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The world ofBaldur’s Gate 3is full of colorful characters, and that includes some unsavory types. The Zhentarim is an organization full of the latter kind of people, and while they aren’t total scumbags to you and your party, their involvement with the criminal underworld is enough to make many players have second thoughts about making their acquaintance.
Players can meet with a group of Zhentarim agents in Act One ofBG3if they’re thorough enough with their exploration. While this encounter doesn’t always lead to hostilities, players may end up on the wrong side of the Zhentarim’s good graces (or vice versa). If your wondering what happens if you spare or kill the agents hiding under Waukeem’s Rest, here’s a quick guide to help you out.
What Happens If You Kill the Zhentarim in Act 1?
Story-wise,nothing much happensif you decide to wipe out Zarys and her crew in the cave, though there are a couple of important bits to consider here:
Killing the Zhentarim agents in Act 1doesn’t seem to have any major repercussions as far as story events goes. You’ll run into the organization again in Act Three as part ofa quest for Rakath Glitterbeard, but there aren’t any significant developments or consequences related to the group from Waukeem’s Rest.
The Zhentarim is still involved in the final parts ofBG3,but you won’t be able to decide their fate until Act 3.
Should You Spare or Kill the Zhentarim in Act 1?
Killing the Zhentarim is recommendedsimply because you get XP and loot for doing so. If you want a reason to wipe them out, just know that the Zhentarim as a whole is involved in all sorts of shady business, including slavery.
If you rescueOlly and Rugan from the Gnolls in Risen Road, Zarys and her mates won’t be hostile to you once you reach the hideout. In fact, she’ll reward you with theHaroldcrossbow andaccess to their merchant’s entire stock, which includes theTitanstring Bow. On the other hand, if you go to the hideout without Rugan’s recommendation, the entire group won’t be as welcoming.
Conveniently enough,the entireZhentarim Basementis rigged to blow, largely due to group’s desire to erase their tracks. You can blow up everyone in the lower section of the hideout by doing the following:
By igniting one of the gunpowder barrels, you’ll set off a chain reaction that can kill everyone on the lower floor in one fell swoop. Loot everything once the flames die down, and from there, you can either proceed to the Underdark or clear the rest of Act One.
