How to Beat Auntie Ethel in BG3: Complete Hag Lair & Hair Reward Guide

Finding the Hag

Auntie Ethel seems like a sweet old herbalist in the Emerald Grove. But if you follow her questline (investigating Mayrina’s brothers), you discover she’s a hag. Her lair is in the Sunlit Wetlands (south of the Blighted Village). The “nice” swamp is an illusion — pass a perception check or attack a sheep to reveal the true rotting hag swamp.

Navigating the Lair

Inside the Riverside Teahouse: descend through the fireplace (hidden passage). The lair has:

• Poison gas vents: Cover them with objects (drag crates/barrels on top)
• Masked victims: Four mind-controlled people. Knock them out (non-lethal) — they’re innocent. The Whispering Masks are the source (destroy them).
• Mayrina’s cage: Lowered over a chasm. Use the control orb (right side) to lower the cage before fighting Ethel.

Boss Strategy

Ethel has 145 HP and creates illusory clones. The real Ethel has a different AC and level than clones.

How to Identify the Real Ethel

• The real Ethel uses different spells (Hold Person, not Ray of Sickness)
• Magic Missile auto-hits — cast it on every clone to dispel them (1 hit = 1 clone gone)
• Ethel blinks between locations — don’t chase, use ranged attacks

Getting the Hair Reward

When Ethel drops below 20 HP, she’ll surrender and offer a deal: her Hag Hair (+1 to any ability score permanently) in exchange for letting her go with Mayrina. Accept the deal, then pass an Intimidation/Persuasion check to take the hair AND keep Mayrina. Best outcome: +1 ability score AND Mayrina saved.