In Baldur's Gate 3, players have the option to recruit a slew of heroes from all over the map. Companions join the player's group during each of the three Acts of the game; in Act 3, for example, players can pick up a legendary hero. Minsc is well-known in Baldur's Gate; he and his miniature giant space hamster named Boo have had many adventures in Faerun up until this point. Whether players are fans of the series or not, it's well worth picking up this hilarious hero and his pet to add to their camp full of friends.
How to Prepare to Get Minsc in Act 2 in Baldur's Gate 3
In order to get Minsc, players will need to ensure that Jaheira survives in Moonrise Towers, and then they will have to invite her to their camp. While some players have been able to recruit Minsc without her, it bugs out some of the dialogue, and this is suspected to have been fixed in patches. So it is best to just make sure the old druid lives to ensure that her quest chain will be available.
The best way to ensure that Jaheira survives to Act 3 is first to make sure that Shadowheart chooses not to kill the Nightsong; Jaheira and everyone at the Last Light Inn will die if the Nightsong is not saved. Next, players will want to keep her safe during the battle at Moonrise Towers; she is able to join the player's party as a rare fifth member. When entering Moonrise, a cutscene and conversation with Jaheira will begin automatically.
- She will ask: "This is it - the spearhead moment. You've brought us this far, so how do we proceed?" Choose either the first answer, "We move in an secure the ground floor first - cut off all exits" or pick the second option, "You're the High Harper. You tell me."
- When Jaheira says, "Say the word, and we're off," respond with "Actually, I'd rather have you join my party, Jaheira."
- Next, she will say she is already spoken for; respond with either the first reply or the second.
- Jaheira will join the party as a generic Circle of the Moon druid of the party's same level. This will allow the player to control where she goes and what she does, making it much easier to keep her alive. She will follow players up to the second level to take on Ketheric Thorm.
- Once players have defeated Thorm for the first time, he will escape down into the mind-flayer colony. Outside, jump down into the colony, interact with Jaheira and tell her to join the party now or wait in camp. She is now a companion that can used in the player party and resurrected like the other BG3 companions.
The High Harper in Baldur's Gate 3
Like the other companions, returning hero Jaheira will have her own quest chain called the High Harper. It begins when players reach Baldur's Gate in Act 3. In order to get Minsc and Boo, follow each step of the quest chain.
- Meet the Harpers in the Basement of Danthelon's Dancing Axe. This shop is located in Wyrm's Crossing at x:-4, y:103; it is two-story building north of Sharess' Caress. Players don't need Jaheira in their party for this, but it is recommended to get the full story. Talk to Danthelon, and he will give a key to the basement. Go down, find the ambush of shapechangers, then kill them all.
- Talk to Jaheira. Chatting with Jaheira will give the next section of this quest chain.
- Speak to Nine-Fingers Keene at the Guildhall. Since the Harpers are scattered, Jaheira will insist on finding a new source of information: the criminal Guild. In order to do this, players will need to find a way into the city.
The Guildhall and Nine-Fingers Keene Locations
The Guildhall is in the sewers underneath the Basilisk Gate Waypoint; there is a manhole entrance at x:127, y:-31. There are several entrances to the sewers, and players can use any they find to get there. Here is the location of the Nine-Fingers Guildhall.
Speaking with Keene informs the party that Minsc is alive and well, but he appears to have joined the Cult of the Absolute and is currently wreaking havoc across the city as the Stone Lord. Keene isn't forthcoming with information to allow Jaheira to get to him first, so players will have to go around asking all the people at the Guildhall to see who can provide the info needed.
Just outside the Guildhall, there are two halflings drunkenly chatting about the Stone Lord at x:-12, y: 740. Interact with them and Intimidate or Persuade them to keep talking about Minsc. One of them knows where the Stone Lord is heading next: the Counting House.
How to Get Into the Counting House to Find Minsc in Baldur's Gate
Once all the steps above have been completed, head to the Counting House. It is found at x: -99, y: -160. It's a massive stone building on the water, connected to Baldur's Gate's Lower City with only a bridge. Go in, and there will be four tellers manning windows; only one of them is free. It's the second from the right. Talk to him, and Jaheira will ask if he's had any scary customers lately. The teller will mention that someone just went into the vault, armed, against company policy.
Use a Persuasion or Intimidation roll on him to get a vault pass. This will allow the player's party to head through without killing anyone inside the building. Talk to the left guard who is guarding the vault's entrance, then go inside. Keep heading down, speak to the next guard, and hand her the vault pass, then continue to walk down to the vault. The final door will be blocked by a bank vault floor puzzle; unfortunately for players, the answer to this riddle is all the way on the top floor of the bank and heavily guarded. So either head back upstairs and sneak into the Head Clerk's Office or check below for the answer.
- Upper left
- Upper right
- Middle
- Middle right
Walk over the tiles in that order, and the door will open. Head inside the main vault for Baldur's Gate 3's first Minsc cutscene. There will also be a short fight with some Bhaal worshipers who love to use 
Invisibility
inside the vault itself. Make sure to keep the Nine-Fingers vault Keeper, named Glitterbeard, alive; he'll give players a quest to return the money from the bank vault which has some nice rewards. After the battle, step into the vault itself and look for clues to Minsc's whereabouts; with a simple perception check, a party member will say something about the sewers.
Minsc's Location in the Sewers of Baldur's Gate
Minsc's hideout is located in the Baldur's Gate's sewers, so players will need to head there once again. Head north from the City Sewer Waypoint to x:-209, y: 871. There will be a fight both inside and outside the hideout, so be ready for that.
To open the door of the Abandoned Cistern, just turn both the water pressure and the water temperature valves above once each, and the door will open on its own.
An important note for this fight: If Minsc is dead at the end of this battle, there will be no recruiting him. Make sure to go into the "Passives" menu at the bottom of the screen and turn on non-lethal combat. This turns on non-lethal for everyone, so make sure to toggle it on and off depending on which NPC a character is about to hit. Keeping Minsc alive will allow the player to recruit him, but he needs to be knocked out first.
Make sure to kill the Boss Friol of the Zhentarim first; she is the one carrying all the bank's gold. She will escape out of the back of the hideout with all the gold if players don't go out of their way to stop her first. Once Minsc is knocked out and all the other enemies have been slain, a dialogue will begin. Jaheira will insist that the Emperor extend its protection to Minsc, and she will threaten him if he refuses.
- When the Emperor protests by saying "Get rid of him," choose the first option: "Extend your protection to him."
- Next, the mind-flayer Emperor will say, "Don't be foolish. He is too unpredictable - he will only be a hindrance to us." Make sure to reply with either the first option or the second.
- In response to "She bluffs, surely she would not risk the fate of all for one simple life," make sure to choose the second option: "I don't think you want to find out."
- The Emperor will agree unwillingly, but he will agree. This will cool Minsc's anger as he realizes that Jaheria isn't really dead.
Once all this is complete, Minsc will ask a few questions, so answer them in any way. Next, Minsc will run to the northernmost part of the hideout and begin to break walls. He is looking for his friend, Boo, who was locked up by the Absolutists. After that cutscene, Minsc can join the player's party or be sent to camp.
Baldur's Gate 3 is available now for PC.
