Top 10 Game-Changing Permanent Buffs in Baldur's Gate 3 You Absolutely Must Get

In the epic journey through Baldur's Gate 3, every adventurer knows that victory often hinges on the smallest advantages. While a well-timed spell or a sharp blade is crucial, the true masters of the game seek out those rare, permanent enhancements that can turn the tide of any battle. These aren't your everyday potions or temporary charms; they are foundational upgrades that stick with your character for the entire campaign, transforming them from a simple hero into a force of nature. From hidden tomes whispering forbidden knowledge to bizarre rituals that push the boundaries of sanity, the world of Faerûn is littered with opportunities to become stronger, wiser, and far more resilient. Collecting these buffs is like assembling a mosaic of power, where each piece, whether found in a sun-drenched grove or a shadowy vault, contributes to an unstoppable whole. For the savvy player, seeking out these permanent boosts isn't just an option—it's the ultimate meta-game.

Here are the top 10 permanent buffs that are absolutely worth the hunt, presented in a handy table for quick reference before we dive into the juicy details.

Buff Name	Location (Act)	Core Effect	Key Requirement/Quirk
Awakened	Crèche Y'llek (1)	Use Illithid powers as a Bonus Action	Survive the Zaith'isk with 3 saving throws
Auntie Ethel's Hair	Sunlit Wetlands (1)	+1 to any Ability Score	Spare Auntie Ethel at low health
Loviatar's Love	Shattered Sanctum (1)	+2 to attack rolls & Wis saves (<30% HP)	Endure a beating from Abdirak
Mirror of Loss	House of Grief (3)	+2 to any Ability Score (+1 possible to CHA)	Pass skill checks & offer a memory
BOOOAL's Benediction	Festering Cove (1)	Advantage vs. bleeding foes	Spare the Kuo-toa & deal with BOOOAL
Sweet Stone Features	Circus of the Last Days (3)	+1d4 to attack rolls & saving throws	Commission a 5000gp statue
Tharchiate Codex Blessing	Sorcerous Sundries Vault (3)	Gain 20 Temp HP after each Long Rest	Remove the initial curse (Remove Curse)
Necromancy of Thay	Blighted Village (1) & Act 3	Speak with Dead; +1 Wis saves; Danse Macabre	Unlock & read with skill checks, combine with Codex
Volo's Ersatz Eye	Emerald Grove/Goblin Camp (1)	Permanent See Invisibility	Let Volo perform 'surgery' on your eye
Potion of Everlasting Vigour	Moonrise Towers (2)	Permanent +2 Strength	Convince (or force) Astarion to bite Araj

10. Potion of Everlasting Vigour: The Price of Power

For warriors who live by the sword, raw strength is everything. The Potion of Everlasting Vigour offers a permanent +2 boost to Strength, a prize as tempting as a dragon's hoard. You'll find the vendor, the eccentric Drow alchemist Araj Oblodra, in Moonrise Towers during Act 2.

However, the cost is steep and personal. Araj's price isn't gold—it's a taste of the vampiric. She demands that Astarion bite her. Persuading your prickly vampire companion to do this is like trying to get a cat to take a bath; it requires significant manipulation or outright coercion, leading to a major hit to his approval and potentially torching any romance. Is two points of Strength worth fracturing the party's trust? For a min-maxing barbarian, the answer is often a resounding yes.

9. Volo's Ersatz Eye: A Visionary's Gamble

Sometimes, the best rewards come from doing something that seems utterly foolish. Letting the bumbling bard Volo operate on your eye socket with an ice pick sounds about as wise as juggling live grenades, but the payoff is the Ersatz Eye. This strange replacement grants the permanent effects of the See Invisibility spell.

This buff transforms from a novelty in Act 1 to an absolute necessity in Act 3, where invisible enemies can ambush you with the subtlety of a ghost in a library. Rescuing Volo from the goblins is just the first step. You must then invite his "expertise" at camp regarding your tadpole problem. Hold on tight through the horrific surgery scene, and you'll emerge with a magical eye that sees what others cannot.

8. Necromancy of Thay: A Book of Dark Gifts

This is not your average bedtime story. The Necromancy of Thay is a macabre manuscript found in the Blighted Village's Apothecary Cellar, and it's a gift that keeps on giving. Unlocking it requires passing a series of skill checks, a trial by intellect that rewards the persistent.

Your initial prize is the permanent ritual spell Speak with Dead, an invaluable tool for solving mysteries and uncovering secrets. Reading further grants Forbidden Knowledge, a +1 bonus to Wisdom saving throws and checks. But the true power is unlocked in Act 3. By finding the Tharchiate Codex in the vaults of Sorcerous Sundries and re-reading the Necromancy, you gain the spell Danse Macabre, allowing you to summon a squad of ghouls. This book is the narrative equivalent of a Russian nesting doll, each layer revealing greater, darker power.

7. The Tharchiate Codex: A Curse Turned Blessing

Speaking of the Tharchiate Codex, this ancient text found in the Elminster's vault section offers its own formidable boon—but it comes with a catch sharper than a Githyanki greatsword. Initially, reading it inflicts Tharchiate Withering, a curse that slashes your Constitution by 5.

Don't despair! This curse is a test. Cast Remove Curse or Greater Restoration on the afflicted character, and watch as the withering transforms into Tharchiate Vigour. This blessing grants a whopping 20 temporary hit points after every Long Rest, effectively giving you a substantial buffer of health at the start of each day. It's a classic high-risk, high-reward scenario that pays dividends for the rest of your adventure.

6. Sweet Stone Features: The Ultimate Self-Love

Vanity has its rewards, especially at the Circus of the Last Days in Act 3. For a princely sum of 5,000 gold, the artist Boney will sculpt a magnificent statue of you or any companion of your choice and deliver it to your camp.

The real magic happens when the subject gazes upon their own stone likeness. They gain the Sweet Stone Features buff, a permanent version of the Bless spell (+1d4 to attack rolls and saving throws). It's a constant, silent cheerleader made of rock. Just remember, it doesn't stack with the regular Bless spell, so choose your buffs wisely in combat. This is the ultimate flex: paying for a monument to yourself that literally makes you better.

5. BOOOAL's Benediction: A Fishy Bargain

Deep in the Underdark's Festering Cove, you'll find a bizarre cult of Kuo-toa worshipping a Red Cap named BOOOAL. Interacting with them can grant BOOOAL's Benediction, which gives advantage on attack rolls against bleeding creatures—a powerful combat edge.

The straightforward method is grim: sacrifice a companion to the fish-folk. A more cunning path exists. First, pickpocket the Sickle of BOOOAL from the priest Pooldripp. Then, confront BOOOAL with the sickle and promise to spill blood in his name across Faerûn. He'll grant the buff to your entire present party for the rest of the game, provided you don't later slaughter his worshippers. It's a deal with a devil that doesn't cost a soul, just a promise of future violence.

4. The Mirror of Loss: Shar's Costly Gift

Hidden within the House of Grief lies the Mirror of Loss, an artifact of the goddess Shar. It offers one of the most significant raw stat boosts in the game: a permanent +2 to any ability score, with a potential extra +1 to Charisma if you play your cards right.

Nothing from Shar comes free. To gain this power, you must offer up one of your own memories, replacing it with a new one that carries the stat increase. The process involves tricky skill checks, so it's wise to save beforehand. Success also briefly applies the Stolen Vigour debuff, which can be removed by a Long Rest or Remove Curse. It's a profound exchange, trading a piece of your past for a stronger future.

3. Loviatar's Love: Pain for Gain

In the Goblin Camp's Shattered Sanctum, you'll meet Abdirak, a priest of Loviatar, the Maiden of Pain. His side quest is... unconventional. To earn Loviatar's Love, you must willingly submit to his flail and endure the beating.

The key is performance. Use Performance or Intimidation checks to egg him on, to show your "appreciation" for the pain. If you satisfy him, you gain a powerful buff: a +2 bonus to all attack rolls and Wisdom saving throws whenever your health drops below 30%. This turns near-defeat into a moment of heightened prowess, perfect for high-damage characters who live on the edge. Just don't die—the buff doesn't come back after resurrection.

2. Auntie Ethel's Hair: The Hag's Bargain

During the "Save Mayrina" quest in Act 1, you'll confront the green hag, Auntie Ethel. If you bring her health down to a critical low point in her teahouse lair, she'll offer a deal: spare her life, and she'll give you a lock of her hair.

This grisly trophy, Auntie Ethel's Hair, can be used to grant a permanent +1 increase to any ability score. This single point can be the difference that bumps an odd-numbered score (like 17) up to an even one (18), thereby increasing the ability modifier. It's a small but incredibly impactful boost. Since Ethel reappears in Act 3 regardless, taking her deal is often the pragmatic (if slightly sinister) choice.

1. Awakened: The Illithid Advantage (The Crown Jewel)

Topping our list is the single most transformative buff in the game: Awakened. Obtained in the Githyanki Crèche Y'llek during Act 1, this buff fundamentally changes how you interact with the game's unique Illithid powers.

When Lae'zel wants to use the purification device, the zaith'isk, insist on going first. You must then pass three consecutive saving throws to survive the brutal process. Your reward? The Awakened passive feature. This allows you to use all Illithid powers as a Bonus Action instead of a full Action. This is a game-changer. It turns powerful abilities like Cull the Weak or Black Hole from costly main actions into efficient, fight-altering tools you can weave into your turn seamlessly. The power boost is immense, like giving a master swordsman a second, faster blade. It's the one buff that truly feels legendary.

Final Thoughts 🎮

Tracking down these permanent buffs is more than just a completionist's chore; it's a journey that defines a powerful Tav. Each one tells a story—a risky bargain, a moment of endurance, or an act of profound vanity. They are the hidden gears that make a character truly exceptional in 2026's Baldur's Gate 3 landscape. So, on your next playthrough, go beyond the main quest. Seek out the strange, the dangerous, and the costly. Your perfectly optimized, buff-stacked hero will thank you when they're effortlessly dismantling the Absolute's forces. Happy hunting!