While Baldur’s Gate 3 features a plethora of NPCs, only a few can be trusted in your journey. Be it his sinister looks or mysterious background, you must decide if you must help The Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3 at some point. The Emperor is a mind flayer whose identity is kept obscure until the end game to confuse players. Since every choice has an outcome, it can be a bit challenging to conclude if he can be trusted. This can be a hassle due to the lack of the Emperor’s identity or any background.
Don’t worry, here’s where you can find out who is the Emperor in BG3. In our guide, you can find the right choices, his identity, and his background. Before we begin, we recommend save scumming to explore all the consequences. So, here’s everything you should know before you lend The Emperor a helping hand.
Disclaimer: The following guide contains heavy spoilers about the characters, choices, and main storyline. So, if you mind such spoilers, now is the best time to head back and check again, later.
Who is The Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The Emperor is a mind-flayer or Illithid in BG3 that you will encounter at the beginning of Act 3. You have also met him as the Dream Guardian during Acts 1 and 2. However, it’s only at the start of Act Three that he reveals himself to be a Mindflayer. While convincing you to help him fight the Absolute, he says,
“Don’t let my form deceive you. I am the one that’s been protecting you. I am the one that came to you in your dreams. Help me.”
The Emperor will also give you a chance to become Half Illithid for additional powers. His former identity before becoming a mind flayer is revealed by Ansur after the Wyrmway trials. As you find and interact with the corpse of Ansur, the dragon, it reveals that The Emperor was formerly Balduran.
For those who don’t know, Balduran is the founder of Baldur’s Gate. Adding more, Ansur states that The Emperor didn’t want to become a mind flayer but eventually accepted the new form.
You can also romance The Emperor in BG3 during Act 3. As you do so, you will unlock the “Mind Blown” achievement or trophy.
Should You Help The Emperor?
Yes, you should help the Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3 if you want to survive. You can also try to read his thoughts using the DC15 Intelligence check to reveal his intentions. However, you and your party can die if you choose not to help him. Unless you don’t want to face an early defeat, we suggest helping the Emperor.
As mentioned earlier, we recommend Save Scumming for exploring all the choices.
That’s everything covered about who is the Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3. If you found this guide helpful, check out our guides to find out the best Party compositions, how to get the Owlbear Cub, and explore more BG3 Guides in our dedicated section right here on Technclub.
