Spaw or Glut — if you’ve reached this choice in the Underdark, here’s the short answer: killing Glut and siding with Sovereign Spaw is generally the safer, more rewarding path for most players, since it keeps the Myconid colony alive and unlocks Spaw’s hidden treasure room. That said, helping Glut has its own perks, including unique loot and a different approval outcome with your companions. There’s no objectively “wrong” choice here — it depends on what you value more: story consequences, companion approval, or loot.
This guide breaks down everything you need to make the call with confidence, including a full Baldur’s Gate 3 Spaw or Glut comparison, companion reactions, and the exact rewards tied to each path.
Who Are Spaw and Glut in BG3?
The Myconid Colony sits deep in the Underdark, one of the most dangerous and rewarding regions in Act One. The colony is led by Sovereign Spaw, a peaceful leader who wants to protect the myconid people and live in harmony with outsiders. Glut, on the other hand, is a displaced myconid whose own circle was wiped out by the Duergar. Glut wants revenge — and eventually, control of Spaw’s colony.
Both characters are non-hostile at first. In fact, you’ll likely help the entire colony before this decision even comes up.
How You Reach the Spaw or Glut Decision
Before the real choice appears, you’ll pick up two related quests:
- Protect the Myconid Circle (given by Spaw)
- Avenge Glut’s Circle (triggered by talking to Glut)
Both quests point you toward the same task: clearing out a group of Duergar on the Underdark Beach. You can complete this objective for both Spaw and Glut at the same time, so there’s no need to choose sides yet. Bring Glut along for this fight — his ability to raise the dead lets him resurrect fallen creatures like a bulette or hook horror as a temporary ally, which makes the battle much easier.
It’s only after the Duergar are dead that Glut reveals his real motive: he wants you to kill Spaw so he can take over the colony.
Should You Kill Spaw or Glut? Quick Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Should you kill Spaw or Glut? | Most players get better long-term rewards by killing Glut and keeping Spaw alive |
| Should you help Spaw or Glut? | Helping Spaw preserves the colony and grants access to hidden storage |
| Is either choice reversible? | No — once you commit through dialogue, you can’t undo it |
| Does Glut die easily in battle? | Yes, if things go wrong, Glut can die mid-fight, which cuts off his questline early |
Option 1: Kill Glut, Side With Sovereign Spaw
Choosing to kill Glut in BG3 means telling Spaw about the betrayal plot. Spaw rewards your loyalty with access to a hidden storage room, which contains crafting components for the Mourning Frost weapon and reveals the location of the Adamantine Forge — one of the most useful crafting stations in the game.
Companion reactions:
- Karlach: approves
- Lae’zel: approves
- Astarion: disapproves
You’ll also earn the Kin Spirit title for helping Spaw. If you side against Glut and he catches on, he’ll turn hostile, but he’s manageable in a direct fight, especially with your party already at full strength from the earlier Duergar battle.
Option 2: Kill Spaw, Help Glut Take Over
If you choose the opposite path — helping Glut overthrow Sovereign Spaw — you’ll need to return to the colony and eliminate Spaw. This route unfortunately extends further than expected: refusing to stop means fighting the rest of the colony too, including named NPCs like Blurg, Omeluum, and Derryth Bonecloak.
There is a workaround. Bringing Glut directly to Spaw and letting Glut strike first allows Glut to take over the colony without triggering a fight against every myconid. This is the cleaner way to run this path if you’re committed to helping Glut or Spaw decide the colony’s fate through betrayal rather than open war.
Rewards for this path:
- Winter’s Clutches gloves
- Featherlight Boots
- Ring of Fire
Companion reactions:
- Astarion: approves
- Karlach and Lae’zel: disapprove
You’ll receive the Oathbreaker title for killing Spaw.
Loot & Reward Comparison Table
| Path | Unique Reward | Crafting Unlock | Title Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kill Glut / Help Spaw | Access to hidden storage | Mourning Frost, Adamantine Forge | Kin Spirit |
| Kill Spaw / Help Glut | Winter’s Clutches, Featherlight Boots | Ring of Fire | Oathbreaker |
Both paths eventually lead your party toward the same destination — Grymforge — so the choice affects the journey and rewards more than the overall game trajectory.
Companion Approval Breakdown
| Companion | Approves Killing Glut | Approves Killing Spaw |
|---|---|---|
| Astarion | No | Yes |
| Karlach | Yes | No |
| Lae’zel | Yes | No |
As one long-time BG3 player summed it up in a community discussion:
“Once you agree to help him kill Spaw, you’re kind of locked in — the game doesn’t let you walk that back.”
That’s an important detail: dialogue choices here are largely final, so think through your decision before committing through conversation, not just combat.
Can You Save Both Spaw and Glut?
Unfortunately, no. The game frames this as an either/or decision — you cannot keep both sovereigns alive long-term. The closest you can get to a “clean” outcome is completing the shared Duergar quest for both of them before the ultimatum triggers, which at least means neither side feels shortchanged early on.
What Happens If Glut Dies in Battle?
If Glut dies during the earlier Duergar fight (rather than through your own choice later), his questline simply ends. You won’t get the chance to hear his betrayal plot, and Spaw’s story continues normally. This is technically the “safest” outcome if you’re trying to avoid a moral dilemma altogether — though you’ll miss out on both sets of unique rewards.
LEARN MORE: Ingrained or Engrained
Our Recommendation: Best Choice for Most Players
If you’re optimizing for crafting access and long-term itemization, killing Glut and siding with Sovereign Spaw is the stronger pick — the Adamantine Forge alone makes it worthwhile for most builds. If you’re roleplaying a more chaotic or self-interested character, or you simply want Astarion’s approval, helping Glut is a perfectly valid alternative.
There’s genuinely no “correct” answer here — it comes down to what kind of playthrough you’re building.
Spaw or Glut: FAQ
Should you kill Spaw or Glut in BG3? Killing Glut and helping Spaw is generally recommended for better crafting rewards and two companion approvals. Killing Spaw and helping Glut earns Astarion’s approval and different unique gear.
Should you help Spaw or Glut? Helping Spaw keeps the myconid colony intact and unlocks the Adamantine Forge. Helping Glut leads to a colony takeover but grants items like the Featherlight Boots.
Is there a way to help both Sovereign Spaw and Glut? No — you must eventually choose one side. The choice becomes locked in once you commit through dialogue.
What’s the best reward for choosing Spaw over Glut? Access to hidden storage containing Mourning Frost crafting materials and the Adamantine Forge location.
Does killing Glut affect companion approval? Yes — Karlach and Lae’zel approve, while Astarion disapproves.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose to side with Sovereign Spaw or throw your support behind Glut, this Underdark decision is one of the more memorable choices in Act One of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Weigh the loot, the companion reactions, and the kind of story you want to tell — then commit, because once the dialogue starts, there’s no turning back.