Solve the Baldur's Gate 3 bookcase puzzle in Balthazar's Chambers
The Baldur’s Gate 3 bookcase puzzle in Balthazar’s Chambers is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to challenging puzzles influenced by its tabletop origins. With Baldur’s Gate 3 receiving positive reviews, it’s no surprise that the game’s rich world and intricate mechanics have inspired your imagination to conjure up a few brain teasers of your own. If you’re looking for ways to keep your players on their toes, here’s how to solve the bookcase puzzle in Balthazar’s Chambers in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Balthazar’s Chambers is located in Moonrise Towers, a site you can visit early on in the RPG game. However, attempting to rush through the puzzle and play with the books will spell certain death – or at the very least, some very unpleasant surprises. Follow our guide to safely navigate Balthazar’s room and solve the puzzle successfully.
How to solve the bookcase puzzle in Balthazar’s Chambers
Balthazar’s room is located in Moonrise Towers and, more importantly, is essential if you don’t have a Moonlantern as you attempt to enter the Observatory. If you’re in need of a Moonlantern, it’s crucial to visit the site to obtain one.
The room itself offers a valuable boon that comes at a moral cost. If you’re willing to overlook the implications and proceed, you’ll have access to a buffed Moonlantern that grants benefits to the whole party. However, you’ll need to unravel the secrets behind the locked door first.
The door is locked and requires a key. If you’re playing as Disciple Z’’rell, you might receive one as part of your questline. However, if you’ve aligned yourself with the Absolute, Disciple Z’’rell will refuse to help you. To resolve this, you can either pickpocket the key from the Disciple or attempt a Sleight of Hand check.
Start the puzzle by approaching the large bookshelf and noticing four protruding books. Touch the top-right protruding book to unlock the Ancient Altar beside the bookshelf. You can now interact with the altar and place items inside.
Touching any other book triggers a deadly trap in the room. If you’re curious, feel free to try it out by placing any item – such as an apple – into the altar. As you leave the room, you’ll witness a gruesome death as an unseen blade cleaves your character’s head from their shoulders.
Find a red book on a table that hints at the importance of a “beating heart.” Take the heart from the middle altar and place it into the unlocked Ancient Altar. The bookshelf will slide open, granting access to Balthazar’s Moonlantern laboratory.
This is just one of many bookcase puzzles in the RPG game. If you lose the heart, search the ground for viscera and corpses containing hearts. You’ll be able to craft a buffed Moonlantern in the lab, but you can also destroy the site entirely.
Baldur’s Gate 3 bookcase puzzle rewards
In the lab, you can craft a buffed Moonlantern or destroy the site entirely. If you do opt to craft a Moonlantern, you’ll be able to reap the following benefits:
That’s how to solve the bookcase puzzle in Balthazar’s Chambers in Baldur’s Gate 3. Of course, you’ll have to weigh up the pros and cons of the hidden site’s benefits before making a decision.
