Few fights in Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3 boast infamy in difficulty like the veritable mountain of a task that is killing Yurgir the Orthorn. With all odds stacked against you, he's the first real test before reaching Moonrise Towers and the secret at the end of the Gauntlet of Shar.

You'll want to take every edge you can get against Yurgir. Don't walk into his fight unprepared, and if the opportunity presents itself, try to find the upper hand no matter what it takes. Sometimes, a tongue cuts deeper than any sword or spell...

Updated January 30, 2024 by Alexis Campbell: Updated to be in line with Patch 5 tweaks to Yurgir's Honour Mode changes. Honour Mode Legendary Actions have been added, as well as additional strategies and external links for spell identification for the wizards who forget there are other spells beyond Fireball (we're looking at you, Gale).

How To Start Kill Raphael's Old Enemy

From Raphael To Yurgir

Before entering the Gauntlet of Shar, you should speak with Raphael in two locations:

  • Last Light Inn (before the fight with Isobel and Flaming Fist Marcus if you want the interaction with Mol)
  • Outside Thorm Mausoleum

This will begin a quest to read the Infernal markings on Astarion's back only if Astarion is in your party when you speak with him. Killing Yurgir will be the Astarion's payment for Raphael's translation.

After talking through and accepting Raphael's quest to kill a beast within the Thorm Mausoleum, venture past it and down into Shar's Sanctum.

Complete the first night puzzle with the flaming lanterns and then fight theReconstituted Duelists. After the fight, travel east from where Shar's grand statue stands to find Yurgir in the east wing.

You should see a Displacer Beast leading you through a doorway. If you wish to speak to Yurgir, follow it without hiding. This will allow you freedom of all three options with Yurgir.

If you are set on killing Yurgir without a talk and wanting the upper hand, ignore the Displacer beast and instead continue east. Jump across a broken gap section to a set of stairs leading upward.

Hide and, after a successful Perception that reveals Yurgir's troops, position your troops behind them as you prefer.

You can also spy Yurgir if you have previously casted See Invisibility or allowed Volo to perform his...professional lobotomy.

How To Nullify Yurgir's Contract - Persuasion To Spare Yurgir

Sniffing Out The Last Dark Justiciar

If you're hoping to make Yurgir a friend and bypass a possible fight altogether, you can choose to Persuade Yurgir to let him let you help him out of his contract by offering to search the area (DC 16).

Upon a successful roll, you'll be given a map area to search.

Your goal is to reach the feet of the Shar statue. There are two ways to make your way down:

  • Jump down with Feather Fall .
  • Use your Umbral Orb from the first trial to turn on the Shar statue disc and ride it down.

If you use the Jump method, we recommend ensuring you have the Shar Sanctum Waypoint in the west wing as you will have no other way to ascend.

Behind the bare feet of the Shar statue, you will find a broken effigy and a book called One Becomes Many. Interact with both to summon a small rat.

Attack and kill this rat to summon a horde of more of them.

Although they only have 1-4HP total, some rats will be dangerous due to their ability to explode on death and cause status effects like sleep. Elves are immune to this.

We recommend having spellcasters with large area attack spells or keeping your group in a tight circle guarded by a cleric's Spirit Guardians. Shoot the special rats with ranged attacks to prevent them from exploding near you.

After defeating all the rats, the final rat will transform into a Dark Justiciar named Lyrthindor, the Last Dark Justiciar.

He is not particularly special other than his penchant for spam-casting a high-level Sleep spell (which can be Counterspelled).

Defeat Lyrthindor and Yurgir's contract will be fulfilled. Return to Yurgir and tell him to finish the quest and gain the ability to take the Umbral Gem peacefully.

How To Defeat Yurgir - Persuasion To Kill Yurgir

Some Cold-Blooded Trickery

If you pass an automatic Insight check, you'll have the option to Persuade Yurgir to kill everyone in the room, including himself. State:

The lyrics are a trick. You've always had an audience - your followers. Get rid of them.

Each persuasion check will be an increasingly higher DC.

  1. Minions - DC 16
  2. Nessa, the Displacer Beast - DC 21
  3. Yurgir - DC 21

If you fail one of these, Yurgir will initiate combat with you. However, we recommend at least trying this route if you don't want to spare him. Any success or multiple will be a huge benefit to your fight.

If all three are dead, you will automatically complete this fight and quest without needing any further effort.

Take the Umbral Gem and leave. You can speak with Raphael at your camp during your next long rest.

How To Defeat Yurgir - Combat

Violence Is The Solution

Basic Information

HP

105

AC

17

Speed

9m

Size/Weight

Large/220kg (Fiend)

Stats

Str

Dex

Con

Int

Wis

Cha

22 (+6)

16 (+3)

21 (+5)

15 (+2)

15 (+2)

16 (+3)

Resistances:

Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning (non-magical weapons), Cold

Immunities

Fire, Poison

Feats

Darkvision & Devil's Sight

Yurgir can see 24m in the dark - magical and nonmagical.

Magic Resistance

Advantage on Saving Throws against spells and magical effects.

Invisibility

Yurgir can cast Invisibility on himself as a bonus action.

Attacks

Hellfire Hand Crossbow

+9 to hit, 15m; 1d6 + 5 Piercing damage.

  • Hellstalker - Possibly inflicts Burning when hitting a creature while Hiding or Invisible
  • Scorching Ray Shot - Can cast Scorching Ray with a bolt

Infernal Dagger

+7 to hit, 5ft; 2d4 + 6 Slashing damage. Also deals an additional 4d10 Poison damage on a failed CON save and poisons target for two turns.

Volatile Cluster

Throws three Orthonic Handbombs dealing 2d4 + 2 Bludgeoning damage when thrown and knocking creature Prone on a failed Strength save. They are timed bombs that explode on their second turn for massive damage.

Concussive Burst

Deals 5d8 Thunder damage and pushes back targets 8m on a failed CON save. Targets still take half damage on a save.

Blinding Ambush (Legendary Action; Honour Mode Only)

Yurgir deals 5d10 Radiant damage to a marked ("Hunted") creature when it attempts to attack or cast a spell. This also may Blind the target.

read more

Yurgir is no easy fight, especially if you're fighting all of Yurgir's companions as well.

The most annoying bit of Yurgir's fight is balanced between his Orthonic Handbombs (also thrown by the Merregon minions), his outrageous outgoing damage, and the spamming of Invisibility at the end of each of his turns.

For this fight, there are a few ways to get around Yurgir's annoying Invisibility if you do not have Volo's eye or the See Invisibility spell:

  • Faerie Fire
  • Armor of Agathys
  • Spirit Guardians
  • Guardian of Faith
  • Cloud of Daggers
  • Spike Growth
  • Glyph of Warding
  • Hunger of Hadar
  • Lightning Bolt
  • Moonbeam

All of these spells and any related effects that create long-lasting area effects that deal damage (or, in Faerie's Fire's case, illuminate the enemy) can dispel his Invisibility.

Witchbolt can also be used if he's revealed, able to freely undo his Invisibility each turn it lasts.

Another solid way to reveal him through his Invisibility is to use Minthara's mace weapon, Xyanyde. When missing with this mace, it can illuminate the target with Faerie Fireand disrupt Invisibility.

This is an excellent tool to use for yourmelee fighters.

If you began the fight on the bottom floor, you'll have the deck stacked against you. All enemies will have a height advantage, and you'll begin in front of the dangerous Displacer Beast, Nessa.

In this case, the best strategy is to begin with teaming up against Nessa and killing her as quickly as possible. She has only two attacks and one ability:

Tentacle Whip

Deals 2d6 +4 Bludgeoning damage and 2d6 Piercing damage.

Displace

Teleport a short distance with another creature on a failed Constitution save, dealing Psychic damage on transport.

Illusory Copy

Create a copy that can attack enemies in melee range and instill disadvantage on attacks for nearby enemies.

While you're fighting Nessa, you'll be under a barrage of bolt attacks and, possibly, Orthonic Handbombs.

Yurgir can use Volatile Cluster to throw three of these handbombs and time them for the next round. However, his minions also carry their own bombs. They can throw one that explodes on impact.

You can pick up Yurgir's handbombs as a free action as long as you can reach them, preventing them from exploding. However, if fire or one of the minion's bombs explode near these timed bombs, all of them will instantaneously explode.

While you're dealing with the Displacer Beast, you can use Bonus Actions like Spiritual Weapon to summon a weapon up top where the other minions are standing to distract them.

When Nessa's dealt with, you can focus on those upstairs. You can reach the upstairs by:

  • Running up the incline and facing them head-on
  • Bait them downstairs by hiding behind the pillars
  • Misty Step or Dimension Door up to them

Using Misty Step is a good idea for Wizards with access to spells like Thunderwave. Misty Step behind the minions and use Thunderwave to push them over the edge to those stuck on the ground floor.

This is also acceptable for those who began the fight using the secret high path.

Yurgir will be the largest problem, so it's best to focus on him and use area spells that help cut down on some of his minions in the process.

Spells like Sunbeam (from The Blood of Lathander weapon), Shatter, Lightning Bolt, and the like will all be excellent choices for fighting him. Fireball, unfortunately, is not the answer this time.

If you're starting up top with the minions or manage to reach a minion beside the edge, try shoving them over the edge with your bonus action. If they fall, they'll take 1d10 damage and must reclimb up to your level.

There is a known bug where the Merregons will ignore the floor and shoot their crossbows through it, even if your characters normally would not be within range to hit.

As the number of Merregons decreases, he'll be more likely to cast Invisibility. Reveal him through his Invisibility through any of the methods listed above. As a refresher, Invisibility can be broken by:

  • Taking damage
  • Making an action
  • Being illuminated with a spell like Faerie Fire

Yurgir's Invisibility cannot be Counterspelled, but he sometimes does not cast Invisibility when he knocks an opponent unconscious.

When Yurgir is revealed, go all out against him. Every turn against him matters. Ensure you deal as much damage as possible before he has the chance to turn Invisible again.

You'll also want to hurry if there are Merregon left over from being shoved or if you started up top, leaving Nessa the Displacer Beast undefeated and on her way.

If Yurgir is under 10 percent of his health by the time he begins his turn, he may release a swarm of Orthonic Handbombs (12 in total) that will explode on their next turn. You can try to pick up a large section of them, or you can attempt running away.

Most characters, if caught in the explosion, will be immediately knocked unconscious, if not outright killed. Avoiding these bombs is to be avoided at all costs.

After focusing on Yurgir, you should eventually be able to dispatch him. That will leave you to dispatch whoever might be left. It may be an arduous process, but you'll nonetheless come out victorious after a few rounds.

He'll turn to ash upon his defeat. Loot his ash pile to take anInfernal Iron and his unique Hellfire Hand Crossbow.

When you return to your camp for a long rest, Raphael will approach you. Speak with him, and you'll officially complete this quest.

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Baldur's Gate 3

RPG Systems 5.0/5 25 9.4/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 96/100 Critics Rec: 98% Released August 3, 2023 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) Larian Studios Publisher(s) Larian Studios Engine Divinity 4.0
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Baldur's Gate 3 is the long-awaited next chapter in the Dungeons & Dragons-based series of RPGs. Developed by Divinity creator Larian Studios, it puts you in the middle of a mind flayer invasion of Faerûn, over a century after the events of its predecessor.

Platform(s) PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS Powered by Expand Collapse Next

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