Should You Let Gale Use The Netherese Orb in BG3?

July 2024 ยท 6 minute read

Partway through his questline, Gale gains the option to use the powerful Netherese Orb at some points in the story - but is using it worth the cost?

Summary

As companion quests are progressed in Baldur's Gate 3, some characters begin to affect the game's overarching story in unique ways, giving extra options for dealing with certain situations. While these options are unique, however, they may not always be the best available choice, and depending on the desired outcome, might be better left ignored. In particular, Gale has the most potential to affect the events of the main storyline in major ways using the Netherese Orb in his possession - but while doing so leads to unique events, they may not be desirable on most playthroughs of the game.

Deciding to help Gale in Baldur's Gate 3 comes with a somewhat major caveat at first, as he will intermittently need to absorb the power of rare magical items, permanently destroying the item and preventing it from being used or sold. Fortunately, in practice, there are plenty of less-than-useful magical items in the first act of Baldur's Gate 3 that fulfill the requirements to be sacrificed, and once Gale's quest is progressed further, he stops needing to absorb items at all. Instead, moving into the game's second act, a new plot line opens up for Gale regarding the Netherese Orb in his chest.

BG3's Gale Gains A Powerful Narrative Option In The Second Act

After the nature of the Netherese Orb is revealed by Elminster in the Mountain Pass, Gale unlocks the ability to cause a giant explosion at certain opportunities. However, this isn't a combat ability - instead, it's an option which can be selected during certain cutscenes, and offers unique repercussions and consequences. Notably, multiple endings can only be seen through using the Netherese Orb at select times, all of which involve using the Orb to put an end to the threat of the Absolute. While the endings are unique, however, they may not be an especially satisfying way to put an end to any given playthrough.

Gale's Netherese Orb Can Lead To An Early Ending

There are two additional endings that can be seen through using Gale's Netherese Orb, but both will cut the game short to varying degrees. Most notably, the Orb can be used at the end of Act Two, when the party first encounters the three Chosen and the Elder Brain that they have made into the Absolute. Here, if the decision is made to have Gale use the Orb, the resulting explosion will end the game significantly earlier than usual, cutting off the final fight of the second act and the entirety of the third.

In exchange, one of Baldur's Gate 3's more unique endings will play out - Gale sacrifices himself to make the Orb explode, killing the rest of the current party, the three Chosen, and the Absolute, effectively ending the threat of the game's main villain. However, aside from resulting in the deaths of the party, the narration also notes that, without the control of the Absolute, the tadpoles that have infested much of Sword Coast will carry out their transformations as usual, causing an invasion of mind flayers. So, although the Absolute is killed early, this ending still leaves the fate of the world uncertain at best.

As an ending to a playthrough, having Gale use the Orb in Act Two is potentially unsatisfying, as it cuts off a significant section of the story and gives little closure to many of the game's ongoing plot threads - as well as being somewhat of an anticlimax compared to the usual battle with Ketheric Thorm. For those who just want to see the ending and then reload a save, however, there are no consequences for picking the option, as the game either ends after the choice is made, or Gale doesn't use the Orb and the game continues as normal.

Allowing Gale To Use The Orb Can Skip Most Of The Final Battle

Later into the game, during the third act, there is another opportunity for Gale to use the Netherese Orb's power. During the final battle, just before climbing up to the Absolute to attempt to dominate it, Gale will again bring up the option for him to sacrifice himself. This time, however, he will use the Orb's power to explode away from the rest of the party; if this option is chosen, he will send the rest of the party away with a spell and climb up to the Elder Brain by himself. The sacrifice succeeds in destroying the brain, but at the cost of Gale's life.

Since, unlike the sacrifice option in the second act, the entire party doesn't die with this option, character-specific endings will still play out after the explosions, aside from Gale's (although, due to a bug, his endings may sometimes play out regardless). While this option ends up cutting out significantly less than its second act variant, a playthrough that ends in this way will still end up skipping a major part of the final battle. Additionally, the ending also prevents Gale's character-specific endings from occuring, which can be especially frustrating if Gale was romanced in Baldur's Gate 3.

Overall, having Gale use the Orb in the third act has more to recommend it than in the second - it's a more complete ending overall, cuts off significantly less content, and can serve as a legitimate conclusion to Gale's character arc while not excluding the endings of other companions. Additionally, for those who may struggle with the combat of BG3, sacrificing Gale allows one of the game's most potentially difficult encounters to be skipped. However, those aiming for any sort of "evil" ending where the player character takes control of the Absolute should disregard the option to sacrifice Gale, as it will cut off the choice to take control.

Using the Netherese Orb is a major decision in Baldur's Gate 3, but not one that has far-reaching consequences, as using it leads directly to ending the game, which can then be simply reloaded to choose a different option. Using it in the second act gives an especially early ending that may be unsatisfying as the actual end of a playthrough, while using it in the third gives a more complete end. Overall, having Gale use the Netherese Orb in Baldur's Gate 3 is a choice that exists mostly to provide some additional unique endings to the game.

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