If you decided to kill Ethel while she’s still in the hut, before teleporting her and Mayrina to the basement, you might be surprised when the quest is unable to continue. This is because Mayrina is still stuck in her chair despite completing the dialogue about you ruining everything. This results in the Arcane Barrier still being active and seemingly unable to be interacted with. With this in mind, here’s how to fix Ethel Arcane Barrier bug in Baldur’s Gate 3.
How to Fix Arcane Barrier Bug in Baldur’s Gate 3
The bug happens because you attacked the hag without telling Mayrina that Ethal killed her brothers. Because of this, she blames you for killing the hag and her failed plan to resurrect her husband. In theory, even though Mayrina blames you, the Arcane Barrier in Ethel’s hut should still disappear since you killed Ethel. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen resulting in a bug that prevents you from completing the quest. If you already did this, reload a save and talk to Mayrina before fighting Ethel first.
Related: How to Fix Find Your Belongings Quest Bug in Baldur’s Gate 3
How to Beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3
As discussed above, talk to Mayrina about Ethel killing her brothers. After that, she will teleport the girl away, making killing her in the hut more challenging. However, there are several steps you can take to make beating Ethel easier. First, I found it helpful to change Wyll’s class to Arch Fey Warlock and give him the ability Fey Fire. This allowed him to counteract the hag’s invisibility.
After that, it is recommended that you use spells like ensnaring strike, grease, and frost for crowd control, then attack with melee weapons coated in Wyvern poison. I also recommend putting someone inside the fireplace where she teleports so you can beat Ethel before she escapes down the stairs. It may take some time, but getting this right is more manageable than fighting in the underground tunnel.
Author’s Note: I wrote this guide while playing Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam Deck.
