Facing the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a daunting challenge that tests your strategic prowess and combat skills. This eight-legged terror not only commands a swarm of smaller spiders but also possesses the ability to teleport, making her a formidable foe in the depths of the Underdark. To emerge victorious, players must prepare meticulously: destroy her spider eggs to limit reinforcements, equip essential items like the Spiderstep Boots, and leverage the environment to their advantage. With the right tactics and a bit of cunning, you can send this monstrous matriarch tumbling into the abyss, claiming victory and valuable loot along the way.
How to reach the Whispering Depths?
To reach the Whispering Depths in Baldur’s Gate 3, players have two main options, both starting from the Blighted Village. The first method involves descending a well located at coordinates X:25, Y:400. To access this entrance, players must engage with the well and pass an Intelligence check to discover the rope leading down. The second option is through the Blacksmith’s Building, where players can break through a cracked wall in the basement after clearing away some cobwebs. This entrance is found at coordinates X:31, Y:438. Both routes lead into a cavern filled with dangers, including Phase Spiders, making preparation essential before venturing into this treacherous area.
You’ll reach the Whispering Depths from the Blighted Village. After clearing the area of enemies, approach the well on the village’s central square and pass a Perception check. You’ll then be able to go down the rope.
The Whispering Depths are connected by sticky cobwebs, on which the party must move between the floors. Unfortunately, whenever the character steps on a cobweb, they must pass a saving throw or become Enwebbed – this status significantly hinders exploration and combat. Enwebbed characters can’t move, use actions and alert all nearby creatures of their presence. For this reason, you should make sure at least one of your characters is wearing the Spiderstep Boots.
How to get the Spiderstep Boots?
To obtain the Spiderstep Boots in Baldur’s Gate 3, players must venture into the Whispering Depths, which can be accessed via a well located in the Blighted Village. Upon descending the well, navigate through the cave until you reach the area that was once an Arachnomancer’s lab. The boots are found in a heavy chest situated against the far south wall of this chamber. These boots grant immunity to being enwebbed and allow for unhindered movement across web surfaces, making them particularly useful when facing the Phase Spider Matriarch in this region.
Upon entering the Whispering Depths, turn left and keep moving forward until you reach a large chamber, where one of Lolth’s followers once dwelled. Loot the skeleton to the right of the exit, against the wall, to get the Spiderstep Boots.
Spiderstep Boots give the wearer immunity to being Enwebbed, letting them freely traverse the area without alerting nearby monsters.
Destroy Phase Spiders’ eggs
To effectively confront the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3, players should prioritize destroying her eggs before the battle begins. These eggs are crucial, as the Matriarch will teleport near them at the start of the fight, hatching them into smaller, aggressive spiders that can overwhelm your party. Sneaking in with a character skilled in stealth, like a Rogue, allows you to eliminate these eggs quietly. There are three groups of eggs located throughout the cavern, and using ranged attacks or throwable items is advisable to avoid alerting the Matriarch. By ensuring all eggs are destroyed, you significantly reduce the number of enemies you’ll face, making the ensuing battle much more manageable.
Before engaging the boss, destroy all the Phase Spiders’ eggs. If you don’t, the Matriarch will open the battle by teleporting near them and immediately hatching them all. The tiny spiders don’t have much health, but are a real nuisance and hit hard, especially if they all swarm the same character.
The eggs can be destroyed by an archer, or a character having lots of throwable items. Remember to equip them with the Spiderstep Boots too, as they’ll need to move on the cobwebs.
Take positions on the solid ground opposite the Phase Spider Matriarch. The first bunch of eggs is at the bottom left of the cavern. Attack the eggs until you crack them all. Before moving on, make sure you haven’t missed any.
There are more eggs on the platform to the right of the Matriarch. You can get there via the cobwebs. These eggs can be destroyed with melee or ranged weapons. Make sure you’ve smashed them all.
The last bunch of eggs is right next to the Matriarch, so you must be very careful. Hide in the shadows, waiting for the Matriarch to turn around and start going the other way. Once she does, shoot the egg or throw something at it, then immediately hide again. Repeat until all eggs are destroyed.
Preparing for the battle against the Phase Spider Matriarch
Before engaging the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3, thorough preparation is essential for ensuring your party’s success. Start by equipping Spiderstep Boots, which grant immunity to being ensnared in webs, allowing for greater mobility during the fight. It’s crucial to destroy all spider eggs in the area beforehand to prevent the matriarch from summoning additional spiderlings, which can overwhelm your party. Stock up on healing potions, invisibility potions, and fire-based items to exploit the matriarch’s vulnerabilities; her webs are flammable, providing an opportunity for strategic damage. Additionally, ensure that characters with darkvision lead your party through the dimly lit cave, enhancing visibility and tactical positioning as you prepare for this formidable encounter.
After destroying all eggs, you must prepare for a challenging encounter. Make sure all your team members have access to Fire spells.
Non-spellcasters can use consumable Scrolls to cast spells, casting them as an action. You’ll need at least two such spells to win this fight, so check your equipment carefully.
Support spells, such as Bless, will also come in handy, granting your party bonuses to their attack rolls and saving throws. This is also a good time to cast Mage Armor and increase your squishy spellcasters’ Armor Class.
Fighting the Phase Spider Matriarch
Confronting the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a daunting challenge that requires strategic preparation and execution. Before initiating the battle, players should prioritize destroying the spider eggs scattered throughout the arena; failing to do so allows the Matriarch to summon numerous spiderlings, complicating the encounter significantly. Equipping Spiderstep Boots is essential for navigating the web-covered surfaces and avoiding her web attacks. During the fight, focus on using ranged spells and abilities with knockback effects, such as Thunderwave, to push the Matriarch into the pit at the center of the arena, which can deal substantial damage and potentially end the fight prematurely. Proper positioning and teamwork will be critical in overcoming this formidable foe and progressing deeper into the Underdark.
After destroying all eggs and casting all necessary spells, you can engage the boss. Be sure to stick to the main area and stay away from other platforms. The Phase Spider Matriarch will start the battle by teleporting onto one of the cobwebs.
Depending on which of your character goes first, make sure they’re all on solid ground and then cast a Fire spell, or use a Fire scroll on the cobweb underneath the boss, not on the boss herself.
The web is flammable and will burn quickly, dropping the boss to the bottom of the cavern, knocking her Prone and dealing lots of fall damage.
Now wait for the Matriarch to stand up and get on the other cobweb. Burn it and drop her down yet again. Remember to aim for the web, not the opponent.
When the Matriarch reappears at the top, you can finish her off in two different ways. The enemy has little health left, so you can just kill her straight-up.
On the other hand, if one of your spellcasters knows Thunderwave, you can push her off yet again. The third fall will be fatal, ending the battle. Note that when aiming with Thunderwave, you can determine where the enemy will be pushed to – make sure the white line points to the bottom of the cavern.
The Phase Spider Matriarch is too large to be affected by the regular Shove action. You need spells such as Thunderwave to move heavier opponents.
Rewards for defeating the Phase Spider Matriarch
Defeating the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3 rewards players with valuable loot and significant in-game advantages. Upon her defeat, players can expect to receive a variety of items, including the coveted Spiderstep Boots, which enhance mobility on webbed surfaces and provide resistance against spider attacks. Additionally, players may find a purple gem on the ground, crucial for progressing in specific quests related to the Necromancy of Thay. Successfully overcoming this formidable boss not only advances the storyline but also grants the achievement “Pest Control,” marking a noteworthy accomplishment in the game.
What are the best strategies to use against the Phase Spider Matriarch
To effectively defeat the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3, players should employ a combination of strategic preparation and tactical combat maneuvers. Here are the best strategies:
Preparation Before the Fight
- Acquire Spiderstep Boots: These boots allow you to move freely on web surfaces and provide immunity to webbing attacks, which is crucial for maneuverability during the fight. They can be found in the Whispering Depths at coordinates X:-510 Y:-400.
- Destroy Spider Eggs: Before engaging the Matriarch, sneak around and destroy her spider eggs to prevent her from summoning reinforcements during the battle. There are three groups of eggs; eliminating them will significantly reduce the number of enemies you face.
- Use Light Sources: Since the fight occurs in a dark cave, ensure that characters have darkvision or use light spells like Light or Dancing Lights to avoid penalties to attack rolls.
Combat Strategies
- Maintain Distance and Use Ranged Attacks: Focus on ranged damage to keep your party safe from the Matriarch’s powerful melee attacks. Characters equipped with Spiderstep Boots can engage more closely if necessary.
- Utilize Knockback Effects: The arena features a giant pit in the center. Use spells or abilities that can knock the Matriarch into this pit, such as Thunderwave or Repelling Blast, for an instant defeat if executed correctly.
- Split Your Party: Consider dividing your group into two teams—one to deal with any remaining smaller spiders while the other focuses on damaging the Matriarch directly. This strategy helps manage threats effectively.
- Target Cobwebs with Fire Spells: Instead of attacking the Matriarch directly, aim for the cobwebs she stands on with fire spells. Burning these webs will cause her to fall, dealing significant damage and knocking her prone, which can be repeated for additional damage.
- Use Stealth and Tactical Movement: Employ stealth tactics to take out smaller spiders before starting the main fight, giving your team a significant advantage by reducing chaos.
By combining these strategies, players can enhance their chances of defeating the Phase Spider Matriarch and progressing through Baldur’s Gate 3.
What are the best classes to use against the Phase Spider Matriarch
When facing the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3, selecting the right classes can significantly enhance your chances of victory. Here are the best classes to consider:
Recommended Classes
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Rogue
- Advantages: Rogues excel in stealth and can deal significant damage with sneak attacks. Their ability to move quietly allows them to destroy spider eggs before the fight begins, reducing the number of enemies you face.
- Key Skills: Stealth, ranged attacks, and the ability to use items effectively.
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Wizard
- Advantages: Wizards can utilize powerful spells, particularly fire-based spells that are effective against the Matriarch’s webs. Spells like Fireball or Burning Hands can knock her prone by igniting the webs she stands on.
- Key Skills: Spellcasting, crowd control, and area damage.
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Sorcerer
- Advantages: Similar to Wizards, Sorcerers have access to powerful spells and can cast them more flexibly due to their spell slots. They can also use spells like Thunderwave to push the Matriarch into the pit for an instant defeat.
- Key Skills: High damage output and versatility in spellcasting.
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Ranger
- Advantages: Rangers are effective at ranged combat and can use their skills to track and eliminate smaller spiders while focusing on the Matriarch from a distance. They also benefit from nature-related spells that can control the battlefield.
- Key Skills: Ranged attacks, animal companion support, and tracking abilities.
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Cleric
- Advantages: Clerics provide essential support through healing spells and buffs like Bless, which enhances attack rolls for allies. They can also wield fire-based spells effectively against the Matriarch.
- Key Skills: Healing, support spells, and frontline combat capabilities.
Tactical Considerations
- Ensure that at least one character has darkvision (e.g., Elves or Gnomes) or use light spells to mitigate visibility issues during the fight.
- Equip at least one character with Spiderstep Boots to navigate web surfaces without hindrance.
- Focus on ranged attacks while using melee characters strategically to engage when safe.
By utilizing these classes effectively, players can create a balanced party capable of overcoming the challenges posed by the Phase Spider Matriarch.
