Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Get the Helldusk Armor Set Guide

I’ve hunted down the Helldusk Armor set in Baldur’s Gate 3 and I’ll tell you straight: it’s one of the strongest sets you can wear if you like standing in the middle of a fight and hurting anyone who touches you. I’ve noticed it changes how you play — aggressively and stubbornly — and that matters if you enjoy tanking rather than hiding. (As of June 10, 2025 these mechanics hold on most saves; there are exceptions depending on mods and patches.)

🔥 What the Helldusk Set actually does

The set is legendary heavy armor tied to Raphael. It usually grants strong fire resistance, damage reduction, and flames that strike attackers. It can be worn by characters that aren’t normally proficient in heavy armor on many saves, which is why casters sometimes grab it — but that gets controversial. Does it ruin class fantasy? Some players say yes; I disagree in part. To be fair, it depends on your niche and your build.

📍 Where to start the quest

Start in Baldur’s Gate’s Lower City at the Devil’s Fee shop run by Helsik. She’ll sell or otherwise give you the ritual components to open Raphael’s House of Hope — or you can steal them, persuade her, or finish a local quest to get them for cheaper. Yes, you can pay a lot of gold; yes, you can trick your way in. Your choice will affect who shows up later.

Ritual items and placement

Typical required items: skull, Coin of Mammon, diamond, incense, Infernal Marble. Put them in a summoning circle in a specific pattern. Watch this (I write the pattern below as code because it’s easier to follow):

# Circle layout (center = skull)
center: skull
on top of skull: Coin of Mammon
top point: diamond
right point: incense
bottom point: Infernal Marble

(You might also find variations depending on your save.)

⚔️ Facing Raphael — short strategy

He starts in a deceptively calm form and flips into his cambion self around 50% HP. Expect a lot more fire, nasty reactions, and mobility then. Allies present — or missing — depend on earlier choices, so don’t assume the same fight every time.

Ability	Damage	How I counter it
Hellfire Orb	Fire AoE	Spread out, use fire resistance potions
Infernal Chains	Physical + restrain	Freedom of Movement or high STR saves
Soul Pillars (healing)	Heals	Destroy fast; silence or Counterspell

Quick tip: bring ranged and high-mobility characters. Crowd control is huge — Hold Monster or Banishment changes the flow. Want to solo him? Good luck. I tried once; it didn’t go well!

🗝️ Vault access and puzzles

After the fight you’ll need the Orphic Hammer to open the main vault. The mansion has locked doors, password notes, riddles, and guardian constructs. The Archivist’s room often contains the clues you need. Some guards can be tricked; sometimes persuasion saves you a fight and a lot of resources.

“Explore before rushing Raphael. The house is stacked with consumables and soul coins that make the fight easier.” — practical advice from me

🎯 The pieces and what they do

The set has four core items. Numbers below reflect typical values on many saves; they may shift with updates.

• Helldusk Chest: very high AC, fire resistance, retaliatory burn on attackers.
• Helldusk Helmet: bonus AC, helps against criticals and grants utility like seeing invisible foes.
• Helldusk Gloves: better STR saves, on-hit fire spells or rays.
• Helldusk Boots: movement boost and short-teleport options (great for repositioning).

Piece	Core Effect
Chest	Damage reduction + retaliatory fire
Helmet	AC boost + anti-crit
Gloves	Saves and minor fire spells
Boots	Teleport/terrain ignore

Specific numbers? They vary. Don’t treat a single tip as gospel; check your save after installing a patch. (I checked two saves on June 10, 2025.)

💡 How to use it well — why these choices matter

Build around being hit. That sounds backwards, I know. But the set punishes attackers, so you want enemies to target you. That’s why tanks like Paladins and Fighters shine here. Barbarians pair well because rage reduces damage and stacks with the armor’s reduction. However, if you’re a squishy caster, the mobility and defensive stats are tempting — but it can draw heat away from your party’s best crowd-control, which won’t work the way you expect sometimes. There are exceptions. Your party composition matters.

Pair the armor with Constitution-boosting accessories and items that add saving throws. Use items that add fire damage to your attacks to lean into the retaliation theme. Positioning is everything; with the boots’ teleport you can force enemies into traps or opportunity-attack zones.

Opinion (yes, controversial)

Some people call Helldusk overpowered and say it trivializes Act 3. I’ll say this: if everyone uses it, fights feel more scripted and less clever. On the other hand, I’ve found it makes certain late encounters playable when they otherwise aren’t. Oddly enough, that balance — power versus fun — is personal. Which side are you on?

Surprisingly, wearing the set as a caster sometimes lowers your party’s overall effectiveness because enemies pile on you first. So don’t grab it automatically. Think it through.

Final practical checklist

• Get components from Helsik or steal/persuade them.
• Bring fire resistance and ranged control.
• Check the Archivist for passwords and vault clues.
• Use teleport boots to control engagement zones.

Between us: the hunt is worth it if you like front-line play and smart positioning. It won’t suit everyone. If you want a quick takeaway: prepare, explore thoroughly, and don’t assume one tactic will work every time. Good luck in Avernus — and watch Raphael closely; he hits different after he shifts form!

🙂