Baldur’s Gate 3: How to complete the House of Hope in BG3

Baldur’s Gate 3 has some tricky encounters to defeat, but few, if any, are as challenging as the fight that waits at the House of Hope. This is a challenging area to complete, but we’re here to help every step of the way, having suffered in our attempts so that you don’t have to.

How to unlock the House of Hope

You must head to the “Devil’s Fee” shop in Baldur’s Gate (X: -39, Y:-9) and speak to Helsik to complete the ritual.

Three options are provided that cost either 20,000 gold, 10,000 gold (if you pass an Intimidation check), or nothing if you pass a Persuasion check and promise to bring back the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength, an artifact she wants.

Once you receive the ritual item, you must pass the puzzle to unlock the House of Hope.

How to complete the Helsik Ritual puzzle

You will need to place the five items in the correct position to unlock the portal to the House of Hope and are provided with these clues:

1. Place the skull on the star point near the altar.
2.  Place the Coin of Mammon on the next point to the right.
3.  Counting clockwise, skip a point and place a diamond on the next one.
4.  Place the incense on the point that follows the diamond.
5.  Finally, place the Infernal Marble in the center of the star.

The “altar” is Helsik’s desk, and you can add the items to their positions by opening your inventory and dropping them on the floor, which you can then drag into the correct spots. The solution is:

1. Top-center: Skull
2.  Top-right: Coin of Mammon
3.  Lower-right: Diamond
4.  Lower-left: Incense
5.  Center: Infernal Marble

How to complete the House of Hope

1. Before you head to the Archives, find the Inert Infernal Gem on the wall (X:-6480, Y:2943) and pass the Wisdom and Intelligence checks to enter a hidden room. Here, you can loot the rare Helldusk Helmet and Staff of Spellpower.
2. Now head to the Archives, where you can see the Orphic Hammer and other top-tier items, but make sure you wait to interact with them as it will start a battle, and there are a few more things you need to do first.
3. Before entering the Archives, speak to Hope outside and pass some skill checks to receive crucial insight into the Archivist. You will discover that he fears Zariel’s High Inquisitor, Verillius Receptor, and you can pass a Deception check to fool him.
4. Ask to see the Hammer, and you will receive an invitation to the Boudoir, an area previously blocked by a veil of magic.
5. Inside, you can find a Restoration Fountain, which acts as a Long rest, and Haarleep lying on a bed.
6. There are several different outcomes in the Dialogue, where you can let him take your body as a disguise, not your mind, and receive access to the hidden safe, or a fight where you can loot the key from his body after defeating him. There is some romance without a fight, but remain in control of your mind.
7. Once you have the key, find the safe. It is to the left of the bed, beneath a painting of Raphael. Read the note, head back to the Archives to loot the Hammer and other gear, and get ready for a fight.

How to rescue Hope

1. With the Orphic Hammer, equip it and head to the eastern side of the House of Hope. Keep moving and stay as far away from the orb chasing you as possible. Your focus should be on movement rather than combat. The best approach I found was to travel as far as possible and then use ranged attacks on anyone.
2. Be careful, as every enemy defeated results in a fiery explosion, then turns into another enemy, and fire damage from the floor is a significant concern.
3. Eventually, you’ll reach a hatch that leads down to the prison. One by one, move your party down the hatch.
4. Head through the door ahead of you, interacting with the button on the right, and a fight will commence in the next room against several Imps and two Spectators. Be wary of the gaps that you can fall into or be pushed to your death.
5. To free Hope, hit the crystals on both sides with the Orphic Hammer.
6. Once released, she will fight alongside you, and you can now head to the big fight with Raphael himself.

How to defeat Raphael

1. After exiting the prison, you’ll return to the fight you were in against the Hell Spheres and other remaining enemies beforehand. Again, your goal should be movement, switching to ranged attacks when you cannot move anymore.
2. You aim to reach the House of Hope entrance, so head left into the Feast Hall. There are several enemies here, and it’s best to defeat them before advancing. Again, be wary as their initial forms explode when defeated.
3. Before you return to the portal you used to arrive, heal your party as much as possible. If you have any Short Rests remaining, use them. You cannot take a Long Rest in this area; the fight ahead of you is tough.
4. Raphael starts with 666 health, and strikes against him have a less than 10 percent chance to hit, so your first point of call should be to destroy the four pillars in each corner of the room. Thankfully, I had Yurgir with me after a previous encounter led him to side with me, which made a huge difference.
5. Keep your party healed as much as possible and attack the pillars. Be wary of Raphael spawning in new allies who, once defeated, explode into a fiery area and take a new form. You may have to attempt this fight several times.
6. Once the pillars are destroyed, focus your attacks on Raphael. Make sure to keep your party healed as much as possible—and remember that just having Hope alive does not save you from a reset. At 60 percent health, 
7. Raphael switches to his devil form to get more melee attacks against you. The tactic remains the same, though. Keep healing, keep inflicting damage.
8. Eventually, you should wear him down.

So, there you have it. You know everything you need to complete the House of Hope in BG3. Enjoy!