Mirror of Loss
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The Mirror of Loss is a large mirror found in both the Gauntlet of Shar at X: -645 Y: -735 and the Cloister of Sombre Embrace at X: -474 Y: -1650. The former is cracked and cannot be used for reflection, however the latter is functional and can be offered a memory by the user.
| “ | Where once the mirror showed nothing, there is now something. Memories, experiences, skills. All prised from the minds of others, and now offered to you, to choose from. |
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Overview edit
The Mirror of Loss found at the Cloister of Sombre Embrace can be used to gain a permanent bonus to one ability of the party member interacting with the mirror, and also a +1 to Charisma, in exchange for a temporary penalty. Each character may use the mirror independently, offering a sizable stat increase to the entire party.
Using the Mirror edit
Recognizing the Mirror's purpose edit
To access the benefits of the mirror, one party member must first pass a check to recognize the purpose of the mirror:
- [RELIGION] An object of faith. Examine it closely. Try to understand its purpose. (DC 20)
- [ARCANA] Study the mirror. Try to grasp its true nature. (DC 25)
Only 1 party member needs to succeed this check for all party members to gain access to the mirror.
This check can be completely bypassed by reading the 
Hastily Written Note found in the Night Orchid Cave behind a breakable wooden wall in the Cloister of Sombre Embrace's Armoury, accessible only by passing a passive 
DC 15 Perception check. It is also possible to fly over the wall instead of destroying it, even if the Perception Check is failed.
Sacrificing a Memory edit
Each party member then has the option to surrender a memory, or to pass a DC 25 Religion check to pray to Shar. They must pass the religion check to have a chance at receiving the +2 stat bonus (aside from one exception mentioned below).
They may surrender up to 6 memories to the mirror, one for each of their Ability Scores. Offering up a memory associated with a particular ability score causes the character to be temporarily cursed with 
, a -2 penalty to the chosen ability. This curse lasts until the next Long Rest but can also be dispelled with 
. The curse is the only penalty for sacrificing a memory- there is no narrative effect on the story for doing so.
Each party member also has the option to pass a DC 20 Deception check to not sacrifice a memory but this does not work. Succeeding it only gives them the generic memory dialogue and failing it results in using up one of your memories and receiving without actually rolling for a memory.
A party member who has read the 
Necromancy of Thay can also surrender the 
passive obtained from it. If the party member has learned the 
spell, it is also surrendered. The Necromancy of Thay refuses to open; Danse Macabre cannot be reacquired.[1] This guarantees that the character receives the +2 bonus without needing to pass the Religion check and prevents them from receiving the curse. This is the one and only way to bypass succeeding the Religion check.
Offering memories without the Prayer edit
The way the Mirror works is hidden behind the code.[2] It makes a hidden roll for a number between 0 and 4, then offers one of several possible memories based on the result. The only beneficial memory among the five 0-4 memories is the Patriar's Memory which gives a permanent +1 Charisma.
- 0) You embody an officer of the City Watch. A comrade died because of you. The dead man's face fades away... but the identities of informants vanish as well.
- 1) Your mind is that of corrupt alderman, eager to forget his transgressions. You feel them fade away... but your faith in the goddess Selûne is devoured along with them.
- 2) You embody a heartbroken heiress, desperate to forget an unrequited love. The sadness flees from you... along with a string of numbers. A safe combination?
- 3) You embody a merchant, deep in mourning. His wife died, and he cannot bear to go on. Only the House of Grief can help him. (if the party met Arves outside the House of Grief, it will mention that he is the merchant in question)
- 4) Patriar's Memory: Disappointment floods your mind. You were sure to succeed Stelmane, but Lord Enver Gortash has stolen your support. All that charming and cajoling in the parlours of the Upper City, wasted. → gain +1 Charisma
It is also possible to re-roll the same memory which is already rolled; then the mirror presents this generic dialogue instead:
- A jumble of memories clamour for your attention. They range from ancient to new. But none are yours.
The Prayer edit
The +2 bonus can only be achieved by rolling a 5 on the hidden roll, which is normally impossible without sacrificing .[3]
However, if a party member succeeds the DC 25 Religion check to offer a prayer to Shar (the spell 
is incredibly helpful here), they gain a permanent +3 bonus on all future attempts at the hidden roll:
- [DARK JUSTICIAR] [RELIGION] Offer a prayer to the mirror. (DC 25
) - [RELIGION] Offer a prayer to the mirror. (DC 25 ) (if Mapping of the Heart was performed)
- [RELIGION] Offer a prayer to the mirror. (DC 25)
- [SELÛNE] [RELIGION] Offer a prayer to the mirror. (DC 25
)
This means that it results in a roll of 3-7, giving the character a 20% chance of receiving a useless memory (3), a 20% chance of receiving the Patriar's memory (4), and a 60% chance of successfully gaining the +2 bonus to any stat.
Each character has only one chance to pass the Religion check. Failing it prevents them from ever getting the +2 bonus.
Offering memories after the Prayer edit
Once the party member has rolled a 5 on the hidden roll, this dialogue appears:
- 5) You feel the presence of something, ancient and unknowable. It has taken notice of you. Where once the mirror showed nothing, there is now something. Memories, experiences, skills. All prised from the minds of others, and now offered to you, to choose from.
The character is now able to select a permanent +2 bonus to any stat (up to a maximum of 24):
- General's Memory Claim memories of strength from a long-dead general, who marched under the banner of a vanished kingdom. → gain +2 Strength
- Thief's Memory Help yourself to the memories of seasoned thief's most daring exploits. → gain +2 Dexterity
- Barbarian's Memory Seize the memories of a barbarian, whose mind and body were tempered against hardship. → gain +2 Constitution
- Wizard's Memory Glean the secrets of a wizard who once stalked the library of Candlekeep. → gain +2 Intelligence
- Mother-Superior's Memory Turn to the wisdom of a drow. Once of Lolth, then of Shar.[4] → gain +2 Wisdom
- Bard's Memory Warm to the guile of a bard who could charm even a dragon. → gain +2 Charisma
Once a character has gained the +2 bonus memory, they cannot offer up any other memories to the mirror. This prevents them from receiving any more ability score increases from the mirror.[5]
If getting the Patriar's Memory before making the Prayer check, it is possible to try for both +1 Cha and the +2 stat.
Optimizing strategy to acquire both bonuses edit
In honour mode there are only 6 chances to use the mirror, and it is important to understand how taking the prayer after different amount of memories affects the overall chances of receiving both upgrades. Gaining the +2 boost prevents the interacting character from surrendering more memories, making it impossible to try for the +1 Charisma improvement afterwards. This is why immediately trying to pass the religion check typically leads to undesirable odds.
The +1 Charisma improvement can be acquired as follows:
- The interacting character should use up to five memories before taking the religion check, and then give up if they fail to receive the +2 upgrade when all normal memories are used. If they get the +1 Charisma improvement, they can then attempt to pass the religion check immediately and surrender the rest of the memories, before finally giving up Forbidden Knowledge if needed. Taking the religion check after the fifth memory does not hurt the party member's odds of getting both memories, but gives them a 60% chance of retaining Forbidden Knowledge even if they fail to get the +1 Charisma improvement with their six normal memories.
- Without , the interacting party member can choose a number of memories they are comfortable to give up before they try to pass the religion check. If failing to receive the +1 Charisma boost by the cutoff of their choices, the interacting party member can then try to pass the religion check and spend the rest of their memories. If getting the +1 Charisma improvement before their chosen cutoff then it is always beneficial to immediately try to pass the religion check afterwards as giving up more memories without it only wastes them. The probabilities below are assuming that this strategy is used and the religion check is passed when taken.
| Both improvements | Only +2 improvement | Only +1 Charisma improvement | No improvements | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immediately taking religion check | 24.6% | 75.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Religion check after 1st memory | 39.0% | 60.0% | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| Religion check after 2nd memory | 49.8% | 47.9% | 2.1% | 0.1% |
| Religion check after 3rd memory | 57.2% | 38.1% | 4.3% | 0.4% |
| Religion check after 4th memory | 60.9% | 29.5% | 8.0% | 1.6% |
| Religion check after 5th memory | 60.9% | 19.7% | 12.9% | 6.6% |
Overall a good strategy is to give three memories before attempting the religion check for a whopping 57% chance of getting both improvement, and 95% chance of getting at least the +2 improvement. Giving more than 4 memories before religion check offers no benefit.
Shadowheart Interactions edit
Disloyal to Shar edit
If Shadowheart is no longer loyal to Shar, she is entirely denied the mirror's benefits.[7] The mirror claims that she has already surrendered most of her memories to it and cannot offer up anymore. She is not given the opportunity to be cursed, nor receive a boon.
Furthermore, if she spared the Nightsong she has 
Disadvantage on the DC 25 Religion check to offer a prayer to the mirror, even though passing this difficult check still yields no benefit. If she killed the Nightsong and only later turned her back on Shar, then she has 
Advantage due to being a Dark Justiciar but passing the check still does nothing.
The mirror can be used prior to Dark Justiciar Shadowheart making a decision about her final task. If Shadowheart does not speak to her parents immediately, but goes straight to the mirror, then she is still considered loyal and can receive the benefit, even if she then rejects Shar when speaking to her parents.
Loyal to Shar edit
If Shadowheart becomes a Dark Justiciar, overthrows Viconia DeVir, and kills her parents to become Lady Shar's Chosen, she automatically receives a permanent +2 bonus to the ability of her choosing without receiving a curse.
Becoming a Dark Justiciar gives her an advantage on the Religion check to offer a prayer to the mirror.
- Claim the Strength found in a spirit who has had to fight for her place in the world. → gain +2 Strength
- Steal the deft-handed prowess of someone trained in stealth all her life. → gain +2 Dexterity
- Seize the fortitude that lies in a heart denied a thousand times. → gain +2 Constitution
- Adopt the curiosity of a young child who hungered for knowledge forbidden to her. → gain +2 Intelligence
- Absorb the wisdom of a novice who weathered harsh lessons and harsher punishments. → gain +2 Wisdom
- Embrace the cunning of a youth who learned to succeed through charm and deceit. → gain +2 Charisma
Related literature edit
Notes edit
- ↑ Although if a party member surrenders forbidden knowledge prior to reading the Tharchiate Codex, the book can then still be read after by the original reader, and the spell can be gained. It is unclear if this is an intended feature.
- ↑ See the video in External Links for more details
- ↑ The +2 bonus still applies to both the Druid's
and the Slayer. Despite the stated maximum stat limit of 24, it can allow the Slayer to increase its level 10 Strength from 25 to 27.
- ↑ This memory appears to have been offered up by Viconia DeVir herself
- ↑ This can potentially lock a character out of receiving the Patriar's Memory if they rolled the +2 memory first
- ↑ See the video in External Links for more details
- ↑ Using console commands, disloyal Shadowheart can receive the mirror's benefits by setting the flag
LOW_SharGrotto_State_Mirror_SHhasMemories_1b5541eb-dc65-4dac-9b6d-c8e4dd3ed0e1to TRUE.[6] This flag can be set with the BG3 Script Extender Debug Console viaSetFlag("LOW_SharGrotto_State_Mirror_SHhasMemories_1b5541eb-dc65-4dac-9b6d-c8e4dd3ed0e1").
Gallery edit
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In-game -
Model/render by Selena Tobin
