One of the longest questlines in Baldur’s Gate 3 revolves around Oskar the Artist, spanning from Act One to Act Three. However, despite the significant time investment required to complete this questline, the rewards it offers are incredibly underwhelming.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is known for its lengthy campaign, with completion times averaging around 60 hours. The questline involving Oskar, titled “Free the Artist,” is introduced in Act One but can only be concluded in Act Three. Unfortunately, the culmination of this arduous journey results in receiving a randomized painting as a reward. To make matters worse, the painting can sometimes depict a dismissed companion or even a hireling.
With already 12 hirelings available for direct hire from Withers for a mere 100 gold each, each possessing unique talents and abilities, the addition of another hireling through a painting seems redundant. By the time Act Three arrives, players likely have already assembled their optimal group, rendering the new hireling unnecessary.
If the reward had been a portrait of a companion, it would have made more sense to allow players to gift it to them, thereby increasing favorability. Such a change would have justified the hours spent locating Oskar, freeing him, and completing the 16 objectives (excluding sub-quest objectives) associated with this questline. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Many players regret investing their time in this questline and express a preference for letting Oskar die back in Act One. Unless one has a particular interest in obtaining a unique painting from Oskar, this quest is simply not worth the effort. The only individuals who might be tempted to pursue it are completionists who strive to tick off every objective. However, in terms of the rewards matching the time invested, it is better to forget about this questline altogether.
Personally, I have chosen to avoid this questline in my subsequent playthroughs of Baldur’s Gate 3 due to its tedious nature and lackluster rewards. Opting to kill Oskar is a much easier and more satisfying alternative.
Source: DOTESPORTS
