Get Karlach to Go to Avernus

In Baldur’s Gate 3, few characters are as complex and emotionally charged as Karlach, the fierce yet warm-hearted tiefling barbarian. Her journey is deeply intertwined with themes of redemption, freedom, and sacrifice. One of the most emotionally significant choices players face is whether to get Karlach to go to Avernus, the hellish plane she once escaped. This decision is far from straightforward it demands careful consideration, roleplaying alignment, and understanding of her story arc. Navigating Karlach’s path toward Avernus is more than a quest; it’s a moral dilemma wrapped in fire, steel, and sorrow.

Understanding Karlach’s Background

Karlach’s tale is steeped in pain and resilience. Formerly enslaved and forced to fight in the hellish realms of Avernus, she eventually escaped but at a terrible cost. With an infernal engine implanted in her chest, Karlach is on borrowed time, her body burning hotter the longer she remains in Faerûn. This creates a ticking clock scenario that presses players toward a painful resolution. For some, sending her back to Avernus might seem like a betrayal. For others, it may be the only way to keep her alive or free her from suffering entirely.

Why Would You Send Karlach to Avernus?

At first glance, Avernus seems like the last place anyone would want to return to. However, for Karlach, the situation is more nuanced. Her infernal engine is incompatible with the mortal world, meaning her body will eventually break down. Avernus, being a plane that supports infernal constructs, might be the only place where she can exist without her body turning against her. This reasoning opens the door to a heartbreaking but logical sending Karlach to Avernus may save her life.

How to Unlock the Avernus Ending for Karlach

If you’re determined to get Karlach to go to Avernus, you’ll need to make specific choices throughout your journey to enable this ending. It is tied closely to her personal questline, dialogue choices, and your relationship with her. Here’s how to set the path:

Step 1: Recruit and Befriend Karlach

Early in Act 1, you can encounter Karlach near the Risen Road. Save her from the Paladins of Tyr who are hunting her down. Once rescued, she can be invited to join your party. Make sure to travel with her often and engage in dialogue that supports her emotional growth and independence. Building trust with Karlach is essential to unlock deeper conversation options later in the game.

Step 2: Complete Karlach’s Companion Quest

Karlach’s quest revolves around understanding the infernal engine inside her and seeking ways to cool or stabilize it. During Act 2 and Act 3, you’ll come across infernal mechanics, warforged smiths, and even devils who know about her condition. Always choose options that explore more about her engine rather than rejecting her fate. Encouraging her to learn about herself helps unlock the narrative pathway toward the Avernus resolution.

Step 3: Maintain a Strong Relationship

If you pursue a romance with Karlach, your influence over her final decision increases significantly. However, even a strong friendship can suffice. Respond empathetically when she expresses her fears, and discuss Avernus as a possible path when the opportunity arises. Avoid choices that dismiss her suffering or try to suppress her fiery nature.

Step 4: Reach the Endgame with Karlach Alive

During the final moments of the game, once the Absolute threat has been neutralized, you’ll get to decide the fates of your companions. At this point, Karlach will confront the reality that she cannot survive much longer in Faerûn. This is the key decision moment if you’ve fulfilled the right conditions, an option to accompany her to Avernus may appear.

Dialogue Options That Lead to Avernus

Throughout the late-game conversations, specific dialogue triggers are essential. Here are some important cues to watch for:

• You deserve to live, even if it’s in Avernus.
• We’ll find a way to make it work together.
• I won’t let you face hell alone. I’ll go with you.

These lines show both support and willingness to face the consequences. The more you stand by Karlach emotionally and offer solutions that affirm her autonomy, the more likely the option to go to Avernus will unlock.

Consequences of Choosing the Avernus Ending

Sending Karlach back to Avernus has emotional and narrative consequences. While it may save her from physical decay, it also places her back into a world of war, danger, and torment. However, she doesn’t go back the same person. Now she returns with agency, support, and perhaps even companionship if you choose to follow her.

Solo or Together?

You may be given the option to go with Karlach. Choosing to follow her means abandoning the mortal plane and committing your character to the hells. This decision dramatically affects your personal ending, removing your character from Faerûn entirely. It’s a bittersweet gesture of love, loyalty, or sacrifice depending on your motivation.

Impact on the Party

If you go with Karlach, your other companions will reflect on your choice. Some may mourn your departure, while others may understand your reasoning. Your legacy in Faerûn becomes one of sacrifice and emotional depth. If Karlach goes alone, your character must live with that choice and its weight.

Is the Avernus Ending the Best One?

There’s no clear best ending for Karlach it depends on how you interpret her character and what you believe she deserves. For some players, returning to Avernus is a tragic end. For others, it’s a form of salvation, a place where she can live without burning out. The Avernus path is emotionally powerful, and many consider it the most narratively satisfying conclusion for her story.

Alternative Endings

Besides going to Avernus, Karlach has a few other potential endings:

• Staying in Faerûn: She lives out her final days in the mortal realm, possibly with a heartfelt goodbye.
• Death: If her engine overloads and she’s not helped, she dies before reaching the endgame.
• Miracle or Modded Fix: Some players use mods or narrative headcanon to imagine a cure for Karlach.

Each choice carries weight and reflects your values as a player. The game doesn’t force you down one path your actions, words, and bonds determine the result.

Getting Karlach to go to Avernus is one of the most emotionally charged choices in Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s not about right or wrong but about understanding, empathy, and love. Whether you see Avernus as exile or escape, guiding Karlach toward her fate is a powerful reminder of the role we play in shaping stories not just through battles, but through compassion and hard decisions. Her flames may burn hot, but her heart burns brighter and with your guidance, that light can shine even in the darkest corners of hell.