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A woman with tear-stained eyes holds a magic wand.
So. Many. Choices. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

Baldur’s Gate 3: All decisions in the Save Mayrina quest, explained

Damsel in distress? It's a bit complicated.

While venturing in Act One of Baldur’s Gate 3, you come across a damsel in distress, Mayrina, whose gotten herself entangled in the twisted web of a hag. But you’ll plenty of decisions to make when you find her.

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Like all great quests, there’s a ton of variety to this one—do you save her, do you leave her, do you make a deal with her purely evil captor? The choice is yours, but in case you want to know all your options, here’s a rundown.

How to save Mayrina in Baldur’s Gate 3

A blonde-haired woman scowls at the player.
Funny way of saying “thank you.” Screenshot by Dot Esports.

There are two ways to save Mayrina from Ethel the hag. The most straightforward way is to just kill Ethel.

The other way is to make a deal with the hag. When Ethel’s almost defeated, she’ll make you an offer: let her live and she’ll give you power. Said power is a permanent +1 to a stat of your choosing: Wisdom, Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, or Charisma.

Should you take Ethel’s deal in Baldur’s Gate 3?

An adventurer parlays with a swamp witch.
These deals often aren’t so simple. Screenshot by Dot Esports

We can’t recommend agreeing to Ethel’s deal. If you do choose to take the deal, you’ll need to pass a Deception or Intimation check in order to save Mayrina. You can also choose to let Ethel keep Mayrina, but that defeats the entire purpose of rescuing her, especially when you can have your cake and eat it too.

Pass the Deception or Intimidation check and you’ll get a chunk of Ethel’s hair that will give you that permanent +1 buff.

Should you kill Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3?

A hideous swamp witch gestures to a character in Baldur's Gate 3.
One les monstrosity in the world. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

If you turn the deal down and kill Ethel, it’ll mean the world has one less hag and is better for it. After seeing what horrifying things she’s done to people, we think that putting this monster in the ground is the way to go. You never know how sparing her might impact your future.

Once she’s dead, Mayrina will give you a dressing down for turning the hag into swamp fertilizer. It turns out she made a Faustian bargain with the grotesque swamp witch. In exchange for her baby, Mayrina’s husband Connor will be brought back from the dead.

After your dialogue with her, Mayrina will leave Ethel’s lair and you can find her outside of Ethel’s house crying over her husband’s coffin.

To complete the quest, you’ll need a wand called Bitter Divorce, which can be found in the back room of Ethel’s lair. You’ll find it on the desk next to a letter.

A wizard stands in the lair of a swamp witch.
What a lovely place to visit, said no one ever. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

If you have trouble finding the wand or the letter, you can always try highlighting the objects in the room. This will help prevent you from missing any valuable items and make for more efficient looting.

In the back of Ethel’s lab you’ll find a Mushroom Circle that will teleport you to the back of Ethel’s cabin, where you’ll once again see Mayrina.

A band of adventurers stand with a woman in an isolated swamp.
Not the ending she hoped for. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

Speak to Mayrina with the Bitter Divorce wand in your inventory and you’ll be presented a number of choices.

How to bring Connor back to life in Baldur’s Gate 3

An adventurer holds a magic wand.
Abra cadabra! Screenshot by Dot Esports.

If you point the wand at the coffin, Connor will be brought back to life, just not in the way Mayrina likely hoped. There’s always a catch when it comes to wishes granted by a hag, and so in a somewhat predictable twist, Connor rises from the dead but as a zombie.

What happens if you kill Connor in Baldur’s Gate 3?

A group of adventurers in the heat of battle.
Connor might be better off dead. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

If you chose to kill Connor, that will trigger combat and you’ll have to slay both Mayrina and Connor. Not much of a rescue, and quite a tragic end for the couple. It might be best to avoid this option, unless your character can’t vibe with the undead.

What happens if you break the Bitter Divorce wand in Baldur’s Gate 3?

A blonde-haired woman bows her head in despair.
RIP Connor. Screenshot by Dot Esports

If you break the wand Mayrina will collapse into tears, ending the quest. A bitter finale to her quest and yours, but it might be for the best.

Should you enslave Connor in Baldur’s Gate 3?

A zombie rises from its grave.
Thrillllllerrrrrr. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

You’ll also have the option to keep Connor as your thrall. He won’t join your party, but you’ll be able to summon him with the wand and he’ll fight for you. If you chose this option Mayrina will run off crying. This is a probably an option for the more chaotic and evil-inclined characters out there.

What happens if you give Mayrina the wand in Baldur’s Gate 3?

A woman clutches a magic wand.
Probably not what she’d hoped for. Screenshot by Dot Esports.

If you give Mayrina the wand she’ll command Connor to follow her. The two walk off into the swamp with the intention of going to Baldur’s Gate to see if someone can restore Connor to his old, not-rotting self.

And there you have it, those are your options. Personally, we chose to kill Ethel and give Mayrina the wand. It’s not exactly a storybook ending, but maybe there’s a necromancer out there willing to give Connor a makeover, and the world is a safer place without Ethel in it.


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Others Asked

What steps must be taken to romance Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3?

To romance Minthara, you need to visit the Goblin Camp, speak with her, tell her the location of the Tieflings at Emerald Grove, help her by fighting against the Tieflings and Druids, and choose specific dialogue options after the battles.

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What must a player do to recruit Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3?

A player must side with the Goblins and raid the Emerald Grove to recruit Minthara.

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How can a player recruit Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3 without killing innocent characters?

A player can recruit Minthara by using an exploit where they knock her out instead of killing her, transform her into a sheep using 'Polymorph', dominate her with 'Dominate Animal', and carry her across with a high-strength character. This allows for her recruitment without killing innocents.

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Author
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Alexander Eriksen
Alex is a seasoned games journalist covering business, news, and guides for Dot Esports.