Skip to content
Arcane Tower BG3 Walkthrough: Elevator, Bernard, and Basement Access
Baldur's Gate 3

Arcane Tower BG3 Walkthrough: Elevator, Bernard, and Basement Access

Navigate Baldur's Gate 3's Arcane Tower! Learn how to activate the elevator, bypass or defeat Bernard, and access the basement with our comprehensive walkthrough.

By ···10 min read·Multi-source verified
1 reading this guide  

Navigate Baldur's Gate 3's Arcane Tower! Learn how to activate the elevator, bypass or defeat Bernard, and access the basement with our comprehensive walkthrough.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Accessing the Tower: Locate the Arcane Tower northeast of the beach waypoint. Deal with the outer arcane turrets guarding the entrance. Options include using abilities like Pass Without Trace, stealthily taking them down, or engaging them in combat.
  2. 2
    Inside the Tower: Once inside, eliminate any remaining turrets. The elevator will be found but inoperable.
  3. 3
    Activating the Elevator:
    • Go to the southern balcony.
  4. 4
    Jump onto the glowing mushrooms growing on the side of the tower.
  5. 5
    Continue jumping down the mushrooms to reach the ground floor. You may take fall damage, so be prepared to heal or short rest.
  6. 6
    Locate the garden area with a small Sussur tree.
  7. 7
    Pick up a Sussur Bloom from the tree.
  8. 8
    Re-enter the tower via the ground floor door or a pipe.
  9. 9
    Find the Power Generator for the elevator on the ground floor.
  10. 10
    Insert the Sussur Bloom into the blank space of the Power Generator to activate it.
  11. 11
    Interact with the elevator to ascend.
  12. 12
    Dealing with Bernard:
    • Upon reaching the top floor, you will encounter Bernard, a Warforged mechanical guardian.
  13. 13
    To potentially bypass combat, read the following books:
    • Threadbare Book: Found on the mushroom farming level.
  14. 14
    Torn-Out Paper: Located on a small grey table in the center of the bedroom floor.
  15. 15
    The Road to Darkness: Found on a larger grey table on the bedroom floor.
  16. 16
    Reading these books unlocks special dialogue options when speaking to Bernard. If you pass the initial dialogue check, Bernard and his droid companions will not be hostile.
  17. 17
    You can then engage in a poetry dialogue. However, using the specific verse “_There is Light in Every Living Thing_“ will provoke hostility.
  18. 18
    If Combat is Unavoidable: You will need to fight Bernard and his metallic crossbowman companions.
  19. 19
    Bernard's Stats: Bernard has 70 HP. He has a Supercharge phase where he deals heavy electric damage with an aura and attacks. During this phase, characters should dash away. After the Supercharge ends, Bernard will be stunned, providing an opportunity to attack safely.
  20. 20
    Combat Strategy: While Bernard is Supercharging, consider having your party focus on eliminating the crossbowmen on the sides of the room.
  21. 21
    Post-Combat Reward: After defeating Bernard, you can acquire the Light of Creation, a powerful Halberd that is considered one of the best weapons in Act 1.
  22. 22
    Accessing the Basement: The text indicates that activating the elevator is necessary to access the Arcane Tower Basement. Further details on basement access are not provided in this section.
Tips
  • Be mindful of fall damage when descending the tower using mushrooms.
  • Loot the tower thoroughly, especially the Threadbare book on the mushroom level, as it's important for the Bernard encounter.
  • The Light of Creation halberd has a debuff that can be countered by a ring found in the Arcane Tower basement.
  • Light of Creation (Halberd)

100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content