Baldur’s Gate 3 is an action-packed, story-rich RPG where a player’s choices shape a tale of betrayal and friendship, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.

Prior to Patch 5, players had to side with the Goblins and slaughter a bunch of innocent Tieflings residing in the Grove if they wanted Minthara on their team. This seemed like a high price to pay just to recruit one character, which is why Larian Studios added another way to recruit Minthara that requires fewer murders.

Updated October 24, 2024, by Matthew Weideman: The recent release of Patch 7 for Baldur's Garte 3 added modding for console players along with other updates. This breathed new life into the still-popular game and has drawn many people back for more adventuring. Those seeking to chart a different course than in previous playthroughs may be interested in having Minthara fight alongside their party. For those players, this guide has been as streamlined to show each individual step for how to recruit her without killing the tieflings and druids in Emerald Grove.

Make Minthara Temporarily Hostile

If She Is Fully Hostile, She Will Never Join The Party

• Location: Inside Goblin Camp
• Act 1

Minthara Baenre belongs to the Drow race, and when the game begins, is a follower of The Absolute. She is quite aggressive and has a cruel attitude towards others. Minthara can be first encountered in Act One, inside the Goblin Camp, where she is planning an attack on the Emerald Grove. While she is still inside the camp, players need to either steal something, or attack her without initiating dialogue.

This will cause her to become "Temporarily Hostile." When she engages the party in combat, And remember, use non-lethal attacks when she gets down to low HP to knock her out instead of killing her. This way, upon being knocked out, the game doesn't treat her as dead. To recruit Minthara later, it is necessary that she remains alive during Act One, so make a save (or two) right before encountering Minthara to ensure she has the status effect.

Do Not Kill Her Allies

She Cannot See Them Die, Or She Becomes Fully Hostile

• Location: Inside Goblin Camp
• Act 1

Once Minthara is Temporarily Hostile, it is important that she does not witness the party killing any of her allies. If she does, she can become fully hostile and will therefore be unable to be recruited. There are several goblins in the room with her, along with a Scrying Eye.

It is very important to only deal non-lethal damage to all of them while Minthara is still conscious. Additionally, remember that ranged attacks and spells can still kill enemies even when non-lethal damage is turned on, so focus on using melee attacks against the goblins while Minthara is still in the fight.

Knock Minthara Unconscious

Do Not Kill Her

• Location: Inside Goblin Camp
• Act 1

Minthara must remain alive in order to join the party later, as she cannot be revived by Withers or through any spell or scroll if she dies before joining the player as a companion. Just like with the goblins, players need to be careful and make sure that they do not use a ranged attack or spell to cause her to drop to 0 HP. She also obviously cannot be pushed to her death in the chasm, as she will be permanently dead if this happens

Reach Moonrise Towers

Players Must Wait Until Act 2

• Location: Moonrise Towers, south end of the Shadow-cursed lands
• Act 2

Although players encounter Minthara in Act One, they cannot ask her to join their party as a permanent companion until they reach Moonrise Towers in Act Two. This will likely take place many hours after the fight against Minthara in the goblin camp, since Act 1 has a huge amount of content. Once they start Act Two, players need to make their way to the southern end of the map to Moonrise Towers.

There, they need to pose as Absolutists and infiltrate Ketheric Thorm's base. Once inside, there will be a cutscene where Ketheric Thorm sentences Minthara to death because she failed to retrieve the Mysterious Artefact .

Help Minthara Escape

There Are Multiple Ways To Help Her Survive

• Location: Moonrise Towers, south end of the Shadow-cursed lands
• Act 2

When Minthara is being escorted out of the main hall, players can choose to save her by initiating combat. This is a difficult fight because all of the cultists will become hostile, and even having Minthara fight alongside the full party will not make the fight easy.

To avoid this fight, go down the stairs and talk with her in Moonrise Towers Prison. This triggers the “Decide Minthara’s Fate” quest. If they manage to pass a skill check for either Intimidation, Deception, or Persuasion against two guards, players can walk out of Moonrise Towers with her. Players can also fight their way out of the prison, and save the gnomes and other prisoners at the same time.

Regardles of how Minthara escapes, she will visit the player’s camp and ask to join their party as a Companion. She may not be the easiest person to deal with, but any player who successfully romances her can find that Minthara has doubts regarding The Absolute and its actions.