Baldur’s Gate 3has so much to see and do that it’s easy to miss certain locations. Sometimes these areas are deliberately hidden by the designers as part of the setting or story, but often the size of the map can also play a role. Missing a tangle of climbable vines, a lost bit of mail, or failing a Perception check is all it takes to walk past a whole area.
The first Act takes the character through the saga of the Goblins and the Druid Grove, while the second Act includes The Underdark and The Mountain Pass. Either of these passages can be used to access the Shadow-cursed Lands. That’s a lot of ground to cover and there are a few things that any player, no matter how patient or meticulous, can easily miss.
Updated June 10, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Months after its full release,Baldur’s Gate 3is still gathering fans and followers at a steady pace, accordingto numbers on Steamand the lengthy wait times to see the game’s most popular VAs at recent conventions. More players mean that more people are exploring the vast world ofBG3, so many of the locations that were once considered hidden or obscure are now widely known, and other hidden places have been uncovered. New content in the form of patches and updates also means new areas to find.
8The Lakeside Cottage
A Tragic Story Hidden Near The Shore
It’s not directly related to the story or plot, and many players never find the small rocky outcroppingwhere it’s partially hidden. The Lakeside Cottage, as the name indicates, is located on a narrow bit of rocky shore on the northeastern side of the big lake that takes up part of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
It’s accessible via two pathways, and both are easy to miss. The player can walk along a narrow path north of the bridge that leads to the Harper graveyard to find this cottage on the opposite shore. Follow the warning signs to find the small cottage, which looks like it’s overgrown with roots and vines. It’s also possible to arrive here underground when exploring the Last Light Inn cellar.
Inside, there are two skeletons locked in a final embrace in the bedroom. In this same room is an opulent chest with the Prenumbral Armor, which gives the wearer +3 to Stealth checks. There’s also an entrance into the Hidden Cellar, which houses a secret Selunite shrine. This is outside Isobel’s protective bubble, so players will need the benefit of the Moon Lantern to explore it.
7The Tadpoling Center
Hidden In An Obscure Part Of Moonrise Towers
It’s easy to miss this part of Moonrise Towers because most players head directly to the final fight with Kethric Thorm. Those who want to finish up some other side quests and advance the Blade of Frontiers quest should explore more thoroughly and find the Tadpoling Center.
Mizora isn’t exactly in the nest, but when the party finds her location, they’re pretty close to it. After dealing with her, head through the tunnel to the left and find the Illithis Colony. This completes the quest “Finding Zevlor” and solves the mystery of why he abandoned the Tieflings, along with some fun and interesting dialogue choices from the companion characters.
6Rolan’s Last Battle
Luck And Timing Also Make This Hard To Find
Rolan is one of the Tieflings characters that the party met at the Druid Grove. Should he survive the saga with the Goblins and the attack on Last Light Inn, his adventure continues in the Shadow-cursed Lands. Unless the protagonist finds them in time, this is where Rolan’s story ends, but if they find his obscure location in time, he appears again as a valuable ally in Act 3.
Rolan is out in the wilderness alone, overestimating his magical talents as usual. He gets mixed up with some malevolent shades in a small corner of land near the southernmost bridge from the mainland to Reithwin Town. If the party gets there too late, all they’ll find is his corpse, and his story will end here.
5The Arcane Tower
A Quiet Corner Of The Underdark
This optional location is not even necessary to find, but if the player asks Blurg the Hobgoblin where he gets his mushrooms and other supplies, he mentionsthe nearby mage tower. There are a few side quests that either lead to the Arcane Tower or begin within its walls, and the location is a treasure trove of both rare items and valuable knowledge.
The whole tower is a puzzle. Several players might find the main floor but never find anything beyond it due to the array of arcane traps that guard the main inner door and lower floors. It takes some jumping,Feather Fall, or a similar ability to reach the important parts safely.
Players who use the hidden passagesfrom Auntie Ethel’s housein Act 1 to get to this section of the Underdark will emerge right next to the Arcane Tower. The Selunite Outpost is directly to the east and the beach with the Dreugar boat is located to the north.
4Festering Cove
The Hidden World Of The Kuo-Toa
It’s easy to walk past just another hole in the floor, but closer inspection reveals a few fungal shelves that players can jump on, which leads to a climbable crevice that goes even further down. Mind the exploding mushrooms or take the short way down.
This is the realm of the Kuo-Toa, which Tav will know if they pass a Nature check. However, they seem to have adopted a new god named BOOOAL. This is a malevolent fey creature in disguise. If the protagonist chooses the right dialogue options and passes the Intimidation or Persuasion checks, they can take BOOOAL’s place as the new god of the Kuo-Toa.
3The Adamantine Forge
Tricky To Find, Easy To Skip
Players will find books, notes, and other bits of information about a mysterious underground forge starting in Act 1 and well into Act 2, so it’s not a question of not knowing about it. Once the party reaches the Grymforge, it’s visible from the platform where Nere is trapped, but getting there is the hard part.
Most players will use Misty Step and get the Waypoint to bring the rest of the party over. This is considerably easier than getting there manually using the platforms and levers scattered throughout the ruins of Grymforge. What followsis a tough boss fightwith a twist, provided the player has done some reading.
2The Chamber With Lathander’s Blood
Solve The Statue Puzzle In The Githyanki Creche
It’s easy to miss the whole Githyanki Creche if the party decides to go through the Underdarkand skip the Mountain Pass, so this secret passage often goes overlooked. After fighting and defeating the Inquisitor, there’s a small room to the left that contains books, display cases, and two suspicious statues.
A cryptic message at the base of each statue mentions Lathander greeting the rising and setting sun, but closer inspection reveals neither statue is facing the right direction. They have to be turned, and one of them gets stuck, but a stronger character can smack it a few times with a weapon to move it.
The small alcove that opensleads into another puzzle. This time it’s a passageway with traps that need to be destroyed or disarmed that leads into a large and elaborate chamber holding a mace calledThe Blood of Lathander.
1The Harper Interrogation Tower
In Ruins, But The Evidence Remains
It’s an interesting bit of lore, but like most of the secret locations throughout the list, it’s not mandatory to visit for any plotlines, unique gear, or quests, which is why it’s easy to miss. The party will come close to it during the Harper ambush event, which takes place in the shell of an old house on a ridge just next to it.
The road that leads into the Potter’s Warehouse is the easiest way to reach the Harper Interrogation Tower. This leads downhill from the main road and to the first bridge leading to Reithwin. There’s a trip-wire trap in front of the small arched doorway, and passing a Perception check to find it is one way to find this location.
Inside the tower is some interesting information regarding past Harper activity in the area, such as a transcript of an interrogation and some meager supplies. Smash a few jars and a bench to find theRing of Twilight, which gives the wearer +1 to their AC while obscured.
