Baldur's Gate 3 companions: All support characters & how to recruit them

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The road to Baldur’s Gate can be a lonely one, too, and what better way to distract yourself from the tadpole in your head than by having a budding romance with one of your companions?

We also have guides for how to get the most out of your companions such as Shadowheart and Karlach, meaning you’ll have everything you need to max out their stats and complete their personal quests.

But enough dawdling, there are adventures to be had and friends (or enemies) to be made, so read on and get out there!

How many companions are in Baldur’s Gate 3?

There are 10 main companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you can recruit to your party throughout your journey across Faerûn.

There are some other temporary companions such as Us, who only joins you briefly in the Nautiloid, or the hirelings offered by Withers. Still, these aren’t considered to be main companions.

The world of Baldur’s Gate 3 is utterly immense and full of characters, so if it is revealed that any more companions become available, we will update you as soon as we can.

Read more on Baldur's Gate 3:

• Baldur's Gate 3 review - our final verdict
• Baldur's Gate 3 builds - create your character
• Baldur's Gate 3 cast - all voice actors
• Baldur's Gate 3 mods - best hacks and cheats
• Baldur's Gate 3 multiplayer - co-op explained
• Baldur's Gate 3 companions - recruit them all
• Baldur's Gate 3 classes - best class and sub-class
• Baldur's Gate 3 change appearance - can it be done?
• Baldur's Gate 3 early game tips - get an epic sword

Can you romance all the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3?

Yes, you can romance all companions in Baldur’s Gate with developers Larian confirming as much.

We haven’t played enough of the game yet to see how returning characters Minsc and Jaheira will interact with the players, as they can be found much later on.

There’s so much on offer that very few have even made it to the titular city yet, so we will have more information regarding how these companions will interact with the player when we finally end up at the famed gate.

Full list of Baldur’s Gate 3 companions and how to recruit them

Below is a list containing every companion in Baldur’s Gate 3, where to find them and how to recruit them to your party.

Astarion

Fan favourite Astarion is in some dire straits calling for help just west of the crashed Nautiloid in the starting area.

After quite the uncomfortable conversation, Astarion will attack you - and the key is to hold off on fighting back, but you can kill him right there and then if you fancy it.

Not long into the fight, your tadpoles will connect, ending the fight and prompting a conversation. Realising you are all in the same boat, Astarion will offer to join your party.

Be sure to find him and recruit him before proceeding past the Mountain Pass and starting Act 2, as you won’t be able to find him after the fact.

• Class – Rogue
• Species – High Elf
• Background – Charlatan

Shadowheart

High half-elf Shadowheart can first be found trapped in an Illithid pod aboard the Nautiloid having undergone the same traumatic tadpole onboarding. To recruit her, you have to rescue her by finding the rune in the room beyond to the west.

Rescuing her will massively aid your status with her and she will frequently reference the fact that you did - so it is highly advisable to do so.

If you don’t, you will find her washed up on the same beach you wake up on and she can join you here. If not, she will head to Druid Grove.

• Class – Cleric (Trickery Domain)
• Species – High Half-Elf
• Background – Acolyte

Check out our full guide on how to get the most out of Shadowheart.

Lae’zel

The ill-tempered githyanki, Lae’zel will immediately be in your party during the prologue on the Nautiloid ship leading you towards the control bridge.

After crashing, Lae’zel is nowhere to be seen, but you can find her again to the north of the Roadside Cliffs hoisted up in a cage after being captured by a pair of tiefling hunters.

How you deal with the tieflings is up to you, but once they are gone or dead, you can shoot the cage to bring Lae’zel down and she will join your party if you want her to.

• Class – Fighter
• Species – Githyanki
• Background – Soldier

Gale

Gale is an affable and powerful wizard who can also be found very close to the starting area.

On the Roadside Cliffs, you will be at a waypoint that is emanating a deep purple magic, and approaching it will trigger a dialogue with Gale who is trapped between two waypoints.

Pulling him out and having your tadpoles connect will prompt him to want to join your party, but he is a bit closed off regarding a condition of his which is revealed to the player later on.

You can leave him - or even chop off his arm - but we’re not entirely sure where he ends up after this given the scope of the game.

• Class – Wizard
• Species – Human
• Background – Sage

Wyll

Warlock Wyll is a great jack-of-all-trades to have in the party that can adapt to many combat scenarios.

To find Wyll, you need to head to the entrance of Druid Grove where a fight between the defenders and globin raiders ensues.

After the fight – provided they are not killed – you can find Wyll within the Grove teaching some young whipper-snappers how to use a sword to defend themselves on the road to Baldur’s Gate.

You just need to talk with him and this alone is enough to prompt him to join the party should you so desire.

Wyll is very straight-edged, and if you do anything he disapproves of - such as siding with the goblins who want to raid Druid Grove - he will leave your party.

• Class – Warlock (Fiend Patron)
• Species – Human
• Background – Folk Hero

Karlach

Profanity-enjoyer Karlach Demonsbane is an excellent addition to your party and can even outclass Lae’zel when it comes to soaking up damage and dealing out the hit points.

Karlach can be found near the tollhouse at the end of the Risen Road. If you go directly south and below and cross the river, you will find her raging and on fire.

To get her to join, you need to help her deal with her pursuers. Be warned, however, that there can be a confrontation between Wyll and Karlach - and it’s up to you to defuse the situation.

• Class – Barbarian
• Species – Zariel Tiefling
• Background – Outlander

Our Karlach guide will ensure she doesn't explode and she can hug (and destroy) people again.

Halsin

Halsin has become quite notorious for being the druid who featured very prominently as quite the raunchy bear in the lead-up to the release of Baldurs Gate 3.

To find them, you must undertake the quest to find him to return him to the Grove. This takes you to the Goblin Camp and you can find him in his bear form being kept in the Worg pens in the interior of the Shattered Santcum.

When you’ve freed him, he will request that you kill the three goblin leaders. On doing so, he will return to Druid Grove.

Return to the Grove and speak with him and he will join your party.

• Class – Druid
• Species – Wood Elf
• Background – None

Minthara

The baddest of them all – Minthara is one of the goblin bosses found at the Goblin Camp, and the one who tasks you with raiding Druid Grove.

To get her to join your party, you have to agree to the raid and kill the inhabitants of the Grove.

Once you’ve done so, there will be a goblin-themed party at your camp and she will agree to join you.

Wyll will leave your party for good if you do any of the above, so Minthara is best suited for evil play throughs.

• Class – Paladin
• Species – Drow
• Background – None

Minsc

Minsc, who appeared in the originals, appears much later in the game here, and a book reveals that he has been – spoilers ahead – turned into a statue in Baldur’s Gate 3, awaiting to be reanimated when danger comes to its walls once again.

• Class – Ranger

• Race – Human

Jaheira

Also returning is Jaheira, a druid who is said to be found at the Last Light Inn. We’re yet to come across her but when we do we’ll let you know all there is to recruiting her to your party.

• Class – Druid
• Race – Elf

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