How to save Isobel & defeat Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3
Take a look our breakdown of how to save Isobel and defeat Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3, as it's one of the most important parts of Act 2.
Learning how to save Isobel and defeat Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3 during the Last Light Inn fight is extremely important to the story of Act 2, as failure can lead to a bunch of questlines ending very early.
Baldur's Gate 3's choice and consequence gameplay stretches across the whole playtime, with some locking you out of certain companions, some defining entire characters for the whole game, and some making some quests unfinishable.
Part of the fun is just rolling with the punches and seeing how your choices affect the game, but sometimes big consequences can stem from events in combat you have little control over, with the fight at the Last Light Inn being the biggest example of this. While you can skip fights in the game, this is not one of them, no matter what side you choose.
So, if you need help with how to save Isobel and defeat Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3, we've got you covered.
SPOILER WARNING Big spoilers for large parts of Act 2 of Baldur's Gate 3.
How to save Isobel in Baldur's Gate 3
To save Isobel in Baldur's Gate 3, you'll want to prioritise defending her with buffs and heals, while also solely focusing your damage on Marcus.
Firstly, we recommend making a save just before this fight if you are deadset on defending Isobel in Baldur's Gate 3. It's a tough encounter, and it saves lots of time if you can dive right back into it to try again.
Once the combat starts, if you don't get the right rolls for Initiative, Marcus and the Winged Horrors may take Isobel down to 0 HP before you can even take a turn, ending any chance of saving her right away.
Characters like Astarion and Karlach have high Dexterity that gives them a big advantage in the Initiative order, so bring them along for the extra help. You can also wake up Art Cullough in the inn before the fight starts to get Halsin as a companion, causing him to join the fight automatically once it begins.
Once the fighting starts, to save Isobel in Baldur's Gate 3, focus any abilities and spells on her that can boost her Armour Class, give her temporary HP, or regain any health she loses.
You should also direct all damage toward Marcus, but the best method we found was to use a Hold Person scroll or spell on him, stopping him from making turns. This gives you enough time to focus on the Winged Horrors and reduce his forces, making the fight much easier once he can begin making turns again.
How to defeat Marcus
Defeating Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3 is a much easier task once you have the right tips to save Isobel, as you can fight him like any normal enemy.
As we said above, using a Hold Person spell on him to take him out of the fight at first and defeat all the Winged Horror enemies will make it much easier when he can make turns again.
After this, just focus all your high-damage abilities and spells on him, and he'll drop in no time, allowing you to save Isobel and the Last Light Inn.
What happens if Isobel is taken or you side with Marcus?
If they succeed and Isobel is taken, or you side with Marcus, the majority of the characters at the Last Light Inn will die.
This ends a lot of Act 2 quests early, with many of the Tieflings from the Emerald Grove, Dammon the blacksmith that can help Karlach, and Art Cullagh who helps you obtain Halsin as a companion, turning into zombies that you are forced to kill.
This also means you won't be able to lift the Shadow Curse in the Act 2 region, dooming it to suffer even as you move onto Act 3, and permanently locking Halsin out of being a companion.
If you side with Marcus, Jaheira will also attempt to fight you once you have defeated all the zombies, locking her out of becoming a companion later in the story.
That's all for our explanation of how to save Isobel and defeat Marcus in Baldur's Gate 3, and now you know what it takes to ensure she survives to protect the Last Light Inn.
For more Baldur's Gate 3 guides, stick with GGRecon. Alternatively, check out how to find the Adamantine Forge, how to complete the Thorm Mausoleum puzzle, or how to complete the Arcane Tower.
About The Author
Tarran Stockton
Tarran is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon. He previously wrote reviews for his college newspaper before studying Media and Communication at university. His favourite genres include role-playing games, strategy games, and boomer shooters - along with anything indie. You can also find him in the pit at local hardcore shows.
