In Baldur’s Gate 3
Carniss is a mad drow-spider cursed by his goddess Lolth and sworn to serve the Absolute. He helps new adepts reach the Moon Towers using the Moon Lantern.
Peaceful Encounter
In the first act, you can find a unique lyre that helps summon a guide named Carniss through the Shadow-Cursed lands. The Spider Lyre can be found in the goblin camp with Minthara or obtained from Loyal Nere in Grymforge.
To use the Spider Lyre, you must travel through the Shadow-Cursed lands via the Mountain Pass (Rosymorn Monastery Runic Circle).
Finally, in the Shadow-Cursed lands, an orc named Kanseef will wait for you, offering assistance if convinced that you are adepts of the Absolute.
IMPORTANT! The Spider Lyre to summon the guide can only be used in a dialogue with Kanseef, otherwise, it will be useless.
After a charisma check (difficulty 25), we will immediately see the mad Carniss holding the Moon Lantern. If you fail the check while playing the melody on the Spider Lyre, Carniss will irritably comment on it but still guide you to the towers.
He asks that you follow him and never leave the lantern’s light on the way to the Moon Towers.
Midway, a group of Harpers will attack. At this point, you can join them or side with the Absolute. To continue with Carniss, you must defend the caravan and kill the Harpers. Of course, most companions will not like this approach.
After the battle, talk to the drow again to continue to the Moon Towers. Upon arrival, Carniss will leave you. However, even in a peaceful scenario, a battle with Carniss is unavoidable. The drow will help Ketheric Thorm fight in the finale of Act 2.
The Path through “Last Light”
If you head to the Shadowed Lands through Grymforge, you will meet Harpers almost at the very beginning. After a small fight with shadows, they escort you to a safe haven — the “Last Light” tavern. There, the Harpers and familiar tieflings (if they survived in the Emerald Grove) gather.
Only if you saved Isobel from Marcus at the tavern, the Harpers will invite you to attack a caravan led by the drow Carniss.
Upon reaching the ambush site, you will see Carniss passing by with his entourage.
Battle with Carniss
You can immediately attack the Absolute’s minions by choosing this option in dialogue with Carniss or by failing one of the checks.
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Main Battle Points
Before the battle, we advise stocking up on potions of mental resistance, because:
- The half-spider has a passive feature “Web Fanaticism,” which allows his allies to deal additional psychic damage.
- Carniss has a high armor class and a unique sword called “Ruthless Sting” with a damage of 2-16, having both slashing and additional psychic damage, as well as an additional action “Sticky Webs.”
- In battle, the drow actively uses the spell “Sanctuary,” meaning you cannot attack him until he deals damage to an opponent.
- While Carniss is in Sanctuary, focus on other enemies or use area-effect spells.
The good news is that the drow himself has no resistance to any type of damage.
Effective spells against Carniss in Baldur’s Gate 3 include:
- Spells that cannot be blocked or avoided, such as “Cloud of Daggers,” which will steadily decrease his HP even if Carniss uses “Sanctuary,” as it is an area spell.
- The spell “Daylight, Sphere,” since Carniss is sensitive to it.
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Battle in “Valor” and “Tactician” Mode
At the “Tactician” difficulty level, Carniss gains the ability “Culling the Weak,” allowing additional damage to targets with less than 50% health.
At the “Valor” difficulty level, a “Legendary Action: Fanatical Retribution” is added, which can be used once per round. This action silences the opponent and can inflict 6-60 points of psychic damage when one of Carniss’s allies, affected by “Web Fanaticism,” is killed.
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Reward
After defeating Carniss in BG3, you can loot from him:
- The Moon Lantern — Here you have the choice to release the pixie from the Moon Lantern or not.
- A rare longsword “Ruthless Sting” — its uniqueness lies in the following:
- It deals not only physical damage but also psychic damage. If you play as a drow elf, it also deals additional acid damage.
- It gives the owner the ability to use the “Sticky Webs” spell (1 round). On a hit, it can entangle an opponent in webbing for 10 turns.
You can also use the spell “Speak with Dead” to ask the drow five questions, provided he was killed by Harpers and not by you.
Negotiation
To avoid a long battle, you can use cunning and try to persuade Carniss to give you the Moon Lantern. Choose the following dialogue options:
- Clear your throat to get his attention.
- The Absolute was my guardian.
- [Deception] The Absolute led me to you. She ordered me to take the lantern. — (Difficulty 14).
- [Deception] You are blessed by the Absolute. You’ll be fine. — (Difficulty 14).
Carniss will hand over the lantern and continue in horror with his caravan without any protection from the curse.
In this case, you may encounter them later in the town of Reithwin, near Ketheric Thorm’s statue. Dealing with the group will be easier using light and radiant damage spells, as all of them will have become shadow-cursed undead.
