Should you recruit Minthara in BG3? – Everything you lose & gain

In Baldur's Gate 3, you have the opportunity to take or leave companions. There are options to get rid of some of your party permanently, whether it's from a story element or by sacrificing them to get a permanent buff. There is one choice you have to make late in Act 1 that will change which companion you get to take with you: whether to side with the druids and tieflings or help the goblins.

How to recruit Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3

In order to get Minthara in your party, you will have to make some incredibly hard choices. Minthara is a drow paladin that is devoted to Lolth, the Queen of Spiders and the goddess of Cruelty. And in this light, you will have to make some choices and be okay with letting some big story moments go unfulfilled. But first, let's get into Minthara herself. As a companion, she has a unique special ability called Soul Branding (bonus action). The target's movement speed is increase by 1.5m, and their next weapon attack deals an additional 2d4+1 fire damage. Soul Branding ends on landing a successful weapon attack. Here are her stats:

• Related: How to change appearance in Baldur’s Gate 3

• Strength: 17
• Dexterity: 12
• Constitution: 13
• Intelligence: 8
• Wisdom: 10
• Charisma: 15
• Skills (Noble): Athletics, Insight, Intimidation, Medicine, Persuasion, Religion
• Starting Gear: Boots of Striding, Ring Mail Armor, Studded Shield, Xyanyde

Changing Minthara to Oath of Vengence makes her a powerful ally with a, let's say, unique perspective on things. She is also a potential romance partner. So now that we've covered what you get with Minthara, let's talk about everything you lose.

What happens if you recruit Minthara in BG3?

Minthara is a fascinating character to have around. She's fairly evil and is a classic drow sworn to Lolth, but while she can be a great ally, she also comes with a whole lot of downsides. You should know everything you are getting into before diving into a playthrough siding with the goblins in Act 1.

Halsin, the Shadow Curse, and other companions

First and foremost, let's dive into the obvious: if you recruit Minthara, you cannot recruit Halsin. Halsin is a Druid of the Grove, so even if he survives, there is no chance he is coming with you. This means you also cannot save the Shadow-Cursed Lands, as Halsin is the only one who can find Thaniel's body in the Darkness. While this won't stop you from completing Act 2, it will limit your choices as you continue through the game.

Related: How to get the Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength in BG3

Depending on how you go about dealing with the goblins and druids in Act 1, you can keep some of the companions in your party. Ignoring the conflict all together and waiting until Act 2 to interact with Minthara allows you to keep all the companions if you have a good rapport with them. However, if you decide to support the goblins and their war against the druids, you will lose the following companions: Wyll, Karlach, and possibly Gale.

If you have a good enough relationship with any of these characters, you might be able to keep them in your party. However, most players haven't built up enough rapport to keep them around at this point in the game. Either way, there will be a whole lot of bad feelings, and Gale will have to be convinced to stick around with you now that you are a mass murderer of kindly druids and refugee tieflings.

The loss of Dammon and the tieflings

Speaking of Tieflings, you will no longer be able to complete Karlach's personal quest. Since the tiefling that can fix her is Dammon (one of the many tieflings in the Druid's Grove), Karlach's heart will never be cooled enough for you to touch her. You will also lose a powerful merchant in Act 2 and Act 3 that can sell or make some rather potent armor with infernal iron.

If you manage to get to the goblin camp without interacting with the tieflings or the Druid's Grove at all, the only one to survive the massacre is Arabella, but the rest will die. This includes Rolan, who can be helped in Act 2 and can be an ally against the Netherbrain in Act 3. And this doesn't include everything else you can get from the tieflings in the future, including:

• Mol will be dead, cutting off her side quest.
• Mattis' wares are no longer available.
• If you interact with her at the Grove, you can get Alfira's permanent buff, but you won't get the warlock armor in Act 3.

Should you recruit Minthara in Baldur's Gate 3?

The short answer here is no, you shouldn't recruit Minthara, at least for a first playthrough. Minthara is a great companion for an evil playthrough of BG3, and I would highly suggest getting her at least once. She isn't recruitable until you find her at Moonrise Towers in Act 2, making her a fairly late-game addition. But still, Minthara manages to add a unique dynamic to any party. In order to get a complete view of all angles of the story of BG3, you should definitely recruit her at some point, but not the first time around.

For more Baldur's Gate 3, check out Baldur’s Gate 3 Finesse Weapons Guide on Pro Game Guides.