One of the early challenges any adventurer has to overcome is how to deal with all these dang doors that keep getting in the way of a good time. Baldur’s Gate 3 includes one particularly troublesome door in Act 1 that even talks to you. Located in the basement of Auntie Ethel’s Tea house, how do you get past the Gnarled Door?
How to Get Past the Gnarled Door in BG3
The door isn’t the hardest thing to get past, but you’ll need luck or well-placed ability scores.
You may have noticed an Arcana check that pops up when you interact with the door. If you pass the check, you will know the door is an illusion. If you fail the Arcana check, grab a different party member and let them try. You should be able to manage it with at least one of your teammates. Gale can be useful to pick up from camp to get through this door, as his Wizardly skills give him a high Arcana.
However, once you know the door is an illusion, it may be tricky to work out how to move through it. I know it took me a while to work out. The best solution is to try and find a slim strip of ground on the far side of the door and click on that. Avoid clicking on the door directly, or your character may path to the door as though it is a solid object.
Once you have gotten through the door, you must pick your way through several trapped pathways before you reach a conclusive battle with Auntie Ethel. During the fight, you will want to act quickly if you want to save Mayrina, however, is it worth it?