Baldur's Gate 3: How to solve the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle
Here's how to solve the Baldur's Gate 3 Shattered Sanctum stone disk puzzle without making your head spin
How do you solve the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle in Baldur's Gate 3? Few of the puzzles you'll come across in Baldur's Gate 3 are as head-spinning as the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle. Even if you know what you're supposed to do, it can be tough to wrap your head around how to position the disks to reach the solution. However, it's worth taking on this tricky task, because if you solve it, you'll open a passage to a dark world of secrets within the depths of the Faerun.
If you're trying to make sense of the Shattered Sanctum's hidden puzzle, you're not alone. Here's how to solve the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle, including an overview of the solution, information on how to access it, and what you'll find beyond its passage.
How to solve the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle
Solve the Defiled Stone disk puzzle by ensuring all four dots in the southernmost disk of the four intertlocking plates are dark dots. The disk that should have all black dots will be the one under a beam of light in the interlocking circles, so you're essentially allowing the light to fill the four dark dots.
Easy peasy, right? Well, even if you know the solution, it's not as easy as it seems. You have to turn the disks in a specific order to get that result. And, if you're not an expert at the Rubik's Cube or other puzzles that require a significant amount of twisting and turning, the logic may not make much sense to you.
If looking at the plates with the north at the top of the screen and haven't adjusted any of the disks, you'll spin the disks in the following order:
- Bottom disk three times
- Left disk one time
- Bottom disk one time
- Top disk one time
- Left disk three times
- Right disk two times
Should you do this correctly, it will open an entrance that will take you to the depths of Faerun.
But, if all this disk spinning sounds like too much work, there's another way to open this door. If you head toward the northeast area of the room, you and your team will automatically run a Perception Check, which, if successful, will highlight a lever. If you have a character skilled in Sleight of Hand, you can use a lockpicking kit and attempt to roll 15 or greater to open the passage.
How to find the Defiled Temple shattered disc puzzle
You'll find the Defiled Temple shattered disc puzzle by traversing the Shattered Sanctum in the Goblin Camp.
Baldur's Gate 3 rewards exploration, so you'll likely stumble across the Defiled Temple with little effort. However, if you're desperate to discover what lies beyond the spinning disks, you'll want to first go to the Goblin Camp. You'll find the Goblin Camp to the west of the Druid Grove, and most likely, by the time you get there, you'll have already obtained quests such as Find the Goblin Camp, Rescue the Druid Halsin, and Ask the Goblin Priestess for Help. However, even if you don't have any or all of these, you can still trigger the action series that will lead you into the Defiled Temple.
The Shattered Sanctum is at the north side of the Goblin Camp, and you can access it by either getting past the guard or smashing a cracked stone slab in the area above the guard, near the drunk, passed-out goblins. Once you get in, there will be plenty to explore. However, to get specifically to the Defiled Temple and the puzzle, you'll first continue wandering north from the temple's main entrance, where you'll come across goblins discussing getting branded. Here, Priestess Gut will notice something special about you and demand that you brand yourself with the mark of The Absolute. If you choose to do this, you can follow her into a study area, or you may need to fight.
If you follow the Priestess, you can choose to attack her or drink a potion and — let's just say that either way, things don't end well. So, you can loot her remains, where you'll find a Priestess’ Key. Use this to get into the room to the northwest, and then address Polma and deal with her as you please.
Use your Alt key search functionality to search throughout the corridor and bedroom to find the Selunite Journal. You'll read a passage that says, in part, "Thus the interlocking circles will bring the full moons to match the stars, while casting darkness where it belongs at the bottom." This is the solution to the puzzle, but it doesn't necessarily give you the head-spinning way to do it.
Following a path toward the east will lead you to the Defiled Temple, where you'll find the moon disk puzzle.
Where does the Defiled Temple passage lead?
The Defiled Temple passage leads to the Underdark. The Underdark is a mysterious underworld that houses its enemies, secrets, and communities. Explore it to pick up more quests and to complete components of ongoing quest lines such as at the Finish the Masterwork Weapon quest.
We won't give away too much more here, but be aware that the area is full of illusions and danger around every corner, so you may want to be at least Level 4 before entering this area.
That's everything you need to know to solve the Defiled Temple stone disk puzzle. As you and your allies continue to explore the world of Faerun, be sure to also check out our guides to how to romance companions or how to multiclass Larian Studios' newest game. If you'd like to try a new character build, check out our respec guide and our list of all of Baldur's Gate 3's best builds.
Disclosure: Former RPS deputy editor Adam Smith (RPS in peace) now works at Larian and is the lead writer for Baldur's Gate 3. Former contributor Emily Gera also works on it.