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Moonrise Towers Rooftop

Moonrise Towers Rooftop is the uppermost open-air section of Moonrise Towers in Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • The rooftop is reached through the Ornate Door on the first floor of Moonrise Towers.
  • Its normal story function is the first stage of the Ketheric Thorm boss encounter.
  • The rooftop is separate from the Mind Flayer Colony, where the fight continues after Ketheric retreats.
  • You can sometimes enter early, defeat Susdera, Necromites and other rooftop allies, and leave Ketheric himself for later.
  • The Ring of Exalted Marrow is in a heavy chest beside the rooftop altar and can provide useful undead-focused spells.
  • The rooftop’s state changes according to whether the party has dealt with the Nightsong, triggered the Moonrise assault and completed relevant Ketheric scenes.

About this guide

Spoilers: This guide covers major Act Two revelations, the fate of the Nightsong, Ketheric Thorm’s rooftop encounter and the transition into the Mind Flayer Colony.

Overview

Moonrise Towers Rooftop is the uppermost open-air section of Moonrise Towers in Act Two of Baldur’s Gate 3. It is not the whole Moonrise Towers location, the tower’s first-floor approach, the prison, the docks or the Mind Flayer Colony beneath the stronghold. Those are neighbouring or connected areas with their own encounters and progression states.

The rooftop is primarily a story arena rather than a conventional exploration zone. Before the assault on Moonrise Towers, it is a restricted area guarded by Absolute forces. After the throne-room sequence and the party’s approach through the ornate first-floor doors, it becomes the setting for the first stage of the confrontation with Ketheric Thorm. The battle later continues beneath the tower in the Mind Flayer Colony, which is a separate area and should not be treated as part of the rooftop.

The area can nevertheless be explored early. Doing so may let you remove or weaken some of Ketheric’s allies before the scripted confrontation, collect the rooftop’s unique loot and alter the difficulty of the later battle. Some early-entry methods depend on stealth, invisibility or the current progression state, so the rooftop can play very differently between runs.

Boundaries and included areas

The rooftop is the elevated exterior section above the main tower. It includes the broad roof, the raised altar or chapel area where Ketheric stands, the surrounding walkways and the heavy chest positioned near the altar.

This distinction matters because the rooftop battle is only the first part of Ketheric’s final encounter. Once Ketheric reaches a critical health threshold, a scripted transition pulls him into the colony below. The colony contains a different battlefield, different supporting enemies and the Apostle of Myrkul phase.

The approach from the first floor

The route to the rooftop begins on the first floor of Moonrise Towers. The Ornate Door is guarded during the tower’s normal occupied state by Radija, four Necromites and, depending on the run, Glourik. The door is the clear boundary between the indoor tower and the rooftop exterior.

The first-floor guards do not represent the rooftop’s full combat encounter. Defeating or bypassing them gives access to the roof, where a separate group of enemies and scripted characters may be present.

The main rooftop

The roof is an open, elevated combat space with several useful vertical positions. Ketheric begins on a raised platform or balcony toward the rear, while Susdera and the Necromites occupy the approach. The raised areas give ranged characters improved sightlines, but the rooftop’s open design also makes the party vulnerable to area attacks and concentrated fire.

The altar area is important for both story and loot. The heavy chest containing the Ring of Exalted Marrow is located at the altar, at approximately X: -153, Y: -170 according to the item’s location data. The Scroll of Her Glory is also found on the rooftop, at approximately X: -153, Y: -179. These coordinates are useful only as approximate in-game reference points, since elevation and camera position can make the rooftop difficult to read from the map.

Named rooftop places

The sources consulted identify the rooftop’s principal functional landmarks, but do not provide a complete official naming scheme for every roof section, parapet, scaffold or decorative structure. Those unnamed architectural features should not be treated as separate canonical subareas.

Named rooftop places

Standard access

The rooftop is normally reached after progressing through Moonrise Towers and opening the Ornate Door. The story may make this route feel like a point of no return, but entering the roof does not itself end Act Two. The rooftop battle leads into the Mind Flayer Colony, after which defeating Ketheric allows the party to proceed towards Baldur’s Gate.

Before committing to the fight, complete any Moonrise activities you still want to perform. In particular, consider rescuing prisoners, speaking to available characters, buying desired equipment and completing tower-based objectives. The rooftop is late-stage Act Two content, and the tower’s available inhabitants and activities can change after the assault.

Early exploration

The rooftop can be entered before the final confrontation through several methods, most notably:

The exact result depends on when the party enters. In one state, the rooftop can contain Susdera and her Necromites while Ketheric is absent. In another, Ketheric is present but can remain non-hostile or invulnerable until the party approaches or fulfils the relevant story conditions.

Important warning

If you speak to Ketheric on the rooftop before resolving the conditions he expects, he can become hostile while still protected by his immortality. This is not a normal boss fight and may leave the party unable to defeat him at that point. If the game clearly indicates that the Nightsong or another objective remains unresolved, leave the rooftop and continue the relevant quest before confronting him.

Early exploration: steps

  1. 01
    Defeating or bypassing the guards at the Ornate Door.
  2. 02
    Using Invisibility or Greater Invisibility.
  3. 03
    Reaching the roof during a progression state where Ketheric is not yet positioned there.
  4. 04
    Sneaking past Ketheric without triggering the full conversation.

Recommended preparation route

The Restoration Pod belongs to the Mind Flayer Colony, not the rooftop. It is mentioned here because it is the main recovery point immediately after the rooftop encounter.

The rooftop has no ordinary residential population, business district or recurring services. Its occupants are tied to the Moonrise military command structure and Ketheric’s personal retinue.

A practical late-Act Two route is

  1. 01
    Finish the Gauntlet of Shar and resolve the Nightsong.
  2. 02
    Return to Moonrise Towers and complete any remaining prisoner, companion or trader business.
  3. 03
    Take a long rest and prepare defensive and offensive consumables.
  4. 04
    Enter the first-floor route to the Ornate Door.
  5. 05
    Decide whether to clear the rooftop early or begin the scripted confrontation.
  6. 06
    Loot the altar chest if it is safe to do so.
  7. 07
    Start the Ketheric encounter only when the party is positioned and prepared.
  8. 08
    After the rooftop stage, use the transition into the Mind Flayer Colony and take advantage of the Restoration Pod before the next major phase.

Story-associated characters

Ketheric Thorm

Ketheric is the principal figure on the rooftop and the main antagonist of Act Two. In the normal progression, he withdraws from the throne-room sequence to the roof, where he prepares for the party’s arrival. His rooftop battle is the first combat stage of his final encounter.

Ketheric is a level 11 undead boss with high Armour Class and strong melee damage. His attacks can include Divine Smites, and he can direct his forces against a chosen party member. His encounter state is affected by the party’s previous choices, including the fate of the Nightsong and earlier dialogue.

Susdera

Susdera is Ketheric’s supporting spellcaster on the rooftop. She may be present during the rooftop battle or can be encountered earlier, depending on the sequence used to enter the area. She is dangerous because of her area damage and ability to interfere with healing.

If the party reaches the rooftop early, Susdera and the surrounding Necromites can sometimes be defeated without immediately provoking Ketheric, provided the party does not approach his position or trigger the relevant scene.

Squire

Squire is Ketheric’s undead dog. The combat reference lists Squire as a conditional rooftop ally. Whether Squire appears in the rooftop fight depends on the party’s previous interactions and the state of Ketheric’s quarters.

Dame Aylin

Dame Aylin is not a rooftop resident. If spared in the Shadowfell, she joins the party during the rooftop confrontation. Her presence changes the encounter and allows her to attack Ketheric’s forces. The precise sequence is dependent on the Nightsong’s outcome.

Kar’niss

Kar’niss is a conditional combatant rather than a permanent rooftop occupant. He may join Ketheric if he remains alive and the party has followed a route that leaves him aligned with the Absolute. Killing or dealing with him earlier prevents him from appearing in this encounter.

Factions represented

The rooftop does not function as a neutral settlement. It is a military and religious space controlled by Ketheric, with the altar and surrounding imagery reinforcing the area’s Myrkulite character.

Stage one: Ketheric Thorm on the rooftop

The rooftop battle begins with Ketheric positioned behind his supporting forces. The standard encounter includes:

The exact roster is not fixed across every progression state. The encounter page specifically records Susdera and Kar’niss as conditional, while the eight Necromites form the regular rooftop support group.

Ketheric’s high AC makes ordinary attack rolls unreliable, particularly for characters who have not prepared ways to gain Advantage or impose useful conditions. He is also resistant or immune to several common control methods associated with undead enemies. His encounter is best approached as a burst-damage and action-economy problem rather than a slow attrition fight.

Practical priorities

  1. 01
    Control Susdera early. Her Fireball and Bone Chill can punish a clustered party. Silence, Darkness, line-of-sight breaks or a fast elimination can reduce the initial danger.

Practical priorities

  1. 01
    Prevent Necromite escalation. Necromites are individually less threatening than Ketheric, but they can contribute to the battle’s pressure and may be reinforced or supported by other abilities. Area attacks are efficient if several are grouped together.

Practical priorities

  1. 01
    Use the terrain. Spread the party so a single Fireball or similar area attack does not hit everyone. Ranged characters can use the roof’s height and edges, while melee characters should avoid being isolated where Ketheric can focus them.

Practical priorities

  1. 01
    Exploit reliable attack advantages. Effects such as Faerie Fire, Blindness, Prone or other verified ways to improve hit chance are valuable against Ketheric’s AC. The combat guide also notes that Ketheric can be disarmed and that the Ring of Exalted Marrow can affect him despite his undead status.

Practical priorities

  1. 01
    Do not treat the rooftop as the whole boss fight. The rooftop phase ends through a scripted transition when Ketheric’s health is sufficiently reduced. The party must then continue into the colony.

Ketheric’s retreat

When Ketheric reaches the relevant health threshold, a large tentacle appears and he retreats towards the Mind Flayer Colony. If Dame Aylin is present, she can be captured during this transition. The remaining rooftop enemies must be dealt with before the party can follow.

This is a progression trigger, not a conventional victory condition. Even if the party deals enormous damage or uses unusual tactics, the story is structured to continue the encounter below Moonrise.

Early-clear strategy

If the party enters the roof before triggering Ketheric’s main scene, it may be possible to:

This can reduce the number of enemy actions during the scripted fight. However, the exact behaviour depends on the game state, and stealth approaches can be disrupted by sight lines, failed checks, concentration loss or accidentally moving into Ketheric’s trigger range. The early-clear method is therefore a tactical option rather than a guaranteed universal sequence.

Ring of Exalted Marrow

The rooftop’s most important fixed item is the Ring of Exalted Marrow. It is found in a heavy chest beside the altar. The ring grants the wearer the ability to cast:

Both are listed as once-per-long-rest abilities on the item page. The ring is particularly relevant in this area because it can affect undead opponents, including Ketheric, despite his immunities to many common control effects.

Acquisition

If the rooftop is hostile, consider looting the chest during a stealth approach or after the supporting enemies have been defeated.

Acquisition

  1. 01
    Enter the rooftop.
  2. 02
    Reach the altar area.
  3. 03
    Locate the heavy chest.
  4. 04
    Open or lockpick it.
  5. 05
    Equip the ring on a character who can make good use of its abilities.

The Scroll of Her Glory

The Scroll of Her Glory is a common note dedicated to the Absolute. It can be found on the rooftop near the altar, at approximately X: -153, Y: -179. It is a lore item rather than a spell scroll or major equipment reward. Its text describes the Absolute’s demand for total submission and presents the relationship between the cult and its supposed deity in propagandistic terms.

Rooftop item directory

The available evidence confirms these fixed, named rooftop items. It does not establish a larger list of fixed named equipment, books or quest rewards within the rooftop boundary itself. Items dropped by enemies should be treated separately from placed collectibles because their availability depends on the relevant encounter and loot state.

Defeat Ketheric Thorm

The rooftop is a major stage of Defeat Ketheric Thorm. The encounter begins here and continues in the Mind Flayer Colony. Ketheric’s defeat is required to obtain his Netherstone and proceed towards Baldur’s Gate.

Infiltrate Moonrise Towers

The rooftop is also part of Infiltrate Moonrise Towers, though the quest covers the wider stronghold rather than this roof alone. Depending on the party’s route, the rooftop can be reached during infiltration, before the final assault or as part of the battle after the tower’s main floor has been taken.

Resolve the Abduction

The state of Resolve the Abduction can affect Ketheric’s supporting forces and later combat conditions. In particular, Isobel’s fate changes the Mind Flayer Colony phase, not the normal rooftop geography itself. The rooftop should therefore be treated as the place where those consequences begin to matter, while the resulting Isobel encounter belongs to the colony stage.

Rooftop inspiration

Meeting Ketheric on the rooftop grants the Noble-background inspiration event Top of the Ladder. This is a background-specific reward, not a universal inspiration point for every character.

Moonrise Towers has passed through several religious identities. It was originally associated with Selûne, later became connected with Shar during Ketheric’s earlier fall, and in the game’s present timeline serves as the stronghold of the Cult of the Absolute and Ketheric’s Myrkulite regime. The rooftop’s altar and elevated position turn the tower into both a military bastion and a place of religious display.

The rooftop also symbolises Ketheric’s separation from the ordinary life of Moonrise Towers. The main floors contain prisoners, merchants, soldiers, pilgrims and administrators. The roof is reserved for Ketheric’s private command and contemplation, guarded by a smaller personal retinue. Radija’s dialogue and the layout of the first-floor approach support the idea that the upper chapel is not an ordinary public space.

Can I reach the rooftop before fighting Ketheric?

Yes, in some progression states. Invisibility, Greater Invisibility, stealth and defeating the Ornate Door guards are among the documented approaches. The result depends on whether Ketheric has moved to the roof and whether the party enters his trigger range.

Is the rooftop part of the Mind Flayer Colony?

No. The colony is a separate area beneath Moonrise Towers. The rooftop encounter transitions into the colony, but the two areas have different layouts, enemy groups and combat stages.

Can Ketheric be killed permanently on the rooftop?

No, not in the normal progression of the encounter. The rooftop is the first combat stage, after which Ketheric retreats to the Mind Flayer Colony. His final defeat occurs during the later encounter below the tower.

Is the Ring of Exalted Marrow missable?

It can be missed if the party leaves the rooftop without searching the altar chest or if the area’s progression makes return inconvenient. Because it is a fixed chest item, loot it before following Ketheric into the colony if you want to ensure that you have it.

Does entering the rooftop immediately start combat?

Not always. Early exploration can allow the party to move around the roof or attack supporting enemies without immediately triggering Ketheric. Approaching him, speaking to him or entering the relevant story state can start the encounter. The behaviour is progression-dependent rather than identical in every playthrough.

What is the best way to make the rooftop battle easier?

The most consistently documented options are to remove or disable Susdera, reduce the Necromite numbers, use high-ground and line-of-sight advantages, prepare ways to improve attack accuracy and make use of the Ring of Exalted Marrow where appropriate. Clearing enemies early is possible but depends on stealth and the exact state of the rooftop.

Does the rooftop have a shop, rest point or waypoint?

No shop or ordinary service is documented within the rooftop boundary. The area is an encounter zone rather than a settlement. The relevant recovery facility is the Restoration Pod in the separate Mind Flayer Colony, and the relevant fast-travel point is the Moonrise Towers waypoint rather than a dedicated rooftop waypoint.

Sources