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Balthazar

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Balthazar is an Undead necromancer, who can first be encountered in the Gauntlet of Shar during Act Two.

“
We're still close. She's in a jar on the shelf over there.
„
— Balthazar, making Oedipus look well adjusted

Overview[edit section | visual editor]

Background[edit section | visual editor]

Balthazar[1] is a necromancer in service to General Ketheric Thorm Ketheric Thorm, sent to the Gauntlet of Shar to retrieve the Nightsong Nightsong, who is the source of Ketheric Thorm's immortality. He is proud and private by nature[2] and patient in pursuing his own goals, but not with the timing of others helping him to achieve them.[3]

Involvement[edit section | visual editor]

Balthazar can first be encountered during Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic⁠Find Ketheric Thorm's Relic in the Gauntlet of Shar behind a locked door guarded by his undead servants.

Approaching the door or his servants, wherever they are found, generally triggers a conversation. Combat begins at the conclusion of this conversation when Dark Justiciar Avengers attack his undead servants and the party. Once this fight ends, the party may have the opportunity to speak to Balthazar further and learn more about the relic that he is searching for. There is also the option to attack and kill Balthazar at any time after this encounter, and it is also possible to fully avoid contact with Balthazar and his servants until entering the Shadowfell.

If the party chooses to speak with Balthazar with certain conversation choices, Bards can pass a DC 14 History Check DC 14 History Check to learn more about how he got his name[4]. The party can also pass a DC 14 Persuasion Check DC 14 Persuasion Check (Rogues only need pass a DC 10 Persuasion Check DC 10 Persuasion Check) to obtain his  bell, which can be used to summon Flesh Flesh while in combat.[5]

If not killed earlier, Balthazar is encountered a second time, upon crossing the threshold into the Shadowfell. If not met previously, he introduces himself and offers the opportunity to help him finish his mission. Whenever first met, the party can at several points choose to kill Balthazar or help him finish his mission.

If the party choose to help Balthazar obtain the Nightsong they can later meet with Ketheric Thorm, who ultimately takes them as prisoners. They wake up in Balthazar's lab at the Mind Flayer Colony, where he labors to find a way to remove the  Mysterious Artefact from the party's possession. Eventually, a fight between the party and Balthazar breaks out.

Stealing from Balthazar – directly or with red-outlined objects near him – always results in combat (even if the offending party member is Invisible Invisible) unless no party member is within range once he begins to search.

Killing Balthazar as the Dark Urge Dark Urge grants the inspiration Bleeding the Corpse Dry⁠Bleeding the Corpse Dry.

Combat[edit section | visual editor]

Unless bought from him during dialogue (by using the Trade button). Balthazar consumes a  Potion of Speed at the start of his turn to gain the Hastened Hastened condition. It is also possible to get the  Potion of Speed if he is defeated prior to his first combat turn.

Lockpicking (DC 30 Sleight of hand Check DC 30 Sleight of hand Check) or casting Knock Knock on his door outside his room during the ambush in the Gauntlet of Shar forces him into combat against the Sharrans, where he can be killed more easily.

Attacks and actions[edit section | visual editor]

Animate Dead Animate Dead (Action + Level 6 Spell Slot)

Awaken the dead from their century-long slumber.[6]

Range: 22/73 m (1 ft) Range: 22/73 m (1 ft)
Bone Chill Bone Chill (Action)
Damage: 1~8
1d8Necrotic⁠Necrotic

Prevent the target from healing until your next turn. The target cannot help Downed Downed characters. An undead target receives Disadvantage Disadvantage on Attack Roll Attack Rolls.

Range: 18 m (60 ft) Range: 18 m (60 ft)
Cloudkill Cloudkill (Action + Level 5 Spell Slot)
Damage: 5~40
5d8Poison⁠Poison (Constitution Saving Throw Constitution Saving Throw to halve)

Craft a large cloud that inflicts 5d8⁠Poison⁠Poison damage per turn. You can reposition the cloud every turn.

The cloud Heavily Obscures everything within it.

Range: 18 m (60 ft) Range: 18 m (60 ft)
Main Hand Attack Main Hand Attack (Action)   –  Dagger
Damage: 3~6
1d4 + 2Piercing⁠Piercing

Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft) Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Misty Step Misty Step (Bonus Action + Level 2 Spell Slot)

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

Range: 18 m (60 ft) Range: 18 m (60 ft)
No Rest for the Wicked No Rest for the Wicked (Bonus Action)

Death is but a temporary inconvenience - raise a fallen undead with half of its hit points.

Range: 3 m (10 ft) Range: 3 m (10 ft)
Ray of Sickness Ray of Sickness (Action + Level 1 Spell Slot)
Damage: 2~16
2d8Poison⁠Poison

Possibly Poisons Poisons the target.

CON Save CON Save
Range: 18 m (60 ft) Range: 18 m (60 ft)
Shield Shield (Reaction + Level 1 Spell Slot)

When you are about to be hit by an enemy, use your Reaction to increase your Armour Class Armour Class by 5. You also take no damage from Magic Missile Magic Missile. These effects last until the start of your next turn.

Range: Self Range: Self

Honour mode[edit section | visual editor]

The Dead Wastes The Dead Wastes
Damage: 4~24
4d6Necrotic⁠Necrotic (To living creatures)
Healing: 4~24
4d6Healing⁠Healing (To undead)

Open a necrotic rift from a new corpse that heals Undead 4d6⁠Hit Points⁠Hit Points and deals 4d6⁠Necrotic⁠Necrotic to living creatures at the start of their turns.

Range: 18 m (60 ft) Range: 18 m (60 ft)

Allies[edit section | visual editor]

In the Gauntlet of Shar:

In the Shadowfell:

Loot[edit section | visual editor]

Related quests[edit section | visual editor]

Related literature[edit section | visual editor]

Written by Balthazar[edit section | visual editor]

Gallery[edit section | visual editor]

  • Digital Artbook concept art.
    Digital Artbook concept art.
  • Digital Artbook concept art.
    Digital Artbook concept art.
  • Render by Nikolai Chugunov
    Render by Nikolai Chugunov

Notes and References[edit section | visual editor]

  1. ↑ Balthazar is not marked with Trader Map Icon.png on the map and there is no dialogue to open the trading interface when talking to him, but he has a trader's treasure table attached: SHA_Necromancer. Buying items from him also prevents him from using them in combat.
  2. ↑ When speaking with Balthazar, there is a dialogue option to comment on how the party learned of a relic called the Nightsong Nightsong in his notes. If mentioning his notes, Balthazar becomes agitated, calls the player character a thief, and demands that they give him a reason why he should not have his creations kill them on the spot.
  3. ↑ In conversation, it is possible to state how Z'rell Z'rell sent the party to check on his progress. Balthazar answers that he has everything in hand and is "in the midst of a grand strategy." However, when commanding his minions and the party, he displays impatience with any delay.
  4. ↑ Balthazar's name (and ribs) were taken from the monk Balthazar Balthazar, a character from Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.
  5. ↑ Flesh Flesh cannot be healed by normal means (e.g., spells or potions). If Flesh is summoned by Balthazar's  bell and is in, or enters, the state of Corpulent Rage Corpulent Rage, it attacks the closest available target, including (former) allies. Therefore, if Flesh is in the state of rage when a combat encounter ends and the party return to Balthazar, he and his retinue immediately become hostile and attack the party.
  6. ↑ This is cast as a unique Level 6 variant, only when confronted in the Nightsong's Prison, to reanimate an army of skeletons from the surrounding bones.
  7. ↑ This potion is only available if not used before by Balthazar.
  8. ↑ This bell is only available if not given to the party previously.

External links[edit section | visual editor]

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