When you first start your BG3 playthrough, you’ll quickly learn you’re on a Nautiloid ship, surrounded by people infected by a brain tadpole. Shortly after, the big reveal comes: you have the same parasite, and it’s only a matter of time before you, too, turn into an Illithid Mind Flayer. Or, well, that’s how the story goes for regular folks; your character is different from everyone else. Let us discover whether there is a time limit to removing your character’s parasitic tadpole in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Is There a Time Limit to Remove the Parasite in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3)?
There is no time limit for removing the tadpole from your character’s brain. You can progress through the story, rest at camp, and complete side quests at your own pace. Unless you are finishing a time-sensitive side mission, you do not have to worry about traveling around the world, going sightseeing, or speaking to NPCs, as this will not affect parasite progression.
Instead, your main story progression and interactions with specific characters throughout the game determine the tadpole’s impact. Be careful when reading ahead from here, as we’re approaching spoiler territory.
During Baldur’s Gate 3’s story, you’ll slowly discover that most people infected by the brain tadpole become Mind Flayers shortly after the parasite enters their mind. However, your character is protected by someone in your dreams, which is why there is no time limit.
Over time, the dream visitor will explain what prevents your character from fully converting and the benefits of listening to their advice in the future. Whether you do is entirely up to you: your choices will not set a time limit on your character and are primarily ways to branch dialogue into different paths.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, and soon on Xbox Series X|S. Be sure to check out how to find Arabella’s parents in BG3 to explore a quick side adventure in between learning more about the brain parasite.
