Highcliff’s journal holds the key to forging Baldur’s Gate 3’s ultimate weapon-but one cryptic page remains blank, waiting for your hand to complete the masterpiece.
As you explore the Blighted Village in Baldur’s Gate 3, you might encounter the Highcliff’s journal, starting the “Finish the Masterwork Weapon” quest. The journal tells you about an almost-complete weapon and its blueprint that has been hidden away. The only problem is, you have no idea where they are! There is little information regarding their locations, so you’ll have to search far and wide to find them and complete the weapon – so, let us help you.
Continue on to find out how to where to find the blueprint and how to complete the Masterwork weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3.
‘Finish the Masterwork Weapon’ quest location
The quest takes place in the Blighted Village, east of the Emerald Grove, where players can find the blacksmith’s forge inside the ruined workshop. Inside, they will discover Highcliff’s journal and the incomplete masterwork weapon on the workbench. To finish the weapon, the player must use the furnace, heating the chosen weapon piece and combining it with the sussur bark collected earlier from the Underdark.
“Finish the Masterwork Weapon” can be started by interacting with the Highcliff’s journal, which can be found inside of the home to the east of the windmill in the Blighted Village. Look to the left of the fireplace to find the journal hidden behind a wooden barrel.
‘Finish the Masterwork Weapon’ walkthrough
To finish the Masterwork Weapon in Baldur’s Gate 3, gather all three components: the Sussur Tree Bark, the blueprint from Highcliff’s journal, and a suitable weapon mold found in the forge area. Once you have them, head to the forge in the basement, insert the mold, place the bark in the furnace, and ignite it to heat the metal. Use the lever to forge the weapon, and you’ll craft a powerful Sussur version of your chosen weapon type.
Now that you’ve started the quest, you’ll need to find the blueprints for the Masterwork weapons.
1. Head to the eastern room of the same building to find a hole in the floor blocked off by a calcified web.
2. Burn the webs with either a fire spell or one of the few torches around the building to open the hole, but before you drop in, make sure to grab the old key on top of the wooden crate beside the fireplace.
3. After your characters drop into the hole, they’ll undergo a Perception check. If successful, your characters will notice a booby-trapped wooden chest. Disarm the chest, which requires a difficulty class 10 Sleight of Hand check, and open it to find the Highcliff’s blueprints.
4. Interact with the Highcliff’s blueprints to find out that you need sussur bark to create the Masterwork weapons. Whichever character opened the blueprint will undergo a Nature check, and if successful, will reveal that you must go to the Underdark to find sussur bark.
5. Head to the Sussur Tree, which is located on the west side of the Underdark. However, be careful as there are multiple level 4 enemies with high health totals in the area.
6. Go up the roots of the tree to find the sussur tree bark. If you’re having a hard time spotting it, hold down your left altkey to bring up the text of items around you.
7. Return to the home where you found the Highcliff’s journal, but enter through the shabby wooden doors from the outside of the building. To open the door, you’ll use the old key found inside the building beside the hole in the floor.
8. Proceed to the marked location on your map to find a melting furnace.
9. Interact with the furnace to light the fire, and then use the blacksmith’s bellows beside it to stoke the fire.
10. Interact with the furnace again to open up the combine menu, and place the sussur tree bark in the empty slot on the right.
11. Hit combine to turn the furnace’s flames blue.
12. Interact with the furnace for the last time to open another combine menu, and place either a common dagger, greatsword, or sickle into the empty slot on the right.
Where to find Sussur Tree Bark in Underdark
Sussur Tree Bark grows on a large, glowing white Sussur Tree in the Dread Hollow area of the Underdark in Baldur’s Gate 3. Head to the western side of the Underdark map, near the Sussur Tree Waypoint at roughly X:-42 Y:-145.
Exact Location
From the waypoint, climb the large root immediately to the east. You’ll encounter a Hook Horror enemy-defeat or sneak past it-then interact with the bark on the tree trunk at coordinates around X:-14 to -15, Y:-138 to -140. The tree emits an antimagic field, so equip earplugs, cast Silence, or use ranged attacks to harvest safely without taking damage.
Access Tips
Enter the Underdark via nearby spots like the Whispering Depths (under Blighted Village apothecary), Zhentarim Hideout elevator, or Goblin Camp’s Defiled Temple. These drop you close to Dread Hollow; stealth or level 4+ party recommended due to enemies like Minotaurs or Hook Horrors. A smaller Sussur Tree with blooms (not bark) sits by the Arcane Tower base for easier grabs if underleveled.
How to safely reach Dread Hollow Sussur Tree
Dread Hollow lies on the western edge of the Underdark map in Baldur’s Gate 3, hosting the key Sussur Tree amid Hook Horror nests and other threats. Safest access prioritizes stealth over combat, especially at levels 3-4.
Best Entry Routes
Use nearby Underdark entrances for minimal travel:
-
Whispering Depths: Drop via Blighted Village apothecary well. Sneak past Phase Spiders (use Feather Fall on the central pit), head southwest through explosive mushrooms to Decrepit Village, then west to Dread Hollow.
-
Zhentarim Hideout: Waukeen’s Rest elevator lands you centrally; sneak northwest.
-
Defiled Temple: Goblin Camp moon puzzle drops close to the area.
Stealth Approach
From Sussur Tree Waypoint (X:-42, Y:-145), cast Invisibility or Pass Without Trace. Climb the eastern root/branch (X:-14, Y:-138), bypass Hook Horrors via cliffs for height advantage, and grab bark from the trunk-avoid ground fights and watch for burrowing Bulette tremors. Silence or earplugs counter the tree’s antimagic field during harvest.
