Baldur’s Gate 3 How To Beat Auntie Ethel & Kill the Hag in 2 rounds

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Venturing into the depths of Baldur’s Gate 3, you may stumble upon one of the most challenging encounters – the Auntie Ethel (often mistaken as Ether) dungeon quest. What seems like a quaint residence, inhabited by a seemingly sweet yet suspicious lady, unravels into a gripping confrontation with a powerful Green Hag named Ethel. Beware of her allure, as she tempts individuals with wishes, but her intentions are far from benign, akin to a cunning genie.

Where To Find Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Once you reach the Riverside Teahouse in the sunlit wetlands you will encounter Ethel herself in a short cutscene, you will either end up starting the fight with her here where she will turn invisible and set redcaps on you, or without the fight, she will still disappear down into her lair. After this interaction head toward her fireplace, extinguish it with a water bottle or Create Water spell and step through.

Which party members should you take to beat Ethel? 

Ensure your party is well-equipped for the battle in BG3. If you are not playing multiplayer, consider the following lineup:

1. You – Naturally, you are a crucial member of the team.
2. Lae’zel – A formidable warrior, capable of holding her own in combat.
3. Gale the grease wizard – A skilled companion, well-suited for aiding your party’s endeavours with Thunderwave. ( We use him mainly to cast grease and then set fire to the grease…)
4. Astarion – A valuable asset with his stealth and dexterity.

You can also consider swapping someone for Shadowheart if you feel like you will need healing, buffs, and debuffs. Her Cleric spells can help you on all fronts, especially if you’re expecting a prolonged encounter with Aunie Ethel.

What Level To Beat Auntie Ethel?

Level 3 is the minimum level we suggest to beat Ethel. Some players have discovered a more cunning approach – casting Silence on Ethel to halt her spellcasting, followed by using various spells like Grease or Ensnaring Strike to keep her immobile while your party unleashes a relentless assault. These spells are unlocked at level 3 and above so we recommend trying to level up as much as possible in the first Act and saving Ethel till the last as she is not a main story quest. The higher level you are, the fewer rounds it will take to beat her.

How to beat Auntie Ethel the Hag

To beat Auntie Ethel you will need to overcome the following obstacles:

1. Open the Gnarled Door
2. Defeat the Fey masks
3. Fight and kill Auntie Ethel

How to open The Gnarled door

There are two ways to get past the Gnarled Door in Ethel’s Lair in Baldur’s Gate 3 with a little Persuasion or Intimidation. Once you approach this door you will need to succeed on a Perception check.

Method 1: Use a Whispering Mask.

The Whispering Mask is an item that can be found in the Entrance Gallery of Ethel’s Lair. It is a magical mask that can be used to deceive the Gnarled Door. To use the mask, you need to put it on and then interact with the door. The door will then let you pass.

Method 2: Pass an Arcana check.

If you do not have the Whispering Mask, you can still try to pass the Gnarled Door by passing an Arcana check. The DC for the check is 15. If you succeed, the door will let you pass.

If you fail the Arcana check, you will not be able to pass the Gnarled Door portal. You will need to find another way to get into Ethel’s Lair.

Here are some tips for passing the Arcana check

• Make sure you have a high Arcana score. Classes to consider include Sorcerer, Wizard, and Warlock.
• Use a buff spell, such as Bless or Guidance, to increase your Arcana score.
• Have a party member with a high Arcana score help you with the check.

How To Defeat the Fey Masks

On your journey to confront Ethel, you will encounter four unfortunate souls under her control in her lair, these masked minions are each wearing Fey masks. It’s necessary to overcome these controlled individuals. Engage them carefully, utilizing stealth and Surprise rounds to gain the upper hand. Be cautious of the powerful Mask of Vengeance, capable of retaliating after melee hits in the tight overgrown tunnel. If you do not defeat these foes on your way to Ethel she will summon them to her final fight with you making it more difficult.

Another, more difficult, option is to try to remove the masks from the unfortunate souls. That way, you can free them from the Hag’s control without killing them. One method that you can attempt is to pickpocket the masks off of them with a good Rogue, like Astarion. Another is to try using non-lethal damage.

How To Fight and Kill Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3

Once you reach Ethel, the boss fight begins with a surprise attack. Her first action involves setting fire to Mayrina’s cage, necessitating swift action from you to save her. Extinguish the flames by pressing a button near Ethel or using water-based spells like Create Water. With Mayrina safe, focus your efforts on Ethel.

How To Remove Auntie Ethel’s Mirrors

That is the best advice we can give you. Her mirrors can be a nuisance, but they are not very difficult to destroy. Scorching Ray is a good spell for this because it can hit multiple targets. You can also use other spells, such as Fire Bolt or Magic Missile, to destroy the mirrors.

Once the mirrors are gone, you can focus on Auntie Ethel herself. She is a powerful enemy, but she is not invincible. If you can deal enough damage to her by round 2, you should be able to defeat her.

How To Defeat Auntie Ethel’s Duplicate Illusions

Ethel will summon illusions of herself during the battle. These duplicates are equally capable of casting magic and attacking you. Use area-of-effect spells like Magic Missile, Scorching Ray, or Bane to quickly deal with the duplicates. Alternatively, casting Witch Bolt on the real Ethel will keep the spell on her even if she duplicates. However, you must eliminate the duplicates individually.

What rewards do you get from the Hag?

Defeating Auntie Ethel yields significant rewards if you are able to loot her, including:

• 250 XP
• Spellthief
• Corellon’s Grace
• 3 Potions of Hill Giant Strength.

Should I let Ethel take my eye?

A treacherous deal with Ethel may offer a way to rid yourself of the illithid tadpole parasite, but beware the price – the sacrifice of your eye. If you accept, she will remove your eye, leaving you with a constant and permanent debuff. However, the intervention of Netherese magic prevents her from fulfilling the deal fully, revealing a fascinating tidbit of lore at the cost of your vision and a nasty debuff called Paid the Price. The debuff will hinder you in a fight with the Hag because it grants you disadvantage on attack rolls against her.

How To Kill Auntie Ethel With Cheats

Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3 stands in her arena containing a giant pit, you can see where we are going with this. If she is truly causing you to struggle and you cannot see an end in sight then we have a very simple solution for you that will take less than two rounds:

Cheat Method 1:

• Step 1: Make sure someone in your party is a Fighter
• Step 2: Make sure that the fighter has unlocked the Psyionic Pull
  • This action can be obtained by repeatedly using the tadpole during the game.
• Step 3: Separate your fighter from your party and sneak up on Ethel as the others interact with the cut scene
  • This is important as if she gets the highest initiative she will teleport away from the hole.
• Step 4: Use the Fighter’s Psionic Pull to YOINK the Hag into the hole.

Cheat Method 2:

Shove her while you are in combat with her. She will fall over the edge of her lair and into the noxious fumes below which is a bonus.

It is important to note that if you use this method you will not be able to loot her corpse afterwards, forfeiting some of the rewards.

Best Tips To Beat Auntie Ethel

To secure victory, ensure you possess essential spells that can heavily influence the outcome:

1. Silence: Prevents spellcasters like Ethel from using their magic.
2. Grease: Inconvenience Ethel and keep her in place after silencing her.
3. Spike Growth or Ensnaring Strike: Additional spells to immobilize Ethel.

Be prepared for a formidable adversary with normal resistance:

• Slashing: Normal
• Piercing: Normal
• Bludgeoning: Normal
• Fire: Normal
• Cold: Normal
• Poison: Normal

Embrace the Challenge of the Hag

The Auntie Ethel Dungeon stands as one of Baldur’s Gate 3’s most thrilling encounters. With careful planning, a strategic approach, and a well-prepared party, you can conquer this enigmatic battle and emerge victorious in the face of daunting odds within 2 rounds of combat.

If you need assistance choosing the best class for this battle then check out our article on all the Baldur’s Gate 3 Classes. Also read our other guides, like Baldur’s Gate 3 How To Leave the Selunite Outpost and How to Romance Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3.