All Baldur’s Gate 3 companions & tier list, from Astarion to Shadowheart

❘ Updated: 2024-06-10T17:09:03

Larian Studios

Companions are a big part of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s experience, changing up a playthrough with additional dialogue options, getting you into new situations, and even offering up opportunities to strike up a romance. That makes it important to carefully pick who you take with you out into Faerûn.

The game’s companions all have very different personalities, specialties, and classes, so knowing which of them are the ‘best’ to choose is something you may want to consider when deciding.

How many companions are there?

Baldur’s Gate 3 has 10 different companions dotted throughout the map, which you’ll find listed below in alphabetical order:

Companion	Origin Character?
Astarion	Y
Gale	Y
Halsin	N
Jaheira	N
Karlach	Y
Lae’zel	Y
Minthara	N
Minsc	N
Shadowheart	Y
Wyll	Y

Some of these companions are also Origin characters – shown in the column above – meaning you can play as them in-game yourself instead of having them follow you around if you so choose.

Companion tier list for BG3

Tier	Companion
S	Shadowheart, Astarion, Karlach
A	Gale, Wyll, Lae’zel
B	Halsin, Minsc
F	Minthara, Jaheira

S = The best companions to play with. They’re versatile, strong, and work for most combats or conversations.
A = These companions are great to have in your team. They may not be the strongest but they’re efficient and effective.
B = While not the best companion in the game, they can help in a pinch depending on your playstyle.
F = They’re not particularly effective and can make the game relatively tricky.

Before considering where characters are placed in the list above, it’s worth approaching your first playthrough with the companion you think you’ll enjoy having around the most.

If you’re choosing an Origin character as your own character, for example, you’ll want to consider how other companions slot in with your chosen character.

That being said, these lists can make battles a little easier if you select some of the companions placed within the higher tiers.

S-Tier

A screenshot of the game Baldur's Gate 3

Shadowheart

Clerics are a great class on their own, but combined with the easy-going nature and constant need to speak her mind, Shadowheart pushes that class to new heights. She’s a fantastic fighter and healer in combat, allowing her to slot into your party no matter the composition.

On top of this, Shadowheart is pretty easy to get along with and find, meaning players can quickly romance, or just be great friends with her, depending on what they prefer.

Class: Cleric
Background: Acolyte
Race: High Half-Elf
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 16, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 16, Charisma 10
Pros: Proficient in healing and stealth
Cons: Her devotion To Shar might make interactions with her tense

Astarion

It’s hard to resist Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, whether that’s the vampiric charm or the pure charisma he holds. Either way, he’s funny, extremely flirtatious, and the right amount of trouble to get any D&D player interested.

As for combat, there’s nothing quite as useful as having a Rogue by your side. Setting those sneak attacks can be deadly and the proficiency in stealth enables you to sneak wherever and whenever you need, ideal for any situation.

Class: Rogue
Background: Charlatan
Race: High Elf
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 8, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 6, Charisma 8
Pros: Best for lockpicking and pickpocketing, Versatile in combat
Cons: Hard to please, disapproves of the good choices you make

Karlach

Karlach is ideal for a party if they are lacking in a tank or proficient fighter, she’s got tons of health, some huge damage with her attacks, and the ability to hit multiple times.

Sure, she may not have tons of versatility but every party needs a tank and she is it. If you’re lacking in damage or someone to soak the hits, Karlach is the Tiefling for the job.

Class: Barbarian
Background: Outlander
Race: Zariel Tiefling
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 17, Dexterity 13, Constitution 15, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10
Pros: Proficient in combat with a melee build
Cons: Difficult personal quest

A-Tier

Gale

Upon meeting Gale, it may seem he’s a bit of a clumsy Wizard, but when you fully explore him in combat, it’s clear to see he’s extremely proficient. Ultimately, Gale is versatile, skilled, and although squishy, makes a great combatant if you’re lacking spells in your party.

Sure, always needing to absorb magical items due to his affliction can be pretty annoying, but if you need the magic spot filled, he’s your man.

Class: Wizard
Background: Sage
Race: Human
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 8, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence 16, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Pros: Can gain access to hard-hitting powerful spells
Cons: Needs to consume your magic items to survive

Wyll

While Astarion is certainly charismatic, he’s not got a very high charisma stat. That’s especially so when compared to Wyll. As a Warlock, talking is his main skill, making him perfect for any party where you lack conversational skills. After all, fighting is great, but being able to talk your way out of it is perfect in some cases.

As for combat, he may not have the most spells, but he’s a proficient fighter and can be pretty useful, even if you just use Eldritch Blast every time. It’s not labeled one of the best D&D spells for nothing.

Class: Warlock
Background: Folk Hero
Race: Human
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 10, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 16
Pros: Engaging personal quest, versatile in long-range and close-range combat
Cons: Hard to handle as a Warlock Fiend class, falls behind in combat as the game progresses

Lae’zel

Initially, Lae’zel may seem like the perfect companion. She’s a fantastic Fighter with multiple attacks as she levels and will also give you a good standing among the other Githyanki. On top of this, she’s simple to control, and you don’t need to do any fancy quests to get hold of her.

However, she’s just plain miserable. Her race can prove to be an issue in some conversations and chatting to her can often feel like a task instead of a blessing. Sure, some may love her, but there are much kinder options out there.

Class: Fighter
Background: Soldier
Race: Githyanki
Origin Charcter: Yes
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 16, Dexterity 14, Constitution 16, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 10
Pros: Can use multiple attacks per turn, deals massive melee damage
Cons: Likely to start conflicts, dislikes Shadowheart

B-Tier

Halsin

Halsin is pretty fun to fight with and is extremely versatile, bringing powerful spells, useful wild shapes, and a great personality.

The only issue, there are just better options out there. Druids are the jack-of-all-trades but master of none in Baldur’s Gate 3. They heal but not particularly well outside of Cure Wounds. They have powerful spells but not tons, and can melee fight with Wildshape but fail to deal that insane damage we see from other classes. He’s great, but others are greater.

Class: Druid
Background: Unknown
Race: Wood Elf
Origin Character: No
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 17, Charisma 12
Pros: Wild Shape allows him to transform into a bear, wolf, and other creatures
Cons: Hard to recruit, doesn’t deal enough damage or provide sufficient healing

Minsc

Minsc is tons of fun to have in your party. He’s funny, and powerful, and will certainly create a void many other companions fail to fill.

However, there’s a reason the Ranger is one of the worst classes in both Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur’s Gate 3. Minsc lacks in anything particularly great. Sure, they can complement some playstyles, with the ability to deal with ranged and melee attacks, but for damage, there are much better companions, and for healers, you’ve got Shadowheart.

Class: Ranger
Background: Folk Hero
Race: Human
Origin Character: No
Romanceable: No
Best ability score spread: Strength 10, Dexterity 16, Constitution 16, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 14, Charisma 10
Pros: Unique dialogue options when paired with Jaheira
Cons: Late game joining makes him hard to get used to

F-Tier

Minthara

Minthara is stuck in the F-Tier for two reasons. The first is her fighting. As a Paladin she has some great melee and ranged attacks, but in the same way as Halsin, she fails to truly excel in anything specific. If you’re looking for a healer, then Shadowheart is your companion. If it’s a fighter you’re after, look at Lae’zel, not Minthara.

The second reason is the fact that most players will likely not even get hold of her. Recruiting her means you’ll have to go against the Druid Grove and could result in losing certain other companions, so many opt to kill her.

Class: Paladin
Background: Noble
Race: Drow
Origin Character: No
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 16, Dexterity 10, Constitution 14, Intelligence 8, Wisdom 10, Charisma 16
Pros: Interesting character interactions
Cons: Hard to recruit, and recruiting her will make you lose several other companions

Jaheira

Jaheria may be a veteran from previous Baldur’s Gate games, but that doesn’t mean she’s powerful to match.

In a similar vein to Minsc, Jaheira feels like the worst of her two classes. Being multiclassed, it’s easy to assume she’s versatile, but her Druid powers don’t match Halsin, and her fighter powers feel incredibly weak. You’ll likely spend more time stopping her from dying than watching her take down the enemies.

Class: Druid
Background: Soldier
Race: High Half-Elf
Origin Character: No
Romanceable: Yes
Best ability score spread: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 16, Intelligence 10, Wisdom 16, Charisma 8
Pros: Can lead to interesting interactions when paired with Minsc
Cons: A focus on damage using dual-wielding swords creates a weird combination for Druids

How to find Baldur’s Gate 3’s best companion, Shadowheart

Shadowheart can be recruited right from the prologue, so you’ll want to find her on the Nautiloid to speed this process along:

While onboard the Nautiloid, you’ll come across a chamber with a bright red pod to the left as you make your way to the helm of the ship towards the end of the prologue. Shadowheart is stuck in this very pod.

Screenshot of Shadowheart in a Nautiloid pod

After speaking with her, go into the room that is to the pod’s left. You will find a body, a console, and another pod inside the room. All you have to do is search the corpse to find the Eldritch Rune.
Once you’ve picked up the rune, go back to the other room to use the console and set Shadowheart free.
Now all you have to do is pass the Illithid/Wisdom check which will set her free and she’ll then join your party.

Shadowheart’s healing and support abilities are crucial components to keeping you alive throughout the game, making her a no-brainer choice when deciding who’s best as a companion.

Now that you know which of the companions are best for your party in BG3, check out our tier list of all the classes, how to respec your character, or the best multiclassing builds if you wish to explore different options.