Baldur’s Gate 3 players have discovered that one of the most grueling dungeons in the entire game can be skipped by using one of the simplest spells.
The Orb Labyrinth in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a serious challenge for any playthrough. Tricky puzzles, challenging combat and an overall dark atmosphere mean this installment of Larian’s sprawling RPG is unlikely to excite fans on repeat playthroughs. However, the new approach allows you to avoid the entire dungeon entirely.
There are three challenges in the Labyrinth, each of which rewards the player with one of three Umbral Gems, which can be used to open the huge door at the end of the dungeon. Behind it is a meeting with Nightsong, but to launch the elevator on the way down you will need the fourth gem received from Yurgir. However, as it turns out, you only need this fourth stone.
As Twitter user clancadera found out, using a second-level spell you can skip most of the Labyrinth. The Open Locks spell is one of the most basic spells in D&D. Its sole purpose is to open locked objects, be it chests, shackles or huge doors in underground temples. It is available to Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards, that is, Gale and Mintara can use it, and as a second level spell, it becomes available already at level 3.
By using Open Locks in the Labyrinth of Shar, you can skip all three challenges, and although you will need to get the Spear of Night from the Library to advance, it is no longer one of the challenges. Pick up the Spear, get past the challenges, cast Open Locks, and you can escape the dungeon in a fraction of the usual time.
It’s not hard to guess that the simplicity of this method of getting around the dungeon surprised the players. Some are happy at the prospect of never having to go through all these tests again, others are outraged by the simplicity of the workaround. Luckily, using the method it is still possible to finish Shadowheart’s story.
