Soft-Step Trial is part of a series of trials that check your cunning, intelligence, and strength in Baldur’s Gate 3. Like any other good RPG, this game is choke full of puzzles that can be attempted and completed in various ways.
Soft-Step trial is all about stealth. This puzzle checks your ability to deceive your enemies and remain hidden from them however possible. In this guide, we will tell you multiple ways of tackling this trial. If you don’t mind a bit of cheating, we also have a cheese method.
How to start Soft-Step trial in BG3
The Soft-Step Trial is in the Gauntlet of Shar, which is itself a part of the Thorm Mausoleum. This trial is compulsory if you want to progress through the main campaign. To start the Gauntlet of Shar, you first need to reach the Shadow Cursed Lands in Act 2 by venturing through the Underdark or the Mountain Pass.
Find Thorm Mausoleum and complete its puzzle to gain access to the Gauntlet of Shar. Soft-Step Trial will probably be the first one you will attempt here to get an Umbral Gem and proceed with the story in Baldur’s Gate 3.
How to complete Baldur’s Gate 3 Soft-Step Trial
You will only need one party member, and since this one is a stealth trial, choose the one who is the best, Astarion. You can find a Thieves toolkit near the third door. Go to the sacrifice bowl and sacrifice your blood. This will take only 1HP, and then the trial will start.
Once you start the Soft-Step trial in BG3, you will notice an entity named Shadow lurking in the corridor. It would be best if you hid from it. If it sees you, you must start again. Cast a spell-like Pass without Trace or Blessings of the Trickster. This is to increase your stealth and make the trial a little easier.
Follow these steps to complete the trial.
- Start the trial from the door on the goddess statue’s left.
- Go North (straight) and cross the opened door.
- Now, turn right and enter the room in front of you. This room has a lever (X: -803, Y: -751). Pull it to open a partition wall.
- Enter the next room on the left to obtain the Soft-Step Trial key.
- Now, turn back and go past the room where the lever was. Push the button (X: -801, Y: -753) on the wall to open another wall in front of you.
- Keep going straight through the maze until you reach the dead end. Turn left to climb some stairs, and a locked Wrought-Iron gate will be in front of you.
- You can lockpick the gate (DC10) or use the key you found earlier.
- Pick up the Umbral Gem as a reward from the Ancient Altar to complete the trial.
This will complete the Soft-Step trial in BG3, and you will return to the starting location.
There is a method to cheese this trial. Ungroup a party member with a good Dexterity ability score (Astarion) and send them to the end of the maze. Now, start the trial with another character and pick the lock of the Wrought Iron Gate with Astarion. You can also pick the Soft-Step trial key on your way to the end before starting the trial.
