Where to Go First in Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 is a sublime, choice-driven, exploration-rich, combat-heavy role-playing game. From the beginning, the game's non-linear structure gives players many different pathways and choices, which makes the question of the first place overwhelming. In this case, this blog is written so you can overcome all the initial difficulties and get the best out of your first hours in the game by being directed toward the best places and objectives.
1. Ravaged Beach (Starting Area)

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Once the game loads, your character will wake up on Ravaged Beach after you crash land in the Nautiloid ship. This area is entirely secure, although it gives pointers for gathering items and potential allies that will be helpful later. Simply scavenging the tombstone remains and the decaying ship debris will provide you with essential items and equipment.
2. Overgrown Ruins and the Dank Crypt
Once the beach is looted clean, the next area you should explore is directly northeast to the Overgrown Ruins, the entrance to your first proper dungeon area known as the Dank Crypt. This is one of the essential early areas where you will encounter Bandits, collect treasure, and solve a few simple puzzles. You can sometimes avoid combat by using persuasion, or you can fight enemies and gain experience points. An essential Baldur's Gate 3 NPC called Withers, who will help you bring dead characters back to life and change the character class, will also be introduced to you inside.
Key objectives here include:
- Enlisting companions such as Shadowheart and Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion near the impact area.
- During the ruins, we find another recruitable companion, Gale, stuck inside a portal.
These companions help you in battle and thus are essential to your party even before heading deeper into the Baldur's Gate 3.
Emerald Grove (Druid's Grove)
After taking your team out of the ruins, head north to the Emerald Grove, where you will be introduced to a crucial faction in Act 1, the Druids. Emerald Grove is in a war between the Tiefling residents and their goblin enemies. You will meet people like Wyll, a Warlock, whom you can hire, and start exploring the big picture surrounding the grove.
In the grove, you will:
- Collect missions such as stopping the possible goblin invasion.
- Meet the merchants to buy out caught-up materials, which would better bear for the upcoming journey.
Since helping the Baldur's Gate 3 Druids and Tieflings might yield more quest opportunities later on, players need help remembering such a hub before venturing to more dangerous places.
4. Blighted Village and Owlbear Nest
From the Emerald Grove, you should aim next for the Blighted Village, which lies west of the grove. However, this region has been infested by goblins, and you should move past them stealthily so as not to instigate any combat. There are also quests here, including one with a gnome tied to the windmill and the abandoned wine cellar with the magic book. The Blighted Village also has challenging battles, such as a Well full of spiders and difficult enemies.
There’s also a special fight that occurs here with a rather fearsome owlbear, which, although it is a tough fight, makes one want to attempt it with the prospect of good rewards from the loot.
The Risen Road and Karlach
If you’re ready for even more challenging battles, the Risen Road has another adventure where you recruit Karlach, one of the strongest Barbarians, into your party. More powerful enemies, such as the fearsome Paladins of Tyr, may challenge you in this location.
Although it’s a good idea to be wary once the Baldur’s Gate 3 combat difficulty increases, players who want to see everything in Act 1 will be well-prepared before they come here and ensure the party is well-equipped.
Goblin Camp: Choices and Consequences
One of the main final destinations in the first part of the game is the Goblin Camp, which you can find west of the Blighted Village. This region is full of choices and quests, where one player can consider whether to help the Baldur’s Gate 3 goblins or help the Druids with Emerald Grove.
Finishing this area will also unlock an important storyline between two meaningful characters, Minthara and Halsin, who can impact the game’s key storyline.
Underdark or Mountain Pass?
When you finish your goals at the Goblin Camp in Baldur’s Gate 3, you have two essential options: the Mountain Pass or the Underdark. While the two paths will lead you deeper into the game, some players prefer the Underdark to the Mountain Pass due to its exciting rewards and adventure. It has unique enemies as well as interesting backstories and excellent quest rewards.
FAQs
First, head to the Ravaged Beach, then travel early to Overgrown Ruins and Dank Crypt to obtain key companions and good early loot.
You can recruit Shadowheart, Baldur’s Gate Astarion, and Gale early on; they’re all close to the crash site and Overgrown Ruins.
Yes, Emerald Grove sets up the main characters and quests, which will determine the main conflict for Act 1.
Yes, Blighted Village is filled with side quests and challenges that you’ll be required to do to prepare for the more difficult Goblin Camp.
Conclusion
In Baldur’s Gate 3, exploration is important to maximize the opportunities in the game’s vast world. Following this guide, starting from Ravaged Beach, obtaining crucial companions in Overgrown Ruins and discovering Emerald Grove will guarantee this. The Blighted Village and Risen Road are also challenging, although these will prepare you for even more significant threats. It doesn’t matter whether you take the Mountain Pass route or the Underdark; the early choices you make in Baldur’s Gate 3 will considerably affect the course of your quest.
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