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One genius Baldur's Gate 3 player has proven that hitting max level doesn't have to take 80 hours - in fact, it's achievable within the lower city alone.
This article contains story spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3's third act.
YouTuber Proxy Gate Tactician is a certified Baldur's Gate 3 expert. Whether it's beating the RPG as 4 cats or trying out a pacifist run, the fearless player has taken on just about every challenge out there. Proxy's most recent run sees him attempt to reach level 12 from level 1 in just the lower city - and he succeeds. Before showcasing the impressive run, Proxy proclaims that "Baldur's Gate 3's main city has so much content, it often felt like it could be a game all on its own." Using mods to start as a rag-ridden level 1 ranger within the confines of Act 3's bustling city setting, he sets out to prove as much.
The only rule Proxy sets for himself is that he can't exit the region at any point. But when you've missed out on all the intended XP of the first two acts, how can you possibly advance? Proxy's answer to that lies in the classic locale of every low-level D&D grunt - the local tavern. Using a meat cleaver he snags from Chef Roveer's kitchen at the Elfsong Tavern, he first chooses to hack and slash his way through some low-level cellar rats for some quick money and XP. Whether it's from a dubious NPC or some mysterious map pinned to the wall, we've all been there. Proxy's next move is one I'm also sure many D&D stans, especially rogue mains, can relate to. He moves on from cliche tavern jobs to, well, good old theft.
As the YouTuber says, "to level up amongst criminals, you've got to become a criminal yourself." Proxy spends the money he earned from slaying rats on thieves' tools, which he then uses to try and rob every home in the city blind. Unfortunately, he's arrested after his first attempt at burglary and subsequently imprisoned. There's a bright side to this, though, as Proxy gains exploration XP and gets to steal some handy gear after escaping jail. He's also finally able to properly partake in some thievery throughout the lower city, deceiving NPCs and robbing graves ruthlessly.
Following some chaotic necromancy-inspired combat, Proxy leaves behind his life as a petty thief and moves on to much grander heisting. He gets a quick glow-up from the Facemaker before heading directly to the city bank's vaults where he faces every D&D player's worst nightmare - a locked door. Using a lightning arrow, Proxy can get through to where he expects treasure. Instead, however, he finds Minsc and his assassins robbing the vault of its gold first. Engaging stealthily in the battle between the assassins and the bank's guards proves fruitful regardless as it boosts him up - all the way to level 7. Plus, while there might not be any gold left, there is a set of powerful stealth armour for his future sneaky shenanigans.
With buffed stealth and sheer willpower under his belt, Proxy leaves the bank for even less dignified pastures. He opts to become an assassin, tracking down each target listed on a bloody parchment from the Temple of Bhaal. His kills grant him entrance to the cult where he's decreed an unholy assassin - but he decides that's not what he wants. Instead, he simply cheeses what I consider to be one of the most difficult fights in the game: the House of Grief battle. Using some barrels as a barricade and the door to hide, he employs true stealth archer mechanics to pick the Shar worshippers off one by one.
The House of Grief sees Proxy's ranger reach the verge of level 9. To get those last few levels in before hitting the game's cap, the YouTuber sides with Nine-Fingers Keene in the criminal Guild's stronghold, rescues beloved bard Volo, completes the Water Queen's House questline, and slaughters some of Bhaal's annoying assassins - and maybe some guards, too. This is when Proxy decides that an esteemed criminal such as himself simply can't survive in a town infested with corrupt police. Naturally, this means he needs to eliminate Gortash's Steel Watch Foundry.
Rather than dealing with the Steel Watchers outside, Proxy recounts an age-old D&D rule: "Assassins don't just walk in the front door." You may ask, "What do they do instead, then?" They build a massive staircase comprised of wooden crates to enter through the roof, of course, as "roofs are never guarded." Sadly though, the makeshift crate-case is destroyed by a guard atop the roof who "read the assassin rulebook" and Proxy resorts to just using Misty Step to get back up. From there, he finally enters the Steel Watch Foundry where he once again cheeses combat via a closed door. Much to his dismay, he doesn't max his level there.
The final part of Proxy's journey sees him go up against Cazador and none other than the Absolute's red queen, Orin herself. What ends up securing his ranger's spot as a level 12 legend? The killing blow he lands on Orin. There are plenty more humorous, mind-boggling, and noteworthy moments to be found in Proxy's full video, and his conclusion after tackling the challenge run goes to show that Baldur's Gate 3 stays true to the D&D experience - he "just had to follow the quests."
Check out this other player kill Baldur's Gate 3's hardest bosses in one turn with D&D class engineering.
