Staring at a giant, motionless iron disc in the middle of a haunted wizard's home is a rite of passage in the Underdark. You’ve probably found the Arcane Tower by now. You've dodged those annoying blue turrets, and you’re standing on the Baldur's Gate 3 arcane tower elevator wondering why the "Ascend" and "Descend" buttons aren't doing anything. It's frustrating. The tower is full of loot, but you're stuck on the ground floor like a common goblin.
Honestly, the game doesn't hold your hand here. There are no quest markers pointing to a "Repair Kit." Instead, you have to think like Lenore, the lonely cleric of Mystra who lived here. She didn't use electricity; she used the magic of the Underdark itself.
How to Power the Arcane Tower Elevator
To get things moving, you need to go outside. Don't worry about the turrets inside for a second—once the power is on, they actually shut down.
Basically, you need to head to the very backyard of the tower. If you’re on the main floor (where the first two turrets were), head out the balcony on the west side and look for some massive blue mushrooms attached to the tower wall. You can jump down these. If you have Feather Fall, now is the time to use it. If not, just be careful with your jumps.
At the bottom, you’ll find a garden with a glowing tree. This is a Sussur Tree. Pick up a Sussur Bloom. You’ve probably seen these before if you’ve been near the Dread Hollow, but there are a couple right here for convenience.
Important note: These flowers create an anti-magic field. If you have a wizard like Gale in your party, he’s going to be useless while holding it.
Once you have the bloom:
- Find the back door at the bottom of the tower (it’s locked, but the DC is low, or you can just smash it).
- Walk over to the large "Power Generator" in the center of the room.
- Click it to open the combine menu.
- Drag the Sussur Bloom into the slot and hit combine.
The tower lights up. The elevator starts humming. You’re in business.
Getting to the Secret Basement
Most players think the elevator only goes to the roof. They’re wrong. There is a "secret" floor that contains the best loot in the building, specifically the Staff of Arcane Blessing.
You can’t just press a button to get there. You need the Guiding Light ring. To get it, you have to head to the top floor and meet Bernard. He’s a giant enchanted construct who speaks in poetry. If you’ve been reading the books scattered around the tower (specifically The Roads to Darkness and The Threadbare Book), you can recite lines to him.
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If you say the right lines, he’ll be peaceful. If you haven't read them, or you just like a fight, you’ll have to take him down. Either way, you need that ring.
Once you have the Guiding Light ring, equip it. Stand on the elevator. A new button will magically appear on the floor. This button takes you directly to the basement.
The Mysterious Dog Button
There’s another weird thing people miss. On the third floor, there’s a button near a window that seems to do absolutely nothing when pressed.
It’s not broken. It’s a dog feeder.
To make it work, you need to have found a specific grave in the northern part of the Underdark (near the beach) that contains a Dog Collar. If you equip that collar on a character and then press the button, the machine will dispense a raw steak. It’s a tragic little piece of environmental storytelling about Lenore's dog, Myrna.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
Don't leave the tower until you've checked these off:
- Grab the Chest of the Mundane: Located on the balcony of the third floor. It used to be brokenly powerful (turning heavy items into cups to reduce weight), but even after patches, it's a unique collectible.
- Get the Club of Hill Giant Strength: Go to the top floor and find the "Stool of Hill Giant Strength" in the corner. Break it. It drops a club that sets your Strength to 19.
- Read the Letters: The story of Lenore and her friend (or lover) Ameliss is actually one of the most touching side-stories in Act 1.
The Baldur's Gate 3 arcane tower elevator is more than just a way to move between floors; it's the key to a mini-dungeon that sets you up perfectly for the rest of the Underdark. Just make sure you don't take those Sussur Blooms into the sunlight, or they'll wither and lose their power immediately.