Update: Larian Studios added an official way to recruit Minthara without killing in Baldur’s Gate 3, which you can read about here. This article appears as it was originally published below.
Minthara, the Dark Elf who’s pledged her allegiance to Absolute, has proven one of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s more popular NPCs, and if you play your cards right, she can become a romanceable companion. But you need to get your hands dirty if you want her to join up… or do you? One Baldur’s Gate 3 player has discovered how to recruit Minthara without killing.
Typically, you get this badass Drow on your side by completing a quest she gives you to slaughter pretty much everyone in the Emerald Grove. So, with a little assistance from Minthara’s goblin troops, you’ll end up knee deep in Tiefling and Druid corpses. Then, you’ll have earned her favour. There is a little more to it than that, but the general wisdom has been that you can’t recruit her without a bit of carnage. Now, Redditor Wulfrinnan has explained their method for “innocently” recruiting Minthara. Wulfrinnan’s method is as follows.
Related: How Baldur’s Gate 3 Masterfully Emulates and Breaks D&D – Design Delve
- Speak to the Tiefling children (Mol’s gang) about stealing the Druid idol.
- Steal the idol to stop the ritual, using stealth.
- This will start a fight between Tieflings and Druids so run or sneak out.
- Report the grove’s location to Minthara and when she and you go back you’ll find all the defenders dead. You’ll then be able to recruit her later in the game.
Are you really innocent? Not in the least. It reminds me of the time I persuaded Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic’s Romeo and Juliet families to murder each other. I didn’t fire a shot, but it was absolutely my fault. However, if you’re role-playing as a character or a class who tries to keep their hands clean, it’s a useful Baldur’s Gate 3 dodge.
If you’re looking for more guides and how-tos, check out our guide to the Self-Same Trial in Baldur’s Gate 3.
