My Guide to the Most Diabolical & Easily Missed Evil Choices in Baldur's Gate 3

Let me tell you, my fellow aspiring tyrants, after countless playthroughs where I've bathed the Sword Coast in blood and tears, I've come to realize that true evil in Baldur's Gate 3 isn't just about the big, flashy betrayals. Oh no. The real art of villainy lies in the subtle, easily overlooked cruelties—the ones that make you cackle with glee because the game almost lets you get away with them. In 2026, with the game's legacy firmly cemented, these hidden depths of depravity are what separate the casual murderhobos from the true architects of suffering. Forget just siding with the Absolute; let me guide you through the shadows where the most deliciously wicked choices hide.

10. Extort a Grieving Man's Last Memento

Picture this: the grove, a place of supposed sanctuary. You let that poor tiefling girl, Arabella, get bitten by the snake and die. Cold, right? But it gets better. Later, you find Barth, mourning his stolen locket. When the thief, Meli, runs off, you have a golden opportunity. You can loom over Barth and imply, with the most sinister glee, that he might end up just like that dead child. He'll hand over his mother's locket in pure terror. And then? You don't just give it back. You make the weeping man pay you for his own dead mother's keepsake. The reward is pitiful, but the look on his face? Priceless. It's a masterclass in petty, pointless evil that sets the tone for your entire run.

9. Incite a Brawl & Rob a Leader Blind

At the grove gate, you'll meet Aradin, a brute, and Zevlor, the weary leader. They argue. Most would try to calm things. I say, pour gasoline on the fire! By picking the right dialogue, you can get Aradin to sucker-punch Zevlor, knocking him out cold. While this so-called hero is unconscious in the dirt, you can slink over and pick his pockets clean. The prize? Those gorgeous Hellrider's Pride gloves he's so fond of. You get fantastic gear and the satisfaction of sabotaging the grove's leadership before you've even decided to raid it. Siding with the greedy, violent Aradin early on is a perfect evil omen.

Now, let's descend into true darkness. The Underdark and its twisted inhabitants offer playgrounds for the creatively cruel.

8. Mock a Petrified Dwarf's Mortal Terror

In Auntie Ethel's lair, you'll find Elfrin, a dwarf turned to stone. You can save him. How boring. If you're a duergar, you get a special, beautiful option. After he's un-petrified, he'll panic, fearing he's been infected with the "Bite." You can laugh in his face. Revel in his terror. When he hurls racist insults at you in his fear, you can laugh even harder, crushing his hope until he runs off, convinced he's doomed. Even better, you can offer false hope, pretending you know a cure, only to sneer "No" when he begs for help. Watching his spirit break is a quiet, personal evil that fuels the soul.

7. Enslave an Entire Fish-People Cult

Deep in the Underdark, the Kuo-Toa are worshipping a fraud, a redcap named BOOOAL. You can expose him and become their new god, "Mahkloompah"! But the evil doesn't stop at mere worship. Speak to your new zealot, Pooldripp. You can command your fishy followers to go out into the world and build an army in your name. There's no tangible reward, no quest marker. Just the knowledge that you've condemned an entire species of suggestible fish-people to forever wage war to spread your glorious, tyrannical reputation. It's megalomania in its purest, most pointless form.

6. Restore an Abuser & Condemn His Family

In the Myconid Colony, you meet Derryth Bonecloak, who wants a rare Noblestalk mushroom. Her husband, Baelen, is a drooling simpleton trapped in a toxic fungus field. Do some digging (or talking to their Deep Rothe), and you'll learn a delicious secret: Baelen was a monstrous, abusive drunk for decades. Derryth drugged him to make him stupid and docile. That Noblestalk? It can cure his intellect. Giving it to him is the ultimate evil choice. You restore his vile temper and intelligence, knowingly sending Derryth and their loyal beast back into a life of horrific abuse. You don't just kill someone; you orchestrate a lifetime of suffering for multiple beings. Now that's commitment.

5. Steal from the Dying & Betray Your Allies

To reach the Grymforge, the duergar Gekh Coal wants a pair of Boots of Speed from a poisoned deep gnome named Thulla. You find her in the Myconid Colony, weak and dying. The good path is to heal her. The evil path? Talk to her, see her vulnerability, and then literally loot the boots off her dying body. You watch the life fade from her eyes, leaving her to a slow, agonizing death from the poison. Then, you hand the boots to the duergar slaver, betraying the Myconids' trust and fueling the evil duergar enterprise. It's a two-for-one betrayal that's as efficient as it is heartless.

4. Force a Legendary Hero to Murder His Best Friend

This is for the Dark Urge connoisseurs. If you embrace your Bhaalspawn nature, the heroic duo Jaheira and Minsc will rightfully turn on you. But wait! Minsc has a tadpole. Using your Illithid powers, you can dominate his mind and force him to kill Jaheira himself. Pass that DC 25 Wisdom check, and you'll witness one of Faerûn's greatest friendships end with Minsc's own blade. The aftermath is pure poetry: a rage-filled Minsc, and if you use speak with dead on Jaheira... well, let's just say the guilt is eternal. It's not just murder; it's the corruption of a pure soul into the ultimate weapon of despair.

3. Torture a Dying Man (Who Might Be Your Sister)

On the shores of the Chionthar, you find a dying Stone Lord thug. This could be Orin in disguise, testing you. But why wait to find out? As the Dark Urge, you get a sublime option: give in to the urge and "Slice him. Bleed him. Eviscerate him." Even as a regular character, you can prod his wounds or just watch him suffer. If it is Orin, you've just matched her cruelty note for note. If it's some poor, random dying fool... well, you've had your fun. It's a gamble of pain that perfectly encapsulates the chaotic evil mindset.

2. Permit the Sacrifice of an Innocent Child

In Act Three, if you're clever with your party composition, Orin might kidnap Yenna—the hungry little girl from Rivington—and murder her cat, Grub. When you confront Orin in her temple, she has the girl on an altar. You can try to reason with her. Or, you can stand back and let her sacrifice the child. Watch the ritual complete. Bhaal might prefer a duel, but there's a special kind of evil in allowing the slaughter of a completely innocent, helpless child who only wanted a warm meal. It's a choice that stains the soul permanently.

1. The Ultimate Betrayal: Return Scratch to Hell

And now, the pinnacle. The single most evil act in all of Baldur's Gate 3. In Rivington, you befriend Scratch, the best boy, the loyal companion who brings you gifts and comfort. Later, you learn his original owner, Angry Mar'hyah, runs the Sword Coast Couriers kennel—a place of animal abuse. She demands him back. And you can do it. You can look into those trusting doggy eyes, take his leash, and hand him back to his abusive owner. You condemn the only being in Faerûn who offered unconditional love to a life of misery and pain. This choice offers no power, no loot, no strategic advantage. It is evil for evil's sake, a pure betrayal that defines you as the absolute worst person in the realm. Even I, in my most monstrous runs, hesitate here. It's the final test. Will you cross that line?

So there you have it. My personal handbook to the shadows. These choices weave a tapestry of cruelty far richer than any simple "raid the grove" decision. They require attention to detail, a willingness to be petty, and a heart blacker than the Chionthar at midnight. Go forth, and make Faerûn weep. 😈