NPCs

Baldur's Gate has a total of 25 Non-Player Characters (NPCs) that can join your party. Herein you can find their statistics and a general review of the character. They're listed alphabetically, or you can click on one of their pictures (below) and be taken directly to them.

As you play the game and level up NPCs keep up with you, so when you ask one to join it isn't as if they missed out on experience. (I am not certain, but I believe this only applies to NPCs who have never been in your party. I seem to remember re-visiting a NPC and finding he hadn't leveled since I departied him. Any confirmation?) Thus, you don't need to worry about adding someone to your party late-game and having them be *utterly* useless due to lack of levels. Also, as they level the game automatically distributes proficiency points, hit points, and thief skills, so all proficiencies in this article are as-I-found-them. To conclude this introduction, in Tales the NPCs stop keeping up with the PC at around level 6.

Ajantis
	Paladin Lawful Good Human, Male		Strength 17 Dexterity 13 Constitution 16		Intelligence 12 Wisdom 13 Charisma 17

Ajantis is specialized (++) in Large Swords and Small Swords. He can be found on the road on the Ankheg Farm map (AR1400, x=1574, y=3143). He can be recruited in any chapter.

Due to his good strength and constitution he makes a good melee fighter, though his mid-range dexterity gives him no AC bonus nor any ranged attack bonus. As a Paladin, his Detect Evil skill can give you a hint as to what enemies to expect on a given map. He most definitely pulls his weight in a party, though his constant screeching "FOR HELM!!!" can become an ear-strain and make you wish he'd taken up basket weaving instead of adventuring.

Alora
	Thief Chaotic Good Halfling, Female		Strength 8 Dexterity 19 Constitution 12		Intelligence 14 Wisdom 7 Charisma 10

Alora is proficient (+) in Bow and Missile weapons. She can be found at nighttimes inside the Hall of Wonders in Baldur's Gate (AR0130, x=787, y=787). She can first be recruited in chapter 5.

Her exceptional dexterity makes her a good thief, but she is horribly lacking in strength. Her other stats are unremarkable. She has a permanent item glued in one of her ring slots, "Lucky Rabbit's Foot," which does nothing as far as I can tell. As far as thieves go Imoen's got her beat. Which is sad, because Alora is so much more pleasant than that whiny purple beast. But even Imoen doesn't even come close to being as bratty as Skie.

Branwen
	Cleric True Neutral Human, Female		Strength 13 Dexterity 16 Constitution 15		Intelligence 9 Wisdom 16 Charisma 13

Branwen is proficient (+) in Blunts and Missiles. The one day she forgets to wear Petrification-block SPF 40 she has an unfortunate run-in with a Flesh-to-Stone spell. Now she's a statue on display at the Nashkel Carnival (AR4900, x=3250, y=2883). You must use a scroll of "Stone to Flesh" to revive her. Branwen is available in chapter 2 and beyond.

Her wisdom isn't as high as it could be, but no cleric NPC has higher than 16 wisdom. Her dexterity makes her an excellent choice for using missile weapons since she likely won't make a very strong melee fighter. Her constitution isn't bad either. She has a special ability which allows her to cast Spiritual Hammer three times per day. If you're looking for a cleric for a party of any alignment, give her a try.

Coran
	Fighter-Thief Chaotic Good Elf, Male		Strength 14 Dexterity 20 Constitution 12		Intelligence 14 Wisdom 9 Charisma 16

Coran is specialized (++) in Large Swords and has a mastery (+++) of the Bow. He can be found on a bridge on the first Cloakwood map (AR220, x=1534, y=705). He is first available in chapter 4. I've read that since he seeks the bounty placed on Wyverns and you must slay a Wyvern within a given number of days or he leaves the party. (Confirmation?)

Coran's dexterity makes him both a great archer and a good thief. He has a severe deficiency in strength, for a fighter at least. You might look at him as a good party's answer to Montaron, only Montaron didn't have an affair with a woman south of Baldur's Gate's Blushing Mermaid pub. That's right. Ol' Monty had an affair with a muskrat instead.

Dynaheir
	Invoker Lawful Good Human, Female		Strength 11 Dexterity 13 Constitution 16		Intelligence 17 Wisdom 15 Charisma 12

For some reason Black Isle likes starting mage NPCs off with a proficiency in some sort of dangerous melee weapon, but Dynaheir is the exception as she is proficient (+) in the much safer-to-use missile weapons. She can be found in a pit in the Gnoll Fortress (AR5100, x=2525, y=1446) and must be rescued in order to join your party. She is available at any time, depending on when you decide to take a jaunt out to the Gnolls.

Once Minsc joins your party the pair will join/leave together. While it is necessary to rescue Dynaheir in order to keep Minsc, I do not know if it is necessary to go pick up Minsc in order to keep Dynaheir.

Her intelligence and wisdom will give her good lore, and her constitution is just fine. Other than that, she's your typical mage: No physical combat skills to speak of. She does have a special ability to Slow Poison once per day, and that can be useful if you're low on antidote potions. Finally, her massive downside: As an Invoker, she cannot cast Enchantments/Charms OR Conjurations/Summonings. Being without Summonings can be very painful, though not impossible. She can use disallowed spells from scrolls and wands, at least.

Edwin
	Conjurer Lawful Evil Human, Male		Strength 9 Dexterity 10 Constitution 16		Intelligence 18 Wisdom 9 Charisma 10

The first of the mages proficient (+) in melee, we find Edwin with the coveted blunts weapons spot. Why are they so coveted? Because... ah... Moving right along, he can be found on a bridge in Nashkel (AR4800, x=2875, y=2958). In order to retain Edwin's services you must assassinate Dynaheir. I have heard, however, that if you recruit Edwin after rescuing her you may keep both. I have also heard that he will hostile your party every so often if this occurs, but I have no confirmation on this. Edwin is available starting in chapter 2.

Edwin has a very unique special ability: He may learn 1 extra first and second level spell. This can be indeed useful early on when young mages are growing and are low on spells to begin with. He also has an item glued in his amulet slot, "Edwin's amulet." Edwin's other defining characteristics are his respectable constitution and his inability to cast Divinations. Though other than missing the ability to ID things via spell I doubt Divinations will be missed too much. There's simply not much call for them.

Eldoth
	Bard Neutral Evil Human, Male		Strength 16 Dexterity 13 Constitution 15		Intelligence 13 Wisdom 10 Charisma 16

Eldoth is proficient (+) in small swords and spears. Eldoth is available beginning in chapter 4 and is found on the third Cloakwood map (AR1600, x=3190, y=3495). In order to keep him you must rescue Skie in Baldur's Gate. Once together, Eldoth and Skie join and leave as a couple.

I judge Bards in three areas: Might, magic, and archery. He has decent strength and constitution, so he may fit into the role of a weak-ish fighter. His intelligence isn't too limiting insofar as magic goes, though he does have only a 55% chance to learn a spell. (As a note, his lore will be fine, though he will get no bonuses from INT or WIS.) Finally we have archery, and his dexterity is neutral in this respect. Despite being a mediocre archer, Eldoth can create 6 poisoned arrows per day as a special ability.

Faldorn
	Druid True Neutral Human, Female		Strength 12 Dexterity 15 Constitution 11		Intelligence 10 Wisdom 16 Charisma 15

Faldorn is proficient (+) in spears, blunts, and missiles. She is another NPC available on the third Cloakwood screen (AR1600, x=648, y=2883). She, like all Cloakwood NPCs, is available starting in chapter 4.

Her strength is horrible, and her constitution is neutral (no bonus, no penalty). Her dexterity and wisdom are good, however. She can Summon Dread Wolf once per day, which is useful to an extent. Unless you're really hurting for a priest class character, I'd recommend leaving Faldorn be.

Garrick
	Bard Chaotic Neutral Human, Male		Strength 14 Dexterity 16 Constitution 9		Intelligence 13 Wisdom 14 Charisma 15

Garrick is proficient (+) in small swords and missile weapons. He's available in any chapter and is found in Beregost (AR3300, x=2509, y=2309). In order to recruit him, you must complete the Silke quest that he gives you when you talk to him.

More pleasant than Eldoth, Garrick's dexterity tells of a man capable of handling missile weapons well. He's no better a spellcaster than Eldoth, however, and has an even worse constitution. (His Con is still only a neutral value, so it's not "bad.") Over all, if you want a Bard I'd recommend creating your own.

Imoen
	Thief Neutral Good Human, Female		Strength 9 Dexterity 18 Constitution 16		Intelligence 17 Wisdom 11 Charisma 16

Imoen is proficient (+) in small swords and bows. She joins the party automatically at the beginning of chapter 1, so finding her is not difficult.

Imoen is fantastic. With a total of 87 statistic points, the only thing she's lacking is strength. Great dex, great con, great charisma, and her intelligence allows her to dual-class to a Wizard. (For that matter, she can also dual-class to a Conjurer, Enchanter, Illusionist, Invoker, or a Transmuter. Invoker and Transmuter not recommended.) I personally find her a bit whiny and annoying, but she's a superb character. Note that in Tales of the Sword Coast, you can dual-class her from Thief at level 6 and she can still potentially reach Wizard level 9.

Jaheira
	Fighter-Druid True Neutral Half-Elf, Female		Strength 15 Dexterity 14 Constitution 17		Intelligence 10 Wisdom 14 Charisma 15

Jaheira is specialized (++) in blunts and missiles. She's available as early as chapter 1 inside the Friendly Arm Inn (AR2301, x=311, y=713). She and her husband, Khalid, join the party together and leave together. They seem to leave the Inn at some point in the game (I've noticed it as early as Chapter 4.), so if you'd like them get them early.

Jaheira has very good con, and ok str and neutral dex. She makes a mediocre fighter or ranged attacker. I'd consider her as a party member more for her priest spells than for anything else.

Kagain
	Fighter Lawful Evil Dwarf, Male		Strength 16 Dexterity 12 Constitution 20		Intelligence 15 Wisdom 11 Charisma 8

Kagain is proficient (+) in blunts and missiles, and he's specialized in axes (++). He is available in any chapter and can be found in Beregost. The house that he's in is at AR3300, x=1583, y=2086. Inside the house he's at AR3353, x=319, y=279. In order to retain his services he must locate his caravan, which is on the map directly north of Beregost (AR2800).

Kagain's constitution is exceptional and, from what I've read, he actually regenerates hit points. His strength is ok, but his other stats aren't particularly useful. 15 INT on a non-mage is weird, especially considering there are no Mind Flayers. His dex is merely neutral. Still, he'd make a nice fighter addition to an evil party.

Khalid
	Fighter Neutral Good Half-Elf, Male		Strength 15 Dexterity 16 Constitution 17		Intelligence 12 Wisdom 10 Charisma 9

Khalid is specialized (++) in large swords and proficient (+) in bows and axes. He shows up in the Friendly Arm with his wife Jaheira (AR2301, x=328, y=665). As noted earlier, Khalid is partners with Jaheira and will leave if she does.

15 strength on a fighter is strangely low, in my opinion. His dexterity is decent, so he'll make a good ranged attacker. Constitution is quite good. He's pretty much simply an average fighter who could be a bit better. If you really want a fighter in a "Good" party try Minsc, Ajantis, or Kivan.

Kivan
	Ranger Chaotic Good Elf, Male		Strength 18/12 Dexterity 17 Constitution 14		Intelligence 10 Wisdom 14 Charisma 8

Kivan is specialized (++) bows and spears, and his racial enemy is Ogre. He's on a road along the High Hedge map (AR3200, x=3655, y=1481) and is available in any chapter. He's out for revenge against the Half-Ogre Tazok. (As I've read...) You must kill an ogre (or was it bandits?) within a number of days or Kivan leaves.

Nice strength and dexterity. Constitution could be better. Kivan can fight in melee or stand back as an archer. If you need a good warrior, seek out Kivan.

Minsc
	Ranger Neutral Good Human, Male		Strength 18/93 Dexterity 15 Constitution 15		Intelligence 8 Wisdom 6 Charisma 9

Minsc is specialized (++) in large swords, and proficient (+) in spiked weapons and axes. His racial enemy is Gnoll. He and Boo can be found on the Nashkel map in front of the barracks (AR4800, x=3382, y=1954). Minsc is on his "dajemma" during which he must protect his witch, Dynaheir. They were overcome by Gnolls and Dynaheir was captured. If Minsc does not rescue Dynaheir within a certain number of days he attacks the party. (He gave me a warning after 13 days, and attacked on the 22nd.) If Dynaheir is rescued, she and Minsc join and leave as a team. He is first available in chapter 2.

His exceptional strength and good dexterity allow him to fill the shoes of either a meleer or an archer. His constitution, though not as high as it could be, is also good. It's interesting to note that though he's a Ranger, he possesses below minimum required wisdom (Ranger requires 14; Minsc has 6). At any rate, Minsc does his job and he does it well. At higher levels he gains an ability to go Berserk once per day. Minsc also has Boo, a miniature giant space hamster who occupies one of his quick item slots.

Boo
	Pet-Mentor Neutral Good M.G.S. Hamster, Male		Strength 9 Dexterity 25 Constitution 3		Intelligence 9 Wisdom 9 Charisma 9

Minsc insists that Boo is the more intelligent of the two, and he pays close attention to what the rodent has to say. I can't say that I blame him, though I'd have advised him to select a lemming since we are obviously the most intelligent of rodents. But I digress, and seem prejudiced against poor Boo. But 'tis far from the truth because I find Boo just ducky! He's a great li'l guy.

Boo possesses a grand mastery (+++++) in incisors, and he has a special ability known as "cuteness" which he casts at the beginning of every day. Being constantly cute, however, is a tough job. Some days he just can't pull it off and becomes "moody" instead (5% chance). Minsc will never allow you to hold or pet Boo, but you may gaze at the adorable rodent as much as you like.

Montaron
	Fighter-Thief Neutral Evil Halfling, Male		Strength 16 Dexterity 17 Constitution 15		Intelligence 12 Wisdom 13 Charisma 9

Monty is specialized (++) in small swords and missile weapons. Monty (AR2700, x=4512, y=2705) and Xzar are partners and will join/leave the party as a team. They're found on the first wilderness map outside of Candlekeep; just follow the road. In order for them to join you must promise to follow them to Nashkel. If you do not go to Nashkel within about a fortnight, they begin getting antsy. If you delay too long (took me ~26 days in total) they'll leave you. Monty and Xzar are available in any chapter.

Not bad strength for a fighter. Dexterity's good so he'll make a decent thief, but I'd expect more from a Halfling Thief. Constitution is also good. He's evil's answer to Coran.

Quayle
	Cleric-Illusionist Chaotic Neutral Gnome, Male		Strength 8 Dexterity 15 Constitution 11		Intelligence 17 Wisdom 10 Charisma 6

Quayle is proficient (+) in blunts, spikes, and missiles. He can be found on the opposite side of Wyrm's Way (the bridge into Baldur's Gate; AR0900, x=700, y=865). He is available in chapter 5 and beyond.

Quayle's stats are just plain bad: Strength, constitution, and only 10 wisdom on a cleric? Also, I'd expect a bit more intelligence on a Gnome Illusionist - especially one who claims to be so brilliant. His special ability, Invisibility once per day, doesn't make up for his stinky stats. I'd say take him only if you're desperate, if you like Gnomes, or if you enjoy his banter with the other NPCs.

Safana
	Thief Chaotic Neutral Human, Female		Strength 13 Dexterity 17 Constitution 10		Intelligence 16 Wisdom 9 Charisma 17

Proficiencies (+) are missile weapons and small swords. She's found on the lighthouse map (AR3600, x=3744, y=2389). You must agree to go treasure hunting (and then do so) to get her to join. (The cave she's looking for is on AR3600 behind Sil.) She's available in any chapter.

Strength is mediocre, though her dexterity is respectable. She has neutral constitution, and her intelligence is 1 point from being able to dual-class to a mage. She's something of a weak version of Imoen. For what it's worth (which is little), she can cast Charm Animal (though "seduce animal" seems more appropriate given her style of speaking) once per day.

Shar-Teel
	Fighter Chaotic Evil Human, Female		Strength 18/58 Dexterity 17 Constitution 9		Intelligence 14 Wisdom 7 Charisma 11

Specialized (++) in large swords, small swords, and missile weapons, Shar-Teel is a powerful man-hating force. She's found on the basilisk map (AR3500, x=276, y=309) and will only join your party if a male beats her to below half hps in one-on-one battle. She's available in any chapter.

Good strength and dexterity, but low con (especially for a fighter). Dex is high enough to allow her to dual-class to a thief, and if (in TotSC) she duals at Fighter level 6 she can still potentially reach level 9 as a Thief. (Though dualing at 7 would give her a more useful boost to her Fighter abilities than at 6.) Nice bit of versatility there. (And imagine her backstab! Ouch!) She seems like a fine warrior for an evil party.

Skie
	Thief True Neutral Human, Female		Strength 11 Dexterity 18 Constitution 15		Intelligence 15 Wisdom 8 Charisma 13

Skie is proficient (+) in small swords, bows, and missile weapons. She's a spoiled brat of a NPC and can be found on the second floor of Entar Silvershield's mansion (AR102, x=688, y=1281), which is located in Baldur's Gate. She is available in chapter 5 and beyond, and will only join if Eldoth is in your party. Once she joins, she and Eldoth join and leave as a team.

She is the most annoying NPC in the game, IMO. That aside, she has nice dexterity and good con. Strength is lowish, and her intelligence is high for no explainable reason (it doesn't allow her to *do* anything). She'll make a useful thief, but only a thief. That'd be fine if she weren't such a brat. Take her only if the rest of your party was infected with the plague, abducted by aliens, rent to shreds by wild gerbils, ran off to join a circus, eaten by a tribe of basement-dwelling geeks sent into a cannibalistic rage by a 5-days-late pizza delivery, or were drawn and quartered by a Helmish inquisition. If none of the following occurred, you probably don't need Skie and will want to keep far, far away from her at all costs.

Tiax
	Cleric-Thief Chaotic Evil Gnome, Male		Strength 9 Dexterity 16 Constitution 16		Intelligence 10 Wisdom 13 Charisma 9

Tiax is proficient (+) in blunts, spikes, and missiles. This insane cleric of the god Cyric who believes that he is destined to rule the world can be found in front of the Flaming Fist compound in the SW section of Baldur's Gate (AR1100, x=1442, y=1618). He is available starting in chapter 5.

Lowish wisdom for a cleric, but it's not too bad. Dex could be better as well, considering his thieving profession. His constitution is good, at least, despite his wretched strength. As a special ability Tiax can Summon Ghast once per day. I think an evil party can find better thieves and clerics than Tiax, though he is rather amusing.

Viconia
	Cleric Neutral Evil Elf (Drow), Female		Strength 10 Dexterity 19 Constitution 8		Intelligence 16 Wisdom 15 Charisma 14

Viconia is proficient (+) in blunts, spikes, and missiles. She can be found in Peldvale (AR2400, x=443, y=733), but must be saved from a Flaming Fist officer before she'll join the party. There is no reputation loss for the Flaming Fist kill, but there is a rep loss (2 points) when she joins up.

She has such nice dexterity it makes me wonder why she's not a thief, or a Cleric-Thief. At any rate, it makes her a crack shot with missile weapons. Her wisdom is acceptable for a cleric, though it could be a tad higher. Her high intelligence will bring lore bonuses. Her only downsides are her strength and constitution, but since she doesn't look cut out for melee work she should be just fine.

Xan
	Enchanter Lawful Neutral Elf, Male		Strength 13 Dexterity 16 Constitution 7		Intelligence 17 Wisdom 14 Charisma 16

Xan is proficient (+) in small swords. He's located on the fourth level of the Nashkel mines, inside of Mulahey's cave (AR5405, x=843, y=599). He's available in chapter 2, if you rescue him before disposing of Mulahey, but for all intents and purposes he's available in chapter 3.

His intelligence makes him a competent mage, and his strength isn't bad considering his class. His dexterity appears quite useful for missile weapons. His constitution is horribly low, but it's still neutral (no bonuses or penalties). He has a special weapon, Xan's Moonblade, which gives him fire resistance and a 1 AC bonus. As an Enchanter, he cannot cast Invokations/Evocations, and that is perhaps his biggest drawback: Lack of significant magical offense. But he can still be quite a useful mage even if he isn't casting Magic Missiles.

Xzar
	Necromancer Chaotic Evil Human, Male		Strength 14 Dexterity 16 Constitution 10		Intelligence 17 Wisdom 16 Charisma 10

Proficient (+) in short swords, Xzar is an insane Necromancer who is partners with Montaron. He's located near him, so there is no reason to provide his coordinates.

Xzar is very similar to Xan in most respects. His main gameplay difference is that he's a Necromancer, and thus cannot cast Illusions. This lack of mirror image (to absorb hits) may be a bit painful, but not insurmountable. He'll make a fine wizard addition to a party.

Yeslick
	Fighter-Cleric Lawful Good Dwarf, Male		Strength 15 Dexterity 12 Constitution 17		Intelligence 7 Wisdom 16 Charisma 10

Yeslick is specialized (++) in blunts and missiles. He's on the second level of the Cloakwood mines (AR1804, x=865, y=1724).

Unless it's a family name, there can be no excusable reason to name somebody "Yeslick." Poor sod probably had a real rough time with that name growing up. But this is neither here nor there. Yeslick is an even worse fighter than Khalid. His dexterity should be much better considering his specialization in missiles, not to mention his strength. His constitution, at least, is good. His wisdom is also good, so he makes a competent Cleric. His special ability allows him to cast Dispel Magic once per day. Originally I considered Yeslick useful mainly for his cleric spells, but Dr Douglass points out:

"For a good party, Yeslick is a better cleric than Branwen. He is tougher... And can stand tall in battle for those moments when you really need him. The low AC is not an issue. He has massive hit points. He is like a self healing damage sponge. In places where Minsc died, the only members left in the front line was a Drow and a Dwarf. Yeslick is also damn near immune to poison with his fighter saving throws. I think Yeslick got a bad rap, and I want to correct that. In the end, Yeslick also had a Thac0 of around 10 or 11 IIRC, far better than anything Branwen could muster. He hit hard, and, he hit often with that Morning Star +1."

Additional Information

This table could assist in creating themed parties, but its use other than that is beyond me. Though I do find it interesting.

Statistic Totals				Races		Gender Split		Alignment
Ajantis 88 Alora 70 Branwen 82 Coran 85 Dynaheir 84 Edwin 72 Eldoth 83 Faldorn 79 Garrick 81 Imoen 87 Jaheira 85 Kagain 82 Khalid 79		Kivan 81 Minsc 71 Montaron 82 Quayle 67 Safana 82 Shar-Teel 76 Skie 80 Tiax 73 Viconia 82 Xan 83 Xzar 83 Yeslick 77		Dwarves 2 Elves 4 Gnomes 2 Half-Elves 2 Halflings 2 Humans 13		Males 15 Females 10		L. Good 3 N. Good 3 C. Good 3 L. Neutral 1 T. Neutral 4 C. Neutral 3 L. Evil 2 N. Evil 3 C. Evil 3
Average 79.76			Boo not included in table.

This table serves little purpose insofar as selecting a good NPC goes because it's the statistic distribution that determines usefulness. Despite this, in most cases a character with a high total usually has a decent distribution, but there are exceptions. Jaheira, for example, could be much better in places. Edwin and Minsc, on the other hand, are two NPCs that I consider quite useful and have very low statistic totals. It's all about the distribution.