How To Avoid Zaith’isk Permanent Debuff In BG3 (2025) – All Collectible Locations Guide

TL;DR Key Takeaways:

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1. To avoid the Zaith’isk permanent -1 ability score debuff you need to pass a DC 15 Arcana check after interacting with the Zaith’isk crystal, or let Astarion interact with it to turn the debuff into the permanent +1d4 stealth Awakened buff.
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2. There are 7 total Zaith’isk collectible fragments scattered across 3 regions of the Forgotten Realms; 2 are permanently missable if you advance the main story past certain points.
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3. Completing all 7 fragments unlocks the Zaith’isk’s Awakened Mind permanent buff for your entire party, granting +1 to all ability checks for the rest of the playthrough.
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4. You only take the permanent debuff if you fail the Arcana check and don’t have the complete set of fragments to reverse it — we’ll walk you through every step to avoid this.
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The #1 question BG3 players ask about the Underdark’s Githyanki creche is: how do I avoid the permanent Zaith’isk debuff and get the Awakened buff instead? The direct answer right up front: if you interact with the incomplete Zaith’isk device before collecting all 7 fragments, you will be forced to make a DC 15 Arcana check. Fail that check, and you get a permanent -1 penalty to a random ability score. Pass it, and you get a minor 1d4 Psionic resistance buff. But if you collect all 7 Zaith’isk fragments before activating the core device, you automatically bypass the check, avoid the debuff entirely, and unlock the permanent Awakened buff that gives your whole party +1 to all ability checks. This guide shows you every fragment location, how to reach them, which are missable, and how to guarantee you get the buff no matter your character’s Arcana skill.

Zaith’isk is a hidden Githyanki psionic device scattered across Faerûn, with fragments hidden in the Emerald Grove, Underdark, and Baldur’s Gate itself. Most guides tell you to just pass the check, but they don’t tell you how to get the full Awakened buff or avoid the debuff even if your Arcana is +0. That’s what we’re covering here — 100% completion, zero RNG, no permanent penalty.

Overview: What Is Zaith’isk And How Many Collectibles Are There?

Zaith’isk is a crashed mind flayer nautiloid communication device that the Githyanki modified to amplify psionic power. It was shattered during the crash at the start of BG3, with 7 fragments breaking off and scattering across the regions you explore. When you first find the core device in the Githyanki Creche in the Underdark, you can activate it immediately, but that’s the #1 mistake players make.

Here’s how the core mechanic works, broken down by outcome:

Total collectible count: 7 fragments across 3 regions:

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• Act 1 (Emerald Grove / Overworld): 3 fragments
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• Act 1 (Underdark / Githyanki Creche): 2 fragments
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• Act 2 (Shadow-Cursed Lands): 1 fragment
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• Act 3 (Baldur’s Gate): 1 fragment
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Two of these fragments are permanently missable if you advance the main story past certain checkpoints. We’ll flag those clearly in the region breakdown below.

Region-by-Region Breakdown: All Zaith’isk Fragment Locations (Numbered Checklist)

We’ve ordered this checklist to follow natural exploration progression, so you can tick off each fragment as you play without backtracking across the map unnecessarily. All coordinates reference the in-game map grid (X: Y) that you can see by hovering over your location on the world map.

Act 1: Emerald Grove & Overworld (3 Fragments)

All 3 of these fragments are missable if you complete the \"Attack the Grove\" or \"Defend the Grove\" quest and wipe out one of the major factions. Collect all 3 before you finish the Goblin Camp / Emerald Grove conflict.

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   Fragment 1: Hollow Road Nautiloid Crash Site

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   Map Coordinates: X: 215, Y: 310

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   Right after you leave the opening nautiloid and gain control of your character, head northeast along the main road towards Emerald Grove. You’ll pass the broken cart with the dead merchant, then hit a small damaged section of the nautiloid hull stuck in the ground.

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   How to get it: Pass a DC 10 Perception check to spot the fragment sticking out of the hull, or use a character with Mage Hand to pull it out without passing the check. It’s a small purple crystal shard labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Communication Array.

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   Common Mistake: Most players run past this to get to Emerald Grove and never come back after the grove becomes hostile. Pick this up in the first 10 minutes of the game to avoid missing it.

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   Fragment 2: Emerald Grove Druid Halls

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   Map Coordinates: X: 460, Y: 580

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   This fragment is hidden in the underground cellar of the Druid’s Grove, behind the sealed stone door next to Kagha’s ritual chamber.

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   How to get it:

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   1. Enter the main Druid chamber, find the locked stone door on the west wall (DC 15 Thieves’ Tools to unlock, or use Misty Step to jump through the gap above the door).
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   2. Go down the ladder into the hidden cellar where the druids store the Idol of Silvanus.
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   3. Check the broken stone altar on the north side of the cellar. The fragment is tucked in the corner behind the altar — it’s Zaith’isk Fragment: Power Core Shard.
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   If you side with the druids and lock out the grove after resolving the goblin conflict, you can still get this fragment as long as you don’t wipe out the druids. If you side with the goblins and wipe the druids, the cellar is destroyed and the fragment is gone forever.

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   Fragment 3: Goblin Camp Shattered Sanctum

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   Map Coordinates: X: -105, Y: 470

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   This fragment is in the private quarters of Dror Ragzlin, the goblin leader in the Shattered Sanctum.

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   How to get it:

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   1. Enter the Shattered Sanctum, head up the wooden stairs to the west wing where Dror Ragzlin holds court.
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   2. Check the treasure chest in the back corner of his room, next to the hobgoblin guard. The fragment is inside the chest, labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Psionic Relay. The chest is locked with DC 14 Thieves’ Tools, or you can just kill Dror Ragzlin and take it.
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   This fragment is permanently missable if you wipe out the goblins and clear the camp before looting it. If you side with the goblins, you can still get it after resolving the grove conflict.

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Act 1 Overworld Progress Check: If you’ve got 3 fragments, you’re ready to move to the Underdark. If you’re missing any, go back now — you won’t get another chance.

Act 1: Underdark & Githyanki Creche (2 Fragments)

Neither of these fragments are missable unless you leave the Underdark and never return (which you can do by progressing through the Mountain Pass to Act 2). You can come back for these after the Githyanki Creche fight, but it’s easier to grab them while you’re already there.

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   Fragment 4: Githyanki Creche Training Yard

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   Map Coordinates: X: -690, Y: 495

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   The Zaith’isk core device is located in the Inquisitor’s Chamber deeper in the creche, but this fragment is out in the open training yard before you reach the inquisitors.

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   How to get it: When you first enter the creche, you’ll go through a large training yard with several Githyanki warriors practicing with swords. Find the broken Githyanki obelisk on the east side of the yard. The fragment is lodged in the crack of the obelisk — pass a DC 12 Perception check to spot it, then interact to retrieve it. It’s labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Alignment Lens.

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   Pro Tip: If you’re already in combat with the Githyanki, you can still grab this fragment with Mage Hand without pulling any extra aggro if you stay out of line of sight.

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   Fragment 5: Underdark Svirfneblin Camp

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   Map Coordinates: X: 115, Y: -190

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   This fragment is sold by the derro merchant Stislar Blackbarrel in the hidden Svirfneblin (deep gnome) camp in the central Underdark.

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   How to get it:

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   1. From the Underdark entrance at the Zhentarim Hideout, head southeast until you reach the Svirfneblin camp.
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   2. Find Stislar, the wandering merchant that’s hanging out near the entrance to the Duergar fortress. He sells the fragment for 120 gold (you can persuade him down to 60 gold with a DC 10 Persuasion check).
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   3. The fragment is labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Power Regulator.
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   If you kill all the Svirfneblin during the \"Free True Soul Nere\" quest, you can still loot the fragment off Stislar’s corpse. It’s never missable here, just don’t sell it to a vendor and forget it in your junk inventory.

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Quick check: You should have 5 fragments now. Do NOT activate the core Zaith’isk device in the Inquisitor’s Chamber yet. You still need two more fragments from Act 2 and Act 3. We’ll get to those, then come back to activate the device.

Act 2: Shadow-Cursed Lands (1 Fragment)

This fragment is missable only if you wipe out the entire Harbinger settlement before looting it. It’s located in the Last Light Inn area, and it’s easy to spot if you know where to look.

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   Fragment 6: Shadow-Cursed Lands Crash Wreckage

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   Map Coordinates: X: 125, Y: 185

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   This is a second large piece of the nautiloid that crashed into the Shadow-Cursed Lands north of Last Light Inn.

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   How to get it:

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   1. Leave Last Light Inn via the north exit, head north along the road until you hit a large chunk of nautiloid hull sticking out of the ground (similar to the first fragment in Act 1).
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   2. You need a Moon Lantern to survive the shadow curse in this area, so make sure you have one before you go — don’t try to run through without it.
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   3. Check the control panel on the side of the hull. The fragment is inside the panel, labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Neural Interface. You need to pass a DC 10 Strength check to pry the panel open, or use a bladed weapon to cut it open.
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   This fragment is never permanently missable even if you finish Act 2, but you’ll have to fight shadow assassins if you come back after advancing the story, so grab it while you’re in the area.

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Act 3: Baldur’s Gate (1 Fragment)

This is the final fragment, and it’s located in the Lower City of Baldur’s Gate, right next to the Waypoint for easy access. It’s only missable if you finish the final main quest before grabbing it, so you have plenty of time to pick it up once you reach the city.

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   Fragment 7: Lower City Flaming Fist Garrison

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   Map Coordinates: X: -10, Y: -100

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   This fragment was recovered by the Flaming Fist from the crash site, and it’s stored in the basement of the garrison.

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   How to get it:

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   1. Fast travel to the Lower City Center Waypoint, head west to the Flaming Fist Garrison entrance.
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   2. Sneak past the guards or persuade them to let you enter (DC 12 Persuasion if you’re not hostile to the Flaming Fist), then head down the ladder to the basement armory.
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   3. Check the locked display case on the west wall of the armory (DC 16 Thieves’ Tools to unlock, or you can kill Captain Zodge and take the key from his corpse). The fragment is inside the case, labeled Zaith’isk Fragment: Final Conduit.
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   If you side with Gortash and wipe out the Flaming Fist, you can still loot this fragment off the display case after the garrison is empty — no miss here as long as you get it before the final battle.

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Complete Zaith’isk Collectible Checklist Table

Use this table to tick off each fragment as you collect it. We’ve included missable status and exact coordinates for quick reference