Baldurs Gate 3: How to speak with dead? Baldurs Gate 3 guide, walkthrough
Speaking with the dead is one of BG3's unique mechanics. This guide explains how to use the Speak with Dead spell or The Amulet of Lost Voices, as well as what information can be extracted from the souls of the dead.
Last update: 04 August 2023
On this page of our guide to Baldur's Gate 3 you'll learn how to talk to the dead, how these encounters look like and whether they have any practical applications. We've described two main techniques available in Act 1 - the Speak with Dead spell and The Amulet of Lost Voices.
Speak with Dead spell
- The Speak with Dead spell can be used to talk with the souls of the deceased. It's a Level 3 Necromancy spell. It's available to Clerics and Bards.
- Once used, it must be recovered. If only one of your party members can talk to the dead, set up camp to rest.
The Amulet of Lost Voices
- The second way to talk to the dead is a unique amulet, acquirable in Act 1. You need to explore the Dank Crypt located by the beach. We've described how to find the entrance on the Dank Crypt page.
- You must find a secret room in the crypt. Reach the place pictured above. You need to pass a Perception check, which will reveal a button opening the secret room. Unfortunately, pressing it triggers a battle against the undead scribes. Deal with them - you can hide in the secret room and kill them one by one as they squeeze through the entrance.
- The secret chamber contains a sarcophagus (an attempt to open it initiates a conversation with a hooded skeleton) and a number of chests. Look inside the heavy chest, which holds The Amulet of Lost Voices.
- All party members can equip it. This will grant the character access to the Speak with Dead spell - the spell icon will appear on their action bar.
How to make contact with the dead?
- You can't use the spell or the amulet on every corpse, as there are restrictions. You can't talk to the undead, only inanimate corpses. The corpse must also have a mouth to speak with. Valid corpses are highlighted in green (you must be controlling the character who can speak with the dead).
- When trying to make contact, the corpse will either not respond or trigger a conversation. You can ask up to five questions. These can be standard questions (who are you, what happened to you, where are your savings, etc.) and some more detailed ones, often tied to quests. This may let you complete a quest in an alternate or simpler way.
Explosions or powerful offensive spells can mutiliate the body, preventing you from talking to the corpse. If you plan to interrogate the enemy after the fight, avoid these techniques.