Saying that Baldur’s Gate 3 is a large open world CRPG with massive narrative depth would be an understatement. From the onset of escaping the Nautiloid ship and landing in the Forgotten Realms, you’re free to explore the vast landscape, discover its many secrets, and pick up any quests along the way. However, given how interdependent certain quests can be in the game, approaching them in particular order ensures that you’re getting the most out of your Baldur’s Gate 3 experience.
Outlined below is the best quest order for act 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3, which takes every important area and NPC into account, ensuring that you don’t miss out on anything important on the road to Baldur’s Gate.
Given that Baldur’s Gate 3 offers incredible player freedom and agency, you’re free to explore the world on your terms. However, if you find this level of freedom overwhelming, dividing the Forgotten Realms into explorable sections should help provide some direction.

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Recruit Your Companions & Withers
The road ahead is treacherous, full of mysteries and peril but with helpful companions by your side, you can overcome every odd. You begin with the main quest of finding a cure for your condition and as you progress through the act, the main quest branches out into several sub quests. So, before you do anything, start by recruiting the following companions:
- Shadowheart: Shadowheart is really hard to miss, as she can be found unconscious just a few steps north.
- Astarion: You can find Astarion to the south of the crashed Nautiloid ship.
- Gale: Gale reveals himself when you approach the waypoint to the north of the crashed Nautiloid ship.
- Lae’zel: Captured by a few Tieflings, Lae’zel can be rescued and added to your party.
- Withers: Withers is an undead NPC, dormant in the crypt north of the crashed Nautiloid ship.
Associated Quests:
Explore The Druid Grove
Right after you’ve gathered the crew, make your way to the Druid Grove, which can be found north of the crashed Nautiloid ship. As you approach the grove, you’ll immediately find yourself involved in a battle between the residents of the grove and the goblins chasing them.
Defeating the goblins gains you entry to the grove. Take your time to explore the grove and interact with the various NPCs inhabiting it, with many of them offering side quests and progressing the main story. The following is a list of important quests you should pick up while in the grove and their recommended order of progression:
- Investigate the Beach
- Save Arabella
- Find the Nightsong (progressed in other locations and acts)
- Defeat the Goblins (progressed in other locations in act 1)
- Save the First Druid (progressed in the Goblin’s Camp in act 1)
You should also consider recruiting Wyll while you’re in the Grove.
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Travel The Risen Road
The information you gain at the grove will direct you to the Goblin’s Camp, located all the way to the west of the Wilderness. The Druid’s Grove and the Goblin’s Camp are connected via the Risen Road and the Blighted Village. Here are the quests and the order in which you should pick them up while on the Risen Road:
Karlach is another companion who can be recruited to your party. However, the “Hunt the Devil” quest can also let you kill her, so be careful if you wish to recruit her.
Venture Into The Blighted Village
To the south of the Risen Road is the Blighted Village, inhabited by the goblins. The village provides direct access to the Goblin’s Camp, an important location to progress several quests in the first act. There are several goblin NPCs you should consider interacting with to obtain side quests. However, the following are the quests you shouldn’t miss picking up in the Blighted Village:
Infiltrate The Goblin’s Camp
To the east of the Blighted Village is the Goblin’s Camp, comparable to the Druid’s Grove in size. It’s recommended to explore the camp in search of valuable gear and to discover the secrets hidden underneath. One of the subquests to find the cure for your condition offers you the option to speak to a True Soul known as Priestess Gut.
The Goblin’s Camp also provides one of the accesses to the underground region called the Underdark. It’s worth discovering the entry to the Underdark for easy access later. The following is a list of quests and their suggested progression order in the Goblin’s Camp:
- Rescue Volo
- Save the Goblin Sazza (applicable if you release her from the prison in the Druid’s Grove)
- Save the Refugees (progress the quest to rescue Halsin)
- Find the Nightsong (progress the quest by discovering the entrance to the Underdark)

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Explore The Uninviting Putrid Bog
To the south of the Blighted Village is a large, hostile bog with an equally mysterious NPC living in it. This NPC is associated with a potential lead in finding a cure to the parasite in your head. Additionally, the bog also holds a secret that uncovers Kagha’s plot to turn over the grove to the Shadow Druids. While the Putrid Grove is large in scale, it’s bleak in terms of quests, offering only one new quest and progressing two. Here’s the order in which you should consider progressing these quests:
Witness Waukeen’s Rest In Shambles
Having explored the Putrid Bog, Goblin’s Camp, and the Emerald Grove, you can make your way east along the Rising Road to discover Waukeen’s Rest. Now a scorched inn, at Waukeen’s Rest, you can encounter the forces of the Flaming Fist and pick up the following quests:
- Rescue the Trapped Man
- Rescue the Grand Duke (progressed in act 3)
Descend Into The Underdark
The Underdark is a dark, mysterious, and large location in the Wilderness. There are several ways to access the Underdark, with one of the ways being through Selune’s temple in the Goblin’s Camp. The Underdark is a dangerous cavern inhabited by unique NPCs, enemies, and quests. The following list includes prominent quests and their order of acquisition and progression in the Underdark:
- Defeat the Duergar Intruders
- Cure the Poisoned Gnome
- Avenge Glut’s Circle
- Find the Mushroom Picker
- Find the Missing Boots
- The Adamantine Forge (progressed in other locations and acts)
- Save the Grymforge Gnomes
- Free True Soul Nere

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Accompany Lae’zel To The Githyanki Creche
Traveling northwest along the Risen Road leads you over the Mountain Pass, through the Rosymorn Monastery, and to the Githyanki Crèche. The Crèche progresses Lae’zel’s story and provides insights into the artifact held by Shadowheart. The following is a list of all important quests found in the Crèche and their order of acquisition:
- Find the Githyanki Creche
- Find the Blood of Lathander
- The Githyanki Warrior (progressed in other locations and acts)
- Discover the History of Prince Orpheus (progressed in other locations and acts)
- Steal a Githyanki Egg (progressed in other locations and acts)
- Discover the Artefact’s Secret (progressed in other locations and acts)
Onwards To Moonrise Towers
The first act of Baldur’s Gate 3 concludes with the party sorting out the situation in the Druid’s Grove, rescuing Halsin, and learning about the importance of Moonrise Towers to progress the story. You have two ways to reach Moonrise Towers and, depending on which option you choose, you can follow either of the two quests:
- Travel through the Mountain Pass
- Travel through the Underdark