Which should I do first the Underdark or Creche?

[DragonMaster]

I am curious as I've got two areas I've not been to yet The underdark and the Githyanki Creche. Now I know if I go to the underdark I can come back to things like the Druids grove etc. But was wonder if it were the same with the Creche? Would I be able to go to the creche and then take out the underdark? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Rex is back, baby!]

I did all underdark with exception to grymforge, moved on to the mountain pass, then back to gyrmforge to finish act 1.

Spoilers for the start of act 2, but if you flavor a good run, I suggest starting act 2 from underdark. An evil? Start on mountain pass. Good you start closer to the inn. Evil you start closer to moonrise towers .

Granted you have ample opportunity to switch the narrative until the ambush event.

[Larry]

Originally posted by Inazuma:

The Underdark is still part of act 1, if you mean the Shadowlands which you can get to from the Underdark, that's act 2. Go the Mountain pass (creshe) first as you have to go to the Shadowlands anyway

You can do it the other way round, but in the Shadowlands there is a "point of no return" that progresses to act 3, so just in case you don't want to accidentally do that, go Mountain Pass first

This confuses me. I've spent a lot of time in act 1, did all of the underdark up until the elevator and did the mountain pass up until Elminster(And the creche fully - wiping out the Githyanki in the process as I refused a certain request and finished them all off because I wanted their gear).

Everywhere online says to do the Mountain Pass first then go back and do the Underdark but where is the cut off point? Polygon, ironically being the only outlet I've come across to give more specific information on it without spoiling anything, says to do the mountain pass, get Elminster and unlock the Inn in the Shadowlands then go back to the Underdark to complete that. I'm left wondering if I should be taking the elevator up to from the Underdark first then progress until moonrise tower and then go back to the Shadowlands via Mountain Pass.

Where exactly is the real point of no return for both areas? Is the point of no return the elevator in Underdark? Is the point of no return the shadowlands in the Mountain Pass?

I've still also got to find out how to get to the Shar temple for Shadowheart which I'm guessing is tied to the elevator in the Underdark.

[BeautifulFlowerField]

Originally posted by Larry:

Originally posted by Inazuma:

The Underdark is still part of act 1, if you mean the Shadowlands which you can get to from the Underdark, that's act 2. Go the Mountain pass (creshe) first as you have to go to the Shadowlands anyway

You can do it the other way round, but in the Shadowlands there is a "point of no return" that progresses to act 3, so just in case you don't want to accidentally do that, go Mountain Pass first

This confuses me. I've spent a lot of time in act 1, did all of the underdark up until the elevator and did the mountain pass up until Elminster(And the creche fully - wiping out the Githyanki in the process as I refused a certain request and finished them all off because I wanted their gear).

Everywhere online says to do the Mountain Pass first then go back and do the Underdark but where is the cut off point? Polygon, ironically being the only outlet I've come across to give more specific information on it without spoiling anything, says to do the mountain pass, get Elminster and unlock the Inn in the Shadowlands then go back to the Underdark to complete that. I'm left wondering if I should be taking the elevator up to from the Underdark first then progress until moonrise tower and then go back to the Shadowlands via Mountain Pass.

Where exactly is the real point of no return for both areas? Is the point of no return the elevator in Underdark? Is the point of no return the shadowlands in the Mountain Pass?

I've still also got to find out how to get to the Shar temple for Shadowheart which I'm guessing is tied to the elevator in the Underdark.

Act 1 and Act 2 are completely merged. There are two point of no returns in this game and they happen one right after the other. The end sequence of act 2 (when you traverse the portal at the end of gauntlet of shar) cuts you off from leaving the shadowlands, then you very quickly finish the end of act 2 and travel to baldurs gate cutting you off from everything else. You can finish 90% of Act 2 before you get cut off from Act 1. Larian should have removed the warnings entirely, they probably had an earlier hard cut off and then removed it but didn't remove the warnings. Just like they removed whatever the approval system does but didn't remove the approval UI. Just like they removed the exhaustion system entirely but didn't remove the dialogue triggers where companions remind you about the exhaustion system.

[Zygfryd]

There's no real point of no return in Act II, I kept going back for the monastery buff all throughout Act II. In Act III you can't go back, because it's simply too far away.

The elevator and the mountain pass past Elminster are both the same, in that they fast forwards some quests. I can't tell you which, all the tieflings advance their travels for sure. The difference is that one makes you meet the good guys first, and the latter the bad guys. Going to Act II via the Underdark is highly recommended for good playthroughs, but ultimately I haven't tested the alternative path even 1 quest deep.

I came through the mountains, read somewhere maybe I shouldn't have done that, went back and came in again via the elevator, did the Inn event and main quest, and then explored the whole Shadowlands map methodically, leaving Moonrise for last. Turned out it's a hub, so you don't need to leave discovering it for last.

The Shar temple is deep, deep in the Shadowlands, shouldn't matter how you've entered Act II.

[Larry]

Originally posted by BeautifulFlowerField:

Originally posted by Larry:

This confuses me. I've spent a lot of time in act 1, did all of the underdark up until the elevator and did the mountain pass up until Elminster(And the creche fully - wiping out the Githyanki in the process as I refused a certain request and finished them all off because I wanted their gear).

Everywhere online says to do the Mountain Pass first then go back and do the Underdark but where is the cut off point? Polygon, ironically being the only outlet I've come across to give more specific information on it without spoiling anything, says to do the mountain pass, get Elminster and unlock the Inn in the Shadowlands then go back to the Underdark to complete that. I'm left wondering if I should be taking the elevator up to from the Underdark first then progress until moonrise tower and then go back to the Shadowlands via Mountain Pass.

Where exactly is the real point of no return for both areas? Is the point of no return the elevator in Underdark? Is the point of no return the shadowlands in the Mountain Pass?

I've still also got to find out how to get to the Shar temple for Shadowheart which I'm guessing is tied to the elevator in the Underdark.

Act 1 and Act 2 are completely merged. There are two point of no returns in this game and they happen one right after the other. The end sequence of act 2 (when you traverse the portal at the end of gauntlet of shar) cuts you off from leaving the shadowlands, then you very quickly finish the end of act 2 and travel to baldurs gate cutting you off from everything else. You can finish 90% of Act 2 before you get cut off from Act 1. Larian should have removed the warnings entirely, they probably had an earlier hard cut off and then removed it but didn't remove the warnings. Just like they removed whatever the approval system does but didn't remove the approval UI. Just like they removed the exhaustion system entirely but didn't remove the dialogue triggers where companions remind you about the exhaustion system.

So using the elevator in the underdark and going through the shadowlands doesn't lock you out of one or the other? It's one specific area toward the end of Act 2? Is it the shar temple dungeon where you progress Shadowheart's companion quest? I read something online about a "small dungeon" being very easy to walk into and result in you cutting yourself off from the earlier zones, is that it?

[IT]

Originally posted by Larry:

So using the elevator in the underdark and going through the shadowlands doesn't lock you out of one or the other? It's one specific area toward the end of Act 2? Is it the shar temple dungeon where you progress Shadowheart's companion quest? I read something online about a "small dungeon" being very easy to walk into and result in you cutting yourself off from the earlier zones, is that it?

Pretty much. I personally go through Underdark and Shadowcursed Land to meet the good allies before going back to visit Creche. The no return point in Shar's temple has a warning message and it cuts off not only act 1 but all other quests in act 2 too.

[Larry]

Originally posted by IT:

Originally posted by Larry:

So using the elevator in the underdark and going through the shadowlands doesn't lock you out of one or the other? It's one specific area toward the end of Act 2? Is it the shar temple dungeon where you progress Shadowheart's companion quest? I read something online about a "small dungeon" being very easy to walk into and result in you cutting yourself off from the earlier zones, is that it?

Pretty much. I personally go through Underdark and Shadowcursed Land to meet the good allies before going back to visit Creche. The no return point in Shar's temple has a warning message and it cuts off not only act 1 but all other quests in act 2 too.

Okay, that answers it. Basically I can progress both the Underdark and use the elevator and then go to the Shadowcursed Lands but I just can't do Shar's temple before this.

[BeautifulFlowerField]

Originally posted by Larry:

Originally posted by IT:

Pretty much. I personally go through Underdark and Shadowcursed Land to meet the good allies before going back to visit Creche. The no return point in Shar's temple has a warning message and it cuts off not only act 1 but all other quests in act 2 too.

Okay, that answers it. Basically I can progress both the Underdark and use the elevator and then go to the Shadowcursed Lands but I just can't do Shar's temple before this.

You CAN do shar's temple, you just can't go through the pool portal at the very end of it. That warps you to the nightsong and a boss fight with Balthazar. You're like a dozen hours or more away from doing this. It's the LAST thing you do in Act 2 and it's the biggest dungeon in the game with like two boss fights before you even reach the end don't worry about getting confused or missing the cutoff.

[Larry]

Originally posted by BeautifulFlowerField:

Originally posted by Larry:

Okay, that answers it. Basically I can progress both the Underdark and use the elevator and then go to the Shadowcursed Lands but I just can't do Shar's temple before this.

You CAN do shar's temple, you just can't go through the pool portal at the very end of it. That warps you to the nightsong and a boss fight with Balthazar. You're like a dozen hours or more away from doing this. It's the LAST thing you do in Act 2 and it's the biggest dungeon in the game with like two boss fights before you even reach the end don't worry about getting confused or missing the cutoff.

Okay, thanks definitely good to know.

I went ahead and got near that part. I got to the inn clearing half the map in the process(Also sided with the harpers but didn't get to free the faerie - not a big deal with Shadowheart considering she has daylight and that other spell you can use on a weapon which lasts until a long rest) but now whenever I leave the region I get a random backpack with some items which looks like companion items. Feels like the game kills a possible companion(Jaahera maybe?) if you leave before recruiting them?

I see what they mean about doing the quests in act 1 before going onto act 2. Literally: Underdark elevator and Mountain Pass lead to the same zone and don't really change much of the narrative depending on which way you go first. If you stop at those points and do everything else in the act 1 area you won't miss anything if you take either option to progress after that point.

[teksuo]

i did underdark and start of a2 till light's inn and then backtracked to the mountain pass/creche no issues.

i was worried i might lose isobelles buff but it simply comes back when you get back.
same with the pixie buff, i could get it back by clicking the ball thing.

[Larry]

Originally posted by teksuo:

i did underdark and start of a2 till light's inn and then backtracked to the mountain pass/creche no issues.

i was worried i might lose isobelles buff but it simply comes back when you get back.
same with the pixie buff, i could get it back by clicking the ball thing.

When you left the area did you get a random backpack in your inventory? I keep getting a random backpack in my inventory if I leave. I'm afraid it's the game bugging out and killing off a companion I've not met yet.

[Grumpy]

Originally posted by Larry:

Originally posted by teksuo:

i did underdark and start of a2 till light's inn and then backtracked to the mountain pass/creche no issues.

i was worried i might lose isobelles buff but it simply comes back when you get back.
same with the pixie buff, i could get it back by clicking the ball thing.

When you left the area did you get a random backpack in your inventory? I keep getting a random backpack in my inventory if I leave. I'm afraid it's the game bugging out and killing off a companion I've not met yet.

I had multiples backpacks appearing in my inventory through my playthrough so it's just a bug i think.

[Zygfryd]

Originally posted by Larry:

I got to the inn clearing half the map in the process(Also sided with the harpers but didn't get to free the faerie - not a big deal with Shadowheart considering she has daylight and that other spell you can use on a weapon which lasts until a long rest)

Wait, what? It is a big deal. And did you even talk to Isobel at the Inn?

[dulany67]

Both the umderdark and the creche are accessible from the shadowlands.

[Punished Jeremy]

Originally posted by dulany67:

Both the umderdark and the creche are accessible from the shadowlands.

And the Wilderness