You’re walking through the Sunlit Wetlands, or maybe you're just wandering south of the Blighted Village, and you see her. A sweet, slightly frazzled old lady named Auntie Ethel. She looks like she’d bake you a tray of cookies and tell you a story about her prize-winning turnips.
Don't be a fool.
Auntie Ethel is easily one of the most complex, frustrating, and rewarding characters in all of Baldur’s Gate 3. Most players treat her like a simple side boss. They find the Riverside Teahouse, realize she’s a Green Hag, and then proceed to kick her teeth in because that’s what heroes do. But if you just kill her and walk away, you’re missing out on some of the most broken mechanical advantages in the game.
What You’re Actually Facing
A lot of people think they can just stroll into the Overgrown Tunnel at level 3 and come out on top. Honestly, that’s a great way to end up as a permanent decoration in her gallery of victims. Ethel isn't just a "monster." She’s a Fey trickster.
When you first meet her, she’s arguing with Johl and Demir. They’re looking for their sister, Mayrina. You’ve got a choice here: take the hag’s side or help the brothers. Pro tip? Be careful how you talk. If you’re too aggressive, she teleports away, and you lose the chance to buy some of her unique stock—like those Hill Giant Strength elixirs that make early-game melee builds actually feel powerful.
The Illusion and the Reality
The "Sunlit Wetlands" is a lie. It’s a massive illusion. If you pass an Investigation check, the beautiful sheep turn into Redcaps and the sparkling water turns into a putrid bog. It’s a nice touch by Larian to show you exactly who you’re dealing with before the fight even starts.
Once you get inside the Teahouse, the real game begins. You can let her try to "cure" your tadpole. She’ll ask for an eye. Do not give her your eye. Seriously. You get a permanent "Paid the Price" debuff that gives you Disadvantage on Perception checks and makes it so you can't land critical hits. It’s a terrible trade. You get a +1 to Intimidation, but at the cost of your combat effectiveness? No thanks.
How to Survive the Overgrown Tunnel
Getting to her actual boss arena is a nightmare of gas traps and mind-controlled thralls. You’ll see the "Gnarled Door." It’s a person she’s cursed. You can wear a Whispering Mask to walk through, but if you leave it on too long, you’ll lose control of your character.
The trick to the gas vents? Just throw something on them. A rock, a chest, even a spare pair of boots. It blocks the vent and lets you walk through without exploding. Simple.
The Fight: Clones, Fire, and Cages
When you finally reach the bottom, Ethel has Mayrina in a cage over a pit. She sets it on fire immediately. Most players panic and try to rush the cage.
- Tip 1: Throw a bottle of water at the cage. It puts out the fire instantly.
- Tip 2: Use Magic Missile. Ethel loves to create clones of herself. Each clone disappears after taking a single point of damage. Magic Missile lets you target three or four "Ethels" at once, revealing the real one without wasting your big attacks.
- Tip 3: Silence her. If you can land a Silence spell or use a Sussur weapon, she becomes significantly less dangerous. She can't cast her more annoying Fey illusions while silenced.
The Bargain: Why Sparing Her is Better
This is where most people get it wrong. You get her health down to about 10 or 15 HP, and she stops the fight. She begs for her life. She offers you "Power."
This power is Auntie Ethel's Hair. It’s a consumable item that gives you a permanent +1 to any ability score of your choice. In a game based on D&D 5e, where Ability Score Improvements are rare, a +1 is massive. It can take your Strength from 17 to 18, or your Charisma from 19 to 20.
A lot of players want to be the "good guy" and just kill her to save Mayrina. But here’s the secret: if you pass a high Intimidation or Persuasion check during the dialogue, you can get the hair and save Mayrina. You get the best of both worlds.
Wait, what about Paladins? Yeah, if you’re a Paladin, taking this deal will almost certainly break your Oath. To the game, you’re making a deal with a literal demon-equivalent. If you care about your Oath, you might have to let a teammate handle the talking, or just cough up the 1,000 gold to Withers later to get your powers back.
🔗 Read more: Binding of Isaac Endings: What the Story is Actually Trying to Tell You
The Mayrina Problem
Saving Mayrina is... complicated. She’s not exactly grateful at first. She made a deal with Ethel to bring her dead husband, Connor, back to life. After the fight, you’ll find a wand called "Bitter Divorce" in the back room.
You can use it to actually resurrect Connor. But, being a hag's deal, he comes back as a mindless zombie. You can give the wand to Mayrina, let her keep her "husband," or keep the wand yourself to have a permanent zombie summon. Honestly, letting her take him is the "best" ending for her arc, even if it’s macabre.
She Comes Back (Act 3 Spoilers)
Think you’re done with her? Nope. If you "kill" her in Act 1, or even if you spare her, she shows up again in the city of Baldur’s Gate. She’s disguised herself as Captain Grisly and has eaten another child, Vanra.
The Act 3 encounter is much harder. She has "Pearls" in her lair that heal her every turn. You have to destroy those before you can even touch her. Also, you can’t just go in swinging or you’ll kill the kid inside her. You need to craft a special potion called "Hag’s Bane" to make her puke the kid up first.
Why Ethel Matters for Your Build
The reason Ethel is a "must-do" encounter isn't just the XP. It’s the min-maxing. If you're playing on Honour Mode, that +1 to a stat can be the difference between a 95% hit chance and a 90% hit chance. Over the course of a 100-hour campaign, that adds up.
Most people skip her because the swamp is "creepy" or the fight feels "too hard" at level 4. Don't be that person. Bring a Cleric with Create Water, a Wizard with Magic Missile, and someone with high Charisma to handle the bargaining.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're currently in Act 1, here is how you should handle Auntie Ethel to get the most value:
- Level up to 4 or 5 first. The fight is significantly easier once you have your first feat or Extra Attack.
- Stock up on Hill Giant Strength Elixirs. Buy them from her before you reveal she's a hag. Once the fight starts, her shop is closed for good.
- Prepare "Create Water." It’s the easiest way to save Mayrina from the burning cage.
- Save your Inspiration points. You’ll need them for the DC 20 check to get both the Hair and the girl.
- Check the back room. Don't forget to grab the "Staff of Crones" and the "Bitter Divorce" wand after she flees or dies. The staff is decent for early-game Warlocks.
Auntie Ethel represents everything great about Baldur’s Gate 3. She’s a reminder that "winning" a fight isn't always about killing the enemy. Sometimes, the real victory is knowing when to take the deal—and when to twist the hag's arm until she gives you exactly what you want.