Can You Get Halsin and Minthara in BG3? A Definitive Guide

Yes, you can get Halsin and Minthara in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), but it requires understanding specific choices and navigating morally complex scenarios. Achieving this coveted (and somewhat controversial) outcome involves a delicate dance of decision-making that skirts the traditional “good” and “evil” paths. It’s not straightforward, and requires a deep dive into BG3’s mechanics. It’s worth remembering that the game has seen significant changes and updates since its initial release, so strategies that worked previously may not work now.

Understanding the Companion Dilemma

Baldur’s Gate 3 presents a plethora of companions, each with unique backstories, motivations, and questlines. Halsin, the charismatic druid, generally aligns with a “good” playthrough, while Minthara, the ruthless drow paladin, embodies a more “evil” aligned path. Traditionally, these characters were mutually exclusive – siding with one meant sacrificing the other.

However, Larian Studios, the developers of BG3, introduced methods to recruit both. This hinges on a specific non-lethal takedown of Minthara. This is a relatively new update, and it remains a sensitive and often buggy part of the game, so temper your expectations.

The Path to Recruitment: A Balancing Act

Here’s a breakdown of the steps needed to potentially recruit both Halsin and Minthara. Be warned: this method isn’t guaranteed to work flawlessly, and might be affected by future patches. Always back up your save!

1. The Goblin Camp: Your primary objective is to confront the Goblin Camp in Act 1. Usually, choosing Halsin involves rescuing him from the Worg pens and then helping the tieflings and druids defend the Emerald Grove. This traditionally locked you out of recruiting Minthara.
2. Minthara’s Recruitment Trigger: To recruit Minthara without slaughtering the Emerald Grove, you must initiate dialogue with her and agree to attack the grove. This is crucial.
3. The Non-Lethal Takedown: Here’s where the tricky part comes in. When fighting Minthara at the Emerald Grove, you need to ensure you knock her unconscious instead of killing her. This is achieved by toggling the “Non-Lethal Attacks” passive on your melee weapons and using melee attacks exclusively. Check the combat log to confirm you applied the “Knocked Out” condition. Ranged attacks and spells often bypass this and kill her outright, preventing her recruitment.
4. Progress Through Act 1 & 2: Continue the game as normal. Rescue Halsin, and complete the necessary quests to progress into Act 2.
5. Moonrise Towers: In Act 2, make your way to Moonrise Towers. If the non-lethal takedown was successful, Minthara should be imprisoned there.
6. Rescue Minthara: Free Minthara from her imprisonment. She will then tentatively join your party.
7. Halsin’s Shadow Curse Questline: Continue to progress Halsin’s questline by lifting the Shadow Curse in Act 2. Ensure his questline progresses successfully without any major setbacks.
8. The Final Act: Successfully complete both Minthara’s and Halsin’s respective quests. Under the right circumstances, they will both stay with you until the very end of the game.

The Caveats and Potential Issues

It’s important to acknowledge that this method has its issues:

• Buggy Implementation: This feature is relatively new and prone to bugs. Minthara might disappear, not show up in Moonrise Towers, or exhibit unusual behavior.
• Moral Implications: Even though you avoid directly slaughtering the Grove, the initial agreement to attack it still has consequences and can impact your relationships with other companions.
• Companion Approval: Some companions, especially those with strong moral compasses (like Karlach or Wyll), will severely disapprove of your actions and might even leave the party.
• Loss of Tieflings: Even if you don’t directly slaughter the grove, choosing to go with Minthara locks you out of recruiting Wyll and Karlach and causes the death of the Tieflings, including Rolan.

Ultimately, deciding whether to pursue this path depends on your desired gameplay experience and your willingness to accept the potential consequences.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions that will further clarify the complexities of recruiting Halsin and Minthara.

1. Is it really possible to get both Halsin and Minthara in the same playthrough?

Yes, but as discussed, it’s a complicated and buggy process that involves knocking Minthara unconscious during the Emerald Grove encounter and then rescuing her later.

2. Will siding with Minthara permanently lock me out of a “good” playthrough?

Not necessarily. You can still make morally good choices later in the game, but your initial decision to side with her will have ramifications and influence character relationships.

3. What happens if I accidentally kill Minthara?

If Minthara dies, you cannot recruit her. The non-lethal takedown is absolutely essential.

4. Does it matter what class I am when trying to recruit both?

No, your class doesn’t directly impact your ability to recruit either Halsin or Minthara. However, certain dialogue options and skill checks might be easier to pass depending on your class.

5. What companions will disapprove of my actions if I try to recruit both?

Karlach and Wyll will likely have very low approval or even leave your party if you side with Minthara initially.

6. What are the advantages of having both Halsin and Minthara in my party?

Halsin provides powerful druidic magic and support, while Minthara offers strong melee combat and paladin abilities. Having both expands your tactical options.

7. Are there any mods that make recruiting both easier or less buggy?

Yes, numerous mods exist that aim to streamline the recruitment process and fix potential bugs. Search on popular modding sites like Nexus Mods for “Halsin Minthara recruitment” to find relevant options. Using mods is always at your own risk, and it is always wise to make a save point prior to installing and utilizing them.

8. Does the order in which I do things matter?

Yes, the order matters significantly. You must first agree to attack the Emerald Grove with Minthara, then knock her unconscious non-lethally, and then proceed to rescue Halsin.

9. Is there a specific dialogue option that triggers Minthara’s recruitment later?

There isn’t a single dialogue option, but aligning with her goals and expressing willingness to help her attack the Grove is crucial.

10. Can I romance both Halsin and Minthara?

Yes, Baldur’s Gate 3 allows for polyamorous relationships. Romancing both Halsin and Minthara is possible, but it might require careful management of their approval levels and navigating specific dialogue choices.

11. What happens if I accidentally trigger the Emerald Grove raid without knocking Minthara out?

If the raid is fully triggered and you kill the druids and tieflings, you’ll lock yourself into Minthara’s traditional recruitment path, preventing Halsin from joining.

12. Does difficulty setting affect my ability to knock Minthara unconscious?

No, the difficulty setting does not affect the non-lethal takedown mechanic.

13. What if Minthara doesn’t show up in Moonrise Towers?

This is a common bug. Make sure to confirm in the combat log you truly knocked her unconscious and did not kill her at the Grove. If she still doesn’t appear, consider reloading an earlier save and trying again, or using mods to address the issue.

14. Will recruiting both Halsin and Minthara affect the ending of the game?

Potentially. Your choices throughout the game, including your relationships with companions, will influence the ending. The specific impact of having both Halsin and Minthara depends on your other decisions.

15. Where can I find more information about Baldur’s Gate 3 strategies and mechanics?

Excellent resources include the official Baldur’s Gate 3 subreddit, the official Larian Studios forums, and various gaming websites and YouTube channels dedicated to BG3. Don’t forget that learning should be an enjoyable process, and you can look into the Games Learning Society for information on the educational aspects of gaming at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.