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Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t a lone wolf’s sport. It’s a team effort, and you’re going to need every bit of power that you may add to your little band of misfits to win the day. That’s where companions come in. These are recruitable characters that you can add to your existing party. Selecting who will make up your adventuring team adds yet another layer of strategy to the overall experience. So, consider your comrades wisely.
Finding these companions adds a great benefit to the depth of Baldur’s Gate 3, not simply for combat purposes. Each character is unique and has their own insights. Even if you don’t use all of these companions, tracking them down can add flavor to the overall story whether it be further exposition, lore or gaining a romantic partner - if you fancy that sort of thing. Here, we’ve collected data on all 10 of the companions you’re able to team-up with across Baldur’s Gate. While subjective given your preferred play style, we’ve ranked them based on they’re value as a party member.
All Companions In BG3
Shadowheart
10. Halsin
Location:Shattered Sanctum
Race:Wood Elf
Class:Druid
Background:Outlander
Halsin’s recruitment is a fairly simple affair. During the first act, you must simply rescue him from the Goblins as he is their prisoner. He’s kept in the Shattered Sanctum of the Druid Grove. Once you free him from his imprisonment, he’s yours though he won’t become available as a full-blown companion until Act 2. As a Wood Elf he is more mobile than most other races being able to move further per turn. He also makes a great support class with his Druid spellcasting and healing abilities. He can even be mobilized as a tank-like character drawing enemy fire with his shapeshifting abilities. There are a number of ways to utilize Halsin.
Keep in mind, however, that saving Halsin from the Goblins effects a future companion option. Minthara will not be recruitable should you free Halsin from his imprisonment.
Key traits:
Location:Lower City of Baldur’s Gate
Race:Human
Class:Ranger
Background:Folk Hero
Minsc is a returning character from the previous two entries in the series. He is mostly ranked further back on this list due to his late entrance into the game. He won’t be a companion you rely on for much of the game because he doesn’t become available until Act 3. You will have to follow Jaheira’s questline in order to eventually locate this brute and keep him alive in order to add him to your party. As a Ranger, he can make use of limited spellcasting abilities, ranged attacks, and stealth. The Beastmaster subclass is where you’ll find this warrior’s strength. And don’t forget, Minsc can utilize his little hamster buddy, Boo.
8. Jaheira
Location:Last Light Inn
Race:Half-Elf
Background:Soldier
Jaheira is another returning warrior from past entries in the Baldur’s Gate series. She can be obtained during Act 2. She is also one of the two companions (Minsc included) who is not a choice as an Origin character. Actually recruiting her takes a little bit of effort on your part. There will be combat, specific dialogue selections, and moments where you must keep Jaheira alive in order to win the day and bring her along on your adventure. Where she lacks in strength, however, she excels in her Druid class abilities. She’s a prime candidate for being the group healer. It’s possible to take Jaheria into multiclass territory, but it’s typically ideal leaning hard into the Druid Class skill set.
Location:The Druid Grove
Class:Warlock
You’ll encounter Wyll fairly early in your adventures. He will play a key role in the conflict at Druid Grove. He’s a warlock who made a pact with Mizora, a Cambion NPC, to obtain his power. It is in the Druid Grove that you can acquire him as a companion. As a Warlock, Wyll has access to the powerfulEldritch BlastCantrip which has a range of 18m and a 1d10 Attack Roll. He has fewer spell slots than other spellcasting companions but they can be regained with a Short Rest. Wyll’s spellcasting ability will grow as you level him up.
Wyll’s other best option for offense comes from the use of Rapiers. Wyll’s passive ability grants him an proficiency in this weapon type. In tandem, you can make a great Fiend Warlock build with Wyll, but it’s a rather difficult class to master. Though, Wyll only maintains a proficiency in light armor, and he lacks the stealth of a character like Astarion making him rather vulnerable.
Key Traits:
Location:Ravaged Beach (Interact with a sigil at X:224, Y:326)
Class:Wizard
Background:Sage
You’ll find Gale on the Ravaged Beach. He’ll be reaching out through a portal and it’ll be up to you to pass a couple checks in order to pull him out and land him as a permanent companion. Gale is an excellent spellcaster making him a worthy addition to your growing party of potential on-the-road companions. Initially, Gale might not be the most reliable combatant given that his options are limited. But leveling up this character will open up some effective spellcasting options for the wizard making him a formidable ally later in the game. Additionally, his Arcane Recovery ability allows him to regain two level 1 spell slots or one level 2 spell slot without the need for resting.
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5. Astarion
Location:Beach near the Nautiloid ship wreck
Race:High Elf
Class:Rogue
Background:Charlatan
Astarion can be found earlier in the game and can quickly proof his value with his excellent Stealth capabilities. As a Rogue, he’s skilled in Sneak Attacks and Sleight of Hand. So, Dexterity is a primary Ability Score focus for this character. Complimenting his vampiric nature, he’s got a rather pale, undead look about him. At first blush, you might regard him as a sinister entity as he attempts to bleed you dry before the Mind Flayer parasite sets him straight.
But Astarion can be a rather valuable party member. This High Elf can inch his way through the battlefield stealthily. As a companion he is fairly versatile proficient in simple weapons and swords, as well as spellcasting abilities. His Sneak Attack will be supremely useful in the battles that lie ahead. Astarion also comes with the Vampire Bite special ability that allows him to stealthily deal damage while self-healing.
4. Karlach
Location:The Risen Road
Race:Zariel Tiefling
Class:Barbarian
You’ll find this Hellish Barbarian brooding on a rock on the Risen Road which is northeast of the Blighted Village. You’ll have to contend with Gobins and Gnolls along the way. A quest will ensue called “Hunt the Devil.” In order to have Karlach join your band of merry misfits, you must side with her during the conflict at hand. Wyll, a fellow comrade, has been commissioned by his patron to hunt Karlach. But he’s been lied to and believes Karlach is a devil, which she is not despite her appearance. In your options, you’ll need to make the truth clear to Wyll in order for him to stand down .
Karlach has one of the best melee builds around from the get-go. If you lean in to her Berserker status you’re able to operate her as a tank soaking up damage and inflicting powerful melee hits using two-handed weapons. As such, she’s simple to manage in battle as her strategy would be rather straightforward. But she’s highly effective in it. For those seeking a party member with an strength-based play style, Karlach is your girl.
3. Minthara
Class:Paladin
Background:Noble
If anyone is a devil, it’s Minthara. In fact, she’s a Drow. However, her intent is purely sinister during the early moments of the game. Minthara plans to lead a Goblin army against the Druid Grove. In order to recruit her, you must gain her trust which, in effect, kills your chances for recruiting Halsin. Keep in mind that if you proceed in freeing Halsin by combating his Goblin keepers, you’ll lose your chance to recruit Minthara. You must throw the Druids and Tieflings under the bus by giving Minthara their location. You will then have to pass a series of checks and dialogue selections in your efforts to bring Minthara aboard your team. Later, you can recruit her in Act 2 after saving her from a few captors during the “Infiltrate the Moonrise Towers” quest. So, if you’re soul can bear the sleight against innocents in exchange for this powerful ally, go for it.
She’s resisstant to charms, has all the bonuses that come with being a Drow, and strong melee maneuvers. Much like Karlach, players can go for a bold tank style approach with Minthara. She’s proficient in a broad range of weaponry and armour. However, she also does have the added benefit of support spells. If you’re so inclined, step on over to the dark side. Otherwise, you will meet Minthara in battle.
2. Shadowheart
Location:Nautiloid/Ravaged Beach near the Abandoned Ruins
Race:High Half-Elf
Class:Cleric
Background:Acolyte
Shadowheart can be found rather early in the game aboard the Nautiloid or shortly after the crashing onto the Ravaged Beach in the intro. She instantly connects with you knowing you’re both harboring the same fun parasite, compliments of the Mind Flayer. If you don’t free her on the ship, or on the beach, you will eventually run in to her and can convince her to join your cause. She’s basically destined to join your party.
As a Cleric, she excels in a support strategy. She has access to several cantrips that offer healing and buff options for those in the thick of it. She’s also proficient in simple weapons giving her an added measure of versatility. You can outfit her with a spear for up-close attacks or opt to keep her at a distance while supporting the rest of the team with a Light Crossbow. Her only drawback is her Fear of Wolves passive feature which has the potential to induce the Frightened status effect when coming within 9m of a wolf. However, because she can become an ally very early on and offers one of the best potential Cleric builds out the gate, she’s an optimal choice to have by your side.
1. Lae’zel
Location:Nautiloid, Ravaged Beach
Race:Githyanki
Class:Fighter
You’ll meet Lae’zel within minutes of beginning your adventure in Baldur’s Gate 3. She’s aboard the Nautiloid ship and briefly teams up with you in an effort to escape. After the ship crashes, you will have to find her. She is just North of the crash site and will be caught in a trap. If you don’t aid her here, you will have one opportunity later to recruit her. But trust us, you want to do what you can to have her on your side. She isn’t ranked #1 on our list for nothing.
You might be thinking: what makes Lae’zel so great? For starters, she’s a fierce melee combatant, and she has the additional bonus of striking an enemy more than once per turn. If you invest in her, and everything goes in your favour, Lae’zel can deal massive amounts of damage each turn. And because of her vast proficiency in weapons and armor, she can be outfitted with the best and operate with a strength-based brute force strategy. When properly optimized with the best armor and powerful weaponry, Lae’zel is simple to manage and extremely powerful in combat making her the most effective companion. She’s absolutely worth your attention.
