Baldur's Gate 3: Should you let Volo take your eye?
We take a hard look at whether you should let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3
Should you let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3? Volo is a whimsical Bard character that you'll meet in Baldur's Gate 3 as you traverse through Faerun. At a specific point in the game, you'll discover some goblins have captured him. If you successfully free him from the goblins' grasp, you'll find him again at camp. And, as he learns more about that little eye parasite condition that's been bothering you, you'll learn that he thinks he can help.
If you found this guide, it's probably because you want to know whether you should let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3. Here, we recap how to find and rescue Volo and what happens if you let him go through with the surgery
Should you let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3?
Yes, you should let Volo take your eye in Baldur's Gate 3.
Baldur's Gate 3 has no shortage of surprises, and one of them is the opportunity to let Volo, equipped with an ice pick, attempt eye surgery on you to try to rid you of that nasty parasite. Below, we'll talk about how to find and rescue Volo, but before we get to that, let's address why you should let this wacky Bard risk blinding you and leaving you physically scarred.
It may sound counterintuitive to let Volo take your eye, considering that you'll generally be aware at this point that he's unlikely to be able to truly help you. Still, successfully sitting through the Volo eye interaction rewards you with Volo's Ersatz Eye, which grants a permanent upgrade that will enable you to see Invisibility within 30 feet.
However, there are downsides to allowing Volo to take your eye, which are as follows:
- You'll experience a permanent cosmetic change and one of your eyes will glow blue.
- Your entire party disapproves of the act.
- Volo will leave your camp.
- Volo's eye surgery does not remove the parasite.
- After Volo's operation and eye replacement, you cannot give your other eye to Auntie Ethel.
As you can see, these effects are minimal relative to the benefits of gaining a permanent ability to see Invisibility. As an aside, you can also gain Volo's Ersatz Eye by simply killing him and looting his body.
If you do not give Volo your eye, you can instead choose to give it to Auntie Ethel in a different scenario. Doing this results in a +1 to Intimidation, but a -1 to Perception and Disadvantage on attacks against Hags. And, since you will most likely fight Auntie Ethel — a hag — soon after this encounter, it's generally going to be a better choice to allow Volo to take your eye.
How to find and rescue Volo
Most players will initially encounter Volo at the Druid Grove. Here, you'll talk to him, and he'll ask you questions about the goblins that tried to attack the grove. This line of questioning will kick off your next Volo encounter.
The next time you see Volo, he'll be in the Goblin Camp, where goblins are forcing him to perform for their amusement. As you approach him and speak with him, the goblins will then take him to the Shattered Sanctum, and the game will grant you a quest titled Rescue Volo.
Enter the Shattered Sanctum, and you'll find him imprisoned in a room on an upstairs floor. You'll also find a goblin guarding Volo, and you can converse with the guard about the "pigeon." Navigate this conversation, and you'll then have to face a check. If you succeed in this check, the guard will give you the key to Volo's cage. You can then unlock the cage and free your Bard buddy. Volo will then take an invisibility potion and leave, rejoining you when you next show up at the camp.
Volo eye surgery overview
The real fun begins once you get back to camp. At this point, Volo will be there, and he'll give the Blazer of Benevolence, a light armor piece as a reward for saving him from the goblins. The vest grants Remedial Rhymes, which grants you 4 temporary hit points when you inspire an ally using Bardic Inspiration. It is most useful for the Bard Class.
Throughout his stay at the camp, you can tell Volo about the creature living in your head. He'll assure you he can help you, at which point you can elect to have him perform a procedure on you. As you run through the prompts, which include him jamming an ice pick in your eye socket, continue to allow him to complete the job.
By the end, Volo will not have resolved the issue. However, he will give you Volo's Ersatz Eye before he leaves the camp.
That's everything you need to decide whether you should let Volo perform eye surgery on you in Baldur's Gate 3. As you progress through the game, you may also want to check out our guides to how to romance companions or how to multiclass in the newest game from Larian Studios. And, if you're unhappy with your character build, be sure to check out our respec guide and learn all about Baldur's Gate 3's best builds with our comprehensive overview.
Disclosure: Former RPS deputy editor Adam Smith (RPS in peace) now works at Larian and is the lead writer for Baldur's Gate 3. Former contributor Emily Gera also works on it.