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While thetabletop gameincarnation ofDungeons and Dragonslikes to give each player only 1 character to control, so they can put all their time and effort into embodying and role-playing them accurately, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you the option to take control of several characters. With the added depth of it being avideo game, this approach delivers a notably different, role-playing experience.
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One character will serve as your primary character, while the others will be companions that will join you on your journey. These companions come in many forms, each armed with their own specific races and classes to take advantage of throughout your playthrough of Baldur’s Gate 3.
What Are Companions?
Companions are theother members of your partythat will aid you in your journey throughout your playthrough. No one character can be a master of all skills unless you’re rolling a Bard-Rogue Multi-class.Each character will have different skillsthey outperform the others in, withsome companions being better suitedfor stealthily navigating a room riddled with traps for them to disarm, while another will tap into their vast knowledge of the arcane to remove magical locks and reveal information to make accomplishing your goals more easily. Having a party of diverse skill sets will allow you to overcome any and all obstacles that lie in your path.
How Do You Get Companions?
Once you start your journey, you will encounterseveral optionsof other characters that you will be able to set as your companions. You may even recognize some of them from the character creation. TheseOrigin characterseach have their own story that starts at the very beginning of the game, and they can also bemade into companions after you start. Conversely, some companions will not be Origin characters, so you will not have the option to have them as your Player Character.
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Who Are The Companions?
There are presently 10 companions to choose from, 6 of which are Origin companions.
Description
Astarion is a vampire spawn. This will lead them to many tough choices that could include feeding on their companions while they are trying to rest.
Gale is a wizard that wishes to be one of the greatest of all time. This time may be short-lived as he has a bomb in his chest that is ticking down to a cataclysmic explosion.
Lae’Zel is a Githyanki, a race that was once enslaved by the Mindflayers. She is one of the earliest companions revealed for the game.
Shadowheart
High Half-Elf
Shadowheart is a disciple of the Goddess Shar. She struggles with her faith and powerful magic she cannot control.
Wyll made a deal with a devil and gained great power in doing so.
Players will encounter Halsin as a prisoner with the option to free him and help him fight against the Goblin encampment in Act 1.
Minsc is one of the returning characters from past Baldur’s Gate games.
Minthara is a ruthless member of the Drow race. She will be me while she is plotting an attack on the Grove of which Halsin is a part of. This gives players choices to make between who will be an enemy and who will be an ally.
Jaheira is one of the returning characters from past Baldur’s Gate games.
Karlach is a former prisoner that was forced to fight in the Blood War. Her story is one rich in revenge and bloodshed.
Which Companions Should You Choose?
A well-balanced party is vital. You should not have an entire party focused on melee damage and high health, nor an entire party focused on the opposite. You want to have agood balancethat lets you tackle any situationthe game may throw at you. This comes down to party composition and what skills each one can cover whenever you need it.
For example, Astarion is aRogue, which will help themcover a lot of skillsand makes the spread more manageable.Clerics,Druids, andPaladinsall providehealingoptions andsupportfor the party, but Paladinscast their magic from Charisma rather than Wisdom. This means a Paladincan handle being the “face"of the group and do all the talking. Another great party option would be theWarlock, who also caststheir spells with Charisma. And finally, both the Clericand Druid,who make Wisdomtheir primary stat, will havehigher perception checksthat canreveal itemsandobjectsyou may otherwise overlook, providing new ways to approach a problem.
