When you encounter the goblin Priestess Gut in Act 1 in the Goblin Camp, she will offer you the mark of the Absolute. The Absolute is regarded as pure evil in the game, so you're probably wondering if you should get branded in Baldur's Gate 3 or not.
Since The Absolute is one of the main Antagonists in the game, it is reasonable to believe that this will bring bad consequences for you in the future. This mark cannot be removed and will remain on your character until the end of the game, but it's actually not as bad as it sounds. In fact, the mark of the Absolute will give you certain advantages and additional dialogue options, while the disadvantages are quite minor. So keep reading for more detail!
And if you want to read more BG3 guides, please check our article on how to get and use the Blood of Lathander in Baldur's Gate 3. We also have a guide on how to solve the Silent Library puzzle in Baldur's Gate 3, make sure to check it out!
Should you get branded in Baldur's Gate 3?
Essentially, yes, you should get branded in Baldur’s Gate 3. The thing is that it will give you quite a few advantages and bonuses, including Absolute-exclusive gear that causes the curse of Bane on characters not associated with the Absolute. You will also have access to additional lines of dialogue, which will expand your role-playing options.
Getting the Absolute mark doesn’t mean joining them. You can use it to pretend that you are true to the Absolute when it is beneficial for you while following your own goals. That is, you will face a bunch of Absolute followers in the game, and by showing them the mark, you will get some help from them or just pass by without a fight.
The mark will be on your palm, so you can hide it from someone if you wish or show it when you meet the Absolute member. And, of course, if you role-play the evil character, you should definitely get branded since belonging to the Absolute will open an additional ending. Not the best one, though.
And the last thing to remember is that only one of your characters can be branded, so think carefully about who needs it most.
Bad consequences for getting the Mark of the Absolute
The only drawback is that the mark will affect your relationships with Shadowheart. According to statistics, this character is most often chosen for romance, so it is something you should carefully consider.
But you will have a bunch of other opportunities to increase her approval by helping with her personal quests and showing support in dialogues with her, so it is not a big problem. And if you are looking for more content like this, feel free to read our guide on how to beat Auntie Ethel in Baldur’s Gate 3.