Larian knew that having a detailed world would pay dividends in Baldur's Gate 3. To achieve this, the game is full of alternative routes, hidden passages, dialogue options, and items to keep players discovering new things each and every playthrough. Some items act as a key for other things later on, leading many players to dither over what to sell. One such item, the Dark Brain, is far too lovingly rendered to be a simple trash object — especially since it appears to be part of a set.
However, it is not clear what The Dark Mind is for. Furthermore, it is very heavy — almost as if the game is trying to incentivize getting rid of it. Keep reading for everything you need to know about The Dark Mind, including where to obtain it, what it is used for, and how it is categorized in the game.
Updated by Abigail Angell on August 16th, 2023: The Dark Mind and Slave Mind locations are best shown visually. To that end, we've inserted a clip of their locations to help you find them.
What Is The Dark Mind?
Mechanically speaking, The Dark Mind is an Ingredient Item in Baldur's Gate 3. From a lore perspective, it's a preserved brain in a jar. The Dark Mind is also a counterpart to another similar item found on the Mindflayer Ship — The Slave Mind.
When To Use The Dark Mind
During Early Access, the Dark and Slave Minds did not have a use. Additionally, there was a third collectible — called Our Mind. In the Full Release of the game, however, the two remaining items have new textures and a purpose.
In order to use the Dark Mind, you'll need to carry it around all throughout Act 1, something that most players won't do on their first playthrough because of its hefty weight. If you do happen to still have it in Act 2, however, you'll be able to use the Dark Mind as a special dialogue response during a big confrontation. Other uses for the Dark Mind are as a throwable item (it explodes when thrown on fire) or as a Camp decoration.
The Dark Mind needs to be in your inventory when the dialogue comes up, not at camp. If it is not currently in your inventory, you won't see the option to use it.
Where To Find The Dark Mind
The Dark Mind can be found in the starting Mind Flayer ship. To obtain it, go to the desk in the room with Shadowheart's Pod, and pick it up off of the desk. This is a different location than Early Access but is still easily accessible to a player keen on looting.