Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3features near-limitless choices that allow players to customize the adventure to their liking, and one quest features some of the game’s toughest choices.Baldur’s Gate 3players who are intent on following Lae’zel’s quest will need to choose whether to free or kill Orpheus within the Astral Prism. However, a necessary step in this quest is to obtain the Orphic Hammer needed to break the crystals containing Orpheus from Raphael, but the lengths players will need to go through to get this legendary weapon don’t justify how weak it is compared to other late-game options.
Regardless of whether the player plans to kill or free Orpheus, they will need to obtain the Orphic Hammer to progressLae’zel’s companion quest. Given how crucial the Orphic Hammer is to this questline, one would assume it would be very powerful, but it falls short of its legendary status with mediocre stats and a subpar special skill. However, it is still worth the effort to obtain since it will allow players to see the end of Lae’zel’s questline as well as come in handy during another optional quest.
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The Orphic Hammer isn’t as Legendary as Baldur’s Gate 3 Players Might Think
There are two ways to obtain the Orphic Hammer inBaldur’s Gate 3and both come with heavy prices to pay. The easiest option for obtaining this weapon is to take the deal offered by Raphael at the Sharess' Caress wherein he tells the player he will give them the Orphic Hammer in exchange for the Crown of Karsus after they defeat the Absolute. Players who don’t want to risk giving this devil that much power have the option to break into the House of Hope and steal the hammer from Raphael, but this route leads players to one of thehardest fights inBaldur’s Gate 3despite the reward being an underwhelming legendary hammer.
Despite being a legendary weapon, the Orphic Hammer is not that great of a late-game weapon, and many of its properties are shared with better, more powerful weapons. It can deal solid damage in the hands of aBaldur’s Gate 3character with high Strength like a Fighteror Barbarian, especially if wielded Two-Handed, and also comes with Spell Resistance which can be useful for characters who struggle against casters. However, none of these aspects are worth the trouble players will need to go through to obtain it, meaning it’s only worthwhile for players looking to complete Lae’zel’s story.
The only truly unique part of the Orphic Hammer is its Unshackling Strike action which is necessary to break Orpheus out of his prison, but if players plan to raid theHouse of Hopethey can also use this skill to free Hope from the prison Raphael is keeping her in. Thematically, it would make the most sense for Lae’zel to wield this weapon, but by this point in the game, players will likely have better weapons available for her such as the Silver Sword of the Astral Plane which is acquired after showing Kith’rak Voss the Orphic Hammer. Players are better off keeping the Orphic Hammer in Lae’zel’s inventory and only swapping to it when it is necessary for the plot.
