One of my favorite things to do in any RPG is to do an evil playthrough, andBaldur’s Gate 3doesn’t disappoint with plenty of choices for evil parties. However, although an evil playthrough can open up new quest options or dialogue, it can limit the number of companions who will be available. Unsurprisingly for a game that involves saving the world from evil cultists, not everyone will stick with you if you turn to the dark side.
Baldur’s Gate 3has some fantastically evil choicesfor the party, some of which can earn you new companions. However, while Astarion might be happy to watch the chaos,Karlach, Wyll, and Halsin have lines that they are not prepared to cross. Luckily, that still leaves a fair few companions to provide backup, leaving their personal quest available to you.
7Minsc - Human Ranger
Minsc Is Surprisingly Pragmatic
It might sound surprising that a hero with the reputation of Minsc would be OK with sticking with an evil leader, but there are only a couple of situations that will make him leave the party. One big one is if you are playing as the Dark Urge and choose to embrace Bhaal’s gifts to become his Chosen, due to his prior dealings with Bhaalspawn. Otherwise, the naive and excitable ranger and his small friend Boo are happy to follow orders andturn a blind eye to your suspect deeds so long as the greater evil is vanquished.
Minsc can be a useful companion to keep around and, as the only ranger in the party, has access to some great features, such as the Defensive Tactics option Steel Will to give him advantages against being frightened, or Whirlwind Attack to strike multiple enemies.Minsc is also required to keep Jaheira in the party, as his death during his recruitment quest will cause the High Harper to leave. That said, given the fact that there isn’t much content for him after his recruitment, Minsc isn’t the most exciting character to keep around for an evil playthrough.
6Jaheira - Half Elf Druid
Jaheira Is Never Afraid To Speak Her Mind
Speaking of Jaheira, the High Harper herself is no stranger to walking the line in the name of the greater good. A returning character from the previousBaldur’s Gateinstallments, as the leader of the Harpers in the Baldur’s Gate region,Jaheira is an extremely practical personwho understands all too well that the ends can sometimes justify the means. Although Jaheira is used to operating in shades of gray to fight evil, that doesn’t mean that she’ll support you if you play as an outright villainous character, and she will leave under certain circumstances.
If you kill either Minsc during the mission to find him or kill her children, then Jaheira will quickly turn on you, and she will have the same response to a Bhaalspawn embracing their heritage as Minsc. Considering how hard it can be to keep her alive long enough during the battle in Moonrise Towers torecruit Jaheira inBG3, these are definitely things worth keeping in mind in Act 3. However, as she will probably be the only druid in the party during an evil playthrough,toeing that line is worth it for her wild shape abilities.
5Gale - Human Wizard
Gale’s Ambition Makes Him Easy To Manipulate
Gale is the last companion on this list where itmight be surprising that he would be willing to stay if you decide to be a bit evil. Gale is a lovely and kind-hearted character, but unless his concerns about his Netherese Orb are outright ignored, he will stay with the party even if you start making some verymorally objectionable decisions inBG3. In fact, there is only one point where Gale will threaten to leave the party, and that takes place in Act 1 if you choose to raid the Grove with the goblins.
A romanced god Gale will offer to turn his partner into a deity to join him.
At the celebration with the goblins afterward in camp, Gale will be upset about the group’s actions. However, after blaming you initially, he can be persuaded to stay with a DC 15 Deception or Insight check. From there, so long as his personal quest is engaged with, Gale will stay, and considering he’s one of the most powerfulBG3companions, that can really come in handy. During an evil playthrough, it’s also possible tofeed the worst aspects of Gale’s personality and encourage him to reforge the Crown for himself, making him the new god of Ambition.
4Shadowheart - Half Elf Cleric
It’s Easy To Encourage Shadowheart’s Darker Side
Shadowheart is an interesting companion, as she fits well with both classically good playthroughs and evil ones. Although she may pass comment on some of the dark deeds in Act 1, for Shadowheart, it really comes down to choices made during Act 2. With the entire region under Shar’s curse, you will need to venture into the Gauntlet of Shar and find the Nightsong to either lift the curse or allow it to consume everyone in the area. Here, you canallow Shadowheart to fully commit to Shar by killing Aylin and fulfilling her dream of becoming a Dark Justiciar.
Shadowheart is a fantastic companion to keep in the party, althoughI do recommend changing her subclass to the new Death Domain as soon as Withers joins the camp. This will give her access to great new necromancy-themed spells such astoll the deadandVampiric Touch, along with a necrotic twist on Divine Strike and Channel Divinity. Encouraging Shadowheart to kill her parents will eventually lead her to be the new Mother Superior of the Baldur’s Gate Sharron cloister, adding to the number ofevil allies available for the final battle.
3Lae’zel - Githyanki Fighter
Lae’zel Is The Tough Backbone Of Any Evil Playthrough
Since Lae’zel, like the rest of her githyanki kin, is technically already evil, it makes her an obvious choice for any evil playthrough.The brusque and pragmatic warrior will be the one to encourage more aggressive and violent solutionsfrom the very moment you meet her, such as leaving Shadowheart in her pod, and she can be very irritable and hot-headed. Putting the party’s needs first and focusing solely on the goal of ridding herself and you of the mind flayer tadpole allows Lae’zel to be brutally efficient and carve a path through anyone you ask her to.
To keep Lae’zel loyal to Vlaakith, she should not engage with any of theOrpheus, Prince of the Comet, Part One: Betrayaltexts. Kill Voss when he comes to camp and encourage her to take Vlaakith’s offer in Act 3.
While she can be shown the truth of Vlaakith’s deception and will side with Orpheus, for a truly evil playthrough,you should aim to keep Lae’zel loyal to Vlaakith. This will allow you to side with the Emperor with little consequence and further your evil goals by keeping the githyanki people enslaved to their lich queen. This will result in Lae’zel returning to Vlaakith after the final battle, where she will be consumed. As a fighter, Lae’zel is great in any party, and without Karlach, is perfect for any early game tank until Minthara is recruited.
2Minthara - Drow Paladin
Minthara Is The Go-To Evil Companion
Minthara was first introduced inBaldur’s Gate 3as the evil companion who will join the party only if you raid the Druid Grove. Other ways to recruit her are available, although for an evil playthrough, killing the tiefling refugees is still the cruelest option. While under the influence of the Absolute, Minthara is utterly ruthless and bloodthirsty; however, if freed, a more pragmatic side of her is revealed.Minthara is not a monster who will be violent and cruel for the sake of it, but she won’t stand in your way if that’s the path you decide to travel.
It’s a shame that there’sso little content for Minthara, as she is a genuinely interesting character who provides a new perspective. As an Oath of Vengeance paladin,Minthara makes a great party tank for late game, although investing in her Constitution will make her more effective. With the ability to heal, deal damage, and debuff enemies, Minthara is fantastic in battle and very versatile with spells likeMisty StepandHold Personat her disposal. I also like to dip into fighter for two levels for Minthara, giving her Action Surge for extra help at higher difficulties.
1Astarion - High Elf Rogue
You Can Make Astarion So Much Worse
Finally, there is Astarion, who iswonderfully manipulative from the very first moment you meet him, putting a knife to your throat. Reveling in his newfound freedom, Astarion approves of power, outwitting enemies, and healthy doses of sarcasm. While not the most evil companion, as he will help others if there is something in it for him, Astarion has the potential, out of all available party members, to become the most evil. It is this that elevates him to the top of this list, as he can become far more dangerous and evil than even the Dark Urge.
After taking the fight to Astarion’s former master, Cazador,Astarion can be encouraged to complete the ritual himself to become a Vampire Ascendant. As a Vampire Lord, Astarion is shockingly arrogant and power-hungry, as well as cold towards even romanced characters. If Ascended, Astarion gains an upgrade to his bite attack, Misty Escape, and extra necrotic damage for his attacks, making him even more useful in battle. Additionally, he will bring allies toBaldur’s Gate 3’s final battle in the form of Shadows, Giant Skeletons, Ghasts, Shadow Mastiffs, and a Werewolf.
