Act 2: Help Your Protector Walkthrough

This is a complete walkthrough of Baldur's Gate 3's (BG3) Act 2 Main Quest, Help Your Protector! Read on to see a detailed walkthrough for this Act 2 main quest including important notes for the quest and relevant choices that need to be made along the way!

Help Your Protector Walkthrough

	Help Your Protector Objectives
1	Reach the Portal
2	Go to the Skull
3	Help Your Dream Visitor
4	Speak to Your Dream Visitor

Reach the Portal to the Dream Visitor

While struggling to sleep during your Long Rest between Acts 2 and 3, you will be assaulted the voice of the Absolute. Once this cutscene triggers during your rest, the Astral Prism will open a portal from which a hostile band of Githyanki will emerge to attack you.

When the combat encounter begins, you will be given 3 turns in order to reach the portal. During this time, everyone in your party will suffer from a condition called Her Voice: Commanding which deals 1d6 Psychic damage per turn.

The goal during this section is simple - reach the portal. Players can ignore the Githyanki enemies (since they don't drop unique loot), and instead focus on interacting with the portal. Only 1 party member needs to reach it to trigger the next phase of the quest.

What Happens if You Don't Reach the Portal in Three Turns?

If you do not reach the portal within 3 turns, the voice of the Absolute will break through your Dream Visitor's protection and command you to transform into a mind flayer. Watch the cutscene as your character becomes a thrall before the Game Over screen appears.

Go to the Skull to Find the Dream Visitor

Once safely inside the Astral Prism, you will be treated to a cutscene where unkown Githyanki warriors breach the barrier protecting the Skull structure of the Astral Prism. Defeat the Githyanki before making your way to the Skull where your Dream Visitor is calling for help.

Help Your Dream Visitor Defeat the Githyanki

Prepare to help the ultimate catfish in Baldur's Gate 3.

Upon arriving at the Skull, you will meet an unkown Illithid defending himself against a band of Githyanki. During your conversation, he will reveal that the real form of your Dream Visitor was a mind flayer all along.

Help the rogue mind flayer defeat the Githyanki in order to prevent the source of your protection against the Absolute from being taken. Defeat 4 of Orpheus' Honor Guards so the mind flayer can stabilize the shackles restraining the Githyanki prince.

What Happens if You Kill the Mind Flayer?

If you decide to attack and kill the Mind Flayer, you will be given a chance to take back your decision when its HP hits 0. However, if you still let the mind flayer die despite the warnings, you will return back to camp where the ceremorphosis cutscene will play. This ends your save with a Game Over screen.

Note: Defeating the Githyanki before killing the mind flayer will lock you out of killing your Dream Visitor. However, by deciding to turn on it earlier in the fight, the Dream Visitor will be less trusting than if you decided to help it fight Orpheus' Honor Guard.

Speak to Your Dream Visitor to Get the Astral-Touched Tadpole

Once the dust settles, speak to your Dream Visitor and find out their real identity. From here on out, they will be known to you as the Emperor and they will drop whatever illusion they used before (i.e., the Dream Visitor persona).

During the conversation, the Emperor will urge you to evolve, handing you the Astral-Touched Tadpole which allows you to partially transform into an illlithid. Regardless of your choice, exiting the Astral Prism will bring you back to camp. From there, you can rest and continue on to Act 3 in Rivington.

Note: Resuming your Long Rest back at camp (after meeting the Emperor) will give you the achievement, The City Awaits. This signifies that you have officially left Act 2 and are well on your way to reaching the city of Baldur's Gate.

Should You Use the Astral-Touched Tadpole?

Consuming or resonating with the Astral-Touched Tadpole will have players undergo partial ceremorphosis. This unlocks the 3rd layer of your Illithid powers for purchase while also giving you all the 1st layer abilities and the ability to Fly for free.

However, do note that your character will also get a drastic cosmetic change. Their face will start being lined with black veins and their teeth will start rotting (as of Patch 1). This transformation plays into one of the ending decisions you make in Baldur's Gate 3, so weigh your options carefully before deciding.

All Illithid Powers

What Happens if You Trust the Emperor?

If you choose dialogue options that favor trusting the Emperor and visit the Emperor's old hideout later on in Act 3, it is possible to romance and sleep with the mind flayer during one of the dream sequences in the Astral Prism. When this happens, you get the achievement, Mind Blown.

Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) Related Guides

Main Campaign Walkthrough

Act 1 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 2 Campaign Walkthrough

Act 3 Campaign Walkthrough