One of the best-kept secrets in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate 3 is Ansur’s Lair. According to Duke Ulder Ravengard, a Wyrm named Ansur lives in a hidden lair beneath the streets and has agreed to help protect the city from harm just one time and one time only. With the Absolute marching on the city, the Duke tasks you with finding Ansur and enlisting its help.
However, things take a turn for the worse when you meet Ansur, and many players are wondering if there’s a way to save it in BG3.
Can you save Ansur the Dragon in BG3?
If you’re reading this guide, then I’m going to assume you have been through the cutscene with Ansur already. However, if you have only just gotten to the dragon’s lair, then come back to this guide when you’re done, as there are spoilers for Ansur’s quest below.
When you first approach Ansur, you will it dead on the ground. After making your way up to its carcass, though, it will come alive and take immediate control over your mind. While it might seem like it’s talking to you during this sequence, it’s actually talking to the Emperor in your head. This results in the Emperor coming out of the Astral Prism. Of course, this only happens if you have kept the Emperor alive up to this point.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to open Bhaal’s Door in the Undercity Ruins in BG3
After some dialogue between the Emperor and Ansur, who are actually old friends, it’s revealed that the Emperor killed Ansur after he turned into a mind flayer. Ansur tried to heal the Emperor after his transition, but the Emperor didn’t want to be healed and killed Ansur before the same could be done to him. Through all of this back and forth, combat eventually breaks out between you and Ansur, which only results in Ansur’s death.
Naturally, my first thought was “Did that really have to happen?” I was under the impression I would be able to enlist Ansur’s help in the fight against the Absolute. So I went back and did all of the different dialogue options with the dragon and the Emperor to see if there was a way to not have to kill Ansur.
Unfortunately, from what I can tell, there is no way to save Ansur in BG3. The dragon is programmed to die, and you will not be able to employ its services during the battle with the Absolute.
