When you meet Haarlep at the House of Hope, your choices can lead to significantly different outcomes and consequences.Talking to Haarlep, the Incubus, might seem like a funny social encounter, but you will quickly realize this is not the case. Here’s everything you need to know to successfully handle your encounter with Raphael’s look-alike and make the most out of this interaction.
All Possible Outcomes and Consequences of Interacting with Haarlep
Although there are many dialogue choices, in the end, you will either comply with all their requests or fight them. Once you approach them, Haarlep will greet you flamboyantly, much like Raphael himself.
“A lost little mouse is running through the House. A thief in the night, greedy, and here to take. Why are you here, little thief?”
After that, the game presents you with the following dialogue options:
- [Raphael?! You’re looking very… Skimpy.]
- [I seek the Orphic Hammer. You can’t stop me.]
- [I won’t tell you.]
- [To kill you]
The first option will only reinforce that you are not talking to Raphael but with a devil who looks just like him. You will then be brought back to the remaining options, plus an additional option to pretend you entered the House of Hope by accident.
Haarlep’s Game and Its Rewards
The second and third choices lead to the same outcome: “Why don’t we play a game? You win, I give you everything you desire. But you’ll enjoy yourself more if you lose…”
Haarlep’s intentions are more sinister than they initially appear. At first, it might seem that all they want is to be intimate with your character. They will even let you choose what gender they should transform into when in bed with you.
However, Haarlep is an Incubus, meaning this interaction is not in your favor. If you intend to avoid fighting them, do everything they say. Haarlep will eventually get what they want and then disappear, but not before giving you the key to Raphael’s vault.
In return, the Incubus gains the ability to assume your character’s physical form, a power that carries more consequences than one might initially anticipate.
The Consequences of Playing the Game
Remember Haarlep’s words: “Every time I make love in your shape, you will know. You will know.” Once you’re back to Faerûn, at seemingly random times, the narrator will talk about how your character feels a phantom caress. This is how you know that Haarlep is using your character’s physical appearance to have some fun somewhere else.
Your character must pass a constitution Saving Throw to hide what is happening. Failing the test or choosing to enjoy the moment will immediately trigger reactions from your current party members.
Some reactions are funny, like Minsk’s, Shadowheart’s, and Jaheera’s. Everyone else will seem disgusted by what just happened. Surprisingly, Astarion, of all people, will be the most sympathetic to your current situation: “I heard that moan. It’s the Incubus, isn’t it? Enjoying your body? I know what it’s like to lose control over your own body. It’s a wretched thing.” Now you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.
Fighting Haarlep
Since Haarlep is an Incubus, opting out of the game would be wise. However, this choice does lead to a swift escalation of events. Not going through with the devil’s every request, pushing them away during the game, or threatening them will trigger a battle against the Incubus and a bunch of other devils.
Haarlep is not that strong, but this combat encounter is a nuisance. They are a 9th-level Incubus with an Armor Class of 17 and 169 Hit Points. However, their Ethereal Escape ability is what makes this fight such a pain: “When damaged, the Incubus escapes to the Ethereal Plane. He returns to the battlefield at the start of his next turn.”
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Since you can only damage Haarlep once per round, be aware of their Damage Resistances: Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison from all attacks; and Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks.
Make sure you hit Incubus with your most powerful attack whenever possible, and send the other characters to deal with the Vengeful Imps that appear to assist them. A Paladin’s Smite is very useful in this fight. No wonder this is one of the best classes in BG3.
Haarlep can also try to dominate your party members and use them against you. That’s why defeating them as quickly as possible in this scenario is crucial. It also helps if you have blinding and stunning attacks to stop your party members from attacking you.
Looting Haarlep’s Body
Upon defeating Haarlep, you can retrieve the Helldusk Gloves and the Key From Raphael’s Safe from Haarlep’s remains.
The Helldusk Gloves provide a +1 bonus to Spell Attack Rolls and Spell Save DC. It also adds 1d6 Fire damage to your weapon attacks and 1d6 Necrotic damage to your unarmed attacks. They also grant the user a +1 bonus to their Strength Saving Throws and the ability to cast Rays of Fire Cantrip.
