Baldur's Gate 3: Should You Free The Artist Or Leave Oskar Alone
03.10.2023 - 20:23
/ screenrant.com
While venturing through Act 1, players may stumble across the option to free the artist Oskar Fevras in or simply leave him to his fate at the hands of the Zhentarim. This, like many others in the game, seems like a rather inconsequential decision to make, but one that eventually connects to a larger side quest, much later in the game, however. This is one of the essential quests before Act 2, even if it does seem like something worth missing out on initially. The decision to free him may seem difficult, mainly because it can cost a meaningful amount of gold.
This article contains spoilers for the artist’s side quest in Baldur’s Gate 3.
The amount of money required to free Oskar is not too much, but for the early stages of the game, it can make a significant difference to the player’s resources. Depending on how players are engaging in the campaign, the gold could be better spent on buying new and improved gear and potions, for instance. Before making a definitive decision, players should know that the quest to free the artist in only really pays off in Act 3. In addition to that, the reward it provides is arguably pretty bad – it is exclusive, but some may not see the effort translated into gold or strong gear.
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Oskar Fevras is being held as a slave by the Zhentarim inside the Zhentarim Basement in Act 1 of . This location can be accessed through a secret cellar in Waukeen’s Rest. The Zhentarim is a group of criminals, but one that can be negotiated with. If players help them solve their troubles, they will be able to freely roam around the area. Inside that cavern, they can talk to Brem and, there, decide if they want to free the artist Oskar or not. They can try to persuade Brem into releasing Oskar for free, or buy him for up to 1,000 gold.
The price for Oskar can be lowered to 600 gold.
There are major implications for freeing Oskar, both positive and negative. If players are not too proficient with their Persuasion or Intimidation skills in, they may have to pay to save Oskar. That action alone can cost up to 1,000 gold, which can be a lot of money if players have not yet gathered too many resources. This amount of gold later turns out to be trivial, but in the early stages of the game, it can be quite a deal-breaker. Additionally, Oskar will then ask the player to lend him more gold so that he can make his way to Baldur’s Gate safely.
This may be the most gold-consuming quest of Act 1. Nevertheless, freeing Oskar is the only way of unlocking his exclusive questline, which will show up in Act 3. If players are looking for an immediate return, they will not have it. The questline after saving the artist unlocks when players reach the city