In the captivating world of Baldur’s Gate 3, players encounter various challenges and adversaries as they progress through the game’s rich narrative. Among these formidable foes is Malus Thorm, a mini-boss featured in Act 2 of the game. Located within the House of Healing in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, Malus Thorm is a pivotal character in the Art Callugh questline. Players embarking on this quest must prepare themselves for an encounter that can be tackled in multiple ways.
To commence this questline, players must approach the House of Healing after initiating the Art Callugh quest. This location is situated to the north of the Moonrise Towers, and players can conveniently start their journey from the Reithwin Town Waypoint, proceeding northeast for a few moments until they reach the House of Healing.
Malus Thorm and his assistants can be found within the House of Healing, where he is engrossed in performing surgery on a distressed patient. As players prepare to confront Malus Thorm, they must bear in mind that he possesses resistance against slashing damage, bludgeoning damage, piercing damage, and fire damage. Consequently, a successful strategy to overcome this formidable opponent necessitates the utilization of other damage types.
Unlocking Victory: Diplomacy vs. Combat
The battle against Malus Thorm is further complicated by the presence of his nurse assistants, who prove to be not only a nuisance but also a source of healing and support for the boss. To enhance your chances of victory, it is crucial to prioritize defeating these nurse assistants first. It is worth noting that the nurse assistants also possess resistance against certain damage types, including necrotic and fire damage.
Once the nurse assistants are vanquished, players can shift their focus towards Malus Thorm himself. Radiant damage proves to be particularly effective in this instance since both Malus Thorm and his nurses are of undead persuasion. Shadowheart, a companion equipped with cleric spells, can be a valuable asset in this battle. If your main character also belongs to the Cleric class, they can make use of these spells to bolster your chances of success.
Furthermore, employing Witchbolt and ice-based spells can inflict substantial damage on Malus Thorm. However, it is crucial to exercise caution, as Malus Thorm becomes more aggressive when his health falls below 40%, unleashing a barrage of multi-attacks. To counter this, it is advisable to keep your vulnerable characters at a safe distance and rely on tanky characters such as Lae’zel or Karlach to engage the boss.
For those who prefer a more diplomatic approach, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers an alternative path to victory. Players can choose to engage in a dialogue with Malus Thorm, provided they pass certain challenging dialog checks. These checks are demanding, making it imperative to save your progress before engaging in conversation with him.
Optimal spells and tactics for taking down Malus Thorm
When the dialogue begins, players are presented with their first option: “A student. Yes, please do enlighten me.” Choosing this option sets in motion a sequence of dialogue choices that, if navigated successfully, will lead to Malus Thorm’s defeat without resorting to combat. However, failing any of the checks during the conversation will result in a battle.
Following this initial dialogue choice, players will encounter four additional options. They can proceed with either the investigation or religion options, both of which lead to the same conclusion. Success in this stage requires passing a dice check with a difficulty of 14.
Upon successfully passing the check, players will be presented with another dialogue option: “The blades are uneven. Effective surgery will require further training.” Choosing this option perplexes Malus Thorm and leaves him momentarily disoriented. The next prompt offers the choice: “Why not have them test the skill on each other?” If this option is chosen and successfully executed, the nurse assistants will turn on each other, effectively eliminating Malus Thorm’s support.
Alternatively, players can select the intimidation option and must pass a roll with a target of “18.” This choice prompts the self-proclaimed doctor to throw the corpse out of the chair and position himself on it. The nurse assistants, responding to the intimidation, proceeded to eliminate Malus Thorm. Following this outcome, the nurses will flee, allowing players to loot Malus Thorm’s corpse and continue their adventure.
Within the House of Healing, players have the opportunity to save the Distressed Patient after defeating Malus Thorm. To do so, they must retrieve the BG3 Malus Thorm Key from Malus Thorm’s lifeless body. This key is then used to unlock the cuffs, restraining the distressed patient. The Knock Spell is instrumental in freeing the patient, who subsequently flees to find refuge in the Shadow Cursed Land.
