You’re standing in the Underdark, staring at a massive, silent machine that looks like it belongs in a Jules Verne novel. It’s the Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower elevator, and honestly, it’s one of the first real "gear checks" for your brain in the game. You click the button. Nothing happens. You try to jump on the platforms. You might die. It’s frustrating because the game doesn't give you a quest marker for "find the fuel." It just leaves you there in the dark with a bunch of hostile turrets and a very long drop.
Lenore’s tower is a masterpiece of environmental storytelling, but it’s also a mechanical puzzle that stops most players dead in their tracks. Getting that elevator online is the only way to reach the top floors, meet Bernard, and loot the Mage Armor or the Staff of Arcane Blessing. If you’re tired of staring at the "Device is inactive" prompt, let’s get into the weeds of how this thing actually functions.
The Problem With the Arcane Tower Elevator
The elevator isn't broken; it's just hungry. It runs on a very specific type of magic—Sussur energy. If you’ve been exploring the Underdark, you’ve probably seen those glowing blue trees that nullify magic. That’s the key. Most people try to use regular spells or just look for a lever, but the solution is physical. You need a Sussur Bloom.
🔗 Read more: Left 4 Dead 2 is Still the Best Co-op Shooter Ever Made and It’s Not Even Close
Finding these isn't exactly a walk in the park. You have to head to the very bottom of the tower, which is a platforming nightmare if you don't have Feather Fall. If you do have Feather Fall, just jump off the balcony. If you don't, you’re stuck hopping across giant blue mushrooms on the side of the cliff. It feels sketchy because it is. One wrong click and Astarion is a pancake at the bottom of a chasm.
Locating the Sussur Bloom
The actual fuel for the Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower elevator grows right outside the back door. Once you make it to the base of the tower—the ground floor, not the entrance with the turrets—look for a small tree with glowing blue petals.
Pick one up.
Wait.
Check your inventory.
You’ll notice a blue aura around your character. This is the "Anti-Magic Field." It’s a double-edged sword. While you’re carrying this bloom, you can’t cast spells. Your wizard becomes basically a commoner with a staff. This is important because if you forget you have it and wander into a fight later, you’re going to have a very bad time.
Powering Up the Generator
Walk through the back door. You might need to pick the lock, so keep your rogue handy. Inside, you’ll see a massive, copper-colored contraption in the center of the room. This is the heart of the tower.
Click on the generator. An interface pops up—the same kind you use for combining items or giving gold to traders. Drag that Sussur Bloom into the slot and hit combine.
💡 You might also like: rdr2 ghost orchid location: What Most People Get Wrong
A cutscene triggers. The lights flicker on. The blue energy pulses through the floorboards. The Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower elevator is finally alive. You’ve just turned a tomb back into a laboratory.
Why Does the Magic Stop Working?
Here is a nuance many players miss: Sussur Blooms wilt. If you take them out of the Underdark and into the sunlight of the surface world, they lose their glow and become useless "Withered Sussur Blooms." However, as long as they are inside the generator, they are effectively infinite. You don't need to keep feeding it. Once the tower is powered, the elevator stays powered for the rest of your playthrough.
Navigating the Floors Without Breaking Anything
The elevator doesn't use a traditional floor-selection menu. Instead, there are two buttons on the floor of the platform: one for up, one for down. It’s simple, but the floors aren't labeled.
- The Basement: Where you are now. It contains some decent loot but is mostly the "engine room."
- The Entrance: This is where you likely first entered and got shot at by turrets. Now that the power is on, the turrets should be deactivated, but keep your shield up just in case.
- The Living Quarters: This is where the lore lives. Read the books. Seriously. Read "The Roads to Darkness." Read the poetry. Why? Because the robot at the top will kill you if you don't.
- The Bedroom: This floor has the "Chest of the Mundane." Or it used to, anyway. Larian patched the chest to be less game-breaking, but it’s still a cool find. You’ll also find a button on the wall here that does nothing... unless you’re wearing a specific ring found in the basement.
- The Rooftop: The final destination. This is where you meet Bernard.
Bernard and the Poetry Test
The Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower elevator eventually brings you face-to-face with Bernard, a magical construct who is very confused and very dangerous. If you just walk up to him, he might initiate combat. He has a lot of health, he hits like a truck, and he has several smaller constructs backing him up.
You don't want to fight Bernard. At least, not yet.
If you read the plays and poetry scattered throughout the tower, you can actually speak to him using lines from those books. These show up as specific dialogue options.
- "Or art thou friend, a rescue from my lonely quest?"
- "How can I trust? How will I ever know?"
Using the right lines turns Bernard into a friend. He’ll give you a hug (it’s heartwarming, honestly) and offer you a gift. He can also provide a legendary staff if you play your cards right. This is the payoff for all that elevator-fixing nonsense.
The Secret Basement Level
Most people think they’re done once they hit the roof. They aren't. There is a secret basement floor that isn't accessible via the standard elevator buttons. To get there, you need the "Guiding Light" ring. You get this from Bernard by reciting the correct poetry.
Equip the ring.
Walk back to the elevator.
A new button appears.
This hidden floor contains Lenore’s most private research and some of the best early-game loot in the Underdark. It’s the "true" end of the Arcane Tower questline.
Practical Troubleshooting for the Elevator
Sometimes, the game glitches. It’s a massive RPG; it happens. If you find that the Baldur's Gate 3 Arcane Tower elevator isn't moving despite the generator being powered, try these steps:
- Unstuck the Party: Sometimes a companion gets caught on the edge of the elevator and prevents it from moving. Make everyone "group" and stand dead-center.
- Check the Light: If the tower isn't glowing blue, the generator didn't take the bloom. Go back down and check the interaction.
- The "Wait" Command: If you're playing in turn-based mode, the elevator might take a "turn" to move. Switch back to real-time.
Getting the elevator working is more than just a convenience; it's the only way to see the full scope of the tragedy that happened in this tower. Lenore wasn't just a wizard; she was a lonely woman waiting for someone who never came back. The elevator is the bridge between her solitude and your adventure.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Grab a Sussur Bloom: Head to the tree at coordinates (X: -42, Y: -282) in the Underdark.
- Check your bags: Make sure you aren't carrying more than one bloom if you plan on casting spells; the anti-magic fields stack their annoyance.
- Read everything: Before you take the elevator to the top floor, ensure you have read the "Threadbare Book" and "The Roads to Darkness" to survive the encounter with Bernard.
- Equip the Ring: Once you have the Guiding Light from the roof, return to the elevator immediately to unlock the hidden basement.