Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) offers a vast array of spells and abilities for players to discover and master. Among the more elusive and intriguing is Summon Quasit, a variant familiar that’s not immediately obvious to every Wizard. Unlike the standard Find Familiar spell, learning to summon a Quasit requires a specific method involving scrolls found within the game. If you’re a Wizard player wondering how to add this mischievous imp to your party, this guide will break down the process, the challenges, and help you decide if the Summon Quasit spell is right for your build.
Understanding Summon Quasit and its Mechanics
Before diving into the acquisition process, let’s understand what makes Summon Quasit a desirable spell in BG3. While functionally similar to other familiars granted by the Find Familiar spell, the Quasit offers a unique flavor and thematic appeal, especially for Wizards leaning towards darker or more arcane playstyles.
What is a Quasit in BG3?
In Dungeons & Dragons lore, and faithfully represented in BG3, a Quasit is a type of imp – a small, mischievous fiend from the lower planes. As a familiar, the Quasit in BG3 provides the standard benefits:
- Help Action: In combat, your Quasit can use its action to Help, granting advantage to your next attack roll against a creature it threatens.
- Scouting: Familiars can be sent to scout ahead, revealing areas and disarming traps from a safe distance.
- Roleplaying Flavor: Having a Quasit adds a distinct character to your Wizard, opening up unique roleplaying opportunities.
Why is Summon Quasit Special?
The primary reason Summon Quasit is considered “special” is its acquisition method. It’s not simply a spell you learn by leveling up or choosing it during character creation. Instead, it’s tied to specific scrolls found within the game world, making it a hidden gem that rewards exploration and keen observation. This also makes understanding the learning process crucial, as it’s not as straightforward as other spells.
Learning Summon Quasit from Scrolls: The Tricky Part
The path to summoning a Quasit in BG3 involves using specific scrolls found in a particular location. However, the game mechanics present a few hurdles that players need to be aware of. Here’s a breakdown of the conditions you must meet to successfully learn Summon Quasit:
Scroll Specificity: Not Just Any Scroll Will Do
The first point to understand is that only one specific type of scroll will allow you to learn Summon Quasit. You might encounter multiple scrolls that seem related to summoning or familiars, but only the correct scroll, found in a specific context, will unlock the spell for your Wizard. Experimenting with different scrolls, you’ll quickly notice that most will lack the “Learn Spell” option when right-clicked. This intentional design choice makes finding and using the correct scroll a mini-puzzle within BG3.
Find Familiar Prerequisite: Knowledge is Key
Crucially, your Wizard must already know the Find Familiar spell before attempting to learn Summon Quasit from a scroll. If you try to use the scroll without Find Familiar in your spellbook, the option to learn Summon Quasit simply won’t appear. Even if you learn Find Familiar later, after discovering the scroll, you will have missed your chance. This prerequisite emphasizes that Summon Quasit is intended as a variant or upgrade to the base Find Familiar spell, not a standalone alternative.
Find Familiar Slotted: Active Spell Preparation Matters
Adding another layer of complexity, Find Familiar must be actively slotted and prepared in your Wizard’s spell slots at the moment you use the scroll. Simply knowing the spell isn’t enough; it needs to be ready for casting. If Find Familiar is not slotted when you right-click the scroll, you will not learn Summon Quasit, even if you slot it afterward. This condition highlights the specific in-game timing and preparation required to unlock this spell.
The Thayan Cellar Challenge: Obtaining the Scrolls
The scrolls required to learn Summon Quasit are located in the Thayan Cellar, a sub-area within Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3. Specifically, these scrolls are found within caskets in this location. However, a recent game update introduced a challenging mechanic: skeletons in the Thayan Cellar now destroy their caskets upon spawning. This means that if you approach the caskets in a typical manner, the skeletons will emerge and immediately destroy their containers, potentially obliterating the valuable scrolls inside.
This casket destruction mechanic can make obtaining the Summon Quasit scroll seem impossible during normal gameplay. It appears to be a deliberate design choice by the developers, adding a layer of challenge to acquiring this spell. However, resourceful players have discovered a workaround to bypass this obstacle.
The Workaround: A Step-by-Step Guide to Securing the Scroll
To prevent the skeletons from destroying the caskets and secure your Summon Quasit scroll, you can employ a tactical approach using character positioning and area denial. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide based on player-discovered methods:
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Ungroup Your Party and Position Strategically: Before entering the Thayan Cellar area with the caskets, ungroup all your characters. Carefully position your party members to block off the area around the casket closest to the mirror. The goal is to create a physical barrier that prevents the melee skeleton from moving away from the initial casket spawn point and reaching other caskets. Utilize narrow passages and doorways to your advantage. Having summoned creatures like other familiars or conjured allies can further bolster your blockade.
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Open the Casket (Prepare for Surprise): Select one character and interact to open the casket. Be prepared for combat! Opening the first casket will trigger a surprise round, and the nearest casket to the first one you opened will also burst open, spawning enemies. You will likely face two skeletons initially: an archer spawning inside your blocked area (near the first casket) and a melee skeleton spawning just outside your immediate blockade.
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Focus Fire on the Melee Skeleton: The priority is to eliminate the melee skeleton quickly. This is the enemy most likely to move and destroy other caskets. Melee skeletons in the Thayan Cellar are known for having high Armor Class (AC) and Hit Points (HP), so brute force alone might not be enough. Employ a combination of strategies:
- Magic Missile: This spell is excellent for guaranteed damage and bypassing high AC.
- Area-of-Effect (AoE) Attacks: Spells like Fireball or Cloud of Daggers can damage both skeletons simultaneously.
- Positioning for Attacks of Opportunity: Carefully maneuver your characters to provoke attacks of opportunity from the melee skeleton as it attempts to move.
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Eliminate the Archer Skeleton: Once the melee skeleton is down, turn your attention to the archer skeleton. It will likely be somewhat contained within your initial blockade area, limiting its movement. Dispatch it before it can reposition or cause further trouble.
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Breaching the Chain Reaction: By defeating the initial wave of skeletons spawned from the first two caskets before they can destroy more caskets, you effectively break the chain reaction. Opening the remaining caskets after this initial encounter should no longer trigger additional skeleton spawns. This might be an unintended consequence of the game’s scripting, but it currently functions as a reliable method to access the loot within the caskets, including the coveted Summon Quasit scroll.
Who Should Learn Summon Quasit?
Given the effort and specific conditions required to learn Summon Quasit, who should actually prioritize obtaining this spell?
- Thematically Inclined Wizards: If you’re roleplaying a Wizard with a darker, more mischievous, or arcane personality, a Quasit familiar is a perfect thematic fit. It adds flavor and enhances your character’s identity.
- Familiar Enthusiasts: For players who enjoy utilizing familiars for scouting, combat assistance (Help action), and roleplaying, Summon Quasit provides a unique alternative to the standard options.
- Completionists: Players aiming to collect all spells and secrets in BG3 will naturally want to add Summon Quasit to their repertoire.
However, from a purely min-maxing perspective, the functional difference between a Quasit and other familiars is minimal. If you are solely focused on optimizing combat effectiveness, the effort to acquire Summon Quasit might not be strictly necessary. Other familiars obtained more easily through the standard Find Familiar spell can provide similar tactical advantages.
Conclusion: A Rewarding, but Challenging, Spell to Acquire
Summon Quasit in Baldur’s Gate 3 stands out as a spell that is both flavorful and challenging to obtain. Learning it requires specific knowledge, careful planning, and a bit of tactical maneuvering to overcome the casket destruction mechanic in the Thayan Cellar. While not strictly essential for all Wizard builds, Summon Quasit offers a unique familiar option that can enhance roleplaying, provide thematic depth, and reward players who enjoy exploring the hidden corners of BG3’s spell system. If you’re up for the challenge, adding a Quasit to your Wizard’s familiar roster can be a rewarding endeavor.
Alt: A screenshot from Baldur’s Gate 3 showing the Thayan Cellar area with closed caskets before skeleton spawn, emphasizing the location of the scrolls.
Alt: In-game view of a Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard character interacting with a scroll, highlighting the action of learning a new spell, specifically Summon Quasit.
