#Minthara: paladin 5 fighter 3 paladin 4

[minthynights]

I love them

[commander-yinello]

Do you happen to have respec advice for other characters apart from Wyll?

Heya, thanks for asking! ❤ Here's what I like to run the other companions on.

Shadowheart: Light Cleric all 12 levels. She becomes a beast using Spirit Guardians, Fireball and Guiding Bolt. Also ridiculous overpowered in act 2. Give her Lathander's Mace and win.

Lae'zel: Battlemaster Fighter 12. Or if you don't like extra buttons, Champion Fighter 12 is great too. Fighter is a fantastic beginner class imo.

Astarion: Thief Rogue 4/Gloomstalker Ranger 5/Champion Fighter 3. You want the double attack from ranger, the action surge and ofc all that sweet lockpick proficiency. Give him a bow, he'll destroy everything.

Gale: Fighter 2/Abjuration Wizard 10. Finally that poor man not only has some good defenses, he smacks hard too. No more lying on the ground for him. (credit to nix on discord for this bc I was struggling lol)

Karlach: Open Hand Monk 8/Thief Rogue4 hits like a truck and imo fits Karlach. But Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 where you throw all the things is also very good. I keep forgetting to buy weapons hence why I went with monk 🤣

Minthara: MUST have Thief Rogue 3. Soul Branding is stupidly good not to cast on everyone and only costs a bonus action. You can give her Paladin 9, Fighter 9 or build her exactly like Astarion.

Halsin: Storm Sorc 1/Land Druid 11 has my heart right now because of all the nice spells and mobility. However I am currently experimenting with a Moon Druid build bc I do feel Halsin is at heart a Moon Druid. Will post if I find one I like.

Jaheira: Same as Halsin, who I feel is at heart a Land Druid. Land Druid 12 also is great if you want those super high level spells.

Minsc: Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 is his thing, let's be real. Let him be the Mad Man and throw everything.

[tiamatsfavored]

VALTHERIS THE RED, Tiamat's Chosen, “Blade of the Dragon Queen”, TRUE SOUL

⸻ BACKSTORY: He was raised in Tiamat’s Fortress in Avernus, and trained in both battle and diplomacy, often negotiating with devils on her behalf. Recognizing the potential of the Dragon Cult and its leader, Severin Silrajin, he traveled to the material plane in his beguiling humanoid form, posing as Tiamat’s Chosen. While they shared the goal of bringing Tiamat to the material realm, Valtheris also reveled in the Cult’s adoration and worship.

⸻ RISE OF TIAMAT: Valtheris sees himself as the rightful leader of the Dragon Cult, driven by a fervent desire to liberate Tiamat from Avernus and usher her into the material realm. He seduced Severin, manipulating him to enact his often self-serving commands, including demands for tribute from the cult. Moreover, he uses his charm to sway influential figures, bending them to the Cult's agenda.

After Tiamat's defeat, the Zhentarim took Valtheris prisoner. They bound him to his humanoid form. Valtheris became their slave, used for entertainment or as their guard dog, and his beloved Queen Tiamat has seemingly abandoned him. 

⸻ RISE OF THE ABSOLUTE / BALDUR’S GATE III: In 1492, Valtheris was infected with a True Soul Tadpole and liberated from the clutches of the Zhentarim. Now, he is a devout disciple of the Absolute.

Despite his unwavering devotion, Tiamat remained silent during his torment, so he has readily embraced the Absolute as his new Queen and Goddess; she has offered him the chance to reclaim his former glory… and ascend even higher.

He is particularly fond of True Soul Nere (his favorite toy/lover) and terribly jealous of the Dark Urge.

⸻ COMPANION QUEST: Just an outline. Most is up to discussion to fit our plot!

Recruiting him: You can meet Val in the dungeons of Moonrise Towers, where he takes great pleasure in tormenting a prisoner. He will ask about Nere and what happened at Grymforge; depending on your in-game choices, you may have to convince him that you sided with Nere (Persuasion Check: 15). Even if you pass the persuasion check, he will later appear at your camp if you killed Nere, holding a companion hostage because he discovered the truth. To prevent him from killing the companion (and possibly everyone in the camp), the player can try to reveal the truth about the Absolute (Persuasion Check: 30 / with Minthara: 18). If you sided with Nere and discover that Balthazar has turned him into a zombie, you will meet him near the Mausoleum as he searches for his Drow lover pet. You can explain what happened - Valtheris will seek vengeance. Of course, he won't admit to anyone, least of all himself, how much he cared about Nere; he justifies his thirst for revenge by stating that no one has the right to mess with his belongings. Once again, you can reveal the truth about the Absolute and have him join you (Persuasion Check: 15 / with Minthara: 10).

Breaking his Curse: Arriving in Baldur's Gate, you stumble upon a potential solution to break the curse that binds him to his humanoid form. The method and whether you're the only one to know about it is something to be discussed!

Betraying the party: This depends on our plot, but as far as the main BG3 storyline goes, he will try to betray the party and the Emperor to become the Absolute himself. He is power-hungry, thirsty for vengeance (even against Tiamat!), definitely not a good guy, and he has lost a lot. Once again, this may vary, but to convince him to see reason, the player has to roll a 30 in persuasion.

⸻ CHARACTER SHEET

Basic Information

Name: Valtheris / Chosen of Tiamat / Blade of the Dragon Queen / True Soul Valtheris

Race: Red Dragon (Adult)

Class: Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline duh) 10 / Paladin (Oath of Conquest) 3 / Fighter 4

Background: Cultist / Tiamat’s Consort

Level: 17

Height: 6.7 ft / 2m

Age: 120 years

Gender: Male

Languages: Common, Undercommon, Draconic, Infernal, Elvish

Abilities

Strength: 20 (+5)

Dexterity: 14 (+2)

Constitution: 18 (+4)

Intelligence: 14 (+2)

Wisdom: 12 (+1)

Charisma: 20 (+5)

HP: 170

AC: 18 (without buffs) DRAGON FORM STATS

Strength: 27 (+8)

Dexterity: 10 (+0)

Constitution: 25 (+7)

Intelligence: 16 (+3)

Wisdom: 13 (+1)

Charisma: 21 (+5)

AC: 19 (without buffs)

HP: 256

He can’t transform into a dragon during the events of Baldur’s Gate III (unless he finds a way to break the curse that binds him to his humanoid form). 

Proficiencies

Skills: Deception (+11), Persuasion (+11), Intimidation (+11), Insight (+7), Arcana (+8)

Equipment

Weapons: Two ruby swords. Can be linked to form a double-bladed spear.

Skills / Weaknesses

Shapechanger: As a red dragon, Valtheris can assume a humanoid form.

Deceptive Beauty: He has advantage on Deception and Persuasion checks when interacting in humanoid form.

Immune to Fire Damage.

Sensitive to Cold: He has disadvantage on Skill Checks and Attack Rolls in cold climates. Cold damage is doubled.

Raised in Avernus: Radiant damage is doubled.

Personality Traits

He uses his beauty and charm to manipulate those around him, seeing them as tools to achieve his goals.

Valtheris believes he is superior, even to other dragons, and will assert his dominance wherever he can.

He will take what he wants, when he wants.

Sadistic, malicious, greedy, power-hungry, vain, impulsive, deceptive, manipulative, seductive.

Ideals (Tiamat's Chosen)

Power – The strong have the right to rule, and Tiamat is the strongest of all.

All hail the Dragon Queen!

He is Tiamat’s Chosen, her favored child, and he will bring her into the material plane at any cost.

Ideals (True Soul)

His loyalty belongs now to the Absolute and he will slaughter heretics in Her name.

Flaws

He sees all non-dragons as inferior and disposable, which can lead to underestimating opponents.

His pride demands constant validation and tribute, leading him to sometimes make rash decisions to assert his superiority.

His vanity and greed make him vulnerable to flattery and bribery.

Appearance

Humanoid Form: A strikingly handsome male with grey-bluish skin adorned with ruby red scales and metallic red markings. His eyes are vibrant amber with an infernal glow to them, cat-slit pupils, his hair is long and ruby red. He sometimes keeps his dragon tail and gilded horns. When he operates in “undercover” , he often takes the form of a male elf with long platinum hair and golden eyes.

Style: Revealing, luxurious, lots of gold and jewelry.

Dragon Form: An imposing Red Dragon with ruby / scarlet scales and glowing golden eyes.

[afterthefeast]

ok current playthrough ideas:

1) diana (still provisional) - dark urge wizard. minthara romance

2) illyr (also provisional name) - dark urge fighter. lae’zel romance

3) unnamed wild magic sorceror to romance karlach

4) misery - weirdo selûnite nun shadowheart romance

5) ranger for gale. this guy doesn’t have a name but i know for a fact they’re going to be basically aragorn if he was a conspiracy theorist. the idea for this guy is that always sunny conspiracy board meme but about the gods in faerûn.

6) juno the devotion paladin for wyll - fairytale romance!

7) some sort of feral bard romancing astarion

[chaoticbard]

3, 4, 22

3. Do they multiclass? Why (not)?

Out of character, not technically because I didn't realize you could in the game. In-game, sort of. I put her in College of Valor so she'd get buffs with swords so she's vaguely a fighter as well as a bard. She's- not unlike Flynn Rider in terms of fighter style and I think it's hilarious.

4. Is there a reason why your Tav starts out as Level 1?

She only ever made it to level 5 in Dragon Heist so her losing that wasn't the biggest of deals to me outta game. In-game, I figure she's been out of practice with combat for one thing and the tadpole gave her a setback for another.

22. What is your Tav's first impression of the other companions (Astarion, Gale, Karlach, Wyll ...)

Astarion: An annoying rogue. Seriously, what a cunt for trying to slit her throat, hahaha. Her opinion isn't improved when he tries to drink her blood.

Gale: He's a guy with his head clear up his own arsehole. That's hilarious given the fact he needed help out of his portal. She's immediately amused. Also mildly annoyed. Cue eyeroll.

Halsin: He's her new big tiddy earth boyfriend He's physically strong but he's got depth to him. He isn't just a meathead; he's really wise, and has good advice to hand out when asked. He's concerned about nature, about the shadow curse, and yet still wants to help everyone after you help him. Can also be a bear??? 10/10.

Jaheira: She's a legend, but she could stand to trust a little more. A really dumb/naive thing for Alaara to think given all that Jaheira's seen and done just before they met. They get along well after she decides to join them. Alaara prods the hell outta her before then though.

Karlach: I bungled this one so hard lads. Just fucked it up entirely. We killed her because I made a misstep with Sazza. BUT Alaara would have very immediately loved her had I not been a silly goose. (I thought about it when playing as her sister, who did recruit her LOL). Also a bit scared for her life when Karlach rages post-paladin battle.

Lae'zel: Stiff and stern as a flipping board. She can get the job done. A strong ally to have in such dangerous times.

Minthara: Didn't realize I could recruit her so she died lmao. But like with Karlach I've ideas. She'd feel anger before the grove thing was done, because this woman wants to wipe out all these people? Death to you, lady. But then she gains sympathy once they get to Moonrise and see she was forced into doing what she had.

Shadowheart: Catty as fuck. She needs to take the stick out of her ass and be a team player.

Wyll: An absolute character. Corny, but she likes corny. Just a gosh darned delight, and a most welcome addition to the party. Look at him.

Scratch and the owlbear: The best boys ever.

[birb--birb]

Kestrel update:

WE LEVEL 4 BAYBEEE

FINALLY got past all the gnolls, lord that last fight near the cave is such a struggle for me (I ran from it 3 or 4 times)

Saved wulbren and florrick, allied with the ogres, killed the phase spider matriarch and paladins of Tyr

Just made it to the myconids and my fave research husbands🥰🥰

Gonna grind the underdark for a bit, abuse sovereign gluts reanimation ability and try to hit 5 before going to the swamp or goblin camp. Astarion and kestrel need those 2 attack to keep up with dmg output.

Decided it was time to get serious about this run and read up on strategy. Made Gale a divination wizard for those sweet sweet portent dice, shadowheart as life domain (may respec to light for act 2), astarions on his way to becoming a gloomstalker assassin archer which is fun cause I've only ever played him melee, and currently running Kestrel as an oathbreaker lockadin (those divine smites are mwah *chefs kiss*). When I get minthara she'll be a monk (monkthara lols) or a berserker barb/fighter for more frontline assistance.

This run is my record so far, and I'm pleased with myself for getting better about knowing when to bail vs when to fight through. There was an instant with the gnolls where I had 2 party members down, one on the verge but the last 2 gnolls were such low hp, shart and kestrel just had to make their rolls and we'd be clear, but it wasnt guaranteed. Im getting better about my positioning and making sure someone is far enough away to turn tail and flee should things go south. All in all, I'm tentatively optimistic that I make it to act 2 (knock on wood).

[thelikesoffinn]

Hello 👋 what's your companion ranking? Mine is asterion, Gale, wyll, jaheira, karlach, shadowheart, lae'zel, minsc, halsin, minthara and my standard party is the first three + me and once I have jaheira I switch wyll or gale in for her

Hiya duck! ✨️

Hm, difficult question because my ranking kinda shifts and changes like the tide but as of right now, I'd say it's like this:

1. Astarion (duh)

2. Shadowheart

3. Lae'zel

4. Minsc

5. Karlach

6. Gale

7. Wyll

8. Halsin

9. Jaheira

And Minthara is not really applicable because I never had her as a companion!

As for standard party: That also changes based on playthrough! The basics are almost always Tav + Astarion (Rogue/Bard) + Shadowheart (Cleric/Paladin).

The fourth member kinda depends on multiple things - who is my character courting currently? And what Class is my character?

I have this thing where I need certain areas covered. Otherwise, I can't battle properly because I'm a ginormous looser and not that good at turn based combat. (I love it but damn I'm an assassins creed bairn, I usually hit xxxxxxxxxxxxxx b xxxxxxxxx a xxxxxxxx and then the Bastard is dead, haha.)

I need a range fighter, a healer, a tank and someone who can influence the battle in a large scale either by summoning or by large area magic spells. (Preferrably both.) Astarion covers the range fighting, Shadowheart the healing. The rest depends on my Tav. Are they tank material? Then I'll take Gale, Wyll, Halsin or Jaheira to cover large areas. Are they the large scale fella? Then I'll bring Minsc, Karlach, Lae'zel or Jaheira as a tank!

(Jaheira is somewhat of a multitask since she was originally a druid fighter, so that's what I always multiclass her into, haha.)

My favourite combo to date was Tav + Astarion + Shadowheart + Lae'zel though!

[trendagon]

Unlocking the Richness of Companions in Baldur's Gate 3: Your Adventure, Your Party

One of the best parts of playing Dungeons & Dragons is embarking on epic adventures with a diverse group of companions, and Baldur's Gate 3 delivers this experience flawlessly with a wide array of companions available for recruitment. In this article, we'll delve into the world of companions in Baldur's Gate 3, highlighting the richness they bring to the game.

A Diverse Cast of Companions

Baldur's Gate 3 offers players a diverse cast of companions to choose from, each with intricate backstories and fully fleshed-out personalities. These companions encompass various classes, ensuring that you can customize your party to suit your preferred playstyle. Whether you're into spellcasting, melee combat, or sneaky tactics, Baldur's Gate 3 has a companion that fits your needs.

1. Zenith Feur'sel: The Healing Expert

When it comes to clerics in Baldur's Gate 3, Shadowheart might be your first Origin companion but don't overlook Zenith Feur'sel. This high elf cleric of Selûne brings exceptional healing capabilities to the table. Unlike Shadowheart, who specializes in the Trickery domain, Zenith is a Life domain cleric, known for its powerful healing buffs that become even more potent as the game progresses. Moreover, considering the twists and turns of Shadowheart's questline, there's a chance she might leave your party or meet an untimely end. In such cases, Zenith Feur'sel can be an invaluable replacement for just 100 gold.

2. Maddala Deadeye: The Rogue with a Heart

While Asterion is a tempting choice for a rogue character, he's not always the best fit for lawful good playthroughs and can meet a grim fate during his quest line. Enter Maddala Deadeye, a fully customizable rogue companion who won't judge your actions and is always ready to help. Maddala provides a refreshing alternative to the enigmatic vampire, making her an excellent addition to your party.

3. Ver'yll Wenkiir: The Ranged Martial Artist

Early in the game, Baldur's Gate 3 lacks ranged martial companions until you meet Minsc in Act Three. Thankfully, Ver'yll Wenkiir fills this void with grace and style. Beyond just looking cool, Baldur's Gate 3 has addressed some of the issues plaguing DnD fifth edition rangers, making them a valuable addition to your party and an enjoyable class to play.

4. Kerz: The Versatile Paladin

In most playthroughs of Baldur's Gate 3, you'll find yourself lacking a paladin companion unless you're on an evil path to recruit Minthara. Paladins are formidable fighters capable of fulfilling multiple roles in your party, and Kerz, the half-orc paladin hireling, embodies this versatility. With a commanding appearance, Kerz can tank, heal, and deal damage all in one, making him an invaluable asset.

5. Jaheira: The Returning Druid

Returning from previous Baldur's Gate installments, Jaheira is a half-elf druid with a rich backstory and her motivations. While recruiting her may require some effort at the end of Act Two, it's well worth it to have this High Harper join your team. Jaheira adds a dry sense of humor and insightful commentary about your party's actions. Additionally, her history ties her to the city and its true forces, leading to extra dialogue in certain areas.

Wanna Know more companions Click Here

[theology101]

If you respec Shadowheart after dealing with her Shar stuff she can keep pretty much the whole team up and they can’t counter that. I’m going to use my version of these character’s level 12 also

Shart: Life Cleric 12, spear + shield, medium armor (16 ac)

Gale: 10 evocation, 2 fighter, Ilithid heavy armor and the fireball staff and the necklace that adds an extra missile to magic missile

Halsin: 10 Druid (circle of the moon) 2 tempest cleric for that channel divinity. Armor is whatever for him same with weapons

Karlach: 9 Berserker and 3 Thief Rogue using Phalar Aluve. Did you know that reckless primes Sneak Attack and with two Bonus Actions you could attack 4 times a turn?

Minsc: 12 ranger i honestly could not remember what i did with him i’ve played with the level 20 mod since playthrough 2

VS

Lae’zel: 12 Battlemaster in her helldusk armor and Githyanki sword

Minthara: 9 Paladin 3 Swords Bard using Ketheric’s stuff

Astarion: Assassin 12. Crimson Mischief and Blood Fang with dual wielder.

Jaheria: Druid 7 fighter 5. You want summons? She’s got summons. You want Lightng, she’s got it. You want stabbing and boom she’s there too.

Wyll: Warlock 7 Paladin 5 with Duelist’s prerogative. The man can eldritch blast yeah or smite your ass

Like Idk man the way that I built them I feel like Team 1 Sweeps this. T2 get, at max, 4 counterspells from Wyll and thats cutting down a lot on his smites so Halsin, Gale and Shart can lay down some NASTY spells. Astarion’s first in initiative and can choose to fuck up 1 person in that turn - best bet is either Gale or Shadowheart. Gale cause he’s squishy and shadowheart for the heals. Doesn’t matter too much, because whoever it is will be getting up shortly.

OK I SAW SOMEONE ON YOUTUBE POST THIS POLL AND WAS A BIT DUMBFOUNDED AT THE RESULTS ON IT SO IM STEALING IT AND POSTING IT HERE.

(EDIT- ASSUME EVERYONE HERE IS LV 12)

[minthynights]

This is my latest Tav. Her name is Iylmyra and she is ca 250 years old and currently level 10. She is a cleric of Lolth and paladin of vengeance (first devotion but I changed to vengeance) and I’m having a lot of fun with this multiclass. She has 5 levels of cleric of knowledge (I was war cleric but the extra attack doesn’t stack with dual wielding and I really want to dual wield since Minthara is the great weapon master). The rest is paladin and we’ll see what I do with the final two levels.

Her foundation is actually paladin, for the heavy armour proficiency. Then 2-6 cleric. 7-10 paladin.

I’ve messed around with her class a lot through this run, testing what works and so on. I think I’ve now found what will stick.

She can do very big damage with higher level smites which is so satisfying. I can only imagine what a two-handed weapon would do but now that I’m in act 3, I’ve put Nyrulna in her main hand and Blood of Lathander in her offhand and it’s working really well. Minthara will get the Balduran Giantslayer.

This is the first time I’m running with mods, although I only got mods yesterday. The hair is a mod for example. I also got a mod to improve dual wielding. The offhand attack now goes as part of the action instead of spending a bonus action. It’s strange that the feat is so bad and spends the bonus action when you make an attack. Rangers (or rogues? Both?) attack with MH and OF without spending the bonus action even when they don’t have the feat. Lae’zel did 4 MH and 6 OF in one turn. She is ranger, fighter, rogue so she has two attacks, two bonus actions, and action surge for two more attacks.

I may get a mod that adds cleric subclasses, and get a subclass that I think fits her better. We’ll see! For now, her main role is high level smiting.

(This is just brainstorming)

I’ve not fleshed out her story very much, but I do know that she is doubting a lot right now. Her faith, her goals, her future. She needs to figure out what it is that she wants, and trust her own judgement. She takes great care of her oath, especially since she broke her first when agreeing to raid the grove. (She did it to impress Minthara. She recognised her as her better, and she was filled with a terrible urge to please her and do what she was commanded to do. It became a hard lesson for her, and now she’s more careful with doing something just because a “superior” tells her to do it.) She is trying to better herself and it is proving surprisingly easy because she cannot hear Lolth. Lolth does not speak to her, but she also hasn’t condemned her. Or did she abandon her when she broke her oath? Iylmyra wanted to become a priestess but now she’s not so sure anymore.

She isn’t sure of anything any longer.

She adores Minthara, but she is basically the cataclysm of all her doubts. She is the reason she broke her oath, she is the reason she now doubts in Lolth, she is the reason she reconsiders her future. But is that love, or is it toxicity? Is it love, or codependency? Love or need for validation? Is Minthara helping her become everything she can become, free of gods, oppression, and self-eradication, or is she leading her down a path of blasphemy and exile?

Doubt eats away at her, but the more she doubts, she surer she becomes. She wants to be free. And she wants to be with Minthara. No matter the cost.

[darksynkka]

Personally, I’m more of a flavour over optimization sort of gal so I usually set up everybody like this:

Shadowheart: before running into the nightsong, I have her respecced so that her first level is rogue. It works quite well with her default Trickery domain. Take cleric up to level 5 and then rogue to level 3 for thief. Then continue down cleric path. I haven’t done the Justiciar path yet but after sparing the nightsong, I switch SH over to life cleric with a couple of levels into fighter for action surge. Action surge ended being really handy for my primary healer to have.

Lae’zel: Battlemaster all the way. The maneuvers are really fun and Lae’zel is just so powerful as a pure fighter that I can’t bring myself to make her anything else.

Astarion: Gloomstalker assassin is just chef’s kiss. Especially if you take two-weapon fighting and dual hand crossbows.

Gale: I normally just have him take a dip into storm sorcerer for tempestuous flight because it’s just that useful to me but I might actually try a fighter/wizard and see if it works.

Karlach: I found a really fun build on YouTube that had a 3/9 split between berserker barbarian and 4 elements monk. It shouldn’t work but with tavern brawler and the heat mechanic, Karlach’s been really fun to play.

Minthara: This might seem a little weird but I actually multiclass her into swords bard. She has a lyre in her inventory so why not utilize it? And flourishes are super useful, in my experience.

Halsin: Moon Druid all the way. I don’t use all that much but when I do, he’s usually in wildshape.

Jaheira: This one is super weird but I swear it works out for me: Ancients Paladin (5)/Land Druid (7). In the original Baldur’s Gate, Jaheira was a fighter/druid and the ancients paladin/land druid combo just seems to fit the whole Nature’s Warrior thing she has going on.

Minsc: Ranger(6)/Barbarian(3)/Fighter(3). Berserker barbarian is too in character for Minsc to not take it.

Do you happen to have respec advice for other characters apart from Wyll?

Heya, thanks for asking! ❤ Here's what I like to run the other companions on.

Shadowheart: Light Cleric all 12 levels. She becomes a beast using Spirit Guardians, Fireball and Guiding Bolt. Also ridiculous overpowered in act 2. Give her Lathander's Mace and win.

Lae'zel: Battlemaster Fighter 12. Or if you don't like extra buttons, Champion Fighter 12 is great too. Fighter is a fantastic beginner class imo.

Astarion: Thief Rogue 4/Gloomstalker Ranger 5/Champion Fighter 3. You want the double attack from ranger, the action surge and ofc all that sweet lockpick proficiency. Give him a bow, he'll destroy everything.

Gale: Fighter 2/Abjuration Wizard 10. Finally that poor man not only has some good defenses, he smacks hard too. No more lying on the ground for him. (credit to nix on discord for this bc I was struggling lol)

Karlach: Open Hand Monk 8/Thief Rogue4 hits like a truck and imo fits Karlach. But Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 where you throw all the things is also very good. I keep forgetting to buy weapons hence why I went with monk 🤣

Minthara: MUST have Thief Rogue 3. Soul Branding is stupidly good not to cast on everyone and only costs a bonus action. You can give her Paladin 9, Fighter 9 or build her exactly like Astarion.

Halsin: Storm Sorc 1/Land Druid 11 has my heart right now because of all the nice spells and mobility. However I am currently experimenting with a Moon Druid build bc I do feel Halsin is at heart a Moon Druid. Will post if I find one I like.

Jaheira: Same as Halsin, who I feel is at heart a Land Druid. Land Druid 12 also is great if you want those super high level spells.

Minsc: Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 is his thing, let's be real. Let him be the Mad Man and throw everything.

[alicelufenia]

Yo these are good!

I saw a Berserker Barbarian 3 / Four Elements Monk 9 build for Karlach that keeps her fiery rage theme but gives her actual fire moves. Not necessarily the most effective build, but if you lean into the heat mechanic and tavern brawler it could work.

I had not considered Thief Rogue for Minthara before! Soul Branding is so good of course you'd want to use it twice! I like it so much I even tested out a dual wielder build for her:

Respec her and dump her Strength, put everything into Dexterity, Consitution, and Charisma. 16/16/14 in any order would be good, if you plan to go Oathbreaker definitely put 16 in Charisma. Wisdom can be bumped to 12, Int stays at 8.

Start with Paladin up to level 5, picking up Dual Wielder as your feat. Fighting style should be Defense. Then Fighter 1 for Two Weapon Fighting style. Then Rogue 3 for Thief and Fast Hands. Fighter 2 for Action Surge. Paladin 6 for Aura of Protection. Then it's your choice of Rogue 4 for a feat, or Paladin 7 if you go Oathbreaker for the +cha damage on all your melee attacks, which you can get a lot. For a feat, you can either go +2 Dexterity for more AC if you use an uncapped medium armor like the Armor of Agility (or even if you wanna keep her in her original armor with rogue expertises in sleight of hand and stealth, if you focus on her ability to ambush now. The spidersilk armor isn't the worst with this build since you get advantage on concentration checks with it). If you use heavy armor, definitely grab Alert, it'll all but guarantee you go first, which you want for this build.

For weapons, when you first recruit her give her the giant's club of strength in her off hand, and any one-handed or versatile weapon in her main hand. This will give her all the Strength she needs for the game. For lore reasons I wanted her to wield maces in this build, so your best mace like the Blood of Lathander or Adamantine Mace are good. The exact weapon won't matter terribly, mainly the off-hand. Also give her dual hand crossbows, she can make use of sneak attack with them.

When you reach Act 3, and completed [REDACTED], upgrade the club to the Handmaiden's Mace. For a main weapon, consider the Devotee's Mace, or the Infernal Mace if you like poison.

This build acts fast, can support the party with double Soul Brands a turn, Vow of Enmity means advantage on all your many attacks per turn, and one tadpole can give her Luck of the Far Realms for a guaranteed critical hit once a long rest. Killer's Sweetheart can give another crit, and Strange Conduit Ring gives a d4 of psychic damage when you're concentrating on any number of paladin spells, all these extra dice doubling on crits. Enemies will melt.

Do you happen to have respec advice for other characters apart from Wyll?

Heya, thanks for asking! ❤ Here's what I like to run the other companions on.

Shadowheart: Light Cleric all 12 levels. She becomes a beast using Spirit Guardians, Fireball and Guiding Bolt. Also ridiculous overpowered in act 2. Give her Lathander's Mace and win.

Lae'zel: Battlemaster Fighter 12. Or if you don't like extra buttons, Champion Fighter 12 is great too. Fighter is a fantastic beginner class imo.

Astarion: Thief Rogue 4/Gloomstalker Ranger 5/Champion Fighter 3. You want the double attack from ranger, the action surge and ofc all that sweet lockpick proficiency. Give him a bow, he'll destroy everything.

Gale: Fighter 2/Abjuration Wizard 10. Finally that poor man not only has some good defenses, he smacks hard too. No more lying on the ground for him. (credit to nix on discord for this bc I was struggling lol)

Karlach: Open Hand Monk 8/Thief Rogue4 hits like a truck and imo fits Karlach. But Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 where you throw all the things is also very good. I keep forgetting to buy weapons hence why I went with monk 🤣

Minthara: MUST have Thief Rogue 3. Soul Branding is stupidly good not to cast on everyone and only costs a bonus action. You can give her Paladin 9, Fighter 9 or build her exactly like Astarion.

Halsin: Storm Sorc 1/Land Druid 11 has my heart right now because of all the nice spells and mobility. However I am currently experimenting with a Moon Druid build bc I do feel Halsin is at heart a Moon Druid. Will post if I find one I like.

Jaheira: Same as Halsin, who I feel is at heart a Land Druid. Land Druid 12 also is great if you want those super high level spells.

Minsc: Berserker Barbarian 8/Thief Rogue 4 is his thing, let's be real. Let him be the Mad Man and throw everything.