The choices you make in Baldur’s Gate 3 can significantly impact how the story unfolds. One of the most impactful choices you’ll make in Baldur’s Gate 3 is whether to free the Githyanki Prince Orpheus or leave him trapped in the Astral Plane. This decision comes in Act 3 but will dramatically affect how the story progresses. This guide will discuss the pros and cons of freeing Orpheus versus leaving him imprisoned in BG3.
Should you Free Orpheus in BG3?
What Happens If You Free Him (How to Save Orpheus)
If you have rejected the Githyanki Emperor’s offerings and Lae’zel is in your party, saving Orpheus will make the Emperor turn against you. With the Emperor abandoning you, the next step is using the Orphic Hammer on the mysterious prison. You can obtain this hammer in a couple of ways:
- Make a deal with Raphael to give him the Elder Brain.
- Sneak into Raphael’s safe in the House of Hope.
Since the second approach has no detrimental effect on the story, we recommend using it.
Orpheus, once freed, will not be grateful but will fight against the Elder Brain. He can share his power with you. Also, you have dialogue options to either become a Mind Flayer yourself, ask Orpheus to transform you, or have Karlach sacrifice herself.
What Happens If You Don’t Free Orpheus
If you decide not to free Orpheus, his fate is sealed. Orpheus will be killed, and his tremendous Illithid power will be harnessed against the Elder Brain. You are sacrificing him and his aspirations for your own ends by not releasing Orpheus from his prison.
Orpheus’ power will be absorbed by the Emperor, your character who can become an Illithid, or Karlach. Consuming Orpheus’ energy will transform whoever does so into a Mind Flayer, granting them psionic abilities. This will enable the use of the Netherstones against the Elder Brain in an assault to either destroy it outright or wrest control of it.
That’s all we have on freeing Orpheus in Baldur’s Gate 3. You may want to check out our other BG3 guides.