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What the Mirror of Loss is and how to use it in Baldur’s Gate 3

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ReSpec hero art with Jacob Roach
This story is part of Jacob Roach's ReSpec series, covering the world of PC gaming and hardware.

In The Forgotten Realms, you can never be sure what to expect from even the most normal character or object. Baldur’s Gate 3 loves to subvert your expectations, but also reward you for paying attention and experimenting. If you spot something that looks important, like the Mirror of Loss, it probably is. In this case, when you find the magical mirror, you won’t be able to do anything substantial with it. However, keeping it in mind and returning to it could be just what you need to buff up your character’s stats a bit more – but it will come at a cost. It’s called the Mirror of Loss for a reason, so let’s reflect on what it is and how to use it.

Where to find the Mirror of Loss

A party of adventurers approaching a giant purple mirror.
Larian Studios

The massive circular mirror is something you will naturally come across if you’re following Shadowheart’s companion questline. Starting in Act 2, you will be able to go find it in the Underdark, more specifically the Temple of Shar’s Chamber of Loss. It will cost you 1,000 gold to enter, so it’s best to know what you’re getting for such a steep price.

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How to use the Mirror of Loss

A wizard talking to a big magic mirror.
Larian Studios

Before you can interact with the Mirror of Loss, you have to at least hit Act 3. At that point, you can travel back to the Temple of Shar and finally get some value out of it. This will come in the form of stat buffs, but don’t get too excited because for each point you can potentially gain for your character, you will need to give two up. While you can always respec your character, once stats are lost via the Mirror of Loss, they’re gone for good. Interacting with the mirror will present you with four dialogue options that each determine which stat you improve, and which will be reduced. Here’s how they work:

  • Offer memories of your strength — times when you triumphed, thanks to your raw power. This will give you +1 Strength, but -2 Wisdom.
  • Give up memories of your youth, when your heart was carefree and your limbs were nimble. This option will give you +1 Wisdom, but -2 Strength.
  • Relinquish memories of fortitude and well-being, when body and mind held fast against all challenges. This option will give you +1 Intelligence, but -2 Charisma.
  • Surrender valued knowledge gleaned from books, scrolls, tablets … words that left a mark on your mind — but no more. The last option will result in +1 Charisma and -2 Intelligence.

Depending on your class, some of these may be worth the cost. A Barbarian who never uses Wisdom but specializes in Strength, for example, would easily benefit from the first choice. Think carefully before making this deal.

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