If you stumble upon the Necromancy of Thay in Baldur’s Gate 3 and both Astarion and Gale are in your party, they’ll eagerly vie for the opportunity to peruse its wicked contents. But should you entrust Astarion or Gale with the Necromancy of Thay, or should you simply destroy it? Let’s delve into the consequences and benefits to help you make an informed decision.
Should You Give Astarion or Gale the Necromancy of Thay in Baldur’s Gate 3 – Consequences and Benefits
Securing the Necromancy of Thay is no small feat. Once you insert the Dark Amethyst into the ominous map, you’ll be granted the chance to unlock the tome and reap the rewards… or suffer a permanent reduction in skills.
Giving the Necromancy of Thay to Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3
If you choose to hand over the Necromancy of Thay to Astarion right after obtaining it, he will receive approval points while Gale disapproves.
In order to fully benefit from the tome, Astarion must read it. To do so, open his inventory and double-click on the Necromancy of Thay.
Once Astarion begins perusing its pages, you’ll need to successfully pass three skill checks to gain the best advantages.
The first benefit is the passive feature called “Forbidden Knowledge,” which grants a +1 bonus to Wisdom Saving Throws and Ability Checks. The second benefit, only available in Act 3, enables Astarion to cast Danse Macabre. This spell summons five undead creatures each time he takes a long rest, making it an incredibly powerful summoning spell.
However, failing any of the saving throws will result in a permanent -1 reduction to Astarion’s Wisdom. It might be wise to accumulate some Inspiration Points before flipping those pages.
Other than the aforementioned benefits, there are no significant changes or advantages to be gained from having Astarion read the Necromancy of Thay. There is one unique line of dialogue where Astarion “drinks in the darkness,” but each character that reads the book (Tav, Gale, Astarion) has their own distinctive lines.
Giving Gale the Necromancy of Thay in Baldur’s Gate 3
In the captivating world of Baldur’s Gate 3, one of the intriguing choices players face is deciding who should obtain the powerful Necromancy of Thay. Among the companions, Gale seems to have the least focus on this particular narrative aspect. Interestingly, if both Astarion and Gale are in your party, Gale won’t even mention it. It’s only when you or Astarion read the tome that you’ll discover Gale’s hidden frustration.
Despite this, Gale has the ability to read the tome and reap its benefits just like Astarion. The first advantage comes in the form of the passive feature called “Forbidden Knowledge.” Possessing this feature grants Gale a +1 bonus to Wisdom Saving Throws and Ability Checks. The second benefit, which can be obtained in Act 3, allows Gale to cast the powerful spell Danse Macabre. This spell enables Gale to summon five undead creatures during each long rest.
However, there is a catch. Failing any of the three saving throws associated with the tome will result in Gale permanently losing -1 Wisdom. This can be a steep price to pay for obtaining such power.
It is worth noting that apart from a single line expressing Gale’s sentiments towards the Weave, there are no further unique interactions for him regarding the Necromancy of Thay.
Who Should Read the Necromancy of Thay in Baldur’s Gate 3
When it comes to deciding which character should read the Necromancy of Thay, it is wise to choose the character who would benefit the most from its powers and who you anticipate will be a prominent part of your Act 3 gameplay. For example, if you plan on romancing Astarion, having Danse Macabre in his repertoire would be a strategic choice.
Speaking from a Tav-centric perspective, where all dialogue options are explored, I personally chose to have my Tav read the tome. The Forbidden Knowledge feature proved unexpectedly helpful throughout the game. Moreover, while you temporarily have access to Danse Macabre until you find the wizard and his vault, this spell proves to be incredibly useful during the endgame. Additionally, if you have a penchant for causing chaos among random civilians, this spell will definitely serve your desires.
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