Gauntlet of Shar: What Most People Get Wrong

You’ve finally made it to the Thorm Mausoleum. You’re deep in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and honestly, the vibes are just rancid. If you’re like most players, you’re here because Raphael made you a deal, or maybe you’re just trying to keep Shadowheart from having a total existential crisis. Either way, the Gauntlet of Shar is easily one of the most mechanically dense sections in all of Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s a gauntlet in every sense of the word.

People struggle here. A lot. It’s not just the puzzles; it’s the fact that this dungeon acts as a massive "point of no return" for Act 2. If you rush through this before finishing up at Moonrise Towers or finding those missing Tieflings, you’re going to brick half your quests.

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Breaking the seal at the Thorm Mausoleum

Before you even see the "proper" dungeon, you have to get past Ketheric’s old family vault. There are three paintings in the back room. Most people just click them randomly until something happens, but there’s a logic to it. You need to follow Thorm’s life story: from splendor, to tragedy, to infamy.

1. Moonrise Towers (The splendor)
2. Grief (The tragedy of his daughter, Isobel)
3. General (The infamy of his fall)

Hit the buttons in that order. If you mess up, the room fills with darkness and you’ll start taking damage from those annoying necrotic clouds. Disarm the vents first if you’re worried, or just be fast.

That first statue puzzle is a lie

Once you descend the elevator, you’ll find a massive statue of Shar holding an Umbral Gem. You’ll try to walk up to it. You’ll get shoved back by a force field. It’s frustrating.

The trick is basically "The answer lies in darkness." You need to interact with the four levers in the side rooms to lower the lanterns. Once they’re down, extinguish them. Note: If you’re carrying the Blood of Lathander or any glowing weapon, the puzzle might not "register" as being dark enough. Put the light away. When the room is pitch black, you’ll see a purple pattern on the floor. Walk through the gaps in the lines, grab the gem, and the door opens.

Mastering the Trials (Without Losing Your Mind)

To get to the bottom of the Gauntlet, you need four Umbral Gems. One is with Yurgir (we'll get to that big guy later), and the other three are hidden behind the actual Trials of Shar.

The Soft-Step Trial

This is a stealth mission. Sorta. You need to reach the end of a small maze without being caught by the patrolling shadows.

• The Pro Move: Don’t even start the trial. Send Astarion (or whoever has your highest Sleight of Hand) into the maze alone before you offer the blood at the altar. Pick all the locks, disarm the traps, and stand right at the end. Then, have another character start the trial. Astarion can just grab the gem immediately.
• The Fair Way: Use a Potion of Invisibility. It lasts ten turns, which is more than enough to stroll to the finish line.

The Self-Same Trial

This is the one that gets people killed in Honor Mode. You fight shadow versions of your own party. They have your spells, your gear, and your annoying habits.

• The Rule: If a character attacks a mirror image that isn't their own, they get a nasty "Cheater’s Folly" debuff that cuts their ability scores.
• The Strategy: Go in with only one character. If you enter the trial with just Shadowheart, you only have to fight one Shadowheart. It’s a 1v1. Much easier than a 4v4 chaotic spell-fest.

The Faith-Leap Trial

The "invisible floor" puzzle. This one is notoriously buggy. You can see the path etched into the floor in front of the altar, but once you step out, it’s all gone.

• Don't jump. In recent patches, jumping to the platforms often triggers an instant death or a reset.
• Use the "Tactical View": Hit 'O' on your keyboard (or zoom all the way out on controller). Sometimes the overhead view lets you see the faint outlines of the path.
• The Fly Method: If you have a Potion of Flying or the Grant Flight spell, you can usually bypass the pathing entirely. Just make sure you land exactly on the solid platforms.

Dealing with Balthazar and Yurgir

You’re going to run into Balthazar pretty early. He’s a creepy necromancer who thinks he’s in charge. You have a choice: kill him now in his office, or wait until you’re at the very bottom of the Gauntlet.

Kill him in his office. Seriously. If you wait until you're in the Shadowfell, the fight is a nightmare. He’ll summon dozens of skeletons on tiny floating rocks, and they love to shove your characters into the abyss. In his office, he’s cramped. You can Silence him, surround him with your heavy hitters, and end him in two turns. Plus, you can "borrow" his big flesh golem, Flesh, to help you fight Yurgir first, then let Flesh die in the process. Efficiency!

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Speaking of Yurgir...

The Orthon is sitting on the last Umbral Gem. You can fight him, but he’s tough. He goes invisible and throws bombs like a maniac.
If your Charisma is high, you can literally talk him into killing his minions, his displacer beast, and then himself. It requires some high DC rolls, but it’s one of the most satisfying "Bard" moments in the game.

The Silent Library: What Can Silence the Nightsong?

Downstairs is the Silent Library. You can’t cast spells here because of a giant floating orb in the center. Smash the orb first to get your magic back.
The puzzle at the end asks: "What can silence the Nightsong?"
You need a specific book: Teachings of Loss: The Nightsinger.
It’s on one of the trapped bookshelves (usually the second one on the right as you enter). Put that book on the pedestal, and you’ll unlock the Spear of Night.

Expert Tip: You cannot finish Shadowheart's quest properly without this spear. Do not enter the Shadowfell pool without it. If you do, she will be furious, and she might even leave your party permanently.

The Point of No Return

Before you click that pool of water at the bottom of the Gauntlet, stop. Save your game.
Entering the Shadowfell is the hard cutoff for Act 2.

• Have you finished the Tiefling rescue? If they're still in Moonrise prison, they die.
• Have you talked to Z'rell or Ketheric? You’ll miss out on a lot of lore and some decent shop items.
• Halsin’s Quest: If you haven't lifted the Shadow Curse yet, do it now.

Once you go down there, the world changes. Moonrise Towers becomes a hostile combat zone. You’re committed to the finale.

Actionable Steps for your Gauntlet run:

1. Preparation: Bring plenty of "See Invisibility" or "Daylight" spells/items. The shadows here are no joke.
2. Order of Operations: Do the Silent Library first to get the Spear, then the trials, and save the Yurgir fight for last so you can use the gems to unlock the final elevator.
3. Balthazar: Just kill him. Don't be a hero and try to fight him on the floating platforms later. It's not worth the stress of watching Gale get shoved into a bottomless pit.
4. Shadowheart: Keep her in your active party the entire time. This is her moment.

The Gauntlet of Shar isn't just a dungeon; it's the pivot point for the entire story of Baldur’s Gate 3. Take your time, don't trigger the Shadowfell too early, and for the love of Shar, stop trying to jump across the Faith-Leap platforms. Just walk.