There are many ways to deal with foes and quests in Baldur’s Gate 3. The True Soul Nere segment of the Underdark’s Grymforge is one prime example of this, allowing you to save or kill this obnoxious enemy in a couple of different ways.
How to kill True Soul Nere in Baldur’s Gate 3
Should you choose to kill True Soul Nere in Baldur’s Gate 3—the right choice to make, by my thoughts—there are two ways you can end the Drow. One path is the easier method, while the other requires a lengthy fight.
Let Nere die by poison
Upon entering Gyrmforge in the Underdark, you’ll learn True Soul Nere and a few other Absolute followers are stuck behind a massive rock pile at the dig site. Sergeant Thrinn explains the goal here is to blow up the rubble, freeing Nere and the Deep Gnomes.
However, they aren’t simply stuck behind those rocks. There’s poisonous gas trapped in the space with Nere and the gnomes, slowly killing them all. It’s possible to eliminate Nere and, sadly, the poor innocents with him by letting them succumb to the poisonous gas. Perhaps it’s not the most ethical path, but it’s certainly easier.
To do this, all you need to do is head to your camp and have a long rest or two. When you return to the dig site, Nere’s dead, and you can loot his body for the Moonlantern or anything else you need without a proper fight.
How to kill Nere in battle
Alternatively, another option to kill True Soul Nere is to blow up the rocks, freeing him, and then challenge the Drow to a fair fight. You can free True Soul Nere by using any grenades on the rubble, and if you don’t have that, you’ll need Philomeen’s help.
If you don’t have anything, speak to nearby miners Lunkbud and Laridda to learn about their escaped friend. They’ll tell you about Philomeen and mark your map, revealing where you can find the gnome and her stash of explosives. If you’re quick, you can save the gnomes and still take out the cruel True Soul. Just be careful not to take a long rest, or you’ll end up defaulting to the poison route.
Once you’ve got the explosives, drop them by the rocks, and everyone will scatter. Then use another explosive or a fire spell to blow up the obstacle. Speak with Nere to initiate your fight, goading the boss here is your path to saving the gnomes and taking his head.
If you want to make things easier, speak with Brithvar before challenging the True Soul. Unhappy with his pay, he’ll tell you of his plan to betray Nere. Help him out by destroying the Watcher following you around Grymforge and you’ll have six additional allies against Nere.
You’ll want them, too, since Nere has Absolute followers with powerful magic on his side. Make quick work of some of them by shoving enemies into the lava, and take care not to blow your poison-based spells on Nere’s allies—they’ve got plenty of resistance against this strat.
What happens if you side with Nere in BG3?
Siding with True Soul Nere immediately launches you into a battle against Elder Brithvar, his forces, and the rest of the Grymforge, with you fighting alongside Nere and his Mind Master novices. Compared to Nere, they’re not too powerful, but you’ll still want to watch out for unexpected shoves into lava or attacks from multiple enemies in quick succession, as Brithvar has a much larger group than Nere does.
That’s about where the differences lie, though. Later in Baldur’s Gate 3‘s story, you’ll find a few dialogue points from characters noting your decision. Outside that, not much changes in the grand scheme of things, so there’s no real benefit to siding with him. However, siding with Nere is a more logical approach for evil or morally questionable characters, so it’s mostly up to personal preference.
Where to find True Soul Nere
You’ll find True Soul Nere trapped in a cave-in area within the Grymforge at coordinates (X:-635, Y:331). Interacting with the rubble pile for the first time initiates a conversation with Nere and the Free True Soul Near quest, allowing you to learn more about his predicament and potential solutions.
Your first opportunity to learn about Nere is through various conversations in the Underdark, where you’ll hear about him being trapped in the Grymforge. If you’re still in the Underdark, you can reach the Grymforge by traveling past the Arcane Tower and north toward the Decrepit Village’s beach. Here, you’ll find several Duergar and a large boat, which you’ll use to travel to the Grymforge.
After arriving in the Grymforge, you’re free to travel around and meet the various characters that roam and work in the mines. You can also travel directly to the cave-in and, if you have explosives, immediately blow up the area to initiate the interaction early. Otherwise, you can look for Philomeen and grab the Runepowder vial to get a free explosive.
Once you grab the Runepowder vial from earlier, head to True Soul Nere’s cave-in location and set it down near the rubble. Make sure to wait for the gnomes to run away before igniting the vial if you want to avoid further casualties. Doing this blows up the rocks, allowing Nere and the trapped gnomes to leave.
