In Baldur’s Gate 3, your choices are important. One big decision is about the mindflayer parasite in your head.
In Act 3, you find out that your Dream Guardian is the Emperor, a rebel mindflayer who’s been protecting you. The Emperor offers you an Astral-Touched Tadpole that can make your Illithid powers stronger. So, the question is: should you trust a mindflayer or be careful?
Choice 1: Open your Mind to the Tadpole
By choosing to embrace the tadpole, you’ll unlock the final tier of your Illithid Powers skill tree, which is otherwise inaccessible. This choice will also automatically grant you access to all the powers in the first tier of the Illithid Powers skill tree, along with the “Fly” Class Action node located in the bottom right corner of the Illithid Powers skill tree.
However, there is a downside to this decision: your face will be marked by black veins, as shown in the picture above. Make sure you’re okay with this permanent cosmetic change before proceeding with the tadpole.
Choice 2: Eat It
Consuming the tadpole will give you the same benefits as the previous option (open your mind to the tadpole). However, by doing this, you won’t be able to use the tadpole for your companions later.
There’s no advantage to choosing this over the first option because you can still decide whether to persuade your companions to use the tadpole if you open your mind to it. Therefore, we don’t recommend this choice.
Choice 3: Drop it on the ground and stomp on it
Stepping on the tadpole will make the Emperor very angry. However, they will soon calm down and urge you to concentrate on your current objective, although they will continue to show their displeasure throughout your conversation with them.
Choice 4: Choose not to accept the Tadpole
If you decline the tadpole without stomping on it, the Emperor will encourage you to take your time and think it over, allowing you to retain the tadpole. You can find it in your inventory and decide on its fate at a later time.
Giving The Astral Tadpole to Companions
If you selected to embrace the tadpole or to keep it without stomping on it, you can share the abilities of the Astral-Touched Tadpole with any companion who already has a tadpole infection. However, they will initially resist the idea, and you’ll need to persuade them to agree.
When conversing with them, choose the dialogue option that says something like “I want to discuss the Astral-Touched Tadpole.” Then, you’ll have the opportunity to make a skill check to convince them. The required checks are listed below.
Astral Tadpole New Powers
Here’s the information about the abilities you gain from the Astral-Touched Tadpole:
Name: Absorb Intellect
Description: Gobble up a foe’s intellect, lowering their Intelligence by 1 per turn and healing your wounds (1d8) for 5 turns.
Details: Action, 30ft, Short Rest, Perilous Stakes, Freecast
Name: Refreshing Adaptation
Description: You have discovered a marvelous adaption within yourself. Spell slots, charges, and similar resource costs for your next action or spell are removed. Refreshes after a Short or Long rest.
Details: Passive, Shield of Thralls, Mind Sanctuary
Name: Psionic Backlash
Description: Sculpt a magical nexus that allows those within to take actions and bonus actions interchangeably.
Details: Action, 30ft, Long Rest
Name: Mind Blast
Description: Spew forth a conical wave of psychic energy (4d8+5) and possibly Stun targets within.
Details: Action, 47ft, INT Save, Long Rest
Name: Black Hole
Description: Create a point of intense gravity that pulls in all nearby enemies and possibly Slows them.
Details: Action, 60ft, INT Save, Short Rest
Name: Psionic Dominance
Description: When an enemy within 60ft targets you with a spell of a Level that is lower than or equal to your Proficiency Bonus, you can use your reaction to nullify the spell.
Details: Passive, Charm, Illithid Expertise
Name: Illithid Expertise
Description: You have deepened your sense of self, gaining Expertise in Persuasion, Deception, and Intimidation Checks.
Details: Passive, Luck of the Far Realms, Fracture Psyche
Name: Fracture Psyche
Description: Invade a target’s mind and disrupt its defenses. The target’s Armour Class is reduced by 1. If the target dies while its psyche is fractured, you can cast Shatter Psyche on another target.
Details: Action, 30ft, INT Save, Short Rest, Ability Drain
Name: Displacer Beast Shape
Description: Transform into a displacer beast that can Displace itself and enemies and has 85 hit points. You take on the attributes of a displacer beast, but maintain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. When your displacer beast form drops to 0 hit points, you revert to your original form.
Details: Action, Long Rest, Stage Fright
Name: Fly
Description: Fly to the target position. (This is automatically unlocked when you open your mind to or eat the Astral-Touched Tadpole. This is reason enough to take the tadpole’s powers and then convince your party members to – permanent flight is an incredibly powerful ability.)
Details: Action, N/A
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