Baldur’s Gate 3: Can You Go Back to Act 1? Explained

You might not hit all the side content at first, so can you go back to Act 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3 after you’ve left? It feels impossible to complete everything in Act 1 the first time. However, you won’t be able to return after you reach a certain point in BG3.

Are You Able to Return to Act 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3?

The answer to whether you can go back to Act 1 in Baldur’s Gate 3 is yes and no. There’s a soft-lock point of no return, named so because while you can return, some side quests aren’t available. There’s a hard-lock later that bars you from returning completely.

Can I Go Back to Act 1 in BG3 After the Mountain Pass or Underdark?

The soft-lock point is when you go through the Mountain Pass or Underdark. The game notifies you that this is your last chance to go back and complete content you haven’t in Act 1. After you continue past this point, you can return to Act 1. However, you won’t be able to access the majority of side quests anymore because NPCs’ locations change here.

When Does Act 1 Become Fully Unavailable?

The hard-lock is when you complete the Gauntlet of Shar in Act 2. At this point, Act 1 becomes fully locked off, and you can’t return at all. Again, Baldur’s Gate 3 warns you that this is a point of no return. That way, you can back out of the Gauntlet if you need to before Act 1 becomes unavailable. By this time, there wasn’t anything I need from Act 1 even if I missed it. What you get in Act 2 essentially replaces items you would have wanted earlier.

For what it’s worth, Baldur’s Gate 2 also has a similar point of no return in a similar portion of its Act 2. It makes sense that Larian would continue the design choice with its sequel.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is designed so you can return to Act 1 until you complete the Gauntlet of Shar. But most of the side quest NPCs will no longer be available after you go through the Mountain Pass or Underdark. With such a large game, it makes sense to lock off earlier sections. I’m just glad that I get a warning before I go past a point of no return. If you’re concerned, you can check out our list of the top 10 things you should do in Baldur’s Gate 3 Act 1 from our BG3 guide hub.

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