This guide will explain the best Minthara Companion Build in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Paladin Class, and the Oath of Vengeance subclass, for the optimal setup.
This build page has been updated for thePatch 8 versionof Baldur’s Gate 3.
Minthara Companion Introduction
Minthara is aDrowPaladinand is planning to take down the Druid Grove in the name of Absolute. You can encounter her early on in the Goblin Camp as she is one of three leaders. Players can join her and help her slather the settlement and Druids or kill her if they decide to side with Halsin. If she lives, she can eventually join in Act 2 as a powerful Paladin companion. Her build focuses on using spells and abilities to deal with targeting specific types of enemies. This companion build will also open up different skills, abilities, and spells. You want to build Minthara for single-target burst damage with a lot of debuff utility.
Companionsin Baldur’s Gate 3 are a group of non-player characters (NPCs) who join the player’s party and accompany them throughout their journey in the game. These companions are essential characters that offer various benefits, such as providing additional combat support, contributing to the story, and offering different perspectives on the events unfolding in the game world.
Companions can be avoided entirely, die, be romanced, and have their own sprawling background. In this build guide for Minthara, we will explore her character and how to make a powerful Paladin Build with her. We also suggest using the Respec or Reroll feature to change Minthara’s default subclass to a much more powerful one. Look below for options on gear, armour, and spells with the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
Minthara Paladin Build Changes in Patch 8
The most significant updates to the Minthara Paladin build in Patch 8 of Baldur’s Gate 3 stem from the introduction of new subclasses, spells, andcantrips. While the core combat strategy remains largely unchanged, these additions open the door to powerful new multiclassing options that enhance both versatility and damage potential.
Moveover, theBooming Bladecantrip now offers a better advantage by adding thunder damage to each attack, making it a strong option. Especially when multiclassing intoHexblade Warlock, Sorcerer, or Wizard. As a companion, you cannot change Minthara’s appearance, gender, or race, but you can reroll and multiclass her build however you like.
Minthara Features & Mechanics
The following list presents all the essential Oath of Vengence Paladin Class Mechanics and Minthara companion Features in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Your companion can be respecced or rerolled early in the game. This means you can change their class, subclass, ability score, and more. The only feature that cannot be adjusted is their race and story. We suggest usingWithersatCampafter she’s unlocked to optimize the build. Minthara’s origin story is based on being a Paladin and we are suggesting you stick to that build, using the most powerful Vengence subclass.
Paladin Spell Mechanics
Paladin spell casting in general, is limited compared to other classes and builds. But the Divine Smite additional damage mechanic consuming spell slots is the real reason you can do an amazing amount of damage. In general, save the spell slots for this usage unless you need a buff, heal, or crowd control. The Paladin is one of the strongest classes in the game and it can be complex when playing the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
How to Find Minthara
Minthara can become one of your companions only if you decide to take down the Druid Grove and side with goblins. This way you won’t be able to recruit Halsin. Here is how to recruit Minthara in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Minthara Class and Best Subclasses
TheOath of Vengeancesubclass is a great Paladin subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 because it offers powerful damage abilities, debuffs, and high survivability. Unlike Oathbreaker, you will be able to access this straight away from level 1. This subclass also focuses on damage, not healing or utility which is great for Minthara’s personality and we recommend it strongly for the Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
Depending on your playstyle, you may break your Oath which will cause you to be an Oathbreaker Paladin. You can choose to go down this path, and the only variations to the build will be some skills and spells. The gear, consumables, and most of the gameplay will be the same. Be aware though, if you are using Minthara and play “bad” or evil this will happen. Both subclasses are great, just consider your role play and story aspects of her and your party.
Here are all the Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladinsubclasses:
Baldur’s Gate 3 Oath of Vengeance Paladin Features & Progression
The Oath of Vengeance subclass unlocks the following features and spells:
Paladin Divine Smite Explained
Divine Smite is a signature ability of the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3. It allows a Paladin to expend a spell slot to deal additional radiant damage to a creature they have hit with a melee weapon attack. The amount of extra damage is equal to 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend.
Divine Smite can be toggled on or off in the reactions menu under the user interface. This allows you to make a decision if you want to use it or not. This is very important because the Paladin can run out of Spell Slots quickly, limiting damage. The last thing you want is to expend a spell slot needlessly on a weak creature.
Here are some tips for using the Best Paladin Build to use Divine Smite effectively in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Character Creation for Minthara Companion Build
Minthara Race
Minthara is aLolth Sworn Drowthe race of eves, dwelling in the depths of the Underdark. you’re able to’t change or respec her race, but Drow is a decent choice for many builds including Paladin. Consider the Drow a strong general race and fits well with the Baldur’s Gate 3 Best Minthara Companion Build Guide. Here are the Drow Race following bonuses:
Drow Spellcasting:
Recommended Skills for Minthara
AthleticsandInsightare the bestskillsfor the Minthara because they complement your class abilities and enhance your effectiveness in various situations. In Baldur’s Gate 3,skillsrepresent the abilities and proficiencies of your character that allow them to perform various actions and interact with the game world.
Here are the best skills for Minthara in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Skills are associated with specific attributes and are used to determine the success or effectiveness of certain actions or abilities. They can be edited during character creation or with companions, during respec or reroll screen. Consider your character’s story and specifically Minthara’s background, lore, and race when deciding skills for Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide. By default, she has proficiency inAthletics,Insight,Intimidation,Medicine,Persuasion, andReligion.
Minthara Ability Score
Below is the bestability scorefor the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build:
The best Minthara ability score for her Paladin build is 16 Strength and 16 Charisma that way your melee abilities will do a lot of damage in combination with spells specifically Divine Smite. The next priority is Constitution to 14 so you have a larger enough health pool to survive. Hitting Strength and Charisma at 16 is critical for the optimal damage setup for the Paladin.
In Baldur’s Gate 3, ability scores are the six core stats that determine a character’s capabilities. For companions, the game automatically distributes them without the ability to change initially. However, later you can change their default ability scores in your camp via the NPC Withers for 100 gold. Originally Minthara might have an odd ability score distribution and it is not ideal for a Wisdom-based spell caster. If you’re able to respect and re-roll her aim for 16 Strength and Charisma when playing the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
Paladin Spell Slots
Below is a list and chart that shows the levels and spell slots unlocked for the Paladin class in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Minthara Level Progression
Alternative Minthara Paladin Build
While it might seem strange to do with Minthara, investing a couple of levels into the Warlock class first will give you access to the powerful Booming Blade cantrip. Then, once you reach level 3, swap back to her usual Paladin class and pickup the Vengeance subclass. With five levels of investment, you will have much more movement speed and melee potential. Finally, at Level 9 you’ll switch to the Fighter andEldritch Knightsubclass for even more spellcasting and melee damage potential.
After you recruit Minthara, she comes with a default class/subclass template. If you need to respec her, do that via camp. The only thing you cannot change about her is her story along with the race of Drow. However, Drow is a great race for almost any build, and her origin story centers on Paladin so we are going to keep her in that light. If you wish to break your Oath, check out this Oathbreaker build and progression path. We will assume, for now, that you are playing the Vengeance Paladin which will be listed below.
Minthara will come with some amazing armor straight out the gate, but look to replace it with Heavy Armor after unlocking the Paladin class. Same with a weapon, look to obtain a Greatword, two-handed for this build.
Paladin Features at Level 1:
Gameplay: at this level move along quickly to level 2 for spell unlocks. Use Lay on Hands for healing, Inquistitor’s Might for extra damage, and swing your sword. Keep looking below as we go through each level, and eventually gear and consumables with the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
Minthara Gameplay & Priorities
In early levels of BG3, the Vengeance Paladin will have dreadful mobility. Therefore, you need to find and equip a back-bar ranged weapon like a Heavy Crossbow from Lae’zel, loot, or merchants. This gives you some type of upfront damage before you can close the distance. However, at level 5, you will unlock Misty Step and dramatically improve your power and mobility. Moreover, look to acquire Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, Potion of Speed, and Oil of Accuracy consumables. These three consumables “stack” allowing for massive damage and your Multiclass Bard will feel very powerful immediately.
Your overall priority with this build is the following:
Following these steps ensures a strong foundation for her especially if you plan on playingsoloor onHonour Modedifficulty.
At level two the Paladin gains access to five prepared spells, choose a fighting style, and Divine Smite. Here is a list of what to do as a level two Vengeance Paladin:
Divine Smite: Uses a spell slot and hits in conjunction with a weapon strike. Can be automatically applied, only during critical hits or have a popup box via the reactions menu. Be cautious at first about using this too often. You will burn through your spell slots quickly at this low level, and either have to rest or just use melee attacks only.
Read More:Baldur’s Gate 3 Bard College of Valour Build
Paladin Level 2 Prepared Spells:
Paladin Gameplay Changes
Great Weapon Fighting: A passive feature when you roll a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack with a Two-Handed melee weapon, that die is rerolled once. This minimizes low-damage rolls and keeps your damage high especially using a Two-Handed weapon like a Greatsword.
With all of these spells, it’s important to not use them liberally. Divine Smite can proc (consuming an extra spell slot) and deliver extra damage in COMBINATION with Searing Smite. So if you Critical Strike with Searing Smite, you can use the reaction Divine Smite for additional damage. This will consume two spell slots, but deal a lot of damage. Early in the game, this is an issue due to the lack of spell slots. So be careful, don’t waste these spell slots on a target with 8 health, just melee attack them.
Additionally, Minthara makes great use of their bonus action early in the game. Using Shield of Faith or Divine Favor prior to a fight can be helpful. Shield of Faith can be helpful to allies as well. Use healing sparingly, you should be focused on damage and bring a support class along for healing and buffs.
Paladin Level 2 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds.
Read More:Baldur’s Gate 3 Shadow Magic Sorcerer Build
At level three the Vengeance Paladin will unlock another level 1 spell slot, Divine Health, and subclass features. Here’s a list of what happens as a level 3 Paladin:
Vengeance Subclass Gameplay
You now have a lot of versatility in spells, skills, and actions. The premise here is to use bonus actions and actions effectively per turn. At this level, I rarely use Thunderous or Searing Smite. It consumes both action and bonus action which is very costly. The first turn, I usually buff with Divine Favour or Shield of Faith, then attack in melee. The following turn, I decide on priority. If we need a stun, Command is a great option. Or if I just have to kill a target, I’ll use my spell slots for Searing Smite. Otherwise, if we need high damage and a single target stun, Thunderous Smite. Generally, I melee attack and try to use Hunter’s Mark as my bonus action if my concentration spell falls off (Divine Favour or Shield of Faith).
Even at level 3, the Paladin can be complex. Buff turn one, and use burst damage turn two. Turn three and evaluate what your group needs, crowd control, burst, healing, etc. Rinse and repeat that model until later in the game. It will get easier and more effective as you unlock spell slots. Also, check if you have a bonus action spent before ending your turn. Keeping it simple and attacking using your Smite and Spell slots for melee damage is a great way to play Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide.
Paladin level 3 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command.
Level four gives you a very important decision between increasing your ability score like Strength or taking a feat.Featsgive you a big benefit but doing so will have you miss out on Ability Improvements. Simply increasing your main stat Strength to 18 is the simplest and easiest way to advance your character. you’re able to do this by selecting ability improvement rather than +2 to strength.
At level 8 we will take Great Weapon Master and at level 12 (max level in Baldur’s Gate 3) we will take another +2 to Strength. This will keep our build simple at the moment, and we will hit hard with a better percentage chance with a melee weapon.
You get one additional spell to slot and I recommend Protection from Evil and Good.
Gameplay: remains unchanged at this level. Expect more damage and better chances to land an attack. Keep leveling to get more spells and more spell slots.
Level 4 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good.
At level 5, the Paladin and Oath of Vengeance subclass unlocks a lot. Extra attack, more spell slots and two subclass spells. Here’s a list of what to expect as a level 5 Paladin in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Extra Attack and Mobility Boost
Level 5 unlocks a lot of offensive and defensive potential for the Paladin. Extra Attack gives you two attacks in one with a chance to proc Divine Smite on each. you’re able to also combo this with a Potion of Speed or the Haste spell for two actions per turn. Your bonus action can be used for debuffs, and at level 8, another attack. You have two free spells courtesy of the Vengeance subclass. The best is Misty Step. The strength is this spell gives you great mobility and only uses bonus action. Now you can close the gap, charge in and have great mobility alongside huge single-target damage.
At this level and beyond, you should feel very powerful. You can buff and debuff with a bonus action, mobility with Misty Step, and huge damage for the scenario or enemy using Smite. The issue with the build at this point is spell slots and using your big damage Divine Smite reaction appropriately. You will also need to a long rest constantly. Do not go off wandering into the unknown without your spell slots full.
Level 5 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite.
At level 6 the Paladin unlocks 1 more prepared spell bringing the total to 9. You also get Aura of Protection.
Once you unlock Aura of Protection you need to activate it for its effect. Gameplay not much changes at this level.
Ending Act 1 with Minthara
Around level 6, you should be nearly finished with Act 1 content. Before moving on make sure to check merchants and stock up on camp and alchemy supplies. Moreover, look over the list ofbest Act 1 items. Additionally, attempt to get all of thepermanent bonusesavailable in Act 1. Lastly,Grymforgehas powerful armor and weapons (Adamantine) that can aid you well into Act 3. Consider taking the time to collect the crafting items before transitioning to Act 2, where you won’t be able to return (Moonrise Tower).
Paladin Level 6 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon.
At Level 7 Paladin Unlocks:
Gameplay for Level 7 of our Best Minthara Companion Build Guide: Not much changes and we are about to level 8 for a BIG boost in power with one of my favorite feats in the game.
Paladin Level 7 Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration.
At level 8 the Paladin gets to pick a Feat or Ability Improvement, we suggest taking Great Weapon Master.
GreatWeapon Masterfeat which does the following: When a melee attack scores a critical hit or kills a creature, you can make another melee attack as a bonus action. When attacking with Heavy Weapons you are proficient with, attack rolls take a -5 penalty, but their damage increases by 10.
The Great Weapon Master feat does two things for you. One, it has a high-risk high reward ability to add 10 damage BUT -5 attack roll penalty. As shown in the picture above, this simply reduces your chance to hit the percentage significantly. You can turn this off in the Passive section on your toolbar, which will give you the normal percentage.
Secondly, this feat gives you another chance to hit on a kill or critical hit using a bonus action. This is the real reason the feat is so strong, multiple attacks in a turn, and with this build, you will be getting a lot of critical hits and kills. Combat should therefore be initiated using your action first, saving your bonus action for a Great Weapons Master attack.
Great Weapon Master Usage
At level 8 you now have the god-tier Great Weapon Master and enough strength to take advantage of it. Here’s how you want your turn to go after you are buffed:
That is a lot of attacks without using a specific Smite because the bonus action can proc Great Weapon Master. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use Branding, Thunderous, or Searing Smite, it’s just now you have options considering your bonus action is so valuable.
You can take this a step further by using a Potion of Speed or have someone cast Haste on you. This will give you an additional action, two more attacks and possibly two more divine strikes. In one turn, if things go well, the Paladin is an absolute force with this setup. Buff with bonus action on the first turn, and use primary melee attacks on the second with the goal of proc Great Weapon Master. Use your Smites and spell slots when you need a big damage attack. Heal rarely, and Misty Step for mobility.
Level 8 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration.
The level 9 Oath of the Vengeance Paladin unlocks 2 Level 3 Spell Slots and two subclass-specific spells.
Gameplay at Level 9
At this level you have even more in your arsenal. Most of the added spells will be used in niche situations. Your bread and butter remains the same, Smite damage. With Blinding Smite you have a hard counter against fellow martial weapon users. Giving the Blind debuff alongside 3d8 radiant damage is massive. Keep things simple with out Best Minthara Companion Build Guide and use your off-healing, crowd control and utility only when needed.
Note on prepared spells, make sure to drop Compelled Duel so you can pick up two level 3 spells.
Level 9 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration, Blinding Smite, Elemental Weapon.
The level 10 the Paladin unlocks the following in Baldur’s Gate 3:
Gameplay remains unchanged at this level with more utility.
Level 10 Paladin Prepared Spells: Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Shield of Faith, Divine Favour, Cure Wounds, Command, Protection from Evil and Good, Branding Smite, Magic Weapon, Lessor Restoration, Blinding Smite, Elemental Weapon, Revive.
At level 11 the Paladin doesn’t get much beyond an extra spell and another level 3 spell slot. I recommend spending the last two levels multi-classing this class. Investing two levels into Fighter will give you a passive +1 Armour Class (AC) for using armor and a god-tier skill, action surge. If you want to stick with Paladin, you can choose another spell at this level and at level 12 pick +2 Strength feat. However, I suggest taking two levels into Fighter to increase your action potential, which increases your damage significantly.
Having 20 strength with another ability improvement is great. However, you get even more with potions of Hill Giant, 21 and 27 depending on the usage. I typically do not recommend mulit-classing, but the Paladin can really benefit from another action once per fight.
If you multi-class, this level will feel uneventful, but trust me it’ll be worth it. Prepared Spells remain unchanged from here on out.
For our final Level in our Best Minthara Companion Build Guide, you want to put another level into your multiclass. With two levels into Fighter, you get access to the awe-inspiring Action Surge. You get an extra action, but the biggest strength is, it doesn’t require any resource to use it. Action Surge is a once-per-fight usage, but it allows you to cast another spell, attack, dash, etc. It gives you that extra oomph that no other class has.
You take your Paladin with Extra Attack and give it Action Surge for 2x more attacks. You can take this a step further by using either a Potion of Haste or casting Haste on yourself. Then you get another action! If you did the math on that:
The Paladin at level 12 with this setup has so much firepower it’s remarkable. Again, if you wanted a traditional Paladin for all 12 levels, take ability improvement +2 Strength or the Alert feat which helps with going early. We hope you enjoyed this build and check out the gear section for more.
Best Gear for Minthara Companion Build in Baldur’s Gate 3
Beginner: Starting the Game
Here’s the best beginner gear for Paladin the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build:
Below is the best Act 1 Armour, Weapons, and Equipment for Minthara Companion in BG3:
Advanced: End-Game
The following table presents the best advanced and end-game gear for the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build:
Below are the best End-game Armour, Weapons, and Equipment for Minthara Companion in BG3:
Best Minthara Build Consumables, Potions, and Items
The following list represents the best individual useconsumableitems that will aid in our Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide:
Minthara Combat, Gameplay, and Tips
Here are 10 gameplay tips specifically for playing the Baldur’s Gate 3: Best Minthara Companion Build Guide:
Minthara uses the Baldur’s Gate 3 Paladin Oath of Vengeance Build for a combination of melee, single target damage, healing, and crowd control to survive. You will need to initiate combat, use consumables to replenish health, and rely on other companions or your main character for what your classes don’t have available.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Minthara Companion Build Summary Guide
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