Help your Protector is a main story quest in BG3 that is directly related to the players’ character. This quest takes at the end of the second act, and it also reveals the true identity of both the Protector and the Absolute.
At this point in the game, you must have an idea of who the Absolute really is. It is just a massive brain that can control Mind Flayers at will. Apparently, Absolute itself is a pawn of some high entities who want to kill the Protector, also known as Guardian, once and for all in BG3.
How to help your Protector in Baldur’s Gate 3
The quest begins once you hit the sack in your camp near Wyrm’s Lookout (X: 358, Y: 13). As soon as you try to sleep, the narrator starts talking to you about the Absolute and your plans. As enticing as it seems to control the big brain by defeating Dead Three and use it to conquer the world, this is not the purpose of our guide. We recommend sticking with the following option.
- “When the moment comes, I will do what feels right”.
This will prompt the Absolute to attack your brain and try to subdue you. The Protector or the Guardian in BG3 will ask you to enter the Astral Plane with the help of the Artefact and help them. A Githyanki group ambushes you as you make your way to the portal. We recommend avoiding this fight to save resources and your party members and enter the Astral Plane.
Once inside the Astral Plane, you will come across a battle between Githyanki and Intellect Devourers. As we are to help the Protector in BG3, make sure to take down all Githyanki. Another cutscene begins.
Apparently, a mind flayer has taken a Githyanki prisoner and has the Gith in some sort of energy prison. The rest of Githyanki are attacking him to free their comrade. At this point, the mind flayer will reveal their identity. They are the Dream Visitor or Guardian that you made during character creation and has been protecting you from the Absolute’s influence all along. Carefully select the following options if you want to save your Protector in BG3.
- “Prove to me that you are who you say”.
- “How do I help?”
- “Join the mind flayer’s fight”.
This will earn you disapproval from Lae’zel and will hamper your chances to romance her. Defeat the Githyanki forces. This is an extremely difficult fight, and you need to be prepared properly. Try to keep Intellect Devourers alive to gain some advantage against the attacking Githyanki.
As the battle concludes, the Protector will once again subdue the Githyanki powering the machine that can thwart the Absolute’s control. Select the following option.
- “Tell me everything”.
The Protector will reveal that he was an adventurer like us in the past. Mind Flayers infected him with the parasite and turned him into one. However, he managed to break free of Absolute’s control and became the person known as the Emperor. Select the following option.
- “Lord Gortash was one of the chosen in the colony”.
- “I didn’t realize mind flayers can be independent thinkers”.
- “So, are you going to tell me what this battle was all about?”
The Protector will reveal Vlaakith’s plan and why it is important to keep the Githyanki prisoner in the Astral Realm. Now select the following dialogue options during Help Your Protector main quest in BG3.
- “Were you imprisoned here too?”
- “Was it you or Orpheus that Vlaakith wanted us to kill when she ordered us inside the prism?”
- “What happens if we free Orpheus?”
- “We are alike in other ways too”.
- “I am trying to avoid becoming a mind flayer. I thought you agreed to protect me”.
Rewards
As you have managed to help your Protector in BG3, he will offer you a choice. This choice involves you either accepting his gift or reject it. If you accept the gift by selecting “Do it. I like to evolve”, Protector will grant you additional Illithid powers at the cost of a minor change in your appearance. You need two select two more options.
- “Do as it say”.
- “Open your mind to the tadpole”.
You can also refuse the gift, but we strongly recommend against it. This will make you miss out on a lot of interesting Illithid powers and Astral-Touched tadpole (grants 5 additional points to invest in Illithid skills). Consuming this tadpole will turn you into a half-illithid as well as unlock the highest tier of Illithid Powers.
