Quick Links
Baldur’s Gate 3, influenced by its tabletop origins, is full of puzzles that challenge your critical-thinking skills. One such tricky enigma lies in Balthazar’s room in Moonrise Towers, where an initial Perception check suggests the age-old book-pushing mechanism puzzle in the bookshelf.
RELATED:Baldur’s Gate 3: How To Get Infernal Iron
Don’t be fooled, however! The solution isn’t really tied to the bookshelf at all, but rather, the rest of the macabre decor in the room. Any rushed attempts to play with the books might lead to death, or worse, stinky zombie surprises. So, before you start clicking around, be sure to read this guide thoroughly to navigate Balthazar’s room safely and successfully!
Where Is Balthazar’s Room
As you traverse the ominous Moonrise Towers, the story will steer you towards Balthazar’s Room, particularly ifyou’re insearch of a Moonlantern, which is essential for wanderingthe shadow-cursed lands safely.
If you didn’t obtain aMoonlantern from Kar’nissor lost its blessing, paying a visit to Balthazar’s macabre chambers will be crucial to progress. And even if you don’t need the lantern, the room promisesa boonthat will cost you nothing—except, perhaps, your morals.
You’ll find Balthazar’s Room (X:-132, Y:-182) on the First Floor of the Moonrise Towers. It’s tucked behind a locked door thatrequires a key or a successful DC 15 Sleight of Hand check.
If you’re playing your cards right and feign allegiance to the Absolute,Disciple Z’rell will hand over the keyon her own after you speak to her.
Balthazar’s Bookshelf Puzzle: Overview
Here is a quick rundown of how you’re able to solve the puzzle. A more in-depth explanation will follow in the next section.
Balthazar’s Bookshelf Puzzle: Full Solution
Starting the Puzzle
The bookshelf puzzle involves thelarge bookshelf to the westof Balthazar’s Room. Walking closer to the bookshelf will prompt anautomatic DC 10 Perception Checkfrom your party; upon success, you’ll noticefour protruding books.
Touch theprotruding book on the top-rightof the bookshelf. You’ll hear aclick—this should unlock thesmall Ancient Altardirectly to the right of the bookshelf.
Touching any other book willunleash a deadly trapin the room—ranging from a lightning trap, poisonous fumes, or reanimating all the corpses in the room.
A Beating Heart
Navigate tothe westof the room, where you’ll see a table with a red book on it namedAttention Acolytes.
The text hints that the Absolute isbest served by a “beating heart”.
After this, you cangrab the heart on the altarin the middle of the room andplace it into the Ancient Altarthat was unlocked in the previous step.
The bookshelf shouldslide openafter this, and you’ll be able to enter Balthazar’s Moonlantern laboratory, where you’ll be able to decide betweencrafting a buffed Moonlanternordestroying the site altogether.
If you somehowlose the hearton the altar, some of theviscera and corpseson the ground will contain hearts.
NEXT:Baldur’s Gate 3: How To Rescue Wulbren And The Tieflings In Moonrise Towers
