Check the companion row and act window.
Avoid: Assume every companion is available all game.Baldur's Gate 3 · Guides
Baldur's Gate 3 companions: recruit timing, approval and route risk
Use this page before major route choices that can change companion access, approval or story outcomes.
Primary sections
Start with your problem
Companion problems usually come from delaying recruitment, ignoring approval or entering lock points without the right companion context.
The companion table separates early origin companions, later recruits and approval risks so you can plan a party without breaking story routes.
Pause before major choices and check values.
Avoid: Spam charm/friends effects on companions.Use Withers/hirelings or respec if story route is stable.
Avoid: Sacrifice story goals for one missing class.Problem solver
Diagnose companion risk
Use this when a party member is missing, angry or route-sensitive.
Companion is missing
Recruit window or route condition may be missed.
Check the companion row and act window.
Do not: Assume every companion is available all game. Review companionsFacts.Companion disapproves often
Approval route conflict.
Pause before major choices and check values.
Do not: Spam charm/friends effects on companions. Use approval source.Need a mechanical role
Story companion may not be required.
Use Withers/hirelings or respec if story route is stable.
Do not: Sacrifice story goals for one missing class. Open builds.Playable tools
Use this while planning your route
These tools turn the guide into a quick decision surface for boss attempts, builds, quests and backups.
Decision tool
Companion route selector
Pick the current player state and use the safest next step.
Choose the current state to get the next action.
Checklist
Companion safety checklist
Complete these checks before committing the route.
Video
Baldur's Gate 3 official Steam trailers and media
Open the official Steam store media section for current trailers, screenshots and publisher-provided video assets.
Open official Steam mediaStructured data
Real entries to check while playing
These tables turn the page into a working reference instead of a text-only article. Exact values should stay tied to the source trail and update date.
Database
Companion route table
| Companion | Default class | Recruit window | Route impact | Missable lock | Risk | Verification | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astarion | Rogue | early Act One near the crashed Nautiloid route | lockpicking, stealth and vampire-spawn personal story | approval and personal quest choices can change outcomes | do not ignore bite/approval story beats if using him long term | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceAstarion companion page |
| Gale | Wizard | early Act One at the Ancient Sigil Circle waypoint | arcane utility and Netherese orb story pressure | orb stabilization and companion quest timing matter | feed/story choices should be planned before long delays | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceGale companion page |
| Karlach | Barbarian | Act One Risen Road area | frontline pressure and infernal engine route | tiefling/grove and infernal iron decisions affect her arc | do not resolve grove or Wyll choices blindly | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceKarlach companion page |
| Lae'zel | Fighter | prologue temporary companion, recruitable in Act One cage route | githyanki creche and Orpheus/Vlaakith route stakes | late-game githyanki choices can trigger departure risks | track creche and Orpheus decisions before final route locks | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceLae'zel companion page |
| Shadowheart | Cleric | early Act One after the nautiloid route | Shar/Nightsong route, support casting, romance and approval stakes | Shadowfell/Nightsong choices are major lock points | bring or account for her before Shadowfell decisions | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceShadowheart companion page |
| Wyll | Warlock | Act One Emerald Grove route | Mizora pact, Ravengard, Karlach and heroic route pressure | grove raid and Karlach decisions can break route expectations | decide hero/goblin route before investing in Wyll story | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceWyll companion page |
| Halsin | Druid | goblin camp / grove resolution route | Act Two curse route and nature-focused companion arc | requires specific rescue and grove-state handling | resolve goblin leaders and grove path intentionally | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceHalsin companion page |
| Minthara | Paladin | goblin/grove or later Moonrise-related route depending patch state | evil/alternate party route and later recruitment planning | route can conflict with tiefling/grove outcomes | decide whether her route is worth the tradeoff before Act One resolves | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceMinthara companion page |
| Jaheira | Druid | Act Two Moonrise / Last Light route | legacy companion and Minsc recruitment gate | survival and Act Two choices affect access | protect her route if planning Minsc in Act Three | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceJaheira companion page |
| Minsc | Ranger | Act Three route, tied to Jaheira | late-game companion and Boo route payoff | requires Jaheira context and Act Three progression | do not expect him as an early-party solution | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceMinsc companion page |
| Hirelings | varied | camp service after Withers access | party role patching without companion story risk | no personal companion story arc | use for mechanical gaps, not companion narrative goals | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceBaldur's Gate 3 companions reference |
| Approval system | all companions | active throughout dialogue, quests and combat | controls reactions, romance thresholds and potential departure | low approval can cause warnings and permanent departure | check approval before choices that attack a companion value | source-backed fact high confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 companions referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval referenceBaldur's Gate 3 approval reference |
Database
Companions decision data
| Player state | Decision | Next action | Risk | Source check | Verification | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldur's Gate 3: I am starting this topic | Use the source-backed quick route first | Open the Companions page, read the quick answer, then use the checklist before deeper references. | Skipping the state check can send the player to the wrong route. | Steam, official site and wiki hub for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: I need a safe next step | Choose the lowest-risk action | Back up saves, record current version, and change one thing at a time. | Risk grows when mod, save or irreversible route changes are mixed. | PCGamingWiki and official support for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: The page has several choices | Pick by current bottleneck | Use the decision selector instead of following a generic best list. | Generic advice fails when the save state is different. | Wiki and source review rows for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: I am using mods or custom files | Separate vanilla and modded assumptions | Check original source, dependencies, version and backup state before launching. | Unsafe mirrors or outdated loaders can break saves. | Mod hub and technical source for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: The game was patched recently | Pause before trusting old guidance | Check official news, Steam news and source dates before updating a row. | Old route facts may be stale after major updates. | Steam news and official site for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: I only need completion help | Group tasks by route type | Batch related goals and avoid spoiler-heavy pages until needed. | Completion runs can break if one-time choices are advanced blindly. | Steam achievements and wiki hub for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Baldur's Gate 3: The source is blocked or unclear | Preserve the old fact and mark recheck | Use browser fallback before deleting or changing old facts. | Automatic fetch failure is not proof that a fact changed. | Scheduled update SOP for companions | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
Database
Companions source-check data
| Check | Evidence to look for | Why it matters | Update trigger | Status | Verification | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official identity | Steam app page, official site, publisher page | Confirms the page is about the real game and current platform scope. | Store page, release date or supported platform changes | active | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Patch status | Steam news, official news or release notes | Prevents stale Mod, save and balance advice. | Patch, DLC, hotfix or major branch update | watch | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Wiki reference | Main wiki root or topic page | Gives vocabulary, system names and route terms without copying walkthroughs. | Wiki page edit after local verifiedAt | active | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Technical reference | PCGamingWiki or official support | Supports save paths, settings, cloud and launch troubleshooting. | Save path, OS support or launcher behavior changes | active | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Mod source | Original mod hub, release page or dependency docs | Keeps mod pages away from mirrors and unsafe downloads. | Loader update, dependency update or unsafe file warning | watch | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| Media source | Steam official media section | Keeps screenshots and trailer links official. | Steam asset or media section changes | active | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
| QA evidence | Build/check output and viewport smoke tests | Prevents rich content from breaking mobile layout or English pages. | Any content-map or dataset generator update | required | editorial guidance medium confidence 2026-05-09 | Baldur's Gate 3 Steam storeBaldur's Gate 3 Steam newsBaldur's Gate 3 official siteBaldur's Gate 3 main wikiBaldur's Gate 3 PCGamingWiki |
Player problem
Companion problems usually come from delaying recruitment, ignoring approval or entering lock points without the right companion context.
The companion table separates early origin companions, later recruits and approval risks so you can plan a party without breaking story routes.
Separate role from story
You can respec combat roles, but companion story routes still have their own conditions.
- Use default class as a hint, not a prison.
- Track route locks before major act transitions.
- Do not solve every party gap by ignoring companion quests.
Watch approval before hard choices
Approval affects reactions, romance and departure risk.
- Companions can warn and leave at low approval.
- Different avatars can hold separate approval in multiplayer.
- Story choices around grove, creche, Shadowfell and pacts deserve saves.
Plan late companions early
Some companions are only practical if earlier characters or routes survive.
- Minsc planning starts with Jaheira.
- Minthara changes route tradeoffs.
- Halsin needs Act One/Two route attention.
Companion planning shortcut
| Goal | Companion focus | Stop sign |
|---|---|---|
| early utility | Astarion, Shadowheart, Gale, Lae'zel, Wyll, Karlach | do not delay all recruitment |
| approval route | track companion values before major choices | do not ignore warnings |
| late recruitment | Jaheira into Minsc, Minthara route | do not expect late companions to fix early party gaps |
Action checklist
Do this in order
- Recruit early companions before optimizing party roles.
- Check approval before major moral or faction decisions.
- Create saves before Shadowfell, grove, creche and Act Two locks.
- Use hirelings for mechanics, not story replacement.
FAQ
Common questions
Can I respec companions?
Yes, but the story treats them as their original character identity.
Why did a companion leave?
Usually approval, faction choices, quest state or a specific late-game route conflict; check the companion and approval rows.
Sources
Source trail
- Baldur's Gate 3 companions reference Page-specific reference
- Baldur's Gate 3 approval reference Page-specific reference
- Baldur's Gate 3 origin reference Page-specific reference
- Astarion companion page Page-specific reference
- Gale companion page Page-specific reference
- Shadowheart companion page Page-specific reference
- Karlach companion page Page-specific reference
- Lae'zel companion page Page-specific reference
- Wyll companion page Page-specific reference