In the final act of Baldur’s Gate 3, players can trespass into Raphael’s abode, the House of Hope, in Avernus. Doing so requires striking a deal with the owner of Devil’s Fee in the north of Lower City, who will open a portal to the area. Reaching the Boudoir at the northern end of the mansion will put you face-to-face with his personal Incubus, Harleep, in BG3.
True to their nature, the incubus molded in Raphael’s form is motivated only by sexual favors. Herein lies the dilemma: Should you sleep with Harleep for critical information or take your chances in battle? Worry not; we have weighed the payoffs and costs of the options so you can decide what works best.
What happens if you fight Harleep?
Rejecting a deal with the sketchy demon seems like the natural choice, especially considering how they tend to go south. If you decide to reject Harleep’s offer, get ready for an annoying battle. Harleep will start the battle with several imp minions capable of using Eldritch Blast.
The greatest threat, however, comes from the incubus’ own abilities, primarily Ethereal Escape and Incubus Charm. Incubus Charm will mind-control party members for three turns if they fail a Wisdom save.
Ethereal Escape triggers when you hit Harleep, making them immune to further damage for the rest of the turn. The combination of these spells and the imps makes this a tedious battle. Finishing off the imps and then focusing entirely on Harleep is key, at which point it’s a slow burn.
In any event, overcoming Harleep comes with a great set of rewards for your trouble. First off, you obtain the Helldusk Gauntlets, part of the coveted Helldusk set in Baldur’s Gate 3. The set itself grants a slew of benefits, ranging from High AC, flight, burning immunity, no proficiency requirements, etc.
Apart from that, you also obtain the key to Raphael’s safe, which hosts the coveted Orphic Hammer. The only downside is that you’ll have to find the safe yourself without any leads in the Boudoir. That said, some careful observation of Raphael’s paintings in this room may have a pleasant surprise waiting.
What happens if you sleep with Harleep in BG3?
For starters, Harleep can alter their gender to suit your fancy based on your preference. Doesn’t change much, but makes things more enticing if you swing the other way.
As for the choices that follow, you’ll have a chance to roll Wisdom or Performance (DC18) to reject their initial advances and a Constitution throw (DC25) to push them off, but doing so will be akin to rejecting the offer and leading back into battle. Also, note that failing the initial rolls may trigger a game over.
In any event, as you go along with Harleep’s whims in Baldur’s Gate 3, they will be satisfied and offer you one piece of information. Apart from the Hammer, you can also ask about Raphael’s performance in bed. This is the recommended option, as knowledge of his subpar performance can be used to rouse him in your subsequent encounter.
Don’t worry about missing out on the Hammer’s location since Harleep will share that tidbit as well soon after. He will also give you the key to unlock it, so that helps avoid the tedium of the battle if you’re not feeling up to it.
Bear in mind that avoiding the battle with Harleep in BG3 will prevent obtaining the Helldusk Gauntlets. Not only that but giving into Harleep’s whims will lead to something more inconvenient for the rest of your run.
As the incubus mentions, they will be allowed to copy your character’s physical form. What this implies is that every time the incubus has intercourse in your image, your character will feel it, too.
This will occur randomly throughout your playthrough. Any time it does, your character will have to roll a Constitution check to hide it. This leads to companion disapproval as well. Astarion happens to be an exception, though, expressing pity and empathy due to your plight.
In conclusion, it seems the benefits of fighting Harleep outweigh the rewards of romancing with them in BG3.
By defeating the incubus, you get the key to the safe for the Orphic Hammer and the Helldusk gauntlets. The only downside is having to find the safe yourself, but that’s hardly an inconvenience.
On the other hand, submitting nets you the key and the safe’s location and a humorous dialogue option for Raphael. However, you’ll have to say goodbye to the Helldusk gauntlets and risk public indecency for the rest of your playthrough.
