationship.

If you choose to further unlock other abilities in the skill tree, there will be changes in the main storyline that will ultimately affect the outcome of the game.

List of Illithid Powers

Using Tadpoles Makes Resisting the Astral-Touched Tadpole Harder

If you do start using tadpoles to unlock Illithid Powers, do note that it will be harder to resist consuming or resonating with the Astral-Touched Tadpole at the end of Act 2. Instead of being able to stash the Astral-Touched Tadpole away, you will need to destroy it or pass a DC21 Wisdom check in order to avoid partial ceremorphosis.

Possible Outcomes

Partial Mindflayer Transformation

Once your reach the Help Your Protector main quest in Act 2, you will be given an Astral-Touched Tadpole by your Guardian. Choosing to consume it or resonate with it will unlock the 3rd Level of your Illithid Powers.

Note: If you want all of your party members to have Illithid powers, choose to resonate with the tadpole instead. This guarantees that you can re-use the tadpole for your other party members who also want to unlock the 3rd Level of their Illithid Power tree.

Act 2: Help Your Protector Walkthrough

Permanent Cosmetic Change During Partial Ceremorphosis

However, do be warned that consuming or resonating with the Astral-Touched Tadpole will give you a permanent cosmetic change. Players who undergo partial ceremorphosis by using the tadpole will start getting blackened veins across the face and matching rotten teeth as of Patch 1.

Full Mindflayer Transformation

During the concluding act of the main storyline, you will be given a choice to consume a Supreme Tadpole that was also given to you by your Guardian in the game.

Consuming the tadpole will fully transform you into a Mind Flayer and will give you access to all abilities in the Illithid Powers Skill Tree. This full transformation will also grant your Illithid Powers with upgraded effects and damage boosts.

List of Illithid Powers

Mindflayer Story Ending

If you chose to transform yourself into a Mindflayer, the outcome of the main storyline will change course and result to your character destroying the Netherbrain and its countless swarm of Illithids.

According to the game's narration, you have freed your allies from the influence of the Illithid tadpoles inside them. You began to feel any semblance of yourself fading away as your Mindflayer urges start settling in.

You now live a life devoid of your former self and consumed in endless hunger. You began to ponder in the possibility of manipulating your allies, cementing your complete transformation to a true Mindlfayer.

Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) Related Guides

Baldur's Gate 3 Beginner's Guide