Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Help Tips & Tricks You perfect release party?

I will be honest - I don't like changing party members too often, so I started planning my start to finish party composition

I would like to play with Karlach, Gale, Wyll (but only if he's still good guy), Jaheira, Minsc and Halsin. Yes, good guys. I'm drawn to Shadowheart as origin, but not if she can't be good.

My planned party was something like this
Karlach (as full barbarian), Jaheira (as fighter druid), Shadowheart (cleric rogue), Gale (as evocation wizard)

Thoughts? I have to remind myself there's only 4 party members.

Looks good to me.
Tank*, backup tank/backup healer, healer/thief, blaster.

* In the last PFH I was amused seeing a lvl 9 (?) party where three PCs had 60-70 HP and Karlach had 102

Wait...there are characters you can put into your party that aren't Origin characters other than the newly Announced Mercs (Jaheria, Minsc, Halsin) ?

I suspect you are confusing things. Which is OK< as BG3 is confusing
Origins - the Original Five, Karlach and Edgelord - you can play as one of them and take on the rest into the party, available practically immediately
Companions - Jaheira, Minsc, Jaheira, Halsin - there become available later - there probably are some differences in how they fit into the party versus Origins
Mercenaries/Hirelings - another separate category, closer to Origins, but without an Over The Top Tragic Past and Sob! Backstory. Almost certainly available very quickly, just after Origins, thus much earlier than Companions

I may be confused myself hence treat my revelations with caution :P

I was under the impression it was the Origin characters, or the brand new Mercs they just announced for party members.

Halsin, Jaheria, Minsc I just thought were story characters that showed up in game. I did not realize they could be put into your party.

Great! More choices...