One of the oddest choices you’ll have to make in your Baldur’s Gate journey is whether you should sleep with the Emperor (yes, the peer-pressuring Mind Flayer in your head). But we’ve taken that tentacley bullet so you don’t have to—here’s whether or not you should sleep with the Emperor in BG3.
Who is the Emperor in Baldur’s Gate 3?
The Emperor is the Dream Visitor, or your Guardian. They have been the one who has been sternly encouraging you to eat the Mind Flayer tadpoles and turn into a Mind Flayer yourself as the result.
Baldur’s Gate 3: What Happens if You Sleep with the Emperor – Answered
Sleeping with the Emperor is one of the more benign sexual choices you can make, as it has no consequences. Except for some intense judgment from your companions. And yeah, for the sake of writing a good guide, we’ve explored each and every option.
Act 3 in Baldur’s Gate is really something else. Mizora’s throwing herself at your feet, you can sleep with drow siblings, and now the Emperor’s infiltrating your dreams shirtless.
To make the Emperor a potential tryst (unfortunately, a real relationship isn’t possible) it’s likely that you’ll have to select open, trusting options in your past conversations with him. You’ll need to examine a few artifacts or have a conversation with him about his old partner in his hideout. Then you’ll need to claim the Emperor’s Sword, at the center of that hideout.
Once that’s done, go to camp and have a long rest. The Emperor will appear in your dreams… wearing very little. He’ll make some pretty obvious overtures at you, and if you’re down to slam with some tentacles, lean into it.
If you’d prefer your Dream Guardian, you can also make a comment about wondering where his mouth is, and he’ll select a form that’s easier for you to “navigate.”
If you’re down to fool around with him, romancing the Emperor will net you the Mind Blown achievement. So if you’re an achievement/trophy hunter, you’re going to want to slide into those Illithid pants.
After the deed is done, a portal will open that will have three of your companions stare at the two of you in abject horror and disgust. But they’ll never once comment on it! Kind of a shame, really.
Your romantic partner also doesn’t seem to care. The only person who will ever comment is Orpheus, should you free him.
What Happens if You Don’t Sleep With the Emperor?
If you don’t romance the emperor, nothing bad happens, but you won’t get the Mind Blown acheivement. You can either let the Emperor down easy, letting him know that you are not into him like that. He will brush it off and focus on the main task. Or you can insult him and he will become angry but unlike many other scenarios, it will not initiate a fight.
Should You Sleep With the Emperor?
If you romance the emperor, it’ll be for the Mind Blown acheivement. You should definitely engage in a little tentacle entanglement if you have been following your Dream Visitor and have been committed to their side. This choice has no effect on your relationships with your companions and you gain an achievement if you choose to do so. Go for it! The cutscene is amusing.
Choosing to sleep with the Emperor is one of the few choices in the game that have neither benefit or consequence. It is purely up to satiate your love of monsters.
What Happens When You Attack the Emperor?
If you attack the Emperor and succeed at besting him, you will turn into a Mind Flayer yourself since he was the only one keeping the tadpole at bay. This ensures a game over, so maybe don’t attack him unless you need a quick ending.
The Astral Touched Tadpole
Remember way back at the end of Act 2 when the Emperor offered you an Astral Touched Tadpole to open up your mind? You may now be wondering if you need to consume the little slug in order to get it on with your tentacled savior. Well, we’re happy to report that you do not need to consume the Astral Touched Tadpole to romance the emperor. He will still be happy to throw you a little action should you remain your plain, boring self. Although, he will comment on whether or not you’ve accepted it.
And if you’re still mulling over whether or not you should consume the Astral Touched Tadpole, know that while it may not be required, it will give you access to the third tier of Illithid powers—some of the best, really. And the more tadpoles you eat, the more powers you’ll be able to unlock. The only drawback to this is that it will slightly disfigure your face. But, hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The emperor certainly won’t mind.
Now, if tentacles aren’t your thing, maybe demons are. But before you explore the depths of hell with Mizora, you should know what you’re getting into.
