Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) has garnered loads of attention for its enthralling narrative, in-depth role-playing mechanics, and detailed character interactions. One of the defining features of the game is the diverse and dynamic companions you can journey with throughout your adventures. Although you can skip any or all of them, you would be wise to recruit them on your journey. Let’s dive into the 10 best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3, each bringing their unique stories, abilities, and personalities to the table.
10. Jaheira, High Half-Elf Druid
Jaheira, a Half High Elf Companion, becomes available for recruitment in Act 2, where she steadfastly guards the Last Light Inn in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. This dedicated guardian assists your journey in unraveling the enigma surrounding the absolute cult. From the outset, she is introduced as a Druid from the Circle of the Moon, displaying her proficiency with spells and the distinctive Wild Shape ability.
If you focus on her Circle of the Moon origins, this build will allow her to morph effectively using Wild Shape; its primary strength lies in dealing damage. It does offer other support features and a degree of healing, but its essence revolves around robust damage output, crowd control, and ensuring Jaheira’s longevity on the battlefield. She’s ranked last on this list because there are others who do more damage, and she is also the nearly the last NPC you will most likely come across.
9. Wyll, Human Warlock
Wyll is a charismatic human warlock with a complicated past. He is renowned as a hero, known as the “Blade of Frontiers,” and has made a name for himself battling monsters and protecting the innocent. However, beneath the heroism lies a man burdened with guilt and a dark secret. Wyll’s powers come from a pact he made with a mysterious extraplanar entity, which serves as both a source of strength and a haunting reminder of a desperate choice he once made.
This bargain, while giving him the power to face various adversaries, also brought its fair share of complications and burdens. His character is representative of the duality of ambition, with the benefits and consequences of the choices one makes in the pursuit of power and fame. He’s lower on this because his offense with his rapier and damaging spells are not enough to help him offset his bad defense and fragility. Additionally, his Warlock Fiend class is the most difficult to level up and use properly, and might frustrate many players as the game goes on.
8. Minsc, Human Ranger
Minsc is a fan-favorite and beloved character from the Baldur’s Gate series of video games. Hailing from the nation of Rashemen, he’s a ranger with a particularly strong sense of justice and a penchant for humorous and often confusing proclamations. However, what truly sets him apart is his loyal animal companion, Boo, a “miniature giant space hamster” that Minsc insists has a deep well of wisdom and intelligence.
Throughout the game series, Minsc is defined by his unwavering loyalty to his friends, his readiness to “butt-kick for goodness,” and his endearing relationship with Boo. Their dynamic adds a unique blend of comedy and heart to the intricate narrative of the games, making Minsc a standout character in the world of D&D video game lore.
7. Halsin, Wood Elf Druid
From the Druids of the Emerald Grove, Halsin is a Wood Elf Druid owning the title of the First Druid. Whew, that’s a lot of druid. With that out of the way, he’s a typical peaceful and nice guy whose knowledge of nature and its plants and creatures is unparalleled. And if you go with Halsin or Jaheira, you’ll want to check out our guide on how to build the best Druid in Baldur’s Gate 3.
You can find him in the heart of the goblin camp, where he is being held prisoner as a bear in the shattered sanctum. This begins the storyline to recruit him which will not come to full fruition until Act 2. Similar to Jaheira, you can also build him to focus on damage with Wild Shape, making him the earliest animal-morphing druid in the game. From his base stats, he is stronger and moves faster than Jaheira, putting him higher on this list.
6. Gale, Human Wizard
Brash and cocky, Gale is a human wizard with a complicated past and a deep connection to magic. Gale’s backstory reveals that he once harbored an uncontrollable attraction to powerful magical artifacts, and his pursuit of such objects led to tragic events. This has made him both an asset and a potential liability to the party.
Inside him resides a Netherese Destruction Orb, which, if not regularly fed magical artifacts, threatens to explode and consume him. This burden provides a complex character dimension, as Gale’s knowledge and magical prowess are juxtaposed against the ever-looming danger that his own power presents. Like most wizards, he’s not too helpful early in the game when you first recruit him. As he levels up, you can have him use staves to attack from a distance, and do what wizards do best; cast powerful spells when he gets them.
5. Karlach, Zariel Tiefling Barbarian
Karlach is a wicked-looking character with a mysterious background linked to the Nine Hells and evil being Zariel. Found imprisoned in the Avernus layer of the Nine Hells during the events of “Descent into Avernus”, she becomes a potential ally or adversary for players. The choice is yours. Her barbaric past as a slave soldier and Outlander make her a fierce physical warrior.
She starts moving up the mid-tier of this list because she’s easy to play with thanks to her powerful fighting abilities, especially with large two-handed melee weapons. As a Berserker, she can also tank hits, and as she takes damage, will be able to increase the damage she deals back. She’s all around very powerful with easy-to-master mechanics, but what keeps her from reaching the top of this list is the rest of the NPCs on this list bring more unique offerings and slightly better advantages in battle.
4. Shadowheart, Half-elf Cleric
Shadowheart is a half-elf cleric on a suicide-mission dedicated to the goddess Shar, who is the deity of darkness and loss. Shadowheart’s connection to her deity, combined with the circumstances that bring her together with your storyline, makes her a complex and intriguing figure. Her history traces back to being raised poor and ragged on the streets, desperate for survival until she joined the Mistress of the Night’s convent. Her guarded nature and secretive demeanor make interactions with her a delicate balance, as the player seeks to understand her motivations and background while navigating the larger narrative of the game.
While traveling on the Nautiloid ship, you’ll be able to free her and the small artifact she holds so dear. Being a cleric from the Trickery Domain, she’s the best support character to provide your party with healing, buffs, and other unique support abilities. She’s barely edged out of the top three companions since she’s not as offensively capable in combat but will make a fine addition after you complete the damage-dealing potential of your other party members who should generally be prioritized.
3. Lae’zel, Githyanki Warrior
Lae’zel is a Githyanki warrior, a race known for their martial prowess and tradition of dragon-riding. With a fierce demeanor and an unwavering dedication to her mission, Lae’zel’s presence in the story brings with it the complex history and politics of the Githyanki people, who are often at odds with the mind-flayer threat that prominently figures into the game’s story. Her race’s very purpose is to sacrifice themselves to defeat mind flayers, and her story is complex as she must return to her creche and Githyanki leader. Also encountered while traveling on the Nautiloid ship, she will jump you after your trip and her recruitment begins from there.
Thanks to her race, she is the most diverse warrior that can be recruited and she allows you to equip her with nearly any weapon or armor you come across. This also means she can be built to function as your party’s primary damage-dealing warrior, your defensive tank, or a mixture of both roles. If you go full-on offensive, you’ll also be able to take advantage of her ability to strike multiple melee targets at once giving her some of the highest DPS in the game. Being the best straightforward warrior in the game puts her in the top three of this list.
2. Minthara, Drow Paladin
Minthara is a drow (dark elf) cleric who serves the malevolent deity Lolth, the Spider Queen. Minthara is depicted as a complex character, embodying the typical characteristics of the drow — cunning, ambitious, and ruthless. Her loyalties lie with the Absolute, a mysterious and emerging power in the game’s narrative. Throughout the player’s interactions with Minthara, they are given a glimpse into the political intrigues and power struggles within the famous Underdark from Dungeons & Dragons lore among the drow society and the Faerûn.
To recruit her, you’ll have to make a morally bad decision when you come across the goblin camp early in the game. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Halsin is being held prisoner in the goblin camp, and in order to recruit Minthara, you’ll need to join up with her and the goblins, helping them destroy the druids and their home. What makes her the second best companion on this list is her undeniable power as the only way to access the powerful Paladin class in this game. Although she is more of a Dark Paladin, you can still take advantage of her combat prowess by building her and taking advantage of the game’s Respect and Class change system to make her focused on debuffs and damage. She’s top tier, but at what cost…?
1. Astarion, Elven Vampire Spawn Rogue
Astarion is a vampire spawn, forever bound to his master’s will. With an appearance that exudes charm and a sharp wit, he’s as deceptive as he is intriguing. Though he presents himself as a suave, sophisticated being, underneath lies a more sinister nature driven by his vampiric instincts. Only having recently been able to walk in the daylight, he’s been a tormented vampire for centuries. Throughout the narrative, Astarion’s struggle with his dual nature becomes apparent, and players are faced with the challenge of either empathizing with his plight or condemning his darker urges.
As the only current rogue thief companion, he’s extremely valuable to any player’s party thanks to his crazy damage in combat and useful skills outside of battle. Being able to have a stealthy character that sneaks around and picks locks is invaluable. Especially if you’re not playing a thief character, Astarion is basically a must-recruit during your journey, making him number one on this list based on that fact alone.
Those are the 10 best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you’ll meet and will need to recruit based on your favorites. Picking any of them will add variety to your story and you can’t go wrong, but selecting the strongest of the bunch will make things a whole lot easier for you. So choose wisely and have a grand adventure!
Published: Aug 28, 2023 09:00 am