Deep in the shadowy Underdark of Baldur’s Gate 3, the Arcane Tower stands as a beacon of forgotten magic. This spot in Act 1 hides powerful secrets that can boost your party’s strength early on. You’ll face tough fights and brain-teasing puzzles here, all tied to quests like helping the Myconid colony or grabbing rare loot.
The tower, once home to the wizard Ramazith, now sits abandoned and trapped. Golems guard its doors, and magical barriers block the way up. Moral choices? Not many, but your decisions on items and fights shape what you gain. This guide walks you through every step to claim the arcane tower BG3 rewards without frustration.
Navigating the Ground Floor: Entry and Initial Obstacles
Securing Entry into the Tower
You spot the on the western edge of the Underdark map, near the Sussur Tree grove. First, reach it by crossing the mushroom patches from the Myconid Colony or Grymforge entrance. The front door looks sealed, but it’s not—check for a DC 15 Sleight of Hand lockpick or a strong character to bash it open with Athletics.
If stealth is your play, sneak around the back. No guards outside, but watch for the patrolling arcane turrets later. Bring the Sussur Bloom from nearby trees; it’s key for powering up inside. Without it, the elevator stays dead, trapping you on the bottom level.
Talk to no one here yet. Just prep your party: stock potions and scrolls, since magic gets wonky near Sussur.
The Gauntlet of the Stone Golems and Traps
Step inside, and two stone golems wake up fast. These brutes hit hard and resist most physical damage. Focus on bludgeoning or thunder attacks—they crack under those. Position your tank up front, like Lae’zel or Karlach, to draw aggro while ranged fighters chip away.
Party setup matters: Include a caster with Fireball for crowd control, but save spells for later. The room has pressure plates that trigger lightning traps. Step light or use Jump to hop over them. Disarm with a rogue’s DC 12 Perception and Sleight of Hand—easy if you spot the glowing runes.
Fight smart. Lure one golem out at a time through the door. Once down, loot their cores for minor magic resistance buffs. This clears the path to the broken elevator ahead.
Interacting with the Tower’s Initial Inhabitants (If Applicable)
No living folks on this floor, but you find journals from Ramazith scattered around. Pick them up—they hint at the tower’s history and Sussur’s antimagic properties. One entry mentions a hidden chest behind the golem statues; smash the wall there for gold and a potion of speed.
If you’re on the Omeluum quest from the Myconids, this spot ties in. The illithid asked for Sussur Bark to cure your tadpole itch. Grab extra blooms outside for that hand-in later—it’s worth 200 gold and ally status.
Explore side rooms for traps. One has a mimic chest that bites if you open it wrong. Use Detect Thoughts to check first.
Ascending Through the Levels: Puzzles and Magical Barriers
Solving the Teleportation Maze
The elevator won’t budge without power. Head to the first sub-level via stairs—watch for more traps. There, find the generator room with a flower pot stand. Place a Sussur Bloom inside; it hums to life, flooding the tower with safe energy.
Now, the real puzzle: the arcane turrets on level two. They teleport and zap anything moving. To stop them, climb the vines outside the tower first. Enter through a broken window on the side for a stealthy bypass.
Inside level two, match the turret patterns. It’s like a light puzzle—align the three colored crystals on the control panel. Red for fire ward, blue for ice, green for lightning. Trial and error works, but save before. Wrong move, and they recharge.
Dealing with the Arcane Security Systems
These turrets pack status effects like stunned or blinded. Stay 30 feet back and use ranged attacks. A wizard’s Counterspell shuts down their beams mid-cast. If you’re low-level, sneak past—crouch and roll under the beams.
Exploit the Sussur fields. Carry extra blooms to create no-magic zones; turrets fizzle there. Your rogue can sabotage the bases with a DC 14 check, turning one against the others.
Up next, the third level has wards that slow you. Dispel Magic from a cleric breaks them quick. Keep moving—these systems link to the top, so disabling early saves hassle.
Meeting a Crucial Ally or Antagonist
No big NPC fight here, but you encounter Bernard, the animated armor on level three. He’s a golem-like guardian with a twist. Speak to him using Ramazith’s journal phrases: say “How may I serve?” to calm him.
If hostile, he summons constructs. Dodge his slam attacks and target the joints—fire vulnerability. Win the chat, and he gives a key to the upper door plus lore on Ramazith’s experiments.
This ties to the tower’s story. Ramazith fled the Absolute, leaving defenses. Bernard’s tales reveal Sussur’s role in tadpole research, linking to your main plot.
The Apex: Confrontation and Ethical Choices at the Top Floor
The Final Guardian: Preparation and Execution
Reach the top via the now-working elevator. No boss, but the real challenge is the trapped chest and roaming turret. Prep by quaffing resistance potions—lightning ones especially.
The guardian? It’s the final turret cluster, with a phase shift to homing missiles. Position on the edges; use the bookshelves for cover. Prioritize the central core—destroy it, and the rest power down.
Tactics: Send in a summons like a spider to test beams. Then, full assault with area spells. Environment helps—knock turrets off ledges with Shove for instant kills.
The Critical Decision Point
At the summit, you find Ramazith’s desk with notes on his staff and experiments. No huge moral fork, but choose what to take. Grab the Staff of Arcane Blessing? It’s powerful, but cursed if you’re evil-aligned—it backfires on good spells.
Leave it for the Myconids? That boosts their quest reward. Or sell it in Act 2 for 500 gold. Short-term, the staff amps your casters. Long-term, it affects Omeluum’s cure path—piss him off, and no illithid help later.
Weigh your playstyle. Good runs favor the colony; greedy ones grab the loot.
Loot and Legendary Rewards
Clearing nets top-tier gear. The big one: Staff of Arcane Blessing grants bonus action cantrips. Equip on Gale for huge DPS jumps.
Other finds: Scroll of Kereska’s Favour for invisibility, and potions of speed. The chest holds the Tower-Shaped Journal—lore gold for roleplay fans.
Choices matter. If you befriend Bernard, he gifts a ring of protection. Hostile? Miss that, but get his armor scraps for crafting.
Ramazith’s Tower Post-Clearance: Aftermath and Implications
Integrating the Tower’s Resources into Your Campaign
Once conquered, the becomes a safe hub. Return anytime—the elevator works, and turrets stay off. Use it as a rest spot before tougher Underdark fights.
Unlocks? Bernard as a vendor for minor magic items if friendly. Lore books feed into Act 2’s wizard quests. Tie it to the main story: Sussur samples help with the nautiloid brain later.
The tower’s magic lingers. Sussur fields outside grow stronger, letting you farm blooms for antimagic grenades.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Players often forget the Sussur Bloom—scout the grove first, or you’re stuck. Don’t fight both golems at once; thin the herd.
Accidental turret triggers? Save often, and use Short Rest to reset. Miss the window entry? Climb vines sober—no drunken falls.
Loot blind: Check for mimics. And talk to Bernard wrong? Reload—phrases are in journals.
Conclusion: The Legacy of the Arcane Tower
Tackling the arcane tower BG3 tests your combat smarts and puzzle wits right in Act 1. From golem brawls to turret dodges, you claim Ramazith’s secrets and gear that carries you far.
Key wins: Grab Sussur early, chat smart with guardians, and pick loot wisely. This spot isn’t just a stop—it’s a power-up that shapes your Underdark run. Head back in, conquer it your way, and watch your party thrive. What’s your favorite loot from there? Share in the comments.
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