Skip to main content

What the Mirror of Loss is and how to use it in Baldur’s Gate 3

In The Forgotten Realms, you can never be sure what to expect from even the most normal character or object. Baldur’s Gate 3 loves to subvert your expectations, but also reward you for paying attention and experimenting. If you spot something that looks important, like the Mirror of Loss, it probably is. In this case, when you find the magical mirror, you won’t be able to do anything substantial with it. However, keeping it in mind and returning to it could be just what you need to buff up your character’s stats a bit more – but it will come at a cost. It’s called the Mirror of Loss for a reason, so let’s reflect on what it is and how to use it.

Where to find the Mirror of Loss

A party of adventurers approaching a giant purple mirror.
Larian Studios

The massive circular mirror is something you will naturally come across if you’re following Shadowheart’s companion questline. Starting in Act 2, you will be able to go find it in the Underdark, more specifically the Temple of Shar’s Chamber of Loss. It will cost you 1,000 gold to enter, so it’s best to know what you’re getting for such a steep price.

How to use the Mirror of Loss

A wizard talking to a big magic mirror.
Larian Studios

Before you can interact with the Mirror of Loss, you have to at least hit Act 3. At that point, you can travel back to the Temple of Shar and finally get some value out of it. This will come in the form of stat buffs, but don’t get too excited because for each point you can potentially gain for your character, you will need to give two up. While you can always respec your character, once stats are lost via the Mirror of Loss, they’re gone for good. Interacting with the mirror will present you with four dialogue options that each determine which stat you improve, and which will be reduced. Here’s how they work:

  • Offer memories of your strength — times when you triumphed, thanks to your raw power. This will give you +1 Strength, but -2 Wisdom.
  • Give up memories of your youth, when your heart was carefree and your limbs were nimble. This option will give you +1 Wisdom, but -2 Strength.
  • Relinquish memories of fortitude and well-being, when body and mind held fast against all challenges. This option will give you +1 Intelligence, but -2 Charisma.
  • Surrender valued knowledge gleaned from books, scrolls, tablets … words that left a mark on your mind — but no more. The last option will result in +1 Charisma and -2 Intelligence.

Depending on your class, some of these may be worth the cost. A Barbarian who never uses Wisdom but specializes in Strength, for example, would easily benefit from the first choice. Think carefully before making this deal.

Editors' Recommendations

Jesse Lennox
Jesse Lennox loves writing, games, and complaining about not having time to write and play games. He knows the names of more…
All companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 and how to get them
Wyll with horns dancing.

There's a lot to see in Baldur's Gate 3, but you're not going to get far without a few good companions by your side. Thankfully, you'll stumble upon a wide assortment of NPCs that'd love nothing more than to accompany you on your journey. These friendly faces fill several different roles -- from mages and healers to archers and warriors, there's bound to be a companion that augments your playstyle.

Many of these companions also come with their own series of quests and unlockable skills, turning them into more than just faceless characters to help you in combat. In fact, you can spend hours unraveling their narratives, and depending on your actions, your companions might look very different at the end of Baldur's Gate 3 than when you first met them.

Read more
How to get the Finishing Touches achievement in Hogwarts Legacy
A wizard zaps someone off camera with red magic in Hogwarts Legacy,

There are tons of challenges to tackle in Hogwarts Legacy, but few are as time-consuming as unlocking the Finishing Touches achievement. This wild achievement forces you to use very specific attacks on very specific enemies, meaning you'll need to travel all around Hogwarts to find these beasts and go up against them in battle.

While you'll spend a lot of time chasing after all these enemies, there are a few things you need to know before venturing out in search of this achievement. Here's how to get the Finishing Touches achievement in Hogwarts Legacy, including which enemies you need to find and which spell must be cast on them.

Read more
How long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
Cloud and his friends overlook a scenic field.

By expanding the Midgar section of Final Fantasy 7 into an entire game, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth finally takes us beyond the walls into the world beyond. This much larger swath of land to explore begs the question of just how big this game will be. Between all the open-world tasks, sidequests, and minigames awaiting in the Gold Saucer, could this game really be a 100-hour experience as was claimed? What if you just tried to focus on the main story to see what has or hasn't changed? We've played through the entirety of Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth and can give you a good idea of just how long it will take you to reach this chapter's conclusion.

Note: We will not be spoiling any story details, but will list how many chapters there are.
How long is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

Read more