How to get Volovo Ersatz Eye (see Invisibility)

Baldur's Gate 3 offers players a wide variety of methods to customize their character, from a thorough character creation tool to various class and subclass systems. There are also a number of character modifications that can be done by completing certain game tasks and quests that can temporarily or permanently affect your character.

One such customization is available by completing a side quest involving a comical and unfortunate narrator named Volo. He is one of a handful of NPCs the player encounters who offer to help remove the parasite from their head. However, perhaps entrusting such a task to a man who clearly likes to exaggerate and weave fairy tales may not be the best decision. Here's everything players need to know Volo and his Ersatz Eye effect in Baldur's Gate 3.

Updated January 17, 2025 by Christopher Norman Worcester: Baldur's Gate 3 enters 2025 as popular as ever, and new players are constantly discovering what makes it such a remarkable game. As one of the most interesting and unexpected interactions in the game, getting the Vola's Ersatz Eye and permanently unlocking “See Invisibility” is a perfect example of this sentiment. In this update, we will ensure that the guide provides the most up-to-date information and add a new video guide explaining it how to get See Invisibility from Volo's Eye in Baldur's Gate 3.

Where to find Volo in Baldur's Gate 3

The player may first encounter a bard Volo in Druid Grove, where he can be found interrogating a bear and taking notes on recent goblin activity in the area. When the player talks to him, he mentions goblins and their obsession with the Absolute. He finds this behavior odd and decides to investigate the goblin camp for himself to learn more for his story.

The player does not need to first encounter Vol in the Druid Grove to begin their quest. Instead, they will be able to talk to Vol in the goblin camp upon arrival and still be able to save the bard from the goblins.

Rescue Volo – Baldur's Gate 3 walkthrough

The next time the player finds Volo is after reaching the Goblin camp in BG3, which is located west of the Blighted Village. Here, the player can talk to the Ox, who is held captive in the middle of the courtyard and is forced to entertain the goblins with some dubious poetry. Volo begs the player to save them from the goblins as they drag him away, which starts the “Save Volo” quest.

The player should then continue north and enter the Shattered Sanctum. The player will have a short conversation with the name goblin Warrior Trinzas. If the party is accompanied goblin Sazza, they will be able to pass after a short cutscene between the two goblins. Otherwise, the player will have to convince Trinzas to let them through. As usual, violence can be chosen instead, and the player faces an uphill battle against Trinzas and her guardians.

Once the player has convinced or defeated Trinzas, they can proceed to the shrine where they find The true soul of the soul lecture to followers. The party should head up the stairs located immediately to the right after entering the room (not the stairs around Gut) where they will find the goblin torture chambers. Upstairs they find Vol in the third chamber on the right, trapped in a cage guarded by another goblin, Gribba.

The player can either convince Gribb to hand over the key to Vol's cage, or they can instead choose to fight and kill Gribb and loot the key from her body. Either way, once the player obtains Cage key
they can free the Ox from his wooden bonds. The player should talk to him and tell him to come to their camp where they can talk to him about their resident flayer mind parasite.

Volo may not appear in the player's camp right away, so it may be necessary to take several long rests before he appears.

How to get the Ox's Eye and See Invisibility – Baldur's Gate 3

Find Volo in the Player's Camp:

At their camp, the player can talk to Vol, who takes up residence and offers to investigate their small mind parasite problem. He will need to do some research first and require the player to take another long rest before he can continue.

Once Volo completed his researchthe player can talk to him and will have the option to allow Vol to try to remove the parasite. This is a completely optional and extremely important decision that will permanently change the appearance of the character the player chooses to perform this operation on.

Should you let Volo work in Baldur's Gate 3?

The player has the option to allow Vol to perform surgery to remove the parasite from his head through his right eye. His approach is controversial and violent, as his procedure involves jabbing several picks directly into the player's eye. Obviously, this will result in significant damage and removal of said eye.

Unsurprisingly, the action of Volo stabbing the player's eye with a pick is a bit of an annoying sound feature that may disturb some players. Therefore, some players may want to avoid the event cutscene.

The player has the option to change their mind during the operation and let the Vol retreat, leaving the player with the Bleeding Eye debuff that heals quickly. The player can talk to the Ox again and he will offer to perform the operation. Volo will operate on any member of the player's party, but will only perform the operation once. With him, the player will only have to talk to a party member of his choice.

Volovo Ersatz Eye: Pros and Cons – Bladur's Gate 3

Volo will likely fail in his efforts to remove the parasite from the player's eye, as he is a bard, not a doctor. However, his failure leaves the affected player with an empty eye socket, which he corrects by passing Volovo Ersatz Eye.

This new and improved eye will replace completely the player's right eye, which permanently changes its appearance. This appearance change cannot be toggled like hiding the character's helm, so the player should consider this if they want their character to look exactly as they originally chose.

Volovo's Ersatz Eye gives the player a rather powerful passive effect: an ability see invisible creatures within nine meters, with no drawbacks other than changing the appearance of the player's eye. The effect is the same as the 2nd level See Invisibility Divination spell, only it is permanently active and does not cost the affected player. Enemies will still make a saving throw to see if they've been spotted, but overall it's a very useful passive buff that the player can consider an aesthetic sacrifice.

It is worth noting that the same character cannot have both Volovo Ersatz Eye and Hag's Eye from Aunt Ethel. This shouldn't be a big deal as the Hag's Eye effect isn't worth the downside, it's just something to consider if the character has already given her the eye.

Also, it is possible to get Volo's Ersatz Eye by killing Volo in the camp, but the player he definitely shouldn't do that. Regardless of whether the player chooses to participate in his operation, Volo will remain at the camp and offer Business serviceswhich is a very valuable convenience. Therefore, it is best to simply let the bard stick around.