Improving ability scores in crucial in Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Mirror of Loss is therefore an important item, as it can provide a significant boost.
While the choice comes with a cost, the negative effects can be erased, which makes the Mirror of Loss an important location that you must visit.
However, like many things in Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s not entirely clear the approach you need to make, so we’re here to help.
Where to find the Mirror of Loss
After working your way through the House of Grief to complete Shadowheart‘s quest, and facing off against Viconia, there is a hidden room that can be accessed—which is where you will find the Mirror of Loss.
To get past the locked stone door, you need to drop 1,000 Gold on the offering table. The door will then open automatically.
The Mirror of Loss can be found at the back of the room where you find Shadowheart’s parents and can be interacted with after a decision has been made about the course of action to take with them.
Related: Baldur’s Gate 3: How to complete the House of Hope in BG3
How to use the Mirror of Loss
First, pray to the mirror by passing a Religion check, then pass an Arcana check to be able to trade one of your memories. As the scores for both are high, I highly recommend saving before you interact with the Mirror of Loss.
After doing both, you can sacrifice a memory to trade -2 in an ability score for +2 in another, and you’re able to remove the negative effect afterward by using the Remove Curse spell from Shadowheart.
Here are all the memories you can sacrifice, including the Forbidden Knowledge after reading the Necromancy of Thay:
- (Forbidden Knowledge) Part with the Forbidden Knowledge from the Thayan Tomb.
- Offer up memories of your strength – times when you triumphed, thanks to your raw power (-2 Strength).
- Give up memories of your youth, when your heart was carefree and your limbs were nimble (-2 Dexterity).
- Relinquish memories of fortitude and well-being, when body and mind held fast against all challenges (-2 Constitution).
- Surrender valued knowledge gleaned from books, scrolls, and tablets… words that left a mark on your mind, but no more (-2 Intelligence).
- Let go of some wisdom that time has bestowed upon you – old wounds, tough lessons, and fond memories alike (-2 Wisdom).
- Give away memories of when your charm stood to you – the applause of the swayed, the smiles of the beguiled, the kisses of the seduced (-2 Charisma).
- (Deception) You will not surrender any part of yourself. Invent a false offering to trick the mirror.
After taking a negative effect with the above choice, you can then add two from the following options:
- Claim memories of strength from a long-dead general, who marched under the banner of a vanished kingdom (+2 Strength)
- Help yourself to the memories of a seasoned thief’s most daring exploits (+2 Dexterity)
- Seize the memories of a barbarian, whose mind and body were tempered against hardship (+2 Constitution)
- Glean the secrets of a wizard who once stalked the libraries of Candlekeep (+2 Intelligence)
- Turn to the wisdom of a drow. Once of Lothe, then or Shar (+2 Wisdom)
- Warm to the guile of a bard who could charm even a dragon (+2 Charisma)
