When you wake up in the opening of Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3, you find yourself caught between conflicting loyalties. On one hand, you have the Mind Flayer who abducted you, and on the other, you have Commander Zhalk and his minions causing chaos. However, defeating Commander Zhalk is crucial if you want to obtain the powerful Everburn Blade. Here’s a guide on how to beat Commander Zhalk and claim your prize.

How to Beat Commander Zhalk

Defeating Commander Zhalk during the opening tutorial is no easy task, but these tips will help you on your journey:

1. Free either Shadowheart or Lae’zel from their pods before the confrontation and recruit Us the Intellect Devourer for assistance.
2. Zhalk will initially focus on the Mind Flayer, so take advantage of this distraction. However, be prepared for the Mind Flayer to turn hostile once Zhalk is defeated.
3. Eliminate Zhalk’s minions before engaging him. They pose little threat and can be easily dispatched.
4. Connect with the transponder console within 15 turns. However, be aware that on the fifth turn, two Cambions will spawn in a nearby room. Focus on defeating Zhalk before they reach you.
5. Position your ranged character near the console for powerful ranged attacks, while the rest of your team focuses on Zhalk with their strongest melee attacks.
6. Keep in mind that Zhalk has high defenses, 150 HP, and is resistant to non-magical weapons as well as Fire, Lightning, Ice, and Acid damage. Radiant damage is recommended.
7. After defeating Zhalk, loot the Everburn Blade from his corpse.
8. Activate the console with your ranged character and escape the battle with the Everburn Blade in hand.

If you’re struggling, consider reloading your save and attempting the battle again. Persistence is key!

Is the Everburn Blade Worth It?

The Everburn Blade is definitely worth the effort. It offers exceptional damage potential and is one of the most powerful early game weapons available. Here are the Greatsword’s stats:

• Damage: 6-19 Slashing, & 1-4 Fire
• Range: 1.5m
• Actions: Cleave, Pommel Strike, Lacerate, Ever-Burning
• Value: 240 Gold Coins
• Two-Handed
• Dippable

Additionally, Commander Zhalk drops Scale Armor with 14 AC.

Now that you know how to defeat Commander Zhalk and obtain the Everburn Blade in Baldur’s Gate 3, go forth and conquer! For more game guides and news, explore our website.

About the author

Dylan Chaundy

Dylan is a Senior Writer at Twinfinite with over a decade of experience in the games media industry. He covers a wide range of genres and loves reading, pizza, and skateboarding. Dylan holds a degree in English Literature from Aberystwyth University, Wales, and believes FTL is the most perfect game ever created.