How to Beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3 (Act 1) 

If you’ve spent any time exploring the map in Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3, odds are you’ve crossed paths with a sweet old woman named Auntie Ethel. She’s seems like a helpless old lady in need of some assistance. But don’t let the warm grandmother act fool you, this is one of the most deceptive and dangerous enemies in the early game. Behind that charming smile lies a twisted hag with powerful magic, deadly illusions, and a personal torture chamber tucked beneath her cozy tea house. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to defeat Auntie Ethel, rescue Mayrina, and walk away with one of the best rewards in Act 1: a permanent +1 to any ability score of your choice.

Where to Find Auntie Ethel and Start the Save Mayrina Quest

You can first encounter Auntie Ethel near the the Sunlit Wetlands, a deceptively named, illusion-shrouded area just south of the Blighted Village. She’s arguing with a pair of brothers who are accusing her of taking their sister to which she insists she hasn’t seen the woman and expects you to defend her. Surprise Surprise though, she’s lying. Depending on what the player chooses to say, She’ll get salty and tell you’re character they better apologize if they ever come around again. Then she disappears. After she’s gone, speak to the brothers. This is where you can pick up the “Save Mayrina” side quest. If you don’t encounter her here and end up going straight to her Riverside Tea House you can trigger the quest there too by interacting with her inside. If possible go ahead and kill the Redcaps out in the swamp to prevent them from aiding Auntie Ethel later.

When you speak with her here, as always, your choices matter.If you press her about Mayrina or show any interest in interfering with her business, Ethel will quickly teleport Mayrina away. She seems to teleport her away regardless of what option you choose. There is a major decision to make here. She will try to make a deal with you. She wants your eye in exchange for removing the parasite. See our other guide for more information on whether or not to give her your eye.

Should You Give Auntie Ethel Your Eye?

If you press her hard enough about Mayrina, she will get angry and reveal her true form and start a fight with your party. Alternatively, you can decline her deal and poke around her fireplace and find her secret door. This also sets off a fight. If you killed the redcaps earlier then they won’t be assisting Ethel. If you didn’t, that’s ok too, just kill them now. Ethel will retreat into the hidden door in the fireplace on her turn.

Getting Past The Door In Auntie Ethel’s Lair

After Ethel disappears, you’ll gain access to the Overgrown Tunnel beneath the tea house. This area is full of illusions, traps, and toxic hazards. The first section of the tunnel has Ethel’s other victims inside. The way forward is a giant tree door, talk to him and you’ll learn that the door is just an illusion. Move the camera into the darkness behind him and click a spot. Your party will run through the door and the area will be revealed.

 

Exploring the Overgrown Tunnel and Surviving Her Traps

You’ll first encounter a group of strange NPCs wearing Whispering Masks. Ethel uses it to mind-control them. If you picked up the masks from the table in the first room of the lair, be careful if you choose to put it on. You can be mind-controlled into attacking your own party. The best course of action is to defeat the masked figures quickly, prioritizing the healer among them to avoid prolonged combat. Once they’re defeated, continue deeper into the tunnel. You can also choose to knock them out by using non-lethal attacks if you would prefer.

The Overgrown Tunnel is one of the most treacherous parts of the quest. Poison vents line the narrow hallways, and explosive flowers threaten to set your party ablaze. You’ll need a character with high Perception to spot the traps, and you can use barrels, crates, or even your own spells to block poison clouds. Carefully make your way through, disarming hazards as you go. If you rush, it’s easy to lose party members before the real fight even begins. Jumping is also an option but be prepared to take fall damage in some areas too.

The Boss Fight with Auntie Ethel : Phases and Strategy

Eventually, you’ll find yourself in a large chamber where Ethel is holding Mayrina in a cage suspended over a chasm. This is where the real battle begins. Ethel isn’t just a high-level spellcaster she’s also a trickster, and her combat style reflects that. When the fight starts, she will clone herself, creating three or more identical illusions. All of them appear to be casting spells and taking turns, but only one is real.

To handle this, bring spells like Magic Missile, fireball, or other ranged spells. Astarion is especially helpful for this battle since he has a nice ranged attack.. Once all the illusions are gone, you’ll be able to focus on the real Auntie Ethel. However, she’s not going to make it easy for you. She’ll set Mayrina’s cage on fire. If you don’t act fast, Mayrina will die before you can rescue her. You can use Create Water or throw a water bottle at the cage to put it out. Timing is everything here. If you hesitate, the reward may slip away.

Once Mayrina is safe, the final phase of the fight kicks in. Ethel will teleport, cast debuffs, and use her hag magic to disorient your party. She will also teleport Mayrina out of her cage and disguise herself to look like her. It can be difficult to tell the real Mayrina from The Hag, however there are ways. If you examine their stats, you can tell Mayrina, level 1, from Ethel, level 5. Mayrina also has a baby bump that you can make out whereas Ethel does not.

Once Auntie Ethel’s health is nearly gone, she will halt the battle and proposition you. She’ll offer you power in exchange for being allowed to keep Mayrina and the baby. Players can choose to take her up on her offer, save Mayrina, or kill Auntie Ethel. Every option has a different outcome and a moral dilemma. See our other guide on which choice results in which rewards.

Whichever you choose, be thorough in your exploration of her lair after the fight, there are other goodies to find and chests to raid.

This quest is a perfect introduction to the choices that you must make in this game and the consequences that will follow you through the entire game and shape future encounters. It also shapes the kind of person your character is.

Stick around for more BG3 quest guides!