Baldur’s Gate 3 Arcane Tower: Defeat Arcane Turrets, Repair the Elevator & All Secrets in BG3

This BG3 Arcane Tower guide covers how to defeat Arcane Turrets, fix the elevators, and all secrets within in Baldur’s Gate 3.

BG3 screenshot of Astarion standing at the Arcane Tower entrance.

Screenshot by Gamepur

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Baldur’s Gate 3’s Underdark holds surprising treasures beyond imagination. In addition to deadly foes like the Spectator, this underground area is home to abundant rare loot, a brand new fungal species, and this secretive place known as the Arcane Tower.

Near the Selûnite Outpost, the Arcane Tower is a Frankenstein-like lab that demands players to conquer Arcane Turrets, fix mechanical elevators, and stay vigilant across its four floors to unveil its secrets. There’s much to do, so let’s take a look at the Tower’s many secrets, including how to get past its Arcane Turrets and repair the elevator.

How to Find the Arcane Tower in Baldur’s Gate 3

Arcane Tower Location on the Underdark map in BG3
Screenshot by Gamepur

If you ran into Mind Flayer Omeluum during your visit to the Myconid Colony, he may have mentioned this secluded Arcane Tower place while urging you to collect some fungal samples for your little brainworm problem, but never quite how to get there. The Arcane Tower’s location lies southwest of the Selûnite Outpost in the Underdark. 

Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Take the Mountain Pass or The Underdark in BG3?

Use the broken gate at the Selûnite Outpost‘s left to start the descent toward the Arcane Tower. Past some Drow and this one-eyed beast lies an area guarded by several laser-targeting Arcane Turrets. 

Disable the Arcane Turrets & Fix the Arcane Tower’s Elevator in Baldur’s Gate 3

The BG3 Arcane Turrets are tough cookies, shrugging off elements and physical attacks. Their laser beams pierce through any defense with a broad reach. Luckily there are a few way to deal with these Arcane Tower lasers.

You can temporarily power down the Arcane Tower lasers by dealing enough damage to them in a single hit. The laser turrets are Sturdy, requiring you to deal at least 10 damage before the laser turret will take any damage at all. Luckily, the tower’s lasers are weak to lightning, so you can use spells like Witch Bolt and Call Lightning to deal deal double damage and easily get past the Arcane Tower lasers’ Sturdy condition.

Alternatively, if you have some Sussur Blooms on hand, you can power down the Arcane Tower lasers by throwing one down at the base of the turret. Sussur Blooms block magic in a small area, so they’ll disable magical constructs, like laser turrets, when close by.

But these are only temporary solutions to the Arcane Tower’s defensive systems. Instead of a head-on clash or dropping uncommon items, how about disarming these formidable foes?

Though the Arcane Tower’s lasers can’t be disarmed like any other trap, there’s a way to shut down all Arcane laser turrets. Plus, this method repairs the elevator in the tower, too. The catch? This lifesaver mechanism lies within the very heart of the Arcane Tower.

Follow these steps to deactivate the Arcane Tower laser turrets inside and outside the Arcane Tower:

ImageStep
Ungroup is the character with the most mobility in the party. My infiltrator of choice was Astarion, mainly because he can Misty Step and vanish from any predicament.
In turn-based mode, use Hide to stealthily cover the path to the left, jumping directly to the second floor. There’s a second turret right ahead, so avoid being found until necessary. End the first turn here.
Use every mobility tool to get behind the turret up ahead. Then, jump to the mushroom that’s in front of it. If possible, sprint forward and stay out of the laser’s reach. End the second turn here and exit turn-based mode.
Keep descending through the red mushrooms and land on the beaming blue mushroom on the right. 
Make one final jump to land on safe ground. At the end of this corridor lies a garden with two Sussur Blooms. Collect only one and head to the door behind.
Two options on the table: either pick the lock on the door or take the corridor’s hole shortcut to get into the Arcane Tower’s first floor. Since I was controlling Astarion, lockpicking was the way to go.
Once inside, look for the Power Generator at the end of the room. Combine the Power Generator with the Sussur Bloom from the garden to disable all Arcane Turrets outside and inside the Arcane Tower. This also repairs the broken elevator within the tower, which means all floors are accessible.

Baldur’s Gate 3: Every Arcane Tower Floor & Secret in BG3

BG3 screenshot of the player character, Shadowheart, Astarion, and Lae'zel riding the Arcane Tower elevator.
Screenshot by Gamepur

Below you’ll find each floor of the Arcane Tower and some of the items you can collect. To access the Arcane Tower basement, you’ll need to wear the Guiding Light Ring while using the elevator. The ring can be found by interacting with Bernard, which you can make easier by reading the various books and parchments spread across the various floors of the Arcane Tower.

Arcane Tower FloorLoot & Secrets
Basement-Staff of Arcane Blessing
-Sparkswall Ring
-Tongue of Madness
Ground Floor-Arcane Tower Generator
-Uncovered Mysteries Necklace
– Common Alchemy Materials
– Elixirs and Potions
1– Timmask Spores
– Tongue of Madness
– Gilded Chest
-Threadbare Book
2-Chest of Mundane (holds Mystra’s Grace Boots)
-Dusty Book
-Broken Machinery
– Engines
3-The Careful Art of Tir’su Ciphers
-Engraved Githyanki Disc (Prince of the Comet Part 1)
-Mage’s Friend Ring
-Scroll of Mage Armor
– Scroll of Darkvision
– Scroll of See Invisibility
– Scroll of Haste
– Strange “broken” button
4– Bernard
-Guiding Light Ring
-Light of Creation Halberd
-Patched Parchment