If you decide to ally with Orin the Red, or you don’t pass the test to be Gortash’s ally, then you’ll have to face him in battle. While neither fight is simple, the Steel Watchers prove to be a nuisance against Gortash. This guide covers how to find and beat Lord Gortash in Baldur’s Gate 3 and take his Netherstone for yourself.
How to Find and Beat Lord Gortash in Baldur’s Gate 3
The battle with Lord Gortash can be skipped if you take Orin’s Netherstone to him and pass his test to ally with him. Choosing this route doesn’t force you to control the Absolute like he wants.
Lord Gortash’s Location
Lord Gortash is at Wyrm’s Rock Fortress, the same place where you witnessed him become an archduke. Return to the audience hall and use the door to the right of the throne to go outside and up a floor. You’ll find Gortash in the big building in the center of the area. Speak with him and threaten him if you have Orin’s stone. Otherwise, he’ll be hostile when you talk to him to begin with.
Handle the Steel Watchers
If you’ve disabled the Steel Watch, the fight is easier since they won’t be part of it. However, you can also choose to fight the Steel Watchers that are outside before facing Gortash. Keep your party members separated, however, to avoid taking extra damage from the Steel Watcher’s Maim ability. Attacking them won’t trigger Gotash and the enemies in his room to join the fight, so you can divide and conquer his forces. This way, only one Steel Watcher will be in the fight later.
Mind the Traps
There are also traps scattered around the first room that are annoying, but you can disarm them before speaking with Gortash and he doesn’t seem to care. Just be careful because they explode when disarmed.
When you start the fight, use Lightning Damage on the Force Curtains if you can to prevent Gortash from shielding. Then, kill Gortash within the first two or three turns to avoid facing his stronger tyrant form. High-level spells like Magic Missile, Disintegrate, and Blight are incredibly useful here.
Then, you need to clean up the rest of the enemies. The humanoid enemies are rather squishy, unlike the Steel Watchers, so you can burst them down. After that, loot Lord Gortash’s body to take his Netherstone, which might be the last you need before facing the Netherbrain. Otherwise, you’ll need to head to the Temple of Bhaal and meet with Orin.
That covers how to find and beat Lord Gortash in Baldur’s Gate 3. Keep in mind that the Steel Watchers will be hostile to you after this point if they’re still active. From there, head to our BG3 guides hub for topics like how to find the Bhaalist Temple and how to defeat Orin the Red, which may be your next tasks.
