It is, in fact, possible to recruit Minthara without betraying the Emerald Grove in Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s tricky, but this guide will help you through it.
How to recruit Minthara without killing the Grove
These steps are how to recruit Minthara in Baldur’s Gate 3 without betraying the Emerald Grove:
- Release all three prisoners from the cells, including the Bard and Halsin
- Tell Haslin to wait there for you, don’t recruit him yet
- Skip talking to Minthara about the location, and don’t go back to the Emerald Grove
- Make your way to Moonrise Tower where you need to save Minthara and continue with the Baldur’s Gate 3 quest there
- Once you have completed the quests with Minthara, you can return to Halsin and progress his story by telling him about a child he must save
There is a bit of back and forth as you jump between Act 1 and Act 2, but this is the only way to recruit Minthara without burning down the Druid and Tiefling home. Minthara is a really cool character that not a lot of people get to see, so doing this is definitely worth it.
Without giving away too many spoilers, you be able to recruit Minthara, you will not have betrayed the grove, and you can also still recruit Halsin into your party. This will result in you being able to recruit Minthara without betraying the grove. You can sleep a lot better at night, at least in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Betrayal-free Minthara recruitment in Baldur’s Gate 3
Betraying Emerald Grove seems inhumane. Even I, someone who likes to play RPGs in ways that would make Ghengis Khan flinch, had to think twice in Baldur’s Gate 3. However, there is a way to recruit Minthara later in the game and keep the Grove in one piece. Here is how you can recruit Minthara without killing everyone in the Grove.
In my playthrough, I ultimately defeated Minthara with the help of Halsin. I chose to be a goody two shoes and save the Grove by defeating all the Goblin Leaders, of which Minthara is one. However, if you walk down the dialogue path of siding with her, just for pretend, you can recruit her without bloodshed.
Having Minthara as an ally has some benefits not to mention her obvious appeal as a relationship option. She is wildly powerful, she controls an army of Goblins, and she is kitted out in some absolute fire armor. She is presented as a very valuable ally and an even more terrifying enemy in Baldur’s Gate 3.
How to gain access to the Goblin Fortress
Gaining access to the Goblin Fortress can be done in a few ways. One of the easiest is by Releasing Sazza, a trapped Golbin, in the prisons of the Emerald Grove. Entering with her will allow you access without trouble.
However, I just speech-checked my way through the guards at the beginning. It wasn’t particularly hard to do, but it does leave things up to chance. Once you have access to the Goblin Fortress, have free reign over siding with Minthara to betray the Grove or defeating Dror Ragzlin and Priestess Gut to save the Grove.
What is the Emerald Grove (BG3)?
Ah, The Emerald Grove. One of the first sanctuaries in all of Baldur’s Gate 3. As you drag yourself from the burning, visceral wreckage of the Mindflayer ship, they welcome you into their ranks. Kindness, trading, and a few fun friends await. However, they’re in trouble, and they’re a bit needy.
The Emerald Grove is rather quick to lay on the responsibilities, and they don’t offer much in the way of payment. However, when you meet Minthara, a rather intriguing option opens: Betray the Grove and have the possibility of a future with a Minthara recruit, or save the desperate folk and undoubtedly have a very powerful enemy for the rest of the game.
Minthara isn’t the only other companion that isn’t so easy to recruit. You can also recruit Halsin, but it may be tough to have him by your side with Minthara there too.
