Baldur’s Gate 3 Dank Crypt – our guide to clearing its traps and secrets (BG3)

Looking for a Baldur’s Gate 3 Dank Crypt guide? This location near Ravaged Beach can be frustrating to new players. The Investigate the Ruins quest can be done in a variety of ways without losing your companions.

You should have met some Baldur’s Gate 3 companions by now. Your party should have also leveled up to get a few upgrades. Here’s how you can safely complete the quests while uncovering the location’s secret items and solving its puzzle. Our Baldur’s Gate 3 review sheds more light on how the game champions player choice.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Dank Crypt walkthrough

After waking up in the Ravaged Beach, head northeast to meet Shadowheart. She’ll be trying to get through a door to enter the Overgrown Ruins. There are four ways of getting into the Overgrown Ruins:

• Ancient Door – This is where you’ll meet Shadowheart. It’s got a high lockpicking threshold so most players won’t be able to get through this way. But even if you do get lucky, I’d advise against going this way. You can leave the Dank Crypt this way from the other side.
• Falling through a Hole in the Floor – North of the Overgrown Ruins waypoint, you’ll spot the Chapel Entrance. You’ll see Gimblebock and Taman here, bandits who are trying to enter the ruins. While you can fight them, it’s easier to use Persuasion or Intimidation to send them away. Once that’s done, shoot the coiled rope connected to a rock hanging above some cracked tiles. Remember that this is a one-way trip. You’ll take fall damage and land right on some unsuspecting bandits. It’ll be a tough fight so I wouldn’t recommend this route either.

• Wooden Hatch – Head east from the massive statue at the Chapel Entrance. A narrow path will lead you to a locked Wooden Hatch. You can open it with Thieves’ Tools, granting you access to the Dank Crypt.
• Ornate Door – if you manage to shake off or defeat Gimblebock and Taman, you’ll find an Ornate Door north of the Chapel entrance. Andorn is on the other side. You can either lockpick the door or Persuade Andorn to open it for you. You’ll have to fight him once you enter. A nearby room has the rest of his party so stay at high health before exploring rooms. This is the bedchamber.

Best companions for BG3 Dank Crypt

Even on the medium difficulty, the Dank Crypt can prove to be a challenge. Here are our top picks for the best companions to bring along as you raid the Dank Crypt:

• Lae’zel – She’s a powerful combatant who can take damage as she knocks enemies out.
• Astarion – The sneaky one can disarm traps and pick locks for you. Catch the enemy off-guard and you should be able to land a Sneak Attack too.
• Shadowheart – Keep your party in good health with her healing spells and defensive options.
• Gale – While he isn’t my top pick, his versatility can come in handy. Area-damage spells can make short work of the foes you’ll find in the Dank Crypt.

How to make it through the Bedchamber before the Dank Crypt

You’ll have to take on five bandits here. It won’t be an easy fight so stock up on potions. You can also stack up crates for cover near the entrance. Try to eliminate the ranged enemy Torgga because they’re lethal in combat. I recommend taking advantage of Astarion’s Sneak Attacks to thin them out. Gale’s Grease spell can make enemies slip and a Fireball cantrip can turn it into a barbecue pit. Remember that the Help action can be used to bring back unconscious companions.

Once the combat is done, you’ll find a locked door south of the bedchamber. A character will remark that it has ‘No lock, no handle. How does it open?’ Return to the bedchamber and walk around the statue. Your characters will automatically perform passive perception checks. If anyone in your party clears it, you’ll find a skull-shaped lever. Pull this to unlock the door that leads to the Dank Crypt. If you fail this check, the Wooden Hatch route is your best bet to head to the Dank Crypt.

Entering the Dank Crypt in Baldur’s Gate 3

You’ll find a couple of chests once you enter the Baldur’s Gate 3 Dank Crypt. You’ll also spot two Heavy Oak Doors. While one of them is locked, I’d suggest going through the open doors instead of trying to lockpick the locked ones. Retrieving the key to it is simply easier. The unlocked doors lead you to the Sarcophagus room. It’s got a trap waiting for you and here’s how you can outwit it.

How to escape the Sarcophagus Room trap in the Dank Crypt

Be careful of the yellow circles marked above. These have Vents that will release Grease if they are stepped on. Gargoyle Heads will then fire bolts of flame through the room, igniting the ground. Passive perception checks will let you discover these locations so proceed with caution. You can loot the sarcophagi on the side without any issues. One of them will have a Soul Coin, granting Inspiration for characters of the Noble background like Astarion.

But opening the one in the middle will spring the trap if you haven’t deactivated it. The blue circle marked above shows a button that can be used to deactivate this trap. Unfortunately, I didn’t clear the perception check. Instead, I sent a lone character to open it. While the trap knocked Astarion unconscious, I was able to heal him and this let him run across the grease. Luckily, he didn’t slip.

Here are some solid options if you’re struggling with the Sarcophagus Room in the Dank Crypt:

• Press the button on the pillar to disable the trap after it is triggered. Gale’s Mage Hand can help here. You can shoot it too.
• Disarm the vents or block them with vases or crates.
• Use the Create/Destroy Water spell to clear the grease.

The central sarcophagus contains The Watcher’s Guide spear and an Engraved Key. This magic spear grants the wielder an advantage to hit any targets they just missed. The latter lets you open the locked Heavy Oak Doors. This connecting room has the following rewards:

• A gilded chest with a Ruby Ring. You can find it near the East wall.
• A book next to the chest titled “On Death and Resurrection.”
• An opulent chest on the other side with 20 Gold.
• One last chest with three spell scrolls.

The door at the south of this chamber is the Ancient Door. Head outside and you’ll see the place where you first met Shadowheart.

How to clear the Entombed Scribes Room fast in BG3 Dank Crypt

Walk through the unlocked Heavy Oak Doors into the next room, a massive space with a statue of Jergal (passive Religion check). You’ll spot Gilded Chests and dead Entombed Scribes. Loot their corpses, even if you don’t find them valuable. You’ll find a hole in the east wall that leads to a ladder. This takes you back to the Wooden Hatch. As for the west, there’s another room full of sarcophagi but without a trap. A Heavy Chest and the Book of Dead Gods await you.

You can use Arcana, Strength, or Dexterity to open it. Inside, you’ll find another sheet that requires a Religion check. Decipher it to get a spell scroll. Opening this book is an Inspiration goal for some of the Baldur’s Gate 3 backgrounds like the Acolyte and Sage.

Where is the Hidden Room in the Dank Crypt in Baldur’s Gate 3

Go back to the main room and head northeast. A passive perception check will reveal a button. Push it to open a hidden door. This also brings the Entombed Scribes to life.

✓ Antony’s annotation

Take weapons off these corpses before they come to life

Taking away their gear makes this fight a breeze. As they stumble to get to you, use ranged attacks to finish the Entombed Scribes.

These five Entombed Scribes shouldn’t be too much of an issue because you’ve already looted their weapons. Just remember that the mages can still use their spells. Inside the hidden room, open the Heavy Chest for 93 Gold and The Amulet of Lost Voices. It’s a Very Rare item that lets the wearer cast Speak with Dead, a level 3 spell. This also grants Inspiration to characters with the Acolyte background.

Interact with the Richly Adorned Sarcophagus. This will introduce you to the Hooded Skeleton. Named Withers, you don’t have to attack him. He’ll head to your camp, where you can pay up 200 gold to resurrect fallen members. While Baldur’s Gate 3 companions are durable and can be helped after being knocked unconscious, they can still die.

How to exit the Dank Crypt in Baldur’s Gate 3

Leave the Dank Crypt by the way you came. Alternatively, you can head East from the Jergal statue to a river. Here, there’s a hatch that gets you outside the area.

Is the Dank Crypt worth it in BG3

With loads of rewards and foes, this is a good opportunity to understand all the underlying mechanics of Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s also a test of your mind and the skills of your companions. Each of them will help clear the Dank Crypt, from tackling traps to foes and locks. This line of thinking will help across all of the Baldur’s Gate 3 Acts.

That wraps up the Dank Crypt in Baldur’s Gate 3. It also ends the ‘Investigate the Ruins’ quest. It’s a classic Dungeons & Dragons experience that will please both newcomers and players returning from earlier Baldur’s Gate titles. Check out our thorough Baldur’s Gate 3 character creation and How to get into the Goblin Camp in Baldur’s Gate 3 guides for more on the game. The game is already out on PC and PlayStation 5. A host of updates, including customization ones, make it a must-play title.

FAQ

What does button in dank crypt do in BG3?

This deactivates the traps after you trigger them in BG3.

How do you investigate the sarcophagus in BG3?

Deactivate the traps or block the vents before investigating the sarcophagus in BG3.