Puzzles and riddles are always a big thing in RPG's, and Baldur's Gate 3 is no different, especially when you get to the Goblin Camp. When lurking around this camp, thinking of all the ways you can complete your quests, you might come across a Defiled Temple, after a few enemy encounters, of course. Here you have to solve a rotating moon floor puzzle, with only a cryptic journal entry to tell you how to solve it. Don't worry, we've got you covered!
How to solve the Moon Puzzle
At this point, you've probably slaughtered Priestess Guts, and then killed Polma, her Ogre bodyguard in the room next door. Once she's dead, look around the room, next to the bed, and you will come across the Priestess's Journal, which reads:
“Thus the interlocking circles will bring the full moons to match the stars, while casting darkness where it belongs at the bottom. That chasm to the Underdark will stay sealed.
I confess the design is not foolproof to outsiders, but I had to sacrifice complexity for material resilience. I’ve always wondered why Selune took me from the Hall of Wonders to serve at this temple as a priestess. Perhaps this was the reason.”
Carry on till you find a shrine-area with a light beam shining on one of the ground's circular plates. There should be 4 circular interlocked plates; this is the Moon Puzzle. Each plate has 4 mini smaller circles, and there could be 3 different patterns on them.
- New Moon - The circle is black.
- Half Moon - Half is black, half is white.
- Full Moon - The circle is white.
To solve this puzzle, you have to rotate the plates in a certain manner. Now think back to the journal, the clue isn't too difficult to solve; the keywords to consider are "full moons to match the stars, while casting darkness where it belongs at the bottom."
This basically means that the Full Moons have to only be in the top circular plate. The Half Moons have to be in the sides, to the far left and the far right, and the New Moons have to only be in the bottom plate. Once this is done, a secret door will open.
Locking the Moon Puzzle
However, you can do all of this above, and if you like puzzles, sure, but you can circumvent it quite easily. There is another phrase to take into account in the journal.
I had to sacrifice complexity for material resilience.
This does not mean the circular plates. It means the locking mechanism itself. If you walk up past the circular steps, towards the broken statue, if you're passive perception is high enough, you'll notice a golden ring in the wall. Clicking on it will say it's locked. However, if you have a rogue in the party and some Thieves Tools, right-click the ring, and choose lockpick. If successful, the secret door will open up to the Underdark without solving the puzzle in this room!
Mark Carpenter is the Assigning Editor at Pro Game Guides. With over four years of experience in the games media, his work has graced platforms such as Metro UK and Game Rant, along with other smaller publications. He has been a devoted gamer since the Amiga days, a journey spanning roughly 31 years. When not immersed in gaming, Mark enjoys delving into the worlds of D&D, strumming his guitar, and indulging in a good read. His heart belongs to RPGs, the Final Fantasy series, and The Legend of Zelda. Moreover, he has a keen affection for dogs.