Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRaphael’s fight starts in the House of Hope foyer when you select the portal to leave. Use that moment to position your party and decide whether to attack the four Soul Pillars: destroying them can cut off Raphael’s combat advantages, but it can also trigger his ascended form. If you freed Hope, she can join the battle; Yurgir may also appear depending on your earlier choices or persuasion.
Prepare before selecting the portal
The portal selection starts the encounter, so arrange your party in the foyer before activating it. Decide who will handle Raphael, who can reach the Soul Pillars, and whether you intend to destroy any of them. This avoids beginning the fight with your characters poorly placed for the approach you chose.
If you freed Hope from her prison before returning to the foyer, she joins the encounter. The Orphic Hammer is required to smash the crystals holding her. Yurgir’s participation is conditional: it depends on earlier quest choices or persuading him, rather than being guaranteed for every run.
Choose whether to destroy the Soul Pillars
Four Soul Pillars stand in the foyer. They support Raphael with combat bonuses, soul charges, and healing. Destroying them can remove that support, but the encounter reference warns that pillar destruction can prompt Raphael’s ascended form. Treat the pillars as a tactical choice, not an automatic first target.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- Online multiplayer for up to four players - allows you to combine your forces in combat, and split your party to follow your own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it
- Origin Character - offer a hand-crafted experience, each with their own unique traits, agenda, and outlook on the world. Their stories intersect with the entire narrative, and your choices will determine whether those stories end in redemption, salvation, domination, or many other outcomes
- Evolved turn-based combat - based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage & disadvantage, and roll modifiers join combat cameras, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight
- Define the future of the Forgotten Realms - through your choices, and the roll of the dice. No matter who you play, or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story
- Player-initiated turn-based mode - allows you to pause the world around you at any time even outside of combat. Whether you see an opportunity for a tactical advantage before combat begins, want to pull off a heist with pin-point precision, or need to escape a fiendish trap. Split your party, prepare ambushes, sneak in the darkness -- create your own luck!
| Approach | What it does | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Destroy pillars | Removes their support for Raphael, including access to bonuses, soul charges, and healing. | Can trigger Raphael’s ascended form; attacking the pillars also uses party actions that could go toward other targets. |
| Leave pillars intact | Avoids triggering the escalation associated with their destruction. | Raphael retains the support they provide, so plan to manage him with that advantage in play. |
The Orphic Hammer may help destroy the pillars. Bludgeoning and force damage are effective against them. Remove them if you are prepared to face the stronger form and judge that cutting off Raphael’s resources is worth the added risk; otherwise, keep them intact and focus your effort elsewhere.
Make use of Hope and any available ally
Hope joins only if you rescued her before returning to the foyer. If she survives Raphael’s defeat, she rewards you with the Gloves of Soul Catching. Yurgir may join as well, but his presence depends on your previous quest decisions or persuasion. Neither ally is guaranteed on every route.
Rank #2
- Immersive RPG Experience: Dive into the highly-anticipated Baldur's Gate 3, a captivating role-playing game set in the iconic Dungeons & Dragons universe.
- Deluxe Edition: This premium edition includes the base game, exclusive stickers, and an official soundtrack to enhance your adventure.
- Epic Storytelling: Embark on an epic journey filled with complex narratives, challenging quests, and memorable characters.
- Tactical Combat: Engage in strategic, turn-based battles that require careful planning and execution of your party's abilities.
- Customizable Characters: Create and customize your own unique heroes, shaping their appearances, abilities, and personalities to fit your playstyle.
Keep the Orphic Hammer’s quest consequences separate from the fight
You can obtain the Orphic Hammer in the House of Hope or through Raphael’s deal. It is required to break the crystals holding Hope, and it may also be useful against the Soul Pillars. Taking the deal has a separate consequence: the contract obliges you to deliver the Crown of Karsus after defeating the Netherbrain.
If you signed Raphael’s contract, the contract guidance warns that fighting him before destroying the signed contract can cause a game over. That warning concerns the bargain and its resolution, not a general combat rule for every route. Keep the contract issue in mind before returning to the foyer.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- Contains Enhanced Editions of Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate II, & Siege of Dragonspear
- Baldur's Gate - Since its original release in 1998, Baldur's Gate has set the standard for Dungeons & Dragons computer roleplaying games.
- Baldur's Gate II - Continue a journey started in Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition or create an entirely new character in this isometric Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.
- Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear - Adds a new chapter to the Bhaalspawn saga. The events occurring between Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II are at last revealed in this 25-hour adventure.
Why Raphael’s pillar bonus is active immediately
Larian’s official Patch 5 notes state that Raphael’s Soul Pillar Proximity condition activates at the start of combat rather than on his first turn. This is a historical patch note, not a claim about the latest patch. In practical terms, do not assume you have a turn to reposition or remove a pillar before that condition can activate.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
