What happens if you loot the Zhentarim Hideout in Baldur’s Gate 3?
In Baldur’s Gate 3, your choices can greatly affect the story and how characters treat you. You will often face circumstances where you must make decisions to progress. Stealing from the Zhents is a decision you can make, but there may be consequences.
The Zhentarim Basement is an underground fort that belongs to the Zhentarim, a powerful and covert organization in the Forgotten Realms. Also known as the Black Network, the group mostly runs illegal and shady operations, such as smuggling, slavery, and extortion.
What will happen if you get involved with a corrupt and secretive faction like the Zhentarim in the game? Find out all about that below.
How to Get to the Zhentarim Hideout in Baldur’s Gate 3?
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You will be given the Zhentarim Basement’s location after finishing the Find The Missing Shipment quest in Act 1. But you’ll still be able to access this area without completing or triggering this quest.
Rugan, one of the lower-ranked Zhents, will ask you to deliver a shipment to their hideout. Decide if you would do them a favor or take the cargo yourself. Choose wisely, as your actions here impact how the Zhentarim will perceive you later.
Here are the steps to help you reach the Zhentarim Basement:
- Head to Waukeen’s Rest and look for a building near the ox barn behind the inn. A couple of wooden trunks mark the entrance that can surround the Shabby Door.
- Once inside the building, you’ll be halted by Salazon, who will ask you for the pass-phrase. If you can save Rugan and Olly from the Gnolls in Risen Road, you will be able to recite ‘Little serpent, long shadow.’ If you have the Detect Thoughts ability, you may get inside Salazon’s mind to learn the passphrase. Upon putting Salazon at ease, he will give you a key that unlocks a door that leads to the lower grounds. You may also persuade or intimidate Salazon into giving you the key.
- The entrance to the lower basement is behind a Wardrobe, which is located on the northern side of the room.
What happens if you get on Zhentarim’s bad side?
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The Zhentarim will initially act friendly toward you if you can save two of their members. But they can quickly become hostile if you open and rob the shipment Rugan is supposed to deliver to Baldur’s Gate. If you don’t want to initiate a fight, keep this information hidden from them. Despite keeping this a secret, you’ll witness Rugan and his partner, Olly, killed and tortured for losing the shipment.
If you do not save Rugan and Olly from the Gnolls or kill them while in Risen Road, there will be no reason for the Zhentarim to play nice. You must pass some skill checks, or you’ll have no choice but to fight them.
Related: Where To Find the Best Camp Clothes in Baldur’s Gate 3
Should you loot the Zhentarim Basement?
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The Zhents keep plenty of gold and treasures in their hideout and will not hesitate to attack you if they catch you pilfering their stash. It can be a tough fight, but eradicating criminals like the Zhentarim would be ideal for those who plan to make only morally sound choices in their playthrough.
Before wiping out all the Zhents, look for a man named Oskar Fevras first. Oskar Fevras is an artist who is a prisoner in the Zhentarim Basement. One of the ways to free him is by purchasing him from the trader Brem for 1,000 Gold. If you choose to help Oskar out, you’ll get many more quests from him when you meet him again in Act 3.
Players who do not intend to go on a murderous rampage can try to discreetly rob the locked rooms on the northern part of the map. You may picklock the doors or pickpocket the guards that have the keys. Additionally, some of the locked chests have explosive traps. Using Sleight of Hand will allow you to grab the items from the chests. You can also remove the traps by using Trap Disarm Toolkits.
If you’re playing a greedy character, allying with the Zhentarim might be more of a fitting choice. By appeasing the Zhents, you can freely trade powerful (and most likely illegal) items with them, and they will have more quests for you later in the game.
Conclusion
Stealing from the Zhentarim may result in you killing all their agents. But this decision could rid you of all your chances to do some work for the faction later. Sometimes, your choices may depend on the story or lore you are building for your character.
If you loot their fort, ensure you have enough strength to fight a group of angry fugitives. This will earn you plenty of experience points and valuable treasures to help you in the early game.
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