As you reach the end of Act 2, things really start falling into place for your confused character in Baldur’s Gate 3. The Guardian reveals themselves to be a Mind Flayer looking to destroy the Absolute, with your help, of course. With the use of the Astral Touched Tadpole they offer you, you can evolve into a Half-Illithid. The choice to evolve is a tricky one as it comes with both its upsides and downsides, as all things do in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Should you evolve in BG3?
Of course, a lot of people aren’t going to like you becoming one of the dreaded Mind Flayers, even if it is only a little bit. There are arguments for and against evolving into a Half-Illithid in Baldur’s Gate 3. Personally, I say do it. The benefits far outweigh the negatives.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
Evolve
You get a whole new appearance with dark eyes, and your face will be covered with black veins. I think that’s pretty cool. I never really went in for the handsome protagonist look.
The main reason for evolving to Half-Illithid is the access to a whole new tadpole skill tree. You will be able to unlock the beast form, new charisma abilities, and a huge number of powerful spells. The bonuses to your character are fantastic and will make you much more powerful every time you use a tadpole.
Don’t evolve in Baldur’s Gate 3
The main downside for deciding against the choice to evolve in Baldur’s Gate 3 is the disapproval of your teammates. None of them will like it, and you will have to earn back their favor after making the choice. You also look really weird.
Not taking the option to evolve will put you on the path to a truly good Baldur’s Gate playthrough, but you also miss out on a lot of really cool powers. Apart from the slight changes, using the Astral Touched Tadpole will have no effect on your ending in the game.
