The Baldur's Gate 3 parasite powers gained from the Illithid Tadpole grant you some of the most powerful abilities in the game, but is it worth it? After all, turning into a mind flayer is something you've been threatened with from the start of Baldur's Gate 3, and nobody wants to start wielding Psionic authority to suddenly realise that tentacles are falling out of their face. Don't worry though - I'll cover everything you need to know about the parasite powers in Baldur's Gate 3 and what the Illithid Tadpoles are doing to your brain, for better or worse.
Warning: some spoilers for the plot of Baldur's Gate 3 below.
Recent updates
This illithid powers guide was updated on 7 November, though no major updates have changed this element of the game since the last update.
How to unlock Illithid Powers in Baldur's Gate 3
Consume Baldur's Gate 3 parasites to unlock Illithid powers by killing any enemy who also has a Mind Flayer tadpole parasite in their brain and eating it. Examples of this include True Souls of the Absolute. The first time you do this, you'll need to open your mind to it in the dialogue that follows.
From this point on you'll be able to unlock further Illithid Powers in the menu (select inventory, then the little Parasite indicator in the top of the window). Each character can unlock a new power by spending a single parasite to do so, with a range of powers to pick from - though some characters, like Lae'zel and BG3's Karlach, will have to be convinced to use them in dialogue, not being a fan of the parasites or the Illithid Mind Flayers.
How to find more mind flayer parasites in BG3
To get more Baldur's Gate 3 mind flayer parasites, just keep killing tadpole-infected enemies and looting them from their corpses. An example of this is the Baldur's Gate 3 Minthara boss, or the Flind Gnoll in the Risen Road. They can be looted from corpses and later ingested when selected from your inventory.
You can also find Parasites in certain context-appropriate locations, such as Lae'zel's Githyanki Creche where they're being studied. Characters will often comment if they notice a Parasite nearby, and highlighting the area with LeftAlt/R3 will reveal the Parasite clearly, tagged in Orange lettering.
Once you have a parasite, simply use it in your inventory like any consumable, or go to the dedicated Illithid Menu.
The mind flayer powers skill tree has you starting from the middle and working your way outwards, connecting the various "nodes", but the outer rings simply won't be available until a certain point in the story at the end of Act 2, where you meet a character as part of the main plot who gives you a new form of parasite to use, unlocking the final powers. Admittedly, you are under no obligation to access or use these powers, as it's warned that you'll effectively become half-Illithid in the process, but they are incredibly potent and will be a massive advantage in the fights to come.
Side effects of Parasite Powers in Baldur's Gate 3
At the early stages of Baldur's Fate 3 it's heavily implied that the Illithid Powers and parasites will have negative consequences down the road, considering that their original purpose is to turn the player into a Mind Flayer. However, that's not really the case - you can consume as many as you like, but you'll be faced with the opportunity to evolve your tadpole to the next stage of ceremorphosis at a crucial juncture near the start of Act 3.
Here's all the consequences of using Illithid Powers and Parasites, with spoilers to follow:
- Consuming Parasites for the majority of the game will cause certain companions to approve or disapprove, depending on their opinion of the parasites and the gifts they offer.
- Accepting and using the Astral-Touched Tadpole in Act 3 to unlock the final tier of Illithid Powers causes the character to be covered in unremovable black veins across their face and abdomen (and risks approval/disapproval from other characters).
Best Illithid Powers
All the best Illithid Powers are in the final tier unlocked through using the Astral-Touched Tadpole, ranging from permanent flight, to creating black holes, to transforming into a Displacer Beast. Any of these powers would be a substantial advantage for any character - combined, they're devastating. That being said, they're not unlocked until a way into the game - and for the first two acts, you're relying on a less dramatic array of Psionic powers.
Out of those, these are our preferred picks:
- Luck of the Far Realms: Once per long rest, you can turn any regular hit into a critical hit. Amazing for a Rogue's Sneak attack or a Paladin's Smite when you're fighting a powerful boss.
- Force Tunnel: Charge forward and push everything in your path away. Best for tanks and melee fighters getting into the fray, but also works as a means for your spellcasters to escape danger quickly.
- Favourable Beginnings: The first attack roll or ability check on any target gets a bonus equal to your proficiency bonus. A nice little passive buff that can help in dialogue, combat or any interaction.
- Psionic Backlash: When an enemy nearby casts a spell, use your reaction to do psychic damage to them that scales to the spell level. Though not hugely damaging, if you're lucky it can shut down a Concentration Spell the moment it starts.
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