Baldur's Gate 3 - Part 108 - Scratch's Big Day Out

Summary

John returns to Baldur’s Gate after rescuing Duke Ravengard and most of the hostages from the underwater prison. At camp, he uses the tadpole to show Ravengard what Wyll has endured, including his bargain with Mizora and his efforts to save the city. Father and son reconcile.

Ravengard asks Wyll to summon the city’s hidden guardian, Ansur. Wyll explains that Ansur is dead and reaffirms his commitment to defend the Sword Coast as the Blade of Avernus.

The Steel Watch Foundry

The party heads to the foundry to free the Gondians and destroy the Steel Watch. In the first fight, several enemies carry motivators that will explode if dropped. The key tactic is to reach and disable a motivator before its countdown ends.

The party also uses several effective combat strategies:

• Create Water followed by lightning makes wet enemies especially vulnerable to electrical attacks. Chain Lightning proves particularly powerful.
• Mass Healing Word can heal allies while also applying Bless.
• The Gondians can help in combat if given room to act, so the party tries to draw enemies away from them.
• Some Steel Watchers self-destruct when defeated, so the party moves clear of the blast radius.
• Cold damage works well against the Steel Watchers, particularly when they enter defensive mode.

The battle is costly, and not every Gondian survives, but the party disables the motivators and continues into the foundry’s lower levels. There, they find evidence that the Steel Watchers’ construction involves brains and a psionic component. John also obtains more infernal iron, which may be useful for Karlach.

Scratch repeatedly turns up in the dangerous foundry, even during the boss fight. John keeps checking on him and eventually summons Scratch as a familiar so he can lead him safely out.

Destroying the Foundry

The party faces Gortash’s powerful Steel Watcher Titan alongside other constructs. The fight again highlights the value of cold damage, careful positioning, and avoiding the Watchers’ attacks and explosions.

After defeating the guards, John plants the Ironhand gnomes’ bomb in the neurocitor. It detonates, destroying the foundry and disabling the Steel Watch across the city.

Barcus and the Gnomes

With the foundry destroyed, Wulbren wants to turn on the Gondians, but Barcus stands up to him. John persuades Barcus to lead the Ironhand gnomes, and the Gondians recognize him as their leader. Wulbren is removed from the group and ordered to leave the city. The Gondians and Ironhand gnomes agree to work together and pledge support for the coming final battles.

With Gortash’s Steel Watch gone, the party’s next major target is Gortash himself. The Crown of Karsus and the Orpheus situation remain among the unresolved endgame decisions.

A brief, apparently unrelated comic clip follows the episode’s sign-off.

Featured source: John — Many A True Nerd.