Baldur’s Gate 3 features a lot of lovable companions who can join you on your journey through the Forgotten Realms, and we’ve got a breakdown of them all in this guide.
Larian Studios’ game has ten companions, including six Origin characters. The remaining four companions are critical to your group’s dynamics and unfold at particular points in the narrative.
Whether they’re Origin characters or otherwise, all the companions have a specific class as well as character-defining preferences and peeves, which sometimes include each other. So, here’s everything we know about the party members of Baldur’s Gate 3.
Shadowheart
Shadowheart is a High Half-elven Cleric of Shar. Her dedication to the neutral-evil goddess of darkness and the night allows her to use illusion and manipulation magic on top of the standard Cleric arsenal. While she starts with the Trickery Domain, you can switch her to something better (like Tempest) using the magic mirror in the Camp.
Shadowheart is the first character you can recruit after the tutorial. Once you wake up after the Nautiloid crash, you’ll find her passed out in the area beyond where you fell. Simply wake her up and ask her to join your party.
Astarion
Astarion is a handsome High-Elf Rogue who also happens to be a vampire. His class and affliction give him a variety of stealth attacks and a few magic options if you’re so inclined.
Astarion can be found early in Act I. Once you’ve grabbed Shadowheart, head left into the Nautiloid wreckage and defeat the Intellect Devourers. Then, head left again and follow the path around the coast. You’ll run into Astarion near a crossroads.
During your initial encounter, Astarion will try and stab you, but it’s easy to slip from his grasp and calm the situation down. Once he realizes your mutual tadpole problem, he’ll join the party.
Gale
With great hair and powerful spells, Gale is a powerful Human Wizard. He’s a competent magic user with some potential build variety and tons of great spells to set him apart from the rest.
From the area where you meet Astarion, head back into the Nautiloid and pass through it until you reach an area on the map called the Roadside Cliffs. You’ll see a sparking fast travel portal with a hand coming out of it. This is Gale, who needs a little help getting out. Simply pull Gale out and he’ll readily join the party.
If you’re playing the Dark Urge Origin and want to keep Gale in the party, resist the urge to remove his hand when it reaches out through the portal. Otherwise, you’ll accidentally kill him.
Wyll
You’d think Wyll’s habit of consorting with demons would make him a rather nasty fellow. Despite that, this Human Warlock with the Fiend Patron subclass is an honorable warrior who’s a capable swordsman with some eldritch magic to back it up.
To recruit Wyll, head to the Druid Grove in Act I and you’ll see a cutscene where he helps defend the front gate from goblins. Once the battle is won, enter Druid Grove and seek out the Tiefling camp, where Wyll teaches kids how to fight. Speak to him and you’ll recruit him, though he’ll be tasked with hunting Karlach.
You can keep Karlach and Wyll in the same party. If you take Wyll with you when you find Karlach, it’s easy to convince both of them to stand down.
Lae’zel
Lae’zel is a powerful Githyanki Fighter whose usefulness in combat is balanced by her snarky demeanor and sharp tongue. She’s all about bashing enemy heads in, so keep her around if you’re playing a spellcaster.
You’ll have Lae’zel in your party during the tutorial, but she’ll vanish once you crash land. It doesn’t take long to find her. Simply head to the Roadside Cliffs (mentioned above in Gale’s recruitment) and head to the area behind the fast travel point.
On the road, you’ll find Lae’zel trapped in a cage by some Tieflings. You can either kill the Tieflings or convince them to leave. If you choose to fight, use a ranged weapon on the bottom of Lae’zel’s cage to free her, allowing her to join the battle. This is also required if you convince the Tieflings to leave, otherwise, she’ll be stuck up there.
Once Lae’zel is free, she’ll easily join the party, though she’ll ask the player to visit a nearby Githyanki Creche to seek aid. Don’t do this straight away, as it has some punishing foes. Just concentrate on the other Act I quests for the time being, then visit the Creche before you’re ready to go to Act II.
Karlach
Karlach is a Zariel Tiefling Barbarian with the ability to enter a powerful Rage that increases her damage. Thanks to her infernal bloodline, she’ll gain access to powerful smiting spells as she levels up, and the player can feed her Soul Coins to improve her damage even further.
Karlach is found near a river to the west of the Druid Grove. Wyll wants to seek her out, as do some nearby Paladins, but ignore them, as Karlach is a good character and a loyal party member.
From the Emerald Grove fast travel point, head west to the big stone bridge crossing the river, go across, and then head north. Keep going until you find another river, then follow the river east. You’ll spot Karlach hanging out behind a log bridge.
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Even if you have Wyll, it’s easy to recruit Karlach into your party. Ideally, you’ll want both of them around, so make sure to sort to prevent any fights between them. Also, make sure to kill those lying Paladins if they told you about Karlach.
Halsin
Halsin is a Wood Elf Druid with the Circle of the Moon subclass, who’s the leader of the Druid Grove in the first act. While you can encounter him in Act I, he won’t fully join you until Act II.
You’ll learn in the Druid Grove that Halsin has gone missing. He’s currently Wild Shaped into his bear form in the Goblin Camp, where he can be found trapped in the Worg Pens. When you’re ready to wipe out the Goblins, it’s best to free him first, as having a rampaging bear as an ally is really helpful.
Once the Goblins and the three True Souls are defeated, he’ll return with you to the Druid Grove, where he’ll hopefully resolve the remaining tensions. Once that’s completed, he’ll hang out in your camp for a while.
In Act 2, head to The Last Light Inn and seek out Art Cullagh, the man who is trapped in his dreams. Tell Halsin in the camp about Thaniel and then return to Art Cullagh. This will start the “Art’s Last Orders” quest.
Continue through the game until you meet Malus Throm in the House of Healing. Once you’ve defeated Malus, take the lute off his body and use it with Art Cullagh. This will result in a new quest, where you must protect Halsin from shadow monsters while he’s using a portal.
Save and use the Wall of Fire spell scrolls for this battle! That spell will make the quest trivial, as the shadow monsters will run into it and get incinerated.
If you complete the quest, talk to Halsin in the Camp and he’ll finally join the party.
Jaheira
Jaheira is a Half-Elf Druid with the Circle of the Land subclass. She’s a powerful warrior and one that many may recognize from previous Baldur’s Gate games, as she was a major character in the Bhaalspawn Saga.
You’ll encounter Jaheria at The Last Light Inn in Act 2, but she’ll only serve as a temporary party member throughout the Underdark. Once you defeat Ketheric Throm at the end of Act 2, if Jaheria is still alive, she’ll join the party in Act 3. This means you might be waiting a while before nature’s servant joins you.
Minthara
Minthara is a Drow Paladin and a villain in most good routes. She’s one of the three chosen Absolute, and if you choose to side with her will become one of your companions.
If you’re playing an evil route, simply enter the Goblin Camp on good terms and seek Minthara out in its depths. Reveal the location of the Druid Grove to her and agree to attack it. Travel back to the Druid Grove and murder its inhabitants. During the victory party, you can unlock Minthara’s romance scene.
It’s vitally important that you do not visit the Githyanki Creche before wiping out the Druid Grove! If you do, the Druids will seal off the area, and Minthara will attack you for taking too long.
Then, continue to Act II and reach the Moonrise Towers, where you’ll find Minthara being interrogated by Ketheric. Convince the enemy to send Minthara to jail and then free here, where she’ll join your party.
If you’re doing a good route, simply make sure to knock Minthara unconscious instead of killing her during the Goblin Camp fight. When you reach Moonrise Towers, the same scenes as the evil route will play out, giving you a new chance to recruit her.
Minsc
Minsc is a Human Ranger with the Hunter subclass, who is one of the most famous characters in the Baldur’s Gate series, even becoming a major part of Dungeons & Dragons. Naturally, he’s joined by Boo, his deadly hamster.
In order to recruit Minsc, you need Jaheria in your party, which means you won’t get him until you reach Act 3. Jaheira will give you the High Harper quest, which you must follow until you reach the Lower City Sewers. Follow the quest markers until you encounter Minsc in the sewers.
Like with Minthara, you must use non-lethal attacks on Minsc. If you accidentally kill Minsc, then Jaheira will also leave the party. The Emperor will try to convince you to kill Minsc, so you must convince him to help. Once you do, Minsc and Boo will join the party.
Want to learn more about Baldur’s Gate 3? Check out our guides on the Dark Urge, best mods, and so much more.
