You’ve finally made it to the Thorm Mausoleum. You’re looking for the Nightsong, Shadowheart is vibrating with religious anxiety, and Raphael is lurking outside like a creepy middle-manager. Then you step inside and realize the BG3 Gauntlet of Shar map is basically a sprawling, multi-level logic puzzle designed by a goddess who literally hates light. Honestly, it’s a lot.
If you’re staring at the massive chasm and wondering where the hell you’re supposed to go first, you aren't alone. It’s not just a dungeon; it’s a series of "gotcha" moments. One minute you're fighting shadows, the next you're accidentally falling off a floating disc because the game's physics decided to take a lunch break.
Getting Past the First Big Statue
Before you even see a trial, you’re greeted by a statue of Shar surrounded by a glowing purple ring. Try to walk up to it and—boof—you’re knocked back. Most people try to jump or misty step through. You can do that, sure, but the "intended" way is basically playing a game of fantasy Red Light, Green Light.
There are four side rooms. Each has a lever. You need to pull those levers to lower the Mystic Thuribles (the big hanging lanterns). Once they’re down, click them to snuff out the light. Here’s the catch: your party’s torches or glowing weapons like Lathander’s Light will mess this up. Put them away. When the room is pitch black, a purple maze appears on the floor. Crouch-walk through the gaps in the lines, touch the gem, and the door opens.
Quick Cheats for the Entrance:
- Misty Step: Just teleport past the ring.
- Knock Spell: If your wizard has it, you can sometimes bypass the door entirely.
- Ice Spells: Ray of Frost or Ice Knife can snuff the lanterns without you having to touch the levers.
The Layout: Where Everything Actually Is
Once you’re through that first door, the BG3 Gauntlet of Shar map opens up. You’ll hit a central hub area. To the west, you’ve got Balthazar’s workshop. To the north, the trials. To the east, a very angry Orthon named Yurgir who is probably going to TPK you if you aren't careful.
Most players make the mistake of rushing the trials. Don't. Go visit Balthazar first. Whether you plan to kill him or "help" him, his area has a waypoint that makes backtracking way less painful. Plus, there’s some decent loot in the side rooms, including Infernal Iron for Karlach.
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Solving the Three Main Trials
You need four Umbral Gems to reach the bottom of the Gauntlet. Three come from the trials, and one comes from the Orthon.
The Soft-Step Trial
This is a stealth mission. Basically, it's a small maze with two patrolling shadows. If they see you, you get sent back to the start. Honestly, the easiest way to handle this is to leave your clunky, plate-wearing paladins at the door. Send in one person—Astarion or a sneaky Monk—and pop an Invisibility potion. You can literally just walk to the end, grab the gem, and use the transporter to get out. There’s a button on the wall halfway through that opens a shortcut, but with invisibility, you don't even need it.
The Self-Same Trial
This one is cool but buggy. You fight "shadow" versions of your own party. They have your spells, your gear, and your annoying habit of rolling critical hits.
Expert Tip: Before you click the bowl to start the trial, unequip all your weapons and armor. Once the "shadows" spawn, they’ll be naked and unarmed. Re-equip your gear in the first turn of combat and beat your naked clones to death. It’s cheap, it’s cheesy, and Shar would probably respect the ruthlessness.
Just remember to only have each character attack their own clone. If Shadowheart hits the Astarion clone, she gets a nasty "Cheater’s Folly" debuff that lowers her stats until a long rest.
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The Faith-Leap Trial
This is the one that makes people rage-quit. It’s a dark room with an "invisible" path. If you fall, you die. Or you respawn at the start with 1HP. There is a map on the floor right in front of the sacrificial bowl. Look at it. Better yet, take a screenshot.
If you want to skip the headache, use the Daylight spell or turn your gamma settings up to 100. Sometimes the path becomes visible. If that doesn't work, Misty Step or Dimension Door are your best friends here. You can usually jump between the platforms if you aim for the very corners of the statues.
The Silent Library and the Spear of Night
You cannot finish the BG3 Gauntlet of Shar map properly without the Spear of Night. It’s hidden in the Silent Library (bottom level, near the trials). The room has a "Silence" aura, meaning your casters are useless until you kill the orb in the center.
Once the library is clear, you’ll find a puzzle door. It asks: "What can silence the Nightsong?"
Go to the second bookshelf on the right. There's a book called Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger. Put that book on the pedestal. The wall opens, and you get the spear. If you’re planning on letting Shadowheart fulfill her destiny (or defy it), this item is mandatory.
Dealing with Yurgir the Orthon
The final gem isn't in a trial; it's being guarded by a massive devil in the eastern wing. You’ll know you’re close when you see a Displacer Beast (the big cat with tentacles) lure you into an ambush.
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You have three choices here:
- Fight: It’s a hard fight. He stays invisible and throws bombs.
- Talk: If your Charisma is high, you can literally convince him to kill his minions, then his pet, then himself. It's one of the most satisfying "speech check" moments in the game.
- The Rat Quest: There’s a secret involving the rats in the gauntlet. If you follow them to the bottom of the feet of the giant Shar statue, you can break Yurgir’s contract by killing a "secret" Justiciar.
Why the Order Matters
The BG3 Gauntlet of Shar map is a point of no return. Once you use the four gems to descend into the Shadowfell, a bunch of quests will automatically fail.
- Finish the Tiefling/Gnome rescue at Moonrise first.
- Complete Arabella’s quest.
- Talk to Raphael.
- Make sure you’ve explored the rest of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
If you jump into the pool at the bottom before doing these, they are gone forever. No warnings, just a "some quests are now unavailable" notification that will haunt your save file.
Essential Next Steps
To make sure you don't mess up your run, follow this checklist before you leave the Gauntlet:
- Check your inventory: Do you have all 4 Umbral Gems?
- Check your gear: Did you get the Killer's Sweetheart ring from the Self-Same Trial floor?
- The Spear: Is the Spear of Night in Shadowheart's hand (or at least her bag)?
- Long Rest: The upcoming fight is one of the biggest in Act 2. Do not go into the Shadowfell with half your spell slots gone.
- Save: Make a hard save at the "Verge of the Shadows" waypoint.
Navigate the trials, grab the gear, and get ready for the choice that defines the rest of your game.