Baldur’s Gate 3: How to Add Party Members

In this guide we’ll show you how to add party members in Baldur’s Gate 3.

Baldur’s Gate 3 begins with the player escaping a Mindflayer Nautiloid, infected by a Tadpole, and seeking a cure. Fortunately, the game won’t leave you to face its vast world alone.

From the start of the game, you can recruit some of the best Baldur’s Gate 3 companions like Shadowheart, Lae’Zel and Astarion. But they’re really just the start. Baldur’s Gate 3 has a limited party size of just 4 players, so you’ll inevitably have to leave some party members back at the camp and swap them in and out.

Credit: Larian Studios / Sophie McCarthy

Adding a Party Member

Figuring out how to add party members in Baldur’s Gate 3 is easy. The most difficult part is finding them in the world and making sure they don’t die or disagree with your actions so much that they’ll refuse to join in the first place. It’s a good idea not to go round murder hoboing if you want Karlach in your party!

Once the companion has been sent to your camp, you must get to camp using either fast travel or the mini-map menu’s “take a long rest” option.
When you get to camp, talk to any active party member and ask them to stay there – this will free up space in your party.
Talk to the person you want to add to your party, and you can invite them to join you on your quest.

If you ask a lower-level character to join your party, they will automatically receive an XP boost to make sure they’re the same level as everyone else. There’s no disadvantage to swapping out members!

You can then leave the camp and continue on your adventure with your new addition.

Where to find companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

The game isn’t designed to make this particularly difficult but finding all of the companions depends on how much you explore and how you interact with the world.

Only one, Lae’Zel will have the join you. The rest are pretty much up to you. You don’t have to know how to free Shadowheart to complete the game but you’re going to have a really hard time if you don’t. Here’s where to find the companions in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Astarion: Waiting in the southwest of the Roadside Cliffs near the Nautiloid wreck in Act 1.
• Shadowheart: Trapped in a mindflayer pod on board the Nautiloid.
• Wyll: Fighting with the Tieflings in the Emerald Grove – he must survive the goblin fight to join you.
• Gale: Inside a magical purple portal to the north of the Nautiloid wreck.
• Karlach: Near the Risen Road in the north of the map.
• Halsin: Disguised as a cave bear in the Goblin Camp.
• Minthara: One of the three leaders in the Goblin Camp. You must agree to betray the Tieflings for her to join.
• Jaheira: At the Last Light Inn in Act 2.
• Minsc: In the sewers of Baldur’s Gate in Act 3.