Baldur’s Gate 3 features more choices than you can shake a brain-worm at. One of those decisions revolves around the Emerald Grove and its environs. So if you’re wondering should you join the Goblins or save the Grove in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), here’s the answer.
Here’s Whether You Should Save or Attack the Emerald Grove in BG3
You should save the Emerald Grove in Baldur’s Gate 3. That’s it. You can go home now.
What, you want more? Okay, I’ll explain, but thanks to BG3’s many post-launch patches, there’s next to no reason to side with the goblins.
Like many of the choices in BG3, this decision down to you. The “good” choice is to defend the grove so if you’re being a goody two-shoes, that’s the option to go for. You’ll also gain access to (and keep) two companions, Wyll and Halsin. Karlach will also stick around, whereas she’ll leave if you attack the grove. Gale will also try to leave but you can, reportedly, keep him around by passing a saving roll.
And if you side with the Goblins? Originally, this was the only way to recruit and, if you so chose, romance drow badass Minthara. If you side with the Grove, you’ll face Minthara. However, a post-launch patch added the ability to save Minthara by hitting her with a non-lethal attack. She’ll survive and you’ll encounter her later in Moonrise Towers.
To break it down (with a little assistance from Reddit) here are some of the consequences for attacking and defending the grove.
| Defend Emerald Grove | Attack Emerald Grove |
| + Keep Wyll, Halsin, Karlach and Gail as companions + Gain Minthara as a companion in Act 2 if you knock her out + Get a warm and fuzzy feeling for doing the right thing. + Keep access to all the Grove’s merchants. | +Gain approval from Astarion and Lae’zel +Gain Minthara as a companion in Act 2 +Gain some good Druid loot +Fight is a little easier than defending -Lose companions Wyll, Halsin and Karlach -Lose companion Gail if you fail a saving roll -Lose approval from other companions -Lose access to all Emerald Grove merchants |
The only real reason to attack the Emerald Grove is that you like being ‘evil’ and you want a slightly easier fight. With all those giant spiders on your side, it’s an easier brawl than defending the Grove. But the negatives outweigh the positives, and it’s also not as if you can claim that the goblins are defending themselves. They want to murder the Druids and other Grove residents under the influence of a cult.
So, to reiterate my original point, you should defend the Grove because whether you’re playing as good or evil, there are too many negatives to attacking it, and post-patch, both routes let you recruit Minthara. You need to know whether to join the goblins or save the grove in BG3.
For more on BG3, check out our guides on how to respec your party members, as well as fixing any save bugs that might pop up. And if you’re just starting out, watch Destructoid’s excellent beginner’s guide to Baldur’s Gate 3.
Published: Mar 28, 2024 12:26 pm