Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion CANONICAL SUBCLASSES FOR COMPANIONS

Hi there,

Game has been out for a bit now. I'd like to know what are your opinions on the canon subclasses for companions? Aside from Shadowheart and Wyll, I'm trying to figure out what subclass works canonically for each companions.

Hope you can help!

Karlach can be all three. Personally I lean Bear Heart canonically (though I run Wolf Heart because I love what it does). Her survival in Avernus can't just be because she's good at fighting and the engine, she also would've needed to be resilient as hell itself being thrown at demons the entire duration of her stay; that's just my opinion though. Wild Magic fits her personality, and Berserker fits what the engine does to her so you really can't go wrong with her.

Astarion is almost certainly supposed to be an Arcane Trickster, it's just a massive shame Legerdemain doesn't work the way it's supposed to. He's far too into his own nobility to ever dabble in thievery and while there's probably a way to make an argument for Assassin he's just not very good at that specific type of killing (clumsy af trying to ambush you, no subtlety with the monster hunter, etc).

Gale is tough to pin down. There are solid arguments for almost all of the schools from an educational perspective (but not necromancy). However given the part of his personality that drove him into his present circumstances, I'd guess Evocation or Abjuration because they both have direct measurable power scaling and offer greater control of baseline arcane power (abjuration would also go some way to explain why he had such reckless confidence). There's an especially noteworthy thematic argument for Transmutation but it's not exactly the most fun subclass to play in a videogame.

Lae'zel is a Battle Master, absolutely no question. She scoffs at the sort of ideals that would lead to someone becoming a Champion of anything (except of Vlaakith), she strives to simply be the best warrior in control of the battlefield. Eldritch Knight is borderline prohibitive in how it competes with a lot of Githyanki powers that they get as they grow or from their higher grade military equipment itself, and she doesn't have the natural intelligence to support it on her own.

Well is clearly Pact of the Blade, there is no other way.

Shadowheart could be any subclass thematically fitting to Shar, though that can change. Trickery fits the most thematically, but is wasted on her now, that she doesn't have the Urchin background anymore imo.
Jaheira as Circle of the Land , you can make a case to multiclass her to fighter, since she was a fighter/druid in the old games.
Minsc is hard for me. I mean, if he stays ranger, then probably beastmaster,, but he makes for a good barbarian too.
Halsin is clearly a moon druid, though I don't use him.
Minthara is dead in my games, so can't say much about her.

Gale - Evocation

Shadowheart before his escape from Shar and Shadowheart after becoming a priest of Selune - is two different subclass. BTW, her portrait should change, but Larian forgot it.
Shadowheart of Selune - Life Domain, Shadowheart of Shar - Trickery Domain.

Astarion is.... multiclass. Thief + Fiend Warlock. If you want, I can describe the assembly in more detail

Karlach sits in the camp and helps to cook soup. Jaheira in my story is dead.

I’ve recruited Minthara both playthroughs and vengeance Paladin seems to consistently fit the whole way through. Others can make sense but none really capture her focus on vengeance the same way

I would say Gale is canonically an Evocation Wizard, but will later multiclass into a Fiendlock if you ignore him long enough, probably Pact of the Tome (bit of a bookworm), good Gale is a pure Wizard,

I would multiclass Shadowheart into Paladin after the triais, since personally Dark Justicars seem more like Shar's equivalent of a Paladin than a Cleric, Oath Breaker would fit gameplay wise as well as Vengeance, Good Shadowheart becomes a Life Cleric of Selune aka the Moon Witch.

Durge is canonically a Storm Sorcerer who can later multiclass into Assassin Rogue, to help him kill more discreetly, canonically I would like Cleric of Bhaal instead of Assassin for Bad Durge, Good Durge probably becomes a Paladin as a form of redemption.

Astarion is an Arcane Trickster, just have it based on Vampire Powers and Thay Necromancy,

Wyll is Pact of the Blade, then have him multiclass into Champion Fighter, I mean he'll lose his powers in 6 months, might as well have him train and prepare to be the Blade without his pact powers,

Minsc is a Rage Ranger (Like Drizzt Do'Urden, Rangers seem to have a bit of anger issues, there should be a Ranger subclass themed after them).

Boo is canonically an Assassin, going for the Eyes is instant death.

Mithara is a Vengeance Paladin but Oathbreaker fits her more since she betrayed Lolth like a Heretic and then she betrayed the Absolute, (Double Oath Breaking)

Jaheria is a Circe of the Land,

Halsin is a Moon Druid with 1 level of Bard, (How else do you explain his sudden horninest),

Karlach any Barbarian class fits her.

Canon Tav was a Human Cleric of an unknown deity, who later joins the Absolute under the name Zealot Malik after Larian insulted him into joining the Dark Side.

Astarion - Thief Rogue (12)

Gale - Necromancer Wizard (11) / Knowledge Domain Cleric of Mystra (1) --- Geek with a dark streak, why thats Necromancer. And he certainly has a "thing" for Mystra.

Lae'zel - Battle Master Fighter (12)

Wyll -
Karlach - Oath of Ancients Paladin (12) --- None of the Barbarian subclasses really have a hint for her.

Minthara - ... eats dirt six feet under and is never spoken about again ...

Halsin - Circle of the Spores Druid (12). --- Truely a "toxic" person. Quickly dies in an "unfortunate accident". And "somehow" everybody conveniently forgot about the possibility of resurrection.

Jaheira - Circle of the Moon Druid (12) --- The closest to Fighter/Druid, which Jaheira was in BG1/BG2.

Minsc - Ranger (2) / Wildheart Barbarian (Tiger Heart, Tiger and Wolvenrine Aspects) (10)

Karlach - I respecify her to Fighter as I do not care about the raging business. Less things to think about and keep track off in combat. Champion as she is good at smashing things
Astarion - after 1lvl moved into Ranger, shooty Bounty Hunter or Gloomstalker work equally well
Gale - Evocation for the Fireballs
Wyll - after 1lvl Paladin of Vengeance or Bounty Hunter Ranger. I suppose that one of the two martial Bard Lores would suit him.
Lae-zel - Eldritch Champion - her race is designed to be that Sub-class
Shadowheart - I respecify her into Light Domain for the Fireballs

Yes, I play like a five year old :P

Minsc - he PREDATES the Barbarian Class ... need I say more?

Jaheira - will always be Fighter-Druid to me. And I consider Druids to be a stupid idea ...
Halsin - not interested
Minthara - not sure if interested.