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One of the Difficult Choices in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3: Auntie Ethel’s Eye
One of the difficult choices in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3 revolves around Auntie Ethel’s eye, which she offers in exchange for curing the parasite. But should you agree to such a “generous” offer?
Benefits
If you agree to give your eye to Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3, you will receive the following benefits:
- Intimidation +1.
- After the witch fails to remove the larva from your brain, you can demand compensation for breach of contract. The witch will reluctantly give you the “Auntie Ethel’s Amulet,” which, when broken, grants bonuses to almost all characteristics, although these effects only last until a long rest.
- A unique dialogue line will appear when talking to the witch.
- You get to choose which eye to give up—right or left. Although the choice is illusory, it does slightly affect the character’s appearance.
- Once installed, the witch’s eye will have a white-green tint as if covered by a cataract. This is perfect for playing an evil character.
- If you already have Volo’s eye installed, the witch will refuse to place her eye on you. However, to not lose her benefit, she will offer to perform the “procedure” on someone else in your party.
Drawbacks
In Baldur’s Gate 3, Auntie Ethel’s eye comes with a lot of negative effects that make the game challenging:
- Disadvantage on Perception checks, which is quite useful for a comfortable playthrough.
- Disadvantage when attacking Auntie Ethel. Since there is only one such witch in BG3—Auntie Ethel—if you decide to fight her (which most players do), this will make it very difficult for your character.
- Lae’zel and Shadowheart, if they are in your party at that moment, will disapprove of this choice, affecting your relationships. Especially with the githyanki Lae’zel.
Conclusion
It is definitely not worth giving your eye to Auntie Ethel. The negative effects are too significant and persist until the end of BG3, and the rewards are laughable. However, you can obtain extremely valuable hair from Auntie Ethel at the end of the “Save Mayrina” quest if you conduct the dialogue correctly.
