Ultimate Guide: Unveiling the Complete Roster of Characters You Can Recruit in Baldur's Gate 3

Highlights

The Camp in Baldur's Gate 3 serves as a place for players to rest and recover resources, and also allows them to interact with various characters they meet on their adventure.

Withers, a haunting figure resembling a skeletal lich, becomes a permanent NPC in the Camp, lending assistance in reviving allies, character respeccing, and enlisting new companions.

Volo, a renowned scholar and powerful wizard, is welcomed as a permanent addition to the Camp following players' successful rescue of him from the Goblin Camp. He delightfully engages in amusing interactions and shares invaluable knowledge about Faerun's most extraordinary expedition.

The Camp in Baldur's Gate 3 serves as a mechanic inspired by Dungeons & Dragons' Long Rest. After depleting resources in battles, the Long Rest offers players the best means of recovery. This leads to downtime, during which players can socialize or complete small tasks before concluding the day. In Baldur's Gate 3, this downtime is represented by the Camp, where characters reflect on their ongoing adventure.

But the Camp is not solely a place for the current party to rest and socialize. Alongside the Origin characters and potential Companions that players encounter, the Camp also becomes a sanctuary for other individuals they come across during their adventures. So, who exactly are the characters that players can anticipate in their Camp while playing Baldur's Gate?

10 Withers

Players initially encounter Withers in the Dank Crypt while undertaking the "Explore the Ruins" quest during their playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3. This location is situated near the Overgrown Ruins, with the large door near the Waypoint being locked. To progress, players are advised to navigate their way around the area and may meet other Companions along the route. Once they arrive at the Chapel and successfully enter, they will encounter bandits and ultimately reach the aforementioned crypt.

Withers, an entity resembling a skeletal lich, appears and informs the players that his purpose in existence is to accompany them on their journey. Following their initial conversation, Withers becomes a permanent NPC who joins Camp. His primary responsibilities include reviving allies, assisting with character respeccing, and even aiding in the recruitment of new Companions.

9 Volo

Volo, despite his whimsical appearance as a bard, is actually a renowned scholar, sage, and Wizard. He has traveled throughout Faerun, embarking on adventures that have often been documented in guidebooks. Some may recognize him as the same Volo from the D&D book "Volo's Guide to Monsters," where he shares his extensive knowledge on creatures that other authors have yet to explore.

In Baldur's Gate 3, players have the opportunity to encounter Volo in the Emerald Grove. He is diligently trying to document the goblin invasion that has taken place. Unfortunately, he is eventually taken captive by one of the locals and treated as their "pet." Players must undertake a rescue mission to set him free from the Goblin Camp.

Once rescued, Volo decides to stay at the Camp permanently and becomes a delightful NPC with a great sense of humor. Players can regularly engage in conversations with him, discussing their adventures and receiving his unique perspective as an author chronicling the greatest exploits in Faerun to date. Volo's reactions to the players are influenced by their choices, making him an engaging and dynamic character in the game.

8 Alfira

In their Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough, players will come across Alfira, a Tiefling Bard, when they start exploring the Emerald Grove. Alfira is seen sitting by a cliff, struggling to sing a song. However, players encourage her and inspire her to finish the song she has been working on since her mentor's passing. After considering the player's role in her inspiration, Alfira decides to join the Camp as the resident Bard the day after their encounter. Although she is not a playable character in Baldur's Gate, she becomes a permanent member of the Camp in most playthroughs.

Unfortunately, if players choose the Custom Origin of the Dark Urge at the beginning of the game, Alfira's stay in the Camp is short-lived. She meets an unfortunate fate at the hands of the Dark Urge and does not remain with the Camp for long after her arrival.

7 Scratch

In Baldur's Gate 3 gameplay, gamers exploring Act 1 may come across a deceased person alongside a dog. The collar on the dog identifies it as "Scratch," suggesting that the deceased was its owner. By making the appropriate checks, players can invite Scratch to join their Camp, where it will show up the following day.

Although Scratch simply wanders around the Camp, petting him will gain the Approval of all party members. This feature offers players the opportunity to relieve stress from the game's intense storyline, as many gamers seek out ways to interact with and pet dogs in video games.

6 Owlbear Cub

Players who thoroughly enjoyed exploring Act 1 may stumble upon the Owlbear Mother and her Owlbear Cub in a cave near Moonhaven. If players encounter them for the first time, it is advised that they leave the area, enter again, and then leave once more. Eventually, the Owlbear Cub will be spotted being chased by goblins in the Goblin Camp. It is crucial for players to leave at this point, otherwise they may be forced to engage in a battle with the Owlbear Mother and Cub using their versatile weapons or spells.

Once players successfully catch the Cub during the chase and persuade the Goblins to release it, the Owlbear Cub will find its way to the Camp. Acquiring this Companion can prove to be quite challenging due to the specific circumstances surrounding its acquisition.

5 Arabella

Arabella, a young Tiefling, fell victim to Kagha's cruel leadership in the Emerald Grove. The Druids were appalled by her heartless treatment of the refugees. Players have the opportunity to intervene and save Arabella, reuniting her with her family.

If players successfully defend the Emerald Grove from the goblin attack, they may come across Arabella once again in Rethiwin Graveyard. In their Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough, players have the chance to recruit Arabella as a trainee. This will allow her to become an interactive NPC in the Camp.

4 Thaniel

In the gameplay of Baldur's Gate 3, when players venture into the Shadow-Cursed Lands, they will discover that the child named Thaniel has become its cursed spirit. If players inform Halsin about Thaniel's plight, they will devise a plan to restore him.

Once players successfully accomplish this, Thaniel will be healed and will soon join the Camp. Despite his youthful appearance, Thaniel brings both childlike curiosity and insightful perspectives to the players during their conversations. While his dialogue may not be as distinct as that of other NPCs, the presence of an actual spirit adds an intriguing element to the bustling Camp.

3 Isobel

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In Dungeons & Dragons lore, Selune and Shar are in conflict with each other. However, Isobel, who serves Selune, becomes a Camp settler after players remove the Shadowcurse and assist her in freeing her lover. The Shadowcurse arc is a significant portion of Act 2, making the decision to aid Isobel's lover crucial in recruiting her. Since Isobel is Ketheric's daughter, she can provide distinct insights into Selunite culture and lore, creating an intriguing juxtaposition with Shadowheart, the team's devout follower of Shar.

2 Nightsong

Upon reaching Act 2 in Baldur's Gate 3, players encounter Nightsong or Dame Aylin. After liberating her from imprisonment and defeating Ketheric, she becomes a part of the Camp and accompanies the party.

Although not directly recruitable, the presence of this significant character in the narrative emphasizes the significance of the players' mission to the people of Faerun. Additionally, she offers distinct perspectives on the players' ongoing adventure, enhancing the value of her interactions with other characters.

1 Oathbreaker Knight

Paladins in Baldur’s Gate 3 stand out due to their unique Oath, which is a sacred commitment they make to their deity. If a Paladin fails to uphold their Oath, they become an Oathbreaker Paladin and a powerful figure known as the Oathbreaker Knight is summoned to the Camp to supervise the holy knight's redemption.

The Oathbreaker Knight remains in the Camp as long as the Paladin continues to be an Oathbreaker. However, once the Paladin pays the necessary price to reinstate their Oath, the Oathbreaker Knight departs.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently available on PC and is slated for a September 6, 2023 release for PlayStation 5.