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Few fights in Act 2 ofBaldur’s Gate 3boast infamy in difficulty like the veritable mountain of a task that is killing Yurgir the Orthorn. With all odds stacked against you, he’s the first real test before reaching Moonrise Towers and the secret at the end of the Gauntlet of Shar.
You’ll want to take every edge you can get against Yurgir. Don’t walk into his fight unprepared, and if the opportunity presents itself, try to find the upper hand no matter what it takes. Sometimes, a tongue cuts deeper than any sword or spell…
Updated June 16, 2025 by Alexis Campbell:Updated to be in line with Patch 5 tweaks to Yurgir’s Honour Mode changes. Honour Mode Legendary Actions have been added, as well as additional strategies and external links for spell identification for the wizards who forget there are other spells beyond Fireball (we’re looking at you, Gale).
How To Start Kill Raphael’s Old Enemy
From Raphael To Yurgir
Before entering the Gauntlet of Shar, you shouldspeak with Raphael in two locations:
This will begin a quest toread the Infernal markings on Astarion’s back only if Astarion is in your party when you speak with him.Killing Yurgir will be the Astarion’s payment for Raphael’s translation.
After talking through and accepting Raphael’s quest to kill a beast withinthe Thorm Mausoleum, venture past it anddown into Shar’s Sanctum.
Complete the first night puzzle with the flaming lanterns and then fight theReconstituted Duelists. After the fight, travel east from where Shar’s grand statue stands tofind Yurgir in the east wing.
You should see aDisplacer Beast leading you through a doorway.If you wish tospeak to Yurgir, follow itwithout hiding. This will allow you freedom of all three options with Yurgir.
If you areset on killing Yurgirwithout a talk and wanting the upper hand,ignore the Displacer beastand insteadcontinue east. Jump across a broken gapsection to a set of stairs leading upward.
Hideand, after a successful Perception that reveals Yurgir’s troops,position your troops behind themas you prefer.
you’re able to also spy Yurgir if you have previously casted See Invisibility or allowed Volo to performhis…professional lobotomy.
How To Nullify Yurgir’s Contract - Persuasion To Spare Yurgir
Sniffing Out The Last Dark Justiciar
If you’re hoping to make Yurgir a friend and bypass a possible fight altogether, you can choose toPersuade Yurgirto let him let you help him out of his contract byoffering to search the area(DC 16).
Upon a successful roll, you’ll be given a map area to search.
Your goal is toreach the feet of the Shar statue.There aretwo waysto make your way down:
If you use the Jump method, we recommend ensuring you have the Shar Sanctum Waypoint in the west wing as you will have no other way to ascend.
Behind the bare feetof the Shar statue, you will find a broken effigy and a book calledOne Becomes Many.Interact with bothto summon a small rat.
Attack and kill this ratto summon a horde of more of them.
Although they only have 1-4HP total, some rats will be dangerous due to theirability to explode on death and cause status effectslike sleep. Elves are immune to this.
We recommend havingspellcasters with large area attack spellsor keeping yourgroup in a tight circleguarded by a cleric’sSpirit Guardians.Shoot the special rats with ranged attacks to prevent them from exploding near you.
After defeating all the rats, the final rat will transform into a Dark Justiciar namedLyrthindor, the Last Dark Justiciar.
He is not particularly special other than his penchant forspam-casting a high-level Sleep spell(which can be Counterspelled).
Defeat Lyrthindorand Yurgir’s contract will be fulfilled.Return to Yurgirand tell him to finish the quest and gain the ability totake the Umbral Gempeacefully.
How To Defeat Yurgir - Persuasion To Kill Yurgir
Some Cold-Blooded Trickery
If youpass an automatic Insight check, you’ll have the option toPersuade Yurgir to kill everyonein the room, including himself.State:
The lyrics are a trick. You’ve always had an audience - your followers. Get rid of them.
Each persuasion check will be anincreasingly higher DC.
If you failone of these,Yurgir will initiate combatwith you. However, we recommend at leasttrying this routeif you don’t want to spare him. Any success or multiple will be a huge benefit to your fight.
If all three are dead, you will automatically complete this fight and quest without needing any further effort.
Take the Umbral Gemand leave. you may speak with Raphaelat your camp during your next long rest.
105
17
9m
Large/220kg (Fiend)
22 (+6)
16 (+3)
21 (+5)
15 (+2)
Feats
Darkvision & Devil’s Sight
Yurgir can see 24m in the dark - magical and nonmagical.
Advantage on Saving Throws against spells and magical effects.
Infernal Dagger
+7 to hit, 5ft; 2d4 + 6 Slashing damage. Also deals an additional 4d10 Poison damage on a failed CON save and poisons target for two turns.
Volatile Cluster
Throws three Orthonic Handbombs dealing 2d4 + 2 Bludgeoning damage when thrown and knocking creature Prone on a failed Strength save. They are timed bombs that explode on their second turn for massive damage.
Concussive Burst
Deals 5d8 Thunder damage and pushes back targets 8m on a failed CON save. Targets still take half damage on a save.
Blinding Ambush (Legendary Action; Honour Mode Only)
Yurgir deals 5d10 Radiant damage to a marked (“Hunted”) creature when it attempts to attack or cast a spell. This also may Blind the target.
Yurgir is no easy fight, especially if you’re fighting all of Yurgir’s companions as well.
The most annoying bit of Yurgir’s fight is balanced between hisOrthonic Handbombs (also thrown by the Merregon minions), his outrageousoutgoing damage, and thespamming of Invisibilityat the end of each of his turns.
For this fight, there area few ways to get around Yurgir’s annoying Invisibilityif you do not have Volo’s eye or the See Invisibility spell:
All of these spells and any related effects that createlong-lasting area effects that deal damage(or, in Faerie’s Fire’s case,illuminate the enemy) can dispel his Invisibility.
Witchbolt can also be usedif he’s revealed, able to freely undo his Invisibility each turn it lasts.
Another solid way to reveal him through his Invisibility is to useMinthara’s mace weapon,Xyanyde.When missing with this mace, it canilluminate the target withFaerie Fireand disrupt Invisibility.
This is an excellent tool to usefor yourmelee fighters.
If you began the fighton the bottom floor, you’ll have the deck stacked against you. All enemies will have a height advantage, and you’ll begin in front of the dangerous Displacer Beast, Nessa.
In this case, the best strategy is tobegin with teaming up against Nessaand killing her as quickly as possible. She has only two attacks and one ability:
Deals 2d6 +4 Bludgeoning damage and 2d6 Piercing damage.
Displace
Teleport a short distance with another creature on a failed Constitution save, dealing Psychic damage on transport.
Illusory Copy
Create a copy that can attack enemies in melee range and instill disadvantage on attacks for nearby enemies.
While you’re fighting Nessa, you’ll be under abarrage of bolt attacks and, possibly, Orthonic Handbombs.
Yurgir canuse Volatile Clusterto throw three of these handbombs and time them for the next round. However, hisminions also carry their own bombs.They can throw one that explodes on impact.
You canpick up Yurgir’s handbombsas a free action as long as you may reach them, preventing them from exploding. However, if fire or one of the minion’s bombs explode near these timed bombs, all of them will instantaneously explode.
While you’re dealing with the Displacer Beast, you can use Bonus Actions like Spiritual Weapon to summon a weapon up top where the other minions are standing to distract them.
When Nessa’s dealt with, you may focus on those upstairs. You canreach the upstairs by:
UsingMisty Stepis a good idea for Wizards with access to spells likeThunderwave. Misty Step behind the minions and use Thunderwave to push them over the edge to those stuck on the ground floor.
This is also acceptable for those who began the fight using the secret high path.
Yurgir will be the largest problem, so it’s best tofocus on himanduse area spellsthat help cut down on some of his minions in the process.
Spells likeSunbeam(fromThe Blood of Lathanderweapon),Shatter, Lightning Bolt, and the like will all be excellent choices for fighting him. Fireball, unfortunately, is not the answer this time.
If you’re starting up top with the minions or manage to reach a minion beside the edge,try shoving them over the edge with your bonus action.If they fall, they’lltake 1d10 damage and must reclimbup to your level.
There is a known bug where the Merregons will ignore the floor and shoot their crossbows through it, even if your characters normally would not be within range to hit.
As the number of Merregons decreases, he’ll be more likely to cast Invisibility. Reveal him through his Invisibility through any of the methods listed above. As a refresher,Invisibility can be broken by:
Yurgir’s Invisibilitycannot be Counterspelled,but he sometimesdoes not cast Invisibility when he knocks an opponent unconscious.
When Yurgir is revealed,go all out against him.Every turn against him matters. Ensure you deal as much damage as possible before he has the chance to turn Invisible again.
You’ll also want tohurry if there are Merregon left overfrom being shovedor if you started up top, leaving Nessa the Displacer Beast undefeatedand on her way.
If Yurgir isunder 10 percent of his healthby the time he begins his turn, he may release aswarm of Orthonic Handbombs (12 in total)that will explode on their next turn. You can try to pick up a large section of them, or you can attempt running away.
Most characters, if caught in the explosion, will beimmediately knocked unconscious, if not outright killed.Avoiding these bombs is to be avoided at all costs.
After focusing on Yurgir, you should eventually be able to dispatch him. That will leave you to dispatch whoever might be left. It may be an arduous process, but you’ll nonetheless come out victorious after a few rounds.
He’ll turn to ash upon his defeat.Loot his ash pileto take anInfernal Ironand his uniqueHellfire Hand Crossbow.
When youreturn to your camp for a long rest,Raphael will approach you. Speak with him, and you’ll officially complete this quest.
Baldur’s Gate 3
WHERE TO PLAY
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the long-awaited next chapter in the Dungeons & Dragons-based series of RPGs. Developed by Divinity creator Larian Studios, it puts you in the middle of a mind flayer invasion of Faerûn, over a century after the events of its predecessor.
