Baldur's Gate 3: Should I side with the Druids or the Tiefling refugees?
One of your first major dilemmas in BG3 - how do your conclude the Druid's Grove?
In Baldur's Gate 3, the first major settlement you'll enter is the Druid's Grove. Inside, there are two major factions: the druids, and the refugees. Deciding which side gets your support is the initial major choice you'll have to make in your adventure through the RPG.
To help you make the right (or wrong) decision, this guide will take you through the pros and cons of siding with the druids, the refugees, and the all the different major outcomes therein.
Do I side with the Refugees or the Druids in The Grove in Baldur's Gate 3?
When you first enter The Grove, the Refugees will be led by Zevlor and the Druids will be led by Kagha. Zevlor will ask you to stop the Druid's ritual which will force them from the Grove, either by convincing the Druids, killing Kagha, or otherwise. Kagha takes the opposite opinion. She's taken a Tiefling child prisoner for attempting to steal the idol at the heart of the ritual, and wants the refugees out.
One of these sides have to back down one way or another, and deciding which to side with is the wider decision in the grove, with numerous smaller but significant choices you can make within either major decision. You can approach both through combat, dialogue, or miscelanious tomfoolery.
Please note, from here on out we'll be diving into spoilers for Act 1 of Baldur's Gate 3. You've been warned!
Siding with the Refugees
If you want to side with the refugees, you'll need to deal with Kagha. There are several ways to do this.
The first and most obvious way to side with the refugees is to rescue Halsin from the Goblin Camp and take out the Goblin leaders. Doing so will allow him to return to the Grove and take back control of the Druids there, and allow the refugees to safely leave the grove without presure from either the Druids of the Goblins.
You can also expose and kill Kagha. If you head into her room in the Grove, you'll find a hidden chest behind a bookcase where a meeting note can be found. Reading this note will direct you to a large dead tree and a combat encounter near the hag's house.
Going there and reading yet another note will reveal that Kagha is working with the Shadow Druids. The ritual to close off the grove is meant to isolate the grove and make it a hub for shadowy, evil Druid nonsense to occur. If you head back and confront Kagha, you can either convince her to turn against the Shadow Druids hidden in the room, or you can just kill her and her shadowy homies.
You can also get your sneak on and steal the idol. This will stop the ritual, although you may have trouble sneaking out of the grove one you snatch it. A high stealth character or invisibility potions are recommended here. This idol sells for a lot - or you could give it to Mol in the grove hideout to help them in future acts.
Finally, you can skip all the investigation and just murder-hobo your way through the druids in the grove. By killing all the druids and judo chopping Kagha in the neck, the refugees will be safe from their pesky ritual. Halsin will not be a fan.
Siding with the druids
What about the Druids, huh? Why shouldn't the refugees find somewhere else to live! They don't pay taxes, and take all our jobs! Get 'em out! There are several ways to go about this.
So, jokes aside, there are different ways to approach this. You can go and save Halsin and bring him back to the grove once all the Goblin leaders are dead. This will allow him to take back control, and he's not anti-refugee unlike Kagha.
But what if Kagha is sounding kinda smart to you? Well, you can deal with the Goblins then agree to escort the refugees out of the grove. Zevlor won't be super happy, but at least they'll be safe from aggresive gobos. Be careful though, if you tell Zevlor you'll escort them out before the goblins are dead, he'll turn aggresive and you'll have to kill him.
One thing you should be careful of is the tiefling child: Arabella. This is the child Kagha has taken prisoner when you first meet her. If you say nothing, the child will attempt to run, and the evil snake will bite them, causing them to tragically die. Arabella's parents will then attempt to kill Kagha at the party later in the game. Arguably a good ending, but something you may want to avoid.
Then there's the obvious, naughty option. Kill all the refugees! This is obviously not a good thing to do, and Wyll certainly won't be a fan, but you can do this and the Druids will be happy with you. This may very well have drastic effects on Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3 and beyond though, so bear that in mind before you kill like eight different kids.
A third, naughtier option
What if you think the refugees are lame, an the Druids stink? Luckily for you, there's a third option. Enter the Goblin camp without killing anyone, and talk to Minthara inside the Shattered Sanctum. There, she'll recognise you as a true soul, and ask for the location of the Grove. Give it to her, and she'll go out to invade the grove with your help.
Go back to the grove and open the gates for Minthara's forces, then help her destroy the grove. This is you siding with the Goblins, and will result in Refugees, Druids, Halsin, and Wyll not liking you very much (or just dying). However, it is the only way to romance Minthara, which may very well be worth it.
So there we have it - some information to help you decide whether to side with the Druids or the Refugees! For more Baldur's Gate 3 guides, check out our piece on the Blighted Village cellar.