Opening the Baldur’s Gate 3 Gnarled Door in the Hag’s lair is as easy as walking straight through it. The illusion won’t be immediately apparent to you, but there are two ways of getting past this giant heavyweight door if you’re desperate to save Mayrina. She’s been kidnapped by the Baldur’s Gate 3 Hag, otherwise known as Auntie Ethel, and one method of reaching her actually involves seeing the world through Ethel’s eyes. Here’s how to open the Gnarled Door in Baldur’s Gate 3 to confront Ethel once and for all.
BALDUR’S GATE 3 GNARLED DOOR WITH ARCANA CHECK
The easiest way to get past the Gnarled Door in BG3 is to pass an arcana check while investigating it. Save your game before starting your “conversation” with the Gnarled Door, since at some point during the chat, you will roll an arcana saving throw. Failing this means you’ll have to move on to the second Gnarled Door entry option outlined below, but succeeding means your character will notice that the door is actually an illusion that you can simply walk through. Feel free to reload your save if you fail the check, but the alternative option is not too difficult if you act fast.
BALDUR’S GATE 3 GNARLED DOOR WITH A WHISPERING MASK
If you fail the arcana check while “talking” to the Gnarled Door, pick up a Whispering Mask from the table on your right and simply walk through it. As soon as you cross the threshold, remove the mask immediately.
The Whispering Mask in Baldur’s Gate 3 is enchanted by Ethel to make you do her bidding, with whoever wearing it doing constant Wisdom rolls to avoid possession. Pick a high wisdom character and make sure you put it on and take it off as soon as your Baldur’s Gate 3 party walks through the Gnarled Door! If you fail to do so, you risk being controlled by Auntie Ethel and turning against your companions; this is something you really do not want to happen before such a big battle.
Regardless of the method you choose, you will now have to fight four enemies: the Mask of Vengeance, the Mask of Servitude, the Mask of Terror, and the Mask of Regret. While these foes don’t have a lot of HP, try to eliminate them as quickly as you can. They use a lot of Fear spells to disable your attacks.
It is best to have Shadowheart wear the Mask instead of any other companion when entering the Gnarled Door to avoid being attacked by the three Mask enemies. With her high Wisdom, she will pass every wisdom saving throw that you will encounter as you pass through the cabin, essentially working around the Hag’s mask trap.
