Baldur’s Gate 3: Should you drink from the well in BG3?

As you explore the swampy regions in Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll encounter several mysterious and ancient beings, a devilishly challenging frog, and a lone well for travelers to drink from. Usually, if you’re thirsty, you’d drink from the well and be satisfied with the water quality. But given that this is BG3 and anything can happen, should you drink from the well?

What happens if you drink from the well in BG3?

Upon interacting with the well near the Riverside Teahouse, a cutscene will play where you learn that the well is filled with bodies, and it asks if you want to drink from the well or leave. In any other game, I would say no thank you. But if you drink from the well, you become Refreshed.

This is a condition where your Hit Point maximum has increased by 10 until your next long rest. You can still interact with the well, and I did drink from it again, but there are no negative side effects, and the condition doesn’t stack. I let all my companions drink from the well, and they all received the same Refreshed condition, so it doesn’t distinguish between races or classes.

What happens if you don’t drink from the well in BG3?

If you don’t drink from the well in BG3 and decide to “leave,” nothing happens. Even though the well is filled with dead bodies, none climb up its walls to attack you or appear from the bog.

When I interacted with the well again and chose “leave,” I was disappointed that nothing terrible happened. I was expecting to face the bodies in the well, but sadly, that was not the case.

Decision time: Should you drink from the well in BG3?

Determining whether you should drink from the well in BG3 is an easy decision because you should. It may be a little disgusting, but there are no side effects, nothing jumps out from the well to attack you, and you gain the Refreshed condition, which can be incredibly helpful if you’re about to enter a tough fight.

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Should you let Astarion drink your blood in BG3?

Like facing off against Gandral, the monster hunter around the corner who’s after one of your companions. If you happen to kill Gandral, you may find your bond with Astarion growing deeper.