A little extra brainpower can be a game-changer! While navigating through the Mind Flayer Colony in the twilight hours of Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 2, solving a brain puzzle can unlock valuable rewards. Here’s your complete guide on tackling the brain puzzle in BG3.
Where to Locate the Brain Puzzle in BG3
The brain puzzle can be found in the Necrotic Laboratory of the Mind Flayer Colony, located at coordinates (X: 741, Y:-120). Before diving in, consider taking a short rest since you’ll face fierce enemies once you breach the fleshy doors of the lab.
Inside the laboratory, you’ll face a horde of undead foes including zombies, Winged Horrors, and a Death Shepherd. With numerous enemies at your back, be prepared for a challenging encounter unless you’re armed with plenty of area-of-effect (AoE) attacks.
How to Solve the Baldur’s Gate 3 Brain Puzzle
To complete the Necrotic Laboratory’s brain puzzle, your objective is to connect four types of nodes: Reason, Speech, Memory, and Emotion. These nodes, located near the main terminal, must be linked to their pairs on the opposite side of the brain without intersecting paths. This requires finding four distinct connections that do not interfere with each other.
The most straightforward pathway is the purple Reason node, which mostly charts a straight line but slightly veers right. Emotion has a similar approach, but it takes a broader leap to the left before settling at the bottom.
While there are various ways to tackle the puzzle, it can be challenging if your paths converge. Focus on nodes that have only one input for easy routing. Start with those before intricately weaving the remaining connections around them.
If you need a reference, here’s my completed version of the puzzle. It’s not overly complex but quite enjoyable as a logic exercise:
To facilitate movement within the puzzle, especially on consoles, press L3 for PlayStation or LS for Xbox to access camera controls. PC players can easily maneuver using WASD for movement, QE to rotate, and the mouse to drag nodes. If you require a different angle, pressing O on PC will provide a top-down view.
Rewards for Completing the Necrotic Laboratory Brain Puzzle
After successfully linking all nodes, the door at the back will open, granting you your first reward:
- Blade of Oppressed Souls sword
- Circlet of Mental Anguish
- Braindrain Gloves
- Waking Mind
While the armor and weapon benefits are the standout rewards, don’t overlook the Waking Mind for an additional buff via the Slack-Skinned Head. There’s also a lore-rich wall carving you can interact with for those interested in exploring BG3’s rich world.
First on the list is the Blade of Oppressed Souls, an excellent choice for players who favor longswords. While it may lack significant perks, it does feature appealing stats:
- Versatile Longsword
- 1d10 (1d8) Slashing + 1d4 Psychic Damage
- Weapon Enchantment +1
This sword is a solid pick if you’re looking for a new weapon to deal bonus psychic damage. While it may not be the top-tier weapon in BG3, it’s certainly not the worst either.
Additionally, the Circlet of Mental Anguish grants the Psychic Leech passive ability. When worn, you’ll regain 1 to 4 HP whenever an enemy fails a Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom saving throw against your spells and cantrips. If your party frequently utilizes spells from the Enchantment, Illusion, or Necromancy schools, this circlet will greatly enhance your offensive capabilities.
Finally, we have the Braindrain Gloves, which offer the Mental Interference innate ability. These gloves inflict Mental Fatigue to opponents whenever psychic damage is dealt. Mental Fatigue imposes a -1 penalty on Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom saving throws, and any enemy who fails these throws while affected risks taking 1 to 4 Psychic damage if they have five or more turns remaining. Combine these gloves with the Circlet of Mental Anguish, and you’ll create a potent strategy that capitalizes on various saving throws.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the Brain Puzzle in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The Brain Puzzle in Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place in the Necrotic Laboratory and requires players to connect specific types of neural nodes without intersecting paths to access rewards.
Where can I find the Necrotic Laboratory?
The Necrotic Laboratory is located in the Mind Flayer Colony, specifically at coordinates (X: 741, Y:-120).
What rewards do I receive for completing the brain puzzle?
Completing the brain puzzle rewards players with items such as the Blade of Oppressed Souls, Circlet of Mental Anguish, Braindrain Gloves, and Waking Mind.
How can I simplify the brain puzzle navigation on a controller?
To ease navigation for the brain puzzle on consoles, use L3 for PlayStation or LS for Xbox to enable camera controls, making it easier to move puzzle nodes.