Games need more bizarre items like the Iron Flask in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of 2023’s biggest games. After years of polish as an Early Access title, the sprawling RPG delighted gamers with its approach to storytelling aided by player agency. By giving party members all kinds of ways to interact with its world, it triumphed where many RPGs stumble. One such agent of chaos is the Iron Flask in Baldur’s Gate 3.

There are plenty of legendary items in Baldur’s Gate 3. But while they’re all great tools, few have given me the satisfaction of using the Iron Flask. This fiendish item comes with a warning on the seal.

Its description reads ‘A flask that can hold friends and foes.’ Even before opening the flask, there are a bunch of things you can do with it. In true Baldur’s Gate 3 fashion, each of these choices has consequences. It’s remarkable how a silly flask in a chest can open up so many possibilities.

Use the Iron Flask’s surprise as a situational weapon

You can find the Iron Flask in an Act 1 quest titled Missing Shipment near the Risen Road. Just as Gnolls assault two traders hiding in a cave, you show up to save the day. The fight was rather memorable for me as my Bard cast Hypnotic Pattern on every foe in the area. I alluded to it in my elaborate Baldur’s Gate 3 review. Once you rescue the poor lads, you can speak your way into delivering the Strongbox. This is where you’ll get the Iron Flask. You can deliver it to Zarys like an obedient soul. But if you’re curious like me, you’d take a peek inside its contents.

The Iron Flask itself houses a menacing level 5 Beholder. Covered in eyes, this massive tentacle monster can clean your party out at lower levels. The Flask can be manually opened or thrown at an enemy to unleash the beast within. But since this imprisoned creature attacks anything, it can be turned into a weapon. A reusable Iron Flask mod even lets you go full ‘Baldurmon’ and capture enemies for your schemes later. Or you could give the flask to Gale for his ‘magic health condition.’ But that’s boring.

The best way to use the Iron Flask is during boss fights. Toss it while invisible to keep your party safe from the creature’s attacks. In addition to the experience points you’ll get from it, the Beholder can distract foes as you rain spells and arrows from safety. While it’s particularly useful in Act 1 areas like the Goblin Camp and the Underdark, it can help with endgame bosses too. 

✓ Antony’s annotation

Remember that you can only use the Iron Flask once

Once the cat is out of the bag, you can’t put them back in. The Iron Flask works the same way.

Is Orin’s Unstoppable ability making her fight a chore? Pop the flask and distract her as you deal consecutive attacks. Or are Ketheric Thorm and Gortash pinning you down? Use the same trick. Baldur’s Gate 3 has other weird items like the undressing Boots of Very Fast Blinking. It’s a nice way to keep a long RPG refreshing. While games like Yakuza and Bayonetta have used microwaves and hair respectively in battles, I’d love to see more developers put on their thinking hats for some unconventional warfare. The Iron Flask in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a reminder that everyone loves a surprise, even if it is hostile and has tentacles.