Baldur’s Gate 3: How to get past the Arcane Turrets and inside the Arcane Tower in BG3

If you have ventured into the Underdark in Baldur’s Gate 3, then you might have stumbled across the Arcane Tower, which is a large building situated at the south end of the map. While the building itself is gorgeous, most players are having a difficult time actually getting to it thanks to the Arcane Turrets that block the way.

There are two Arcane Turrets in the courtyard before the tower, and they will shoot blue charges at you if you even attempt to get close to the tower. As such, you will need to figure out how to disarm the turrets before you can think about getting through the courtyard. I spent hours and hours trying to solve this puzzle, but eventually, I was able to.

In the guide below, you can see exactly how to disable the Arcane Turrets and get inside the Arcane Tower in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Use Sussur Blossoms to disable the Arcane Turrets in BG3

To disable the Arcane Turrets, you’ll need to retrieve a plant called a Sussur Blossom and place it within the Power Generator located at the base of the tower. However, the turrets themselves are also susceptible to lightning damage, so using a character with lightning spells is a solid approach for anyone looking to actually destroy the turrets instead.

Unfortunately, to obtain the needed Sussur Blossoms you will have to travel to the opposite end of the Underdark. This bright blue plant can be picked from the ground on the northwest side of the Underdark, right near a waypoint called Sussur Tree.

Arcane Turret weaknesses

The Arcane Turrets in Baldur’s Gate 3 are just like any other enemy, and they come with their own resistances and weaknesses.

• Resistant to:
  • Slashing
  • Piercing
  • Poison
  • Fire
  • Psychic
• Weak to
  • Lightning

If you have lightning damage at your disposal, fighting the Arcane Turrets is one of the ways you can move forward. However, if you’d rather not have a brawl on your hands, using Sussur Blossoms is a great alternative.

Where to find Sussur Blossoms in Baldur’s Gate 3

Sussur Blossoms are found west of the Myconid Colony and northwest of the Beach waypoints, as you can see below.

At this waypoint, you will find tons of Sussur Blossoms on the ground and on the giant tree branches that interweave their way around the area. Pick one of them and add it to your inventory. Be warned, though, carrying a Sussur Blossom will sap your ability to cast any magical spells, and that goes for anyone near you as well.

With the blossom in hand, head back to the courtyard of the Arcane Tower. Just try to make sure you’re not running into any enemies as the blossom will prevent you from attacking with magic. If you do run into an enemy, you can get around the magic prevention by having one character go far away from the rest of your party and make them hold the blossom. Then, when it’s that character’s turn to attack, you can transfer the blossom from their inventory to another character’s.

It’s a roundabout way to make sure all of your characters can use spells during combat.

How to place the Sussur Blossom in the Power Generator to disable the Arcane Turrets

At the courtyard, only the character carrying the Sussur Blossom should make their way past the turrets and go to the left side where there are giant mushroom petals and rocky cliffs. I recommend this character be someone with the Misty Step or Fly ability or someone who has a high Athletics stat so they can jump far.

Near the large mushrooms and rocks, you will find an opening in the stone wall that lets you jump onto more objects descending down. Keep jumping or teleporting down onto these mushrooms and rocks, as seen in the screenshot below.

Once you’re at ground level, you will be able to blow open a door at the base of the Arcane Tower. Head inside and then interact with the large Power Generator in the middle of the room. Place the Sussur Blossom inside the generator and watch the cutscene play. This will disable the Arcane Turrets, allowing the rest of your party to make their way across the courtyard and enter the Arcane Tower. There were two turrets inside the tower that have now been disabled as well.

Your character who placed the blossom in the generator can walk up the stairs and eventually take an elevator up to rejoin your party. I suggest heading to the top floor of the tower using the elevator as there are some neat characters waiting for you.

What’s inside the Arcane Tower in BG3?

Once you’ve taken care of the Arcane Turrets, you’ll be able to enter the Arcane Tower. There are a few notable things you should make sure you grab.

First, on the northern balcony of the first floor, you’ll find a Mundane Chest. Inside the chest are a bunch of seemingly average items. However, if you transfer them to your inventory they will be transformed into a Mystra’s Grace, Scroll of Mage Armour, Gold Ingot, and Hearthlight Bomb.

Additionally, you can carry and take the Mundane Chest itself. Any item you place into the chest will be transformed. This is especially useful if you’re carrying heavy items like armor and weapons. A large, heavy sword could be transformed into a much lighter cup when it enters the chest, and return to its original weaponized form when withdrawn again.

Finally, you’ll want to head to the tallest room in the Arcane Tower and kill the robot there named Bernard. He’ll drop a ring called the Guiding Light. Once you put the ring on, a secret button will appear on the elevator. Pressing that button will take you to a secret room.

Within the secret room, you’ll find a Staff of Arcane Blessing, a Sparkswall ring, and an assortment of spell scrolls.

The path you take to disable the Arcane Turrets in Baldur’s Gate 3 can be tricky, but the wealth of loot that you’ll find in the Arcane Tower definitely makes it worth the effort.