The Ultimate Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1 Checklist: 100% Completion Guide (2026)

Originally published by Nibir Kr Dutta | Updated & Fact-Checked by the Arenaoftech Editorial Team on March 4, 2026

After spending over 200 hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, I just can’t forget the sinking feeling of reaching Act 2 only to realize that I have missed the Adamantine Forge and a huge, massive chunk of Lae’zel’s story.

Act 1 is literally a 40-hour labyrinth where one wrong turn can fail you in three different quests. This game is just so overwhelming, between the Underdark, the Mountain Pass, and the constant threat of a Mind Flayer tadpole eating your brain.

Learning from my mistakes, and to make sure you don’t face the frustration, I’ve made this checklist. Whether you’re siding with the Tieflings or burning it all down with the Goblins, here is every essential stop you need to make before leaving the Wilderness.

• The Main Quest: How to Find a Cure
• Act 1 companions checklist and other quests.
  • Recruiting Your Party & Camp
  • Emerald Grove & Wilderness Exploration
  • The Underdark, Grymforge & Mountain Pass

Act 1 At a Glance:

Estimated Time: 40–60 hours.
Main Goal: Reach the Moonrise Towers while managing the Mind Flayer tadpole.
Major Choice: Save the Emerald Grove or side with the Goblins.
Top Loot: Don’t leave without the Adamantine Armor and Blood of Lathander.

The Main Quest: How to Find a Cure

In Act 1, there is only one main quest with some of the objectives that you’ll need to do. The main story quest “Find A Cure” has its own objectives, and you don’t even have to do all the objectives to reach Act 2.

If you do want the story and its lore, you should try to complete all the objectives and earn the possible rewards.

Act 1 companions checklist and other quests.

Before moving on to Act 2, it is better if you try to complete all the objectives, side quests, and main quests.

Some of the objectives are time-limited, and you’ll not be able to access them once you’re past them.

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Recruiting Your Party & Camp

• Recruit Astarion

• Rescue and permanently recruit Lae’zel

• Rescue and recruit Gale

• Meet Wyll at Emerald Grove to recruit him

• Rescue Volo to recruit him at the Goblin Camp

• Rescue and recruit Karlach

• Help Karlach defeat the Paladins

• Rescue Halsin to recruit

• Side with Minthara to recruit

• Use Speak with Animals to talk with and recruit the dog Scratch

Note: You can’t usually have Halsin and Minthara in the same run!

Emerald Grove & Wilderness Exploration

• Pick a side between the Tieflings, Druids, and Goblin Army

• Defeat the goblin leaders

• Find and possibly fight the owlbear

• Explore the Ruins side quest

• Find the Missing Shipment

• Find the Nightsong

• Free the Artist

• Hunt the Devil

• Rescue the Gnome

• Rescue the Grand Duke

• Rescue the Trapped Man

• Save Mayrina

• Search the Cellar for the Ancient Tome

• Find Doni

• Find Your Belongings

• Investigate the Beach

• Return the Locket

• Save Arabella

• Save the Goblin Sazza

• Steal the Sacred Idol

The Act 1 Point of No Return

Before you enter the Mountain Pass or the Shadow-Cursed Lands, ensure you have resolved the Emerald Grove vs. Goblin conflict. Moving into these areas will automatically progress the story, meaning you will lose the chance to recruit certain companions or finish Grove-related quests. Check your list one last time!

The Underdark, Grymforge & Mountain Pass

• The Adamantine Forge

• Complete the Arcane Tower

• Explore Rosymorn Monastery

• Explore the Githyanki Crèche and meet the inquisitor

• Steal a Githyanki Egg

• Find the Blood of Lathander Mace

• Collect and consume parasite specimens

These are all the checklists, the main quests, and all the other side quests in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Did we miss a secret? Let us know in the comments if you found a hidden quest we should add to our 2026 BG3 checklist! If you found the article helpful then make sure to follow arenaoftech for more gaming guides.