What Happens If You Let the Hag Have Mayrina? A Comprehensive Guide to Ethel’s Deal in Baldur’s Gate 3
Letting Auntie Ethel keep Mayrina in Baldur’s Gate 3 results in a bittersweet, arguably negative, outcome for both Mayrina and your party. If you choose this path, Ethel rewards you with a permanent +1 boost to a single stat of your choosing. However, Mayrina remains under Ethel’s control, likely to be used for her twisted experiments and dark magic. This decision also means you forfeit any loot Ethel would have dropped upon defeat. While the stat boost is enticing, the long-term consequences for Mayrina and the potential loss of valuable items often make this a less desirable choice for most players. Essentially, you prioritize immediate power at the cost of an innocent life and potential future gains.
Understanding the Consequences of Ethel’s Deal
Choosing to let Ethel have Mayrina comes with several implications that extend beyond the immediate reward. This isn’t a simple transaction; it’s a decision that reflects on your character’s morality and affects the game’s narrative.
The Fate of Mayrina
The most direct consequence is Mayrina’s grim future. Ethel, a powerful and twisted hag, has nefarious plans for the young woman. While the specifics aren’t explicitly detailed, it’s heavily implied that Mayrina will be subjected to horrific experiments, possibly becoming a twisted puppet or ingredient in Ethel’s dark rituals. This is not a scenario where Mayrina lives happily ever after; her fate is almost certainly bleak and filled with suffering.
The Stat Boost: Power at a Price
The immediate reward for this decision is a permanent +1 stat boost to any attribute you choose. This is a significant advantage, as it permanently enhances your character’s abilities. However, many players find that the moral cost outweighs the statistical benefit. Sacrificing Mayrina for personal power reflects a ruthless pragmatism that can alter your character’s alignment and impact future interactions within the game.
Forfeiting Ethel’s Loot
Defeating Ethel normally grants access to a variety of valuable items, including magical artifacts, potions, and crafting materials. Choosing to let her escape with Mayrina means you forfeit all of these rewards. While the stat boost is permanent, the lost loot could potentially be more beneficial in the long run, providing diverse advantages throughout your adventure.
Roleplaying Implications
From a roleplaying perspective, this decision drastically impacts your character’s narrative. Are you playing a benevolent hero willing to sacrifice their own power for the sake of others, or are you a pragmatic individual willing to make morally questionable choices for personal gain? Letting Ethel have Mayrina defines your character’s motivations and shapes their interactions with other characters who may learn of your decision. Exploring such complex moral choices are also researched by the Games Learning Society.
Weighing Your Options
Ultimately, the decision of whether to let Ethel have Mayrina depends on your individual play style and moral compass. While the stat boost is tempting, consider the long-term implications for Mayrina, the lost loot, and the impact on your character’s narrative. Often, the more heroic and rewarding path involves confronting Ethel and rescuing Mayrina, even if it means facing a challenging battle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you revisit your decision if you let Ethel have Mayrina?
No, the decision is permanent. Once you agree to let Ethel take Mayrina, there’s no way to undo it. Save your game beforehand if you’re unsure.
2. Does letting Ethel have Mayrina affect your companions’ approval?
Yes, some companions, particularly those with a strong moral compass like Karlach or Wyll, will disapprove of this decision. Conversely, more pragmatic or evil-aligned companions might approve.
3. Is the +1 stat boost worth it?
That depends on your priorities. While a permanent stat boost is beneficial, many players find the moral cost of sacrificing Mayrina to be too high.
4. What happens to Mayrina after Ethel takes her?
The exact details of Mayrina’s fate are not explicitly shown, but it’s heavily implied that she will be subjected to horrific experiments and dark magic by Ethel. Her future is almost certainly bleak.
5. Can you still find Mayrina later in the game if you let Ethel take her?
It’s possible, but highly unlikely, that Mayrina will reappear in a later act. However, even if she does, she’s likely to be in a significantly worse state than if you had rescued her.
6. Does saving Mayrina have any long-term benefits?
Saving Mayrina leads to a quest line where you can help her deal with the loss of her husband and potentially bring him back, albeit with consequences. It also fosters goodwill with potential allies.
7. What loot do you miss out on by letting Ethel escape with Mayrina?
You miss out on a variety of valuable items, including powerful magical artifacts, potions, crafting materials, and unique ingredients.
8. Does Ethel’s disappearance affect any other quests?
Yes, it might impact certain dialogue options or quest outcomes related to hags or dark magic.
9. Can you use Speak with Dead on Ethel if she escapes with Mayrina?
No, you cannot use Speak with Dead on Ethel unless you kill her first. If she escapes, she’s technically still alive.
10. Is there a way to get the stat boost and save Mayrina?
Yes, you can fight Ethel, pass a series of checks during the negotiation to spare her in exchange for the stat boost, and still rescue Mayrina. This requires careful planning and perhaps some save-scumming.
11. Does letting Ethel have Mayrina affect your character’s alignment?
It depends on your existing alignment and the specific circumstances. However, it could nudge your character towards a more neutral or evil alignment, especially if you are playing a paladin.
12. What happens if you try to attack Ethel after agreeing to let her have Mayrina?
She will likely become hostile and attack you immediately. She might even disappear, making the fight more complicated.
13. Is it possible to trick Ethel into thinking you’ll let her have Mayrina, then attack?
Yes, but this requires careful dialogue choices and may require a high Charisma score for successful deception. This can lead to a challenging but potentially rewarding fight.
14. Does the stat boost apply to all characters in your party, or just the one who makes the deal?
The stat boost only applies to the character who makes the deal with Ethel.
15. Are there any other ways to get permanent stat boosts in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Yes, there are other opportunities for permanent stat boosts throughout the game, but they often involve completing challenging quests or making difficult choices.
Making the right choices is key in Baldur’s Gate 3. Explore more about the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ to understand how games teach us about complex decisions.