Minsc is an important character in the game, and you are tasked with a difficult decision: should you kill or spare him? We’ll tell you the right choice to make in our guide on saving or killing Minsc in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Baldur’s Gate 3: Should You Save or Kill Minsc? – Answered (BG3)
If you’re in the subterranean hideaway of the Guild, you’ve likely gotten entangled with Nine-Finger Keene and Jaheira. Both want the same thing: for you to stop Minsc, who’s on a rampage through the city, destroying everything in his path as he makes fertile ground for the Absolute Cult.
And when you finally find him in the Abandoned Cistern, Jaheira will plead with you to not kill him. So, should you kill him or not?
The answer is simple: you should save Minsc. You’ll be able to use Shadowheart’s Astral Prism to clear his mind of the Absolute’s brainwashing, as long as you have Jaheira in your party.
Keep in mind that you need Jaheira alive in order to recruit Minsc. The pivotal moment comes during the Find the Nightsong questline, in which you’ll have to decide whether to kill Nightsong or not. If you do choose murder, the Last Light Inn will no longer have any protective sphere, resulting in Jaheira, along with many others, dying off-screen.
There are no downsides. If you do this, Jaheira will be happy, and her companion quest will be complete. Minsc will join your camp as a permanent party member (he’s a ranger). This will also neatly tie up one of the most significant steps in the “Aid the Underduke” quest line.
And Minsc is a very fun companion to have, at least on the personality front.
Now, if you’re not sure how to stop yourself from killing Minsc in the fight, here’s how. At the bottom of your hotbar, which displays all your potential actions, you’ll see a sub-menu that says “Passives.” Click it. You’ll then see that a new action called “Non-Lethal Attack.”
By selecting this option, your melee attacks will leave Minsc with only 1 HP. Using magic can still blast him into the afterlife, so be mindful.
Once Minsc is knocked out, and the rest of the Absolutist doppelgangers handled, you can speak to him and go through the series of choices that will determine whether or not he’s added to your party.
Additional Quest Details
You’ll get the opportunity to recruit Minsc after recruiting Jaheira. This will give you the companion quest The High Harper, which will lead you to Minsc at the Counting Halls. Here’s how to get to the subterranean hideaway to find the Emperor.
Subterranean Hideaway
To get to the Subterranean Hideaway, you’ll need to go past Elfsong Tavern, until you find another building on your right. It’s immediately in sight right as you enter the Lower City. You’ll be given the quest to find the Mindflayer’s hideout automatically in your journal.
You’ll then need to go through the first floor and find the kitchen in the back. There is a ladder in this kitchen that leads to Elfsong Tavern’s basement. After defeating the rats, you’ll need to go left of the room towards some wine racks. By the crumbling doorway in the storage room you’ll find a button. Once pushed, a barrel in the room will open, which you can then enter.
Guildhall Location
You can easily get to the Guildhall from the Lower City or the Lower City Sewers. Use the manhole at coordinates (X:127, Y:-30) for a very fast route. It’ll be north of the Basilisk Gate tucked inside of an alleyway. You’ll then need to break down the western wall at coordinates (X:38, Y:784), and continue onward.
The History Behind Jaheira and Minsc
Minsc comes from a Rashemaar nation, which is entirely matriarchal. He went on his dajemma, which is a Rashemaar coming-of-age tradition, along with a young woman named Dynaheir.
At some point during his journey, Dynaheir was taken, and Minsc met up with Jaheira and Khalid. Together, they saved Dynaheir, and managed to take down a Bhaalspawn named Sarevok Anchev, ending the Iron Crisis.
For his heroic deeds, Minsc caught the attention of Guildmaster Nine-Fingers Keene. Both Keene and Jaheira have a long history together fending off evil, so saving Minsc is of the utmost importance. Keene remarks that Minsc was a great hero in her youth.
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