The first time I played Baldur’s Gate 3, I assumed the story would hand me every companion on its own. I was wrong.
I missed Karlach on my first run, didn’t realize Halsin needed two acts of setup, and almost lost Minsc because I never protected Jaheira.
That gap is exactly why so many players search for BG3 all companions before they start a playthrough.
The game hides recruitment windows inside ordinary side content, and once a window closes, it rarely reopens. This guide lays out every companion, where each one waits, and which choices quietly lock them out for good.
How Many Companions are in Baldur’s Gate 3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has 10 major recruitable companions. Six are Origin characters that you can recruit early or even choose as your starting character, while four more join later through the main story.
Companion counts vary across websites, and that inconsistency trips up a lot of players. Some sites list hirelings, temporary followers, or custom multiplayer characters alongside the main roster.
Those are useful party members, but they are not considered the game’s main companions.
You can also only bring three companions into your active party at once, so even players chasing the full roster end up rotating people through camp constantly.
Every companion brings unique dialogue, approval reactions, companion quests, and romance opportunities.
That makes recruitment more than simply filling party slots. Missing one can mean missing dozens of hours of conversations and story.
All BG3 Companions
If you’re still deciding whether the game is worth the time investment, our Baldur’s Gate 3 review covers that case in full. Here’s who you’ll actually meet once you’re in.
1. Shadowheart
Class: Cleric (Trickery Domain) | Race: High Half-Elf | Background: Acolyte
Shadowheart serves the shadow goddess Shar, which layers illusion and manipulation abilities on top of standard Cleric healing.
She’s guarded and secretive early on, warming up slowly, and she rewards players who lean into cunning and deception over blunt honesty.
Where to find her: She’s trapped in a stasis pod aboard the Nautiloid, right after your first fight with the Imps. Grabbing the console rune from a nearby room and unlocking the connected chest frees her.
How she joins: If you don’t free her on the ship, she turns up unconscious on the beach after the crash, or later near the Dank Crypt entrance.
Either way, she’s one of the easiest companions to lock in early; just don’t skip the beach area entirely.
2. Astarion
Class: Rogue | Race: High Elf | Background: Charlatan
Astarion is sharp-tongued, self-serving, and hiding a secret that becomes obvious fast once you notice the pale skin and neck scars.
He values pragmatism and self-interest, and his high Dexterity makes him a natural scout and lockpicker.
Where to find him: West of the Nautiloid crash site, calling out for help.
How he joins: A short, tense conversation is all it takes; agree to help him, and he’s in.
3. Gale Dekarios
Class: Wizard | Race: Human | Background: Sage
Gale is warm, curious, and a little too fond of magical theory. He carries a dangerous secret involving a Netherese orb lodged in his chest, and he leans toward diplomacy over violence whenever possible.
Where to find him: Stuck inside the unstable portal at the Roadside Cliffs waypoint, north of the crash site.
How he joins: Interact with the portal and pass the associated checks to pull him out.
4. Lae’zel
Class: Fighter | Race: Githyanki | Background: Soldier
Lae’zel is blunt, combative, and deeply loyal to Githyanki ideals. She respects strength and directness, and has little patience for hesitation or excessive sympathy.
Where to find her: You actually meet her first aboard the Nautiloid. After the crash separates you, she turns up again caged near the Roadside Cliffs, held by Tiefling hunters.
How she joins: Free her from the cage, and she’ll join immediately.
5. Wyll Ravengard
Class: Warlock (Fiend Patron) | Race: Human | Background: Folk Hero
Known as the Blade of Frontiers, Wyll is idealistic to a fault, a hero who insists on doing things the “right” way, which can put him at odds with darker playthrough choices.
Where to find him: At the entrance to the Emerald Grove, fighting off a goblin raid.
How he joins: Talk to him inside the Grove afterward, where he’s teaching local kids to spar.
Missable warning: Siding with the goblins at the Goblin Camp will cause him to leave permanently.
6. Karlach
Class: Barbarian | Race: Zariel Tiefling | Background: Outlander
Karlach escaped literal Hell and has zero interest in going back. Despite the demonic look, she’s warm-hearted and fiercely loyal; just don’t get on her bad side in a fight.
Where to find her: Near the end of the Risen Road, east of the tollhouse. Talking to Wyll first narrows down her location.
How she joins: Speak with her directly.
Missable warning: Choosing to raid the Emerald Grove instead of killing the Goblin Leaders will prevent her recruitment.
7. Halsin
Class: Druid | Race: Wood Elf | Background: None
The Archdruid of the Emerald Enclave, Halsin is protective of nature to the point of fury when it’s threatened, but otherwise gentle, and famously fond of ducks.
Where to find him: Trapped in bear form in the Worg Pens at the Goblin Camp.
How he joins: Freeing him doesn’t make him playable right away; all three Goblin Leaders must die first. Return to the Grove afterward to invite him.
Missable warning: he won’t become a full party member until you also complete his personal questline in Act 2’s Shadow-Cursed Lands.
8. Minthara
Class: Paladin | Race: Drow | Background: Noble
Minthara serves the Absolute as one of the three Goblin Leaders, making her one of the more morally loaded recruits, recruiting her generally means turning against the Grove.
Where to find her: The Shattered Sanctum, in the library area at the end of the Goblin Camp.
How she joins: Ally with her and help destroy the Emerald Enclave, or in patched versions, knock her unconscious instead of killing her; she can later be found and freed from Moonrise Tower in Act 2.
Missable warning: recruiting her this way permanently locks out Wyll and Halsin, and the exact requirements have shifted across patches, so double-check current mechanics before committing.
Romance and approval mechanics like Minthara’s aren’t unique to BG3 either; our breakdown of romancing Judy in Cyberpunk 2077 walks through a similar approval-driven system if you want the comparison.
9. Jaheira
Class: Druid | Race: Half-Elf | Background: Soldier
A returning face for series veterans, Jaheira is gruff, capable, and no-nonsense, a seasoned fighter who’s seen more wars than most.
Where to find her: Last Light Inn, early in Act 2.
How she joins: She joins after surviving the Inn’s story events.
Missable warning: She must survive key Act 2 story beats to become recruitable; dying or mishandling those events locks her out.
10. Minsc
Class: Ranger | Race: Human | Background: Folk Hero
The last companion to join, Minsc is a boisterous, old-school hero, complete with a space hamster companion, but he arrives so late that many players barely get to use him.
Where to find him: The Counting House in Baldur’s Gate, Act 3, where a fake Jaheira lures him into the sewers.
How he joins: Fight through the sewers using non-lethal attacks and free him.
Missable warning: his entire questline depends on Jaheira surviving into Act 3, if she’s dead or was never recruited, Minsc becomes very difficult or impossible to get.
Which BG3 Companions Can You Miss?
Karlach, Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc can all be lost for good if you make the wrong call at the wrong moment, while the six Origin companions you meet in Act 1 are far harder to miss.
Baldur’s Gate 3 constantly tracks your decisions, and some opportunities disappear once the story moves forward.
I learned this the hard way with Karlach. I assumed I could come back later after clearing nearby quests, only to realize that another decision had already changed how her recruitment played out.
The biggest mistake is treating companion recruitment like a checklist of map markers. In reality, many companions depend on story progression, survival, or earlier choices.
Here’s where players most often run into trouble.
| Companion | Why They Can Be Missed |
|---|---|
| Karlach | Certain story choices involving Wyll and nearby quests can affect recruitment opportunities. |
| Halsin | Failing to complete his Act 1 storyline prevents him from becoming a permanent companion later. |
| Minthara | Recruitment depends on specific story outcomes and has changed across multiple patches. |
| Jaheira | She must survive important story events before joining your party. |
| Minsc | Recruiting him depends on progressing Jaheira’s storyline into Act 3. |
The six Origin companions are fairly forgiving because you meet them early, but later companions are much more dependent on your choices.
Sometimes the game doesn’t tell you that you’ve already closed off a recruitment path until several hours later.
Another thing worth remembering is that patches have changed recruitment rules over time. Minthara is the best example.
If you’re planning a completionist run, always check that any recruitment guide matches the latest version.
In my experience, the safest approach is simple. Whenever you meet a new companion, spend a few extra minutes finishing their immediate quest instead of assuming they’ll still be waiting after you’ve finished another region.
Can You Recruit All Companions in One Playthrough?
Not entirely. Minthara’s recruitment path directly locks out Wyll and Halsin, so a single playthrough will always miss at least one of them no matter how carefully you play.
Recent patches have made it possible to recruit more companions in one run than at launch, but success still depends on making the right decisions throughout the campaign.
Keep these points in mind:
- Complete companion quests early: Waiting until much later can permanently lock certain characters out.
- Protect key story characters: Some companions must survive major battles before they can officially join.
- Watch major faction decisions: Several recruitment paths change depending on how you resolve important conflicts.
- Use updated guides: Recruitment requirements, especially for Minthara, have changed through multiple patches.
One misconception I often see is that companions constantly compete with each other and force impossible choices. That does happen occasionally, but it’s far less common than many older guides suggest.
Most recruitment failures happen because players move the story forward too quickly, skip optional conversations, or fail a companion’s prerequisite quest rather than because the game forces them to choose between two party members.
If your goal is collecting every companion, slow down a little. Exploring each area thoroughly usually matters more than optimizing every dialogue choice.
What Classes and Roles Do the BG3 Companions Have?
Every companion arrives with a default class that immediately fills a different role in your party.
Even before thinking about builds or respecialization, the starting lineup gives you a balanced mix of frontline fighters, spellcasters, healers, and support characters.
| Companion | Default Class | Primary Party Role |
|---|---|---|
| Shadowheart | Cleric | Healing and support |
| Astarion | Rogue | Stealth, lockpicking, burst damage |
| Gale | Wizard | Offensive spellcasting and utility |
| Lae’zel | Fighter | Frontline melee damage |
| Wyll | Warlock | Ranged magic damage |
| Karlach | Barbarian | Durable frontline tank |
| Halsin | Druid | Healing, support, and shapeshifting |
| Minthara | Paladin | Melee damage and support |
| Jaheira | Druid | Flexible hybrid caster |
| Minsc | Ranger | Martial combat with ranged versatility |
A single frontline fighter, one spellcaster, one support companion, and one utility pick is enough to carry most encounters on a first playthrough.
If turn-based tactics are what draws you to BG3 in the first place, our ranking of the best turn-based RPGs covers where it stacks up against the rest of the genre.
Recruiting every companion still pays off even if most of them stay back at camp: having every class on hand makes difficult encounters much easier to prepare for.
Conclusion
Getting BG3 all companions comes down to timing: know when each recruitment window opens and which earlier choices quietly close others.
Some companions, like the six you meet in Act 1, are almost impossible to miss.
Others, like Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc, depend on quests, survival, or decisions made hours before you even meet them.
If you want the fullest roster your patch allows, recruit early, finish each companion’s immediate quest before moving to the next act, and avoid rushing major story decisions.
Bookmark this guide before your next session, and check back against it every time a new companion crosses your path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Possible to Have All Companions in BG3?
Not completely. You can recruit far more companions in one playthrough than at launch, but Minthara’s recruitment path permanently locks out Wyll and Halsin, so at least one companion is always missed depending on your choices. Story conditions, survival requirements, and patch-specific recruitment rules all affect the final number you end up with.
How Many Possible Companions Are There in BG3?
Baldur’s Gate 3 has ten major recruitable companions in total: Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Wyll, Karlach, Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc. Six are Origin characters available from Act 1, while Halsin, Minthara, Jaheira, and Minsc join later and depend on specific story progress, survival, or choices made earlier in the campaign.
Which Companions Can You Recruit in Act 1?
The six main Act 1 companions are Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, Lae’zel, Wyll, and Karlach, all recruitable within the first several hours of exploring. Halsin and Minthara also start their recruitment paths in Act 1, though neither becomes a full party member until you complete additional story requirements in Act 2.
Are Hirelings Counted as BG3 Companions?
No. Hirelings are separate NPCs you recruit from Withers at camp for 100 gold each, choosing from twelve options that cover every class in the game. They join your active party but carry far less personal dialogue, no companion quest, and no story involvement compared to the ten major companions.
