Of all the bizarre things in Baldur’s Gate 3, nothing can top the fact that you can talk to dead creatures. However, this feat can only be achieved using a level 3 necromancy spell, Speak with the Dead. This spell leads to amusing and heartbreaking situations while helping you learn secrets from the dead.
There are some limitations to using the spell and speaking with the dead in Baldur’s Gate 3. You can only use this spell on one dead body per long rest, and they must have a working mouth (Creatures killed with acid or fire won’t respond). You can’t speak with the undead.
In this guide, we will explain how to acquire this spell or even talk to the dead without using it.
Using The Amulet of Lost Voices
Your best bet to gain the Speak with the Dead spell is to find and equip The Amulet of Lost Voices. Luckily, this amulet can be equipped by any class and is available as soon as you start Act 1.
From the crash site, go North to find the Overgrown Ruins. Near the waypoint, there is a locked Ancient Door, which you can open with a lockpick by passing a DC10 dexterity check. This will lead you to the Dank Crypt.
Inside the crypt, go to the hall with a massive statue. Climb the stairs to its right and pass a religion check to find a button. This will start a fight with some undead soldiers. Enter the room after defeating them and open the treasure chest to find The Amulet of Lost Voices. It allows you to use the spell as a cantrip (unlimited uses).
Reading Necromancy of Thay book
You can find the Necromancy of Thay book from the Blighted Village as part of the Search the Cellar quest. Enter the Apothecary’s House to find the wooden hatch. This will lead you to the Ornate Mirror and, ultimately, to a locked cell with the book.
However, you can only unlock this book with a keygem known as Dark Amethyst. Upon opening the book, you can only read it halfway through to gain the Speak with the Dead spell in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Having a Wizard in your party
You can learn the Speak with the Dead spell with a Wizard when they hit level 5. However, casting this spell will cost you a level 3 slot. You can follow our guide to level up faster to achieve your goal.
Using Scrolls
The easiest way to Speak with the Dead in Baldur’s Gate 3 is to find the scrolls. These Speak with the Dead scrolls are extremely common, and there is one guaranteed inside the Whispering Depths. You can use them on dead bodies with any character from your party. However, one scroll can only be used once.
Best Uses of Speak with the Dead spell
While you can use the spell to talk to any dead body, some interactions are more important than the rest. These interactions will directly tie into your various quests and allow you to find secrets that will otherwise be lost.
- You can talk to Miri inside Waukeen’s Rest during the Rescue the Trapped Man quest. She will give you the location of the dowry you need to complete the quest.
- If you find Rugan and Olly dead on the Risen Road, talk to Rugan to Find the Missing Shipment and the password for Zhentarim Hideout.
- Waking up Art Cullagh in the Last Light Inn during Act 2 is pivotal to completing Halsin’s companion quest. However, you can speak with his dead body if he dies to obtain the information and continue the quest.
- Talk to Ffion inside Fraygo’s Flophouse during Investigate the Murders’ side quest to learn about her killer. This will also connect with your main quest to find the Murder Tribunal and infiltrate the Temple of Bhaal.
- You can talk to Johl and Demir’s dead bodies near the Putrid Bog area during the Save Mayrina quest. They are brothers of Mayrina and will warn you about poisonous water and apples in the area.
- Upon talking to Gortash’s body after killing him to obtain his netherstone, things will go south. Instead of Gortash, the ancient god Bane will answer your call and won’t be happy for killing his chosen one.
- After defeating Orin, you can talk to her mother, Helena’s dead body. She will tell you about Orin’s backstory and how Sarevok made her an unholy assassin and the champion of Bhaal.
- Once you kill Auntie Ethel, talking to her will result in unique dialogues. She will happily talk to her killer and promise you her return soon.
- You can talk to Yurgir’s bed inside the Gauntlet of Shar. This bed comprises the dead bodies of Dark justiciars and is one of the most disturbing sequences in Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Talking to Father Lorgan inside the Open Handle Temple will reveal the location of the basement where the killers are.
How to Recast Speak with Dead spell
If you use the Speak with the Dead spell and have run out of its uses, you can recast it manually. To do this, open the scroll wheel on consoles (R1/Rb) and press the Square/X button. This will allow you to add the Recast Speak with the Dead spell.
Add the Recast Speak with the Dead spell to your hot bar for PC. You can access it by pressing the K button on the keyboard and selecting it from the list of spells.
Speak with the Dead mod
A mod called Speak with the Dead Reworks and Tweaks is available on NexusMods. This mod bypasses the 5-question limit, talks to the same corpse again, makes the dead speak to its killer, and even allows you to speak to burnt bodies. However, as usual, we recommend using any mod at your own risk and backing up your saved data to ensure its safety.
