Baldur’s Gate 3: Thaniel [How To Find & Heal]

Dive into the heart of Baldur’s Gate 3 Thaniel storyline, where a tale of ancient curses and spectral quests awaits. Guided by Halsin’s determination, you’ll navigate through the intricacies of a realm marked by shadows. Amidst the Shadow Cursed Lands, the search for Thaniel’s missing half, Oliver, takes center stage. The journey unfolds as you uncover the fragmented parts of his being, with Oliver’s presence casting a shadow of mystery.

Who Is Thaniel In Baldur’s Gate 3?

Thaniel is a pivotal character entwined in the Shadow Curse narrative in BG3. This tiefling boy finds himself trapped within the enigmatic realm of the Shadowfell, an ordeal spanning over a century. Players first learn of Thaniel’s predicament from the Druid Halsin, who seeks to break the curse.

Thaniel’s significance deepens as the tale progresses, guiding adventurers toward a quest that promises to unravel his mystery and restore the balance of the Shadow Cursed Lands.

Starting The Quest

This quest unveils itself after completing the Wake Up Art Cullagh quest, setting the stage for your journey to lift the Shadow Curse. Here’s how you can kick-start this engaging endeavor:

1. Complete the Wake Up Art Cullagh quest at The Last Light Inn.
2. Halsin, the druid, will task you with the mission to locate Thaniel, the spirit of the land.
3. Thaniel’s predicament is tied to the Shadow Curse haunting the realm.
4. Speak to Halsin after waking up Art Cullagh to initiate your mission.
5. Prepare for battles and exploration as you take your first steps toward breaking the curse.

The quest to rescue Thaniel and dispel the Shadow Curse awaits, promising adventure and challenges in equal measure.

Defending The Portal

In the quest to rescue Baldur’s Gate 3 Thaniel, defending the portal is a crucial encounter that requires strategic planning and effective combat tactics. This phase of the quest occurs just north of the Last Light Inn and presents a challenge that tests your party’s strength and coordination. Follow these steps to defend the portal successfully and progress in the quest:

Halsin has opened a portal to the Shadowfell to retrieve Thaniel, but this action triggers an onslaught of shadow-cursed enemies that need to be repelled. Defend the portal from waves of enemies to ensure Halsin’s safe return with Thaniel.

Combat Strategies

• AoE Spells: Utilize area-of-effect spells like Fireball, Ice Storm, and Turn Undead to target multiple enemies at once, weakening their ranks and controlling their movements.
• Positioning: Smartly position your party members to cover different angles and chokepoints, making it difficult for enemies to approach the portal.
• Crowd Control: Use spells or abilities that impose crowd control effects such as stunning, freezing, or immobilizing enemies to buy time and prevent them from reaching the portal.

Enemy Types

• Shadows & Wraiths: The initial waves consist of shadow creatures like shadows and wraiths that will approach from different directions.
• Fallen Harpers & Pilgrims: Later waves will include fallen Harpers and pilgrims, adding variety to the enemies you face.
• Vines & Ravens: Some enemies will emerge near the portal, including grasping vines and ravens with minimal health.

Portal Integrity:

• Priority: The enemies’ main goal is to damage the portal, and if it sustains too much damage, the portal will close, leaving Halsin trapped in the Shadowfell.
• Turn Count: You have four turns to defend the portal. If you manage to prevent its destruction throughout this time, you’ll succeed in this phase of the quest.

Tips For Success

• Focused Attacks: Prioritize attacking enemies that are close to the portal to minimize their impact on its integrity.
• Healing & Buffs: Keep your party members healed and use buffs to enhance their survivability and combat effectiveness.
• Retreat If Needed: If a character’s health is critically low, consider temporarily retreating them from the front lines to avoid unnecessary risks.

If you successfully defend the portal for four turns, Thaniel will arrive alongside Halsin, and any remaining enemies will be defeated. After this phase, the quest will progress, and you’ll move forward in your journey to rescue Baldur’s Gate 3 Thaniel and lift the Shadow Curse. 

Locating Thaniel’s Missing Half

After successfully defending the portal and progressing in your journey to rescue Thaniel, the quest takes you searching for Thaniel’s missing half. This phase of the quest requires you to explore and uncover crucial clues that will lead you to Thaniel’s other half, Oliver. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to locate Thaniel’s missing half:

1. Upon returning to camp after the portal defense, Halsin informs you that a part of Thaniel is still lost.
2. He sends you on a new task to find an area with floral blooms that holds the key to reuniting Thaniel.
3. Halsin marks the location of the area with floral blooms on your map, specifying coordinates X:76 Y:40.
4. This will serve as your guide to find Oliver, Thaniel’s missing half.

Finding Oliver

Journey to the House in the Deep Shadows, located northeast of the Shadowed Battlefield waypoint. Oliver can be found here, and your search for Thaniel’s missing half truly begins.

1. Upon arriving at the house, you’ll hear Oliver’s presence before encountering him.
2. Approach and engage in a conversation with Oliver to initiate the next steps in the quest.
3. Oliver offers to play hide and seek with you.
4. Decide whether to accept his challenge or proceed with the alternative dialogue option.

Playing Hide & Seek

1. Oliver turns invisible and runs off, prompting you to search for him.
2. Navigate the area and attempt to pass the Perception check to locate Oliver.
3. After finding him, you’ll have the chance to play hide and seek again, but this time, you’ll face formidable shadow enemies named Mummy, Daddy, and Doggy.

Alternative Dialogue

1. Opt for the dialogue option that informs Oliver of his true nature and the need to reunite with Thaniel.
2. Convince him that Thaniel’s well-being is at stake, and he must return to complete himself.
3. If you choose the alternative dialogue, Oliver will conjure a shadow portal and retreat inside.
4. Follow him into the portal to confront him in a battle alongside his shadow family and himself.
5. Battle against Oliver, Mummy, Daddy, and summoned shadow friends.
6. Prioritize targeting Oliver’s shadow parents and weakening his protective Nightdome barrier.
7. Successfully defeat the enemies to continue the encounter.

Reuniting Oliver & Thaniel

Regardless of the chosen approach, engage in dialogue with Oliver to persuade him to reunite with Thaniel. Choose dialogue options that emphasize companionship and convince Oliver to come to terms with reuniting.

1. Through your persuasive efforts, Oliver will transform from his shadow form into a real boy, completing the reunion with Thaniel.
2. Return to camp after Oliver’s transformation and speak to Halsin.
3. He will confirm that Thaniel is recovering now that Oliver has returned.
4. Thaniel’s curse is on the path to being lifted.

Successfully locating Thaniel’s missing half is pivotal in saving Thaniel. Your choices and interactions throughout this phase impact the outcome, leading to the reunion of Thaniel and Oliver and bringing you one step closer to lifting the Shadow Curse.

My Thoughts On The Thaniel Quest

The rescuing Thaniel quest is one of the best examples of strategy over brute force in a game like Baldur’s Gate 3. In almost all of my playthroughs, I used Shadowheart’s “Turn Undead” spell to eliminate a great number of Shadows in just one turn.

Additionally, rescuing Thaniel is the final step to getting Halsin as a companion, which is always a fun experience. Granted, you need to pass a lot of checks and fight a lot of battles in this quest line, but hey, you get to remove the Shadow curse from the lands. That ultimately means, no more Pixie begging for you to be their friend.

With Thaniel and Oliver’s reunion, this guide concludes its journey through Baldur’s Gate 3. From battling shadow-cursed enemies to rekindling companionship, your choices echo the fate of Thaniel’s world. The looming encounter with Ketheric Thorm promises a gripping finale. Before you go, kindly spare a moment to delve into our guides regarding the Cleric Class and the Wildheart Barbarian. They offer valuable insights worth considering!

Next:

• Baldur’s Gate 3: BEST Builds 
• Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Classes Tier List
• Baldur’s Gate 3: BEST Paladin Build
• Baldur’s Gate 3: Warlock 

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Images Credit: Trophygamers