Companions in Baldur's Gate 3 are playable characters who join your party, each possessing unique motivations, distinct personalities, and individual approval ratings. Your choices throughout the game directly influence these approval levels, which in turn determine whether a companion remains loyal, becomes hostile, or enters a romantic relationship with your character.
| Companion Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Origin | Playable characters with deep ties to the main story. |
| Non-Origin | Recruited at specific points throughout the game. |
| Temporary | Join for specific quests or world interactions. |
| Hirelings | Generic recruits available after level 3. |
Understanding Origin Companions
Origin companions are the core cast of Baldur's Gate 3. These characters can be recruited shortly after the game's prologue. Importantly, you have the option to select any of these characters as your own main character at the start of a new game, providing a unique perspective on the narrative.
The origin characters include:
- Astarion: A High Elf Rogue.
- Gale: A Human Wizard.
- Karlach: A Zariel Tiefling Barbarian.
- Lae'zel: A Githyanki Fighter.
- Shadowheart: A High Half-Elf Cleric of Shar.
- Wyll: A Human Warlock.
While the game allows you to change the default class of any companion to suit your party composition needs, the narrative treats them as if they retain their original class, ensuring their story beats remain consistent. For more on character optimization, you can explore /builds/baldurs-gate-3-best-builds.
Non-Origin Companions
Unlike origin characters, non-origin companions are recruited at various milestones during your adventure. Their recruitment often depends on specific quest outcomes or player choices. These characters include:
- Halsin: A Wood Elf Druid (Circle of the Moon).
- Jaheira: A High Half-Elf Druid (Circle of the Land).
- Minsc: A Human Ranger (Hunter).
- Minthara: A Lolth-Sworn Drow Paladin (Oath of Vengeance).
Each of these individuals brings a different perspective to your party, and their recruitment is often tied to significant /quests/baldurs-gate-3-quests within the game world.
Temporary Companions and Followers
Temporary companions serve as party members for specific intervals, such as during designated quests or due to world interactions. A notable example is Alfira, an Asmodeus Tiefling Bard. According to current player reports and game notes, Alfira can be recruited as a temporary companion if you are playing as the Dark Urge origin and have an available slot in your active party. Note that her functionality as a playable character is limited compared to permanent companions.
Additionally, the game features "Attached Followers." These are entities that follow the party but do not occupy standard companion slots. Examples include:
- Us: An Intellect Devourer.
- Scratch: A loyal dog.
- Boo: Minsc's Miniature Giant Space Hamster.
- Omeluum: A Mind Flayer trader.
In the final stages of the game, players may also have access to powerful allies like the Armoured Owlbear, Aylin, and even the Emperor, depending on the path taken.
Hirelings: Customizing Your Roster
If you require more tactical flexibility, you can recruit hirelings after reaching level 3. There are 12 hirelings available, representing each class in the game. Each hireling has a fixed race and visual appearance, but you have full control over their abilities and classes, allowing you to re-spec them at any time.
The available hirelings are:
- Brinna Brightsong: Lightfoot Halfling Bard.
- Danton: Mephistopheles Tiefling Druid.
- Eldra Luthrinn: Gold Dwarf Barbarian.
- Sir Fuzzalump: Rock Gnome Wizard.
- Jacelyn: High Half-Elf Sorcerer.
- Kerz: Half-Orc Paladin.
- Kree Derryck: Duergar Warlock.
- Maddala Deadeye: Human Rogue.
- Sina'zith: Githyanki Monk.
- Varanna Sunblossom: Wood Half-Elf Fighter.
- Ver'yll Wenkiir: Seldarine Drow Ranger.
- Zenith Feur'sel: High Elf Cleric of Selûne.
Managing Companion Loyalty and Fate
Companions remain with you through most of your journey. If a companion falls in battle, you can typically revive them using the Revivify spell, scrolls, or by consulting Withers at your camp.
However, certain narrative choices can lead to a companion leaving the party, becoming permanently hostile, or dying in a way that cannot be reversed. Once a companion is permanently dead in a cutscene, they cannot be resurrected. Keeping track of their approval is essential; if their approval drops too low, they may abandon your cause or even turn against you. For general tips on navigating these challenges, see /guide/baldurs-gate-3-walkthrough.
Source-aware planning notes
Companion advice is easiest to use when it is organized around the player choices that the collected pages explicitly cover. Keep a note of the conversation or quest stage you are at, and distinguish a reported approval pattern from a guaranteed outcome. If a page does not verify a threshold or consequence, treat it as unconfirmed and check the official game context before committing to an irreversible choice. Use the article's headings as a worksheet: write down the confirmed premise, the next action, and the point at which you need to verify a newer source. This approach keeps the guide useful for a first pass while making its limits visible. It also prevents a concise community summary from being mistaken for a complete rulebook. When you adapt the advice to a different party, difficulty, platform, or patch, preserve the original wording and add your own observation separately. A careful note is more valuable than a confident detail that the collected evidence cannot support.
If you are keeping a run log, record the source date, the decision you made, and whether the result matched the description. That record gives you a reproducible way to revisit this topic after an update without rewriting an unsupported claim.
For a related route, continue with Baldur's Gate 3 build planner, Baldur's Gate 3 builds.
FAQ
Can I change the class of my companions?
Yes, you can change the default class of any companion. While the game's story will continue to treat them as if they are their original class, you are free to customize their build to better fit your group's needs.
What happens if a companion's approval is too low?
If a companion's approval rating becomes excessively low, they may choose to leave your party permanently. In extreme circumstances, they may even become hostile and attempt to kill your character.
Can I recruit every companion in a single playthrough?
Recruitment is often gated by player choices, such as which factions you support or which quests you complete. Some companions have mutually exclusive recruitment requirements, meaning you may need to make specific decisions to bring certain characters into your fold.
How do I revive a dead companion?
If a companion dies during combat, you can use the Revivify spell or a Revivify scroll to bring them back. For companions who have been dead for a longer period or are otherwise inaccessible, Withers at your camp can often provide assistance in resurrecting them for a gold cost.