Gandrel

Gandrel is a human Gur monster-hunter who is southwest of the Riverside Teahouse waypoint in Act One. He arrived in 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 present, Gandrel reveals he is hunting for Astarion, whom 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 permanent removal from the party.

Preventing Astarion from killing Gandrel earns 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 the party speak with Gandrel and choose not to betray Astarion or kill Gandrel, it can be arranged so that Astarion dies; if the party then speak with Gandrel again, there is no option to disclose who Astarion is. If Astarion is revived, and he is in proximity, the option to betray Astarion remains available.

If the player character talks to Gandrel as an Origin Astarion, they can reveal themselves to him; this initiates combat.

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.

If the vampire spawn in Cazador's captivity are freed after this, Gandrel moves to the Lower City Sewers with his children,  Chessa and  Kass. The party can speak to him regarding his children's hunger. Approaching while having any effect that produces sunlight, such as  The Blood of Lathander or  Daylight triggers his children's sunlight hypersensitivity and causes him to become hostile.

Combat

Attacks and actions

 Boar Companion ()

Summon a boar that can sweep through the battlefield and knock enemies off their feet with its  Charge.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Recharge: Short rest

 Brace (Ranged) ()   –  Gandrel's Aspiration

Spend 6 m (20 ft) of your movement. For the rest of your turn, roll ranged damage twice and use the highest result.

 Recharge: Short rest

 Hail of Thorns ( + + )

Damage: 1~10

Normal weapon damage

+ 1d10⁠Piercing

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)

 Hunter's Mark ( + )

Damage: 1~6

1d6⁠Weapon

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

Damage: 5~8

1d4 + 4⁠Piercing

Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m (5 ft)

 Piercing Shot ()   –  Gandrel's Aspiration

Damage: 6~15

1d10 + 5⁠Piercing

Deal regular damage and possibly inflict  Gaping Wounds which cause extra damage on attacks.

Undead and constructs can't receive Gaping Wounds.

 CON Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

 Recharge: Short rest

 Piercing Strike ()   –  Dagger

Damage: 5~8

1d4 + 4⁠Piercing

Stab an enemy and possibly inflict  Gaping Wounds.

Undead and constructs can't receive Gaping Wounds.

 CON Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

 Recharge: Short rest

 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

Damage: 6~15

1d10 + 5⁠Piercing

Make a ranged attack with your equipped weapon.

 Range: 18 m (60 ft)

 Sacred Munitions ()   –  Gandrel's Aspiration

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 which causes constant critical hits. Additionally, several of his ranger spells can apply negative conditions or deal AoE damage.

If a grouped party member attacks him, this results in a "temporarily hostile" cutscene, and Gandrel is given an attack sequence. If an un-grouped summon attacks him, such as Shovel, the cutscene is skipped, allowing the player 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 present, Gandrel focuses 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 (if unused)
• Arrow of Fire - 2x (if unused)
• Gandrel's Aspiration
• Potion of Healing - 2x (if unused)

Related quests

• ⁠Investigate Cazador's Palace
• ⁠The Pale Elf

Speak with Dead

Gandrel's corpse can be communed with using  Speak with Dead.

• Who are you?

  • Gandrel

    Gandrel... hunter...

    • What are you hunting?

      • Gandrel

        Vampire... Astarion...

        • What's your business with Astarion?

          • Gandrel

            Our children... he knows... where they are...

• What brought you to this place?

  • Gandrel

    Wise... woman... questions...

    • Who is this wise woman?

      • Gandrel

        Dread... creature... but not the one... I hunt...

• Do you have anything of value?

  • Gandrel

    Much. Nothing... you can spend...

If talking as Astarion:

• Who sent you? Was it Cazador?

  • Gandrel

    No... Ulma... leader of my tribe...

• What were you going to do to me?

  • Gandrel

    Capture... return... Baldur's Gate...

• Why did you need me alive? Why not destroy me?

  • Gandrel

    Our children... you know... where they are...

Notes

• If Astarion is present when the party meet Gandrel, but has not yet revealed he is a vampire spawn, it is possible to follow a dialogue tree to have Astarion kill Gandrel within a cutscene.
• If the interacting party member admits to knowing Astarion, but refuse to reveal his location, Gandrel remarks - good naturedly - that "Astarion has quite the friend in you."