Although it wasn’t initially part of the game, Larian later provided updates that included improved endings for Karlach.
However, achieving her best ending requires specific actions to prevent her from taking a darker path.
Please be aware that there are spoilers ahead related to events up to Act 3, so consider this your warning.
Here’s how to attain Karlach’s best ending in Baldur’s Gate 3 and safeguard her from a fate worse than returning to hell.
Facing the Hordes of Avernus
You can choose to accompany Karlach to hell and fight alongside her against devils.
To accomplish this, you must maximize her approval rating and complete all of her character quests.
Karlach’s story doesn’t culminate in a joyous conclusion; instead, the best possible ending involves embarking on a perilous mission with her.
Essentially, you can decide to venture into hell with Karlach and eliminate as many devils as you both can, likely meeting your end in the process.
Considering that Karlach is an angry barbarian after all, it kinda makes sense.
Though this may be considered a somewhat bleak ending, Karlach appears genuinely content with this outcome, possibly because it allows her to depart on her own terms.
What Fate Do You Envision for Karlach?
The optimal conclusion for Karlach hinges on your perspective and the choices you make to bring it about.
Our role is to assist you in making an informed decision regarding her fate, but we cannot help you avoid the inevitable. Her future remains bleak, regardless of your decisions.
It’s reasonable to assume that allowing Karlach to meet her demise is one of the worst outcomes, although there may be dissenting opinions.
This is why selecting a favorable conclusion for Karlach proves to be a challenging task, as all options come with their own shades of adversity.
Despite Karlach’s vibrant personality and consistently cheerful demeanor, her narrative and destiny are profoundly sorrowful.
Regrettably, not everyone is destined for a happy ending, regardless of their worthiness.
Taking all of this into account, it’s unsurprising that fans of Baldur’s Gate 3, particularly those who have grown fond of Karlach, yearned for a more uplifting conclusion for her character.
Karlach Becomes a Mindflayer
To facilitate this outcome, you must free Orpheus and entrust him with the Netherstones. There are two scenarios in which Karlach becomes a mindflayer.
In one of these conclusions, she sacrifices herself while eliminating the absolute—a heroic and honorable conclusion for her character if you cannot or choose not to confront the hordes of hell alongside her.
Karlach’s Descent Back to Hell
This represents one of the most poignant conclusions for Karlach. While it keeps her alive, it also subjects her to profound misery.
Throughout the game, Karlach repeatedly expresses her strong preference for death over returning to hell, yet this ending tragically forces her back to the very place she fears.
The voice actress for Karlach truly shines in this ending, evoking a sense of profound empathy in anyone with a hint of compassion.
To be honest, I remain uncertain whether preserving her life is a superior choice compared to allowing her to transform into a mindflayer, although I genuinely dislike both endings.
That said, if you have the Wyll, the fiend’s warlock, in your party, he might decide to go with her and they clearly care about each other, so maybe it’s not that bad.
