How to Free Shadowheart on the Ship in Baldur’s Gate 3 for the “Rescue the Illithid’s Prisoner” Quest
You will need a bit of cleverness and a couple of skill checks to free Shadowheart on the ship in Baldur’s Gate 3 for the “Rescue the Illithid’s Prisoner” quest. Therefore, it’s best to save your game beforehand, so you can reload if something goes wrong.
Path for Most Classes
For all classes (except “Barbarian”), there is only one way to rescue Shadowheart from the Illithid pod—by using the console located nearby.
Detailed Instructions:
- Inspect the console to the right. Shadowheart herself will point it out if you talk to her. The main character will notice that there is a slot.
- Go to the room located to the right of the console.
- Inside, go to the farthest part and find a bloody corpse named “Dead Thrall.”
- Inspect the body and take the “Eldritch Rune.”
- Return to the device near Shadowheart’s pod and insert the rune. Save your game again here, as you will need to pass two checks: “Arcana” (10) and “Illithid Wisdom” (2). If you fail, you will not be able to free Shadowheart.
After passing the tests, the cleric will be freed from captivity and join your party.
For the Class “Barbarian”
If you chose the “Barbarian” class at the beginning of the game, you can pull Shadowheart out of the pod without the rune, using only your brute strength.
- Be sure to save before talking to her.
- In dialogue with the cleric, choose the option marked “Barbarian,” after which a strength check (10) will occur.
- The lid will not move on the first attempt, but don’t give up. Choose the “Barbarian” option again for another strength check (10).
- After successfully rolling the d20, the main character will rip the lid off the pod, freeing Shadowheart. She will then join your party just as in the previous method.
Video Guide:
If You Don’t Rescue Her
Many players wonder what happens if you don’t rescue Shadowheart on the ship, which is especially relevant for the “Tactician” difficulty where there is only one save slot.
Surprisingly, the cleric won’t die but can be found in the northern part of the beach near a locked door. Here, you can talk to Shadowheart and invite her to join your party.
