Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken the industry by storm and is already being considered the gold standard of RPGs. In true Dungeons & Dragons fashion, the game even offers a brilliant team-building mechanic that is sure to make or break every playthrough.
2023’s surprise hit, Baldur’s Gate 3, is a perfect example of team-building done right in a role-playing game. Players will meet several characters during their journey through Faerûn and even have the option of allowing them to tag alone. However, while each companion brings something new to the table, finding the right combination to suit one’s playstyle is essential for success.
Incidentally, recruiting most of these characters relies heavily on the player’s action and dialogue path. Playing as The Dark Urge can also change a few outcomes and affect one’s standing with the other companions. Nevertheless, with ten unique companions to choose from and a maximum party limit of four, here’s a deep dive into the best characters players can team up with in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Five best Baldur’s Gate 3 Companions that players should team up with
A companion’s usefulness depends entirely on individual playstyle, and there cannot be any wrong choices, per se. However, that being said, there are some who offer a lot more than their counterparts and are sure to make the early game more manageable for beginners. Hence, without further ado, here’s a detailed look at our picks for the best Baldur’s Gate 3 companions.
Lae’zel
Lae’zel is a Githyanki warrior and one of the very first characters you meet in the crashed Nautiloid. She initially comes across as arrogant and haughty, with oodles of confidence in her fighting ability and a disdain for other races. She is also prone to speaking her mind, and her relationship with the rest of your party is shaky at best.
Adding Lae’zel to your party is relatively easy since the players immediately get the choice to fight alongside her in the Nautiloid. After the crash, players can travel north from the Roadside Cliffs Waypoint to find her trapped in a hanging cage while being guarded by two Tieflings. From here, the player’s action will dictate the outcome since you can either reason with her captors or choose a more violent route until Lae’zel is free.
As a companion, Lae’zel excels in melee combat and can soak up massive damage all by herself. It is recommended to use her as a tank and a frontline, especially if your main character relies heavily on magic or has a glass cannon build.
Karlach
Karlach is a fiery Tiefling who can be found sitting on a rock at the end of Risen Road in Act One. She immediately comes across as a battle-hardened warrior who has seen the worst that violence can offer and is desperate to find peace. Moreover, when talking to her, the player will learn how Karlach was imprisoned by Zariel and forced to fight in the Blood War against her will.
Recruiting Karlach is easy since players need to talk to her and steer the conversation until she expresses her desire to tag along. Yet, there is a catch, as Karlach will not join your team if you attack the Druid Grove or refuse to settle the dispute at the Grove prior to meeting her. Incidentally, Karlach is also a focal point of Anders and Wyll’s questlines, and while siding with the former requires you to kill the fiery Tiefling, Wyll will remain a faithful companion, no matter what you choose.
When in combat, Karlach is an excellent melee fighter who has incredible strength and prefers a head-on approach. Naturally, such characteristics make her ideal for a tank build, and she is an expert at attracting attention while the rest of the team finishes off the enemy from a distance. Alternatively, she can be used to scout the battlefield and block off attack paths to safeguard her companions.
Gale
Gale is a human wizard who can be encountered immediately after escaping the crashed Nautiloid when the player interacts with a sigil near the Roadside Cliff Waypoint. Although Gale might initially seem quite obnoxious and arrogant, players soon learn about the dangerous artifact in his chest that can destroy him without warning. Moreover, once Gale begins warming up to the other companions, he can prove to be quite goofy and whimsical, which might seem endearing to some.
Recruiting Gale is pretty straightforward since all one needs to do is pull him out of the portal, either through strength or magical prowess. Once on safe ground, Gale will reveal that he, too, was a prisoner of the Mind Flayers and has a parasite in his eye. From here, players will get the option to add him to their group, and Gale will happily agree to tag along.
Being a wizard, Gale acts as a glass cannon and is not suited for frontline combat. However, if you can support him with a proper tank and keep him out of reach, Gale has a massive arsenal of powerful spells and cantrips he can demolish enemies with.
Asterion
Asterion is a high-elf rogue who can be found on the ravaged beach immediately after escaping the crashed Nautiloid. Interestingly, like most elves, Asterion believes his race is superior to most, making him appear arrogant. However, we later learn that he is actually a vampire who is determined to bring his inhuman master to justice.
Players must leave the Nautiloid on the Ravaged Beach and make their way over to the other side of the crashed ship before they find Asterion boasting about how he has captured an Intellect Devourer. However, as soon as the player steps up to take a closer look, Asterion attacks them with a knife and wrestles them to the floor. From here, the player’s choice affects the outcome as one can persuade the high elf to join the group.
As a fighter, Asterion is pretty nimble on his feet and can seamlessly switch between melee and ranged combat. He is instrumental in stealth sections, and sneaking up on an enemy even gives him a damage boost, which can turn the fight in the player’s favor.
Shadowheart
Shadowheart is a cleric and one of the first recruitable characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. Although she gives off a calm, friendly, and caring demeanor, it can soon turn to mistrust if the player chooses to pick up her artifact instead of waking Shadowheart immediately after escaping the crashed Nautiloid. Moreover, she even appears to despise Lae’zel, although the two can co-exist peacefully if the player chooses to recruit both to their team.
When the player first encounters Shadowheart, she is trapped in a Mind Flayer pod in the Nautiloid. After freeing her here, players can find her lying unconscious right outside the crashed ship, and the game soon offers the option to add her as a permanent companion. However, if one fails to free Shadowheart in the Nautiloid, she shows up at the Overgrown Ruins Waypoint and the Druid Grove until you have added her to your party.
Being a cleric, Shadowheart has a plethora of support spells, which can heal or buff her fellow combatants. While these spells often turn out to be the crucial difference between winning or losing an encounter, Shadowheart is also decent at melee combat and can hold her own on a crowded battlefield.
We believe players should make it a point to team up with these companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. Meanwhile, you can click here for more Baldur’s Gate 3 related content.
