Summary

• Entering the Shadowfell before Moonrise Towers locks off quests and storylines and makes the Act 2 finale more difficult.
• Entering Moonrise Towers first allows for stealth gameplay and makes the final fight easier by picking off some inhabitants beforehand.
• The best order for Act 2 is to explore Moonrise Towers first and then enter the Shadowfell, as it maximizes content and simplifies the gameplay experience.

Entering the Shadowfell is a major moment in Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3, but whether it's better to enter it before or after taking on Moonrise Towers isn't always clear. In an RPG full of branching decisions and major consequences, taking the wrong step can sometimes lock off possible quests or storylines, potentially dealing damage to the story or making fights more frustrating as a result. The entrance to the Shadowfell offers a warning to complete other tasks first, but as Moonrise Towers appears to be the ultimate destination of Act 2, the best order for that particular event is more complicated.

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3.

The Shadowfell is a dark, nearly colorless plane of existence in the universe of the Forgotten Realms, the Dungeons & Dragons setting that Baldur's Gate 3 utilizes. In Act 2 of the game, the Shadowfell can be accessed through a portal found in a temple of the dark goddess Shar underneath a mausoleum. Accessing the portal will require completing the Gauntlet of Shar, which tests various attributes of anyone who attempts its daunting trials. This task appeals particularly to Shadowheart as an aspiring Dark Justiciar of the goddess, but it can be completed by any party willing to undergo the challenges.

You Should Enter Moonrise Before The Shadowfell In BG3

Going To The Shadowfell First Closes Doors

Although Moonrise Towers might seem like a more legitimate point of no return, there's a good reason for the game to fire up a warning prompt in front of the Shadowfell instead. The presence of tadpoles inside of party ' heads makes them appear to hold the coveted status of True Soul to inhabitants of Moonrise, granting peaceful age so long as the party doesn't take the initiative themselves. Taking on the Shadowfell before Moonrise destroys this opportunity, tossing away a number of potential avenues to explore and possibly making for a more difficult finale to Act 2.

Perhaps the most important quest within Moonrise Towers for parties attempting to help everyone they can is the rescue of the tieflings and deep gnomes. Both groups feature several imprisoned characters inside the tower's cells who will need the party's aid. Entering the Shadowfell beforehand will make it impossible to complete this quest and lock off a number of other interesting encounters inside. However, stepping inside Moonrise first won't make it impossible to visit the Shadowfell. Even for villainous groups, there's no advantage to this path, as any decision made in the Shadowfell will only serve to lock off possible paths.

What Happens If You Enter Moonrise After The Shadowfell

A Lot Of Quests Can Prematurely End

The Shadowfell essentially works as a huge point of no return in Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3, permanently locking off a variety of quests. Rescuing the prisoners from Moonrise is the most obvious one, and it's an important prerogative for some later content in the game, but it isn't the only consequence. Another huge casualty is the entirety of Act 1, with any remaining Act 1 quests and all of the waypoints found before entering Act 2 becoming permanently unavailable after entering the Shadowfell. When entering the Shadowfell, the game will display which lingering quests have been closed off.

Anyone party with Lae'zel that came to Act 2 through the Underdark should double back to check out the mountain , which contains some major content that needs to be completed before entering the Shadowfell.

Entering the Shadowfell can cut off potential progress with several Baldur's Gate 3 companions, with Astarion's storyline, Karlach's quest to fix her internal engine, and several romances losing out on other information that can be found in Act 2. Halsin's main objective to help the tiefling child Thaniel in Act 2 can also be affected, although in this case, making some smart use of speak with dead can keep things moving.

Ultimately, entering the Shadowfell will turn Moonrise Towers into a war zone, so the party needs to be prepared for hostilities after leaving the Shadowfell and returning to Moonrise. Even outside of quests, this means that most nonviolent interactions there will also be permanently lost after entering, so it's worth checking out what traders have to offer and talking to interesting NPCs beforehand.

The Shadowfell Holds The Key To Facing Ketheric In BG3

The Big Villain's Weakness Isn't In Moonrise

The necessity of entering the Shadowfell enters when the time comes to face off against Ketheric Thorm, who controls Moonrise Towers and stands as an obvious threat and final challenge of Act 2. A party attempting to side with Ketheric will also have to venture into the Shadowfell, as he is as concerned with securing the threat to his immortality housed within the Shadowfell as his enemies are with procuring it. An initial run through Moonrise won't trigger an encounter with Ketheric, however, making it safe to hold off on taking the detour.

Luckily, the point of no return within Moonrise Towers is obvious once the situation arises. Entering the audience hall where Thorm can first be seen is perfectly safe, and a party can continue to progress upward to talk with some of his underlings before entering the Shadowfell. Any door that shouldn't be byed at this point will be clearly off-limits, with the interaction marked in red and NPCs warning the party off from proceeding. If a party acquiesces to the demands of one of the Absolute's disciples, they will be tasked with the journey to the Shadowfell, setting up the perfect opportunity to finally take it.

Entering Moonrise First Makes A Baldur's Gate 3 Fight Easier

A Lot Of Potential Enemies Wait Inside

The other main advantage to entering Moonrise Towers first lies in the opportunity for some stealth gameplay, as entering on friendly makes it possible to pick off some inhabitants of the Towers. Firing into an auditorium of the Absolute's followers still isn't going to be easy, but locking off some smaller chambers to take out potential threats can remove some major players from the inevitable showdown. The Moonrise Towers confrontation earns its place as the ramp to the final moments of Act 2, so any work to reduce its complexity is likely to save a lot of stress later on.

For those who do want to go scorched-earth, it is possible to clear out Moonrise before entering the Shadowfell. Doing so will likely require the heavy use of AoE spells and powerful attacks all the same, making for a long-haul encounter that is fundamentally different in nature but similarly challenging to surmount. Finishing the job by taking down Ketheric, however, will still require the journey into the Shadowfell, so it isn't possible to skip the extraplanar expedition altogether.

The Best Act 2 Order In BG3 Is Simpler Than It Seems

When In Doubt, Wait On The Shadowfell

Following the thread through Moonrise Towers and the Shadowfell that keeps the most content available can seem complicated at a glance, but it's much easier in practice than on paper. Heeding the game's warning about entering the Shadowfell until tasked with returning there to gain an audience with Ketheric Thorm will avoid any possible confusion, as no point before will step past the ideal time to make the journey.

Moonrise Towers might seem like a final destination, but nothing but their own aggression should stop a party from waltzing in and out without any trouble.

Waiting to discover all of Baldur's Gate 3's Act 2 secrets before entering the Shadowfell can also make its particular challenge easier to take on, as the potential encounter within could be brutal for a lower-level party. Many decisions in the game have upsides and downsides, including a key choice within the Shadowfell itself. When it comes to the best time to enter the Shadowfell in Baldur's Gate 3, however, there's only one answer that brings the most benefits to the table - entering after exploring Moonrise Towers.