eXputer

QuestmajorMain storyHard

Side with the Goblins

An Act 1 path in Baldur's Gate 3 that has the party aid the goblins in raiding and destroying the Emerald Grove, with major consequences for companions, quests, and later relationships.

RoleMajor moral-choice quest
Statusavailable
Importancemajor
  • ActAct 1
  • Quest typeMajor moral choice
  • Primary locationEmerald Grove
  • Route alignmentGoblins
  • Main consequenceRaid and destruction of the grove
  • Companion impactWyll and Karlach leave
  • Later rewardMinthara can be recruited in Act 2

The route is presented as an evil path in the supplied source material. Exact quest timing, recommended level, and completion time are not specified.

Key takeawaysSpoilers

This is one of the most consequential decisions in Act 1, affecting the grove, party composition, and later companion access.

  • Choose the goblin alliance Speak with the goblin leaders and cooperate with them if you want to pursue the raid rather than fight the goblin camp immediately.
  • Expect the grove to be destroyed The route culminates in assisting the goblins against the Emerald Grove, turning the tiefling refugees and druids into enemies or victims of the decision.
  • Plan around companion losses Wyll and Karlach leave when the raid proceeds, so complete any preparation that depends on them before committing to the attack.
  • Minthara is the route's main incentive The goblin-aligned path can lead to recruiting Minthara in Act 2 and is required for a romance with her.

Side with the GoblinsSpoilers

Side with the Goblins is the hostile route through the Emerald Grove conflict in Act 1 of Baldur's Gate 3. Instead of protecting the tiefling refugees and druids, the party cooperates with the goblin leaders and helps launch an assault on the grove.

This route begins with a political decision rather than a single combat encounter. The party can approach the goblin camp and speak with its leaders instead of immediately attacking them, allowing the goblin-aligned route to develop through dialogue and cooperation. The choice ultimately turns the Emerald Grove into the target of a raid and places the party against the tieflings and druids they could otherwise assist.

The raid is a major branching point for Act 1. Proceeding with it betrays the tiefling refugees and the druids, removes access to substantial content connected to them, and changes the party's future relationships. Wyll and Karlach leave the party if the grove is raided, while Halsin-related content is also locked out along this path.

The principal mechanical benefit is access to Minthara as a companion in Act 2. This route is also the only way to pursue a romance with Minthara. That reward comes at the cost of several companion opportunities and a large body of grove-related quests, so the decision is best treated as a campaign-defining commitment rather than a temporary faction choice.

Where this sits

  1. 1Reach the goblin campsetupFind the goblin leaders and use dialogue to establish the route.
  2. ●Speak with the goblin leadersbranchThe route can be initiated without fighting them immediately.
  3. 3Commit to the raiddecisionAccept the alliance against the Emerald Grove.
  4. 4Raid the Emerald GroveclimaxThe party assists the goblins in attacking and destroying the grove.
  5. 5Continue into Act 2aftermathThe decision affects later companion and relationship options.

The choice moves from goblin-camp dialogue to a permanent Act 1 faction commitment.

Requirements

The supplied material identifies a route through the goblin leaders rather than a fixed level, item, or combat requirement.

  • RequiredAccess to the goblin campThe party must reach the goblin camp in order to meet the leaders who can direct the goblin-aligned route.
  • RequiredDialogue with the goblin leadersThe route can be initiated by talking to the leaders instead of immediately fighting the camp.
  • RequiredA willingness to abandon the grove's defendersProceeding requires accepting the consequences for the tiefling refugees and druids.
  • RecommendedCompanion planningIf Wyll or Karlach are part of the party, resolve any important preparation involving them before the raid, because both leave when it proceeds.

ObjectivesSpoilers

  1. Meet the goblin leadersReach the goblin camp and use its leadership as the entry point for the faction route.
  2. Support the goblin assaultChoose cooperation over immediate opposition and help the goblins raid the Emerald Grove.
  3. Accept the grove's destructionThe route requires betraying the tiefling refugees and druids and losing access to related content.
  4. Continue with the consequencesAccount for the departure of Wyll and Karlach and the later opportunity involving Minthara.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Find the goblin leaders.

    Reach the goblin camp

    Travel to the goblin camp during Act 1 and approach it as the possible entry point for this route. The important decision is not to treat every goblin encounter as an automatic fight, because the goblin leaders can be addressed through dialogue.

    Location: Goblin camp

    TipKeep a save before beginning the leadership conversations so you can compare the available faction routes without replaying the whole act.

  2. 02

    Initiate the goblin-aligned route.

    Talk to the goblin leaders

    Speak with the leaders inside the camp and select dialogue that establishes cooperation with the goblins. This conversation is the route's diplomatic opening; attacking the leaders instead sends the story toward a different resolution.

    Location: Goblin camp

    Watch outDo not assume that helping the goblins is a reversible temporary alliance. The decision can develop into the raid and has lasting effects on the grove and party.

  3. 03

    Commit to the goblin side.

    Decide whether to betray the grove

    When the route presents the conflict with the Emerald Grove, confirm that the party will support the goblins rather than defend the refugees and druids. This is the commitment point for the evil path described by the source material.

    Location: Emerald Grove conflict

    Watch outOnce you proceed toward the raid, content associated with the tieflings and Halsin is locked out, so finish anything you want from that side before committing.

    Missable
  4. 04

    Help the goblins raid and destroy the grove.

    Join the raid on the Emerald Grove

    Assist the goblins during the assault and follow the resulting combat and story sequence through to its conclusion. The central objective is the destruction of the grove, not simply defeating one defender or completing an isolated battle.

    Location: Emerald Grove

    Watch outThe raid is the point at which the campaign's party and quest state changes most sharply. Wyll and Karlach leave if it proceeds.

    Checkpoint
  5. 05

    Continue after the raid.

    Handle the immediate aftermath

    After the raid, review the party and quest log before moving on, because the consequences are now active rather than merely anticipated. The grove-related path is no longer available, and several potential companion and refugee-related developments have been lost.

    Location: Emerald Grove

    Watch outDo not plan on recruiting or retaining Wyll and Karlach after the raid; the supplied facts state that both leave the party.

  6. 06

    Pursue the route's later companion outcome.

    Continue toward Act 2

    Carry the consequences into the next act rather than expecting the route to end with the grove encounter. The major long-term payoff is the possibility of recruiting Minthara in Act 2, and this route is also the only one that supports a romance with her.

    Location: Act 2

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

The defining mechanic is faction alignment through dialogue. The game allows the party to reach the goblin leaders and begin this route without treating the camp as a mandatory battlefield, making the conversation itself the gateway to the larger conflict.

The quest is also a content-state decision. Supporting the goblins does not merely award a different immediate outcome; it removes access to significant tiefling- and Halsin-associated quests and changes which companions remain available. This makes pre-commitment preparation more important than combat optimization.

The route's reward structure is deliberately asymmetric. Minthara's later availability and romance opportunity provide a distinctive incentive, but the player gives up other relationships and quest lines in exchange. Players should choose this route for its narrative and companion consequences, not because the supplied material identifies a unique item or numerical combat bonus.

What works and what does notSpoilers

Strengths

  • Provides a clearly differentiated evil route through the Emerald Grove conflict.
  • Offers access to Minthara as a companion in Act 2.
  • Enables a Minthara romance that is unavailable through other routes.
  • Uses dialogue with goblin leaders as an alternative to immediately fighting the goblin camp.

Weaknesses

  • Destroys the Emerald Grove and betrays its tiefling refugees and druids.
  • Causes Wyll and Karlach to leave the party when the raid proceeds.
  • Locks out significant content and quests connected to the tieflings and Halsin.
  • Has long-term effects on the narrative and party composition rather than being a minor local decision.

Best uses

  • Choose it for an evil or goblin-aligned role-playing run.
  • Use it when Minthara's companion or romance content is more important than preserving grove-related content.
  • Make a separate save before the commitment if you want to compare the campaign branches.

Raid progressionSpoilers

  1. 1

    Diplomatic opening

    Starts: Speaking with the goblin leaders at their camp.

    The route begins with faction dialogue rather than an unavoidable battle. The party establishes cooperation with the goblins and moves toward the grove conflict.

    • Do not attack the leaders if you intend to begin this route through negotiation.
    • Treat the conversation as a branching commitment, not just preliminary flavor.
  2. 2

    Faction commitment

    Starts: Agreeing to support the goblin attack.

    The party abandons the grove's defenders and accepts the consequences of siding with the goblins. This is the point at which preparation for lost quests and companions matters most.

    • Complete desired tiefling- or Halsin-related content before proceeding.
    • Consider who is currently in the active party before confirming the decision.
  3. 3

    Assault on the grove

    Starts: The goblin raid begins at the Emerald Grove.

    The party participates in the assault that destroys the grove. The supplied facts do not specify a fixed enemy roster, encounter count, or special attack pattern, so those details should be checked against an encounter-specific guide.

    • Focus on the route objective and monitor the battle's story state rather than expecting a single-target boss encounter.
    • Keep a pre-raid save if you want to revisit the alternate grove outcome.
  4. 4

    Aftermath

    Starts: The raid concludes.

    The grove-related branch closes and the campaign continues with altered party and quest availability. The later Minthara outcome remains the route's main mechanical incentive.

    • Review companion availability after the raid.
    • Continue into Act 2 with the understanding that this decision remains relevant.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Talk to the goblin leaders instead of fighting them immediately.

    This opens the possibility of initiating the goblin-aligned route through cooperation.

  • Support the goblins in raiding the Emerald Grove.

    The grove is destroyed, the tiefling refugees and druids are betrayed, and significant associated content becomes unavailable.

    Spoiler
  • Proceed with the raid while Wyll or Karlach is in the party.

    Wyll and Karlach leave the party when the raid proceeds.

    Spoiler
  • Prioritize Minthara's later companion content.

    The goblin route can lead to recruiting Minthara in Act 2 and is required for pursuing a romance with her.

    Spoiler

Before committing to the raidSpoilers

  • Reach the goblin camp and identify the goblin leaders.The leaders are the route's dialogue entry point.
  • Make a pre-decision save.This preserves access to the alternate branch for comparison.Optional
  • Finish any desired tiefling refugee content.The raid locks out significant content associated with the tieflings.Optional
  • Finish any desired Halsin-related content.The supplied material states that Halsin-associated quests are locked out on this path.Optional
  • Decide whether Wyll and Karlach can be lost.Both leave if the raid proceeds.
  • Confirm that Minthara's later availability is worth the trade-off.Her Act 2 recruitment and romance opportunity are the route's main incentives.

Failure conditionsSpoilers

  • Attack the goblin leaders before establishing cooperationThis can prevent the dialogue-led goblin route described in the source material and send the campaign toward a different resolution.
  • Proceed with the raid before completing desired grove contentTiefling- and Halsin-associated content is locked out once the goblin-aligned outcome is taken.
  • Keep Wyll and Karlach after the raidThe supplied facts state that both companions leave the party if the raid proceeds, so they cannot be retained through this outcome.

On failure

The raid is the practical checkpoint for the route's largest consequences. Keep a save before confirming the attack if you want the option to return to the grove branch.

RewardsSpoilers

  • Minthara companion opportunity
    The primary mechanical incentive is the ability to recruit Minthara in Act 2.
  • Minthara romance opportunity
    Siding with the goblins is identified as the only route that permits pursuing a romantic relationship with Minthara.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

AftermathSpoilers

The raid changes the rest of the campaign

Treat the Emerald Grove raid as a permanent campaign branch. It removes substantial tiefling and Halsin content, causes Wyll and Karlach to leave, and reshapes the party in exchange for the later Minthara opportunity.

Trivia

  • The route can begin through conversation with the goblin leaders rather than an immediate assault on the goblin camp.
  • Its central decision is framed as an evil path because the party assists in destroying the Emerald Grove.
  • The route's reward is primarily narrative and companion-based: Minthara's later recruitment and romance opportunity are emphasized over a specified item reward.
  • The consequences extend beyond Act 1 into narrative direction and party composition.

Sources

Relationships

locations

  • Emerald GroveTarget locationThe grove is the settlement attacked and destroyed on this route.

characters