Should you ever find yourself in the Gauntlet of Shar in Act 2, you may find the Mirror of Loss within the dungeon. Many players have wondered what this object can do and what purpose it can serve. This guide will show you how you can use the Mirror of Loss and potentially gain a permanent stat boost for your Tav and the party.

How does it work?

(It is important that you save the game first before doing anything with the Mirror of Loss, as it’s likely that you’ll be locked out from its benefits)

The Mirror of Loss in the Gauntlet of Shar is inoperable since it’s cracked. However, you can find another one just like it in the House of Grief, located in the Lower City within Baldur’s Gate. This Mirror will be functional, but first you must have one party member pass either a DC 25 roll on either Arcana or Religion to divine its purpose. Alternatively, you can locate a Hastily Written Note in a secret cave inside the armory of the House of Grief to skip the roll.

To use the Mirror of Loss, a party member must sacrifice a memory which can be done once per ability score, up to a maximum of 6 times. You can also attempt to pass a DC 25 Religion check or pray to Shar. Once a memory is offered, the party member that interacts with it will receive the debuff Stolen Vigour, which temporarily reduces the selected ability score by 2. This debuff counts as a curse, so Remove Curse will immediately counteract the effect, but if you don’t have this spell, a Long Rest will also remove the effect.

However, there is a chance that you will receive a permanent +2 bonus for your chosen Ability score, but they must pass the Religion check for that chance. Once the DC is passed, the game makes a hidden roll whether you gain the permanent buff. If the hidden roll hits a 5, the buff is given.

Be aware that if you have received the benefits of the Necromancy of Thay, the Mirror of Loss will remove its effects to guarantee the +2 Ability score bonus of your choice. Shadowheart may or may not receive the benefits of the Mirror depending on the choices you made in Act 2. If Shadowheart spares the Shadowsong, she won’t receive any bonuses. If she doesn’t betray Shar at any point in the story, she’ll be guaranteed the +2 chosen ability score bonus.

List of memories and their Ability score bonus

  • Claim the memories of strength from a long-dead general who had marched under the banner of a vanished kingdom: Gain +2 to Strength.
  • Help yourself to the memories of a seasoned thief's most daring exploits: Gain +2 to Dexterity.
  • Seize the memories of a barbarian, whose mind and body were tempered against hardship: Gain +2 Constitution
  • Glean the secrets of a wizard who had once stalked the library of Candlekeep: Gain +2 Intelligence
  • Turn to the wisdom of a Drow. Once of Lolth, then of Shar: Gain +2 to Wisdom.
  • Warm up to the guile of a bard who could charm even a dragon: Gain +2 Charisma.

If you offer a memory without attempting the Religion, check, and regardless of whether you succeed in the hidden roll, you’ll instead receive the Patriar’s Memory, which grants a permanent +1 to your Charisma score.