BG3: Should you kill Yurgir or break Yurgir's contract?

In the shadow-cursed lands in Baldur's Gate 3, it’s not just the atmosphere that’s murky. As you enter the Thorm Mausoleum with Astarion in tow, the conniving cambion, Raphael, appears with a new offer.

Apparently, deep within the bowels of the Gauntlet of Shar an old enemy of his lurks, trapped but still dangerous.

Raphael wants you to kill this long-time adversary, and offers some important information on Astarion’s past in exchange. However, once you eventually meet the creature, it’s revealed to be a powerful Orthon, Yurgir, who was tricked by Raphael into wiping out the Dark Justiciars.

Another problem for Yurgir though, is that Raphael fixed the contract between them so that it could never be completed.

But surely there’s something you and your enterprising party of adventurers can do to close the loophole in the deal? Here’s exactly what you need to do!

How to break Yurgir’s contract in Baldur’s Gate 3

As you approach Yurgir’s lair, you have three options:

• Attack the Repulsor Beast immediately to start a fight with a round of surprise turns
• Engage Yurgir in conversation with the intent of killing him
• Engage Yurgir in conversation with the intent of breaking his contract

Fighting Yurgir and his minions cold can be tough, so it’s not advised - even with a round of surprise turns.

Talk to him first and you can pass a series of persuasion checks into making the fight much, much easier.

First, you can talk him into taking out all of his minions, then his Repulsor Beast, and finally himself.

The persuasion checks get progressively more difficult, but are manageable with charisma, item bonuses and proficiencies.

Alternatively, if you pass the persuasion check at the end of your conversation with Yurgir that lets you look around for a way to break his contract, you can do so with a little effort.

First, to start your search, walk out of the front of his throne room, take a right, and then climb down the rubble to the floor below.

In front of you, climb down the cragged rock to reach the four large vases. Then climb further down the second cragged rock and investigate the ritual pentangle at the foot of the statue of Shar.

Read the book “one becomes many” and you find a note from Raphael. The message says to “speak Itori Mustag thrice” to become your finest self.

Interact with the broken effigy and eventually a rat will appear. Choose the option that they’re not normal rats and it’s revealed that all of the rats around the gauntlet are the shattered pieces of a person. You can either kill them all to break Yurgir’s contract, or strike a deal to get a cache of Sharran Provisions. The cache is rubbish and if you’re even investigating this route, then you obviously want to betray Raphael.

This starts a fight against a ton of rats, which isn’t that hard even though there are waves and waves and waves and waves of them. Just set up hazards like moonbeam or spirit guardians to repel them.

At the end you face the final Dark Justiciar, who, once defeated, will be the key to breaking Yurgir’s contract.

Should you break Yurgir’s contract?

Well, now you know how to break Yurgir’s contract, your next question is probably whether you should.

If you choose to kill Yurgir, Raphael does indeed hold up his end of the bargain, revealing some choice knowledge about Astarion’s past and potential future with his vampire master, Cazador.

Getting a heads up about this eventuality is certainly nice, because it stops you from wandering into the city of Baldur’s Gate blind to unseen machinations and naive to the dangers besetting you.

Plus, because demons reanimate in the Hells when they’re killed, Yurgir is still around even after death. Hypothetically, to avoid spoilers, killing him here wouldn’t necessarily lock you out of any future persuasion checks, but they might be more difficult.

Alternatively, should you choose to break Yurgir’s contract, things don’t go entirely to plan either. Ever the negotiator, Raphael appears once you return to Yurgir and weasels him into a new contract and new deal.

So, despite your best efforts, Yurgir remains in service to Raphael, only you get nothing in return. You might have an easier time with him should you meet in the future, though.

Astarion is very upset with you if you choose this course of action. So much so that you need to pass a persuasion or deception check to keep him around.

Essentially the choice boils down to what you think fits your character’s playthrough, whether you value the progression in Astarion’s companion quest, and how much save-scumming you might be willing to do when it comes to the crunch.

Looking for more help with Baldur's Gate 3? Don't forget to check out our guides to the best Barbian builds, Bard builds and Fighter builds.