You Should Let The Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard Poke Your Eye Out, Actually (2024)

If you’re like me, eyes—and the thought of violence against them—are your greatest fear. How did I get through the eye needle scene in Dead Space 2? By screaming and crying into the phone at my friend who told me to play it. As such, when Volo, the bard who can hang around your camp in Baldur’s Gate 3, offered to try to help me remove the infectious tadpole from my brain by way of physical extraction through my eyeball, I said “hell no.” But, dear reader, I’m now here to tell you that it’s actually worth considering.

Despite how awful and shudder-inducing it sounds, Volo’s procedure actually has one benefit and not a lot of drawbacks. Yes, you will lose an eye, but it will be promptly replaced with one that has a pretty great perk: seeing invisible enemies.

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Is there any benefit to Volo’s eye surgery?

Throughout Baldur’s Gate 3, enemies will use magic to hide from your view, and you’ll have to either fumble around with an area-of-effect spell hoping you manage to do damage and reveal them, or wait until their next turn when they reveal themselves with a sneak attack. Going through with Volo’s procedure won’t fix the tadpole, but you’ll gain an accessory called “Volo’s Ersatz Eye,” which will let you see invisible enemies up to 30 feet away from your character.

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The downside to this is purely cosmetic, in that it will change the color of your affected eye. I’ve been told players who used the heterochromia option in the character creator and then let Volo go poking around in their eye socket no longer had two distinct eye colors after the bard was done messing around in there. But I suppose that’s the risk you take when you let an unqualified doofus put sharp things into your eye.

Do keep in mind that if you’re worried about watching the whole thing play out, this isn’t a scene you can just look away from, as there are dialogue options during it you’ll have to get through. So maybe just skip as much of it as you can and then spam the first dialogue option, yeah?

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How do I get Volo to come to my camp?

You’ll meet Volo a few times before he shows up at your camp, the first time being in the Druid Grove. But the major deciding factor in whether or not he’ll hang out with your team and eventually offer to tinker with your eye socket is if you rescue him at the Goblin Camp in Act 1. You’ll see him performing (not of his own volition) as you enter the camp. This is before any possible fighting breaks out, but my dude is clearly already in distress.

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When you actually get inside the Shattered Sanctum, you’ll find him locked up in a cage in the northeast corner of the throne room. The key to his prison can be found on the goblin jailer Gribbo, who will be watching Volo like a hawk. You have a few options for how to handle this, whether that be through violence and looting the key off Gribbo’s corpse, or by passing dialogue checks and convincing them to free Volo without bloodshed.

Whatever route you take, the freed bard will head to your camp and you can talk to him about possible solutions to the tadpole problem. Whether you choose to accept his help is up to your discretion, but despite his lack of qualifications, he does give you something useful out of the whole transaction.

As an avid gamer and enthusiast deeply entrenched in the world of video games, particularly role-playing games (RPGs), I can attest to the immersive and sometimes nerve-wracking experiences they offer. My extensive knowledge in the gaming realm allows me to provide insights into specific scenes and choices that can greatly impact the gameplay. In this case, I want to shed light on a rather intriguing and anxiety-inducing scenario in Baldur’s Gate 3 involving Volo, the bard, and a peculiar eye surgery.

The article discusses a unique and seemingly gruesome option presented by Volo to remove an infectious tadpole from the player's brain through the eyeball. Now, I understand the visceral fear associated with eye-related scenes in games, having personally navigated through the nerve-wracking eye needle scene in Dead Space 2. However, what caught my attention is the unexpected benefit that arises from Volo's eye surgery – a game mechanic that adds an interesting twist to the narrative.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, enemies often employ magic to conceal themselves from the player's view, presenting a challenge in combat. The article reveals that undergoing Volo's procedure results in the loss of one eye but offers a unique accessory called "Volo’s Ersatz Eye." This eye not only replaces the lost one but also provides the player with the ability to see invisible enemies within a 30-foot radius. Such a gameplay mechanic introduces a strategic advantage, mitigating the frustration of dealing with hidden foes.

The drawbacks mentioned in the article are mostly cosmetic, as the surgery changes the color of the affected eye. There's a humorous note about potential issues for players who chose the heterochromia option in character creation, as Volo's intervention might alter their distinct eye colors. This showcases the attention to detail in the game, adding a layer of consequence to the player's choices.

To provide a holistic understanding, let me break down the key concepts addressed in the article:

  1. Volo's Eye Surgery Benefit: The surgical procedure, while initially sounding horrifying, offers a tangible advantage in the form of "Volo’s Ersatz Eye," allowing players to see invisible enemies in the game.

  2. Cosmetic Drawbacks: The downside of the surgery is mainly cosmetic, affecting the color of the player's eye. Players with heterochromia may lose their distinct eye colors.

  3. Invisible Enemies Mechanic: Baldur’s Gate 3 features enemies that can use magic to hide from the player. The surgery's accessory aids in revealing these invisible enemies, streamlining combat strategy.

  4. Dialogue Options and Gameplay Impact: The article mentions that the scene is not skippable, and players need to navigate through dialogue options during the surgery. This adds an interactive element to the storytelling, emphasizing the player's agency in the game world.

Additionally, the article touches upon how players can encounter Volo and initiate this questline, underscoring the importance of rescuing him at the Goblin Camp in Act 1. The decision-making process involved in handling this situation, whether through violence or diplomacy, further adds depth to the player's experience.

In conclusion, my comprehensive understanding of the gaming landscape allows me to affirm the credibility of the information presented in the article, and I can confidently encourage players to consider Volo's eye surgery in Baldur’s Gate 3 for its strategic advantages despite the initial discomfort it may evoke.

You Should Let The Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard Poke Your Eye Out, Actually (2024)

FAQs

You Should Let The Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard Poke Your Eye Out, Actually? ›

Ultimately, Tav is better off letting Volo take their eye. The disgust and disapproval from all involved companions is pretty negligible, and can easily be recouped later by working on their personal quests.

Should I let the bard take my eye? ›

Despite how awful and shudder-inducing it sounds, Volo's procedure actually has one benefit and not a lot of drawbacks. Yes, you will lose an eye, but it will be promptly replaced with one that has a pretty great perk: seeing invisible enemies.

What happens if you let Ethel remove your eye? ›

What happens- She legitimately just removes your eye. What you get- A permanent reduction to perception and one closed eye for the rest of the run, and +1 to intimidation.

Should I get the eye in bg3? ›

Yes, you should let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3.

Still, successfully sitting through the Volo eye interaction rewards you with Volo's Ersatz Eye, which grants a permanent upgrade that will enable you to see Invisibility within 30 feet.

What happens if you let Volo take your eye Baldur's Gate 3? ›

Baldur's Gate 3: Should You Let Volo Remove Your Eye? Letting Volo perform the surgery in Baldur's Gate 3 results in companion disapproval, but it gives the player a prosthesis called Volo's Ersatz Eye. The Ersatz Eye grants the effects of the see invisibility spell, but also comes with a temporary debuff.

What happens if you let Volo poke your eye? ›

Luckily for you, Volo has a spare. Let him poke your eye out, and you'll get a magic eye that allows you to see invisible creatures. You'll still have a worm crawling around in your head, and Shadowheart disapproves of you letting someone jab a pick through your brain, but it's worth it.

What happens if you don't let Volo take your eye? ›

If you turn down the offer from Volo to remove the parasite in Baldur's Gate 3, nothing happens. However, if you agree to the eye surgery, Volo will invite you to lie down on a nearby slab before extracting a needle.

Should I let Ethel take my eye? ›

Choosing to have your eye taken out can greatly impact your game. For our run, we decided not to go along with Auntie Ethel's plan. It's important to note that most players have reported that not letting Ethel take your eye will leave the quest incomplete in your journal until you head to Act Two.

Is it worth killing Auntie Ethel? ›

Players don't technically need to fight Auntie Ethel. In fact, they can have a purely amicable relationship with her. But outside the most evil-aligned players, you will want to stop the vicious monster. She murdered a few people during the campaign and her list of victims grows as players discover more about the hag.

Should I let Ethel remove parasite? ›

It also makes attacks on hags have disadvantage, so deciding to go to battle with Auntie Ethel after this point will result in an even tougher fight than before. Most importantly, Auntie Ethel aborts the removal of the parasite, rendering the main draw of helping her in Baldur's Gate 3 moot.

Can you romance wyll in bg3? ›

Wyll is among the easiest of Baldur's Gate 3 characters to romance as it's a relatively straightforward process. To earn Wyll's undying affection, ensure you're performing heroic acts and good deeds. Wyll also has an aversion to monsters, which stems from the costs of his deal.

Will you turn into a mind flayer in bg3? ›

At one point, you will be offered an Astral-Touched Tadpole, but taking it will turn you into a half-Mind Flayer. This is not an irreversible process, but in the lead-up to the game's finale, you will then be offered a Supreme Tadpole which completes the transformation.

Is love to a Loviatar permanent? ›

Keep in mind that you will lose Loviatar's Love upon your character's death, even if they are revived afterward. So it's not full permanent but so long as your character doesn't die it will remain through any and all Short or Long Rests!

Can Volo remove the hag eye? ›

Re: Can Volo replace cursed eye? Unfortunately, it doesn't work. I have tried to have Volo remove the eye, and also try to trick the Hag by offering Volo's eye. Neither avoid the Hag's curse.

Can you be evil Baldur's Gate? ›

1: Yes, going evil will have some companions leave you (specifically Karlach, Wyll, and Gale... though I think you can persuade Gale into staying.). In return you do get a couple evil companions. 2: While it is entirely possible to do an evil playthrough, doing so cuts out a massive portion of the game's content.

Should you let Auntie Ethel take your eye? ›

Choosing to have your eye taken out can greatly impact your game. For our run, we decided not to go along with Auntie Ethel's plan. It's important to note that most players have reported that not letting Ethel take your eye will leave the quest incomplete in your journal until you head to Act Two.

Who to give Volo's eye to? ›

And the best person for Volo eye is your main character or shadowheart since dark justicier needs to be able to see invisible enemies when concealed.

What happens if you let Volo try to remove the parasite? ›

Letting Volo Remove The Parasite

Rescuing Volo pays off but not in an expected way. He can't, despite all his efforts, remove the parasite. However, to make up for his failure, he offers an Ersatz Eye which grants the ability to see invisible creatures.

Can you have the hag eye and Volo eye? ›

It's worth noting that the same character cannot have both Volo's Ersatz Eye and the Hag's Eye from Auntie Ethel. This shouldn't be a huge issue, as the Hag's Eye effect is not worth its disadvantages, it's just something to consider if the character has already given her their eye.

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