Raphael is an important NPC in Baldur’s Gate 3 who leaves quite an impression on players from the initial stages of BG3 due to his charisma and suspicious nature. Raphael offers players a deal in Baldur’s Gate 3 to remove the parasite from their brain and avoid their inevitable fate of turning into a mind-flayer, a fate no different than death. Regardless of what dialogue you choose in Act 1 and Act 2, the full extent of his ambition will remain somewhat elusive.
Once you begin Act 3, however, Raphael makes his terms quite clear. After reaching the town of Rivington, you can find Raphael in the Sharess’ Caress brothel, somewhere on the second floor. This is where the real extent of Raphael’s deal in BG3 comes into play.
At this point of the story, you must find a way to free Prince Orpheus from the bindings that trap him, and Raphael is all too eager to assist you, in exchange for a favor. But as with any deal with the devil, there is always a sinister catch. So we are here to help you decide if you should accept Raphael’s deal in Baldur’s Gate 3 or not.
What happens if you accept Raphael’s deal
If you accept Raphael’s deal, you are immediately given the Orphic Hammer to free Prince Orpheus. The hammer itself is quite a solid addition to your arsenal too and taking it up also eliminates certain steps in getting a powerful sword for Lae’zel, assuming you agreed to help Voss.
In exchange, however, you will then have to follow through with your end of the bargain i.e., killing the Elder Brain and handing over the crown of control to Raphael, allowing him to rule all the realms. Suffice it to say, this is not a desirable outcome for any of the tenants of the world. Unless you’re going for an anarchy route in which case indulge your dark desires to the fullest.
What happens if you reject Raphael’s deal
Raphael will refuse to give you the Orphic Hammer. Apart from being denied the benefits listed prior, you’ll also have to find another way to free Orpheus. This path typically means having to either sacrifice one of your teammates, or your own character or give the nether stones to The Emperor.
So make a deal with Raphael or not?
Ultimately the choice falls on whether you’d prefer to go the anarchy route or the paragon route. Personally, I would say it’s best to accept Raphael’s deal. Your party members will not approve, however, unbeknownst to them, you’re playing the long con here by opting not to follow through with the deal to the end while reaping the benefits.
You may wrestle with a personal ethical dilemma here, but in my opinion, committing a minor evil against a major evil isn’t bad at all, especially when you consider his plans. You can cancel the deal midway after getting the Orphic hammer.
If you don’t plan on honoring your end of the bargain, once Raphael gives you the Orphic Hammer you can go to the House of Hope and destroy your contract there so Raphael has no hold over you. Alternatively, you can outright refuse Raphael’s deal and simply steal the hammer from the House of Hope. Both of these outcomes will result in you going up in a fight against Raphael.
While Raphael is arguably one of the toughest bosses in Baldur’s Gate 3 (666 HP), the visit to House of Hope and the boss fight is totally worth it. Not only are you treated to an amazing soundtrack during the boss fight, sung by Raphael himself, but this path also allows you to get Gauntlet of Hill Giant Strength, Amulet of Greater Health, Gloves of Soul Catching, and the Helldusk Armor set. This is also the only way to get Yurgir as an ally.
