Ability Drain |
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Effect |
Once per turn, when you make an Attack Roll, the attack reduces that target's corresponding Ability by 1. |
Requirements |
Ability Drain is a passive Feature in Baldur's Gate 3. Features provide unique abilities that are inherent to a Character's Race, Class, Background selected. These may vary greatly, from allowing you to equip certain Weapons or pieces of Armor with Proficiency, to add your Proficiency Bonus to certain Saving Throws.
Ability Drain Information
Once per turn, when you make an Attack Roll, the attack reduces that target's corresponding Ability by 1.
The Ability that is reduced is the same as the one used to make the Attack Roll.
For melee weapons, this is usually Strength, for ranged weapons usually Dexterity, and for spells usually your Spellcasting Ability. 
Per turn
How to unlock Ability Drain
Ability Drain can be acquired by:
Tadpole Locations for Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3). Each parasite consumed unlocks one new Illithid Power within a skill tree of 25 powerful mind-flayer-inspired abilities, completely separate to the options you have when you level up in a traditional sense. These are divided into five branches themed around manipulation, health restoration, psionics, and abilities that can inflict immense damage and torment enemies to gradually weaken them over time. Some abilities can be used to control those around you, pushing them to say things in dialogue they would otherwise not. Others endow you with the power to push and pull enemies like ragdolls during battle.
Tadpoles locations in Baldur's Gate 3
You can collect additional Mind Flayer tadpoles to advance your Illithid Powers, here is a list of where you can find more tadpoles:
Tadpoles in Act 1
- One can be found on the dead True Soul in Forest (X139, Y444), do not resist the tadpole to acquire.
- One can be found by defeating Flind, the Gnoll Warlord (X33, Y594) (Quest Find the Missing Shipment).
- One can be found in the Druid Grove (X445, Y-17), it would be on a table in Halsin's/Nettie's Secret Research Lab next to the Dissected Drow body.
- One can be found by defeating True Soul Gut (X297, Y-12).
- One can be found by defeating Minthara.
- One can be found by defeating Dror Ragzlin.
- One can be found by defeating True Soul Nere.
- If you side with the Absolute, you can get as many Illithid Powers as "Gift by the Absolute" as you missed by not killing the true soul bosses.
- If you play nice with True Soul Nere until his second conversation ends and he gives you a Gift of the Absolute, you can then kill him for a bonus Tadpole.
Tadpoles in Act 2
- One can be found by defeating Fist Marcus.
- Three can be found in the Infirmary of Crèche Y'llek, next to the Zaith'isk.
- One can be found on Linsella, in the Moonrise Towers kitchen.
- Two at Moonrise Towers' docks, inside the cylindrical Zhentarim Shipping Crate (X70, Y187). Destroy the crate to access them.
- One on a body named Zealot Krizt in Oubliette (X:628, Y: -92).
- Three at the front entrance of Moonrise Towers from Disciple Z'Rell, Zealot Malik, and Adept Merim.
- One in a brine pool (X678, Y45) in the Mind Flayer Colony (requires passing perception check).
- One special tadpole (Astral-Touched Tadpole) can be acquired after you helped the Dream Visitor before reaching Baldur's gate.
Tadpoles in Act 3
- Another special item that gives a charge is the fresh mindflayer's brain in the Abandoned Windmill in Rivington. (X44, Y-38)
- One on a beach northwest of Rivington, on a barrel next to the Stone Lord thugs about to fight the Guild members. (Near X-225, Y108)
- A further two on the ship the Stone Lord thugs arrived in, in the big 'Storage' unit. (Near X-212, Y129)
- One from killing Avery Sonshal at Felogyr's Fireworks, Baldur's Gate Lower City.
- Two can be found on Enver Gortash's Parents, the Flymms (X-30, Y-116), Baldur's Gate Lower City.
- One can be found in High Security Safe n6 (near X-715, Y882) in the high-security vault of Counting House.
- One can be found sitting on a table on the ground floor of Sorcerous Sundries (X-8, Y-91).
- One can be found on the second floor of The Lodge. (X-207, Y-87)
- One on a table in the Sanguine Laboratory, entered from Baldur's Gate's Lower City down a hatch (X-92, Y-91)
- Six can be found on a ship protected by Steel Watchers, in front of the Steel Watch Foundry. (X-202 Y-125)
- One additional one can be found on the body of Churg Elvek, who is preaching next to this ship.
- One can be found in Iron Throne, on the table near Omeluum. (x-45, Y17)
- One can be found on a desk in the Steel Watch Foundry - Lab Level. (X-1940, Y447)
- One can be acquired from Manip Edenosa in Bloomridge Park.
- One can be found in the basement of the Blushing Mermaid. (X-2336, Y-120)
- One can be found in a locked chest in Gortash's office, on the roof of Wyrm's Rock Fortress.
Ability Drain Tips & Notes
- Notes & Tips go here
AnonymousI'll get hate for calling for nerfs on Fextra but this is too stronk. You win any boss fight through sheer mindless attrition.
It compounds on itself since they become slower and weaker with every hit, letting you debuff them even more.
As fun as the idea is, it would be more reasonable if the stat reductions slowly normalized if you don't keep it going.
I've only done Act 1, maybe future bosses will have immunities but I solo dumpstered the Inquisitor and his gang with this on Tactician.
- Anonymous
Will shillelagh attacks cause this to drain wisdom?
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