With the full release of Baldur's Gate 3 finally here, players are rushing to find out how to reach the previously-inaccessible Act 2 of the game. Unlike some games that split their stories into Acts, Baldur's Gate 3's Act 2 is not a hard transition that cuts players off from Act 1 – in fact, there's no screen that directly confirms players are in the second Act at all.
The Early Access for Baldur's Gate 3 took place over almost the entirety of the first Act, according to developers, and players were cut off from accessing any areas outside of these bounds. Now that the game's out, there are two ways to reach the second Act of BG3: through the guarded Mountain Pass, or through the terrifying Underdark.
No matter which of these methods to reach Act 2 one chooses to follow, it's recommended for all party members to be at Level 5 before progressing to the Act 2 map as enemies are more challenging here. By progressing normally through Act 1 and completing a few major quests on the way to either of these Act 2 entrances, players will reach Level 5 with ease.
Method One: The Mountain Pass, Beyond The Risen Road
The easiest way to reach the map for Act 2 is through a transition point in the far northwest of the initial Act 1 zone. From Waukeen's Rest, head west until you encounter a Githyanki Patrol. Either use Lae'zel (or a Githyanki custom player character) to convince them to let the party pass, or be prepared to take on the patrol in combat – and it's not an easy encounter.
Either way, once the party is past this hurdle and the Githyanki Patrol is gone, continue heading west to find the edge of the map and the Mountain Pass. Interact with The Mountain Pass, confirm that you want to move to the new map, and wait for the Act 2 map to load in.
By following this route to Act 2, players will end up in the Rosymorn Monastery Trail on a path that leads to a pack of Ghouls and their masters.
Method Two: An Elevator Deep In The Underdark
The more tedious, but relatively safer for non-Githyanki races, route is through the Underdark. There are several entrances to the Underdark throughout Act 1, including the bottom of the Hag's lair and the Phase Spider Matriarch's cave, the temple of Selune puzzle in the Goblin Camp, and a hidden elevator beneath the Zhentarim Hideout.
Once you've reached the Underdark, be prepared to avoid lots of environmental hazards, and keep a finger hovering over the Quicksave key in case anything pops up out of nowhere. Make your way to the Grymforge with the boat found on the Underdark Beach around the center of the zone. Then progress through the huge variety of quests and stories here to eventually find an elevator that rises to arrive in the map for Act 2 – an area infested by a strange malignant curse.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available for PC, and is set to release on PlayStation 5 on September 6, 2023.