In the vast and morally complex world of Baldur's Gate 3, players are frequently presented with difficult choices that shape their journey. While combat against monstrous foes is a common occurrence, the game introduces a particularly challenging scenario: being rewarded for eliminating a potential ally. One such reward is the powerful Infernal Robes, obtained through a sequence of events centered on the companion Wyll and his target, the tiefling barbarian Karlach. This set of magical garments represents a significant power spike early in Act 1, but claiming it requires a decisive and permanent action that alters the narrative and companion roster.

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What Are The Infernal Robes?

The Infernal Robes are classified as Very Rare magical robes. Their acquisition is easily missed, as the prerequisites are narratively demanding and lock the player into a specific path. Statistically, the robes provide a solid foundation for any spellcaster or character who benefits from magical protection.

Key Properties of the Infernal Robes:

  • Base Armor Class (AC): 10.

  • AC Bonus: Increases the wearer's Armor Class by an additional 1.

  • Elemental Resistance: Grants the wearer resistance to Fire damage.

  • Active Spell: Allows the wearer to cast Fire Shield: Warm once per Long Rest while the robes are equipped.

Initially, the robes are bestowed upon Wyll by his patron. However, they are not bound to him; after the gifting cutscene concludes, the player can give the Infernal Robes to any party member. For a piece of armor obtainable in the game's first act, its combination of defense, utility, and a powerful defensive spell makes it an exceptionally strong find.

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How To Get The Infernal Robes

The path to the Infernal Robes is linear in its outcome but offers some flexibility in execution. The core requirement is unambiguous: you must kill Karlach and have Wyll recruited. The order of these two actions can vary. The pivotal moment occurs during a camp event in Act 1, where Mizora, Wyll's warlock patron, arrives and bestows the robes to him as a reward for fulfilling his contract.

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Initiating the Quest: The Blade of Frontiers

The most straightforward method to trigger the necessary events is to have Wyll's companion quest, \"The Blade of Frontiers,\" active in your journal. This quest is automatically acquired upon recruiting Wyll and serves as the narrative framework for earning the Infernal Robes.

Finding and Recruiting Wyll:

  1. Location: After defending the Druid Grove from the initial goblin raid, head inside the grove.

  2. Pre-requisite: Ensure Wyll survives the raid.

  3. His Position: He is typically found on a wooden platform training tiefling children near the coordinates X: 203, Y: 556.

  4. Recruitment: Speaking to him triggers a vision about a \"one-horned devil.\" You can then invite him to join your party directly or send him to your camp.

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Once recruited, \"The Blade of Frontiers\" quest will guide you toward your target.

The Target: Karlach and \"Our Fiery Friend\"

The devil Wyll is hunting is, in fact, the potential companion Karlach. Her own companion questline is titled \"Our Fiery Friend.\" To secure the Infernal Robes, you must forego this questline entirely and kill Karlach.

Finding Karlach:

She is located on the eastern side of the Risen Road, standing on a small island in the river (X: 111, Y: 499).

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The Confrontation:

Approaching Karlach initiates a cutscene. The dynamics here are crucial:

  • If Wyll is in your active party, he will be immediately hostile. You will be prompted to either attack or hear her out.

  • If you have spoken to Wyll but he is not present, you will have the option to attack her upon recognition.

  • You can also attack her unprovoked.

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A Critical Choice: If Wyll is present during this first meeting, you must kill Karlach here to progress. If Wyll is not present, you can technically recruit her temporarily, but you will still need to kill her later to fulfill the requirement for the robes. Killing her permanently ends the \"Our Fiery Friend\" questline before it begins.

Strategies for Killing Karlach

The emotional difficulty of this act often outweighs the combat challenge, but preparation helps. You have two primary opportunities to kill Karlach:

  1. On the Risen Road during the initial encounter.

  2. At your camp, if you recruited her but did not kill her earlier. Wyll will confront her the next time you Long Rest.

Combat Tips:

  • Initiative is Key: Karlach has low Dexterity, meaning she will likely act late in the combat order. Focus fire to eliminate her before she takes her first turn, ideally before she can use her Rage ability.

  • Dialogue Matters: In the camp confrontation, you must choose dialogue options that support Wyll and go against Karlach to ensure combat begins.

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⚠️ Permanent Consequence: Once killed, Karlach cannot be revived by any means, even with a Scroll of Revivify. This decision is final and removes her as a companion for the entire game.

Claiming the Reward: Meeting Mizora

After you have recruited Wyll and ensured Karlach is dead, the final step is to trigger the reward scene. This occurs the next time you take a Long Rest at your camp.

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Mizora, the cambion warlock patron, will appear. It is critical that Karlach is already dead when this scene triggers. If she is alive, Mizora will still appear, but it will be impossible to obtain the Infernal Robes.

If the condition is met, Mizora will congratulate Wyll on fulfilling his contract and gift him the Infernal Robes. An additional narrative consequence is that Wyll does not grow the devilish horns that appear if he disobeys Mizora, as he has remained compliant.

Weighing the Choice: Robes vs. Companion

Acquiring the Infernal Robes represents a significant gameplay-versus-narrative trade-off:

Choosing the Robes Choosing Karlach
✅ Gain a powerful Very Rare armor item in Act 1. ✅ Gain a powerful Barbarian companion with a unique story.
✅ Wyll avoids his horned transformation. ✅ Unlock the \"Our Fiery Friend\" questline.
❌ Permanently lose Karlach as a companion and friend. ❌ Miss out on the Infernal Robes.
❌ Lose access to Karlach's dialogue, combat abilities, and potential romance. ❌ Wyll will be punished by Mizora, altering his appearance.

The Infernal Robes offer tangible, immediate power for your party, especially for a squishy spellcaster. However, they come at the cost of a vibrant companion whose humor, loyalty, and personal journey are lost. For players dedicated to a specific character build or embracing a darker role-playing path, the robes are a coveted prize. For those invested in the rich companion narratives Baldur's Gate 3 provides, sparing Karlach is often the more rewarding long-term choice, even without the magical garment. The decision ultimately rests on what each player values more: raw power for the challenges ahead, or the camaraderie of a full camp.