Elminster

Elminster Aumar, commonly known as Elminster, is a legendary wizard who appears in Baldur's Gate 3. He is one of the current Chosen of the Goddess ⁠Mystra and plays a key recurring role in the story of  Gale. He is first encountered under the name Weary Traveller.

“

Ho there, wanderer. Stay thy course a moment to indulge an old man.

„

— Elminster, greeting the party

Overview

Elminster is a recurring character in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons, including previous entries in the Baldur's Gate series. The steeple-hatted wizard is of legendary renown across realmspace, having appeared in over twenty novels, four adventures, and each prior instalment in the Baldur's Gate series. He is an old acquaintance of  Volo and occasionally fact-checks his books, including  Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate. Gale describes him as being approximately "thirteen centuries old."

Appearance

Elminster wears a flowing orange-red robe with a matching hat, whose drooped steeple hangs backwards. Luscious silver locks of hair pour outward from the wide brim of his hat and blend into an equally long beard, between which sits a round, wizened face. A brilliant blue sash, decorated with jewels and signets, is draped between his left shoulder and right hip. Completing his finery is a necklace of gold and silver plates with a single blood-red jewel, along with a matching belt. In stark contrast to this opulent getup, he wields a single plain, unenchanted quarterstaff.

Though bearing his normal appearance, the Elminster that appears in the game is not a humanoid, but a construct. When defeated, he melts into a pile of water, strongly implying him to be a ⁠Simulacrum of the real wizard.

Involvement

 Gale must be alive and recruited as a companion (or chosen as Origin) for any encounters with Elminster to trigger.

Act One

For Elminster to appear, Gale must have consumed at least one magic item. Elminster can then be found near the entrance to the Shadow-Cursed Lands from the Rosymorn Monastery Trail or inside the Shadow-Cursed Lands in the Sharran ruins into which the elevator from Grymforge exits.

At camp, Elminster delivers ⁠Mystra's message to Gale, entrusting him with a mission of detonating the Netherese orb within his chest in order to destroy "the Heart of the Absolute" in a suicidal attack. To help ease the task, Elminster also imparts a stabilising enchantment on Gale's orb, negating its need to consume more magical items. He then departs as quickly as he arrived, leaving  Karlach (should she be in the camp) wondering if he was "Gale's grandad".

After enchanting Gale, Elminster disappears from both locations. Although he does not appear in his real body, if killed, Elminster disappears from the game for good.

Act Two

So long as he has not spoken with Gale, Elminster may appear at camp during a long rest after entering the Shadow-Cursed Lands. He can also be encountered on the stone bridge right in front of Moonrise Towers, close to the waypoint. If Elminster never manages to speak with Gale and stabilise his orb, Gale leaves the party permanently any time he is spoken to after defeating the  Apostle of Myrkul or when the party travel to Wyrm's Lookout. If Gale is present during the battle with the Apostle, he leaves immediately afterwards.

Act Three

After Gale reads  The Annals of Karsus in the Sorcerous Vault during ⁠The Wizard of Waterdeep, Elminster appears for a second time, either outside Sorcerous Sundries or in camp. He brings yet another message from Mystra, asking Gale to meet her at her holy shrine in the Stormshore Tabernacle.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

Fighting Elminster is ill-advised. To say nothing of his overlevelled stats relative to the party when he is encountered in Act Two, he also leaves no loot when defeated, and his hostility will permanently lock Gale out of progressing in his personal quest, causing him to permanently leave the party after  Ketheric is defeated. If the party can defeat Elminster in combat, they are awarded a respectable 1000 experience.

 Misty Step ( + )

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

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Otiluke's Freezing Sphere ( + )

Damage: 10~60

10d6⁠Cold

Create a ball of churning ice that can be launched instantly to generate a frosty explosion or stored for later use.

 CON Save

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft

 Polymorph ( + )

Transform a creature into a harmless sheep.

If the sheep's Hit Points drop to 0, the target reverts to its original form with its original Hit Points.

 WIS Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Slow ( + )

Alter time around up to 6 enemies to Slow them. They won't get far, they can't do much, and they're easier to hit.

 WIS Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Sunbeam ( + )

Damage: 6~48

6d8⁠Radiant

A beam of brilliant light sears and  Blinds all creatures in its path.

Until the spell ends, you can recast Sunbeam without expending a spell slot.

 CON Save

Related Quests

• ⁠The Wizard of Waterdeep

Related literature

•  Born to be Wild
•  Elminster by Cherish Holdomen
•  Excavation of the Enclave of Nhalloth
•  Harping By Moonlight: An Approach To Life
•  Letter from Elminster
•  Letter from Elminster (Epilogue)
•  Magical Histories, Volume 3: The Second Sundering
•  Magical Histories, Volume 4: The Chosen of Mystra
•  Missives of Candlekeep
•  Myth Drannan Amphigory
•  Ramazith (book)
•  Songs of the Wind
•  Volo's Complete Guide to the Behaviour of Nymphs
•  Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate
•  Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate (Signed)

Gallery

• 
  Elminster's model
• 
  Character portrait by Edward Vanderghote
• 
  Concept Art by Levinna Angelita

See also

•  Gale
• ⁠Mystra

Notes

• When meeting Elminster, he will greet the party by saying, "Ho there, wanderer. Stay thy course a moment to indulge an old man." This is a reference to the first Baldur's Gate game, where he greets the player character in the exact same way.

See also

• List of references to previous Baldur's Gate games

External links

• ⁠Elminster on the Forgotten Realms Wiki