The Icy Helve is one of three rare components needed to craft the powerful Mourning Frost quarterstaff in Baldur’s Gate 3. If you’ve been hunting for this elusive item, knowing exactly where to find it is crucial to assembling the full weapon. Located in the Underdark, the Icy Helve is carried by a petrified drow named Dhourn near the Selûnite Outpost. Whether you prefer detailed walkthroughs or concise tips, here’s everything you need to know about finding the Icy Helve in BG3.
What Is the Icy Helve?
The Icy Helve is the handle portion of the Mourning Frost staff, a rare magical item that boosts cold-based spells and grants the Ray of Frost cantrip. As a common-quality miscellaneous component, the Icy Helve is weightless (0.2¯kg) and worth modest gp, but its value lies in its potential when combined with the Icy Metal and Icy Crystal to form one of the best colddamage staffs in Act¯1 or Act¯2
Exact Location of the Icy Helve
The Icy Helve is found on Dhourn, a male drow frozen in place by the Spectator. His body lies just west of the Selûnite Outpost in the Underdark, around coordinates X¯â¯118, Y¯â¯250
How to Pick Up the Helve Safely
- Engage and defeat or bypass the Spectator to release Dhourn from petrification.
- Loot Dhourn’s body immediately if he despawns or dies before you do so, the Icy Helve may be permanently lost
- If you’re playing modded BG3, especially with loot-table mods, be aware this can interfere with the item drop
Other Components You’ll Need
To craft the Mourning Frost staff, you also need two other components:
- Icy Metal: Looted from a dead drow corpse near the Myconid Colony in the Ebonlake Grotto at coordinates X â 50, Y â¯73. This becomes available after completing the Myconid questline
- Icy Crystal: Taken from Filro the Forgotten, a hostile drow near the Sussur Tree (Dread Hollow) at about X â¯50, Y â¯50. You must defeat him and his Hook Horrors to loot it
Crafting the Mourning Frost Quarterstaff
After acquiring all three components, open your inventory and right-click one item to use Combine. Drag the other two items into the slots to craft the weapon. The completed staff deals bonus cold damage, enhances all your cold spells, and includes chilling effects on hits. It is especially effective for spellcasters focusing on cold elemental builds
Tips for Securing the Icy Helve Successfully
- Save Before the Encounter: Create a manual save before engaging the Spectator and Dhourn, so you can reload if something goes wrong.
- Avoid Killing Dhourn First: Killing or passing time can cause Dhourn to disappear before you loot him. Loot immediately after the fight ends.
- Loot Chest Sorting: If you use the Traveler’s Chest, re-sort your inventory view (e.g. by weight or name) to find the Icy Helve more easily it sometimes hides in lists
- Check Mods: Disable or verify loot-mods if the item fails to appear some players report missing drops when mods alter loot tables
Why the Icy Helve Matters
As one essential component of the Mourning Frost, the Icy Helve is crucial for assembling a staff that enhances cold damage output dramatically. This makes it useful for characters who rely on frost spells and crowd control. The Mourning Frost is accessible early and is quite rare, so capturing this staff can be a significant edge in combat encounters.
Benefits of the Staff
- Cold damage bonus (e.g. +1d4) on attacks.
- Chance to inflict Chilled condition targets take double damage from cold spells.
- Grants Ray of Frost cantrip if you don’t already know it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I miss the Icy Helve permanently?
Yes. If Dhourn disappears or you fail to loot before he vanishes (either due to combat or time passing), you cannot retrieve the Icy Helve in that playthrough. That’s why early awareness and looting immediately are essential.
Does difficulty mode affect drop?
No. The Icy Helve is not a random drop it’s tied to Dhourn’s petrified body. As long as you interact correctly and loot him, difficulty does not affect it.
Do I need to proceed in a certain order?
Not strictly. You can collect any of the three pieces in any sequence. Many players gather the Icy Helve early, then return later for Icy Metal or Icy Crystal after finishing other quests.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Icy Helve is an essential handle piece of the Mourning Frost staff, carried by Dhourn just west of the Selûnite Outpost in the Underdark. Defeat the Spectator to free the petrified drow, loot him immediately, and ensure you’ve secured the item before it disappears. Pair it with the Icy Metal and Icy Crystal to craft one of the rarest magical staffs in Act 1 or 2. With this comprehensive guide, you should be able to locate the Icy Helve confidently and craft a powerful cold-themed weapon to aid your adventures in BG3.