Best Baldur’s Gate 3 companions: Astarion, Shadowheart, Lae’zel & more ranked

In Baldur’s Gate 3, you can choose among several different companions that have different skill sets and personalities to accompany you on your journey. So here are the best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you should recruit to make your gameplay more fun.

Baldur’s Gate 3 features a rich and diverse cast of characters that you can create and customize from different races, classes, and subclasses. This gives you almost a hundred hours of gameplay time to enjoy. Besides creating your own character, you can also recruit various companions in Baldur’s Gate 3.

These companions have their own personalities, backstories, and abilities that can affect the story and your relationships with them. However, some companions are better than others in terms of resourcefulness.

Some companions may suit your playstyle better, have more powerful or versatile skills, or have more interesting stories or dialogues. To help you choose the best companions for your party, we have ranked the five best Baldur’s Gate 3 companions.

Baldur’s Gate 3 best companions ranked list

Rank	Companion
1	Shadowheart
2	Astarion
3	Gale
4	Lae’zel
5	Wyll
6	Karlach
7	Minsc
8	Minthara
9	Halsin
10	Jaheira

Best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

Here’s a quick rundown on the top 5 best companions you can have in your party in Baldur’s Gate 3:

5. Wyll

Wyll is a friendly human warlock who has a heroic, noble, and reckless personality. He can be very charming if you romance him, but he can also get on your nerves sometimes.

He owes his charm to a pact he made with a friend to become a famous hero, but he now regrets his decision and wants to redeem himself. The pact also grants him high charisma. You can meet him in the Druid Grove, where he is helping the Tieflings fight against the Goblins.

4. Lae’zel

Lae’zel might not be your typical or first-choice companion in Baldur’s Gate 3 since other companions in your party might not get along with her. However, she’s fierce, loyal, powerful, and excels at melee combat using a variety of weapons and skills.

If you are playing a class like a wizard who needs to keep their distance from enemies, you might want to keep Lae’zel around as a frontline unit.

Lae’zel is the first companion you meet in the introduction, but she goes missing after the shipwreck. You can find her in a cage north of Roadside Cliffs Waypoint, where some Githyanki have captured her for treason.

3. Gale

Gale is a human wizard who shares Astarion’s arrogance, but he also shows a whimsical side that sets him apart. He can use his magic to deal damage, control the battlefield, and support the party in various situations, which makes him one of the best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3.

However, he also carries a dangerous secret: a powerful artifact that can explode at any moment is inside him. In a bleak world where everyone is running from Mind Flayers and seeking revenge, you might enjoy his company and his spells.

You can find Gale with his staff at the beginning of the game in Act 1. He’ll be in front of the Roadside Cliff Waypoint.

2. Astarion

If you’re looking for a charming high-elf rogue with a dark sense of humor and a seductive personality, you might enjoy Astarion’s company. However, he can also be frustrating to deal with, as he hides a secret behind his witty remarks and flirty attitude.

Astarion is actually a vampire who escaped from a cruel master, and he seeks revenge and freedom. As a rogue, he excels at stealth, ranged attacks, and sneak attacks, making him a versatile and deadly companion.

You can find him near the beach of the shipwreck at the beginning of the game. He will ambush you with two daggers, but you can persuade him to join your party.

1. Shadowheart – The best companion in Baldur’s Gate 3

Shadowheart is one of the first companions you encounter in Baldur’s Gate 3. She seems cold and distant because of a secret that she keeps from you which involves the mysterious artifact you carry.

She can heal, buff, and debuff with her spells, as well as fight in melee or ranged combat. Shadowheart also has a complex personality that can make her hard to trust or love.

If you failed to free her from the pod in the Nautiloid ship at the start of the game, you can still recruit her later. She will be near the Overgrown Ruins Waypoint. If you don’t invite her to join you there, she will then show up at Druid Grove.

And with that, we wrap up the five best companions in Baldur’s Gate 3. For more on the game, have a look at our other guides:

How to get Soul Coins in Baldur’s Gate 3 | How to beat the Phase Spider Matriarch in Baldur’s Gate 3 | Baldur’s Gate 3 PC system requirements | Baldur’s Gate 3 Feats list | Can you multiclass in Baldur’s Gate 3? | What is proficiency in Baldur’s Gate 3 | How to get the Owlbear Cub in Baldur’s Gate 3 | How to add fire to weapons in Baldur’s Gate 3