BG3 Jergal is a mysterious and powerful figure in the game. As the demigod of death and the dead, Jergal plays an important role in the game’s lore and story. This guide provides everything you need to know about Jergal in BG3, including details on his abilities, how to find him, strategies for defeating him, and more.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Jergal is the demigod of death and the dead in D&D lore, known as the Lord of the End of Everything.
- In BG3, Jergal appears as the NPC Withers, who can revive companions, change classes, and recruit Hirelings.
- Jergal’s full motives are unclear, but he seems to want to restore balance between life and death.
- Players cannot defeat Jergal currently, but he may become a powerful antagonist later in the full game.
- Finding Jergal in the Druid Grove and allying with him can provide major benefits through revivals, class changes, and recruitment.
Who is Jergal in Baldur’s Gate 3?
In Dungeons & Dragons lore, Jergal is the demigod of death and the dead. He tirelessly records the deaths of mortals and maintains balance in the afterlife. Jergal is known as the Lord of the End of Everything and is said to be the one destined to ultimately destroy the world.
In BG3, Jergal manifests as an NPC named Withers. Withers appears in the Druid Grove and offers mysterious services to the player. He can revive fallen companions, allow the player to change classes, and recruit powerful Hirelings. Withers refers to himself as a “watcher” and seems to be closely observing the events surrounding the Mind Flayer invasion.
Jergal’s full motives and alignment are unclear. He may be trying to maintain cosmic balance between life and death. Or perhaps he has more sinister designs. One thing is certain – Jergal is extremely powerful, and allying with him could have major consequences.
What is Jergal’s Role in Baldur’s Gate 3?
As Withers, Jergal serves several key functions in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Reviving Companions
If companions fall in battle, Withers can fully revive them. This makes him invaluable for keeping your party at full strength. However, Withers will only revive each companion once.
Changing Classes
Withers allows the player to completely change their class and subclass. This lets you re-spec your character build and experiment with new class combinations.
Recruiting Hirelings
Withers can recruit elite Hirelings to join your party. Hirelings are powerful NPCs that can fill gaps in your group composition.
Providing Lore
Withers drops hints about the cosmic balance between life and death. He seems to know more about the weave of fate than he lets on.
Supporting the Player
Withers will occasionally appear and assist the player in battles. He may also offer advice or gifts to aid the player’s quest.
Unknown Motives
Jergal’s true purposes are unclear. He may be manipulating events for his own designs as the Lord of the End of Everything.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Imposter Guide
How to Find Jergal in Baldur’s Gate 3
Jergal appears in BG3 as the NPC Withers. Withers can be found in the Druid Grove, in the central tree tower where the leader Halsin resides.
When first entering the Druid Grove, Withers will be standing outside the tower. Interact with him to get access inside.
Withers resides in a room on the top floor of the central tower. Seek him out whenever you need to revive a companion, change classes, or recruit a Hireling.
Withers will also occasionally appear on battlefields to aid the player. There are reports he may also spawn in other key locations later in the game.
Defeating Jergal in Baldur’s Gate 3
Jergal currently cannot be defeated in the Early Access version of BG3. As a demigod, he is much too powerful for players to overcome at this stage.
However, it is likely that Jergal will become an enemy or final boss in the full release of the game. Here are some tips for eventually defeating him:
- Bring your strongest party with a diverse array of skills
- Use crowd control spells like Hold Person to restrict his actions
- Focus on eliminating minions first before attacking Jergal directly
- Utilize terrain like pits and fire to limit his mobility
- Exploit any weaknesses learned through lore and experimentation
- Have quest items or weapons specifically designed to counter him
- Ensure all party members are at max level with top-tier gear
With proper preparation and strategy, Jergal may be defeated when confronting him at the climax of BG3. But he will likely be the most difficult fight in the game, requiring your very best effort.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3 Tadpole Elixir BG3 Guide
What Does Jergal Drop in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Since Jergal cannot currently be fought or defeated, he does not drop any loot or items.
In the full release of BG3, defeating Jergal will likely result in epic gear drops. Based on his lore, some possibilities include:
- Skull of the Dead – Staff that amplifies necromancy spells
- Robes of the Grave – Armor that protects against death magic
- Scythe of Mortality – Powerful two-handed weapon that steals life force
- Bones of the Damned – Material for crafting undead summoning items
- Soul gem – Can bind enemy souls or revive fallen allies
- Phylactery – Magical item that contains part of Jergal’s essence
- Tome of Immortality – Provides permanent upgrades to stats and skills
While the exact loot is unknown, defeating a demigod should grant items of incredible power. Gear dropped from Jergal will likely shape the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
Understanding Jergal’s Backstory and Lore
To comprehend Jergal in Baldur’s Gate 3, you must understand his origins as the demigod of death. Here are the key details on his backstory and lore:
- Jergal was originally a mortal record keeper chosen by Mystra, the goddess of magic, to catalog deaths.
- After he died, Jergal’s spirit was transformed into the demigod of death by Mystra to continue his work.
- Jergal tirelessly records the deaths of all mortals. This information is stored in the Library of Death.
- He determines the fate of souls and maintains cosmic balance between the realms of life and death.
- Jergal is served by the Scriveners of Doom, a group of mortal monks who see death as a natural part of existence.
- He is typically depicted as an elderly man with a scroll and quill. His symbols include skulls and bones.
- While not overtly evil, Jergal is cold, emotionless, and largely indifferent to mortal affairs.
- According to prophecy, Jergal will bring about the end of existence by extinguishing the divine spark and killing the other deities.
Understanding these details about Jergal provides insight into his personality, abilities, and motives within BG3. It paints him not as a villain, but as a cosmic being with his own mysterious agenda.
Jergal’s Powers and Abilities
As the demigod of death, Jergal wields frightening divine abilities. Some of his powers include:
- Necromancy – He has complete mastery over necromantic magic including raising/controlling undead.
- Death Manipulation – Jergal can kill mortals instantly and even steal their souls.
- Future Sight – He can see all possible futures and fates of those who may die.
- Teleportation – Jergal can instantly transport himself across any distance or plane.
- Undeath – He is immune to effects that target living creatures like poison, disease, or critical hits.
- Divine Sparks – Jergal contains a shard of divine energy from the gods who elevated him.
- Immortality – He does not age and cannot be killed by mortal means.
- Omniscience – Jergal has total knowledge of all deaths across time and space.
In BG3, Jergal refrains from overtly demonstrating these powers. But as a demigod, he can wield them fully whenever necessary. Few mortal creatures could hope to survive an actual confrontation with a being like Jergal.
Tips for Playing as Jergal
While Jergal himself is not currently a playable character in BG3, you can mimic him with the following character build tips:
- Class: Cleric or Wizard focused on necromancy spells
- Race: Lich or vampire race to simulate his undead state
- Stats: Max Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Ignore Constitution and Strength.
- Skills: Persuasion, Arcana, Religion, Intimidation
- Spells: Raise Dead, Inflict Wounds, Blight, Circle of Death
- Feats: Elemental Adept (Necrotic), Spell Sniper, War Caster
- Weapons: Carry a scythe and wand to match Jergal’s iconic items
- Alignment: Lawful Neutral
- Personality: Emotionless, cunning, prideful, with a morbid fascination with death
Playing this type of undead necromancer can allow you to emulate Jergal’s mystical qualities and role as the God of Death. Focus on exerting your will over mortality rather than wanton slaughter when roleplaying.
Analyzing Jergal’s Motivations and Goals – August 20, 2023
Based on his actions in BG3, we can theorize about Jergal’s potential motivations and goals:
- He wants to observe events surrounding the Mind Flayer invasion to ensure balance is maintained.
- Jergal is amassing souls/deaths during the chaos to increase his power.
- He intends to guide the player towards stopping the Mind Flayers from circumventing the natural order.
- Perhaps he has struck a bargain with the Absolute to exchange services for souls.
- He could be plotting to siege the divine gate and destroy the established pantheon of gods.
- Alternatively, this incarnation of Jergal remains loyal to Mystra and is trying to thwart chaotic threats.
- Maybe his cold demeanor hides a subtler compassion for mortals he is oath-bound to reap.
Further developments in BG3’s story will reveal more about Jergal’s designs. But he clearly has a strong interest in influencing the fate of the world.
