One of the best parts of Dungeons & Dragons is adventuring with a party, and Baldur's Gate 3 manages to capture that perfectly with the numerous companions available for recruitment. With all classes covered, every party can be completely customized to suit any playthrough. While they don't all have deep backstories and quests, there are still some really cool companions to make traveling the Sword Coast tons of fun.
Firstly, there are the 10 Baldur's Gate 3 companions to choose from, which all have intricate backstories and fully fleshed-out personalities. Then, if that wasn't enough, there are 12 hirelings that can be recruited by talking to Withers. While the Origin characters have deservedly been getting a lot of the spotlight of late, there are some really cool non-Origin companions to add to the party.
10 Zenith Feur'sel
It might not make sense to hire another cleric when Shadowheart is the first Origin companion available, but this high elf is well worth the gold. While Shadowheart provides all the healing and buff expected of a cleric, her Trickery domain is actually the worst in Baldur's Gate 3, and that's where Zenith Feur'sel comes in. A cleric of Selûne, Zenith is a Life domain cleric which has the best healing buffs, which get really powerful later in the game. As Shadowheart's quest progresses, there is also the chance she could be killed or even leave, so for 100 gold, Zenith is a great replacement.
9 Maddala Deadeye
Just like Zenith, it might not make immediate sense to hire Maddala Deadeye, who is a rogue, when Astarion is available. However, given Astarion’s particular nature, he isn’t always very approving of lawful good playthroughs, and just like Shadowheart, it is possible for him to be killed during his personal questline. Maddala is a fully customizable rogue who won’t judge harshly for stopping to help every little old lady along the way, making her a useful alternative to the sassy vampire.
8 Ver'yll Wenkiir
Since Minsc isn't recruitable until Act Three of Baldur's Gate 3, there is a distinct lack of ranged martial companions early in the game. Luckily Ver'yll Wenkiir can fill that void and look really cool while doing it. Best of all, Baldur's Gate 3 has managed to fix a lot of the issues that DnD fifth edition rangers have, making them extremely useful party and a fun class to play.
7 Kerz
Unless going through an evil playthrough to recruit Minthara, most parties in Baldur’s Gate 3 will be lacking a paladin companion. This is a shame, as paladins are some of the most powerful fighters in the game and can fulfill multiple party roles at once. Kerz is the paladin hireling available who, as well as looking awesome as an imposing-looking half-orc, is able to be a tank, healer and damage dealer all in one.
6 Jaheira
Returning from previous Baldur’s Gate installments is Jaheira, a half-elf druid with a rich backstory and her own motivations. Jaheira is available to recruit at the end of Act Two, and although the process is a little long, it is well worth it to have High Harper the team. Jaheira is also essential to recruit Minsc without causing bugs, so it is important to keep her alive if planning to recruit him.
Jaheira has a very dry sense of humor and will often comment about the party’s actions. However, she is also a seasoned and pragmatic adventurer with some great tie-ins to the original games. There is also additional dialogue in certain areas if Jaheira is in the party due to her history with the city and the true forces behind the Absolute.
5 Halsin
While Halsin plays a pivotal role in Act One of Baldur's Gate 3 and will the party’s camp after his rescue, he will not be available as a companion until his personal quest in the Shadowlands has been completed. Halsin was not originally conceived as a full companion, but fan response to him was so great that Larian Studios promoted him for the full release, and it’s not hard to see why. As a Circle of the Moon druid, Halsin has access to the coolest and best wild shapes, allowing him to be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
In camp, Halsin is good-natured and a welcome relief from some of the other more intense Origin companions. He is also more than a little flirty and will offer to "share" when it comes to romance. Halsin is great for a good or neutral playthrough, as he not only looks great but is one of the more versatile companions to have.
4 Brinna Brightsong
It’s such a shame that there are no fully voiced bard companions available in Baldur’s Gate 3, as the results could have been hilarious. However, filling that role in some small way is the halfling hireling companion Brinna Brightsong. Brinna has one of the shortest but funniest backstory blurbs of all the hirelings, which describes her demise as the result of a bawdy performance with obvious nods to Critical Role’s Scanlan Shorthalt.
3 Sina'zith
Just like with bards, there are no monk companions other than the githyanki hireling Sina’zith. Sina’zith’s backstory explains that she was already an exile before being captured by the cult of the Absolute. Sina’zith adds a different perspective of githyanki life than Lae’zel, and it’s a shame that more can’t be learned, as the hirelings are little more than blank slates.
2 Minthara
Often seen as the token evil companion, Minthara is more complex than her situation first appears. She can be found in the Shattered Sanctum in Act One and is one of the three leaders of the goblin camp the party is sent to kill. However, if she is sided with and the druids and tiefling refugees are killed, she can be recruited fully later in Act Two.
Once she’s been freed from the control of the Absolute, Minthara really starts to shine and gradually opens up more about herself. While Minthara is by no means a "good" character in of morality, she is far more complex and, as a paladin, is a fantastic addition to the party. Even better, with recent bug fixes relating to Minthara’s dialogue getting locked now fixed in a patch, there is even more to uncover about her.
1 Minsc (& Boo)
A person would have to have a heart made of stone and no sense of humor at all not to love Minsc. A companion from the previous Baldur’s Gate games, Minsc and his furry companion Boo have been the face of the series for years, and being able to adventure with him again is amazingly cool. Minsc is the last companion to be recruited and can be found in Act Three in need of rescue.
Having Minsc in the party is hilarious, as the dim-witted ranger often completely misunderstands situations, resulting in some laugh-out-loud dialogue. Sadly, Boo can’t be spoken to, even using speak with animals, but Minsc is more than happy to translate for his tiny friend. Of all the non-Origin companions, Minsc and Boo are easily the best in Baldur’s Gate 3, adding much-needed joy to an otherwise dark storyline.
