Baldur's Gate 3 Moonlantern: Get protection from the Shadow Curse

As you venture forth into Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3, a new threat beyond anything you’ve faced so far emerges. In the Shadow-cursed Lands, the ground itself is hostile to your presence. Wander too far without protection and the darkness will eventually envelop even the hardiest adventurer.

But what does it take to survive the shadow curse in Baldur’s Gate 3?

There are some temporary solutions which are simpler than you might expect, but getting complete protection is a little more involved; here’s what you need to do!

How to get protection from the shadow curse in Baldur’s Gate 3

In the short term, the shadow curse can be repelled by any light source. This means you need to either:

• Equip a torch in your primary weapon slot
• Cast a light or daylight spell which illuminates the area
• Interact with the braziers, torches and other light sources placed around the area

When you’re close enough to a light source, the shadow curse won’t harm you, but this is only a temporary and limited solution. Throughout the Shadow-cursed Lands there are areas of denser darkness that even the brightest torch can’t penetrate.

For that you’ll need some magical protection.

How to get permanent protection from the shadow curse in Baldur’s Gate 3

First, you need to make your way to the Last Light Inn and speak to Isobel on the second floor. She will grant you the blessing of Selune which gives you the same protection from the shadow curse as holding a torch, just without giving up your weapon slot.

Next, as you leave the Last Light Inn, a group of Harpers will tell you about an Absolute convoy travelling with a Moonlantern, a magical ward against the darkness you first heard about from the True Soul Nere.

Either travel with them or make the way to the point marked on your map.

Once you reach the ambush site, you have a few options:

• You can jump out, ambush the convoy and take the Moonlantern by violent means
• Alternatively, when you’re spotted you can reveal yourself and pass a series of Deception checks to trick the convoy leader into handing over their lantern without a fight

If you choose the latter option, the convoy walks off into the darkness and is swallowed by the curse.

You don’t even miss out on loot this way, because you can still fight the convoy, just this time possessed by shadows, in the middle of Reithwin Town to the southwest.

Should you release the pixie from the Moonlantern?

Inside the Moonlantern, as you might have gleaned from the broken example held by Nere earlier in your adventure, is a pixie. The pixie’s magic casts out light and protects anyone nearby from intense darkness.

The only issue is that the Moonlantern extracts the light by force, painfully draining the pixie’s power. You’re given the choice of whether to release the pixie, despite warnings that their mischievous nature can make them unpredictable, or make sure you’re protected whatever the cost.

If you’re an evil-aligned character, or simply don’t care, you can ignore the pixie and wield the Moonlantern as you would a torch.

However, if you do release the pixie, it’s a net win for your party. As a thank you for releasing them, the pixie gives you a magical bell when you ask for their help traversing the darkness. When you ring the bell, you’re given a buff which protects you from the darkness like the Moonlantern would but without having to wield it.

With that, you can explore the area freely. Or as freely as you can explore a cursed hellhole teeming with monsters, anyway.