Explosive powder in Baldur’s Gate 3 can turn a simple skirmish into a fiery spectacle-but locating it isn’t always straightforward. From Smokepowder Satchels hidden in chests to barrels tucked away in guarded strongholds, knowing where to search can change the course of any battle.
There’s a lot to explore in Baldurs Gate 3‘s Underdark, but your ultimate destination is the Grymforge. When you arrive, you’ll learn that True Soul Nere is trapped in a mine collapse and you need some explosive powder – specifically Smokepowder Satchels – to get him out. You’ll need to talk to him for the “Travel through the Underdark” quest, and finding out he’s trapped starts you on the “Free True Soul Nere” quest.
When you find the Cave-In in the Grymforge, your character might even bring up explosive powder as an option, but you probably won’t have any, let alone the two you need to free Nere. Our Baldur’s Gate 3 guide on how to find explosive powder in the Grymforge will tell you where to find two Smokepowder Satchels not too far away.
Where to find (more) explosive powder in Baldur’s Gate 3’s Grymforge
After grabbing the initial Smokepowder Satchels from the hidden reserve near the Grymforge docks, you can still scavenge more explosive options before facing the cave-in. Philomeen, a runaway deep gnome hiding deeper in Grymforge, carries a powerful Smokepowder Barrel that you can obtain through dialogue, intimidation, or combat, and then drag back to the rubble for a much bigger blast. If you arrived with any Smokepowder Barrels or Bombs from earlier areas, like the goblin camp or Underdark, you can also stack them with the local satchels to guarantee the collapse clears in a single detonation.
When you arrive in the Grymforge, head around the docks to the northeast side. You’ll find some Duergar there tossing dead Deep Gnomes into the water. South of the Duergar, along the right (east) wall, you’ll also see a small Metal Door. Head through it.
As you head to the back of the narrow room behind the door, your party will start making Perception Checks (which are based on Wisdom). You might notice two things: a Collapsed Archway and a Button. Both serve the same function – to get you into the hidden room to the south. If you can shapeshift (as a Druid character), you can become something small and scuttle through. Everyone else can just push the button and walk through the doorway that opens.
Inside the secret room, you’ll find a chest to loot and then two Smokepowder Satchels in the southeast corner. Pick them both up and take them back to the collapsed tunnel.
Using Baldur’s Gate 3 Smokepowder Satchels to free Nere
In Grymforge, locate the unguarded metal door east of the docks on the lowest level, below the wrought-iron gate to the elevator. Enter the narrow chamber, pass a Perception check to spot the button on a pillar or use a collapsed archway for access to a hidden room, then grab the two Smokepowder Satchels behind the chest in the southeast corner. Return to the cave-in blocking True Soul Nere, let nearby workers evacuate, throw both satchels at the rubble in the southwest corner, and ignite them with a Fire Bolt, Produce Flame, or fire arrow to clear the path without harming gnomes.
At the collapsed tunnel, you can Throw the Smokepowder Satchels just like any other inventory object. Toss it at the Cave-In in the southwest corner of the Grymforge. You’ll have to follow up your throw with something to set it on fire – like a Fire Bolt or Produce Flame Cantrip or an Arrow of Fire. Just give the rest of the workers time to run away or you’ll start a fight.
Speaking of which, True Soul Nere is kind of a jerk, so you might end up fighting him (and the rest of the Duergar around) anyway. What’s important here is getting the Broken Moonlantern – which is the broken version of an item you’ll use to reach the Moonrise Towers – from him or his body.
How to use Smokepowder Satchels on the cave-in rubble
Smokepowder Satchels clear the cave-in rubble in Grymforge to free True Soul Nere. Place them directly next to the rubble southwest of the docks in the Underdark’s Grymforge area.
Step-by-Step Usage
Throw or drop one or two satchels from inventory right against the cave-in rocks (avoid stacking multiple at once for reliability). Wait for nearby Duergar workers and gnomes to evacuate fully, as igniting too soon triggers combat. Ignite with a ranged fire attack like Fire Bolt, Produce Flame, or Fire Arrow to detonate and destroy the rubble.
Tips for Success
Position satchels precisely adjacent to rubble; reposition by dropping if needed before lighting. If it fails (due to RNG), reload and use one at a time or supplement with Runepowder Vial from Philomeen for guaranteed results. Satchels leave a fire patch, so use Smokepowder Bombs instead if avoiding flames during follow-up fights.
Where to find Smokepowder Satchels in Grymforge
Smokepowder Satchels in Grymforge are found in a hidden room near the northeastern docks, essential for clearing the cave-in to free True Soul Nere.
Main Location
From the Grymforge docks (near the waypoint), head to where Duergar dump Deep Gnome bodies into the water. South along the eastern wall, find a small Metal Door (highlight to spot it), enter, and pass a Perception check (DC 10-15) for a hidden button on a pillar or back rubble-press it to open a secret chamber. Loot two Smokepowder Satchels from the crate in the southeast corner at coordinates X: -585, Y: 388, next to a locked chest.
Access Tips
Alternatively, speak to Elder Brithvar or workers for clues leading to Deep Gnome Philomeen (east double doors, lockpick, fight oozes, jump chasm)-she has a Runepowder Barrel/Vial but guards the satchels’ reserve indirectly. If stuck, Wild Shape into a small animal like a cat to interact with back rubble or sneak past guards. No vendors sell them here; they’re unique loot.
