Getting a full party should be your first goal in Baldur’s Gate 3. This is a hardcore cRPG. Even simple battles against goblins can be overwhelmingly difficult if you don’t gear up a full squad of four party members. Luckily, grabbing three allies can be extremely simple. If you explore the wreckage around the beach crash site where the game begins, you can collect four party members before you even reach the first major quest area.
The characters we’re covering here are Origin Party Members. These are characters you can actually choose to play as during character creation, and each one appears in the very first area of the game. Starting with Shadowheart and ending with Karlach, if you want a versatile party, you’ll want to grab as many of these helpful hands as possible right away.
More Baldur’s Gate 3 guides:
Beginner Guide | Best Magic Items In Act 1 | Owlbear Companion | Perfect Pickpocket Guide | Oathbreaker Paladin Subclass | How To Cure Gale | How To Rescue Halsin | Assassin & Gloomstalker Tips | Defiled Temple Puzzle
How To Recruit All Origin Party Members
Origin Party Members are Act 1 characters you can recruit almost immediately. Unlike later characters, these NPCs will join your camp almost immediately with very little discussion. No quests need to be completed. Simply talk to the character in the locations below and they’ll join your party or wait at the camp.
Shadowheart: The High-Elf Cleric with a powerful artifact that protects your party from commands by the Absolute. She will appear on the beach after the Illithid (Mind Flayer) ship crash. She’s just north of where you land. She’ll only appear here if you help her during the prologue.
- To save her in the prologue, reach the area right before the control room. She’s trapped inside a pod. Travel to the adjacent large room to harvest a key item you can use to unlock her pod. She’ll join your party quickly after this.
Astarion: The High-Elf Rogue is one of the first party members you can find. At the Illithid Ship crash site, explore the western reaches of the wreckage. Starting from the Roadside Cliffs, travel southwest if you missed him. He’s standing on a dusty path.
Gale: The Human Wizard is found as you leave the Illithid Ship crash site. Travelling north from the beach, you’ll encounter a glitching, flashing Waypoint. This is the Roadside Cliffs waypoint. Interact to witness a man’s arm appear. Help him by pulling him free and he’ll join you.
Lae’zel: A Githyanki Fighter that helps you during the prologue. You can rejoin with her after reaching the Roadside Cliffs Waypoint. Just north of the waypoint, you’ll find two Tieflings harasses Lae’zel. She’s trapped in a hanging cage. Defeat the Tieflings, then break the hanging cage by attacking it with a bow. Talk to her and she’ll join you.
Wyll: A Human Warlock with a devilish problem. You’ll encounter him as you begin the first major quest of the game — outside the Emerald Grove, you’ll automatically trigger a cutscene where Wyll appears and fights the goblin raiders. After defeating the raiders, the refugees will allow you to enter their camp.
- Enter the camp, and you’ll find Wyll practicing at the training area with dummies. Talk to him here and he’ll agree to join your team.
Karlach: The Devil Barbarian is part of the The Blade of Frontiers quest. After recruiting Wyll and talking to him, you’ll learn he’s searching for a demon named Karlach.
- Travel to the Blighted Village to the west of the Emerald Grove, then travel north to the broken bridge. Jump across the gap in the bridge, then travel east through a small group of Knolls. Reach the river by climbing down the vines and follow the river east until you locate Karlach.
She is actually outside the yellow circle search area of The Blade of Frontiers quest. She’s at the far southeast on a small ledge at the river. Very easy to miss. Agree to help her fight the Paladins of Tyr in the camp further north and she’ll join you.
