Baldur's Gate 3: What should you do with the Mirror of Loss?
Baldur's Gate 3 offers limited opportunities for permanent attribute increases, some of which are more complex than others. The Mirror of Loss is a un...
Bradley Russell
Aug 30, 2023
Baldur's Gate 3 offers limited opportunities for permanent attribute increases, some of which are more complex than others. The Mirror of Loss is a unique way to adjust attributes, requiring significant negotiation skills, foresight, and overall intelligence to make the most of it.
In the deepest part of the House of Sorrow in Baldur's Gate, specifically in the Chamber of Loss, you will find this special location. To reach there, you must have progressed through Shadowheart's questline to a certain extent. If you're not too attached to your memories and possess a skillful dispel magic spell, this could be just the thing for you.
What Does The Mirror Of Loss Do?
If the Mirror of Loss is successfully and correctly activated, it can alter your attributes by decreasing one attribute by two points and increasing another attribute by the same amount.
Your decreased attributes appear as a curse, which means you can remove the negative attribute loss with the spell "Remove Curse" and gain two points for free in any attribute of your choice.
If you have read the book "Necromancy of Thay," you can leverage the knowledge from that book and gain two attribute points. However, if you deceive the mirror with a false memory, you will not gain any attribute points.
Each member of your group can activate the mirror and benefit from its advantages once. Any further use beyond the first time (per character) will only bring you a curse, not a blessing.
However, clerics of Selûne (such as the light-oriented Shadowheart) will have a disadvantage when using the mirror.
You also cannot increase a stat above 24.
How Do I Activate The Mirror Of Loss?
To activate the Mirror of Loss, you must pass a series of trials to identify it in the first place. You need to succeed in a Religion check (DC 20) and an Arcana check (DC 25) to unlock the mirror for use. These trials only need to be completed once.
After the mirror has been activated, you can give it your memories, but you will not receive any blessings. To receive the blessing from the mirror, each character must succeed in their own Religion check (DC 25) to pray at the mirror.
You only have a single chance to pray at the mirror per character. If your character fails, they will be forever excluded from the benefits of the mirror.
If you pass the prayer check, the character who succeeds can now offer their memories. You can offer any attribute of your choice, as long as it is not already at a value of 8.
Each memory is in order of the six stats:
Strength |
Offer memories of your strength - times when you triumphed, thanks to your raw power. |
|---|---|
Dexterity |
Give up memories of your youth, when your heart was carefree and your limbs were nimble. |
Constitution |
Relinquish memories of fortitude and well-being, when body and mind held fast against all challenges. |
Intelligence |
Surrender valued knowledge gleaned from books, scrolls, tablets...words that left a mark on your mind - but no more. |
Wisdom |
Let go of some wisdoms that time has bestowed upon you - old wounds, touch lessons, and fond memories alike. |
Charisma |
Give away memories of when your charm stood to you - the applause of the swayed, the smiles of the beguiled, the kisses of the seduced. |
If you have forgotten which attribute you want to sacrifice, you can use the character selection button at the bottom left and switch between characters. Then, you can examine the character who is interacting with the mirror to refresh their attributes.
After sacrificing a desired attribute, you will receive a random memory. Afterwards, you should have the opportunity to choose which attribute you want to strengthen. They will be listed in the same order as the previous selection:
Strength |
Claim memories of strength from a long-dead general, who marched under the banner of a vanished kingdom. |
|---|---|
Dexterity |
Help yourself to the memories of a seasoned thief's most daring exploits. |
Constitution |
Seize the memories of a barbarian, whose mind and body were tempered against hardship. |
Intelligence |
Glean the secrets of a wizard who once stalked the library of Candlekeep. |
Wisdom |
Turn to the wisdom of a drow. Once of Lolthe, then of Shar. |
Charisma |
Warm to the guile of a bard who could charm even a dragon. |
There have been several reports of a faulty Mirror of Loss that only bestows the curse and no reward. This issue has mostly been addressed in the official first patch, but it can still occasionally occur. During our testing, it happened to our team after three successful uses of the mirror.
If you have ensured that a) your character has not received a blessing before and b) they have successfully passed their Religion check when praying to the mirror, a confirmed solution for this issue is to exit the game and reload it.
How To Remove The Mirror's Curse
When you are done with the mirror, you will find that you are affected by a curse. This means that two points will be deducted from your attributes.
Use the spell "Remove Curse" on that character, and your decreased attribute will return to normal. Your attribute increase remains unchanged, so you will permanently gain +2 to an attribute of your choice! You can now leave the House of Sorrow and feel strong enough to confront a god of assassination or similar challenges.