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Baldur’s Gate 3has made its mark on the RPG community and was a wild success at release. While many players are well into their second or third playthrough (and some are still digging around in act 1), they may not have had the chance to recruit the most elusive of the game’s companions — Minthara.
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Minthara is a Drow Paladin first met in the Goblin Camp of Act 1, and is a tough foe for players who opt tokill the goblin leaders. However, those who recruit her have an entirely different problem. What is the best way to build Minthara? Keep reading to learn about Minthara’s best class choices, feats, weapons, and armor.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Updated by Abigail Angell on December 26th, 2023:A new method of recruiting Minthara for a good playthrough has been discovered, so we’ve added a link to the relevant article here. In addition, the reasoning for the Oathbreaker subclass choice has been explained better.
Best Classes For Minthara’s Story
Minthara’s personal story arc is focused around her servitude to greater powers and whether they truly deserve her devotion. While there is no entry in your quest log for her, exploring the world and speaking with her allows you to learn about hertragic pastand deep-seated anger. This makes her default identity of aVengeance Paladincompelling — vengeance is her primary motivation for everything she does. However, many players have found making her anOathbreaker Paladinto signify her break away from the Absolute the most satisfying. Additionally, changing her into a Cleric or Warlock can have satisfying role-play opportunities if you lack one in your party.
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Best Standard Build For Minthara
The best standard build for Minthara is one that takes into account her backstory, the likely alignment of your party if you’ve recruited her, and mid to late-game power level. This makes being anOathbreaker Paladinideal. Not only does it maintain her core identity, but it is alsothe strongest Paladin subclassin the game. This is due to its ability to Control Undead, place necrotic DoTs on enemies, and Frighten all who oppose them. Having minions and frightening enemies in particular is quite strong, as it gives you more turns per round and makes enemy turns less effective - action economy is always king in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Minthara comes pre-built with ability scores suited to being a paladin, so the only thing you’ll need to change when you recruit her is her subclass. This can be done by doing any action tobreak your oath(for a Vengeance paladin,granting mercy to an enemywhen they ask for it is the most reliable — i.e., allowing the goblin leader at the windmill to live after he surrenders). This prompts an Oathbreaker Paladin to visit, allowing you to change your subclass.
Minthara’s Ability Scores
Minthara begins with a very standard Paladin Ability Score Array:
Constitution
Intelligence
This array shouldn’t require any serious modifications when recruiting her, although some players choose to lower her Wisdom to 8 in exchange for ahigher Constitution. At levels 4, 8, and 12, you will have the opportunity to choose a Feat for Minthara to raise her ability scores and add extra features.
Minthara’s Race & Background
Minthara’s Race and Background areLolth-sworn DrowandNoble, respectively. These features are set in stone, even if youtake her to Withers. However, neither are bad choices for this build. She will have access to several spells, better Darkvision, and special dialogue options because of her race. Her background will generate Inspiration when making friends or squirreling away large quantities of Gold.
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Best Multiclass Build For Minthara
If you’d like to go down the Multiclassing route, there are many Paladin Multiclasses available to players. Those that are particularly strong includethe Sorcadin Multiclassandthe Warlock / Paladin multiclass. Each focuses on generating more spell slots for smiting, allowing the Paladin to dish out even more damage.
Best Feats For Minthara
Minthara benefits heavily from Feats, as she has several uneven Ability Scores in her array. Standard builds will include three Feats, while the amount you may take in a Multiclass build varies. Among the best choices for this build includeAthlete, Ability Score Increase, Tough, or Shieldmaster.
This is what is known as a partial ASI, meaning it gives one feature benefit in addition to a single ability score increase. Players can use it to raise Minthara’s Strength to 18 as well as increase her jump distance significantly and reduce the cost of falling prone. More Jump distance is always helpful for melee characters, as it allows them to close in on enemies without using their action to dash.
Ability Score Increase
Raising an ability score is a great choice for any Feat — getting your key abilities to 20 is a massive mechanical boon in this game. It increases your chance of hitting attacks and affecting enemies with your spells. It can even influence how many spells you may have prepared at once. Therefore, the ability to raise any score by two is a powerful, if slightly boring option.
As the game progresses, it will get harder and harder to tank attacks from enemies. As a Paladin, Minthara will likely be your primary tank. Therefore, tough is a great option to increase her maximum hit points (this feat grants up to 24 additional Hit Points).
Shield Master
While this option only works if you have Minthara using a shield, and allows her to add the shield’s AC bonus to some saving throws. This, in turn, mitigates some of the damage from AoE spells such as Fireball and Lightning Bolt, as well as throwables like Smokepowder Bombs.
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Best Gear & Items For Minthara
The best gear and items for Minthara will heavily depend on her role in your party, but, in general, Paladin-specific items or heavy armor will benefit her the most.
For an easy upgrade to her gear, give her the items found onKetheric Thormafter slaying him in Act 2.
The Watcher’s Guide
In the Dank Crypt of the Ravaged Beach Region, where you crash-land in Act One.
Sword of Chaos
Looted from Sarevok, who can be found in the Murder Tribunal of Bhaal
Balduran’s Giantslayer
Rewarded for completing the Wyrmway Trials
Sword of Justice
Looted from the Paladins of Tyr in Act One
Spellthief
Bought from Aaron in the Druid Grove
Adamantine Splint Armor
Crafted in the Adamantine Forge in the Underdark
Armor of Devotion
Sold by Roah Moonglow in Moonrise Towers
Reaper’s Embrace
Looted from Ketheric Thorm in Moonrise Towers
Armor of Persistence
Bought from Dammon in the Forge of the Nine of the Lower City.
Helm of Balduran
Found on an altar near Ansur in the Dragon’s Sanctum
Helmet of Smiting
Helmet Of Smiting can be found in the Selunite Outpost of the Underdark Region inside a gilded chest.
Vivacious Cloak
Looted from a chest in the Grand Mausoleum of the Shadowlands
Shadeslayer Cloak
Bought from Sticky Dundo in the Guildhall of the Lower City Sewers
Gloves of the Growling Underdog
Found Inside Dror Ragzlin’s Treasure Crates in the Shattered Sanctum
Linebreaker Boots
Looted from Beastmaster Zurk in the Shattered Sanctum
Pearl of Power Amulet
Bought from Omeluum in the Ebonlake Grotto
Spellcrux Amulet
Looted from the Warden in Moonrise Towers
Ring of Free Action
Sold by Araj Oblodra in Moonrise Towers
Killer’s Sweetheart
On the ground at the top of the stone structure in the Self-Same Trial of the Gauntlet of Shar
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