There are many Mind Flayer Tadpole locations that will be hidden from you in Baldur’s Gate 3 as the game starts you off with a parasite in your brain. As you continue your adventure, you learn that these parasites possess an untapped power. Will you use them and unlock your true potential? Or will you choose to stay pure? The choice is up to you, but just in case, we have a whole list of the parasite locations.
In order to optimize your Illithid Powers, you’ll need to get as many of these parasites, formally named “Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen,” as possible, and you need a complete list of where to get them. So here it is, our list of where to get every Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen in Baldur’s Gate 3. Our gamers are still playing through the game and finding more as we make our way through our respective campaigns, so this piece will be updated as we continue to find more.
BG3 Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen locations
If you interact with a character that has a parasite for the first time, more often than not, there will be dialogue cues that make it clear. Your minds will connect in some way, shape, or form, and usually, the narrator will even tell you that they are also infected.
If you have not already noticed by the complete urgency that the Dream Visitor has for you to eat the parasites, well, they definitely have something to do with it. Their role in eating the parasites is a huge game-changer near the end of your playthrough. It is your choice to trust your Dream Visitor or ignore them.
Act One Mind Flayer Locations in BG3
Companions: One of the first things you realize when you start to speak with Shadowheart, Astarion, Karlach, Wyll, Lae’zel, and Gale is that you are all infected by a Mind Flayer parasite that connects you. If you kill any of them, you’ll be out of a companion permanently. We advise not to kill companions—however, if you’re playing just to enhance your Illithid powers, then friends are not an option. Below are the locations of parasites you can grab off of non-companions in Act One.
| Mind Flayer Specimen Location | Mind Flayer Source | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Between the Blighted Village and the Emerald Grove: (X:141, Y:443) | Edowin | The parasite location is on a nearly dead Edowin. After he dies, you can examine him to get the Parasite. |
| At Emerald Grove In the druid’s chambers on Nettie’s Table: (X:-442, Y:-6) | On Nettie’s Table | The parasite location is the table next to where Nettie was attempting surgery. It’ll be on the desk next to the operating table, and you’ll have manually pick it up while Nettie isn’t looking. |
| The Risen Road: (X:139, Y:444) | Gnoll Warlord Flind | Flind can be found during the Find the Missing Shipment quest. Turn her against her allies using Illithid powers, and you’ll be able to kill her to loot the parasite. |
| Goblin Camp/Shattered Sanctum: (X:-297, Y:-21) | True Soul Gut | If you choose to Save Halsin, you’ll be tasked with taking out the Goblin Camp leaders, and True Soul Gut will likely be your first target. |
| Goblin Camp/Shattered Sanctum: (X:299, Y:41) | Dror Ragzlin | Like the other goblin camp leaders, Dror Ragzlin will have a parasite for you. |
| Goblin Camp/Shattered Sanctum: (X:333, Y:46) | Minthara | You’ll have the option to side with her and make her a companion later, but if you don’t, you’ll end up needing to fight her. Taking her on will give you a chance at another parasite. |
| Grymforge in the Underdark: (X:-624, Y:320) | True Soul Nere | You’ll almost immediately be made aware that this Drow boss has a tadpole for the taking. |
Act Two Mind Flayer Locations in BG3
Many of Act Two’s parasite locations in BG3 will be found in your explorations of Moonrise Towers! Make sure to be battle-ready since a lot of these parasites require a fight!
| Mind Flayer Specimen Location | Mind Flayer Source | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Last Light Inn: (X:-66, Y:163) | Flaming Fist Marcus | You can kill him by interacting with and protecting Isobel. |
| Creche Y’llek: (X:1293, Y:-812) | The Infirmary | Under the Rosymorn Monastery, the Creche Y’llek will have three specimens in its infirmary next to the Zaith’isk. |
| Moonrise Towers – Docked Ship: (X:-216, Y:137) | Talking Barrels | Some players have reported being able to find two parasites on a docked ship. Aboard it, look in the barrels to get the parasites. |
| Moonrise Towers – The Entrance: (X:-153, Y:-124) | Zealot Malik and Adept Merim | Upon entering the Moonrise Towers, you will find two parasite locations at the guards. Kill them to add the tadpoles to your collection. |
| Moonrise Towers – Disciple Z’rell and Linsella: (X:70, Y:187) | Disciple Z’rell and Linsella | While launching an attack on Moonrise Towers, you will come across the lieutenants of Ketheric Thorm. These two will grant you a pair of parasites to use as you please. |
| Moonrise Towers – Oubliette: (X:628, Y:-92) | Dead Body | When exploring the Moonrise Towers, specifically the prison area, a body can be found hosting a parasite. Loot the body to gain another tadpole. |
| End of Act Two | Dream Visitor | Your Dream Visitor will simply give you a parasite. |
Act Three Mind Flayer Locations in BG3
| Mind Flayer Specimen Location | Mind Flayer Source | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Abandoned Windmill in Rivington: (X:44, Y:-36) | The Basement | Go to the basement in the Abandoned Windmill in Rivington, where a parasite can be found. |
| Northwest Area of Rivington on a Beach: (X:-223, Y:105) | A Barrel | Make sure to walk past the Stone Lord Thugs, who are in a fight with some Guild Members, to find a barrel holding a parasite. |
| The Stone Lord Ship: (X:-217, Y:131) | Storage Unit | The Stone Lord Thug’s ship has two parasites within the big storage unit. Loot it to gain another pair of parasites. |
| Lower City – Felogyr’s Fireworks: (X:0, Y:-132) | Avery Sonshal | Defeat Avery Sonshal to loot this parasite off of their body. |
| Lower City – The Flymm’s house: (X:-30, Y:-116) | Parents of Enver Gortash | Two parasites can be found on the dead bodies of Enver Gortash’s parents. |
| Lower City – Sorcerous Sundries: (X-8, Y-91) | Sitting on the Table | There are a lot of parasites sitting around on tables and desks, such as this one in Sorcerous Sundries. |
| Lower City – The Lodge: (X-207, Y-87) | Second Floor of The Lodge | Head to the second floor of The Lodge |
| Lower City – Sanguine Laboratory: (X:-92, Y:-91) | Sitting on the Table | Go to the Sanguine laboratory to find this parasite sitting on a table. |
| Lower City – In front of the Foundry: (X:-225, Y:-161) | Churg Elvek | After the fight with Churg Elvek, loot the parasite off of his body. |
| Lower City – Inside the Ship in front of The Foundry: (X:-202 Y:-125) | Loot the Ship | There are an astonishing six parasites that you can find on this ship. |
| Lower City – Inside the Foundry on the Lab Level: (X:-1940, Y:447) | A Desk within the Lab Level | Go to the Lab Level within the Foundry to collect the parasite on the desk. |
| Iron Throne through Flymm Cargo near Omeluum: (X:-45, Y:17) | On the table near Omeluum | On the table next to Omeluum, there will be a parasite to be obtained. |
| Lower City – Bloomridge Park: (X:-100, Y:-11) | Manip Edenosa | Another very easy-to-get parasite since Manip Edenosa perishes in front of you, allowing you to loot her body. |
| Blushing Mermaid: (X:-2336, Y:-120) | The Basement | Go to the basement of the Blushing Mermaid to find and add this parasite to your collection. |
| Within the Mindflayer Colony: (X:679, Y:46) | Brine Pool | After the fight with Ketheric Thorm, make sure to head to the Mindflayer Colony in the Tadpoling Center, where you can interact with the Brine Pool to loot the parasite. |
These are all of the mind flayer tadpoles that we have found so far in Baldur’s Gate 3. There will be more parasite locations added if we find more.
