How To Beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur's Gate 3

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Boss battles in Baldurs Gate 3 can be difficult and time-consuming, but in most cases, you’ll get generous rewards, not to mention the challenge of fighting each of them. So next, you are going to learn how to beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a really difficult boss that you can meet in Act 1 and be sure to prepare thoroughly before fighting Auntie Ethel in BG3. We will provide all the necessary tips and strategies so that you know how to defeat her.

How To Defeat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3

There are two ways you can beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can see her having a fight with Mayrina’s brothers and trying to deceive you that they are bad guys trying to attack an old lady. But don’t let her fool you. The fact is that she is a Hag and she is very powerful.

Also, you can meet Auntie Ethel in BG3 in the human form of a merchant who will offer a small assortment of items that you can buy. In addition, you will receive a quest that offers you to get help from her by removing a tadpole parasite that is sitting in you. Of course, it’s a scam, and if you agree to do it, you’ll get the Paid the Price permanent debuff. This will leave you without an eye and unable to make Critical Hits and Disadvantages on Perception Checks.

As soon as you realize that you have been deceived, a fight will begin, and we do not recommend joining it if aren’t at least level 5. We also recommend that you take Gale and Shadowheart on your team to be able to withstand the enemy’s ranged attacks. In addition, we recommend bringing a jar of water or a spell like Create Water to have quick access to water. Lastly, don’t drink from the well, because then you will be inflicted with a negative effect, and you will have to use a long rest to remove it. Now let’s take a look at all the steps you should complete to beat Auntie Ethel in BG3.

How to get to Ethel’s Lair in Baldur’s Gate 3

First, you need to get to the lair before you can fully fight this awful creature, and it’s not as easy as you think. Before the real fight with Auntie Ethel in BG3, you will be able to deal significant damage to the boss, but on the other hand, you will face a number of difficulties when the enemy goes past the fireplace, and below are some of them:

Gnarled Door

The first obstacle after overcoming the illusory fireplace is the Gnarled Door. In fact, this door is one of the victims of Auntie Ethel, whom she uses for her own purposes. To get past this door, you’ll need to use the Whispering Mask helmet, which is on the table on the right. Just put the mask on, go through the door, and take it off, otherwise, if you do it without the mask, the hag will set the door on fire, killing another one of her victims.

Masked Minions

The next challenge will be to get past Ethel’s own mini-army, namely minions that represent the next victims she has bewitched. They will attack you and your group, so the best way is to distract them and use the Stealth option to get past them. If this strategy doesn’t work, then try turning off group mode and taking each team member individually. These enemies will also appear later, so be prepared to fight back.

Noxious Fumes

The last thing you should know to beat Auntie Ethel is Noxious Fumes. At this point, we also recommend turning off group mode to avoid getting all companions damaged at once. Here, in a room full of noxious fumes, the best way out is to use the Fire Bolt and follow it to find the Ruptured Stone. After you do so, throw a useless item on top of it to close the vent and prevent smoke and fire from escaping. You will also see many unusual flowers here that explode on contact, so be careful enough to avoid them.

Strategy to Beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Mayrina in Baldur's Gate 3 — Image Source: Larian Studios via The Nerd Stash

When you are fully prepared and start the battle, the first thing you need to focus on is rescuing Mayrina. The first thing Ethel will do is throw a firebomb into the cage where Mayrina is sitting, and this is where you’ll need a jar of water or Create Water spell to avoid the fire.

After that, Ethel will create three illusions of herself that can disorient you but don’t worry, here you can use Witch Bolt or Magic Missile, which can hit all targets at once to reveal the real one. After you’ve completed this task, the boss will pull Mayrina out of the cage to disguise herself as Mayrina. You’ll be able to spot the illusion right away, as it has a distinctive effect that sets it apart from the original. Eventually, when you defeat the illusion, you’ll be able to free Mayrina.

Here are the rewards you can get by beating Ethel in BG3: