The Best Baldur's Gate 3 Companions, Ranked

There is no debate that Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the best games that came out 2023. With the game being considered a raised standard in the industry, there's no denying that its immersive story and fun gameplay is what makes it everyone's favorite. The game's usage of companions is what also makes Baldur's Gate 3 such an immersive experience.

From being able to recruit 10 possible companions on your adventure, the best Baldur's Gate 3 companion are the ones who not only charm you with their personality or backstory, but can also hold their own in the midst of battle. With that in mind, here are the best Baldur's Gate 3 companions ranked from best to worst!

10. Wyll

A jack-of-all-trades type companion, Wyll is a Warlock who has made his name known as a renowned hero in Baldur's Gate. As a warlock, Wyll has naturally high stats in charisma, intelligence, and dexterity, which is great for players who are in need of an all around type to their party.

However, one of the biggest issues with Wyll is that he doesn't stand out enough from the other companions. While his personal quest is an interesting one, it is one that people are familiar with due to pop culture.

Compared to the other companions in Baldur's Gate 3, Wyll is overshadowed by their creative character designs and personality, making him one of the more bland companions in Baldur's Gate 3.

9. Halsin

A Druid Shapeshifter who blew up the internet with his unique romance scene. Halsin instantly blew up as one of the most popular companions in Baldur's Gate 3 due to his unique romance scenes where he shapeshifts in a bear and drops the jaw of every living being who sees what is going on.

As a companion, Halsin is capable in combat as he is able to shapeshift into a variety of animals and creatures that draws the enemies attention away from you. Naturally, he can either be customized to a tank or a support role depending on player's playstyle, but when it comes to Halsin as a character, it seems like he is designed more as a gimmick.

Which of course, makes his addition to your party more cheery and eventful as he is a fun character to just have around for dumb laughs and giggles. While that seems to be great for some players, but for others they want something more than just shock value.

8. Gale

A wizard prodigy who is proficient at all things magical, Gale is a glass cannon type character who is great at casting a variety of spells that reigns havoc on your enemies. However, one of the biggest issues of recruiting Gale is that he needs to consume magical items in order to prevent him from exploding and leveling a whole city.

While this is a difficult task when you recruit him early on in the game, players who get to know Gale will find something deeper than meets the eye. His apparent desire to do good despite constantly seeking personal power is so consistently engaging that it will keep you curious and wanting to know more about this wizard.

In an RPG where a character's usefulness is dependent on personality and skills. Many will find Gale to be useful and one of the better magic wielding companions in the game.

7. Lae'zel

Rude, crude, and ferocious. Lae'zel is a Githyanki Fighter that can be recruited very early on in the game. While she is socially abrasive, Lae'zel is a strong fighter who is extremely versatile in combat. From being able to handle light, medium, and heavy armor and weapons, she is also naturally fast and can travel far in combat making her really useful for players.

Lae'zel is also one of the more complex companions in the game. As mentioned before, her abrasive no-nonsense personality is what makes her an outcast amongst players, but she has a strong sense of duty and a slow growth of character development that makes you question your previous impressions of her.

To have a reliable character that emotionally grows depending on your patience and understanding is what makes Lae'zel one of the best Baldur's Gate 3 companions. While it may take some time for her to 'open up', she is one of those characters where you get rewarded as much as you invest in.

6. Jaheira

A returning character from previous Baldur's Gate games, Jaheria is a Druid Soldier who stands out as a reliable tank and a possible support role depending on player's play style. While she is a bit tricky to recruit in the game, those who managed to recruit her will find her skills to be useful as her ancestry gives her extra stat boosts and abilities to use in combat.

While many players compare her to Halsin when it comes to stats, Jaheria stands out more due to her personality and her legacy in previous games. In role-playing game series such as Dragon Age, The Witcher, and Mass Effect, it is always a joy to see legacy characters appear in future installments.

This is no different for Jaheria, because her presence adds an extra layer of storytelling that is more meaningful for long time fans of the series, making Jaheira one of the most memorable Baldur's Gate 3 companions.

5. Minthara

One of the more trickier companions to recruit in the game, Minthara is a Drow Paladin who is equipped with a wide variety of skills and abilities that allows her to hold her own in battle. She is one of the more stronger recruitable companions in Baldur's Gate 3, however, players are only able to recruit if they fully commit to a evil playthrough.

Considering that doing an evil playthrough would result in other companions abandoning you the first chance they get is a heavy price to pay. However, while many people would see this a detriment, others see this as an opportunity, because at its core Baldur's Gate 3 is a role-playing game that allows you explore hundreds of options and choices however you wish.

So to have a character that forces you to play differently is what makes Minthara such a great character. She is not only strong stats wise, but is also a well written character for those who want to romance her and learn more about her backstory. If you want a companion to help you destroy the world, then Minthara would gladly help light it on fire.

4. Minsc

One of the last recruitable companions in Baldur's Gate 3, Minsc is another legacy character who appeared in previous Baldur's Gate games. His introduction in the game is by far one of the most badass moments and as such, he has a variety of skills and abilities that properly reflects his folk hero background.

As a character he is the purest definition of someone who is joyful and energetic, making every interaction with him really fun and really memorable. The fact he also carries around a cute hamster named Boo, only adds to his 'himbo' nature.

When it comes to companions being recruited in the late stages of the game, they have very little time to make a lasting impression, and are often forgetten. However, Minsc wastes no time capturing our hearts with his fun light-hearted personality, earning him and Boo a top spot.

3. Astarion

One of the poster companions of Baldur's Gate 3, Astarion is a Rogue Vampire High Elf who stands as one of the best fighters in the game. Unapologically himself, Astarion leans towards the evil side of the morality spectrum, but is more chaotic and mischievous than anything.

Despite his frustrating nature, Astarion is one of the best written companions in the game and those who choose to romance him and/or learn his backstory will see it firsthand. While most companions take some time to get interesting, players will find Astarion interesting right from the gate.

In addition, his scouting ability is by far one of the best in the game, making him one of the best Baldur's Gate 3 companions. Just be sure to keep an eye out when he his thirsting for blood.

2. Karlach

Big, bold, and boisterous, Karlach is a Zariel Tiefling Barbarian who became an instant fan favorite for her fiery personality, dark backstory, and her battle crazed nature. She serves as a perfect tank as her skills allows her to take damage and deal it back to her enemies tenfold. Depending on player's playstyle, she can be an unstoppable force of nature where she kicks ass and take names.

As a character, Karlach is a breath of fresh air compared to other companions on this list. Where others might take some time to open up, players can learn about her straight from the gate and her lines are hilarious, because she finds complete joy in the little pleasures of life such as combat and flirty sexual encounters.

Karlach is arguably one of the best companions in Baldur's Gate 3, because she is everything that players want and expect in a role-playing game that is filled to the brim with fantasy and adventure.

1. Shadowheart

Without a doubt one of the best Baldur's Gate 3 companions, Shadowheart is the first companion players can recruit in the game and her abilities as a Cleric is absolutely invaluable. From being able to heal those around her to casting a variety of damage dealing spells, Shadowheart is a powerful companion who is in it for the long haul.

When it comes to her backstory and role in the game, the time you spend with Shadowheart grows over the course of the game and the overall narrative. While it may be easy to write her off sometimes depending on your playstyle, she is one of those characters in RPG's where she is a staple in the majority of people's playthroughs.

As a companion and possible romance interest, Shadowheart is one of the best companions in Baldur's Gate 3 for being a compelling character who can hold her own in battle. When it comes to picking out who you want on your party, those are the kind of qualities we all look for to have the grandest fantasy adventure we dream of.

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