Gandrel

Gandrel is a human Gur monster hunter who can be found southwest of the Riverside Teahouse waypoint in Act One. He arrived to the Sunlit Wetlands to ask Auntie Ethel for help with his current hunt.

“

I wish I had half the power settled folk think my people possess. Alas, I am a simple wanderer.

„

— Gandrel

Involvement

Act One

If Astarion is in the party, Gandrel reveals he is hunting for Astarion, who he believes is a vampire spawn that attacked their village and abducted a child. Otherwise, the party can learn this information by passing a DC 15 Persuasion check or DC 20 Intimidation check.

The party can choose to give up Astarion or protect him. Giving up Astarion results in his disapproval and permanently removes him from the party.

Preventing Astarion from killing Gandrel will earn Astarion's disapproval. If spared, Gandrel happily trades with the party, though he offers little besides some Arrows, Torches, Potions of Healing and a Supply Pack.

If talking with Gandrel and choosing not to betray Astarion, it is neccessary to arrange it so Astarion dies, then the party can speak with Gandrel again, and they will not have the option to disclose who Astarion was. If Astarion is revived, and he is in proximity, the party has the option to betray Astarion again.

Act Three

If Gandrel survives Act One, he appears with the Gur caravan in Act Three. If the party turned Astarion over to him in Act One, he is hostile and the rest of the Gur are dead, having been slaughtered by Cazador when the vampire lord reclaimed Astarion for his diabolic ritual. If the party did not turn over Astarion, then he is at the elevator up from Cazador's Dungeon alongside the other Gur once the fight with Cazador has concluded.

After this, if the party choose to free the thralls, he can be found in the Lower City Sewers with his children, Kass and Chessa. The party can speak to him regarding his children's hunger.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Boar Companion ()

Gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and fights alongside you.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Recharge: Short rest

 Hail of Thorns ()

Normal weapon damage +

1d10 (1~10) Piercing

Shoot a volley of thorns. The thorns deal weapon damage to the target and then explode. The explosion deals an additional 1d10Piercing damage to the target and surrounding creatures. On miss, the thorns still explode. On save, targets still take half damage from the explosion.

DEX Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

AoE: 2 m / 7 ft (Radius)

 Hunter's Mark ()

Mark a creature as your quarry to deal an additional 1d6Weapon damage whenever you hit it with a weapon attack.

If the target dies before the spell ends, you can use  Reapply Hunter's Mark to mark a new creature.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Main Hand Attack ()   –  Dagger

Normal weapon damage Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Misty Step ()

Surrounded by silver mist, you teleport to an unoccupied space you can see.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Ranged Attack ()   –  Gandrel's Aspiration

Normal weapon damage Make a ranged attack with your equipped weapon.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Sacred Munitions ()

Infuse your crossbow bolts with holy energy. For the rest of your turn, your ranged weapon attacks inflict  Turned against Undead.

 Range: Self

Recharge: Short rest

Tactics

Despite fighting alone, Gandrel is a capable combatant due to his high Strength, Dexterity, Hit Points, and ability to use  Extra Attack. He can fire the arrows in his inventory to strike multiple party members in a small area, which become more effective at low health due to his  Scar of Fury passive that causes constant Critical Hits. Additionally, several of his ranger spells can apply negative conditions or deal AoE damage.

Beyond killing him through a cutscene, it is best to take Gandrel by surprise. Due to his reliance on ranged attacks, it is possible to position a party member next to him to apply the  Threatened condition to lower his ranged accuracy. If Astarion is in the party, Gandrel will focus his attacks on him. Although Gandrel is a formidable foe,  ensnaring him or knocking him  prone are effective ways to limit his mobility and hold him in melee range. It is also possible to prevent him from using arrows and potions during combat by purchasing them in advance or pickpocketing him.

Notable loot

• Arrow of Acid - 2x
• Arrow of Fire - 2x
• Gandrel's Aspiration
• Potion of Healing - 2x

Speak with Dead

Gandrel can be spoken to with  Speak with Dead.

Party member: Who are you?

• Gandrel: Gandrel... hunter...
  • Party member: What are you hunting?
    • Gandrel: Vampire... Astarion...
      • Party member: What's your business with Astarion?
        • Gandrel: Our children... he knows... where they are...

Party member: What brought you to this place?

• Gandrel: Wise... woman... questions...
  • Party member: Who is this wise woman?
    • Gandrel: Dread... creature... but not the one... I hunt...

Party member: Do you have anything of value?

• Gandrel: Much. Nothing... you can spend...

If talking as Astarion

Party member: Who sent you? Was it Cazador?

• Gandrel: No... Ulma... leader of my tribe...

Party member: What were you going to do to me?

• Gandrel: Capture... return... Baldur's Gate...

Party member: Why did you need me alive? Why not destroy me?

• Gandrel: Our children... you know... where they are...

Related quests

•  Investigate Cazador's Palace
•  The Pale Elf

Notes

• If Astarion is in the party when meeting Gandrel, but has not yet revealed that he is a vampire spawn, it is possible to follow a dialogue tree to have Astarion kill Gandrel within a cutscene.
• If admitting to know Astarion, but refusing to reveal his location, Gandrel remarks, good naturedly, that Astarion has quite the friend in you.

External links

Gandrel on the Forgotten Realms Wiki