While confronting the Elder Brain in the final act of BG3, you will be faced with the decision to either give the Netherstones to the Emperor or save Orpheus. After collecting the three Netherstones and traveling to Morphic Pool, you will come across the Netherbrain in the game. Facing the final boss, your party will be sucked back into the Astral Plane by the Emperor. Here, players will have to decide whether to hand over the three Netherstones to the emperor or to save Prince Orpheus in Baldur’s Gate 3.
There are quite a few consequences for both of these options and given that you have entered the endgame, knowing which one is better would be key. The fate of the Githyankis lies on your hands depending on the choice you go for. Not to mention, you will be able to access different endings given the choice. So if you are wondering which is the best option while facing the Emperor, then here is a guide you should check out further.
Should You Give the Netherstones to the Emperor in BG3?
Before deciding whether to side with the Emperor by giving him the Netherstones or saving Orpheus, it is worth mentioning that both of these options have direct consequences on who will join your party against the Elder Brain. And it would be better if you knew about the consequences of making a decision:
Giving Netherstones to the Emperor
Once you hand over the Netherstones to the Emperor in BG3, he will instantly kill Orpheus in the Astral Plane. After which he will acquire his powers to stop the Elder Brain and join you and your party. However, with Orpheus dead, players will let Vlaakith rule the Githyankis. It then becomes impossible for players to save Lae’zel and other Githyankis from the Lich Queen in Baldur’s Gate 3. It is worth mentioning that once the Emperor acquires Orpheus’ powers, it won’t be necessary for you to become a Mind Flayer at the end of the game.
Saving Orpheus
If you decide to not give the Netherstones to the Emperor in BG3 and save Orpheus instead then the Mind Flayer will join the Netherbrain. This will turn the Emperor against you to survive and you will face him while confronting the Elder Brain again in the game. However, you will be able to save Lae’zel and other Githyankis with it.
After saving Orpheus, you will have to decide whether to become a Mind Flayer yourself or let him become one instead. Once you choose to be the Mind Flayer, you will be able to control or kill the Elder Brain after defeating the final boss in the game. It is also worth mentioning that depending on your playthrough, you will also have the option to turn Karlach into a Mind Flayer.
Everything considered, we would recommend you to Save Orpheus instead of handing over the Netherstones to the Emperor in BG3. While you must face the Emperor in the final battle, this option will help you make things right for all the Githyankis. Not to mention, you will be able to make your own choice of either killing or controlling the Elder Brain in the game. However, if you want to complete your playthrough without becoming a Mind Flayer then we would recommend giving the Netherstones to the Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3. You will also have the option to rule the absolute with the Emperor in the game.
That’s everything covered on whether you should give the Netherstones to the Emperor in BG3. For more interesting guides like these, check out our dedicated Baldur’s Gate 3 section, right here on Gamer Tweak.
