A particular spell in Baldur's Gate 3 allows your character to talk to the dead, whose experiences in life could provide crucial context or information related to certain quest paths. A piece of utility magic from the school of Necromancy, this spell is sometimes earned naturally by certain classes. However, there are ways to learn this magic through an NPC teacher and a special item you could discover in your travels.

The spell in question is called Speak with Dead, a level 3 Necromancy piece of magic that takes an action to cast. While not the best tool in a fight, you or members of your party will find that this magic is excellent outside of combat. Some quests have secret items or treasures whose locations are only hinted at by conjuring the spirits of those who died in an area, making Speak with Dead a fantastic tool for exploring in Baldur's Gate 3.

How To Speak With The Dead in Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 Speak with Dead Spell being Used on Dead Body

The Speak with Dead spell comes naturally from the spell lists of the Bard, Cleric, and Wizard classes as you level up fast in Baldur's Gate 3 during the early parts of the game. Some of the subclasses even get the spell for free at certain levels instead of having to learn them. For those using a different spellcaster class, the NPC Gomwick, who owns the dog Scratch, can teach you the spell.

Speak with Dead may only be cast on a corpse that isn't damaged too badly, so make sure you don't destroy a body you want to talk to.

The Amulet of Lost Voices also gives your character the ability to Speak with the Dead once per day before taking a long rest. The Dank Crypt hosts this rare artifact, guarded by a group of Entombed Scribes that you'll have to defeat first. An undead here claiming to be the item's caretaker relinquishes the amulet without a fight, but the room they are located in can be hard to spot without Dark Vision in Baldur's Gate 3.

Finding the Amulet of Lost Voices completes a background objective for the Acolyte, earning your character an Inspiration point in Baldur's Gate 3. These points can be used to reroll ability checks, making them a valuable way to avoid failure. Those who learn how to talk to the dead in Baldur's Gate 3 have chances to ask up to five questions to willing spirits, revealing hidden knowledge that would normally be lost forever.

  • Baldur's Gate 3
    Franchise:
    Baldur's Gate
    Platform:
    macOS, Microsoft Windows
    Released:
    2023-08-31
    Developer:
    Larian Studios
    Publisher:
    Larian Studios
    Genre:
    RPG
    Multiplayer:
    Larian Studios
    ESRB:
    M
    Summary:
    Baldur's Gate 3 is a long-anticipated sequel to Baldur's Gate 2, released in 2000 from BioWare and now being handled by Larian Studios. Set 120 years after the events of Shadows of Amn, Baldur's Gate 3 puts players in the role of a customizable protagonist who has been captured and infected with a parasite that will turn them into a mind flayer. Before the process is complete, the ship they are on crashes, leaving them on a quest to cure themselves as they meet up with other survivors. Gameplay is turn-based and can be played co-operatively online or tackled alone in a single-player campaign with NPC allies. 
    How Long To Beat:
    22h 21m
    Prequel:
    Baldur's Gate 2