How to Free Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3

Dungeons & Dragons

May 1, 2024

Emmanuel Echoga

Adventuring alone isn’t easy! In Baldur’s Gate 3, there are a bunch of different NPCs that you can meet and add to your party to build the most balanced team. Naturally, every good adventure team needs a healer and Shadowheart. The Trickery Domain Cleric is one of the first on the list of those you can meet.

However, getting Shadowheart over on your side isn’t so straightforward. She’s the first companion you could potentially miss, since Lae’Zel will join you no matter what. Failing to recruit her in the opening scene means missing out on a healer for the beginning of your game – a potentially catastrophic handicap so early. So, in this guide, we will show you how to free Shadow Heart in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Credit: Larian Studios

How to Find Shadowheart

Not long after your initial combat engagement, you can find Shadowheart in a Mindflayer pod. Once you finish the fight, climb up the netting and go into the next room. Shadowheart’s pod is on the left of the room. To be honest, it’s kind of hard to miss. She’s certainly not shy about trying to get your help.

If you really can’t see her, listen out for her beating on the glass. This should draw your attention.

How to free Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3

Shadowheart can have a quick conversation with you in the pod to comfort her and tell her that you’ll figure out a way to let her go.

Here’s how to free her from the pod:

Go to the mindflayer console next to the pod
Attempt to interact with it – don’t worry, no interaction will transform her
Go to the next room to the north of the pod
Go to the body at the far end of the room. If you can’t see it, hold “alt” to highlight it
Loot the Eldritch Rune off the body
Go back and insert the rune into the console
Pass a DC 2 Wisdom check to take control of the console using your Illithid powers
Select “will the pod to open”

Once Shadowheart is free, you should get a short cut scene where she collects a mysterious artefact from the pod. This sets up a huge part of the story (no spoilers!).

From there, you can proceed with both Shadowheart and Lae’Zel in your party.

So, in Baldur’s Gate 3, how to free Shadowheart is pretty straightforward. With the upcoming boss battle before you escape the ship, she’ll be a real asset to you and one of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 companions to add to your party.