Baldur’s Gate 3: Iron Throne Guide

There is no shortage of heart-pounding, save-scum-inducing challenges in Baldur’s Gate 3. The Iron Throne is one such section of the game that has you racing against the clock to save innocents from Lord Enver Gortash. Without some careful planning it’s almost impossible for your party to save everyone and themselves.

While less than a minute passes in game time, you have just a few rounds to get in and out of the prison. Plan carefully and be prepared with Haste spells, Potions of Speed, and some Misty Step to get around the prison hazards.

How To Reach The Iron Throne

It’s easy to miss this section of the game if you aren’t paying attention to where your side quests are leading you. If you saved the Gondians as you Disabled the Steel Watch, you’ll know their families are being hidden somewhere. If you Avenged the Drowned sister of the Water Queen’s House you’ll also know something fishy is going on at Flymm Cargo in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate. Flymm Cargo can be found closest to the Grey Harbor Docks Waypoint. You’ll need to break in without causing too much trouble. Hop up on the roof of the building and cast Feather Fall to drop down to a balcony. Head inside and deal with a few Wargs with cute names before searching around for a hidden Basement door. The door is hidden under some crates, so move them out of the way and head below.

You’ll find an entrance to the sewers here, but don’t get sidetracked just yet. Head deeper under the docks to find Redhammer the Deviser by the Submersible hatch. You can kill him or let him pilot you to the Iron Throne.

If you’ve already killed Gortash, the Iron Throne will be inaccessible and has already blown up, killing everyone inside. Complete this quest before dealing with Gortash for your chance to save the prisoners.

The Jailbreak

Once you approach the Iron Throne, Gortash will pop up and warn you against it. No matter how you respond he will set a detonation. You’ll have just a few rounds of combat to save all the prisoners and help yourself to some loot. Once you head to the dock the countdown will start. It’s a good idea to be ready with Haste scrolls or spells, Potions of Speed, and Misty Step or Dimension door. Familiars and followers can be very useful too. You will rely heavily on the Dash action to get around in time to save the captives.

If you play the game on Tactitian difficulty, you will only have 5 rounds of combat. If you play on Normal difficulty, you will have 6 rounds. If you play on Easy, you will have 8 rounds.

Grand Duke Ravenguard, Wyll’s father and a powerful ally, is being held in a cell down the Eastern Hallway. Send one party member this way who is a bit stronger, like Lae’Zel or Karlach. Depending on how you’ve handled Wyll’s quest so far, the devil Mizora may show up and cause problems. There are also Sahuagin roaming about who threaten the Duke’s safe escape. Cast Sanctuary on the Duke to keep him (mostly) out of harm’s way as you let him out. Keep him safe as he heads to the Submerisble and you’ll have saved Wyll’s father.

Saving The Gondians

The Gondians have been unhelpfully spread out across the prison, making it extremely difficult for you to reach everyone with enough time for them to escape. There are a few tactics you can employ to help you get everyone out and help yourself to powerful items along the way:

• Let A Companion Die. It sounds counterintuitive, but your party companions can be revived with Withers back at your camp so sending them out to pick up useful items like a Mindflayer Parasite or a Counting House Key is a good idea. Your main character must be at the Submersible when time runs out. Send your doomed companion to go look for chests to loot and accept their fate.
• Use Magic. Misty Step, Dimension Door, Haste, Sanctuary, and Potions of Speed are all extremely useful. While your doomed companion grabs all the loot, the rest of your party can split up to get all the Gondians. If you have Markoheskhir from Sorcerous Sundries you’ll be able to cast Dimension Door. If you have a party member who can turn invisible, they can slip past the Sahuagin without even aggro-ing them.
• Don’t Try To Take Them All Out. The Sahuagin will spawn over time as they swim into the breached prison from the ocean. If you can, ignore them in favor of trying to free as many prisoners as possible.

Hostages are marked on the map, thankfully, so you should be able to find a path to each that is time-sensitive. You’ll need to rescue at least a few of the Gondians if you want them to revolt at the Steel Watch Foundry, but not all of them (unless you’re some kind of hero). Duke Ravenguard and the Gondians being held in the cell beside him should be your highest priority.

Save Omeluum

Helping this Mind Flayer is not easy. He is extremely far away from the escape hatch and the path to him is full of hazards. He can, however, Dimension Door himself and one other person back to safety. Pick a very speedy party member who can avoid the Sahuagin with magic or invisibility to reach Omeluum and free him from the operating table. He can take care of himself and will be extremely grateful for your help.

Sahuagin Stats

Notable Loot

The Iron Throne is full of useful items that rushing players might miss in the hurry to save all the prisoners. Sending a party member to their death (to bring them back later with Withers, of course) is the best way to pick up all these items.

After The Escape

Once you’ve escaped the Iron Throne Prison you can recoup at your camp. Resurrect your loot-hunting companion with Withers and rest up before heading to the Steel Watch Foundry or to Wyrm’s Rock Fortress to deal with Gortash.