There is hardly an opponent in Act One of Baldur’s Gate 3 that players fear fighting more than Aunt Ethel. The “Aunt” is not only more powerful than she looks, she can also be really nasty. But that’s exactly why she is celebrated by players.
Spoiler Alert! This article deals with the old lady from the thumbnail, Aunt Ethel. Those who have not yet met her or still enjoy drinking her potions should wait to read further until after the encounter.
Who is Aunt Ethel and what makes her as popular as she is feared? Aunt Ethel is an old lady you meet in Act One of Baldur’s Gate 3. She is initially found in the Druid Grove among the Tiefling refugees, where she sells potions and wants to take care of the player.
However, those who get to know her better will find out sooner or later that Ethel is not just an old lady, but a hag. And she is not to be trifled with.
Aunt Ethel is extremely powerful and has been able to ruin many honour runs. We at MeinMMO consider her due to the challenge of her fight to be among the nastiest bosses in the game.
In the confrontation with Ethel, she employs various spell attacks, including the spell “Vicious Mockery.” The caster insults their target and inflicts psychic damage if the target fails their Wisdom saving throw.
Some characters like bards can also use Vicious Mockery, but Ethel’s insults are a whole different league, as the community agrees: “Aunt Ethel’s Vicious Mockery is the best. The way she brings the whole party down is incredible.” (Miss–Magpie on Reddit)
Here you can see the animated short film for Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3:
“I wonder which parent regrets you more, HALF-BLOOD!”
Which insults does the community find particularly strong? The player and Reddit user Chair_Last started a thread on Reddit where players celebrate Ethel’s insults. The user TheCuriousFan refers to a YouTube video that highlights how personal Ethel’s insults can really get. Here are some examples of her creativity:
- To a male drow: “Get on your knees, boy, just like the matriarch taught you.”
- To a duergar: “Bow your head, slave. You still remember how to do that, right?”
- To a githyanki: “What kind of messed-up portal brought someone like you here?”
- To a half-elf: “I wonder which parent regrets you more, half-blood!”
- To a half-orc: “Clumsy half-orc. Twice as ugly as your parents combined!”
- To a tiefling: “You are everyone’s punching bag and no one’s favorite.”
- To a human: “A human! So desperate to be something special.”
How does Ethel insult your companions? The companions from Baldur’s Gate 3 are not spared from Ethel’s personal attacks either. Reddit user meowgrrr has summarized them on Reddit, and here you can read some excerpts:
- To Astarion: “Deep down, you like being on a leash, don’t you?”
- To Gale: “I can smell what’s underneath those bandages, wizard. You are completely rotten and decayed.”
- To Karlach: “You like to sell everyone else’s souls, but not your own, right?”
- To Lae’zel: “Do you miss kissing Vlaakith’s feet, Gith?”
- To Shadowheart: “You’re not a complex puzzle. Just a sad little girl.”
- To Wyll: “Oh, look! There’s Daddy’s grief.”
Aunt Ethel doesn’t necessarily have to insult the player and their companions. You can also side with her and let the hag carry out her plans, even support her. This may not make you popular with everyone, but Ethel will like you all the more. This way, you can even win her as a powerful ally for the final battle of the game: Hidden ally makes the final battle in Baldur’s Gate 3 much easier, but you have to pay a high price.
