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Companions
Companions are playable characters who can join and fight alongside the player character. Each has their own motivations, personalities, and affinity that increase or decrease according to the player's choices. At high approval levels, many companions can be romanced. Conversely, a companion may leave the party or even try to kill the player character if their approval becomes too low.
The default class of companions can be changed. However, for story purposes, the game acts as if they still have their original class.
Origin companions
Origin companions are playable characters with rich backgrounds and ties to the world and the events of the game. The origin companions can be recruited shortly after completing the Prologue. Each Origin can also be selected as a player character as an alternative to making a custom character.
Non-origin companions
Non-Origin companions may be recruited at various points later in the game, and each non-origin companion has specific recruitment scenarios that must be followed.
Temporary companions
There are also temporary companions during your adventure. These characters can be recruited party members during quests or through world interactions.
Unlike camp followers, temporary companions are able to join the player’s party and some can become a temporary playable character.
Temporary companions in Act one
Temporary companions in Act Two
Temporary companions in Act Three
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Hirelings
There are 12 hirelings available to recruit after level 3 – one for each class. Each has their own name, visuals, and race, and their abilities can be re-specced at any time.
Recruitment locations
Origin companions
- Astarion: Standing on the trail west of the crashed Nautiloid on the Ravaged Beach.
- Gale: Interacting with an Ancient Rune Circle just east of the Nautiloid.
- Lae'zel: You'll first encounter her during the Prologue. Afterwards, she can be found trapped by tieflings, south of the Emerald Grove. If she is not freed, or if she does not join you, Lae'zel can later be found confronting the Githyanki patrol as part of the Find the Githyanki Crèche quest. If you still do not recruit her, she can later be found, dead, in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Her corpse is too damaged to be spoken to, but as a playable character she can be resurrected using Revivify or its scroll version.
- Shadowheart: She'll join you if you free her during the Prologue, and will later be unconscious close to the place your player landed. If not freed from the Nautiloid, she'll be at the entrance of the Dank Crypt nearby. If not recruited on the Nautiloid or the Dank Crypt, she'll be found inside the Secluded Grove. If ignored again, you'll encounter her either at the Goblin Camp or at the Mountain Pass.
- Wyll: Inside the Secluded Grove, training young tieflings. If Karlach joins the party before him he can appear at camp trying to attack Karlach, the player can choose side or calm him down and he joins the party.
- Karlach: North of the Owlbear Nest, south of the Tollhouse. Follow a trail of blood towards the river. If you have recruited Wyll, his companion quest will lead you to her.
Standard companions
- Halsin: Held prisoner in the Goblin Camp. He will join you if he is freed and you did not attack the Grove. He will become a full companion during Lift the Shadow Curse.
- Minsc: Found in the Counting House. He will become available as a companion when found in the Lower City Sewers.
- Minthara: One of the three leaders of the Goblin Camp. She can be recruited at Moonrise Towers so long as she is not killed, and is not made hostile at the Goblin Camp. This includes either attacking the Grove, or ignoring the Grove entirely. Since patch #5 Minthara can also be recruited by knocking her out temporarily. After the other goblin leaders are killed, she will show up at Moonrise Towers ready to be recruited.
- Jaheira: Found at the Last Light Inn. She will become available as a possible companion during the assault on Moonrise Towers, so long as she is alive and not hostile.
Temporary companions
- Glut: In the Myconid Colony, Glut can be temporarily recruited during the quest Defeat the Duergar Intruders. He will remain in the player's party for as long as they remain in the Underdark, and as long as his quest isn't completed.
- Sazza: Held prisoner in the Druid Grove. If the player helps her, she'll join the party while escaping.
- Us: aboard the Nautiloid, take the elevator right after leaving the starting room. Will only join you for the Prologue, and potentially as a summonable at the end of Act 2.
- Losiir: Replaces Lae'zel on the Nautiloid if you're already playing as her as your Origin. Otherwise unencounterable.