As you traverse the world of Baldur’s Gate 3, you will come across a plethora of unexplained items. One such item is the Iron Flask: an ambiguous bottle whose name does little to clarify its purpose. The Flask can be found fairly early in the game as part of a quest called Missing Shipment. It resides in a Strongbox at the back of the quest’s cave, where the only real enemies in the way are a few obnoxious Gnolls. This is what the Iron Flask does in Baldurs Gate 3.
What Does the Iron Flask Do?
While seemingly unassuming, the Iron Flask will release a powerful Spectator when opened. Practice extreme caution when removing the stopped because the Spectator will kill anyone in sight – friend or foe. Although the Spectator is a daunting and brutal enemy, it drops a decent amount of XP. Conquering it may provide that early-game XP bonus you’ve been looking for.
When to Use the Iron Flask
When it comes to using the bottle, players have a couple of options. They can either proceed with the quest and give it to Zarys as intended or keep it for themselves. We highly recommend turning the unopened Strongbox over to Zarys, as doing so will open the doors for further quests and riches. There are, however, a few uses for the flask if you choose to keep it.
Keep in mind that if you choose to give the flask to Zarys, the Strongbox must stay locked. Picking the lock will turn Zarys and her group hostile, and they won’t accept the flask any longer. The ensuing battle is epic, but is that worth destroying a potential partnership?
If you instead decide to keep the Iron Flask for yourself, be sure to use it wisely. As mentioned, it can be opened up for an XP boost, but it arguably has better uses. For example, throwing the flask in the midst of a group of enemies is a perfect distraction, allowing for easy sneak checks. Opening the Iron Flask can also be done as a last-ditch effort if a tense battle seems like it won’t end in your favor.
Now that you know what the Iron Flask does, check out how to enter the Arcane Tower in Baldur’s Gate 3.
