Honor mode: any way to fix partial Illithid face? Mod, or does that lock achievements?

[Seagal]

Okay, so I've been on record saying the game is sort of boring to play because of the ruleset governing this game. I still think that. Now, saying that, I decided to do a blind honor run and see if that spices things up a bit, while I wait on other releases to come out. I haven't truly played this game since I beat tactician back in early September, 2023. Honor mode didn't exist then and neither did the legendary actions on bosses.

So, I'm playing it and it's going super smooth and having no issues with anything in the game. Feels way easier than I remember Tactician being back then, to be honest. I'm not playing anything special / abusing elixirs or the like, just pure classes like I did with my previous runs. Again, going into this blind. Honor mode blind, not the game, obviously.

Now, I get to the point where I am offered the Astral-Touched Tadpole and I'm forced into a 21 DC Wisdom check to resist the tadpole. Like, WTF! This is the first time I've ever used any Illithid Tadpoles in the game, so I did not know this was coming. I did consume one normal tadpole just to get the achievement way back during release, but reloaded immediately afterward.

I thought maybe I would need tadpole powers in Honor mode, but no way would I have needed them, at least so far that is. Now my smooth, handsome looking Tav, who's modeled exactly like myself, now looks hideous!

But, yea, this check. I did not expect that, so I did what I had to do. I pop Enhance Ability and everything I can to try and land this check, and I hit snake eyes on my first roll. Obviously, I'm using inspirations here and my highest dice after using all four inspirations was a 8! Like, what the heck is that stuff? I was pissed.

I go to kiss my future wife Shadowheart afterward, like it might make me feel better, but I vomited in my mouth a bit. I broke it off with her immediately afterwards. She was devastated, but I knew it would only be a matter of time before she left me and I found her in camp with someone else. Who could blame her?

But, seriously, I don't even want to continue my Honor playthrough if I have to look at my face like that in conversations now. My fault? Sure, I guess, along with some seriously bad luck, but that was something I didn't know was coming.

Is there a legit way in the game to fix my face or am I stuck? Disguise Self is likely an option, but not ideal. I'm sure there's mods, but mods turn off achievements, correct? I guess I could try to convince others to use the tadpoles and the whole party can be partial Illithid, but I don't know. Can all party members be convinced to use the tadpoles? With the exception of the ones who don't have a parasite, obviously.

Does the game even spike hard here towards the end that I'm not expecting, to the point where the Illithid Powers would make a big deal? The game is generally much easier the further you go.

I don't think I have it in me to play Honor again, because while the game is for sure better with Honor mode ruleset, and the bosses are more interesting, for sure, it's still not something I'm that excited to play again.

[Thorak]

Sorry to say, but I don't think any other solution than a mod (which disables achievement) can disable the partial illithid graphics. You'll have to get used to the new look if you want to continue.

[Seagal]

Damn, not what I wanted to hear, but I guess that was expected. I'll think about some more, if I can continue or not. I don't want to grimace every time there's a convo on screen.

Since I'd never be able to self-terminate, I'll have Lae'zel kill me for becoming partial Illithid, then she'll kill the rest of the party, and finally, she'll self-terminate.

I feel that is an honorable way to end an Honor run. No shame in that. Bested by the Astral-Touched Tadpole Partial Illithid freak face and horrible RNG.

[Garf412]

there are dialogue options to avoid that DC check. I've done a couple of "pure" runs, and avoided that check.

best bet watch some vids to see which options it is, or do a quick run on a lower difficulty, figure out the dialogue options, note them down, then, if you want to, re-start the Honour run.

[Jaeger Pilot]

Originally posted by Seagal:

Damn, not what I wanted to hear, but I guess that was expected. I'll think about some more, if I can continue or not. I don't want to grimace every time there's a convo on screen.

Since I'd never be able to self-terminate, I'll have Lae'zel kill me for becoming partial Illithid, then she'll kill the rest of the party, and finally, she'll self-terminate.

I feel that is an honorable way to end an Honor run. No shame in that. Bested by the Astral-Touched Tadpole Partial Illithid freak face and horrible RNG.

What happens if you beat the wisdom check?

[Garf412]

Originally posted by Jaeger Pilot:

Originally posted by Seagal:

Damn, not what I wanted to hear, but I guess that was expected. I'll think about some more, if I can continue or not. I don't want to grimace every time there's a convo on screen.

Since I'd never be able to self-terminate, I'll have Lae'zel kill me for becoming partial Illithid, then she'll kill the rest of the party, and finally, she'll self-terminate.

I feel that is an honorable way to end an Honor run. No shame in that. Bested by the Astral-Touched Tadpole Partial Illithid freak face and horrible RNG.

What happens if you beat the wisdom check?

in that case the Emperor gives you (the tav) the astral touched tadpole as a Quest Item that you can stash, use once, use multiple times or destroy.

[Seagal]

Originally posted by Garf412:

there are dialogue options to avoid that DC check. I've done a couple of "pure" runs, and avoided that check.

best bet watch some vids to see which options it is, or do a quick run on a lower difficulty, figure out the dialogue options, note them down, then, if you want to, re-start the Honour run.

From what I read after the fact, you cannot skip that check if you've consumed tadpoles, and it gets progressively harder the more you consume. I know you can reject the Astral-Touched on a pure run and never get a check, because that's all I've ever done up to this point.

I wish I never used any tadpoles, because I definitely wouldn't have needed them in Honor mode, at least up to that point. I don't think I even used a single power, except for Favorable Beginnings, whcih is passive.

[Jaeger Pilot]

I didn't use any tadpoles in my first playthrough as a wizard, and I was hostile towards the Emperor. Now I'm doing an Honour Mode run as an assassin, and I plan on overdosing on tadpoles, but I don't want to turn into a squid.

[Seagal]

Originally posted by Jaeger Pilot:

I didn't use any tadpoles in my first playthrough as a wizard, and I was hostile towards the Emperor. Now I'm doing an Honour Mode run as an assassin, and I plan on overdosing on tadpoles, but I don't want to turn into a squid.

Partial Illithid and actually becoming a full Mind-Flayer or Squid are different. If you don't want to become Partial Illithid, meaning your face with be covered in black veins and one of your eyes will be black, etc, then you need to be prepared to beat a very high DC Wisdom check.

I was not expecting htat since I've only ever done pure runs, and you don't need to pass a check on pure runs to reject it.

[Garf412]

on my pure runs, I don't pick up any parasites at all, I reject everything the ones end up with are the initial ones that are implanted at the prelude cinematic scene. I think this maybe why I dont get the wisdem DC check when I get to the reject bit.... <shrug>

any others i come across are left where they are found or destroyed.

I prefer playing as partial illithid though. I usually end up with Tav, Gale, Karlach and Lae'zel as Partial Illtihid, then letting Karlach be the Mind Flayer.

[Seagal]

Originally posted by Garf412:

on my pure runs, I don't pick up any parasites at all, I reject everything the ones end up with are the initial ones that are implanted at the prelude cinematic scene. I think this maybe why I dont get the wisdem DC check when I get to the reject bit.... <shrug>

any others i come across are left where they are found or destroyed.

I prefer playing as partial illithid though. I usually end up with Tav, Gale, Karlach and Lae'zel as Partial Illtihid, then letting Karlach be the Mind Flayer.

Yeah, I've never gotten the check either before, my other runs have always been pure. I'll picked up the tadpoles but never use them. Now on my honor run I was consuming tadpoles and I guess you're forced into a check if you consumed any and it gets harder the more you've consumed.

Maybe I'll try to finish wiht Partial Illithid and try and convince my party to use it also, so we're all Partial Illithid. Do you know if every party member who has a parasite can be convinced or will some reject no matter what?

[AsianGirlLover]

Have you modded your game yet? If not, then Google “BG3 Norbyte Script Extender.”

Download and install that, THEN mod your illithid face back to normal. The script extender allows you to unlock achievements even with mods, but it won’t work for save files that have already been modded before installation.

Good luck and have fun.

[Thorak]

As far as I know all party membes can be convinced, but Astarion requires correct dialog choices and Laezel has a bit higher difficulty.

I always consume tadpoles on all party members possible but I failed with Astarion a few times due to picking incorrect choices. Never failed with Lezel but be prepared for a bit higher DC on the roll. There are some really strong illithid powers, but it's certainly doable without them. I personally feel the game is more boring without the powers though and I got used to the new look in act 3 (keep in mind you can get rid of the ugly look after you defeated the final boss).

[Seagal]

Originally posted by AsianGirlLover:

Have you modded your game yet? If not, then Google “BG3 Norbyte Script Extender.”

Download and install that, THEN mod your illithid face back to normal. The script extender allows you to unlock achievements even with mods, but it won’t work for save files that have already been modded before installation.

Good luck and have fun.

Oh, nice. I've never used mods before on BG3, so that should work if I decide to go that route. I've never felt the need to mod the game before, but it's good to know that option is available. Right now, I'm thinking I will just continue on normally and accept the consequence of the failed check. Really appreciate the info, though.

Originally posted by Thorak:

As far as I know all party membes can be convinced, but Astarion requires correct dialog choices and Laezel has a bit higher difficulty.

I always consume tadpoles on all party members possible but I failed with Astarion a few times due to picking incorrect choices. Never failed with Lezel but be prepared for a bit higher DC on the roll. There are some really strong illithid powers, but it's certainly doable without them. I personally feel the game is more boring without the powers though and I got used to the new look in act 3 (keep in mind you can get rid of the ugly look after you defeated the final boss).

Interesting. Thanks for the tip on Astarion and Lae'zel. I always use Lae'zel, so I will make sure to go into that prepared. And yea, that is a good point, maybe I'll find the game less boring or more enjoyable with all the Illithid powers.

Really appreciate all the feedback, tips and discussion from everyone who responded!

[Chaosolous]

Yes, there are mods for that. Yes it locks achievements. You can use another mod to re-enable them if you want.

[Psychotic_Frog]

Yes: https://www.nexusmods.com/baldursgate3/mods/750
Also yes, so: https://www.nexusmods.com/baldursgate3/mods/668