Baldur's Gate 3 Balthazar guide

You might know Balthazar as the dreaded Necromancer in Baldur’s Gate 3. You will come to meet him in the game as you approach the final stages of Act 2, specifically during your Gauntlet of Shar endeavors at the Shadowfell. While he doesn't come out hostile at first, it's pretty obvious that he's one of the bad guys with the massive pentagram scar on his face.

Depending on the choices you make, you may eventually end up engaging in a battle with Balthazar. With his spellcasting abilities and the power to summon an army of the undead to counter your troupe, defeating this level 8 Necromancer boss could be a strenuous task in need of collective skill and strategy.

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Baldur's Gate 3 Balthazar guide: Location, how to defeat, and more

Balthazar location in Baldur's Gate 3

Locate the undead necromancer in Thorm Mausoleum in Baldur's Gate 3 (Image via Larian Studios)

Balthazar can be encountered in Baldur’s Gate 3 once you’ve reached the Gauntlet of Shar found in the underground section of the Thorm Mausoleum and the Gauntlet of Shar at the Shadow-Cursed areas. Numerous quests, such as Find Ketheric Thorm’s Relic and Find the Nightsong, will guide you in the direction of the undead enemy.

The first challenge involves a puzzle within the Thorm Mausoleum that requires decoding images to gain entry to the gauntlet.

The second challenge is a puzzle that revolves around the safeguarded Umbral Gem situated in the Gauntlet of Shar. The main objective is to gather a total of four additional Umbral Gems that can be acquired through various trials.

Locate the undead Necromancer in the Gauntlet of Shar in Baldur’s Gate 3 (Image via Larian Studios)

After solving the Umbral Gem puzzle, the next area with the Double Oak Door will expose the presence of his skeletons, where a Dark Justiciar invasion coming from Umbral Tremors on the ground will take place. With each turn, more Justiciar enemies and Umbral Tremors will continuously spawn, intensifying the challenge.

After clearing the area of enemies and defeating the Justiciar Crusader, it opens a chamber that can be located after the Gauntlet of Shar waypoint. For easier navigation, head to the following coordinates: X: -605, Y:-1431.

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Beating Balthazar in Baldur's Gate 3

Close combat works in eliminating the Necromancer boss (Image via Larian Studios)

There are two entirely different ways to beat Balthazar. You can either engage in a long and hard battle with him, or you could just simply push him off the abyss.

If you choose the former, remember that the Necromancer is vulnerable to close combat, so using melee attacks would make things easier. You also need some AoE skills in your arsenal to effectively deal with his summoned skeletons and golems. Additionally, he can be countered with Silence or Counterspell to prevent him from unleashing powerful attacks.

You can push the Necromancer boss off the ledge to kill him (Image via Larian Studios)

Alternatively, a simple strategy is to simply push the Necromancer into the abyss from the platform he is standing on. You can position your character in front of him as he speaks with the Nightsong. You can then make another character utilize the shove action, pushing him off the platform and concluding the boss fight unscathed.

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This wraps up our Balthazar guide in Baldur's Gate 3. It is worth noting that if you choose the easy way to kill him, you won't receive any rewards.