Baldur’s Gate 3 has no shortage of memorable villains. From the cultists who worship the Dead Three to Orin’s own murderous theatrics, the game is full of larger-than-life foes who demand the spotlight. I’ve clashed with them all, and while their stories made for unforgettable boss battles, I often found myself more fascinated by the villains who lurk in the optional margins of the game.
Raphael dazzled me with his silver tongue and his theatrical (literally) boss battle. Cazador Szarr’s terrifying lairs proved quite intense for both combat and emotional toll. But despite the fantastic spectacle of these encounters, there’s one Baldur's Gate 3 enemy who lingered in my thoughts long after her fight was over. One foe I dreaded more than I cared to admit because her boss battles humbled me time and time again. That villain? Auntie Ethel.
Everyone loves a well-written villain—or at least a comical one. However, Auntie Ethel proves that the most unsettling ones are those that combine both. Auntie Ethel is equal parts grotesque and captivating, the kind of villain who blends dark comedy with genuine menace. She embodies Baldur’s Gate 3’s gift for writing antagonists who aren’t just obstacles, but mirrors: forcing players to confront the twisted bargains, moral compromises, and lingering horrors of the world they’re adventuring through. And because there are multiple ways to resolve her storyline, she’s the kind of villain that makes you come back for her antics every playthrough, even when the curtain has been pulled back. Here’s how I’d recommend you deal with her.
Ways to Handle Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3
Auntie Ethel presents herself as a kind elderly woman with sympathy for your plight. She presents an easy solution to the party that seems too good to be true, and players will learn the true horrors behind the kind mask the second they arrive at the Riverside Teahouse. Auntie Ethel is exposed as a hag, and her victims suffer at her hands.
Hags in Dungeons & Dragons are ancient fey creatures who thrive on striking dark bargains through powerful magic. But it doesn’t take a seasoned Dungeons & Dragons player to know that Auntie Ethel spells trouble. Auntie Ethel presents a dire (but optional) problem during Acts 1 and 3, so even though you’ve dealt with her in the early hours of the game, she will come back more ruthless than ever in Act 3. There are a couple of ways you can deal with her:
- Ignore Auntie Ethel: The beauty of Baldur’s Gate 3 is the fact that you can just choose to ignore side content. I wouldn’t recommend this to my worst enemy, but it’s your playthrough. If you decide to commit one of the cardinal sins of playing Baldur’s Gate 3, that’s on you.
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Fail your Quests: Two quests are tied to Auntie Ethel’s story: Save Mayrina in Act 1 and Avenge the Hag Survivors. Failing either of them doesn't mean that you've sided with Ethel, but it does mean that the main objective has slipped through your fingers.
- Fail Your Quests With Purpose (Siding with Ethel): You can opt to hand over Mayrina in Act 1 and leave Auntie to create her hag empire in Act 3. When confronting her in Act 3, if you leave her be, she will join you in the fight against the Absolute. She'll even send you a very cursed and creepy letter for the Epilogue party.
- Fail the Quests Without Meaning To: It’s easy to fail these quests. Auntie Ethel’s questlines are among the hardest in Baldur’s Gate 3, and accidentally killing Mayrina or never finding the hag in Act 3 can leave you empty-handed. You live, you learn, and you may want to savescum.
- Defeat the Hag: Defeating the hag in Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t as easy as it sounds. Neither are battles for those who get by being slightly underleveled. But if you do defeat the hag in BG3, you will have the gratitude of a whole band of survivors who have lost it all to these fey creatures. It’s bittersweet, but certainly worth it if you’re playing a good-aligned character.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Players on a ‘No Illithid Powers’ Run Can’t Recruit This Character
While the No Illithid Powers run adds a fun twist to Baldur's Gate 3 playthroughs, players will have to miss out on one of the game's best characters.
Here’s the Best Way to Handle Auntie Ethel: Side with the Victims, Defeat Auntie Ethel
I played as a Lawful Evil Tav for most of my BG3 playthroughs. This Tav, in the spirit of honoring D&D logic, approached situations callously, even if it wasn't always the "right" thing to do. She had considered a deal with Gortash, entertained Raphael's antics, and even hurt a feeling or two at camp. And still, no matter what my Tav had done, there was one truth that reigned supreme: it felt wrong to side with a hag.
If there’s one universal truth about hags in Dungeons & Dragons, it’s that their bargains always come with a cost. There are no happy endings when a hag is involved. Auntie Ethel is no exception. No matter how tempting her promises may seem, aligning yourself with her never leads to a good outcome. The most rewarding way to approach her questline, both narratively and mechanically, is to take her down and side with the hag survivors.
Defeating Auntie Ethel isn’t just about clearing one of Baldur’s Gate 3’s toughest early-game fights. It’s about freeing those who have suffered at her hands and making sure she doesn’t continue her cycle of manipulation and cruelty. You’ll also be rewarded with some of the game’s best loot, including a piece of Legendary gear that makes the battle all the more worthwhile. It’s not an easy road, and you’ll likely need to reload a few saves if you go in underleveled, but victory against Ethel feels earned in a way that few other side encounters do.
The Big Asterisk: Playing the Chaotic Evil Path in BG3
Of course, not every Baldur’s Gate 3 run needs to be a noble one. If you’re pursuing a chaotic or evil playthrough, there’s some value in keeping Ethel alive and thriving. Doing so ensures you’ll have a powerful, if sinister, ally when the Absolute rises. It’s not the most morally satisfying conclusion, but BG3 thrives on choice, and siding with the hag is one of the darkest roads the game lets you walk. But this route should be reserved for your most Chaotic Evil Tavs and Durges, because simply, there are not many people in Faerun who would side with hags willy-nilly. Even if they are Evil-aligned.
Baldur's Gate 3
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 96 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
