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Locationmajor

Upper City

The Upper City is the wealthy, heavily protected district of Baldur’s Gate.

Importancemajor

Key takeaways

  • The Upper City Gate Checkpoint is in the Lower City, not the Upper City It is the blocked bridge and entrance leading towards the district.
  • The party cannot normally enter the Upper City through its gate The usable route opens during Confront the Elder Brain, after travelling through the Morphic Pool.
  • Ramazith’s Tower is an Upper City location reached through a portal in Sorcerous Sundries.
  • Szarr Palace is another Upper City location, reached from the Lower City Central Wall, the Devil’s Fee roof or, late in the relevant quest, through Cazador’s Dungeon.
  • High Hall is the last major area before the final confrontation with the Netherbrain.
  • The base game does not provide a complete, freely explorable Upper City Named places such as High House of Wonders, Dersu’s Vintage Tipple and Fine Fabrics are part of the district’s lore but are not ordinary playable shops in the released game.

Note

Base game guide. This article covers the Upper City as it exists in Baldur’s Gate 3, including its geographically associated but separately accessed buildings and the temporary end-game areas reached during the final assault. It does not treat the Lower City, Wyrm’s Crossing, the Undercity or the Upper City Gate Checkpoint as part of the Upper City itself.

Overview

The Upper City is the wealthy, heavily protected district of Baldur’s Gate. It lies beyond the city’s oldest inner wall and is traditionally associated with the patriar families, the city’s hereditary nobility. In normal circumstances, the district is the home of large estates, prestigious institutions and elite businesses. During the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, however, the city is under threat from the Cult of the Absolute, and the main entrance is closed.

Despite being presented as one of Baldur’s Gate’s major regions, the Upper City is not a second large urban exploration map comparable to the Lower City. Most of the district is inaccessible in the base game. The playable content consists chiefly of High Hall, the High Hall Courtyard, the Upper City Sewers, and two major buildings that are physically in the Upper City but reached from elsewhere: Ramazith’s Tower and Szarr Palace.

The region is therefore best understood as a combination of:

What counts as the Upper City?

In the game’s geographical hierarchy, the Upper City is the wealthy district north of the oldest wall of Baldur’s Gate. It is distinct from:

The Upper City’s boundary is important because several quests use locations that are geographically part of it but mechanically attached to other maps. Szarr Palace, for example, is built against the Lower City Central Wall and is entered from the Lower City. Ramazith’s Tower is connected to the Upper City but is entered through the teleportation system of Sorcerous Sundries.

Playable subareas

High Hall

High Hall is the district’s principal end-game location. The building and its forecourt form the last major battlefield before the party reaches the Netherbrain. The approach is occupied by forces fighting across the ruined city, and the party must advance towards the hall while dealing with hostile creatures and enemy troops.

High Hall is not a normal Act Three hub. It is a one-way progression area associated with the final quest. Once the party enters the end-game sequence, the normal city exploration loop is effectively over.

High Hall Courtyard

The courtyard lies before the hall and is the most visibly urban part of the playable Upper City. It is a battlefield rather than a functioning civic square. Enemies, allied forces and the destruction caused by the Netherbrain’s assault dominate the area.

The courtyard provides the direct route towards High Hall, but it is not the only route. A party that wants to reduce exposure to the courtyard battle can use the Upper City Sewers.

Upper City Sewers

The Upper City Sewers are a short transitional area beneath the courtyard. They are not part of the Lower City Sewers and should not be treated as a general sewer network connecting the city. Their main function is to provide an alternative approach to High Hall during the final assault.

The sewers contain hostile creatures and a significant named enemy, Stalker Svignee. They are useful as a tactical bypass, but they do not offer the broad exploration, merchants or side content found in the Lower City’s underground areas.

Ramazith’s Tower

Ramazith’s Tower is a magical spire in the Upper City’s temple district. The accessible portion consists of three interior levels and an exterior balcony or ring. Its unusual architecture and concealed position make it visually distinct from the surrounding city.

It is reached through the pale-blue portal on the first floor of Sorcerous Sundries. The other portals are not routes to the tower. The portal remains the normal way back to Sorcerous Sundries after entering.

The tower is the stronghold of Lorroakan and contains one of Act Three’s most consequential decisions: whether to support Lorroakan’s attempt to claim Dame Aylin or side with Aylin against him.

Szarr Palace

Szarr Palace is the gothic estate of the Szarr patriar family and the residence of Cazador Szarr. It stands on the border between the Upper City and Lower City, built into or beside the Lower City Central Wall. Its architecture and contents reflect the contrast between a noble residence and a vampire lair.

The palace is the centre of Investigate Cazador’s Palace and The Pale Elf, and is one of the most important locations for Astarion’s personal story.

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The blocked gate

The ordinary route to the Upper City is the bridge at the Upper City Gate Checkpoint. The checkpoint itself belongs to the Lower City’s Steeps district. It is guarded by Flaming Fists and a Steel Watcher, while citizens and Upper City residents wait in a queue. The authorities have suspended admission because of the Cult of the Absolute’s threat.

This is not a conventional gate puzzle. The checkpoint cannot be used to explore the district during ordinary Act Three play. Attempts to enter before the final sequence are stopped by the game’s progression logic.

Final-act access

The main playable route opens during Confront the Elder Brain. After the party travels through the Morphic Pool, the Upper City has become a war zone. Nautiloids and dragons are active over the city, and the party must fight or manoeuvre through the assault to reach High Hall.

The game’s final sequence contains several one-way transitions. Do not treat entry into the Morphic Pool as another ordinary fast-travel excursion.

Recommended approach

  1. 01
    Complete as much of Act Three’s city content as desired before entering the Morphic Pool.
  2. 02
    Finish companion quests, gather allies and resolve major decisions.
  3. 03
    Make a final camp visit and prepare consumables.
  4. 04
    Enter the Morphic Pool only when ready to begin the final sequence.
  5. 05
    At the Upper City battlefield, assess the courtyard before committing to a direct fight.
  6. 06
    Use the Upper City Sewers if you prefer a more enclosed route towards High Hall.
  7. 07
    Preserve high-level resources for the fights immediately before the Netherbrain.

Reaching Szarr Palace before the final assault

Szarr Palace is available during ordinary Act Three exploration. The main route begins at the Lower City Central Wall:

The guards can be handled in several ways:

Astarion changes some conversations and can make the entrance substantially easier. If he is present, the palace reacts differently to him, and some access requirements are reduced.

The Lower City Sewers also contain a late route through Cazador’s Dungeon, but this is mainly useful as an exit or follow-up route after the palace and dungeon have been explored. It is not the normal initial entrance.

Reaching Szarr Palace before the final assault: steps

  1. 01
    Travel to the Lower City Central Wall waypoint.
  2. 02
    Climb the stairs in the Central Watch Tower.
  3. 03
    Walk north along the wall towards the South Tower.
  4. 04
    Deal with Jaryd, Reklan and Merony, who are charmed guards.
  5. 05
    Enter the ramparts and continue into the palace.

Reaching Ramazith’s Tower

The tower can therefore be visited before the final Upper City assault. Its geographical placement should not be confused with the game’s main Upper City access restriction.

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Only some Upper City names correspond to playable locations. Others are background references that establish the district’s wealth and civic importance.

Reaching Ramazith’s Tower: steps

  1. 01
    Enter Sorcerous Sundries in the Lower City.
  2. 02
    Reach the first floor.
  3. 03
    Speak with or pass the area containing Lorroakan’s Projection.
  4. 04
    Choose the pale-blue portal.
  5. 05
    Enter Ramazith’s Tower and return through the same portal when finished.

Playable or physically represented locations

Named Upper City locations and businesses mentioned in the base game

The first three names are particularly important to classify correctly. High House of Wonders, Dersu’s Vintage Tipple and Fine Fabrics are mentioned as Upper City institutions or businesses, but the released game does not present them as normal explorable shops comparable to Sorcerous Sundries, the Devil’s Fee or the Stormshore Armoury. The existence of a named business does not establish that the party can buy from it.

Named Upper City locations and businesses mentioned in the base game

Law and security

The Upper City is associated with the Watch, a separate law-enforcement institution from the Flaming Fist. The Watch is described as protecting the patriars and having authority to use lethal force if they are threatened. The checkpoint, however, is visibly controlled by Flaming Fists and a Steel Watcher because it is located on the Lower City side of the boundary.

During the final assault, ordinary civic security has effectively collapsed. The Upper City becomes a battlefield containing military forces, monsters, allied troops and large-scale destruction rather than a functioning noble district.

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The following directory consolidates named entries associated with Upper City locations. It includes residents, quest characters, allied characters, enemies and named background entries, but not every unnamed creature or generic civilian.

Ramazith’s Tower

Cal and Lia are connected to Rolan’s family story. Dame Aylin and Isobel are involved in the resolution of Find the Nightsong, while Rolan’s survival and final position can affect the tower’s aftermath and the party’s available allies.

Szarr Palace

Werewolves and associated creatures

Victoria is deceased and is associated with the palace’s cursed corpse encounter. Sterlac is a dead party guest whose corpse can be used for Speak with Dead.

High Hall and Upper City battlefield

Some of these are temporary combat or end-sequence entities rather than permanent Upper City residents. The category also includes generic enemy variants and background figures tied to the final battlefield, so it should not be read as a census of the district’s normal population.

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Confront the Elder Brain

This is the Upper City’s defining quest. The party reaches the region only after travelling through the Morphic Pool, then crosses a battlefield to reach High Hall and continue towards the Netherbrain. The Upper City sequence includes:

The exact composition of allied and hostile forces depends on earlier decisions, completed quests and surviving characters. The end-game battlefield is therefore partly fixed and partly determined by the party’s previous choices.

Find the Nightsong

Ramazith’s Tower is where the Nightsong storyline reaches its Act Three conclusion. The party must decide how to respond to Lorroakan’s plan for Dame Aylin.

Investigate Cazador’s Palace and The Pale Elf

Szarr Palace is the major location for Astarion’s personal quest. The party investigates Cazador’s estate, explores the palace’s sealed areas and eventually reaches the ritual chamber beneath it.

The palace’s upper and lower floors contain diaries, keys, clothing, random valuables and quest information. Astarion provides additional dialogue throughout the location and can alter the way certain servants respond.

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Ramazith’s Tower

Markoheshkir is the standout acquisition. Search the tower carefully after the Lorroakan encounter and inspect the arcane equipment rather than leaving immediately.

Important named loot includes

Szarr Palace

The cursed corpse of Victoria creates a hazardous room. Removing the curse with Remove Curse prevents the continuing negative effect associated with the room. The palace also contains trapped chests and pressure-plate mechanisms, particularly around the ballroom.

High Hall and Upper City Sewers

The end-game areas contain fixed combat rewards and battlefield loot, but they are not designed as a conventional shopping or treasure-hunting district. The most important “rewards” are:

Stalker Svignee is the main specifically named enemy associated with the Upper City Sewers. Other encounters include generic hostile creatures and end-game combat groups.

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Upper City Sewers shortcut

The sewers are the most useful navigational secret in the final sequence. If the courtyard approach is proving costly, look for the southern gate near the Watch Citadel or the northern route involving the broken road and tower balcony. The northern route requires movement across gaps and exposes the party to Winged Horrors.

Ramazith’s Tower movement hazards

The tower’s floating furniture can be used as a route between levels. However, while Lorroakan remains alive, some objects are treated as restricted property. Jumping onto them can be interpreted as a crime and may provoke a response. Use controlled movement and save before attempting unusual jumps.

Szarr Palace traps and curses

The palace rewards patient investigation more than a straight assault. Read documents, search wardrobes and inspect apparently decorative furniture, especially in the vampire-spawn areas.

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A practical order is

  1. 01
    Visit Sorcerous Sundries.
  2. 02
    Explore the Sorcerous Vault if pursuing magical equipment and the Nightsong plot.
  3. 03
    Enter Ramazith’s Tower.
  4. 04
    Resolve Lorroakan and Dame Aylin’s confrontation.
  5. 05
    Visit Szarr Palace with Astarion if pursuing his quest.
  6. 06
    Finish the palace and Cazador’s Dungeon.
  7. 07
    Complete remaining Lower City and Undercity objectives.
  8. 08
    Gather allies and make a final camp preparation.
  9. 09
    Enter the Morphic Pool only when ready for the end-game.

During the High Hall sequence

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Before leaving the Lower City for the final sequence, check that you have:

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During the High Hall sequence: steps

  1. 01
    Survey the courtyard and identify enemy concentrations.
  2. 02
    Use allied abilities where available rather than spending every high-level spell immediately.
  3. 03
    Consider the Upper City Sewers if the direct route is too dangerous.
  4. 04
    Search the sewers for the named encounter and useful combat resources.
  5. 05
    Reach High Hall.
  6. 06
    Complete the final approach and proceed to the Netherbrain.

Can I freely explore the Upper City?

No. The base game does not provide a complete open Upper City district. Most of the region remains inaccessible, and the main gate is closed until the final quest. The playable content is concentrated in High Hall, the Upper City Sewers, Ramazith’s Tower and Szarr Palace.

Is the Upper City Gate Checkpoint part of the Upper City?

No. It is a Lower City location on the bridge leading to the Upper City gate.

Can I enter Ramazith’s Tower before the end game?

Yes. Use the pale-blue portal in Sorcerous Sundries.

Can I enter Szarr Palace before the end game?

Yes. Reach it from the Lower City Central Wall, the Devil’s Fee roof or the relevant Cazador’s Dungeon route.

Are High House of Wonders, Dersu’s Vintage Tipple and Fine Fabrics usable shops?

They are named Upper City institutions or businesses, but the released game does not present them as ordinary, freely explorable shops with confirmed player services. They should be treated as background lore references rather than assumed vendors.

Is the Upper City connected to the Lower City Sewers?

Not as one continuous general exploration map. The Upper City Sewers are a separate end-game transition area beneath High Hall. They should not be confused with the Lower City Sewers or the Undercity.

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Sources