You’ve heard the stories. Every kid in the Lower City grows up on them. They say when the city faces its darkest hour, a bronze protector will rise from the deep. A dragon. A savior. But the legend of Ansur BG3 isn’t some cozy bedtime story about a hero waiting for a signal. It’s actually a tragedy. Honestly, it’s one of the most heartbreaking sequences Larian Studios ever put into a game, mostly because it forces you to realize that even the most "heroic" figures in Faerûn are capable of horrific choices.
Finding him isn't easy. You have to break into Wyrm’s Rock Prison, light some torches with lightning, and prove you have the "virtues" of a hero. But once you get through the trials of the Wyrmway—the Strategy, Justice, Insight, and Courage tests—you don’t find a majestic beast ready to burn your enemies to a crisp.
You find a corpse.
The Heart of the Wyrmway
The legend suggests Ansur is just sleeping. It says he’s waiting for the call of a true hero to defend Baldur’s Gate. When you finally reach the Dragon’s Sanctum, though, you see the skeletal remains of a Great Wyrm. It's massive. Dusty. Cold. If you have Wyll in your party, the dialogue hits way harder. He grew up believing in this myth. Seeing the bones of his father’s "secret weapon" crumble into nothing is a reality check that defines the late-game atmosphere.
But then the Emperor speaks.
This is where the legend of Ansur BG3 stops being a myth and starts being a crime scene. If you haven't figured it out by now, the Emperor—your "mind flayer ally"—was actually Balduran. The founder of the city. The guy the statues are all based on. And Ansur wasn't just a pet or a guardian. He was Balduran's best friend. Maybe more. They traveled together, founded the city together, and flourished until the illithid infection changed everything.
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What Really Happened in that Cave?
The history books get it wrong. They claim Ansur disappeared or retired to the shadows. In reality, when Balduran was transformed into a mind flayer, Ansur tried everything to save him. He looked for a cure. He traveled the world. He sought out the most powerful magic in existence. But there is no "curing" a mind flayer once the soul is gone and the ceremorphosis is complete.
Eventually, Ansur decided that death was a better mercy than living as a tentacled monster. He tried to kill Balduran in his sleep. A mercy killing. A final act of love.
Balduran woke up.
He didn't see a friend trying to save his soul; he saw an assassin. So, the founder of Baldur's Gate killed the city's protector. He drove a blade through the dragon's brain while his "friend" was trying to give him peace. The Emperor describes it with a chilling lack of emotion. He calls it self-defense. He says he had no choice. But when you look at Ansur’s undead form rising to fight you—reanimated by pure, unadulterated grief and rage—you start to wonder who the real monster is in this scenario.
Surviving the Dragon Sanctum
If you’re actually trying to beat this thing, stop thinking like a regular RPG player. Ansur is Level 17. He has 400 HP on balanced, but on Tactician or Honour Mode, he’s a nightmare. He hits like a freight train.
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The biggest threat? Stormheart Nova.
He gathers energy for a massive AOE blast that will wipe your entire party if you're standing in the open. You see him fly up. You see the blue sparks. That's your cue to hide. Get behind the stone pillars. Use Globe of Invulnerability if you have a wizard. Seriously, if you don't have that spell, this fight is 10x harder.
- Lightning Resistance: Drink the potions. All of them.
- Undead Slaying: Ansur is undead. Use arrows of undead slaying and the Blood of Lathander if you still have it.
- Positioning: Don't bunch up. His breath weapon is a cone that lingers.
The loot is legendary, though. The Balduran’s Giant Slayer greatsword is basically the best melee weapon in the game for Strength builds. It doubles your damage on a hit against large creatures. And the Helm of Balduran? It heals you every turn and makes you immune to being stunned. It’s the kit of a king, worn by a man who eventually chose survival over his own humanity.
Why the Myth Still Matters
We talk about the legend of Ansur BG3 because it represents the central theme of the game: the cost of survival. The Emperor survived, but at what cost? He killed the only creature that truly loved him. The city survived, but its foundations are built on a lie.
The dragon wasn't a fail-safe. He wasn't a backup plan. He was a witness to the fact that even the greatest heroes can become villains if they live long enough. When you finally strike Ansur down—for the second and last time—you aren't just winning a boss fight. You're burying the last bit of the "old" Baldur's Gate.
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Tactical Next Steps for the Wyrmway
To wrap this up and get you through the encounter, follow these specific steps to ensure you don't get wiped before the loot drops.
First, ensure your party is at least Level 11. Attempting the legend of Ansur BG3 questline at Level 9 or 10 is suicide on higher difficulties. Bring a Cleric with Heroes' Feast to buff your HP and prevent frightened conditions.
Second, when dealing with the Insight Trial, don't overthink the lore. Just kill the advisor named Suelto. He's the one advocating for the "scorched earth" policy. It’s a shortcut that saves you from reading through dozens of books while a timer ticks down.
Third, save your highest-level spell slots for the second half of the Ansur fight. He gains a massive amount of temporary HP and starts charging his Nova once he hits a certain threshold. You need to burst him down fast. If you have a Paladin, save those Divine Smites for the moment he lands.
Once the dragon is dead, talk to the Emperor. Don't let him off easy. The dialogue options here are some of the only times you can truly call him out on his manipulation. After that, go talk to Duke Ravengard at your camp. Completing this quest is the only way to fully resolve Wyll's arc and decide the future of the Grand Duke's seat. It’s the difference between Wyll becoming the "Blade of Avernus" or the next leader of the city.
Grab the sword, wear the helm, and get out of that cave. The city is still burning, and a dead dragon can't help you anymore. You're the only protector left.